A/N: Hopefully this clears up some of the questions raised in previous chapters ...and for those who were wondering...it is referencing several seasons up to and including seven . ^_^
Perhaps Love- Chapter 4
Gibbs clicks his phone shut and turns to his father. Jackson looks at him wondering at the look on Leroy's face.
"Just what did you mean son? That sometimes you are wrong?"
Gibbs sighs and turns to his father. "Do you remember when Tony asked you if you were the one who gave me the rules?"
Jack nods and Gibbs continues, "The one rule I've asked them to never break is rule 12. Never date a co-worker. I've seen too many times where dating a co-worker ended up with one or both getting hurt or worse killed."
"So what made you tell her you were wrong?"
"You saw the way that Ziva and McGee work together."
"I've seen the way that Ziva and Tim work together yes; they make a cute couple in my opinion."
"Tim's been in love with her for years, but never, not in all the years he's known her has he let his emotions get in the way of his job."
Jack takes a deeper look at his son. "He's never told her what he thinks about her either is what you're not telling me; due in part to your rule?"
Gibbs sighs and leans his arms on the porch railing. This is yet another reason he tends to stay away from his father…they both have a way of reading the other, which lead so often to their fighting in the past. Jack puts a hand on his shoulder.
"What happened to change your mind? It wasn't just Tim."
"Could just be I'm getting wiser, taking my old man's advice."
Jack grunts as he says, "When did I tell you to let Tim and Ziva start dating."
"You didn't; you glared at me every time I interrupted the few times they were together. Those were the times that I used to take for granted when I still had Shannon in my life. Oh we didn't work in the field together like Tim and Ziva do, but there are so many little things Dad. If I don't admit to being wrong, then one day they will break the rule and that will destroy McGee."
Jack nods knowing just from meeting Tim the few times that he has, how much the younger man looks up to his son. In a way, Leroy has become Tim's surrogate father and Tim doesn't want to disappoint the man. Jack has to admit that he's proud of his son for recognizing not just Tim's needs but those of Ziva too. Which brings Jack to his next question.
"What happened to Ziva that you felt it necessary to say you were wrong?"
For the first time since they'd started repairing their relationship, Leroy avoids Jack's gaze. Jack watches as his son starts pacing, clearly not sure what he can tell his father without betraying Ziva's confidences.
"Don't tell me, Leroy. It must have been pretty bad if it's tearing you up this bad. I'm just glad that you trust Tim enough to watch over her and it's obvious that you do if you're letting them bend this rule of yours."
Leroy turns back and hugs his dad. "Thanks Jack; I will admit that I'm worried about them, and truthfully it's Ziva I'm worried about more than Tim. She's been through a lot these past few months; we all have but she's had a rough time and I'm counting on Tim to help her past it."
Jack returns the hug and asks, "Ready for supper son? Those catfish are ready to be battered and fried."
###
Sunday dawns just as bright and beautiful as the day before. Ziva stretches and then freezes. She knows that she'd fallen asleep on the couch the night before, listening to the rhythmic tap-tap-tap of Tim typing on his old typewriter. She's now wrapped securely in Tim's arms and Jethro the dog is looking at her from his place beside the bed.
"Did I have another nightmare?" her whisper is barely heard but the dog puts his paws on the bed and nuzzles her face. She looks into the dark brown eyes and sees no condemnation in the canine's face. A long tongue comes out and licks her cheek, propelling her closer to Tim's embrace.
"Ziva?"
Tim's sleepy questioning of her name brings a smile to her lips. She softly caresses his forearms telling him softly to go back to sleep. When she feels his body relaxing once more against hers, she eases out of his embrace and into the shower.
As she lets the warm water sluice over her, she wonders why the nightmares have come back and why she's trusting Tim to help her through them. Her conversation with Gibbs the day before comes back to her. What did he mean by being wrong? And why is he letting her stay with Tim?
She turns the water off and towels herself dry before slipping into another one of Tim's oversized shirts. She then wraps her hair in a towel and heads into the kitchen to make some tea. Just before the kettle starts whistling she pours the hot water into the teapot, noting with just a touch of amusement that it's similar to Ducky's.
As she waits for the tealeaves to steep, she sits down and starts thinking again about the night before. Normally she can tell when a nightmare has taken effect. She just doesn't feel the lethargy that she usually associates with a nightmare.
"Careful, you'll start over-analyzing things like I do and earn yourself a head-slap." The gentle teasing brings her gaze up to Tim's.
"Did I have another nightmare Tim?"
Tim shakes his head and blushingly replies, "No, I just wanted someone to hold last night."
The simple yet truthful answer makes her take a closer look at him. The slightly darker circles under his eyes, similar to the ones she's used to seeing in a mirror every day bring her to her feet.
"You have nightmares too?"
Tim sighs and nods. "Sometimes they're not so bad, others…I didn't want to take the chance that I might wake you so, I just took an easy way out last night."
Ziva muses that over as Tim starts putting bread in the toaster. . Ziva's eyes brighten as he then pulls some apricot preserves out of the fridge as well as a small jar of strawberry preserves.
"I know that we're going to Ducky's later, but I thought you might like some toast with your tea today. And then yes, we'll take you out too, pal." He ruffles the dog's ears and Jethro just sighs in contentment.
###
Donald "Ducky" Mallard wakes up and after a quick shower, sets out the preparations for his lunch with Timothy and Ziva. He unwraps the roast that had been defrosting all night and sears it on all sides before putting into the oven to slow roast for the rest of the morning. He'll wait until after church to work on the potatoes and carrots, but he does verify that he has all the makings for a salad including dressings.
Tim calls just before Ducky heads for church confirming that he and Ziva will be there for lunch and Ducky tells the younger man to come on inside whenever the two get there.
"I have a pot roast in the oven Timothy; if you get there before I do, would you mind slicing the potatoes and carrots and putting them in with the roast?"
"We'd be happy to Ducky. Do you need us to bring anything?"
"Only yourselves and maybe a light weight dessert if you can think of something dear boy."
"Alright, Ducky we'll see what we can come up with. See you in a few hours."
Ducky then places a phone call to Gibbs.
"Yeah, Duck what's up?"
"That is my question Jethro. I thought you told me that Ziva was going to New Orleans with Abigail, not staying here with Timothy. I almost committed a faux pas when I went to invite Timothy to luncheon and he asked if Ziva could come too. What are you thinking of Jethro?"
"Just trying to help two kids find their way, Duck; I'm letting them bend rule 12."
Ducky almost drops his phone in shock. Leroy Jethro Gibbs has been enforcing that rule for over 10 years. For him to let the two junior members of his team "bend" it means that the something is going on.
"You still there Duck?"
The amusement in Gibbs voice is clear even through the phone lines. Ducky asks him to finish explaining what he has planned for the young couple and smiles when Gibbs is tells him that all he's doing is setting things in motion; it's up to Tim and Ziva to take it from there.
"Very well, Jethro, I shall do my best to help the romance along. Enjoy your time with your father and do say hello to Jackson for me won't you?"
Ducky hangs up and decides that as he's heading to church anyway a discussion with his maker might help him decide how best to help Tim and Ziva.
###
Lunch is over and Tim is out in the backyard playing with Jethro while Ducky and Ziva finish the dishes. Tim had tried to help but Ducky sent him outside stating that Jethro needed his attention as much as Tim needed to spend time with the dog. Tim took that as his cue and let Ducky have his way, figuring that the older man wanted to talk in private to Ziva.
"So, my dear, what is going on? I see many questions in those eyes of yours yet you don't seem to be finding many answers."
Ziva sighs and continues wiping down the table before sitting down to look at Ducky.
"I see that man out there and I know that he is gentle and kind. A true gentleman from your descriptive stories, yet he has nightmares Ducky. How can someone like Tim have nightmares?"
"Hmm, I see what you mean…in a way. Timothy being so mild mannered, you wouldn't expect him to have night demons so to speak. You have to remember Ziva, he was still here when you were left behind in Israel. Neither Tony nor Gibbs chose to tell any of us what transpired other than you would not be coming back."
Ziva stares at him in disbelief as he continues.
"Then when he lost all communication with you, it was almost like the time we lost Director Shepherd and Director Vance split up the team; only this time Timothy wasn't the only one who couldn't find you."
"Abby…we were emailing each other."
"Yes, and you were emailing Timothy as well. He used to come visit me you know, down in Autopsy whenever Jethro would leave him here while he and Tony went out in the field. He talked about you constantly."
"Why did he never say anything to me Ducky? His actions, over the years, they have been subtle attempts to tell me how much he cared. Why did he never say anything?"
"He was honoring an old quote or poem be that as it may that states 'if you love something set it free; if it comes back it's yours, if it doesn't it never was.' And yes my dear he has loved you for a very long time."
Ziva is silent for a while and Ducky pours more tea. Tim comes in and looks at Ducky questioning whether or not to come any further. Ducky gives a surreptitious nod and Tim slides into a chair next to Ziva.
"Hey are you okay, Ziva?"
"Why did you never tell me, McGee? Why did you hide your feelings all this time?"
Ducky leaves the room letting the young couple have some privacy. He goes out onto the porch and sits down near the dog who lazily raises his head and then puts it in Ducky's lap. Ducky gently pulls on the dog's ears, and scratches his muzzle sending Jethro into a doggy realm of ecstasy.
In the house, Tim lets Ziva rant knowing that she needs to vent; that she hasn't done any real shouting, screaming anything since their return from Somalia. When she finally runs out of breath he looks at her and takes her hand in his.
"Our first year, the first time we met…would you have even thought of going out with me? Be honest Ziva, we both know that you saw me as less than half a man since I was so inexperienced out in the field."
"You have a point there. I saw nothing more than what your profile said."
"The next year was the year that my book was published. I think we can all say enough said where that year was concerned. All I heard from you and Tony was ridicule and cussing for the next few months."
"Because you used us as characters in not one but two books!"
"I designed the characters around you, that much is true. But did you actually read the book or just the cover insert?"
Ziva has the grace to admit that she's never actually read either book. Tim strokes her hand and she looks up at him. He's smiling, half-heartedly and asks her to read the books some night.
"But what about the last two years McGee?"
"Would you have let me in? I don't mean into your house, I mean into your life. Every time I came close to saying something, some other man was there or some case interfered. I came close to telling you when we were in Chicago, but Vance kept showing up just when I was about to. Then there was Michael and then when he died you were gone. You and Vance, Tony and Gibbs were all on a flight to Israel and my last chance to say anything was lost."
"Your emails never indicated your feelings either."
"You do remember Tony DiNozzo and Abby Sciuto right? The wonder twins of anything that can be snooped into? And by that time I pretty much thought I'd lost you or any chance to be with you so what difference would it have made? You were gone."
Tim stands up and heads outside, leaving Ziva to sit there and think about everything he's just told her. He's right in so many ways considering the cases they've worked and the men she actually did allow into her life. It's his last question however, that sends her out after him.
Perhaps love is like the ocean
Full of conflict full of pain
Like a fire when it's cold outside
Or thunder when it rains
If I should live forever
And all my dreams come true
My memories of love will be of you