"So are you and Tony?" Ziva knew what Isabelle was asking , it was the same thing Nora was implying on the flight home from Paris
"No we are just partners"
"You two seem very close"
"Tony and I have been through a lot together so we a very close"
"He seems more happier than he was last year"
"He has had it ruff in the last couple of years but he has also grown a lot over that time"
"I think he has a good reason to be finally growing up" Isabelle raised her eyebrows to Ziva
"What does that mean?"
"Honey, the way he looks at you its … different, its not like how he use to look at woman many years ago"
"Tony does not think of me in that way, he just does that to get my attention"
"Have you asked him what he thinks of you?"
"No, we were really close and then we had all these bad things happen. It has been a ruff past year and we are just getting back to speed again"
"What happened between you two?"
"It's a long story but I used to work for Mossad, do you know who that is?"
"Yes Ted spoke of it a few times" She said with a slightly shocked expression
"Well my father is Director of Mossad and he sent a man over to gain my trust as he wanted me back in Israel to work for him. I got involved with this man and then he attacked Tony and Tony shot him and he died. I blamed Tony for many things not knowing my father was playing me and went back to Israel to work for my father, leaving NCIS. Then I got captured by very bad people and my father left me there to die, everyone and Tony thought I was dead. Tony went on a suicide mission to kill these men and then he saw me, he saved me and brought me back to NCIS"
"Oh … wow that's very… troubling" they sat there in silence for a second
"But by the sounds of things Tony would do anything for you, more than most people. What does your brain say about Tony?"
"It tells me to stay partners with him an focus on work"
"And what does your heart say?"
"That l should tell him how I feel"
Isabelle placed a hand on her shoulder
"Sweetie my advice would be to follow your heart and never turn back. He cares for you I can see, I have known him for a very long time now"
"Thank you Isabelle, I finally found someone to talk to this about and it happens to be Tony's old partner's wife at a football game" she smiled and gave Isabelle a hug. The two sat and watched the game, chatting about the rules and small talk for the last couple of hours of the game. The whistle blew for the end of the game. PD boys had won and the boys were very happy with themselves as they went to shower and change. Tony came out wearing his jeans and Baltimore PD T-shirt. He went up to Ziva and Isabelle who were standing on the grass at the bottom of the grandstand.
"How was that Ziva? Did you like it?" he stood next to her
"It was very interesting, defiantly fun to watch"
"Here I got my game shirt for you, you know after its clean you can always remember your first game" he handed her his shirt which had Baltimore PD on the front above the big 07 and DiNozzo above another big 07 on the back
"Thanks Tony this means a lot"
"Anytime Ziva" he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. Ted wondered over.
"So you two up for getting a drink with me and Iz?"
"Ziva?" Tony asked her
"Yes it would be lovely to get a drink with you and Isabelle"
"Great, you know the place ay Tony?"
"Yep still remember"
"Cool well meet you there then" Tony's arm was still around Ziva's shoulder as they walked back to the car, he was talking about the cool moves he did in the game. Ziva was smiling at his pride in his voice. They got in the car and headed off.
"It seemed like you and Isabelle got along quite well"
"Yes she's a very nice lady, she knows you very well" Ziva was watching Tony as he drove
"Yeah well she got married to Ted two years after I was partnered with Ted and they had been dating before I joined Baltimore PD. So she's known me for a long time"
"She said she and Ted don't see you very often anymore"
"When I first started at NCIS I would see them every month but now I only see them once or twice a year"
"I hope when we are no longer partners you will come see me more than you do than that" he turned his head and gave her a grin
"I'm sure I will" he looked at her than back to the road. She smiled to herself. They pulled into a car park at a pub and went inside. Ted and Isabelle were sitting at a booth by the window. Tony and Ziva sat on the opposite side to them.
"Hey guys, we got the first round of drinks coming" Ted said as he pointed out to the barmaid walking over with 4 beers
"We didn't know what you drank so we just got you a beer Ziva"
"Oh don't worry Ziva here drinks with the team and we all have beer" Tony gave a smirk to the table. The barmaid placed the drinks on the table
"Cheers to a great game" Ted held his glass up and the rest of the table followed suit
"Cheers" They all said in unison. They chatted for a bit on the game and what Ziva thought of it. Then the barmaid came back over to get orders for the next round of drinks
"Another round?"
"Yes that would be great" Ted replied to the barmaid. The barmaid walked of to get the drinks
"Last drink for me" Tony said looking up from the table
"Really Tony? But last year you got so drunk you didn't know how to find the door to this place on the way out" Ted explained
"Wow Tony has not been that drunk in a while" Ziva looked to Tony who was smiling at her
"Well im driving Ziva home so im taking it easy tonight" Ziva moved closer to Tony and Tony moved his leg so it was touching hers under the table
"Thanks Tony that's much appreciated" they looked at each other smiling. Tony knew he was having a good day with Ziva, she was being very deferent, very affectionate towards him today and he didn't want to miss any of it. Nether did she.
"I will have one more drink to so Tony isn't left out by himself" Ziva said turning to face Ted and Isabelle. After a while at the bar Tony and Ziva were just drinking juice. Ted and Isabelle had had a little more alcohol but they were not drunk. Tony had his hand on his glass when Isabelle was telling Ziva about how Ted and her had met
"How did you two meet?"
"Um well it was late at night and I was swimming at a hotel" Ziva slowly placed her hand on Tony's wrist
"And Tony had been sent to watch over me by our boss as this was before I was working on there team" Tony and Ziva locked there eyes together
"Then Tony was outside eating a pizza and I followed him, he gave me a coffee and the last piece of his pizza and we talked for a bit" Tony moved his hand to hers
"That's a one of a kind story" Ted said, both him and Isabelle had watched there body language. Tony turned to Ted an Isabelle, with his hand still on Ziva's
"Yeah it was" he smiled to the two people looking at him from across the table
"Well it was really great to see you Ted, and you to Isabelle but I think me and Ziva should head off and let you two go on with some drinking"
"OK Tony, come see us again soon, nice to meet you Ziva" Ted gave her another wink
"It was great to meet you to Ted. And Isabelle thank you"
"My pleasure sweetie, just make sure Tony comes to see us, and you come too"
"Will do" Tony stood up still holding Ziva's hand as he lead her out of the booth
"Thanks guys, well catch up soon" Tony and Ziva waved goodbye with there free hands, Ted and Isabelle waved back
"See you" Tony and Ziva walked closer together and headed out of the bar. They were half way home when Ziva said something Tony would not refuse
"We should go back to yours and watch a movie?"
"Yeah that would be nice after our busy day"
