AN: This is a highly edited version of this story. If you are of legal age and would like to read the unedited version, please follow the link in my profile to TWCS.
"I'm coming!" Tony knew whomever was pounding on his door likely hadn't heard his grumbled declaration, but it made him feel better. He hadn't been asleep but, at 0200, he felt he had a right to be grouchy at the intrusion.
All malicious thoughts disappeared, however, when he opened his door. Ziva stood in the hallway, her eyes brimming with tears. He took her elbow gently in his hand and pulled her inside, closing the door behind her.
Once the locks were clicked back into place he turned to face her. "What's wrong?"
She closed her and took a deep breath as she shook her head before responding. "Nothing. Nightmares. I could not get back to sleep." She seemed to consider his attire of pajama pants and nothing else for a moment then took a step back toward the door. "I'm sorry I woke you, Tony. I'll let you go back to bed."
He stepped sideways, effectively blocking her path to the door with his body. "I wasn't asleep. You're not the only one whose head this case messed with, Zi."
For the first time since he'd let her in she met his eyes and they stood staring at each other for a long minute. When she moved he assumed she was going to move him out of her way and leave, but instead he found himself with her body pressed against his, her lips brushing his tentatively.
As soon as he responded to her kiss it was like the two of them exploded. Suddenly her tongue was in his mouth, her taste intoxicating him. By the time he had processed that much her hands had already smoothed across his chest, around to his back, and down to his hips. She was walking backwards toward his bedroom, taking him with her.
He pushed her jacket from her shoulders as they moved, letting it fall to the floor and be kicked to the side. His fingers found their way under the hem of her t-shirt and came in contact with smooth, soft, hot skin. He wretched his mouth from hers just long enough to pull the soft cotton over her head then pitched it over his shoulder as his lips reclaimed hers and he began working on the button of her jeans.
After he had managed to recover his breath, Tony pushed himself up to look at Ziva. She had a sleepy smile on her face and he couldn't help his own smile from spreading. He shifted onto his side and pulled her tight against his chest. With one move he reached over to click off the only lap he'd turned on when she'd knocked on his door and pulled the covers over both of them as he rolled back to wrap her in his arms.
He guessed it was less than five minutes before her breathing evened, telling him she was asleep. He struggled on the edge of slumber himself, not yet ready for this experience to be over. At that moment he knew, unequivocally, the he was in love with her. There was no use trying to deny it any longer.
They would have a lot to figure out, but that could wait for morning. For now, he just let himself succumb to the blissful recharge of sleep.
As he slid slowly back into consciousness, the first thing Tony was aware of was that something wasn't right. As he rolled onto his back he realized what. He was alone in bed, the mattress next to him no longer even warm to the touch.
"Dammit!"