Author's note:

Some of you want me to continue with this story so I came up with this. Thanks for reading and reviewing to all!

Disclaimer:

I do not own NCIS or the characters.

Chapter 2

Tony arrived at the crime scene 10 minutes later than he had intended. He stopped by at home to change his clothes which prolonged his delay. When he arrived at the crime scene he was sure that a proper headslap awaited him. Luckily, he didn't see Gibbs anywhere. "Hi, McGoo!" he greeted McGee who was already at the crime scene.

"Hey, Tony. What took you so long?" Tony smiled when he recalled the kiss between him and Ziva. However, the headslap from Gibbs awakened him from his daydreaming. Tony frowned and rubbed his head. "Sorry, boss. I will never be late again." Gibbs stood behind him and said: "I doubt about it. Where have you been, DiNozzo? You said you'll be there in twenty. That was ten minutes ago."

Tony was prepared to give him proper excuse so he began to explain why he was late. "Well, when you called me, I was on my way to Ziva. She wanted to borrow some film because she's bored. So I stopped by at her, gave her the film and went here." Gibbs stared at Tony with suspicious look. "Hm. How is she?" he asked him.

Tony silently breathed a sigh of relief. "She's better than few days ago. It seems that those pills she got yesterday from the doctor helped her." Gibbs just nodded and returned to his work. Tony stood rooted to the ground still worried whether Gibbs suspected something or not. Gibbs yelled at him: "DiNozzo! Start doing your job!" Tony snapped from his stupor and replied: "On it, boss!" and did as Gibbs ordered.

When they arrived back to NCIS and began their routine of finding the information about the victim and possible suspects, Tony felt that his throat began scratching. Oh great, maybe I caught it from her. He thought to himself while he coughed several times. "Are you having a cold, DiNozzo?" asked him Gibbs with raised eyebrows.

Tony gulped several times desperately trying to get rid of that unpleasant feeling in his throat. "No boss. I'm fine." he assured him but his voice wasn't very convincing. Gibbs regarded him for a moment but let it go. After another few coughs and even blowing nose Gibbs had enough. That sounds made him crazy and he couldn't focus on work. It was the reason why he sent Ziva to the doctor.

"Go down to Duck. He will look at you." He ordered to Tony. Tony looked at him confused. "But I'm fine, really." Gibbs shot him a look saying I'm-the-boss-I'm-the-one-who-giving-orders-and-you-'re-the-one-who-just-obey and emphasize his look when he said: "That wasn't an advice that was an order." Tony frowned but stood up and went to the elevator.

When he arrived to the autopsy Ducky looked up at him from the dead body. "I'm not finished yet with the autopsy, Anthony." He informed him thinking that Tony came down because of the information on the victim. Tony cleared his throat. "Yeah, I see. But Gibbs sent me down here because I maybe have a cold and you could give me some pills."

Ducky turned to Jimmy and removed his gloves. "Finish this one instead of me, Mr. Palmer." Jimmy's face lit up and hurried over to the body. "Sure Dr. Mallard." Ducky led Tony aside and pointed to the chair to make him sit down. "So how do you feel Anthony?" Tony felt terrible in truth but he had the evening rendezvous with Ziva before him so he had to act like he was OK.

"Well, it's just a little scratching in throat, nothing serious." He tried to assure Ducky while Ducky prepared to examine him. "Open your mouth Anthony and stick out your tongue." Tony obeyed. "Hm. That doesn't look good. When did you begin feel sick?" Tony was honest. "About few hours ago. It was very quick."

Ducky had a think about it and then asked him. "Were you near somebody who has cold too?" Tony blinked. "Yeah, I accompanied Ziva to the doctor and then I drove her home." Ducky shook his head. "No, I don't mean it like that. Your immunity is too good to catch a cold from just few hours you spent with Ziva. I mean more direct contact – like a kiss."

Tony shifted a little. This conversation was heading somewhere where Tony didn't like it. "What do you mean, Ducky?" he asked him with evident uncertainty in his voice. "I mean, dear Anthony that this quick start of your cold is caused by direct contact with someone else who has cold too. And that direct contact may be a kiss. Did you kiss someone in last 24 hours?"

Tony gulped. He was all night with Ziva and everybody knew that he accompanied her to the doctor and then drove her home. "Ducky…" he began but his voice trailed off. He couldn't do that. He couldn't tell Ducky the truth. Ducky smirked when he saw Tony's struggle. "I think I understand." He told him trying to give Tony a hint that his "secret" is safe with him.

"Is he able to work, Duck?" Gibbs's voice spread through the autopsy. Tony's head snapped up. How long he has been standing there? What did he hear? "Ah Jethro. I think that he could use some time off just to be safe. But it's not necessary, he's able to work." Ducky replied.

Gibbs looked at Tony. "McGee's waiting for you at the garage. You have interrogation to do." Tony nodded, thanked Ducky and disappeared from the autopsy. Gibbs followed him with his mistrustful look and then he turned to Ducky. "What was it all about?" Ducky shrugged. "Well, I just tried to determine where he might catch the cold."

Gibbs just nodded. He decided not to dig around just in case he might get angry with Tony. "Talk to me, Duck." and pointed with his head in the direction of the victim. "Well, Jethro…" Ducky began his routine talk about the victim's wounds and his cause of death.

Meanwhile, Tony headed to the garage where McGee awaited him. He hoped that Gibbs didn't hear everything. He was screwed if Gibbs would ever found out about the kiss between him and Ziva. They have to sort out what did it mean for them and which way their relationship is going and then they could tell other people about it.

Tony drove the car while McGee was typing on his phone a message for Abby. Tony's memories shifted to the great kiss he experienced this morning. Only thing he could think about was the way she responded to his kiss, how she smelled, tasted, how she clung onto him as if her life depended on the kiss because she wanted to show him her feelings…

"TONY!" he heard McGee's yelling and snapped out from his mooning over Ziva. "Yeah?" he turned to McGee. "Are you OK, Tony? You zoned out for a moment." Tony frowned. "Did I? Sorry, I wasn't aware of my daydreaming." McGee smiled. "Yeah, you had that dreaming look on your face and you were smiling like a Joker."

Tony smiled again. McGee regarded him for a long moment then turned back to the road and asked him causally: "So, did you get yourself a woman?" Tony's head quickly turned to McGee then back on the road. "What?" he laughed nervously. What was wrong with all these people today? Does whole universe know that I and Ziva kissed or something?

"Well, you're smiling, you're daydreaming – all signs of meeting with a beautiful woman on yesterday night." Tony considered whether to tell McGee the truth, or the half-truth or to lie. He decided for the second option. "I wasn't with a woman last night." He stated and suddenly added: "Well, I was with woman but not like… that."

"What do you mean?" McGee asked him. "Well, I was with woman last night but it wasn't a date. I was with Ziva and we watched a film. That's all. Nothing happened." McGee looked at him suspiciously and decided to push further. "Well, if nothing happened, then why you are so all dreamy and smiley?"

Again, Tony told him the half-truth. "I don't know. I'm not even aware of the fact that I'm smiling. It was just nice a movie night with Ziva. That kind of relax I needed, you know? That's all." McGee nodded trying to play satisfied with this kind of answer even though he wasn't. He suspected that if Tony told him the truth – that he spent the night with Ziva – something had to happen.

Tony went through the corridor leading to the Ziva's apartment with the food in one hand and the keys in the other. He put the key into the keyhole and opened the door. Ziva was nowhere to be seen but TV was turned on. He put the food – his favorite pizza and her favorite pasta – on the table and looked around the room if there was any sign of Ziva.

The door of the bathroom opened and Ziva emerged in just a towel. She headed to her bedroom when she caught a glimpse of someone leaning against the front door. "Tony!" she exclaimed and covered herself with her arms. Tony grinned and her. "Well, hi beautiful. I'm just enjoying the view." She couldn't help it and smiled. "OK, but can you turn around while I will take my clothes on?"

He tilted his head and pouted while he considered whether to obey her request or not. "No?" he tried. She glared at him and he laughed. "Just joking." and turned around. Ziva smiled again and went to her bedroom to take her clothes on. She was feeling much better than this morning. The cough stopped so only common cold was bothering her.

When she stepped out from the bedroom she heard Tony's coughing. She frowned, approached to him and turned him around to make him look at her. "Oh, you're sick, sweetheart?" she palmed his face and caressed his cheek. Tony's right hand made her way to her waist while his left hand caught her hand on his cheek and began to caress her.

They locked their eyes and leaned in to kiss each other. The kiss was slow and sweet – they both knew that they had plenty of time to worship each other later. When they broke, Ziva put their hands out of his face and slid them under his jacket around his waist. "I missed you." She confessed into his chest. Tony stroked her hair and embraced her. "Yeah, I missed you too."

Then he realized how Ziva called him – sweetheart – and he wasn't sure if he was allowed to call her with some endearment too. His body stiffened with the tension and Ziva noticed it. She looked up at him into his frowned face. "What's wrong?" she sounded a little scared with worry that he might change his mind.

"You called me a sweetheart." He looked down at her still frowning. "No!" she immediately exclaimed with fear that he really changed his mind and she was prepared to take back the endearment. But then she did a double-take. Maybe it's time to stop to be afraid of my own feelings. He made it clear in the morning that he is not running away from this. She thought to herself and determined to be completely honest with him.

"Yes, I called you a sweetheart. Is there any problem with it?" she asked him prepared to hurt him if he tried to back away. "No!" Tony assured her. "It was nice to hear that. I liked it." He smiled at her and coughed. She frowned at him. "But why did you freeze?" He caressed her cheek. "Because I wasn't sure if I have the right to call you with some endearment too."

She smiled as she shook her head over his uncertainty and nudged his nose with hers. "Sure, you can, my little fool. I'm giving you the permission." Tony grinned. "OK, so I have to find out some endearment that could describe only you. I think that I can get along with "honey" for now." And he bent down to kiss her while he walked her to the couch.

"Or darling." He kissed her again while she stumbled a little because she was walking backwards but he steadied her. "Or sweetie." Another kiss followed while she giggled but responded to his sweet lips. "Or sunshine." They made it to the couch with another kiss and another step. "Or babe." He bent to kiss her again with the intent to push her down on the couch but she smacked him on the arm.

"Hey! Don't ever call me baby or babe! I hate it." she warned him while she was poking into his chest with every word. He laughed and she turned them over and pushed him on the couch. He caught her hands and took her with him so she was lying on top of him. They laughed together and adjusted themselves on the couch to be more comfortable.

"OK, no babe. It's too common; it can't describe your loveliness." Tony agreed. "What about gorgeous fruitcake?" he offered and she laughed. She blew her nose while Tony coughed several times and she looked at him with teasing smile. "I thought that you already have an endearment for me." She tilted her head on the side and waited when he will realize about what she was talking about.

Tony chuckled. "Yeah, sweetcheeks." He sighed happily while Ziva laid her head on his chest. "Or we could use some French. What do you think, ma belle?" She smiled dreamily. His idea of using French flooded her with memories of their time together in Paris. "It is not so bad idea, mon mignon. But-" she rolled on top of him. "French is also a secret language – a language of love."

She put her hands around his neck and kissed him. Her tongue demanded entry into his mouth and he let her in. When they broke the kiss, they grinned on each other lovingly. "Are you hungry? I brought some food." Tony waved his hand in the direction of the food. She looked up at him. "Yeah, I am my little hairy butt. But maybe not for food." She sat up and grabbed her box with pasta. "Mmm. My favorite." She turned to Tony who was sitting up and opening the box with his pizza. "Thanks." She kissed him lightly on the lips. He smiled. "You're welcome."

They ate for few minutes in silence watching television when Tony asked her: "So, how was your day?" She huffed. "Boring. I read a book, watch the TV – so completely boring. I hate to be sick." He smiled and offered her. "Well, I can keep you company, if you want." She frowned. "You have to go to work, Tony. Gibbs, will-" Tony cut her off. "Gibbs ordered me to take the rest of week off because I caught a cold. But I have to be OK by Monday morning or he will kill me."

She just couldn't wipe off that grin on her face. It was Tuesday and they had almost all week ahead of them! Stop behaves like a teenager and behaves reasonably, Ziva! She thought to herself and shook her head. "Tony, I can't force you to be here with me almost all week." He grinned at her. "You're wrong, Zi. That's exactly what I want. To be here with you while we both try to make the other feel better."

Her smile widened if it was even possible and she quickly kissed him. "OK. And how was your day?" He sighed. "Horrible and really hard." She frowned and asked him concerned: "Why?" Tony chuckled. "Well, first of all – I've been headslapped because I was late and I had to explain why I was late." Ziva chuckled and pointed a finger on him. "I told you that Gibbs will headslap you for being late."

He smiled at her and continued: "So I came up with a story that I was on my way to you because you wanted to borrow a film. I told him that I came here and then headed to the crime scene. He seemed to understand that and even asked me how you are doing. But he was still suspicious." He rubbed his face while Ziva smoothed his back.

"When we arrived to NCIS I felt scratching in throat and I coughed few times so Gibbs sent me down to Ducky. It looks like he guessed why did I get the cold and from whom." Ziva blinked and the panic grew in her. "He did not…" she began but Tony cut her off. "Yeah, he knows. He guessed, I didn't tell him anything. I just tried to indicate him not to speak about it."

"Well, it's a lesson – not to kiss anybody when he or she is sick. Especially when everybody knows that these two spent some time together like in our case." She meditated. He chuckled. "And that's not the worst thing – Gibbs overheard something and I don't know how much he overheard." Ziva looked at him horrified. "Did he say something?" Tony just shrugged. "No, but that doesn't mean he doesn't suspect something."

"Please tell me it's the end of your day." She whined. "Uh-uh." Tony replied. "McGee suspects something too… that means Abby as well." She looked at him. "What did you do?" He shrugged again. "Nothing, I swear. I was just daydreaming…" the last word was more than a whisper but Ziva heard it. "Daydreaming? Anthony DiNozzo was daydreaming?"

"Hey, that's not funny!" he raised his hands in defense. "Besides, it's your fault. I was mooning over you." Ziva smiled at him and her gaze softened suddenly. "You were mooning over me? That's so sweet…" she launched herself on him and kissed him with everything she had. He responded in the same way more than happy that he had the privilege to kiss her.

When they broke he stroked her hair while she caressed his cheek. Then Tony asked the necessary question that hung in the air for all time. "So, what are we?" he asked her. "What does this-" he indicated with his finger between them, "mean for us?" Ziva thought about it for a while and took the courage to tell him what she wanted. "Well, I guess you're my boyfriend now." She said with some uncertainty.

He grinned at her. "In that case I guess you're my girlfriend now." He nudged her noise with his finger. She smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips. "But I want to keep in secret for a while, you know. Just to stay between us and enjoy that new thing in our lives." He nodded because he completely agreed with her.

He stood from the couch. Ziva frowned – she didn't want him to leave her all alone. He saw that look on her face and quickly assured her: "I just have to stop by at my apartment to bring some clothes and other stuff over here so we can spend the rest of the week together, OK?" She nodded and pulled him down to kiss him. "Hurry." She whispered against his lips.

He nodded and reassured her: "I will." As he left her apartment his grin was wider more than the one he had on his face in the morning. Yeah, he was sick but he could spend the rest of the week with Ziva and they could treat each other. There was nothing better he would do.

Ziva snuggled to the blanket and picked up the remote control. As she flipped through the channels trying to find something interesting, she thought about that amount of time that she and Tony had to discover that newness of their relationship. And that was the best thing in the world she could do right now.

The End