The only light in the bullpen glowed bright, shining on late paperwork. Concentrating at 10:00 on a Friday night had never been Tony's strong suit. After 2 hours alone at his desk, all he really wanted was to go home for pizza. Or beer. Or both.
Throwing his third cup of coffee into McGee's trashcan with a perfect toss, Tony glanced back down at one of the case files he had been tasked with filing. Without reading it, he signed the line at the bottom and pulled out a new one. About to write in the date, he heard his phone buzzing on his desk.
"DiNozzo," he answered with a yawn.
"Tony."
Screw coffee. He was awake now. He hadn't heard that voice for a year. But he could never forget it.
"Ziva. What... wh.."
"I had to call."
"Are you coming back?"
"No." She sighed across the line. He could hear a catch in her throat as she exhaled. "Not today."
"What's happening, Ziva? It's been a year."
"Yes, it has. And I had to call you. I... I am not ready to come back yet. But I was ready to call you."
Tony stood up from his desk, knocking his paperwork to the ground.
"I miss you, Zi. But I don't want you to come back if you're not ready. I don't want you to come back, then leave again."
"I know. I will not come back until I am ready." The line went quiet, and there was a silence for what felt like an hour. "I miss you too, Tony. More than anything," she murmured softly.
A tear welled up in the corner of Tony's eye. No, Tony thought. DiNozzo men don't cry. But that was a lie he'd told himself too many times before.
"I would like to see you, Tony."
The tear fell. "What? I thought you said you weren't ready."
"To come back. But you can come to me."
He smiled to himself, breathing out in relief. "Where?"
She paused a moment. "Paris?"
Tony opened his desk drawer, grabbing his wallet, keys, and the gold Star of David pendant that had rested in his desk for a year. He dashed out of the bullpen, grinning like an idiot, his paperwork lying long-forgotten on the ground.
"Count to a million. On my way."
Merry Christmas, everyone! Have a happy new year.