I. Am. Sorry. I was being really really REALLY lazy after my week in New York and then there was jetlag and school started again and blahblahblah... But now it's Friday and I finally had the time to write another chapter. Yay!

So, this one's definitely shorter than the previous ones, but I just didn't think that making it longer would suit the story. I'll try to make the next one longer though, promise :)

Well, the whole story is allll planned out and it wouldn't be me if there wasn't a teenytiny bit of drama in it...you can't always just have the Tiva-fluff wihtout earning it first ;D anyway, it's probably going to be about seven, maybe eight, chaps in total and - weird as I am - I have the last chapter already written down...but not the chapters 5 to 6 xD Lucky for you I'll have loads of time tomorrow, so I'll probably plan in a date with Microsoft Office Word (;

Enough of me boring you with my lifestory, just read and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own it. Deal with it.

A week passed without anything out of the ordinary. McGee noticed that his co-workers flirted a bit more than they usually would and shared quite a few meaningful glances, but shrugged it off as one of their moods. He didn't think they would work out whatever it was that was between them, not after Ray, but he never lost hope. He had the heart of a writer after all and always wanted to see the happy end in real life.

When Gibbs told them to go and grab some lunch before doing some more research on their current case, McGee decided to go with his friends, but then he saw the look Tony was giving Ziva and her soft smile and answering nod and changed his mind. He didn't want to interrupt when they seemed to be getting closer again. Instead he just smiled at them when he saw Tony absentmindedly placing a hand in the small of Ziva's back to guide her to the elevator, a gesture he didn't seem to notice he was doing. McGee went to pay a visit to Abby down in her lab for some 'TivaTalk', as the Goth liked to call it. She was definitely going to be interested in hearing his observations.

...

Ziva smiled when she felt Tony's gaze on her. They had just been sitting down in a café with their lunch and she took a sip from her tea while he chewed on his pastrami sandwich. She turned to look right back at him.

"You know...I've been thinking", Tony started after a minute of staring at each other. Ziva raised an eyebrow at him. "Hey! Don't gimme that look! I do think sometimes!", he exclaimed.

"Yes you do. But it is not always productive, Tony", Ziva teased.

"Okay, so I've been thinking something productive this time. Since you liked Geoffrey Rush so much in the movie last week, I figured that you might want to see another one he's in..."

"And that is productive how...?" She took a bite off her own sandwich.

"You get to know a wider range of movie genres, because the film I had in mind is an animated one." Satisfied with his explanation, Tony leant back in his chair and grinned at his partner.

"What is it about?" Ziva asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Owls."

"Owls? The animals?"

"Yep. Believe me, it's awesome", Tony assured. "Lots of humour and cool 3D effects. You're gonna love it, Ziva!"

The Israeli pretended to think for a minute before a smile spread on her face. "Okay. I will be over tonight then, yes?"

Tony grinned like a child on Christmas at her answer. "Oh, and could you bring some stuff for salad over again?"

Ziva stared at him for a second with wide eyes, before she started laughing uncontrollably. And it wasn't often that she let herself be so relaxed that she could laugh like that. When she got a hold on herself again she looked at Tony who wore an amused expression after watching her.

"What was so funny?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

Ziva chuckled again before she answered. "You, Tony DiNozzo, are voluntarily suggesting to have salad for dinner? What happened?"

Instead of laughing like her, he suddenly turned serious and reached over to softly brush his fingers across the soft skin of her hand. "Well...maybe I found my better half", he stated.

Ziva's heart beat faster and a cold layer of sweat started building in her neck. What happened to him giving her time? Did he consider a week as enough time? Well, she certainly didn't! When he leant over it was clear what he was going to do. Ziva's eyes darted around the small café to find something, anything, that could safe her from this situation without hurting Tony too much. When his lips were just an inch away she jumped up and walked over to the cashier.

"Gibbs is probably already waiting for us. Lunch is on me." It was a weak excuse, but all that she'd been able to think of in her panic. When she let out a deep breath before turning back to the table, she hoped with all her heart that she hadn't ruined everything by losing her nerves in the wrong moment, but luckily he held out her coat to her once she stood in front of him again.

"Thanks for buying, Zi", he said and smiled, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. They walked in silence back to the Navy Yard until Ziva decided to cheer him up again.

"So...about that movie", she started and smiled when he immediately turned his head to look at her "You said that Geoffrey Rush was in it, but then you said that it was...animated, yes?"

Tony thought for a moment before answering. "Well yeah. Geoffrey Rush is the voice of one of the owls in the film and being the ninja you are you'll probably recognize it straight away once you hear it." This time his smile was genuine again.

"I see...", Ziva said and took a step closer so her arm was touching his and they walked the rest of the way with him rambling away about the movie, giving her a complete synopsis. She just smiled to herself and was glad that everything seemed to be fine between them.

...

A while after Gibbs had told them that they could leave for the night, Tony was still finishing his report on the case that they had finished shortly after coming back from their lunch break. Gibbs had gone down to Labby to bring his favourite forensic scientist the last Caf-Pow! for the day. Suddenly Director Vance appeared on the top of the stairs and made his present known to his agents by clearing his throat, followed by a request.
"Agent David, Agent McGee, can we have a word?" he asked.

Ziva and McGee exchanged a confused look but nodded their heads. "Of course, Director", McGee said and walked to the stairs. Ziva dropped her bag back on her desk and followed after him. When Tony shot her a questioning glance she shrugged, knowing as much as him why Vance wanted to see her.

When they sat opposite Vance at his desk they watched him closely and the usually cold-looking man seemed...worried. And when McGee saw him fiddling with the wrapping of the toothpick he was currently chewing on, he knew that something must be really wrong. After a long silence the Director finally spoke.

"We got hacked again."

Someone tried to download highly classified documents and our IT experts are tapping in the dark. I was hoping you could trace the adress again, agent McGee."

"Um...sure. I could do it right away..." McGee got up.

Vance raised a hand. "That is not necessary, but be in tomorrow at 0500 hours."

"Of course, Director", the young agent said with a nod and left the office. Once he was gone, Ziva turned to look at her superior.

"And what do I have to do with this? I am not qualified to do any of the things McGee does", she said confused.

"If Agent McGee is able to trace the hacker's address back to a computer we can be sure that we are dealing with a group. At the moment our prime suspect is a man called Peter Finch, former IT expert in one of our units. He was discharged last year because he sold classified information to foreign agencies. He disappeared the next day and was now sighted a couple of times in D.C.", Vance explained.

"And what do I have to do with that?" asked Ziva.

"Since you are fluent in many languages I would like you to go undercover and gain his trust so he can lead us to his clients."

Ziva thought about that for a moment. She didn't really have a choice, she knew that, but still it didn't seem good to her that she was assigned to that mission. The memory of Tony's last assignment was still not forgotten.

"Agent David?" Vance asked, bringing her back to the real world "You will be starting tonight, a driver will pick you up at your apartment at nine and drive you to your temporary home."

Ziva nodded once. "I will be ready", she said and got up, walking to the door.

"And Ziva" Vance called. She turned halfway to face him with one hand still on the door handle. "This is an undercover op, so don't tell Gibbs. Or DiNozzo", he added sternly. "Understood?"

"Understood." Her voice was barely above a whisper and she turned and left the office with a tight knot i her stomach. So much for no more lies in her and Tony's relationship...and it wasn't even one yet.

So, how was it? I wantz feedback! Pwease? :DD

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oh, just one thing I really need to get off my chest: I DON'T LIKE WENDY!