Promise

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS; if I did Cote would still be on the show (sad panda).

Ziva leaves NCIS and Tony has something to say about it. Is a romance in the future of Tony and Ziva?

Ziva wasn't coming back to NCIS, this was the information Tony was given via text, and not by Ziva herself. He decided to take action and talk to Ziva. He headed to her apartment after taking a shower and eating something for breakfast. He thought that by talking to her, by finally stating his feelings for her that he would get his partner back. So with high hopes he knocked on Ziva's door.

It took a few minutes for Ziva to answer her door, presumably because she was getting changed or something. Tony started to doubt his reasoning behind being there in the first place, and was just about to leave when Ziva opened her door.

"Hi Tony, I knew I would be seeing your face soon enough. Come in, please." Tony walked into the apartment, nervously going over what he was going to say in his mind. "I have my reasons Tony," Ziva said after closing and locking the door.

"I know you do, but I need to know exactly why," Tony pleaded; he was embarrassed by his tone. He turned to face Ziva.

"It is not you, if that is what you are worried about," Ziva started.

"Well, that's good, because I was wondering about that," Tony answered truthfully, if not a little sarcastically. He had been meaning to tell her his feelings for her for years, and he thought that this was the reason she was leaving. Maybe she didn't want to wait anymore.

"I need a change Tony, I need peace and quiet. I need someone in my life to be there for me, who will not leave, or die." A silence filled the room. The pair stood awkwardly for a few moments before Ziva motioned towards the couch, Tony nodded and he sat. Ziva joined him.

"I can be that person Ziva," Tony whispered. He looked at Ziva square in the eyes, hoping that she knew he meant what he said.

"You had your chance years ago Tony, you know that. I sent you message after message, hoping that you would notice, but you never did."

"I know that, and I did notice, but rule number 12 stood in the way. Gibbs would have had a field day."

"A field day?" Ziva queried.

"A fit," Tony stated in explanation.

"Oh, and yes, he probably would," Ziva trailed off. The room filled with tension.

"Listen, you don't have to come back to the team, but you can not stop talking to us. Do you understand?" Tony urged after a moment of thought. He had resigned himself to the fact that Ziva didn't want to come back but he had to say what he felt.

"I will not stop talking to you, or the team," Ziva replied. Tony didn't miss the inflection Ziva placed on 'you' and looked surprisingly at her. "I promise," she added. Her eyes didn't leave his, so Tony knew she was telling the truth.

"Okay, I'll hold you to that," Tony replied. "Hey, are you hungry?"

Ziva pondered for a few seconds before answering, "Yes, I am."

"Okay, a new Mediterranean place opened, want to go there?"

"That sounds good Tony," Ziva responded. The pair got into Tony's car and drove to the restaurant. The meal passed with ease, as the morning's tensions had passed, and Tony and Ziva had fun. Their witty banter slowly came back, and by the evening, they were acting like themselves again. After the meal, Tony dropped Ziva off at her apartment door.

"Breakfast tomorrow?"

"Sure," Ziva answered. Her eyes sparkled, "I will see you in the morning."

"Yes you will," Tony responded, and walked to his car. The future that had seemed so bleak this morning had turned into something Tony looked forward to, all thanks to Ziva.