Rating: M for language and content
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended; these characters belong to NCIS, I own nothing.
Pairing: Ziva D./ Tony D.
Right, so I am following the timeline as we know it. This chapter takes place just before "Nine Lives". Don't be sad, don't be shocked as we continue the journey and stuff happens, because my rule number one in all this is that true love always triumphs. Always.
Thank you everybody for reading, I hope you enjoy it x
WS
By the time he got home it was way after midnight.
He tore off his tie and threw it on the floor, turned on some lights. Long day. Long date. He hadn't even kissed her. He figured there really was no point since he wasn't going to sleep with her. Ah, sleep. He was ready to drop. He walked into his bedroom and kicked off his shoes. He could have sworn he'd made the bed that morning...but days seemed to all fade into one at the moment, so maybe he forgot.
"Tony." Her voice almost made him squeal like a girl. She was right there, in his bed. Sleepy eyes.
"Ziva...what the...you almost gave me a heart attack. What are you doing?"
"I wanted to talk to you."
"You better be wearing clothes, else this conversation is over," he smirked, but apparently she didn't think it was very funny.
"Yes," she said and sat up. "I sent you a message. You did not reply."
"I only just got it. Sorry. I was out."
"I know."
"I know you know, you were there when I was talking to McGee about it."
"Tony..."
"What are you doing, Ziva? Checking up on me?"
"I am going to Israel."
"Okay," he said, but it felt like someone had unexpectedly punched him in the gut.
"I wanted to tell you...but I did not want to tell you at work."
"Okay."
"I need to figure things out."
"Ziva, look; if this has anything to do with me then get to the point. If not, then please leave. I'm not the guy to give you relationship advise."
"You are jealous," she observed correctly, and he grabbed her with his eyes and mercilessly pinned her to the spot.
"And what are you? You come here the night you know I have a date and wait for me in my bed?"
"I am not jealous. Tony. I know we are both trying to...move on...follow the rules."
He laughed because everything was so ridiculous. "Rules are there to be broken, Ziva, and it's not that Gibbs hasn't gone there a few times. Rules are not orders. And you are jealous."
"I am not."
"You, Miss David, can't even bring yourself to say the name of my fish out loud," he paused, sat down on the bed and looked at her. It was a challenge. "What's her name, Ziva? Go on, prove me wrong. Say it."
"Kate."
"Almost killed ya, didn't it?" He chuckled and she looked at her hands.
"That is different."
"How?"
"You loved her," she said quietly.
"And you're going to Israel why exactly?"
"I need to figure things out."
"Yes, you said that. And good luck to you. Now go. But thanks for the heads up."
He saw the anger in her eyes probably before she herself felt it, but after a moment of stone-cold silence she kicked the sheets back, pushed him out of her way and darted towards the door.
Let her go, let her go, let her go, let her go, DiNozzo, he said to himself and watched her put on her shoes, her coat.
"Ziva." But he could not.
"I should not have come. Tony."
"Yes, but you did, so what are you gonna do about it?"
"I can think of a million reasons why I should not be here, and only one why I should. I just...can not remember to forget you."
He laughed, not because it was funny, but out of complete despair.
"You're telling me. I spent the whole evening with a woman who wasn't you, and guess what that made me want to do... You."
"Maybe we need to try harder."
"Is that why you're going to Israel or why you are here?"
"Both," she admitted, and he understood. He hated it, but he got it. And she was beautiful. And at the end of the day, at the moment, she was still his. Wasn't she?
"Come here," he asked and held out his hand. She walked a few steps towards him and took it.
"We're going to regret this in the morning aren't we?"
"Either way. Yes."
"Ziva," he said her name and pulled her towards himself.
She kissed him, and yes, as absurd as it was, suddenly then, it was all that mattered. There was nothing but them.
"You know, I honestly can't be alone in the same room with you anymore," he confessed.
"I know what you mean," she whispered between kisses.
"Soon I'll say something stupid at work that I'll regret forever."
"You will not."
"What ya gonna do? Shoot me?"
"Yes."
"My God, I want you," he said and started pulling at her top.
"I think we should get naked," she suggested.
"Well, be quick, or I swear I'm gonna to rip your clothes off," he warned, and she stared shedding layers.
He did the same, and when they got into his bed, he wanted to bask in that initial moment of bliss for all eternity.
"Just for the record," he said and tried to get her attention. "I'm still in love with you."
"Tony..."
"Don't say anything you'll regret, David," he interrupted her. He had no idea what it was she was going to tell him, but he figured it was relatively insignificant, because in a way, all the damage was done.
He made love to her then like it was their first and their last time. It was clumsy and familiar, raw and meaningful. He knew her too well already, better than he'd ever cared to know any woman, and he cursed her and cursed her and cursed her. Everything about Ziva was entirely absurd, and he honestly wondered what he had done to deserve it...
She was all over their sex, she could play hard to get yet take charge at the same time, it drove him crazy. Her lips were his poison, but he couldn't get enough, and it was killing him. Now, like so many times before, she made him look at her as she came, and she whispered his name again and again.
"I love you," he told her only because he couldn't help it.
"Tony. I do not know what to do. I do not recognize myself," she mumbled against his naked chest when it was all over.
He rolled her off of him and spooned her.
"Nor do I. Here's what really gets me, Ziva. I never wanted to be this grown up."
"What do you mean?" she asked, and he traced her hips with his thumb.
"Vanilla sex with the same person over and over and over again...and I don't even like you very much...we might as well get married and get it over with," he sighed, and she detached himself completely; got out of bed.
"I have to go," she said.
"Ziva. Please. I'm joking."
"I am going to Israel," she whispered, at him, at herself, he couldn't be sure.
"Bon Voyage. Oh wait, what's that in Hebrew?" he asked, because he couldn't think of anything else to hurt her feelings.
"Google it. Tony," she told, him and three minutes later he heard the door close behind her.
He got up and did just that.
