Rating M for later chapters

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended; these characters belong to NCIS, I own nothing.

Pairing: Ziva D./ Tony D.

Let me know what you think, if you like, and thank you so much for reading.

WS

When he arrived at the airport he felt wired. Too little sleep, too much adrenaline; he had a massive hangover from it all.

Instead of asking her to consider it, he should have just put her on the spot there and then, cornered her. In that way at least he'd know now, and wouldn't have to endure another endless hour of torture. Yes, that's exactly what he should have done. In or out Ziva? Because that's what it was all about, wasn't it. It wasn't about a long overdue heart to heart, it wasn't about some much needed sunshine to replenish some much needed Vitamin D in their bodies, it wasn't about a couple of drinks at Margaritaville, hell, it was about one thing: Are you in or are you out?

Tony had nothing to check in and made his way straight through to departures. He unzipped his bag, took out his laptop and placed it separately on the conveyor belt to be x-rayed. Were his hands shaking, or was he imagining it? Tired. He was just tired.

He had to try very hard not to look for her in the crowds of travellers. To give him something to do he bought coffee and sat down in one of the plastic seats not a million miles from the gate. He took his boarding pass and read through it again. First to Miami, and on to Key West. He fanned himself with it, even though it wasn't hot, and then he saw her. A lone figure sitting on the seat next to the vending machine. She looked ridiculous, he thought, in a straw hat, dark cargo pants and a heavy pair of leather boots. You're gonna get so hot down there, David, he chuckled to himself, but his heart was beating out of his chest.

Slowly, he walked across towards her.

"Nice hat," he said, his throat suddenly dry, croaking.

"Yes," she replied, not lifting her gaze from the book he was reading.

"So...you came," he observed, a nervous laugh. Nervous...the last time a woman made him this nervous was when he had a playdate with Jessica Mansfield when he was five.

"Did you know. Tony. That no frost has ever been recorded in Key West?" she finally asked and finally lifted her gaze and the book.

"Miami and the Keys," Tony read the cover.

"Did you know that its real name is Cayo Hueso which means Bone Key?" she continued. And did you know I could strangle you right now for being so blasé about all this, he thought and sat down.

"Did you know that the Southernmost point of the continental US in in Key West?" Tony came up with the one fact about the island he remembered apart from it being spring break central, a fact he would not be sharing with Ziva. "And it's one of the most photographed spots in the world," he continued.

She put down her book and turned to him. "Actually. Tony. It is not. The actual Southernmost point is in Key West, yes, but...it is on the Naval Base where civilians do not have access," she lectured.

"Damn you, Agent David, you've just ruined a lifetime of memories for me there."

Ziva thought about his statement, and with little to no sympathy, she shrugged.

"Are you...armed?" he asked, and it sounded weirdly out of context.

"Yes. Tony. Why?"

He had at least ten very good reasons to ask her this, his general welfare featuring heavily in all of them considering what he wanted to do to her...with her... God, DiNozzo, really? He shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"How about your badge?" he asked, his voice higher than anticipated.

"Yes. Tony. I have my badge." She sounded annoyed.

"Because, if we flash our badges, they might let us stand at the actual Southernmost point."

"Good thinking, Tony," Ziva said and continued reading. "Who is Jimmy Buffett?"

"No, Ziva, not like buffet, the food, or Phoebe Buffay from Friends, it's Buffett. Jimmy Buffett. And he's a true legend."

"Cheeseburgers in Paradise?" she mumbled and Tony sighed. He didn't even know where to start with this one.

"Ah, and we should go to the Ernest Hemingway museum, yes?" she asked, and Tony pulled the book out of her hand.

"Ziv-ah!" he whispered and finally she looked at him without distractions.

"People don't go to Key west to do sightseeing."

"But there is a lot to do, yes?"

"Ziva," he quickly cut in before she could babble some more meaningless facts at him. He inched closer to her until his forehead was touching the edge of her ridiculous hat.

"Have you noticed that we're so good at this we don't even realize we're doing it," he whispered into her dark eyes, scanning her face. Her delicious lips were right there, and he could almost taste them.

"Good at what? Tony?" His name sounded like a secret she'd share only with his, and it suddenly was nearly impossible for him to concentrate. He felt dizzy.

"Beating around the bush," he said and wondered if she was familiar with the expression. "Avoiding speaking the truth," he quickly clarified.

"And what is the truth? Tony?" she asked sweetly, her eyes giving her away.

"The truth about what we really want to do when we get there," he whispered without even the faintest hint of sarcasm in his voice, and he could have sworn her eyes flew shut for a moment.

The crackling noise of the tannoy brought them back to reality, and Tony almost fell out of his chair.

They were boarding.

"Any last thoughts, David?" he asked, quickly collecting himself and his things.

She shook her head, and he let her lead the way to the gate, down the jetway. They joined the queue that was staring to build as passengers were getting onto the aircraft.

"Besides. Tony." she turned to him briefly. "If I change my mind, I can always turn around in Miami," she shrugged and faced forward again. Before he could think about it, he had put his foot between her ankles to trip her up, and the next step she took into the cabin sent her flying into the arms of a member of the cabin crew called Kevin, who, taken by complete surprise, almost went over as well.

Tony quickly offered a helping hand, and pulled Ziva back upright by her arm.

"I apologize," he laughed at Kevin. "My wife...so clumsy. Come on, sweet-cheeks, let's get you to your seat."

If looks could kill, he'd have been a dead man.

"Did I mention I was armed? Tony?" she asked once they had strapped themselves into their seats. She gripped his wrist so hard, he winced.

"It was funny. Ziva," he said through gritted teeth.

"It was embarrassing."

"It was funny."

"Embarrassing. Ouch, let go."

"I will get you back," she promised, and he knew he would live in fear for the next four days. She gave him another evil stare, and picked up her book again.

He relaxed against the headrest and took a good look at her. God, he was so glad she was here.

"Ziv-ah," he whispered her name. She looked ridiculous in that hat.

"What?" she put the book in her lap and looked at him. He didn't have an answer,and so they just sat there, looking at each other until the plane pushed back and stared moving towards the runway.

"So. Tony," she spoke, and he felt a severe headrush coming on as she moved her face closer to his.

"What do you want to do when we get to Key West?"

He considered his answer briefly, he could have just kissed her and said nothing at all, but instead, he looked into her eyes and wouldn't let go.

"You, Zivah. Again and again."