Oh, you guys! Thanks so much for the great reviews! Here goes with the next installment, disclaimer stans as always, they're not mine. I'll try and get up another chapter tomorrow, but in between football the fact we're doing Halloween, it may be late. I'll be spending the better part of the evening in my coffin, handing out candy.
Chapter Three
Still somewhat dumbfounded, McGee stood in the bullpen, trying to process what he'd just seen. Sure, he knew what it looked like, but it made no sense. Tony and Ziva? Naaahh. McGee gave himself a mental shake and grabbed the folder he had forgotten off his desk. Heading back to Abby, he was unable to stop trying to rationalize what it was that he had seen, exactly.
Abby raised her face from the microscope, wiping her eyes yet again in an effort to try to match the rifling on the two bullets mounted there. A tedious job on a good day, Abby was unable to make out the striations at all through the sheen of tears that kept falling into her vision. Abby braced her arms on the metal top of her lab table and took another in what was becoming a long series of deep breaths. Just as she was lowering her head to the scope, McGee reentered the lab, carrying the files he had left upstairs.
"Abs?"
"Yeah?"
"If I tell you something, promise you won't think I'm crazy?"
"Depends on what it is."
"I think I just saw Tony kissing Ziva." Abby's head shot up, eyes wide.
"Is he still alive?"
"Alive enough to yell at me before he chased after Ziva. He kept yelling something about 'again', 'not again', I don't know." McGee sank into Abby's rolling chair, resting his head in his palm. What a day.
"Tim, Timmy, look at me." McGee complied. "What did he mean, 'not again'?"
"Abs, I promise you I have no idea. I'd definitely remember walking in on something like that."
"But he said 'not again', which means that there had to be a 'before', right?" Abby was pacing now. McGee was glad to have given her a diversion, even such as it was. She had really had him worried today. No makeup made her normally pale skin look positively wan, the remnants of what mascara she had put on was now located under her eyes, her eyes were bloodshot, and her hair was limp and lifeless. In short, that was not the Abby that the team usually saw. This was more like 'morning after' Abby, only McGee could say with conviction that she had never looked so sad the next morning, even on the last morning. Boy, I AM tired. Where'd THAT come from. McGee shook his head again and winced. He was going to have to stop doing that, he was getting a headache.
"When could it have happened? Think, Tim."
"Abby, I am thinking….the only time they've been together recently was…." McGee and Abby both pointed to each other simultaneously.
"The diner." they said in unison.
"OK, the diner. You were there, did anything happen?"
"No, Abs, when I got there, they were processing the scene. On opposite sides of the room, even. Nothing happened, nothing."
"Then it must have happened before you got there. Did they seem OK to you?"
"They were both pretty quiet. Come to think of it, though, Ziva looked like she had been crying."
"Crying? Ziva never cries, Tim! And if she was, and Tony saw her, oh, poor…." Abby's lip started to tremble again.
Tim jumped to his feet. He hated it when Abby got upset. Placing his hands on her arms, he steered her around to face him.
"Abs, it's all right. She's human, too, and she loved Jenny. Abby?" McGee couldn't tell if Abby was listening. Her shoulders began to shake, and Tim pulled her into his arms and held her as she wept.
Tony ran in the direction he had seen Ziva take, listening for any sign of where she might have gone. A quick survey of the available options taken, Tony heard nothing, and decided to start with the women's head. Looking in, he saw Ziva, head bowed, leaning against the wall. Deliberately shooting for levity, Tony spoke.
"Well, this is an interesting turn of events, Zee-vah. Usually you're walking in on me, not the other way around." Nothing, not even a twitch of her eyes. Tony decided to switch tactics.
"Z? Talk to me. Yell at me. Hit me if you want to, just don't stand there!"
"He saw us, Tony. McGee saw us, and now he'll tell….." Tony cut Ziva off.
"McGee wont tell anyone anything, or he'll be Probie daisy food. The only one he ever confides in is Abby, anyway. Even if she finds out, they both know us well enough to know to keep quiet."
"Tony?"
"Yeah?"
"What does this mean?"
"Mean?"
"Yes. Mean. What does all this mean? Am I just a handy outbreak for you?"
"Outlet, Z, and no. I don't know what this is, not exactly, but I know one thing for sure."
"And what is that?"
"I know I don't want it to stop." Tony moved closer to Ziva, carefully gauging her reaction.
"Z?"
"Yes, Tony?"
"I want to kiss you again, but I want you to be OK with it when I do. I won't do anything until you say so. Is that all right?" There was silence, no reply, only the sounds of both their breathing in the small space.
"Z?"
"Yes, I heard you, Tony. I will let you know."
"OK, fair enough. Now, will you let me drive you home?"
"Yes, thank you." Tony turned and left the women's room. Ziva followed him, pausing long enough to retrieve her bag from her desk. When they reached Tony's car, Ziva was surprised when Tony stopped to open the passenger door and waited for her to get in. Once they were strapped in, Tony put the car in gear and headed out of the lot. Neither one of them had much to say en route to Ziva's apartment.
Tony pulled to a stop in front of Ziva's building. Putting the car in park, he moved to unfasten his seatbelt, and was stopped by Ziva's voice.
"You don't have to get out, Tony. I can walk up by myself."
"I know you can, Z, I just wanted to…" Ziva put a light hand on Tony's arm.
"I will be fine. Thank you for the ride, Tony. I will see you in the morning." With that said, Ziva got out and slowly walked up the stairs to her apartment. Tony watched to make certain that she was inside before putting the car back into gear and heading home himself.
McGee continued to hold Abby, feeling her tears soak the front of his shirt as she sobbed. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, stroking her hair with one hand.
"Shhh, shhh, Abs. I've got you, you're all right."
After a long while, Abby's sobs subsided, but Tim continued to hold her, knowing that she'd let him know when she was ready to be let go of. He continued to stroke her hair, kissing her head every so often. Finally, Abby raised her head from Tim's chest and lifted her face to look at him. She was pitiful, red, watery eyes, blotchy face from crying, and she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
"You OK, Abs?" She nodded, then stunned Tim by leaning up to seal his lips with her own.
Praise the Lord. Tim reveled in the feel of Abby's mouth on his, her fists knotting in his shirt. It had been so long since he had felt this, nothing would ever compare to this moment, nothing could hold a candle to having Abby back in his arms.
Tony shut the door of his apartment, dead bolting it as was his usual routine. Slinging his bag down, he headed for the kitchen. Today was the kind of day that called for a beer or ten. After polishing off half the bottle, Tony wandered into his bedroom, changed into jogging pants and a T-shirt, and collapsed on the sofa, remote in hand. Just as he tuned into SportsCenter, there was a soft knock at the door.
Now what, at this hour? Tony looked through the peephole, then unbolted the door. Opening it, he saw Ziva on the other side.
"Hello, Tony.
Hello, she says, like it's an everyday occurrence to turn up outside a door at midnight. "Hey, Z. Everything OK? What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong. I was wondering….that is….I wanted…." Ziva trailed off.
"Wondering what?"
"I do not want to be alone tonight, Tony. Would you mind if I stayed here?" Tony hurriedly moved to let Ziva in.
"Sure, sure you can stay, come on in."
"Thank you again, Tony." Ziva walked past him and settled into the sofa.
Tony sat down next to Ziva, turning his attention back to the television, occasionally sneaking sidewise glances at her. At length, Ziva sighed and stood up.
"If it is all right, I think I will take a shower. I may sleep on the sofa, yes?"
"Yes, I mean, no, no, I'll take the sofa. You can have the bed." Ziva nodded, picked up her bag, and headed into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Tony sat where he was, struck by the sense of wondering just how in the hell he was going to survive a night with Ziva in his bed. Without him in it with her. Undercover ops was one thing, this was something else again. Tony heard the water in the shower start and decided he might as well get his pillow and blanket while Ziva was in the shower.
Easing the door open, Tony looked around the doorjamb to make sure the room was empty. The closed bathroom door, emitting a narrow strip of light underneath, provided enough visibility for him to locate the necessary items and head back for the den. Almost as soon as his hand touched the pillow, light spilled into the room and Ziva stood in the doorway, backlit by the bathroom light, wrapped in a towel. Both of them stammered at the same time.
"I just wanted to get my…."
"I forgot to take my…"
"I'm so sorry, I'll just…" Ziva was the first to recover.
"I forgot to take my clothes in with me."
"I'm sorry, Z, I thought I'd grab a pillow while you were in there. I'm going."
"Tony?"
"Yeah?" Tony paused to look in her direction. Ziva was biting her lip and staring at the floor. "Something you need?"
"No, something I want. Kiss me, Tony?" He was across the room in one stride, taking her in his arms and meeting her waiting lips with his.
Ziva's senses were reeling. Tony's tongue tangled with hers, his arms pressed her to him, and she was fairly certain that, whatever he said, what she was feeling was most definitely NOT his knee. Moaning, Ziva knotted her hands in Tony's hair, reveling in the sensation of being held.
Tony drew a deep breath and tried to pull away. Ziva followed him, unwilling to break the kiss.
"Ziva, Ziva, stop. Hang on a sec. Look at me." Tony looked deep into Ziva's eyes.
"What is wrong? Why did you stop?" Confusion was evident in Ziva's face.
"I know I said I'd wait until you asked me, but I want to know you're asking me because you want to ask me. If it's not what you really want, I don't want it like this."
"I want this, Tony. I would not be here if I did not. I want this, like this, and like everything else." Ziva pulled Tony's head back for another searing kiss, molding herself to him. She smiled to herself, feeling better than she had in the last 48 hours. No, that was definitely NOT his knee.
Tony reveled in the kiss for a while, before he felt Ziva pull away. OK, she's had all she wants, back to the couch for me. He watched her as she backed a few inches away from him, then slowly unwrapped the towel she had draped herself in and let it drop. Tony felt his mouth go dry. All he could do was stare. She was so beautiful.
"What is the matter, Tony? What is it you say, it is nothing you have not seen before, yes?" Ziva was beginning to feel a bit nervous. Maybe this was a bad idea. Tony looked completely stunned. Just as Ziva was beginning to consider reaching for the towel, Tony spoke.
"That was different, that was for a case. This is just us, this is for you and for me, and I'm getting used to it. Sorry for staring, Ziva, but…"Tony tried to think of a witty remark and came up lacking. "Oh, Z, you're so beautiful."
That was all she needed to hear. Ziva stepped into Tony's embrace again, meeting his lips with her own. Tony, in his turn, buried his hands in Ziva's hair, then trailed them over her shoulders and back, feeling the silk of her skin, gripping her rear and pulling her close to him again. Ziva arched into him, and Tony, supporting the backs of her thighs, lifted her and carried her across the room, breaking contact long enough to drop her on the bed and rip his shirt off.
From her vantage point, Ziva focused on Tony, trying her best to control herself and keep from ripping the rest of his clothes off. Tony joined her on the bed, teasing her neck with his tongue, trailing it along her collarbone and watching with satisfaction as her skin pebbled. Ziva lay back, completely trusting, and closed her eyes, only to have them snap wide open again at the feel of Tony's mouth on her breast. He nipped softly at the peak of one before salving it with his tongue, then moved to the other with the same ministrations. Ziva's head was spinning from the sensations so that she was jarred by the feel of Tony's mouth on her belly, moving lower. Tangling her fingers in his hair, Ziva stilled Tony's head.
"Tony, wait, I never…. I don't…"
"Relax, Z. Let me love you. If you don't like it, I'll stop, I promise. Trust me, OK?"
Sinking back into the sheets, Ziva realized with a start that she did trust Tony, not something she was used to doing with anyone. That was her last rational thought before Tony's mouth closed on her center, the feeling so intense that Ziva's hands knotted even further into his hair and her back arched against the bed. No sooner had the sensation become bearable, and Ziva loosened her grasp on Tony's hair, than Tony grazed an area with his tongue that literally made Ziva see stars. She went limp, falling against the bed, hissing as she drew breath through clenched teeth and gripping the sheets with her fists.
Tony was in Heaven. The taste of Ziva on his tongue was unlike anything he had ever experienced, sweet and musky and something that could only be described as, well, Ziva. Hearing a whimper from her, Tony looked up. Ziva's face was flushed, her head thrown back against the bed, the muscles in her neck straining as she struggled to fight the sensations that were obviously foreign to her. Tony eased his assault on her flesh and whispered.
"Let go, Z. Let go. No one's going to hear you. Give it up." And with that, Tony flicked the little bead at the top of Ziva's center again with the tip of his tongue. Continuing this, he carefully touched Ziva, easing one finger inside her. That was all she needed. With a shriek, Ziva fell over the edge as the sensation overcame her. Gasping for breath, she pulled Tony back up for another searing kiss, earning a groan from him as she wrapped her legs around his thighs and pulled him close. Desperate to feel her, Tony struggled.
"Too damn many clothes." he muttered, earning a sly grin from Ziva.
"Well, then, in that case, perhaps we should remove them, yes?" Ziva's fingers fumbled with the drawstring, finally causing it to give way. She immediately shoved the waistband down, Tony removing the pants and kicking them off into a heap in the floor.
Flush against Ziva again, Tony stroked her skin as he kissed her.
"Z, are you still OK with this?"
"Yes, Tony, I am fine, but you seem to have forgotten one very important detail."
"What? What did I forget?" Tony, momentarily bewildered, started to pull away, only to be caught off guard when Ziva suddenly flipped them both, landing astride him.
"I like to be on top." And with that, Ziva slid down the length of him, earning a groan from them both.
Ziva was still for a moment, allowing herself to adjust to Tony's size, then slid herself up and back again, causing Tony to emit another groan, and giving herself a hitch in her breathing. She never expected it to be this good. Ziva gave herself over, throwing her head back as she rode, reveling in the pants and moans coming from Tony. Lost in herself, Ziva was jarred back to reality as Tony flipped them again, covering her with his body, his length sliding in and out of her, pushing her knees up and out and filling her fuller than she ever thought possible. Ziva's head was spinning again, Tony's face was clenched as he leaned to kiss her.
"Come on, Z, let me hear you." Tony's thrusts were coming faster now, Ziva knew he was close. She closed her eyes and arched up to meet him, angling herself so that his movements caused pressure on the bundle of nerves at her core. Letting loose with a keening not much different than the one Tony had heard from her in the diner, Ziva found release again, just as Tony spilled himself inside her. Panting, he rolled off to the side, mindful not to crush her with his weight, and pulled her close.
"That was…."
"Oh, my…."
"Wow, just wow." Tony looked at Ziva. Her eyes were closed, her breathing evening and slowing, and she looked more at peace than Tony had seen her look in weeks. Laying his head back agains the pillows, Tony pulled the sheets over them both. No sense in her getting chilled.
"Ziva?"
"Mmm?"
"All right if I sleep here tonight?"
"Of course, Tony. Tony?"
"Yeah?"
"This…." Tony cut her off.
"Don't tell me that this never happened, Zee-vah." Tony's voice was teasing.
"No, that was not what I was going to say." Ziva turned her head to kiss Tony lightly on the lips.
"No? Tell me then."
"This was wonderful. And, yes, this definitely happened."
A/N -OK, more to come. Prepare for the McAbby scenes next chapter. And there'll probably be a Tiva scene at the office, but still thrashing that one out. Hope you guys enjoyed this one. Please be easy on me, never wrote a lot of smut before. Thanks!