A/N: This is a tag to last night's episode Freedom. So obviously spoilers for that episode. If you want, this can be seen in succession to my other stories. This is an established Tony and Ziva storyline in which they have been together since around her citizenship ceremony. It's romantic with a little humor and a little angst.
Disclaimer: I obviously do not own NCIS and think it's silly that I have to say that.
Setting: Ziva's apartment, the night before, approximately 7:30PM
Soft music can be heard playing in the background along with the clanking of pots and pans and sizzling of fajitas. The spicy scents are wafting through the apartment. A faint sound of the shower running can be heard from the kitchen
Unbeknownst to Tony, Ziva is well tuned to the subtleties of her apartment, she hears him turn off the water, open and close the shower door, grab a towel from the closet and step into the hallway.
Tony treads lightly down the hallway hoping to sneak up on Ziva, he turns the corner and sees her standing in front of the stove, tossing peppers and onions in a pan, preparing to add the chicken. Everything smells delicious. He walks up behind her and lightly puts both hands on her hips and presses a kiss to her neck.
"Trying to sneak up on me, yes?"
"Did I succeed?"
"No."
Tony wraps his arms around her now in a hug and perches his head on her shoulder, observing the intricate movements of her cooking skills. Ziva tilts her head to the side and kisses him once more, intimately, lovingly, as comfortable as they have been in a long time.
"Your phone rang twice, it was McGee."
"Did he call you?"
"No."
"Well we probably don't have a case then."
"I hope not."
Tony reluctantly leaves Ziva to the fajitas and crosses the distance to the dining room table. Flipping open his phone he finds 2 text messages from McGee.
Tony, answer your phone, I need you to do something.
I need you to sign a case file we forgot about this afternoon.
"Doesn't he know I don't answer personal calls after 7:00PM?"
Ziva is busy heating up the tortillas, chopping other various vegetables, and pulling sour cream out of the refrigerator
"What does he want?"
"He needs me to sign something for a case, it can wait till morning, he gets so impatient sometimes."
"I am sure he's not impatient, he probably just thinks you are not doing anything and wants to get it done before he leaves the office."
Ziva finally turns around and begins to announce that they can now build their fajitas to their liking and "dig in".
"Okay, let's…Tony you are still in your towel."
"Well yeah, I was kinda hoping to skip the lounge clothes portion of the night, seemed to add an extra step I didn't feel like taking."
Ziva took in Tony's appearance; he looked relaxed, happy, and comfortable. All of the stresses of the previous days case removed from his face, his forehead was no longer "pinchy", his eyes no longer baggy. He looked handsome. He was lounging lazily at the dining room table, giving her a toothy grin. A smile she had trouble denying these days.
"Fair enough, let's eat"
Tony watched Ziva turn back around and begin preparing her plate, neatly placing the onions, peppers and slices of chicken onto her tortilla, sprinkling on cheese, and adding a dollop of sour cream for good measure. She looked beautiful, relaxed and happy. Wearing yoga pants and one of his worn Ohio State t-shirts and big fluffy pink slippers, something Tony never imagined in a thousand years Ziva owning. Her hair was pulled into a low pony, which allowed him perfect access to the point on her neck that when kissed had this way of melting her troubles away. Tony knew it and Ziva certainly knew it.
Tony stood up and traversed the short distance between the dining room table and Ziva once again. He lightly traced a pattern on her back with one hand and brought her into his chest with the other, dropping kisses down her neck and across her cheekbone. Ziva let out a quiet moan, he had hit the spot, his hot breath tickling her neck, it took all of her will power not to drop her plate, tug at his towel, and pull him down the hallway into her room. She set her plate down, turned and kissed him, once, twice, three times, before breaking away. Tony's 20th century fox ringtone could be heard in the background. Tony dropped his hands from Ziva's hips and grabbed for his phone."
"McGeek! Again, seriously?"
"Tony, come on, let's eat, I made dinner because you have been complaining of hunger since three PM, walking out of the office your stomach was growling, up until now all you have been talking about is food!"
"Ziva, Ziva, Ziva, always so rational, probie can wait till morning, food, I'm starving" with a slight chuckle in his voice.
"Wine?"
"Yeah, I could go for some wine, I'll open a bottle."
Ziva took the liberty of preparing a plate for Tony while he hmmm'd and haaah'd over her wine rack set neatly in the corner of the room. Finally selecting a bottle, he used the convenient bottle opener suctioned to Ziva's counter and poured two glasses of wine.
Settling down at the table and eating their meal together felt right. Finally alone, they needed a little romance in their lives.
"I propose a toast."
Ziva looked at Tony and hesitantly raised her glass.
"Here's to us, I know this hasn't been easy, and keeping it a secret has been hard on both of us, but I just wanted to say that I love you and I love everything about what we have right now, I wouldn't change it for the world."
Ziva leaned in and clinked her glass with Tony's on her right and met his lips on her left.
"Cheers, I love you too. Although I can't believe you're saying all of this romantic stuff with just your towel on at the table."
Ziva smiled at Tony, dragging her eyes from head to toe, trying hard not to concentrate too long on his chest or the small knot just waiting to be pulled undone.
"If I'm lucky, it's working to my advantage."
"If you're really lucky."
Tony woke to the sound of Ziva's alarm at 5AM. She turned quickly out of his embrace and slammed the snooze button in the complete darkness of the room. Instead of rolling out of bed like she usually did, she snuggled into his side, her head on his shoulder, her arm sprawled across his chest, and her leg neatly tucked between his legs. She fell fast asleep. Last night's activities obviously compensated for her lack of morning run. Tony, however was awake, his arm wrapped around her back, his fingers dancing over her skin, tracing a pattern that his mother used to do when he couldn't sleep. Instead of letting his thoughts get away from him about what they were and where they were going, and if they were ever going to tell anyone, he cherished the moment and allowed himself to fall back asleep for a few more minutes.
Sometime later, Tony awoke to the sound of the shower running and Ziva getting ready for work. Ziva came out of the bathroom, kneeled on the bed and kissed him good-bye.
"See you at work, love you."
"Bye, love you."
Tony grabbed his phone and saw yet another missed call from McGee. Thinking he would deal with him later he got up and got himself ready, leaving only 20 minutes after Ziva and pulling into work around the same time as McGee. He caught him on the way into the elevator and prepared to scold him for his annoying calls.
**Insert first bullpen scene of 8.13 Freedom**
**Scene: Tony and Ziva's drive to Feeney's Pool Hall**
"That honestly was not you."
"No, although fantastic, I did not buy a blow up girlfriend for McGee, I wish I would've thought of it. I'm worried about him, I don't think he has a social life whatsoever."
"Maybe you should invite him out for drinks or something."
"I should, but all I want to do is spend time with you."
"Well that is very sweet of you Tony, but Ray is coming into to town on Friday, you could ask him then."
"Again? Haven't you seen him enough lately?"
"Tony, he is my friend and nothing else, you know this, we have gone over this, I love you, and he is just a friend."
"Whatever."
Tony got out of the car and slammed the door, Ziva following behind. His jealousy got the best of him and he wasn't denying it this time. He knew Ray was just Ziva's friend, someone she connected with and told himself he was going to let it go.
**Insert pool hall scene**
**Scene: Tony and Ziva have a conversation about what Gibbs wants her to do. Takes place in women's bathroom shortly after Gibbs asked her to talk to the gunny.**
"Tony, I don't think I can do this, I'm not ready."
Tony crossed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around her.
"Ziva, you can do it, you are strong and confident, and beautiful. If you honestly don't think you can do I will go talk to Gibbs right now, but I don't believe that."
-Talking into Tony's chest.-
"It's not the same, I don't know if I can relate to her that way."
As Tony pressed a kiss to her forehead, he whispered, "You can though, pretend she's one of the members of your group, relate to her as a woman, Ziva, look at me, you can do this."
Ziva takes a couple of deep breaths and squeezes Tony as tight as possible.
"Okay."
**Cut to end bullpen scene**
"Smokin-hot chick, can she come too?"
"Cool it Nick."
McGee, Tony, and Nick walk away leaving Ziva at her desk.
Ding!
Ziva glanced up to see Tony walking back into the bullpen, he rounded her desk and leaned down behind her, whispering into her ear.
"You did amazing today, I didn't get to tell you earlier, I'm running to GameStop with the boys and will be home in a little bit. I love you, see you tonight."
Ziva smiled up at him and whispered back.
"I love you, see you then."
-END-
Hope you liked it, reviews greatly appreciated!