A/N – Wow! Thank you to all that have read and reviewed its very kind of you all :)
DS2010 – Thank you, and yes love a good runaway bride saga
Sue Dooley – Thanks hun, well I still underdecided yet which way she is going to go so we will have to wait and see
Safara Bellamy – Thank you very much for your comment, very kind
BKeh – Thanks for review hope you like next chapter
Anyway onto Chapter 2 – I do feel when Ray was on the scene their could have been more of a tension between Ray and Tony so I've kinda made that and also Ray seems a little protective so he gets a little angry!
Any spelling mistakes or grammar are my own
Disclaimer – Nope NCIS is not mine - meh
Happy Friday, Nat x
Why can't we be like that?
Chapter 2
Staring at her partner of 7 years, Ziva couldn't help but be thankful for having someone like Tony in her life. To her, he was the only person in her life that got her, who understood her and was there for her when she needed it the most or even the times when she felt she needed no one, but he knew different. Even though they had gone through hard times to the point they nearly lost each other, she was very thankful to have Anthony Dinozzo.
Finally, after a while she looked away and started playing with the grass beneath her, even after all these years she was still memorised by grass and flowers, back in Israel it was just dust and trees. Slowing debating whether to be honest with her partner or take her usual route out of all 'emotional talks' Ziva bowed her head and took the only option she knew – easy.
"I am fine Tony…" Ziva whispered after a while. Tony shot a look and raised his eyebrows questioning that very statement.
"Ok, so why are you sat here?" Tony asked simply
"Fresh air, thinking" Ziva smiled slightly, Tony huffed a little and knew this wasn't going to be easy, the walls were being built up quick.
"Well I have a crazy Abby back at the hotel, scared that she's lost the bride, so I ask again why are you sat here?" Tony shifted in his position so now he was side on with Ziva.
"Tony I am…"
"Do not even fine me Ziva, listen everyone get's cold feet before they get married it's natural, it's a big step but you have just to get on with it and you will be fine" Ziva finally looked back at her partner and sighed, she wished it was just cold feet but she knew deep down too that she was having regrets. Was Ray really the right guy for her to marry? Was she really wanting to get married at all? These questions had been playing on her mind for the last few weeks and if it wasn't for case after case distracting her she knew she would have bottled it. Finally taking a deep breath she turned to face Tony.
"I am…scared" It was barley a whisper but Tony heard it loud and clear, he remained quiet as he knew that if he stopped her talking now he wouldn't get anything out of her
"I do not think Ray is the right man, I do not think happiness is for me" Ziva paused and looked around the park again before back to Tony "What if this is a mistake" Tony watched carefully he could tell there was a huge battle going on in her head. For him a bigger battle was taking place in his, he knew what the right thing to do would be to crack a joke, get her to the hotel and get her married to her husband to be but on the other hand he wanted to tell her not to do it, not to marry Ray and marry him instead.
"The night before I was going to marry Wendy, I had the same thoughts, was she the right one for me? Did I even want to get married, to be tied down to one women forever" He gave a small laugh at that idea "ok so this may not be the perfect example considering that marriage never happened but we all go through it Ziva, we question if it is right and you know what? It may not be, you may find in 2 years you want to leave him but then again in 30 years you may both be happy with grandkids and a nice life and a house and be as happy as Gibbs and Shannon, you need to jump in feet first David" Tony finished. A small silence fell between them as Ziva took in what Tony had said.
"And what about you Tony?" The question threw Tony a little as he stared at Ziva
"Me?"
"Yes. Was Wendy your 'Shannon'" Ziva asked. Tony paused, he wasn't expecting the tables to be turned on him like this. He didn't know how to answer, he couldn't word his answer.
"Back then, I would have said yes, now? No I don't think she was" He replied, Ziva hummed a little and studied his face.
"So, who is your Shannon?" Again throwing another un reasonable question his way, he sighed all he wanted to do was say sat in front of me right now.
"Lost her…" He replied
"Ah, Jeanne" this left an awkward silence in the air as this subject was hard for both of them, Tony was taken back to that place for a moment and wondered what would have been. He shook his head, he didn't want that demon in his head today of all days.
"All I am trying to say is we all get nervous, it will be fine, Ray loves you, he adores you Zi, what more could you ask for?" Tony stated he could tell by the look on her face she was now getting irritated.
"He does not understand me, my past he does not know, he will get hurt by my past, my family, I do not want to put him in harms way, everyone I love end up dead" Ziva snapped, she took a few short breaths as she could feel tears in the corner of her eyes.
"He is CIA Zi, think he can look after himself, and we all have a past" Tony replied, Ziva frowned
"But my past is always in my present" Ziva mumbled, Tony raked his hand through his hair, this was going to be a hard one to sort.
"Ok then Ziva what is it you want? You want to be alone forever? Here is your chance at happiness and before you say it, you deserve it, with everything you have been through you more than anyone deserve this" Tony finished, he watched Ziva for a moment.
"and what about you Tony?" Tony huffed a little and stared at Ziva
"Stop trying to turn tables here Zi" Tony replied
"When I was a little girl, I never really imagined my wedding, being from the family I am from it was not on my list, then growing up and following my father's footsteps that dream slipped away even more, I mean I did not think I would make it to 20" Ziva paused "Tony I do not know to be a wife, all I know is combat and army and being an agent, a wife? I do not think I can do" Ziva finished and looked over at Tony.
"I think you will be a brilliant wife sweetcheeks, you are strong, determined and I know deep down in that ninja heart of yours there is love" Tony finished
"I just wish my Abba was here today…" This statement threw Tony off, he knew deep down Ziva would miss her dad on her wedding day, but for the leader of Mossad it was too risky to leave Israel and come to America.
"Least you have Papa Gibbs" Tony smiled "think of it this way, today you gain a new partner" Tony smiled, Ziva threw a questioning look at Tony
"A life partner Zi, someone by your side every day, someone to protect you, look after you when you are sick, someone to cheer you up when you are down, to make you laugh, to annoy you, to love you and cherish you" Tony trailed off and looked away from Ziva. All he wanted to do was admit this is how he was feeling that he wanted to be her Ray that he wanted to marry her and hold her and love her.
"so everything that you do for me at the moment?" Ziva mumbled, a silence fell between the two agents. Tony rose from his sitting position and pulled Ziva up by her arm.
"Let's go and get you married" Tony took Ziva's hand and started pulling her away from the tree and to the exit of the park.
After 15 minute walk in silence and still holding her hand, they arrived back at the hotel. Ziva squeezed Tony's hand tighter as they made their way through the car park. Nerves now were at a alarming rate and all she wanted to do was run away again. Feeling Tony squeeze her hand back she looked at him.
"You will be fine sweetcheeks now go" Tony smiled, he pulled her into a hug and placed a small kiss at the top of her head "proud of you" he whispered, he felt Ziva tighten the hug and then released herself from him.
"Tony…I just want to say…"
"ZIVA" Both agents looked at a now hysteric Abby flying out the front door of the hotel and towards Ziva. "Oh my god where have you been? Are you ok? Come on we need to get you ready, we only have an hour" Abby grabbed Ziva's hand and pulled her back into the hotel, with one last look back at Tony she was gone.
Tony remained still for a moment, at that point he knew that he had now lost her for good, his Shannon had gone, gone to marry the man that was not worthy of his ninja. He walked back into the hotel and to reception to grab a spare key for his room. As he was waiting in line he felt someone next to him.
"Hero of the hour again?" Tony sighed as turned and came face to face with Ray
"No hero just a friend" Tony smiled, Ray gave a small laugh and patted Tony on the shoulder
"Look Tony I know you care very much about my Zi, but don't need to now, she's going to be my wife so I will look after her" Ray smirked, Tony could feel rage running through his veins who did he think he was?
"Well I am always going to be around to protect her too Ray, she is important to me and the team" Tony replied, Ray gave another small laugh and shook his head
"I have always been nice to you Tony, but let me tell you this, the minute that Ziva say's I do you back off, got it" Tony was now full of anger how dare he tell him to back away from Ziva. Tony squared up to Ray and lowered his tone.
"Well let me put it this way, the moment you hurt Ziva I will be on you" Tony grunted
"Oh already had this off Gibbs Tony don't worry" Ray laughed, Tony straightened up, gave a nice smile and patted Ray on the shoulder.
"Good Luck today Ray, and like I said the moment you hurt Ziva I will be on you and trust me I will 100 times worse than Gibbs" Tony walked off towards the bar leaving Ray.
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! Haha! Anyway I am still under decided which way Ziva is going to go! Gonna have to write two versions of the next chapeter and see what I like best. Anyway I hope to update soon and I would love you all to review and like – make my day! Take care one and all :)