"WHY, GIBBS? WHY LET HIM GO? IN MOSSAD WE WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO SLIP FREE OF OUR CLUTCHES!"
"DAMMIT, DAVID, YOU'RE NOT JUST MOSSAD ANY MORE! YOU'RE IN AMERICA! WE ONLY HAVE CIRCUMSTANCIAL EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM; WE HAD TO LET HIM GO!"
"YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK, GIBBS?"
"NO, WHY DON'T YOU ENLIGHTEN ME, DAVID?"
"YOU HAVE GONE SOFT GIBBS! YOU ARE NOT THE SAME MAN THAT I MET TWO YEARS AGO! YOU WOULD HAVE FOUND A REASON TO HOLD HIM WHILST YOU FOUND THE EVIDENCE!"
"WELL, SOMETIMES, GETTING BLOWN UP DOES THAT TO YOU!"
"GODAMMIT, GIBBS! SUCK IT UP! WHERE IS THAT HARD-ASS MARINE INSIDE YOU WE BOTH KNOW IS JUST BURSTING TO GET OUT?!"
Tony groaned and banged his head against his desk. They were at it again. Ever since the whole Jeanne/La Grenouille debacle, Gibbs and Ziva had been ripping it out of each other at every opportunity. Everyone was fed up with them, and no-one knew what was going on between them. This was the fifth time this week, and it was only Tuesday. They hadn't even entered the bullpen yet and he could hear them as if they were yelling in his ear. Eventually they came into sight, storming around the corner from the staircase, glaring daggers at each other. He could almost sense McGee steeling himself to run inference, which they usually had to do, he holding Gibbs back and McGee restraining Ziva to prevent them from flying at each other. Each confrontation just increased the overall tension with the team and in theory, decreased the team's ability to have each other's backs in the field. In this case, it was different though. However angry Gibbs and Ziva might be with each other, they still always had each other's sixes, and those of Tony and McGee aswell. Jenny had briefly stepped in to ban Ziva and Gibbs from fighting during training, but otherwise refused to get involved in their personal feud, when it was having no effect on their job performance ability.
Ziva was so furious with the man at her side, she didn't know whether to punch him or kiss him. How did her get her so riled up? She knew what the problem was. She was in love with Gibbs, and had been for close to two years. It was anger at doing something so weak as to fall in love that made it so easy to pick fights with him these days. She stopped and turned to face him head on, he mimicking her movements. Damn him. Even in his incredibly angry state, he still managed to look effortlessly gorgeous, those bright blue eyes that bore into her own, as if he could see right through her.
Gibbs had never felt such anger towards a woman before. He didn't know where it was coming from. He glared at her. Her dark hair was straight, but wild and sexily tousled from where she had been running her hands through it in frustration. Her dark eyes had a warm caramel tone to them, the pupils slightly dilated with anger, her cheekbones stained with a furious dark blush, that he had caused. Damn, she looked gorgeous when she was angry. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed how stunning she was before. She looked as if every muscle in her body was drawn tight, ready to explode at him any second. She looked lethal, and only now did he realize how sexy that made her look. The knowledge that she could kill him both scared him and excited him at the same time. Suddenly, she took a deep breath, her body relaxed, and she just walked off.
Ziva David never backed down.
What was going on?
"Boss?"
Gibbs turned to see Tony stood beside him.
"Ducky wants to see you in autopsy, err, now, and if you, what was it? Oh, drag your heels; he will sic Ziva on you."
Gibbs growled in the back of his throat and then stormed for the elevator.
"WHAT, Doctor Mallard?" He asked, as he strode angrily into the morgue.
"Good god, Jethro, this has got to stop! You are becoming unbearable to work with! Now, when are you going to tell that beautiful Israeli that you are in love with her?"
"You what?"
"You heard me. It is quite obvious the only reason the two of you are fighting at the moment is the unresolved sexual tension between you, which stems from the fact that the two of you are completely and utterly in love with each other and lying to yourselves about it!"
Gibbs just glared at Ducky and stormed back out of autopsy. Once inside, he angrily flicked the switch and ran his hands through his hair.
Is Ducky right? Is this the reason I keep fighting with Ziva? I'm in love with her? God knows she's beautiful, and sexy, and witty, and intelligent. And she fights me with such a passion, meeting me par-for-par. I really could be in love with her.
STOP! Leroy Jethro Gibbs, you have NOT fallen in love with a team mate again. Rule twelve will NOT be broken. Ducky is wrong, you are not in love with Ziva, and she is not in love with you, and you are not going to take this insubordination anymore!
Decided, Gibbs flicked the switch and rode the elevator up one floor to Abby's lab, but paused in the doorway when he heard another voice. Another two voices.
"GOD, Abby, he makes me so angry! I can not take this anymore! I do not have that a good a resolve; I most likely will end up killing him if this keeps up! Why does he make me so angry?"
"Probably because you're completely in love with him?" he heard Abby say.
He waited for Ziva to deny it.
"Be that as it may, why am I so angry? And why is he so angry with me?"
"Because he's head over heels, hook, line and sinker in love with you," Jenny's voice floated out of the doorway.
He heard Ziva laugh.
"Gibbs is not in love with me, Jenny, and I will not goat myself in anyway."
"Kid yourself," Abby added, "And I agree with Jenny, I reckon Gibbs is in love with you. The way he looks at you when you're not looking at him. He's definitely in love with you!"
"Who's in love with who?" Gibbs asked, striding into the lab. He would have loved to take a photo of their expressions. Jenny recovered first.
"Jethro, good, I wanted to talk to you. Both of you. The Senator's Ball tonight, you are both required to be there. It's mandatory."
"We your security detail, Direc-tor?" Gibbs drawled.
"No. The Senator is expecting the WHOLE of the major crime response team in attendance, including you, Jethro. Now, I suggest you and Ziva give each other a wide berth,"
Gibbs glared at Jen and Ziva turned to Abby, "You are going, yes?"
Abby nodded, "And WE are going dress shopping. S'later Gibbs, Jen!" she said, and dragged Ziva from the lab, leaving Gibbs with Jenny.
"How long were standing outside the lab?" Jenny asked, one eyebrow arched.
"Long enough."
"So, now you know Ziva is in love with you, and we both know you feel the same way, what are you going to do about it?"
"Nothing," Gibbs said, and walked out.
When Jenny arrived in the bullpen, Gibbs was absent. She raised an enquiring eyebrow in Tony's direction.
"Gone for coffee," he said, by way of explanation.
"Right, well, you two do have some work to do tonight. Keep Gibbs and Ziva apart at all costs, you got me?"
Tony and McGee nodded.
Five hours later, Gibbs was sat at the bar with Ducky, knocking back his first bourbon, Tony and McGee keeping their eyes on Gibbs. The whole room suddenly gasped and went silent. Tony, McGee, Gibbs and Ducky all swivelled to look at the doorway.
Ziva.
She looked absolutely stunning.
She wore a silk, slinky red floor-length ballgown which clung to curves Gibbs had never even noticed she had. The dress was halter-neck and had a plunging v-neckline, embellished with red sequins and diamante. She wore incredibly high red silk covered stilettos, which gave her an extra six inches in height. Her hair was styled glamorously, all loose and curled, eyes dark-rimmed and defined, her lips the perfect rouge to match her dress.
Abby stood beside her, looking just as attractive in a slinky black number, straight hair and stilettos. The ladies spotted McGee and Tony, smiled, and crossed the floor. Gibbs saw the back of Ziva's dress was non-existent.
Damn.
A jolt of desire pulsed through him, all the blood rushed to a certain part of his anatomy. Thank God these trousers were well lined. He crossed the floor to where Ziva now sat, ignoring Ducky's cry of, "Jethro!"
She looked up when his shadow fell over her, giving him an appreciate yet cursive sweep up and down his tuxedo clad body.
He looked good.
"May I have this dance, Officer David?"
Tony made to protest, but Gibbs glared at him, as Ziva stood and took his arm and he led her onto the dance floor.
"Excellent job at keeping them apart, geniuses!" Abby said, returning with drinks and seeing the couple stepping on to the dance floor. Abby groaned when Gibbs pulled Ziva flush against him as a latin beat kicked it.
Excellent.
Latin – a fast, furious and passionate dancing style, just what they need, she thought sarcastically.
They all watched in awe as the couple started dancing.
Gibbs could dance.
They had never expected this.
Gibbs could really dance.
The man became the music, twirling Ziva all over the dance floor, all the time glaring at her. When they passed them, Gibbs tossed his jacket at Tony.
When had he removed that?
Gibbs grabbed Ziva's thigh and pulled her closer to him, holding her thigh to his waist.
Tony winced as Ziva dragged her stiletto heel down the back of Gibbs' leg, digging it in. In turn, Gibbs stepped on Ziva's other foot, causing her to wince, and bring the leg that that been at his hip in between his legs and apply enough pressure to his boys with her knee to hurt. He grabbed her hand and span her away him, fast. Ziva thought he would let go of her hand, and send her flying, but he didn't. He jerked his wrist, so she came flying back towards him, and she added an elbow to his solar plexus to for his efforts.
"What happened to keeping them apart at all costs?" A furious voice asked behind them.
Jenny.
No-one paid her any attention, all riveted by the dancing couple.
"It's like Mr & Mrs Smith," Tony said, awestruck.
Gibbs, hands still clutching Ziva's, took her legs out with one of his and she slid between his legs. He caught her before she hit the ground and he pulled her back to standing. That was when she felt his arousal pressing into her stomach. Her eyes went comically wide. By now they had attracted quite a crowd, including the Senator. Jenny winced. This could not end well.
Gibbs carried dancing with her, ignoring his reaction to her close proximity. She looked up into his eyes, her mouth mere inches from his.
"May I ask what's got you all fired up?" she asked, a seductive lilt to her voice.
"Oh, I think you know, Officer David," Gibbs said, smirking his sexy half-smile, and ghosted his fingers down her spine, "Where did you get this dress?"
"One of Abby's favourite shops."
"I can see why. You look ravishing."
"Ravishing? Who even uses that word anymore?" asked a cheeky voice to their left. Gibbs turned to face ..Abby. And Tony. Who apparently could also dance. Abby sandwiched herself between the dancing couple and Tony span Ziva into his arms and danced her across the floor away from them. Gibbs pulled Abby towards him and she gasped when she felt his arousal.
"That is because of Ziva, not you, Abs."
"I see. I guess Madame Director sent us in for recon at just the right moment. You're just about ready to explode!"
"Ab-by!"
"Course that's what happens to you when you go through months of unresolved sexual tension, spending day in and day out with the object of your desires and not getting any release, man, I couldn't even begin to think what it's like to be on edge like that twenty-four seven."
"Abby, shut up, now," he hissed.
"I guess it would make me really grouchy and shouty too. Hey! That's why you keep yelling at her! It's not just that you're completely in love with her, which you are, it's 'cos you ain't getting any!"
"ABBY! Shut up!"
She shut up and looked sheepish, but then gave him an evil grin.
"So, what are you going to do about it, Gibbsy?"
"Nothing, Abs. She is my subordinate, and therefore, nothing can happen."
"The ONLY rule at NCIS that condemns relationships between co-workers is rule twelve. It's not an official NCIS rule, you're just hiding behind it, you little coward!"
"I am NOT a coward."
"Are too. Why don't you tell her you love her?"
Gibbs looked vulnerable for a second.
"Because you're scared of rejection!" Abby concluded, beaming, "Ah, what Mike Franks wouldn't pay to see this, bad-ass marine, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, scared of rejection by a woman,"
Gibbs growled in the back of his throat and glared at her.
On the other side of the dance floor, Tony was involved in a similar conversation with Ziva. The moment he had taken her into his arms, he'd known. Her pupils were blown with desire, and she looked angry at him for dragging her away from Gibbs.
"Hey! Don't blame me! Just following orders, the Director sent me and Abs to break you up before you killed each other or had sex on the dance floor," Tony said and winked.
"TONY!"
"What, Zee? You gotta admit you guys were getting pretty hot out there! All these weeks of sexual tension, both of you are just ready to explode!"
"Tony, I do not believe you are actually attempting to get me to talk about this! Now, let me go, before I make you!"
Tony smirked and released her from his grip. She stormed away from him and out of the ballroom into the hotel lobby, looking around.
"You looking for me?" drawled a familiar voice. She turned to see Gibbs leaning against a pillar on the right hand side of the large room. His arms were crossed, and he still wore that sexy half-smile, still straining against his pants. He beckoned her over. She approached him warily.
"What, Gibbs?"
"I just got an earful from a certain forensic scientist."
"Oh?"
"Apparently I am a coward."
Ziva smirked, "And why is that, Gibbs?"
They stood and stared at each other, both daring each other to say the words first.
"I'm not that good with words. You know that, Officer David."
"Well then, I guess you better show me, Agent Gibbs."
"Had I now?" he asked, and then beckoned her closer still.
When she stepped forward, he met her halfway and pulled her flush against his body, before crushing his lips against hers. She kissed him back, passionately, and then shoved him back against the pillar. She hooked her leg around the back of his and slid her hands into his hair. Gibbs slide one hand into her hair, the other sliding around to cup her ass, holding her impossibly closer to his body. Her tongue probed against his lips and he gave her entrance, eagerly duelling his tongue fiercely with her own before exploring the inside of her mouth.
When Tony was done dancing with Abby, it took another ten minutes for all of them to ascertain that both Gibbs and Ziva were absent from the ball room.
Jenny, Ducky, McGee, Abby, Palmer and Tony hurried out of the room and stopped in their tracks.
Ziva had Gibbs pressed against the wall as they almost violently attacked each other's mouths with their own and didn't appear to realise where they were, if the increasing moans were anything to go by.
"Well, I guess it was unresolved sexual tension," McGee said, surprised.