Hey guys! So I spent the last I don't know how many hours on the computer and I'm really tired, so I'm sorry if this doesn't make sense. It's set in S9 (and before you groan at another 'Cartagena fic', it has no spoilers or anything in it. I just borrowed Monique for a little chat wit Tony.)

Well, as the summary said, it's a companion piece to 'Missed the Chance', which I wrote not to long ago. You don't necessarily need to read that one first, but I think it helps a little bit to remind one of S4 Ziva.

Thanks alexindigo. Without you I wouldn't have considered writing this. :)

Disclaimer: I wish...

He watches her dance, her dress swirling around her with every motion of her hips, her arms around another man's neck. And maybe he's had a little bit too much to drink, but he thinks the guy's hands move further down...like, a lot further. She laughs and moves them back up before she throws her hair over her shoulder, so he can't see her face anymore. Cartagena's humidity made her curls untamable and there hasn't been a day that she hasn't complained about it. He doesn't mind, though. Always liked her hair better when it was curly and wild, just like when they were under cover together. How long ago was that? Six years? More? Before he thinks too much about it he takes another sip from his drink, shaking his head as if that would make the memories go away. That was a different Ziva back then. Mossad Ziva. Now she is NCIS Ziva. But Mossad Ziva isn't entirely gone, she's just buried deep in the depths of his partner's scarred heart. But the more time she spent with Monique in the last couple of days, the more she bacame like her old self. The Israeli soldier. His little Nin-

He stopps his thoughts right there. He doesn't have the right to think of her as 'his'. She belongs to herself, no one else. And he's no exception to that, even though he likes to think that he has privileges towards his colleagues - even Gibbs - but right now she is dancing with that weirdo and he's sitting on the side lines.

"He's an old friend of hers," comes Monique's voice from next to him. He's startled and stares at her for a second before even processing that the woman has been sitting there the whole time.

Now that is embarrassing. "Um, excuse me?"

"Luca," she nods towards the dacing pair. "She and Tali used to go to the beach and play with him when they were young."

"Oh," is all he says. So now she's not dancing with some random guy but with ome sort of ex-boyfriend of hers. Great. He gulps down the rest of his drink while already raising his hand for another one. He's stopped by Monique's hand lowering his arm.

"I think you have had enough." She looks sternly at him and he nods once, not wanting to get into an argument with Ziva's mentor on the last night of their stay. And she is right anyway- He's had enough. He only thinks about his partner like this when he is drunk, or at least a bit tipsy. His gaze wanders back to where she is still dancing with her friend. And God, how much he wants to be the one holding her like that.

"She is beautiful." He says it without even thinking and his eyes widen in shock as he realizes what he's just said. To his surprise Monique looks at him with a bemused expression.

"Has she ever told you what she felt back when you were with - now what was her name again -" she frowns, before she seems to remember the correct name "Jeanne?"

Okay. So that triggers some bad memories. He nods, knowing that Ziva used to have feelings for him when he was with Jeanne. Ducky once told him by accident. He also told him how very heartbroken she was when he kept the team,especially her, at arm's lenght back then. But he never brought the subject up with her. Mostly because there hasn't been the right time. Not with everything that happened with Rivkin and Miami's biggest liar. And what is he supposed to say anyway?

'Hey, Zi. I'm sorry I broke your heart five years ago, but I've been in love with you for almost three years now, so we're even, right?'

He is pathetic. Suddenly he has the urge to go to the hotel room, lie down and never face the world again. A warm hand pats his shoulder and he looks up into Monique's dark eyes, that remind him so much of hers. Her expression is much softer, but dead serious.

"Did you consider telling her?"

He nods again, thinking of Number 26 on his bucket list, before he buries his face in his hands, avoiding eye contact with her. He still feels her gaze on him, though, and soon looks back up again.

"Why didn't you?"

He sighs. "Well, because...I don't want to lose what we have now. I'm her friend - her best friend even - and if I...tell her...I'm afraid that she'll turn me down." Or worse...turn her back on him completely. And then Monique laughs. Outright laughs, throwing her head back and all. He frowns. "Why am I telling you this again?"

"I am sorry, but do you really believe that if you tell her how you feel, she's going to walk away? Open your eyes, Tony! She's been watching you over Luca's shoulder for the past fifteen minutes."

He looks up, the supid feeling of hope already beginning to settle in his stomach, to find her indeed looking at him. When she notices that he's caught her staring she smiles, but it's a different smile than the one she sent Luca. It's...warmer. He finds himself smiling back without thinking about it. "Maybe you're right..." he whispers under his breath.

"I have known Ziva for almost all her life. And she always told me everything. About the team, about Ray...but mostly she talked about you, as much as it surprises me."

"Hey! I am a very likeable person!" he complains with raised eyebrows.

"I think you can be...when you let your guard down. Which I have seen you doing with her."

He is silent for a minute. Was it really that obvious? He thought he was doing a better job in acting indifferently while he was with her. "But what if it doesn't work out? What if I hurt her again? I couldn't live with myself..."

"You do not have to act on your feelings. You both seem to be perfectly content with how things are now. But waht I'm saying is...you could be happy."

Happy. Yeah...that's what he wants her to be after all the heart break she's been through. He wants to hear her laugh genuinely again. And he wants to be the one making her to laugh. He knows he can do it and in his sudden boost of confidence he beams at Ziva, who is approaching him.

"Hey," she says. "Where'd Monique go?"

He looks around in confusion. That woman was even better in disappearing than Ziva was. He shrugs. "I don't know." Nervousness overcomes him, as he thinks of what to say. Should he really...?

"Would you like to go...for a walk? On the beach?" she suddenly asks, looking somewhat nervous herself. He smiles at her, his worries gone.

"Sure." He gets up and they make their way towards the dark waves, side by side. The air is warm and he inhales deeply, tasting the salt on his tongue. Her hair flies softly around her face in the light breeze an he really wants to touch it, but he doesn't. "Have I told you how beautiful you look today, Zi?"

It's dark, but he can still see a soft blush colouring her cheeks. She smiles up at him, tentatively reaching out and grabbing his hand in a soft grip. "Thank you."

He squeezes her fingers reassuringly, but doesn't say a word. They've always been better at the non-verbal things anyway.

His heart swells at the feeling of her small hand in his and he thanks Monique over and over again in his thoughts, because yeah, they need to work this out and they really need to get over their freaking issues, but he now knows that they are going to do it, because now that the first small step is done, he knows that he can walk all the way.

As long as she walks right beside him.

The ending seems a bit out of place, but as I said; I'm tired and this computer only has WordPad, so any mistakes and other weird stuff will be edited when I'm back at my own computer. Please feel free to tell me what you think, 'cause that's what reviews are for. (:

Peace, my readers.