Ziva unlocked the apartment door; she had just been out on a date with Damon. They had been dating for 3 weeks now. Kicking her shoes off and hanging up her bag and coat she thought back to restaurant they had just been to, it was quiet tonight, a lot of people opting to stay home due to the bad weather.

"This is not working Ziva" were the words running around in her head as she walked to the bedroom.

"I no" was all Ziva said, she liked Damon but more as a friend than anything else. They said there good bye and promised they would stay in touch.

Opening the draw she pulled out a pair a shorts and a tank top and started heading to the bathroom to change.

"Ziva?"

"Yes it's me Tony, go back to sleep" was the reply as she walked in to the bathroom.

Tony looked at the time seeing as it was 1:00 in the morning rolled over and went back to sleep.

Ziva headed back into Tony's bedroom to find him sound asleep again, climbing into his bed she thought about how she ended up here.

It all started 4 years ago with the movie nights, Tony was trying to introduce her to all the movies that he thought she would like or the ones he thought she just had to see, after all the mornings waking up late after a night spent asleep on his couch she ended up with half of her wardrobe at his apartment and Tony had half of his at hers, it became a lot easier that way, it meant they were not late for work because they didn't have to run home to change.

Over the years she had become really close to Tony, he was her best friend, her partner, the one person she trusted more than anybody in her life (well expect Gibbs). He was always there for her watching her back , keeping her on her toes whether it was correcting her English of just annoying the hell out of her. She had become to rely on him in and out of work.

Since Somalia she had spent most of her nights at Tony's, just turning up in the middle of the night after she had a bad dream. Tony would often wake up in the morning to find Ziva curled up on his couch sound asleep, he tried to ask her about it but she would always say "am fine", after a few days Tony give her a key not believing his lock would last much longer if she kept picking it. She slept on his couch every night for about 3 weeks until tony woke in the middle of the night to find her there, been as gentle as possible he picked her up and put her in his bed "thank you Tony" was all he got as she rolled over and snuggled in to the bed, it has been going on for a few months now, she would just come and go as she pleased.

Tony woke in the morning to Ziva curled into his side. Leaning over to kiss her on the temple he thought off the different ways he would wake up in the morning, there was his favourite where he would wake to her curled into his side just as he had this morning, Ziva looking all peaceful and rested then they was the one where he would wake to the smell of pancakes or whatever she had found eatable in his cupboards wafting down the hall from his kitchen. Every morning was the same routing, Ziva would wake and make breakfast while Tony would take his shower, then Ziva would take hers while Tony would make the bed and put the coffee on, then they would both sit down for breakfast in silence until Tony couldn't take it any longer and ask her "do you want to talk about it" it was the same reply every morning "no I am fine" and he would leave it at that not wanting to push her, but today was different.

The alarm went off they did the normal routine shower, breakfast "do you want to talk about it" but there was a different reply.

"He dumped me" was all she said.

Tony just looked at her not knowing what to say, "Oh thank god" was what went through his head. His Loved Ziva with all his heart, he finally admitted to himself that he loved her when they were told the ship she was on went down in a storm and there was "no survivors", he still didn't have the courage to tell her though, "what if she doesn't feel the same way" or "what if I mess up and lose her as a friend" was what kept going through his head. So he just smiled and said "am sorry Ziva".

Today was the team's favourite day, it was there day off and to top it off they weren't on call. Opting to spend the day with each other they headed out the door for a fun packed day. They went to the cinema, bowling, they had lunch then did a bit of shopping. It was getting late so the duo headed back to the car laughing about all the pranks they had pulled on McGee over the years.

Standing at the car Ziva leaned up and kissed Tony on the cheek, pulling away she felt Tony pull her close and kiss her, She took a few seconds to respond then she pulled away as fast as she could.

"We can't do this Tony" Ziva mumbled, she loved Tony with all her heart and soul he is her soul mate but she wasn't ready yet there was still too many old wounds from Somalia, it was different with Damon she didn't care what he thought about her, Tony meant to much to her, it was Tony point of view that mattered most, no one else's, she couldn't handle him rejecting her cause of all the scars and marks she had on her body.

"I can't keep playing this game with you Zi" said Tony anger and frustration evident in his voice "I can't keep putting my heart on the line for you to chuck it back into my face" with that he handed her the keys to his car and walked away. It doesn't matter how angry he was with her he would never leave her stranded he still loved her.

Ziva didn't get a chance to say anything as she watched him walk away and leave her there with his car. She tried calling him a number of times be he wouldn't pick up, heading back to his apartment to see if he turned up she kept playing his words over and over again" I cant keep playing this game with you Zi I cant keep putting my heart on the line for you to chuck it back into my face" did he love her after all, fighting back the tears she grabbed her car key and headed out.

She walked down the stairs and stopped at the bottom, trying to hold back the tears she ran into his arms, he hugged her just like he always does with all the love he had for her.

"What wrong Ziver?" was his fatherly reply.

"Oh Gibbs, I have done something stupid" she mumbled into his chest "we were having a great day and I went and spoiled it, now I can't find him and he won't pick up his phone"

"What happened?" Gibbs asked in a soft voice.

"Tony kissed me and I pushed him away, he said he can't keep playing this game with me that he can't keep putting his heart on the line for me to chuck it back into his face. I love him Gibbs more than anyone in the world and I blew it before it even started I don't know what to do" she said tears streaming down her face

"It's ok I will find him" he said as he took of up the stairs.

Tony sat on the steps of the monument looking out over the water when his phone rang; looking at the caller ID he saw it was Gibbs calling.

"DiNozzo" he said into the phone.

"Where are you?" was he sharp reply.

"On the monument steps"

"Stay there I will be 5 minutes" with that he hung up.

Tony sighed he was not ready for this. Gibbs turned up exactly 5 minutes later and sat down beside him.

"Hi boss"

"DiNozzo" was the curt reply "want to tell me why one of my best agents is down in my basement crying her eyes out?"

"Ziva is crying?" Tony asked in shock "but Ziva never cries ...OW" Tony said rubbing his head.

"That was the mossard assassin not the NCIS special agent that spent 4 months in a camp getting beat up DiNozzo" was Gibbs angry reply.

"Right" was all Tony said in a small voice.

"She has changed she is not as tough as she used to be, you should know that more than any of us"

"I know, I know, it's just it hard, I love her so much boss, and she keeps pushing me away"

"Have you told her?"

"No"

"then that probably why, she doesn't think you feel the same way as her" Tony's head snapped up and looked at his boss "she dose love you Tony, she is just scared you will reject her, be patient with her Tony and for god's sake tell her how you feel" with that Gibbs got up and started heading down the stairs "you coming or what" Tony got up and ran down the steps to catch up with his boss.

Ziva's head snapped up as she heard the footsteps on the stairs, she quickly look back down at the boat she was sanding when she realised it was Tony, she didn't want him to know how upset she was, she felt his arm go around her and turn her round to face him. Staring into his eyes she saw pain, regreat and something that looked like love.

"Am sorry Zi" tony said stroking her cheek "I shouldn't have said all that".

"It's okay Tony" replied Ziva trying to pull away but he just held her tighter.

"it's not okay, I hurt you, I made you cry" he said cupping her face "I have tried to stop you from getting hurt or people hurting you and I go do it myself over and over again".

"It's okay Tony, I no you mean well" she replied looking down notable look at him in case she started crying.

"I love you"

Ziva's head shot up and looked in to his eyes; she saw the honesty and the love shining in his eyes.

"I have loved you for years, you are the most important person in my life" Tony said smiling at her "tell me what I need to do for you to believe me".

"I do believe you Tony, and I love you too with all my heat" Tony smiled at her and pulled her that little bit closer "but I have so many scars and marks from Somalia that will scare you away and I don't think I could handle that" Ziva said with tears streaming down her face.

"I don't care" said Tony " you could have scars on every inch of your body and it would change a thing" Tony said wiping away the tears falling from her eyes "I love you Ziva and nothing is ever going to change that, you are my soul mate"

"And you are mine, I love you Tony" Ziva said leaning up to kiss Tony with all the love and passion they cold master.

"It's about time" said Gibbs his head poking around the door frame.

Both agent pulled away and started laughing.

Well I hope you all liked it. Please review good or bad.

Thank you for your time.

xxxxx