Rating M for later chapters, but this is just foreplay
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended; these characters belong to NCIS, I own nothing.
Pairing: Ziva D./ Tony D.
Let me know what you think, if you like, and thank you so much for reading the first chapter.
WS
It had been weeks since Tony's semi-meltdown in the elevator, and he hated to admit it, but things hadn't been the same since.
She'd been distant, and he'd been trying to ignore it.
For the hundredth time that day he glanced across to her desk and wondered if he'd lost her. Not physically lost her, obviously, she was right there, but lost her in a deeper, emotional sense. Shut up, DiNozzo, are you losing your mind? It had been a long day, and really, he should be heading home.
"DiNozzo. David." Gibbs barked at them, and Tony almost jumped out of his skin. Seconds later they stood in front of his desk, arms crossed, both of them, awaiting further instructions.
"Okay," Gibbs said and leant back in his chair. "Now, I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but whatever it is, I don't have time for it."
He sounded annoyed, not amused, and Tony winced. Gibbs was no fun when he was annoyed.
"Boss," Tony started, but Gibbs waved him off. "DiNozzo. I don't care. Sort it." And with that he picked up his jacket and left the bullpen.
Tony inhaled deeply in preparation to say something, anything, but like Gibbs', Ziva's hand was up, silencing him in an instant.
"Tony," she said, her eyes firmly transfixed on the ground. "If it is not broken, do not fix it," she announced, and walked back to her desk.
"Not broken, Ziva? Something's clearly broken here. You won't even look at me," he said, and reluctantly her eyes met his. He didn't like what he saw. This Ziva looked...defeated?
"We get the job done, yes? Tony? And that is all that matters," she declared after wetting her lips.
He held her gaze. Neon lights, too harsh on her golden skin, he thinks.
Maybe he hadn't lost her, but he could feel her slipping through his fingers.
"I know you don't think that, Ziva. You're lying," he mumbled, unsure whether she heard him or not, shut down his computer, grabbed his stuff and made his way to the elevator.
He didn't look at her again, and she said nothing else.
After another sleepless night, looking like death warmed up, and looking not much better, Tony sat down behind his desk after releasing a big sigh.
"DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked from across the room, and without actually asking, Tony knew what he was asking.
"I got it Boss, I got it," he said without much enthusiasm and ruffled his hair.
"We all got a long weekend coming up, DiNozzo. I suggest you use it. I'm not kidding, I've been there. Sort it out."
"Good morning," Ziva chirped, and Tony felt an incredible urge to slam her into the wall and...God, DiNozzo, seriously?
"Good morning," Gibbs replied, and turned back to Tony. "As I was saying, DiNozzo. Maybe you need to take a time out for a couple of days. Clear your head?"
Tony looked across to her and wondered...
Nine whole hours later he stood up silently and in slow motion, and carefully placed a couple of sheets of paper on her desk.
"What is this? Tony" Ziva pulled them towards her.
"Look, Ziva..."
"Key West?" she read. "Why?" she asked, and he wondered if she had already figured this wasn't a work related item.
He crouched down so he was eye to eye with her, her proximity breathtaking, startling him unsuspectingly, but he looked firmly into her eyes and would not let go.
"These are two reservations to Key West. We leave at 9:45 tomorrow morning, we're back in the office in four days. And all I'm asking is that you consider it," he whispered to her, with every word caressing her eyes, her lips, her golden skin, and even though he expected her to possibly freak out at him, to scratch his eyes out, he found her for the first time maybe ever, openly speechless.
"9:45, Ziva. If you're not there, I'm going without you," he declared, and walked away.
She was out of her chair in a millisecond, clutching the paper to her chest. Her words stopped him before he was even half way to the elevator.
"Tony. This...I mean...why?" She shook her head.
He stood calm and collected in the middle of her storm.
"Because I'm tired of pretending."
