Author's Note: I am in a sad mood, hence the new sad addition to the other apparent never-ending stories that I will continue late on sometime.
Warning: Sad, but not too sad.
Yes, I changed my pen name back to what it use to be, enjoy. (:
"He use to love me," she looked down. "He use to care about me, hold me, keep me from crying." The person in front of her looked shocked to hear she cried. "But he gave up in the end, because I was too strong. I hid behind walls, made him climb over, then built them up again. He was tired of trying, so was I... I still am tried to trying."
Gibbs saw the sadness in her eyes. He had long wanted to see her happy, but she clearly isn't. She's broken, he broke her. "You think he gave up on you?"
Ziva dropped her head, silently, she nodded. "Obviously he did or he would still be here and I wouldn't be in your basement on a Friday night. He's probably out with number 6 for the week."
"You don't know that."
She gave a chuckle that wasn't filled with any laughter, just boredom and and underlying problem that she didn't know how to fix, "because it's Tony."
"Still, you don't know what he's doing. He could be moping at his apartment over you right now."
Again, she shook her head, "we both know that isn't true, Gibbs. Tony can move on, no relationship means anything to him. I was a new flavor that he wanted for awhile, but when he was done, he moved on." Ziva sighed, "it is my fault."
"I'm not going to lie to you, Ziver, it is your fault that you're not with him." He could literally see her heart drop, "but it's only because you wouldn't let him in when he wanted to be, when you needed him to be. You can't expect a man to stay with you if they can't really be a part of your life. You have to let Tony in." Even as bad as Gibbs hated to say it, he wanted his two agents together, not like him and Jenny.
"You're right, but it doesn't matter now. He's gone and I can't get him back."
He smirked at her, "yes you can." Gibbs nodded his head toward the stairs, motioning Tony on down. "You just did."
Tony stopped midway on the steps, seeing the sadness in his girlfriend's eyes, the tears that threatened to fall, "I'm sorry... Ziva," he couldn't go any farther, he tore her apart, worse than any of the others had done. "L-Let's go on back to my apartment."
She stood up from the stool she was leaning against. "Thank you, Gibbs." Her voice breaking.
"You don't have to thank me, just make up with him." He pointed at Tony before engulfing Ziva into a small hug. He let her go and smiled, "now get home with him before I change my mind about you two being together."
Tony saluted in mock as he vastly took Ziva's hand and hurried her out of the basement door. He wasn't looking back at what he'd done to her, it was time to move forward. It had been six perfect months, four of which being hid from everyone else. He knew the step he had to take before he lost her for good.
He opened her car door, slowly letting her slip in. Ziva tried to close the door back, but Tony stopped her from doing so.
"Ziva, you've been out of my life for a week and a half, I can't stand it anymore. I may not act like it sometimes, but I do need you, more than anything. All I ask is that you let me in and not shut me out, please?"
"It is hard, Tony."
"I know I don't know everything that happened to you as a child, I don't know why you didn't have a mother, why your father is the way he is. I don't know why you wanted to join Mossad, and I don't know why you wanted to destroy your life when I killed Michael. All I know is that I want you. If it takes baby steps to get you to the point where you will let me in, I'll take them with you," his eyes pleaded. "But, Ziva, you had to promise to let me in once in a while."
She clapped her hand over her eyes, praying that he would just let it go, shut her door, get in the driver's side, and take her home. But it wasn't happening anytime soon.
"Why can't we continue this conversation at your place? Why does it have to be here?"
"Because I have something to do and it can't wait," he pulled something out of his pocket. Tony keep it out of her view. "Ziva, you just don't realize how much you mean to all of us, how big of a part you are to us. You play the biggest role, you hold us all together because you are so strong. Sometimes, though, we need to be strong for you instead of you blowing us off." When she tried interrupt, he kissed her to keep her quite. He saw her smile slightly, "you can't run from us now because we won't let you go. Not only everyone else, but I'll be the one right there chasing you, aggravating you until you come back to us."
"So, why didn't you when you left me if you need me so much?"
"Let me finish." Tony smiled at her need to ask so many questions. "You make me go to my knees with one single look. Your smile brightens my day. Your kiss gets me weak. Your hugs make me want nothing but to hold you. As cheesy as it all sounds, it means a lot because it's coming from me." He twirled the object in his hand. "Ziva, everything you do makes me want you more and more. I didn't know what I had lost when I let you go. I thought you'd be fine. I figured you'd go out and meet someone that could make you happy, I didn't think I made you happy."
He sighed, "but what I'm trying to say is... You're my rock, you hold me in place, you make me love, and you make me laugh. Ziva, just like I told you in Somalia, I just can't live without you. I wanted this to be perfect, but I just couldn't wait." He finally showed the box to her. "Ziva, I want you to move in with me, I want you to be by my side ever waking moment, I want you to be mine... I want you to be my wife." Tony opened the box and showed her the ring, "Will you marry me, Ziva?"
She looked hesitant after the big conversation that all of them had just had, but she was very sure of her answer. "Yes," her voice quite, almost a whisper. "Yes, I'll marry you." Ziva's smiled widened as it all caught up to her. Finally her happy tears fell.
"I love you, Ziva."
"We can work on that the rest of our lives," she smiled as he pouted, "but I love you, too."
Author's Note: Aweee. I love this! (: Please R&R.