Chapter Two:
Hey guys! Thanks for all of the reviews, follows and favorites, I really appreciate it. Still looking for a beta reader but for now I'm trying my best, with the assistance of spell check of course :)
Ziva was pulling out of the parking lot, a bag of take-out in Tony's lap when he spoke up, "Hey Ziva, why don't we stop at my place? That way I can grab some stuff that I need and you can search through my James Bond collection."
"You promise not to try and stay home? Or worse drive off?" she asked him, suspicious of her sneaky co-worker.
"Cross my heart and hope to die"
"Do not test that, Tony. You do remember who I am, don't you?" Ziva grinned, proud of herself for recognizing the phrase.
"Ziva, I never forget." He said it with a straight face, and just for one moment she thought she was going to have to talk about her feelings, in that one moment her brain was at total meltdown because she wasn't ready.
"And you know I want sweatpants bad when I risk my life against a Mossad Assassin" he continued.
And just like that, the moment was over.
-
Tony removed a piece of his door frame, invisible to anyone walking by, and got out his spare key.
"What? I'm a federal agent for a living and you expect me to just think that sticking my key under the welcome mat is okay? That's like saying please do rob me!"
Ziva was truly surprised that Anthony DiNozzo, the class clown she knew, had thought to protect himself in such an odd situation. "No, I have just underestimated you yet again, Tony. It is really quite smart. Is that even legal in your apartment complex?"
"Ahh well I never thought to ask, but my movie collection alone is worth more than like a year's worth of rent, so they can just get over it."
Now that sounded more like the DiNozzo she knew, Ziva thought as he held the door to let her in.
Ziva had been in Tony's apartment before, but not recently. It was different, somehow still Tony but less bachelor-y. Was that even possible? Her Mossad training kicked in and her observations brought her to a clear conclusion. The couch was in disarray, DVD box after DVD box on the coffee table the trash was full, it was still obviously a man's apartment but it looked… lived in. And the last time she had checked Tony spent his nights in various places that usually weren't his own.
"Tony?"
"Hmm?" he mumbled, locating some James Bond movies for Ziva to pick from.
"When was the last time you went on a date?"
The DVDs tumbled out of his hands and onto the floor, "God, Ziva, I forgot how blatant you are. Uhh a date?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head.
"Yes Tony. A date. A night with a pretty woman." She held firm to her position, wanting an answer.
"Gosh I dunno, there's too many to keep up with." He countered, hoping it would be a satisfactory answer since truly, it had been months.
"Tony." That's all she said but her ninja glare quickly convinced him that his answer was not going to cut it.
"Oh a week or two." He offered, but she just wasn't buying it.
"Or three."
"Okay more like three months! Now will you stop looking at me like that!"
Ziva looked at him at moved farther into the apartment, closer to him, "The Tony DiNozzo I know wouldn't go that long without a date. What have you done with the real one?" she smiled softly, trying to tease him after realizing that she had hit a nerve. And not only had she hit a nerve but there was a comfort she wanted to give but she wasn't prepared to get into that particular conversation.
"Well by your definition of a date, I have one tonight" and with that, he handed Ziva the DVDs and walked into his bedroom.
Safely in the threshold of his bedroom he fumed "God, DiNozzo what the hell was that? She is going to run now. Walls back up. Damnit I was so close." He kicked the door frame to his bathroom, which, to no surprise, did not aid his thinking but rather made him even angrier with himself. He wasn't angry at Ziva, how could he be? "She didn't do anything wrong. But why does she have to be so nosy! Who cares if he spends his nights lonely with pizza and movie marathons? Okay so that sounded pitiful, but this wasn't how it was supposed to go. I have bid my time long enough and you can be sure that I am going to get it right." Tony packed his final things and deciding that he would only talk about this if the moment was exactly right, left the room.
He found Ziva perusing the entertainment set up, looking through his countless movies. "Hey I've got my stuff, Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, there is one here called Casino Royale. Will that be alright?" she turned to him after replacing the last rejected film.
"Yeah Daniel Craig's first time. 007 reporting for duty ma'am." He mimicked in his best British accent.
She smiled and applauded him, glad that she had not tripped too many wires earlier. "I know you don't like being cooped up in the house and since you are under my supervision, I was wondering if you wanted to join me for a jog tomorrow morning?"
"0400, yes?" he grinned as he grabbed a water bottle from the refrigerator.
"It is a Saturday Tony, I am okay with letting you sleep in until 0500." She teased him, "but really, grab a t-shirt and shorts, I will wait until you are stable enough tomorrow morning, we can even walk if you need."
"Zeeevah I am fine. It's just protocol." His voice drifted off as he walked further into his room.
She spoke up, "Well protocol or not Gibbs will have my ass if something happens to you." And I will most certainly not be okay, she thought to herself.
"Okay supervisor, lead the way." Tony announced, holding the door for his partner.
"Should I even offer to carry your duffle bag?" she sighed.
"Ha. No. I will not be caught dead letting a girl carry my duffle bag, or hers for that matter, in my apartment complex."
The elevator moved steadily along, dinging on the way down, "What a gentleman, Tony." Ziva commented.
As the doors opened Tony smiled, glad she had noticed the comment, determined to take it slow and confident that tonight was going to be a very good night, "Well Ziva there seem to be many things you have forgotten about me."