Well well well I tried... ) English is not my native language so there are probably some grammar mistakes, wrong idioms etc. etc.

This fic takes place after "Gone" and it's what I think, no wish, happened.

I do NOT own NCIS, sadly

Enjoy! :D

Shmeil had just left the restaurant because he was tired after the flight and he had to get up early in the morning. Tony and Ziva were still sitting at the table in the cozy and gradually very quiet restaurant, and after Schmeil's departure they hadn't stopped looking at each other, though after a couple of minutes it went a bit awkward. Tony was the first to break the silence.

"So Shmeil? He is nice. It's easy to see that he means the world to you.

"Yes Tony. He is like the grandfather I have never had. He was there when my life was not easy and he was and is a great support in my life."

Tony didn't know if he should get down that road but on the other hand he had this hunger after knowing all of her deep feelings so he could protect her and be there for her.

"Ziva, what have you been through? I understand if you don't want to answer me, but I only want to help and have your trust as much as Shmeil has".

At first it looked like Ziva was either going to run or strangle him right there or maybe both. Just as he was about to apologize, her eyes started to soften.

"I trust you Tony, I trust you more than I trust my self sometimes, which says a lot. You are the one I want to be with when I need to relax, laugh and of course I like to talk with you about more private stuff. It is just that Shmeil has always been a part of my life, as far as I remember back, and he just understands me in a way that is different to whom who have only known me as an adult. I have changed Tony and you know that, but I was also different before I met you and that can be hard to explain to some one who did not know me since I was 3"

"So you don't want to tell me what you have been through when you were a kid and a teenager?" Tony asked almost as a whisper because he couldn't quite figure out if she just wanted to keep that part of her life locked behind bars. Besides not from Shmeil who had the key of course... He could only try to reach it... Or maybe she simple couldn't tell him yet because it hurts too much.

She didn't know what to answer because she really wanted to tell him everything but her logic screamed *NO*, he wouldn't be able to handle it and it would ruin the "post-elevator-them" which she was started to enjoy very much.

"Well Tony, you have been listening all night about how I tried to escape from the compulsory bath and how much I screamed when my father caught me. And I should not forget the story about when I was 6 and could look at my father's knife collection for hours." She tried to smile her greatest and flirtatious smile so he would drop the subject.

"It seams like that you always have been stubborn and turned on by knives" he made a little smile, the one, only Tony could make. "Ziva, please answer me straight this time, even though I loved to hear how rebel and possible very adorable you were, now I just need you to be honest with me"

Ziva just kept looking at him as she was a little lost girl who needed a hug and after a few long seconds she answered, though it wasn't what he had expected.

"I want to tell you everything Tony, I do. But now is neither the place nor the time because if I open this book I think I will break. I have not looked at all the death, war, terror and all that I have done to people, I have just buried it deep down, very deep down. I feel like I am a cup of tea and every time something terrible or very emotional happen to me it gets more tea in it... And one day it will reach the top and overflow."

Her eyes were wet and tears ran down her cheeks, silencely. Tony had never seen her so broken before, she just sat there, shaking a bit and cried in front of him. The next moment he stood up and walked the few feet to her chair. He didn't care if she wanted it or not, but he went down so they were almost the same height, he laid his arm around her shoulders so her head could be on his right shoulder for a warm hug. He was very happy that she didn't reject him but laid into the touch instead. When her crying started to be more like sniffing, he loosened the grip and looking in her wet and sad eyes, still touching each other, he said:

"Do you want to get out of here?"

She just nodded. He took her hand and squeezed it for a moment, and then he went for a waiter. After catching a waiter he went back to the table and Ziva, where they had to wait until the waiter came back with a bill to pay. Ziva's eyes were still read and glassy but she smiled at him, slightly, but it was definitly a smile.

"Well I will like to show that I'm a much better person than my dad so this dinner is on me Ziva"

When they finally were outside the restaurant, Ziva took Tony's hand and said

"Thank you Tony, I'm so glad that I have you in my life. And one day, maybe soon, I will tell you what I have been through both before NCIS and... In Somalia... Because you have shared so much with me and I will like to return the favor. Not because I feel I have to, but because I really want to and I swear I have never felt this way, this kind of trust, with a person who is male and not has been there my whole life. Previously I was always afraid of leting people get to close because they always ended up dead, but now I have more faith, I think.

She laughed shortly in a very sad way. Which made Tony try to swallow the familiar lump in his throat. He let go of her hand and instead laid it on her arm with eyes filled with sorrow and worry.

"When you need to talk just knock on my door, no matter what time it is Miss Ziva David, just knock or maybe you should call first because my cell is on my bedside table and that's easier to hear, well anyway you know what I mean"

"Thank you Tony, It means a lot to me"

"I'm glad you want to tell me" Tony said with a bit hesitation. "Actually me or anyone else, you have to talk with some one Ziva, you can't bury it forever or it will come back and hunt you. I don't want you to fall apart, I want you to live happily ever after with sweet kids and a very beautiful husband"

Ziva smiled with a grateful smile and said "Night Tony"

"Night Ziva"

They started to walk away from each other. Tony with a very warm and good feeling in his stomach because this woman was indeed someone really special to him. It had happened gradually over the last couple of years that he had got butterflies in his stomach every time he spent time with her, especially now where she had shared so much with him. He couldn't wait to learn more and just be with her and hold her and comfort her and tell her that he loves her... Hey wait, what was that? Had he just admitted to himself that he indeed is in love with Ziva David aka the crazy ninja? Tony laughed for himself on the way home, because come on, hadn't he been in love with that girl since last year at least and hadn't they always had this explosive attraction to each other and hadn't he worried like hell when she had been in Somalia? It was just crazy because he hadn't realized it was so real until now.

Thank you for reading! I hope it made sense :)

I have an idea for next chapter which will contain a talk between Tony and Ziva about Ziva's past and Somalia