DISCLAIMER: I don't own NCIS nor Ocean's 11.
***
"I feel like Julia Roberts in Ocean's Eleven," Ziva blurted embarrassed. "The love of her life, Clooney, hurts her and when finally she thinks the Benedict guy is perfect for her…, Clooney shows her she was wrong."
"And," a voice startled her, "that Clooney was right for her the entire time."
Abby's face brightened in front of her before she let out a squeal.
"I knew it! You two! Oh, my, gosh! You guys are totally Julia Roberts and George Clooney," Abby babbled. "Except, of course, Ziva is more Selma Hayek then Julia Roberts…"
Ziva turned around to face the voice from behind as Abby prattled on. Wincing, she spoke almost lightly,
"I did not know you knew of that movie."
"'Course I do. Even watched it with DiNozzo one time," Gibbs smirked before taking a swig of coffee. He frowned slightly when he continued, "Though I don't remember Tony talking once after the poker scene."
Abby giggled, "I remember that! It was after the two of them got boxed in! You gave Tony painkillers Gibbs, that's why he wasn't talking!"
Ziva tried to smile, but she felt a little sick to the stomach and figured it came out more of a grimace. Gibbs gave Abby a grin responding,
"You left for bowling though, Abs."
"I have ways of knowing," Abby grinned mischievously. "I never give out my secrets! Other than the fact that Tony had been shot… it would make sense to give him painkillers."
Ziva blanched as Gibbs gave a small chuckle, "He hadn't eaten anything either."
Abby scrunched her nose and shivered, "Ew, Gibbs. You know what pain killers do to empty stomachs! Poor Tony!"
Ziva held up an arm, "Wait! Wait, I thought you said he cut himself on a crate."
"I did."
Ziva blinked and shifted her shoulders into a more aggressive position.
"You see," Abby jumped in. "Tony does that."
Ziva was growing frustrated, throwing her arms above her head, she growled, "Does what!"
The smile on Abby's face slid off and her voice grew noticeably cooler.
"Um, I don't know. Maybe you're his partner and supposedly this excellent Mossad profiling assassin so you should know," Abby jutted her chin out and crossed her arms.
Stepping in, Gibbs spoke, "Tony told me he cut himself. It was in his report. The doctors told me it was a gunshot wound."
Ziva placed her hands on her hips, "Why would he lie about that? It seems like something he would march around."
"I think you mean parade about," Abby corrected still put off.
"Either way," Ziva snapped, "getting shot by bad guys, yes?"
Gibbs raised his eyebrows and stared at her, making her feel like she should have figured this out.
"Maybe he wasn't shot by the bad guys. Because you're right, Tony would parade about."
Confused, the two women looked at him until Abby's eyes widened and she pointed at Ziva accusatorily.
"You shot Tony!"
"Abs."
Ziva continued to look at Gibbs as the fact that she must have shot Tony washed throughout her. Gibbs' phone rang, pulling her gaze away from him to Abby, who was looking at Ziva fairly perturbed. Closing his phone, Gibbs gave Abby a kiss on the cheek, saying,
"Be nice. Tony forgave her."
Abby nodded as Ziva followed Gibbs to the elevator. It wasn't until Gibbs cleared his throat that she realized he had pushed the emergency stop button. As soon as she met his eyes he spoke,
"Tony came out none the worse. He didn't want you to have to fill out IA papers and be investigated. Given the relationship between the two of you, I doubt you would have come out none the worse."
"The bullets the smugglers were using weren't a match to the wound?"
"Nope. It came from our standard issue."
Ziva waited for him to say anything else or start the elevator again, but he just waited. Glancing around her she said nervously,
"Did you mean what you said earlier? About Clooney being right for Julia Roberts?"
A nod and a, "At least Ocean and Tess. Roberts isn't married to Clooney."
Ignoring Gibbs' pop culture reference, Ziva said again slower,
"You still think Ocean is right for Tess even though he hurt her?"
Not even a heartbeat later he responds, "She hurt him too."
A pause as Gibbs lets Ziva ruminate before finishing,
"But in the end they forgive each other. And they're happy."
Flipping the emergency switch, he ignored the irritated faces of those waiting to get on. Instead he turned back to Ziva and stopped people from boarding. He said very softly,
"So. Are you going to forgive him or let him go to San Diego? You know he only stayed in DC this long since you came back to make sure you healed."
Ziva stared at him, her left eye throbbing with ghost pains. Someone complained to Gibbs, but made a hasty retreat to the staircase. Gibbs dropped his arms, a look appearing in his eyes. One that told her that he was afraid she wasn't going to bring Tony back to him. Her heart had already decided, but the mind was slowing the process of assurance. Finally, she pressed the button to go to the parking garage.
A rare huge smile crossed her face; Gibbs sighed in relief, albeit only in his eyes. The courage she found from her conversation with Gibbs carried her all the way from NCIS to Tony's apartment door. Knocking, she felt the courage beat away from her core. But before she could do anything, Tony opened his door.
Ziva watched his face and saw the surprise and wariness, hidden to everyone save her and Gibbs. Ziva spent years studying this man and his face.
"Just going out for a run," Tony used his head to direct her attention to his shoes, one on his foot the other under his couch.
"I would like to come in," Ziva looked back at his eyes. "I would like to tell you something."
Inclining his head, "By all means."
Ziva started to pace as he sat down and fished for his other shoe.
"I forgive you," she blurted out, causing Tony to drop his shoe onto the bare foot. "I know I should have told you earlier when I actually did, but," Ziva trailed off.
Tony bent down to tie his shoe, hiding his face from her. Worried, she decided to lay it out all on the table. Her pacing doubled, before she sat on the coffee table.
"You are my George Clooney," Ziva began.
Tony's face popped up, confusion very evident.
"In Ocean's Eleven. And I am Julia Roberts."
A shadow of a smile crossed his lips when she compared herself to the red haired actress. But he almost imperceptibly shook his head.
"Yes," Ziva rushed on, "I'm sorry I shot you."
"What!"
Sighing, Ziva explained, hands gesturing, "When we were in that box, container, with the movies."
Watching the wheels turn in his head as he racked his memories, comprehension sparked his eyes.
"How did you find out?"
"Gibbs."
"Of course," Tony shook his head frustrated. Reaching for the other shoe, his hands were captured by Ziva's.
"Do not go," Ziva pleaded. "Please Tony. Do not go to San Diego. You were right about Mi-Rivkin and I was just- I wanted to believe you were the bad guy because of the hurt in my heart."
Surprise now easily etched on his face, Tony leaned closer to her and whispered,
"Why shouldn't I go? Why?"
Ziva almost let herself go cross-eyed at the proximity between the two, but she took a deep breath and replied,
"Because you are my Danny Ocean."
"He goes to jail at the end of the movie."
Glaring, Ziva stands and snaps at him, "So you are going to San Diego!"
Tony slowly stood up and shrugged, "It was only for what six months? She waited. Would you?"
"Yes!"
"Really?"
Ziva growled and flexed her fingers, "I would! Because I love you, I would. But do not leave, stay!"
And almost immediately, Ziva snapped her mouth shut and looked frightened. A moment passed as they stood staring at each other before she furiously cried out,
"I said it! Are you happy now?"
And finally, months after Ziva's return to America and NCIS, Tony DiNozzo truly, happily smiled.
"Absolutely, sweet cheeks. Because I love you too."
A/N: This seemed so random the first time I made the connection, but it works. Let me know what you think!
