Author's Note: Hey there! Thanks for sticking with me - I've been trying to take my time writing this so that it doesn't come out overly rushed. It's hard though! I have lots of places I'd like to take it and want to get it out asap. Loving the feedback btw; it's always nice knowing that you have readers who care and you're not just writing for your own kicks and giggles. So a big thanks to you guys!
Disclaimer: I don't know NCIS or its characters/ideas.
He followed her into the living room, taking his time so that he could really appreciate the fact that she was before him. She brushed her hands through her hair and twisted it into a loose mess atop her head, turning to look at him at the same time.
"What?" she said, taking notice of the look that had settled across his face.
"Nothing, sweet cheeks," he said, smirking a little as he stepped in front of her. "I just can't get over the fact that you're here; thought you were pretty set on needing time apart."
He'd never loved anyone the way he loved her, but it was because of that love and the fact that her happiness meant more to him than his own that he was able to let her go. Now that she was in front of him – had come home to him – he wasn't going to let her go. Tony thought back to his conversation with Gibbs; he'd be just as happy to see Ziva home. He'd be glad that she'd come to terms with at least one part of her life and dropped the stubbornness enough to return.
"Tony, stop staring at me like I've come back from the dead."
"Oh, but you have; and I see you've learned an idiom while you were gone." He stepped up closer to her. The room was dark, the TV flickering waves of blue light across the furniture and their bodies. Tony took her hand and pulled her down to sit next to him on the couch. "What made you come home?"
"I guess I couldn't live without you," she said, looking at him but not saying anything further for the moment. "I watched you take off, you know." Ziva adjusted her back against the cushion behind her, tugging slightly at the jacket she had on and kicking her shoes off, propping her feet atop the coffee table. "I… I stood there for ten minutes after you had left. I didn't know where to go, what to do. When I left for Tel Aviv, Tony, it was for vacation. I had every intention of having you join me – showing you the places I used to call home, having you become a part of those memories as we made new ones. Then, after… after the mess with Ari was brought up, things changed, as you know. I realized what a mess I had made of myself and I did not want to pull you into that mess, Tony. I have so much baggage; baggage I hardly know what to do with."
Tony sat quietly, his arm stretched out across the back of the couch behind them. He began to slowly trail his fingers across the exposed neck above her collar.
"I'm listening," he said reassuringly. She took in a deep breath and turned to look at him.
"When you got there, Tony, I hated how much I wanted you to stay with me. I hated that you had been able to find me… I hated that I wanted to go home with you… I hated how weak I had become. God, and the night before you left." She trailed off, a sad sort of smile capturing her lips. "It just made watching that plane take off so much harder."
"Imagine what it was like for me to leave," he said.
"I did," she said after a moment of silence. "I thought about it a million times over the next few weeks. No matter where I went or how hard I tried, I could not shake the memory of you and how my heart ached as soon as you had left. I had not realized how attached I'd become. Tony. I fear if I distance myself any further, I may never come back… that is not what I want."
"I don't want that either, Zi." Tony said gently. "Does this mean you're here to stay?"
"Yes, Tony." She whispered back. "I think it does."
"Good, cause a while back I bought some of that tea you like and it's taking up a lot of valuable cabinet space."
They both laughed and Tony pulled her into another hug. They stayed like that for a few minutes, enjoying each other's presence in the simplest of terms. When they finally broke apart, Tony caught a slight glint coming from Ziva's eyes and so he reached up and wiped away at the moist tears.
"Would you like me to fix you a cup?" he asked.
"Yes, I would love that," she said with a nod.
Tony got up and moved into the kitchen to fix her cup of tea. When he came back, Ziva had curled her feet up under her body, digging her toes into the cushions. Tony couldn't help but think about how right it seemed to see her on his couch again. He'd missed those days of late-night movie watching from years ago… and as if on cue, Ziva nodded in the direction of the TV.
"What are you watching?"
"Rush Hour 3," he said with a bit of a draw. "We can change it if you want, I'm not really in the mood for action anymore."
"Do you mind if I stay a while?" Ziva asked, a bit hesitant.
"Good luck leaving," he teased, a bit of honesty slipping through. "I kinda figured you could just stay here. With me. Do you even still have your apartment?"
"No," she said quietly. "I ended my lease when I first decided I would not be taking back the badge. It might have been hasty, but I did not want anything tying me back to D.C. further than you had. It would seem my plan fell through."
"I don't know that I'd say that…" Tony said, trailing off as he took the mug from Ziva and set it on the coffee table, hitting the power button on the remote while he was at it. He sat back up and looked at Ziva, letting his eyes adjust to the now dark room around them. "I know things are working out a lot better than I thought they would when I woke up this morning."
He leaned in and captured her lips in another kiss. This time it opened them up to the hunger they'd been subsiding. Ziva let her hands trail up his arms as he held her by the waist, a firm hand planted at the side of her ribcage. She reached his shoulders and moved up, raking her hands through his hair as they kissed, hardly breaking for air. Somewhere between heavily gasping for air and resting their foreheads against one another, Tony finally broke the silence.
"I'd like it very much if you would stay here with me, Ziva."
"Why, Tony," she teased. "Are you implying I spend the night? I did not think you usually allowed the women you dated to spend the night at your place."
He couldn't help but laugh.
"Are you asking me out, Miss David?"
"I am, Tony. Are you going to leave me dangling?"
"You know, you were close with that one…. No, I won't leave you hanging. I don't want you sleeping anywhere but by my side."
"I certainly hope we are able to manage that on your twin," she said in mock contemplation.
"Oh, I'm sure we'll find a way," Tony said, pushing back a handful of her hair and taking in, yet again, the utter beauty of the woman before him.
"You're something else, do you know that?"
"So are you," Ziva said in return. "I meant what I said before. I do not think that I can live without you."
"Well I meant it too, when I said it the first time." He winked and turned to face the black screen, pulling her in to his side. The two sat there in silence for a few more minutes, just enjoying the silence and the fact that they weren't alone.
"What do you say we get some sleep?" Tony said at last. He got up from the couch and held out his hand. "Come on, I'll give ya some clothes to wear."
She took his hand and followed him into his bedroom. Tony pulled out a few articles of clothing and tossed them to Ziva, proceeding to strip down to his boxers and undershirt. Ziva had no qualms about doing the same, pulling the pair of pajama bottoms up over her own underwear and then unfolding the t-shirt – the room was still dark and this was not the first time they had changed in the same room. Ziva was about to slide the shirt over her head when the material called back a familiar memory.
"Oh, Tony!" she laughed sleepily. "You remembered." She pulled the material up to her face and felt its worn softness against her skin. In her hands was one of her favorite shirts – one of his old tees that she'd borrowed during more than one of their undercover missions.
"You're the only one who wears it," he said sweetly, going over and taking a seat on the bed.
When she was finished getting dressed for bed, she went over and joined him. It was snug, but they managed to snuggle down, and get situated. Tony took in a long breath, reveling in the way his night had turned out. He knew that the next day was going to hold big things for both of them, but for the moment all he wanted to do was hold the woman he loved who had returned home to him and get some sleep.
"Ani ohev otach," he whispered into her ear.
"I love you too," she whispered sleepily, inching her back closer to his chest. "I love you so much."
Author's Note: Read and Review! People aren't kidding when they say that the reviews are what encourage them to write more. I'm having so much fun writing this, but the joy is so much greater knowing that others are having fun with it too.
As always, and as I said before, thanks for taking the time to read this!
