SECOND CHANCES

Chapter 2 – Reflections

Gibbs shrugged, trying to sound casual, "You should eat too. Stay?"

Ziva looked at him, considering for a few moments before replying almost shyly, "I would like that. Thank you."

Gibbs nodded, reaching for the bottle to hide his relief. He poured her a shot of bourbon and went back to his boat. Ziva perched on a sawbench, content to watch him as he worked.

The peaceful atmosphere in the basement always soothed her, had always been a balm to frayed nerves after any case. Ziva found herself over the years valuing the time spent down here, almost as much as she delighted in the company...

She noticed Gibbs had changed since arriving home out of his earlier black polo, the one that always brought out his ice blue eyes.

Although what he was wearing now was no less distracting.

He'd changed into jeans and – Elohim help her – his red hoodie, the one that always made her want to crawl up his front and rip it off him.

As the familiar burn of the bourbon slid down her throat, Ziva found her eyes drawn to the way the muscles in those powerful shoulders and long back flexed as he worked, how his jeans stretched over that taut butt… his slow, steady movements as calming as they were hypnotic... and arousing.

As always when she was alone with this man, her thoughts drifted into dangerous territory. She was beginning to find it harder and harder to suppress her reaction to him... her feelings for him.

Her thoughts drifted back to her earlier conversation with Tony. She had impulsively blurted out a question to her partner that she had been asking herself quite a lot recently.

Did Tony regret not having a wife and kids at this time of year… a family?

Hanukkah was all about family and it seemed Christmas was the same. Tony never answered her, using his usual avoidance techniques, but she suspected his answer would be the same as hers.

Yes.

And Gibbs always had an uncanny knack of making her want the impossible.

They had flirted with each other from the first, and that had since deepened into a close friendship that she'd come to increasingly rely on as the years passed.

Ziva had known the grief Gibbs carried within him from the deaths of his first wife and beloved daughter long before the rest of the team, and her heart ached at the pain he still suffered, even after all these years.

In some cases, time didn't heal... something she understood all too well.

But there were days when Ziva wanted nothing more than to try and ease the sadness she could see in those blue eyes.

Reaching for the bottle to pour a refill for them both, Ziva noticed the drawing on the table, recognising the uncannily accurate pencil portraits Quinn had been working on when he was holed up in interrogation.

Aware of Gibbs' watchful eyes, Ziva commented, "He has a rare talent. He has captured your likeness well."

"And yours."

"Everyone's." She smiled as her eyes ran over the familiar faces of the team… her family in so many ways.

Feeling uncharacteristically restless or perhaps more conscious than usual of the intense blue gaze being directed her way, Ziva began walking round The Kelly, trailing her fingers over the smooth lines... trying to push away mental images of being pinned against the side of the boat by his hard body...

... a common fantasy as she'd seen the vessel take shape.

"She must be almost finished, yes?"

"Yup, nearly. A few more months should see her done."

"She is beautiful."

He tilted his head, a small but pleased smile curling his lips as he looked over the boat in which he'd invested so much time and care. "She is that."

"I doubt I will get an answer but I will ask question anyway. How are you going to...?"

She could see him quirk an amused eyebrow at the familiar query approaching and broke off, throwing her hands up, laughing softly, seeing his delight at keeping everyone guessing. "Never mind. You do not intend telling anyone how you will get her out of the basement, do you?"

Gibbs shook his head, his familiar teasing smirk breaking out, "Nope."

"Then…" Ziva tilted her head, considering, eyes sparkling. "I will just have to start a covert surveillance operation."

"Yeah?" He chuckled, "Good luck with that."

She began pacing as she voiced her thoughts, aware of his amused gaze following her. "And I believe Jake from across the street would be a good recruit to keep a close eye on your activities."

"Yeah," Gibbs acknowledged, playing along. "He's an observant kid."

"And perhaps... Mrs Osborne next door. She always seem to be aware of what her neighbours are doing… and especially you," she said, teasing gently.

"You might have better luck persuading her husband, Ziva," he shot back, dryly.

"Mmm, perhaps you are right." They shared grins before Ziva continued, the relaxed atmosphere tempting her to ask a question that had been on her mind for a while, "When you do launch The Kelly, will you...?" she trailed off, sounding suddenly unsure of herself and he looked at her curiously.

"Ziver?" he prompted, softly.

"One day, will you take me sailing?" She stole a glance at him before looking away, "Only if I will not be intruding."

"I'd like that." He couldn't believe his luck. He could not imagine a better way to spend a day than on the water, with such a beautiful view. And he wasn't talking about the water either.

A comfortable silence fell between them for the moment, each lost in their own thoughts.

Then Ziva remembered that Gibbs had not been with the team in MTAC for movie night. She had seen him earlier, leaving with Quinn and figured Gibbs was taking him home… if that lonely, sparse hotel could be called home.

"Did you take Quinn back to his hotel?"

"Nope... his daughter's house." When Ziva glanced at him in surprise, he shrugged before continuing, "It felt right. Abby's timing may have been off but her gut was right."

"He agreed? I thought he was... " Ziva paused as she searched for the right word to describe Quinn's earlier agitation, "determined not to renew contact?"

Gibbs shrugged, "I may have pushed him on that a bit." He stared off into the distance for a few moments before saying, softly, "He deserved a second chance."

"Did his daughter...?" Ziva asked, curious.

"Yeah... last I saw through the window was Quinn holding his grandson."

Ziva was pleased to hear it.

She'd developed a respect and liking for Quinn in the few days she'd known him, and it was typical of Gibbs to have given the man the opportunity to be with his family again.

Although she knew it would have been a bittersweet experience for Gibbs… that he himself would never have that chance with his own family. She knew Christmas was still the most difficult time of year for Gibbs, even after all these years.

His voice startled her and she turned, trying to school her face lest it give her away.

"Thought you might go back to Israel this month." When she looked at him askance, Gibbs elaborated, "For Hanukkah and to see your father."

"I spent enough time in Israel in the summer, Gibbs. I wanted to remain here with... with the team this year. Four months was a long time away from... everyone."

He heard the hesitation in her words but couldn't bring himself to hope they meant she was referring to him. He turned away to continue working before she could read something in his eyes.

Ziva refrained from revealing how she'd not felt at home in Israel during those long four months.

How, for the first time she could remember, she had felt utterly alone in the land of her birth.

How she'd missed everyone... and just how much she'd missed him with a longing that had stunned her.

Her mind went back to the phone call they'd shared, shortly after she'd been injured in the bomb blast at the club.

Ziva could still remember the worry in his voice and played back in her mind Gibbs rare admission of missing her down an open phone line, one that had her snatching up the phone in her father's office to admit quietly, 'I miss you too.'

She'd wished then for more privacy so they could continue the conversation, wanting nothing more than to make Gibbs understand that her words were meant mainly for him.

And there was an intimacy in the atmosphere tonight which was nagging at her... tempting her to take the next step, even if she was risking everything... their friendship, their working relationship, Rule 12... his respect.

But she was so tired of being alone... of wanting him so much... that the words for once made it passed her lips instead of being swallowed down.

"Sometimes I wish for a second chance too."

He froze at the warmth and tenderness in her voice, keeping his back to her, "You do?"

She took a deep breath… deciding it was now or never. "Yes, and do you know who I want that second chance with?"

At her words, his heart rate increased as his own longing poured through him, hardly daring to hope. He turned to face her, but she was facing away from him, head down, her curtain of hair hiding her face as she rested her hands on his boat.

"Tell me, Ziver. Who?" he prompted, stepping closer, his voice a gravelly rumble that caused a sharp intake of breath and a shiver of anticipation to roll down her spine.

She closed her eyes against his nearness, at the heat radiating from him as she felt his body right behind her.

Grasping her courage in both hands, she stepped over the line...

"You."

TBC...

Ooooh, did we break it there? *ducks*