She hears the phone ringing when she steps out of the shower, grabbing a towel for her body and one for her hair Ziva rushes to answer it.
"David ".
"What took you so long?"
"Tony?"
"What were you doing? I was just about to hang up!"
"You caught me in the shower."
"Sorry! But I have a problem I hoped you could help me with."
"Can I call you back when I am dressed?"
"No need, I hope to see you soon anyway!"
"Why?"
"Ziva! Could I stay with you for a few days? My apartment is
being fumigated."
"Did you ask McGee?"
"No!"
"Why not?"
"I am asking you because you are my partner."
(24/7 with Tony for a few days might just be what is needed to make some decisions about her future.)
"All right Tony but give me a hour to make brunch and then come on over. I will text you my new address."
"Really! Thanks I thought I was going to have to convince you!"
"Just bring your own toothbrush and we will discuss rules when you get here."
"Rules?" The dial tone buzzes in his ear. Whatever, I am just glad she agreed."
While Tony packs he thinks of what a few days with Ziva will be like. She never lets on much about herself so this will be a good opportunity to find out some things. Maybe we can learn to relax around each other, things always seem to be charged up when were together on a case. I am going to try really hard not to screw this up! Since she came back from Israel things have been different between us, cooler but not cold but no where near the heat we use to have. Yeah! This could be good just some alone time to see where we stand.
Gotta go! Brunch with Ziva cooking! Awesome! Maybe I should be infested with spiders more often.
Ziva come to the door of her condo in her cargo pants and tank top.
"Hi Tony!"
"Wow Ziva this is really nice!"
"Thanks, when I was sent back I decided instead of renting I would make an investment in my own home. Follow me I'll take you up to your room."
They enter a vaulted entrance way which leads up to a catwalk with spans the entire middle of the upper floor. On one end is a guest suite with a King size bed done in slate blue and chocolate brown linens, tiled double shower with glass doors, granite topped sink, walk in closet with built in drawers.
"Here is your room Tony I hope you will be comfortable as you are my first guest."
"Can I stay forever? Where did you find this place?"
"I bought it from a friend who worked at the Israeli embassy. He was transferred to Canada and sold it to me for what was left owing on it."
"Can I see the rest of it?"
"Not now, brunch is ready."
"All right! Thanks again Ziva, I really appreciate you letting me stay."
Over Brunch Ziva explained the house rules.
"No lounging around in your underwear DiNozzo."
He laughs! "I don't wear underwear Ziva!"
"In my house you will, so go buy some or find somewhere else to stay!"
"Well Sweetcheeks just for you I will."
"Second, don't enter my room."
"Gotta a dead body in there ZeeVah!"
"I will if I find you anywhere near it. I like my privacy so please try and respect that! Other than those two things just pick up after yourself and I will enjoy having you as my first house guest."
"Ziva I think we should use this time to get to know one other away from the squad room, just you and me!" He holds his breath waiting for her response.
"Tony I feel like I know you quite well already, after all we have been thru some traumatic things together."
"That's not what I mean. Just relaxing and hanging out without all the tension of a case."
"I guess we could try that. Why don't you go out on the patio and I'll bring us out a drink and we can enjoy the sunshine."
Tony opens the French doors that lead out to a flagstone patio with lots of potted plants and comfortable looking furniture. This place is really nice I wonder how rich daddy really is? Tony remembers the days of living with his own well to do father.
"Mojito's for two."
"I could get used to living like this Ziva."
"You are just a guest Tony. I like living alone."
"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"
"No."
"Do you ever get lonely? I know are job isn't one for a family man or woman but as I get older my priorities are bound to change."
"With Mossad we are taught to give up our personal lives to serve our country but since I have lived here it has made me think that someday I would like to have children."
"I noticed you didn't mention a man, a husband or father for these children."
"Men seem to come in and out of my life but none stay. With children I would be their mother forever, something lasting, a permanent love."
"I get the feeling that you don't want any one man to hang around for long."
"Only one man ever wanted to stay. He asked me to marry him but I wasn't ready to settle down and I'm not sure that I loved him enough."
"So you've never been in love for real?"
"No, I didn't say that."
Tony looks confused. "Are you in love right now? I noticed the picture of a guy on your desk and wondered if he was the reason you went back to Israel."
"Tony that picture wasn't laying out on my desk, how did you see it?"
"Before you get mad just let me say that I found it accidentally."
Ziva knows he's lying but is glad that it isn't a secret anymore. "Actually Tony he is an old friend who I spent time with when I was sent to Morocco. We were lovers along time ago and are still friends. It was nice to have someone to talk too."
"Aren't we friends? You never want to talk to me about anything important?"
She gives him a skeptical look and picks up their glasses and takes them inside to rinse them out. Tony follows her inside determined to continue their conversation.
"Ziva we are partners and friends but you don't talk about anything personal. You don't let me know anything about yourself, why is that?"
"Well we can't all just spew about everything we do and everyone we date like you can or we would never get any work done!"
"Were not at work now." Tony makes himself comfortable on the love seat facing the rock fireplace and pats the seat next to him. "Come sit and lets talk."
"What do you want to know? I will give you three questions."
"This could be good. Just like spin the bottle!" Tony gets a serious expression on his face and looks Ziva right in the eye. " Why did you really come to NCIS?"
A look of panic crosses her face but quickly disappears as she pulls down her unreadable mask and calmly explains. "After Ari died I needed to get away from Mossad and my father. I was his control officer and his sister and I failed the mission. Jenny realized I needed some time and space and offered me the position at NCIS."
"Did it help? Coming here I mean."
"It didn't hurt. Next questions Agent DiNozzo?"
"Okay! Why have we never acted on the sexual chemistry between us?" Tony gives her his best smile!
"Before I came here sex was part of the job. If it helped get a suspect to talk or relieved the boredom of a mission I did it. I am used to men who know that it is just a physical release or a means to an end but here it means something else. Here death is further away, not around every corner, making love is more emotional and not just a physical act. Do you understand what I am trying to tell you Tony?"
The look on her face is so sad that he feels the urge to pull her into his arms and just hold her until the ghost of her past life are gone. "Ziva? It is a foreign concept for me that making love isn't about passion but a way to make yourself feel alive and to hold death at bay for another day."
"Don't feel sorry for me Tony! That life has made me the person that I am and even though I am not a NORMAL WOMAN, I am strong and capable and fear no man! That is more important to me than being a sheltered princess that needs a husband to protect her." She is pacing around the room waving her hands around while she is talking, finally stopping in front of him.
"Zi! You are the most beautiful, strong, smart and sexy woman that I have ever known and I wouldn't trade you for any normal woman. You have to know that!" Tony stands and stares into her blazing eyes, cupping her neck with his hands pulling her closer until they are inches apart. "You are who I dream about and probably every man who has ever met you. I don't pretend to understand you because you are like no other woman I have ever known but it doesn't stop me from wondering what it would be like to see that fire in your eyes while we make love." He drops his forehead to rest on hers. "Sorry! I didn't mean to lay all that on you right now!"
"Tony? Since when do you feel this way? She doesn't move a muscle.
"Awhile."
"I don't know what to say Tony. Sometimes I wish to have a lover."
"What do you do about it?" He holds his breathe waiting for her answer.
"When I meet someone I like and feel comfortable with, like Michael I have a good time until it isn't good anymore and then I move on."
"So why not us then?"
"We work together, it would not be so easy to move on after it was finished."
"You know I once told you you would have a better life if you slept with me."
"I remember. In the shipping container. So what is question number three DiNozzo?"
"Hmm? Who were you in love with David? He smirks as if he already knows.
"What's that look on your face?"
"This look?" Tony is grinning from ear to ear! "Let me ask you something Zee Vah do you think our McGeek is smart?
"What? Why?"
"Do you? Do you think he is observant?"
"Well yes, I think Tim is a very good agent."
"He thinks you are in looooove with me!" Tony gives her a triumphant smile. "Don't feel bad Ziva lots of woman have fallen for the Big D. But lucky for you the Big D wouldn't mind his crazy ninja partner in his bed until she wore him completely out."
Keep on dreaming Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo this Ninja is planning on sleeping solo for a while longer.