What Could Have Been

Disclaimer: While I wished I owned NCIS , I don't. Cause if I did Tony and Ziva would have gotten together now.

Spoilers: Judgement Day (Pts 1 + 2)

Summary: My take on what happened after the screen went dark at the end of Judgement Day. Tiva Fluff!

As Ziva opened the door to her dark apartment the days events were rushing through her head. She still couldn't believe that so much could happen in the space of 18 hours.

So it was decided, she would go back to Israel to Mossad, McGee would go to the cyber crimes unit and Tony would become an agent afloat. All because they didn't do their jobs properly in LA. Sure there wasn't a hour went past when she thought that if they'd followed Director Shepherd then maybe things would have continued as normal. But here they were getting sent to opposite corners of the world and Gibbs would be getting a new team.

Now she was sure that they would never see one another again. She would never have the chance to think about what could have been between her and Tony, only thinking what it would have been like if their undercover assignment all those years ago as married assassins had been their life. Well maybe not the married assassins - at least not Tony, just their "bedroom style" at least. Now she would never know.

Meanwhile, not 10 miles from where she stayed, Tony was having similar thoughts.

As he entered his apartment, he headed straight to the fridge. He grabbed a beer, poped the cap and headed straight to the window looking out to the city. He still had on his best suit as he watched everyone outside. He wondered what would really happen in the future. Sure at the moment he was being sent off out to see on a ship to become a agent afloat, McGee was going down to cyber crimes and Ziva was getting sent off to Tel Aviv. All because he didn't want to follow the Director and instead wanted to cruise down sunset bulevard. He should have done his job, just like Ziva had said. But he was having to much fun with her to worry about the Director. He thought it was just another 'booty call' and thought that the Director would want some privacy. But maybe if he had went to see what was really going on then Jenny would still be alive and they wouldn't be getting redeployed at various stations around the world. Sure, when he got back to DC 5 months later he would be able to see McGee again but Ziva - it wouldn't be that easy.

Ofcourse he regretted not making a move on her sooner but all because of Gibbs' "Rule 12" he hadn't. Besides they were partners. He didn't want to risk jepordising that relationship. They had had some pretty good times together - their movie nights while Gibbs' had been temporarily retired in Mexico and their first undercover mission together nearly 4 years ago. It might have been a while ago but still the memory remained with him. He still remembered how it felt to feel her skin so close to his. How comforting it was. Sure, it would have been nice to have continued life like that , falling asleep in each others arms every night and sharing whispers in the dark and spending Sunday mornings in bed but now that would never happen.

As he drew his eyes away from the illuminated world below him he walked over to his sofa, put his beer on the table and ripped off his tie. Sure, he had to be packed and ready to leave his apartment by 7am but right now he didn't want to think about it - he just wanted to nurse his still raw wounds of causing the death of their director.

In the intervening time, 10 miles west of Tony' apartment Ziva was wondering what to do. Sure it was 11pm and she should be packing but she just couldn't face it. She never got a proper chance to say goodbye to Tony at the leaving party Abby had thrown for them - she spent most of the time trying to calm Abby down by telling her Gibbs would get them back. Ok, she may not know if she would ever be back but she couldn't deal with the tears for much longer. So there was only one thing left to do.

5 minutes later she was outside Tony' apartment door. She was debating with herself whether she should do this or whether she should just go back to her apartment and maybe see Tony in the future. But what could she loose by doing this? They might not see each other ever again so she may aswell.

She knocked lightly on the door. She waited. No one came. She knocked again, this time a bit harder. She was about to turn around when she heard shuffling arising from behind the door frame.

The door opened just a crack but from what she could see Tony had been drinking.

"Can I come in?"

"I can't see why not." As the door opened she could see he had made no attempt at packing.

"You have not started packing yet."

"No. I guess I keep hoping that I won't have to go. Maybe I should just resign."

"No, you will not do that".

"Why not? What's stopping me?"

"I am. And Gibbs. He said he will get us back - we have to obtain our time".

"You mean buy."

"See. That is why you can not resign. Because when we get back who will be there to sort out my idioms?"

"True" he replied, after some time had passed. They stared at each other for a couple of minutes, each lost in each others thoughts.

"So what really brought you here? Cause I doubt it was trying to tell me that Gibbs will get us back."

"Well … I … emm, I guess I just wanted to say goodbye. We never got a chance today."

"Yeah".

"Well I guess I will see you soon, hopefully" Ziva said, trying to fill the awquard silence.

"Wait. Seen as you came all the way over here, why don't you stay for a drink?"

"I am driving Tony."

"I've seen your driving Ziva. It can't be any worse than it already is if you've been drinking."

"Haha" she retorted as she playfully punched his chest.

"See. This is what I'm going to miss the most - the fun, the banter".

"Yes. I will miss it too". It was only once it was silent did either of them realise how close they were. Seen as they both had the same thoughs on their minds it didn't take them long to close the small gap between them.

As their lips touched, it seemed like at the tension built up over the years was released. It wasn't long until they both relaxed into the kiss and clothes were starting to be shed.

"Wait, Tony" Ziva said as he was in the process of removing her cardigan.

"What?"

"Rule 12".

"We don't work for Gibbs anymore. So there is no 'Rule 12'".

"Good answer" she replied as Tony restarted taking her cardigan off her shoulders. As Ziva started to remove Tony's shirt, he started leading them down the hall towards the bedroom, where they spent the night exploring each others bodies and memorising them as they both feared it would be longer than Gibbs expected til they got back.

In the morning, Ziva woke up covered by only a white sheet with the sunshine streaming through the window. On the pillow next to her she expected to find Tony still asleep. Instead she found a note and a set of house keys:

Sorry you never got that drink last night.

Post the keys through the door when your finished and locked up.

I have your number.

Tony xx

She collected her clothes, got dressed and headed out of his apartment, only keeping the set of keys she had.

AN: My first fan fiction. Should I write a sequal? If I do it will be set in 'Agent Afloat' after the lights go out again =P with the line "you could have called" and there will be a mention of why Ziva has the keys etc .... Please review (: reviews are loveeeee.