Even in the small hours of morning, the airport still had people inside. Tired-looking flight attendants stumbled around in high heels carrying suitcases. Suit-clad buisnessmen and women were catching early flights out. Everyone looked exhausted.
One handsome man had been there for three hours. He was staring at the departure/arrival screen, sitting on a bench by the baggage claim. To anyone, he would look like a tired man waiting for his ride home. But he wasn't tired at all, and the thing he was waiting for was thousands of times more important than his car ride.
The screen changed, and the man stood up. His eyes searched the words until he found the flight he was looking for.
Flight No. TZ15023 From- Tel Aviv, Israel ARRIVED
Tony DiNozzo smiled and turned toward the escalators, where people were coming back from the gate area. Tired men and women reunited with their families at the bottom. He waited for a few minutes. Then he saw a pair of combat boots step onto the escalator.
She was carrying a small black duffel bag slung over her shoulder, and wearing her favorite pair of cargo pants and her favorite grey tee shirt. Her long brown curls tumbled over her shoulders in a wild, beautiful mess. Just the way he remembered it.
He saw her. She saw him. They locked eyes for a second. He grinned at her. Then a bright, beautiful smile spread across her face. He hadn't seen that smile in two years.
Ziva came running down the escalator, almost tripping as she went. He ran to meet her in the middle of the baggage claim area.
For a moment they just stared at each other, taking it in. Then, for the first time in forever, Tony pulled her into an embrace, squeezing her tight. She was shaking, and it took a moment for him to realize she was crying into his shoulder. He pulled back and looked at her. Her eyes shone with tears, but she was smiling. Almost laughing with delight. He realized that he was grinning too, and smiled even wider.
With a sweet kiss on her cheek, Tony picked up her bag and slung it over his shoulder, putting his free arm around her. He drove with one hand on the steering wheel, on hand holding hers, not quite wanting to let it go. He was just about to drive to his place when he saw the time. Five in the morning. He had to go in for work soon. So instead of driving home, he turned. She noticed immediately, and looked at him.
"What are you doing, Tony?"
"You'll see."
Eventually Tony pulled up into a dark driveway.
"Can I cover your eyes?" he asked.
She raised her eyebrows, but obliged. So her covered up her eyes with his hands and led her through the door and down a flight of stairs. He removed his hands and she blinked, adjusting her eyes. The scent of sawdust and bourbon filled her nose immediately, and Ziva knew where she was.
Gibbs looked up from his nearly-finished boat. He saw Tony standing by his staircase. "What do you want, DiNozzo?"
"Gibbs?"
He turned toward Ziva's voice in disbelief and saw her standing there. It had been years since she'd stood there in his basement. His daughter. Not by birth, but in his heart. She smiled at him, still holding Tony's hand. Gibbs stood from his stool and walked over to the couple, where he planted a kiss on her forehead.
"Welcome home, Ziver."
Well, that was my first fic in over a month! Hope you all liked it. I miss Ziva so much, the show's just not the same without her. This is kind of a sequel to my fic "A Long Night, A Buzzing Phone", in which Ziva tells Tony she's coming back. I got a few requests for a second chapter to that story, but I figured I'd just release this one seperately. Anyways, thank you so much for reading. Love you all!
-J