Got this idea two days ago quite randomly during social studies, and it screamed at me to write it for about 32 hours before I gave in and wrote it last night. This is basically what I would consider a "perfect" wedding for these two :) As always, your helpful reviews are so very appreciated!
Disclaimer: I wish. But no.
The distraught widower reminded Tony all too much of a man named Detective Nick Burris, who had been in almost the exact same position as this man over two years ago; a position which he certainly didn't envy himself. He couldn't imagine the pain this man must be feeling, the husband of a brutally murdered Navy Captain. Well, that wasn't entirely true. However, there'd eventually been a light at the end of his tunnel; whereas he'd been able to drag her back, this man would never again see the woman he loved, never again hold her, kiss her, tell her how much he loved her. Tony was eternally grateful that he at least still had that chance.
Tony and Ziva both watched from her desk as the grief stricken man was escorted out of the building, his wife's murderer behind bars, the most closure they could give him. As the elevator doors closed behind him and the escort, their gazes drifted back to each other. Tony wrapped his arm around his girlfriend's waist and pulled her to his chest.
"I don't know what the hell I'd do if anything happened to you," he murmured into her hair.
"I do not think I could live another day without you," she whispered back, glancing up at him. He brushed the back of his hand lightly over her cheek and kissed her.
Suddenly, a lone thought jumped to the forefront of his mind: he couldn't live another day without her permanently, legally, in his life. The question he asked her next was impulsive, but heartfelt; not so much a request as a statement.
"Marry me. Tonight."
Ziva did a double take.
"Tony…I…I…"
"I love you, Ziva, and I don't want to spend another second of our lives apart. I want to wake up next to you every morning, and I want to fall asleep every night with you in my arms. I want to cherish every minute of our time together. I want to marry you, right now, if you'll say yes."
If he'd nailed his last marriage proposal, as he'd once told her, then he'd hit this one right on the head.
Ziva pressed a soft kiss to his lips and rested her forehead against his, smiling, tears of joy in her eyes.
"Yes, Tony. I will marry you."
Tony smiled and kissed her forehead before walking back to his desk and pulling a compact, blue velvet box out of one of the drawers. He walked back to Ziva and handed her the box.
"It was my mother's. Dad sent it a few months ago."
Still dumbfounded, Ziva opened the box, which contained a glimmering diamond ring. She simply stood there, staring at it, until Tony chuckled.
"You know, it is customary to put it on." She nodded as she removed the ring from its box and slid it on her left hand.
"Beautiful," he breathed, taking her hand in his and kissing it before kissing her again.
Gibbs, McGee, and Abby were standing in Abby's lab, Abby and McGee packing the evidence away while Gibbs brought Abby her Caf-Pow and 'supervised'. The Probie and Abby were chattering away about something computer related while Gibbs sipped on his coffee, paying them no attention, when Tony and Ziva walked in, holding hands and shyly glancing at each other like kids in trouble. Tony cleared his throat, and all three pairs of eyes turned to the newly engaged couple.
"Ziva and I have something to tell you all," he began, and then paused, unsure of how to phrase it.
"Well, what is it, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked impatiently. Tony took a deep breath.
"We're getting married."
"Tonight," Ziva added.
The news was met with an excited squeal from Abby, who ran up and hugged them both, and two shocked stares from Gibbs and McGee.
"Oh my God, you guys! Congratulations!" Abby gushed, then began chattering on and on with questions about the wedding details.
"Abby, slow down. We don't exactly have everything figured out yet," Ziva laughed.
"Well what do you have figured out?"
"We're getting hitched tonight," Tony replied.
"And, I am going to need a bridesmaid," Ziva said. "I was hoping you might consider…" She didn't even finish her sentence before Abby threw her arms around her.
"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!"
Tony looked over at McGee, who still stood in shock next to a box of evidence.
"I'm also going to need a best man, Tim," Tony continued, humbly rubbing the back of his neck. "I was sort of hoping you could do that. Hard as it is to believe, and as much as I torture you, you're still the closest thing I have to a brother."
McGee sputtered before finally composing himself and answering him.
"I'd be honored, Tony."
And that only left Gibbs, smiling sympathetically at his 'adopted' kids. When Abby eventually let go of Ziva, she walked over to him.
"It is customary," she began shyly, "for the father of the bride to walk her down the aisle. And, seeing as you are the closest thing I have to a father…I was hoping…"
Gibbs kissed her cheek.
"I'd love nothing more, Ziva." She smiled and blinked back tears. Gibbs picked up his empty coffee cup and threw it in the trash. He head slapped DiNozzo on his way out of the lab. "Go change your suit. We don't want you looking like a slob on your wedding day. You're only doing this once!"
They managed to find a Navy Chaplain to conduct the ceremony in the Navy Yard's chapel. Gibbs finally had an excuse to rush to the dry cleaner before it closed and pick up his suit, which was about to be donated to charity in a few days. Tony drove with McGee back to his and Ziva's apartment and changed into the nicest suit he had. Abby dug the white dress which had been part of her Marilyn Monroe costume out of her closet, and with a few quick alterations she was able to make it fit Ziva perfectly.
That evening, everyone assembled in the chapel; in addition to Tony, Ziva, their wedding party, and Gibbs, Ducky, Jimmy, Breena, and even Vance were there. Gibbs walked a glowing Ziva down the aisle, to the front of the chapel where her groom stood waiting for her (flanked by his best man and her maid of honor), kissed her on the cheek, and gave Tony another head slap for good measure.
For the most part, they stuck to the traditional vows, though they both agreed on a slight change to the last line.
"I, Anthony DiNozzo, take you Ziva David, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward and for the rest of eternity."
"I, Ziva David, take you Anthony DiNozzo, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward and for the rest of eternity."
When the chaplain announced, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," it took a second to sink in that they were actually married; Tony and Ziva DiNozzo. But when it did, and Tony kissed her, it reminded him of a line from the movie The Princess Bride: "Since the invention of the kiss, there have been five kisses rated the most passionate, the most pure. This one left them all behind."
Afterwards came the congratulations, the hugs, the well wishes for a life of happiness together. There also came the team's joint gift to the newlywed DiNozzos.
"Have you planned a honeymoon?" Vance inquired after giving the couple his congratulations.
"Not yet," Ziva replied.
"Since we have to go back to work tomorrow, we were going take a trip later," Tony added.
"Well, considering the amount of unused vacation time you have, I'd like to give the two of you the next two weeks off. That is, if Gibbs doesn't mind missing two of his agents for a while," Vance offered.
"He doesn't," Gibbs replied.
"In fact, our gift to the two of you is somewhat contingent on you taking a vacation," Ducky remarked, chuckling and handing them an envelope.
Inside were two round trip plane tickets to Paris and a hotel reservation.
"The plane leaves Reagan Airport in three hours," McGee pointed out, "so Abby and I already packed your bags, you know, to give you time to get through security." Sure enough, Abby pulled two suitcases from the front pew and handed them to Tony and Ziva.
"Surprise!" she shouted.
"McGee," Tony asked incredulously, "when the heck did you…?"
"While you were in the shower," he replied. "Abby got Ziva's together while she was getting ready, so please don't kill me with a paperclip for touching your clothes," he supplemented quickly. "Oh, and Tony? Do us all a favor and don't ever consider a career in singing. I think your whole apartment building could hear you singing in the shower."
Tony and Ziva stood on the balcony of their hotel room that night, looking out over the city of Paris. He had his arm wrapped around her waist, and she rested her head lightly on his shoulder.
"I love you, Ziva," he whispered into her ear.
"Je t'aime, Tony."