This is the start of a new one-shot series, based off the beautiful song If Ever Two Were One, based off of two poems written by Anne Bradstreet to her husband. The lyrics are powerful, and I am writing a total of five one-shots based off it. For those of you who read my one-shot collection A Boy and A Girl, these will be similar and touch on some moments we didn't see in that set. These will make more sense if you read those first.
If ever two were one, than surely we. / If ever one were loved by other, thee. / If ever love could for a lifetime span, / compare with me, all ye lovers, if ye can./
"Why did this work?" Ziva asked out of the blue.
Tony took his eyes off the road to glance at his fiancée. She was sitting in the passenger seat, head resting against the head rest, eyes closed. If he had not heard her speak, he would have assumed she was sleeping. Today had been her first day back after the car chase and their engagement, and it had been trying. Part of it had been that Ziva wasn't back to 100% after her concussion, no matter how she tried to fake it. Luckily for everyone, it had been a cold cases day.
"Why did what work, sweetcheeks?" Tony returned, confused by the question.
"You, me, us together - why did it work? Why are we engaged and not trying to kill each other?" she clarified, eyes still closed.
Ah, that Tony could answer. "Well, for one thing, we had an awful long time being at odds with one another and a whole lot to go through before we got here. But instead of driving us apart our differences brought us closer. It made us into the best partners ever," he finished the statement with a silly grin which earned a weak chuckle from her.
"We perfected each other. Well, maybe 'perfected' isn't the right word," Tony said before she could correct him, "but I know I've matured a lot because of you, and I flatter myself that I've smoothed over some of the rougher edges in your sparkling personality. They say good marriages work that way, and since soon enough we'll be married, we've got a head start. Plus we already know each other's annoying habits."
The thought of actually being married was still an exciting one, even though he'd been the one to propose four times. "We've had good times, bad times," really bad times, he thought, "and gotten through them together. Relationships are partnerships, and face it Zee," he said without turning to glance at her, "we've tested ours more times than a student has to take standardized tests. That lovely ring on your finger says we passed."
"As well as the fact that I have not killed you yet," Ziva said, sarcasm dripping from her words.
"So if anyone was ever meant to be together, it was us," Tony continued, ignoring the implied threat. "I dare you to think of even one of your past partners who can measure up. I am, after all, a very special agent."
They both laughed, and the sound of it carried them home.
Today was their first day back at work after Gibbs had caught them together. Based on the fact they had received no ear-piercing squeals through the phone from their resident forensics expert, their boss had left it to them to tell their co-workers. They had debated over keeping the secret a while longer, but then Ziva had pointed out that if they wanted anyone at their wedding, they had to tell sooner rather than later. Tony agreed that the team needed to know.
Abby was already in the know of course, but Ziva had asked that she keep it to herself for the time being. The Goth pouted - she was doubtless already planning their wedding and feeling put out at having to keep quiet – but nonetheless she reluctantly respected their wishes. However, since neither of them liked an unhappy Abby, they decided to tell their surrogate family together. After the team announcement, they would call their respective fathers and brace themselves for the fallout. Tony dreaded telling Eli as their past interactions hadn't all been friendly, but at least telling Senior he was engaged would (hopefully) stop the older man from flirting with Ziva. Not that Tony could fault his father's taste in the least, but Ziva belonged to the junior DiNozzo.
The elevator rose to the 3rd floor, and just before they reached their destination, the emergency switch was flipped and they kissed swiftly for luck. Tony switched the elevator back on and when the doors opened they were happy to see Ducky and Jimmy loitering in the bullpen as they often did when there were no cases and no sign of Gibbs.
"Any last words Zee-vah?" Tony murmured as they approached the bullpen.
"Yes, they had better not think this is a falsehat," Ziva whispered back.
"Falsehood, Ziva. It's a falsehood, not a falsehat," Tony corrected her, speaking louder this time.
McGee heard him, and turned to look quizzically at him. "What's a falsehood Tony?" he asked.
Tony and Ziva could have groaned aloud. This was not how they had wanted to start this conversation. They stopped together in the open area between all their desks. Junior field agent, medical examiner and assistant, as well as many of the other third floor occupants were watching and Tony felt a hundred times as nervous as before.
Biting the proverbial bullet, Tony said "Guys, Ziva and I have something to tell you. I asked her to marry me, and she said yes." As he uttered the words, Ziva reached out and took his hand in a tight, reassuring grip.
Silence and shocked expressions greeted the announcement. McGee was the first to speak, disbelief obvious on his face. "You…you must be joking. That isn't funny Tony," he said.
The couple exchanged glances. They had decided ahead of time there were two responses to unbelief. Her small smirk told him method number one would be acceptable this time. He winked in reply then reached over, cupping the back of her head and bending her back in a dramatic kiss like in one of his movies.
One of the first thing new staffers and agents were warned about were the members of Gibbs' MCRT, with the former Mossad agent's temper chief among the warnings given. Anybody who was around for any length of time knew that if something was done to Ziva that she didn't like, her repayment was swift and painful. So to their audience, the fact that Ziva was kissing Gibbs' second in command back and not ripping him limb-from-limb was enough confirmation that they were indeed telling the truth. It would become one of the many legends surrounding the pair, the day Tony kissed Ziva in the bullpen and lived.
They straightened back up and McGee gaped at them for a second or two more before his face broke into a big grin. He walked over, clapped his surrogate brother on the shoulder and said, "You're going to have to tell the story on this one Tony. It practically deserves its own book. Have you told Abby yet?"
They answered that they had, and that Gibbs knew too. Ducky and Jimmy both offered their congratulations as well as their other friends in the office. Ziva showed off the ring and Abby came up to hug her best friend tightly and inform all of them that they had to start right away on planning the wedding.
Gibbs watched with Director Vance from the balcony. The director was chewing a toothpick as always and when he had gnawed it to bits, he asked the special agent in charge what he thought about the announcement his two agents had made. Leon was familiar with Gibbs' stance on co-workers dating.
"Well, they aren't breaking the rule anymore Leon, it says no dating a co-worker. Doesn't say anything about marrying one," Gibbs replied shortly, before joining the impromptu celebration. The head-slaps he delivered this time were not a reprimand, but a sign of approval.
"They make the cutest couple, don't you think Tim?" Abby asked as she sat next to McGee during Tony and Ziva's first dance as a married couple. "Sometimes, I look at couples and wonder how in the world they loved each other enough to get married. Then I see people like them and I wonder what took them so long."
McGee laughed. "They are two of the most stubborn people I have ever met. They spent too long convincing themselves it would never work, but look at them now." That thought reminded him of the small box of weighing down his left pocket. Tony had seen it when they were dressing earlier, and the groom had grinned at his best man. "Do it right, and if you're luckier than I was, you'll only have to ask once." Then Tony wished him luck and reminded him that Abby might appreciate a bit of creativity when it came to that most important of questions. McGee appreciated the advice and planned to wait for just the right moment. Now he had to hope he would be able to summon the backbone that served him so well in firefights and interrogations to propose to the woman he loved.
The newly married couple finished their dance and Ziva moved into Gibbs' arms for the father-daughter song, causing several of those in attendance to tear up a bit, especially those who knew just how much it meant to both of them. The floor was then opened up to everyone and McGee let himself be dragged out by Abby so they could dance until it was time for the bouquet toss. Soon all the single women had gathered and the tightly bound bunch of lilies were thrown. Lo and behold, the maid of honor was the one to walk away with flowers in hand and Tim knew the right moment was upon him.
She led him back out onto the dance floor and when the music switched to a slow song he stopped moving, grabbed her hand and got down on one knee. The hand he wasn't holding flew to her mouth and she stared at him as he knelt.
"Abigail Scuito, you are the most amazing woman I have ever met. I let you get away from me once and I've regretted it ever since. Will you marry me so I'll never have to let go again?" he asked earnestly, eyes locked on hers.
She pulled him to his feet and a kiss that left him wearing some of her lipstick was his answer.
The bride and groom didn't mind that the attention was off them for the moment. They stood together on the sidelines, happy for their friends. "You know," Tony whispered in his new wife's ear, "after they broke up, every time someone showed interest in one of them, they got jealous and no one ever measured up. They still cared even if they didn't want to admit it."
"Sound familiar?" Ziva whispered back. "I could name a few times you were very jealous."
"It worked out in the end though, Ziva DiNozzo. You're mine now, forever."
She kissed him gently. "And now we live happily ever after?"
"Happily ever after is boring. I promise you an adventurous ever after, starting with the honeymoon."
"Ready to leave?" she asked, a fire starting to burn in her dark gaze.
"Ready when you are, sweetcheeks."
"Speaking of which, where are we going? You still haven't told me." Not that she didn't trust him, but Ziva did not like being left in the dark.
Tony grinned back. "That's all part of the adventure Mrs. DiNozzo."
If ever two were one, than surely we. / If ever one were loved by other, thee. / If ever love could for a lifetime span, / compare with me, all ye lovers, if ye can./
Return of the fluffy plot bunnies! Reviews are wonderful, and very much appreciated.
