A/N: Many thanks for all the lovely reviews! :) Please continue to let me know what you think. Happy Valentines Day! xxx
Ziva David lay in bed staring up at the ceiling through the penetrating darkness. She glanced at the clock on the bedside cabinet and groaned at the illuminated digits. She rolled over and wrapped her duvet further around her and snuggled her face into the pillow. Outside the dark grey rainclouds that hung over D.C. moved slightly allowing a slither of bright silver moonlight to creep through the gap in the blinds and create a beam of light spanning the length of her room coming to rest at her dresser, spotlighting a framed photo that sat at the corner. She swallowed deeply as her throat constricted. It had been a gift from Abby, after her liaison position with NCIS had been terminated. Her eyes traced over the figures in the photo. Her friends. Her family.
Palmer was just in the frame as he'd fallen into the picture after having set the timer, the flash glinting off glasses, a goofy smile broken out on his face. Then came Gibbs standing with a stern looking frown on his face but his bright blue eyes sparkling with laughter. Abby was standing next to him cuddled in against his body, a wide smile wrapped around the straw of a Caf-Pow cup. Ducky stood beside her, his face crinkled with laughter his arm wrapped around Jenny. Ziva felt a fat tear roll slowly down her cheek and drip into her ear. The Director looked beautiful as always, wearing a no nonsense business suit that was in stark contrast to her glowing face and bright smile, bordered with blood red lipstick, dazzling at the camera. McGee was standing beside her, his innocent looking face alight with a wide eyed smile his hand wrapped around her own body. She had a shy smile on her face. She remembered she'd been battling with the fact that these people had jumped over the walls she'd built around herself and crept under her skin changing her as person teaching her things Mossad never had, and the knowledge that she'd never been happier. Tony was the other side of her, his head thrown back in laughter at Jimmy. He was wearing a crisp white shirt. The top buttons left open showing off the top of his tanned and muscular chest and a spattering of dark brown hairs. One of his hands was resting by his badge the other hanging down by his side brushing ever so gently against her own.
She closed her eyes against the memories that the photo brought unwilling to allow herself to feel any weaker than she already did.
Tony DiNozzo placed the cup of hot chocolate down carefully by his bed and then sighed as he threw himself back into bed. He flicked off his bedside lamp encasing the room once again into darkness, the only light coming from the little green numbers of his digital clock. They appeared blurry through his sleepy eyes but he could make out enough to cause another sigh. He tossed and turned in bed, plumping up his pillow, wriggling around his sheets before settling on his back, the bed covers strewn around his feet allowing a cool breeze from the open window to whisper around his body. His eyes traversed the room, and as they adjusted to the darkness once again, he swept over his surroundings from the familiar furniture to his kicked off shoes and days clothes piled in a heap on the floor. A car drove past outside momentarily illuminating a photo that sat on top of his chest of drawers. A photo of his team. His family. In the brief glance the passing light allowed he could make out the smiling faces, but he knew the picture by memory and even long after the light had gone he could see the faces that had kept him going during his time as agent afloat.
The autopsy gremlin stumbling into the line of the camera almost a second too late a cheesy grin plastered across his face. The Boss at the edge of the photo, pretending to look mad but smiling inside as he knew he could deny nothing to Abby. The goth was next to him her head pressed easily against his chest her hands gripping her cherished Caf-Pow. Ducky, ever the gentleman, his hat tipped off in one hand the other wrapped around the Director who was smiling at the camera, gorgeous as ever. The Probie stood next to her with a stupid smile on his face his hand tentatively wrapped around Ziva's waist. His dazzling Mossad assassin stood between the pair of them an almost shy smile gracing her beautiful features. He stood by her other side, laughing at Palmer, he could remember having one hand resting on his badge the other hanging down by his side itching to claspe her hand and just as the camera flashed he'd moved that fraction closer allowing his hand to brush ever so gently against her soft skin.
He closed his eyes as his body tingled as the memories that the photo brought rolled over him.
Ziva relished the feeling of the late night breeze over her skin, her sneaker encased feet tramping the sidewalk underneath and the trickle of sweat as it dripped down her forehead and over her brow. She ran without a destination. She ran without a care. She ran with the purpose to forget, even if just for one moment.
Tony shivered as he wrapped his coat around him. His mind settling and coming to ease as the wind ruffled his hair and cooled his skin, the sounds of his shoes striking the ground with every step and the warm steam from his coffee cup creating little beads of moisture over his face as he blew into it. He walked without direction. He walked without feeling. He walked so that he wouldn't need to remember, even if it was just for a second.
She didn't suppose that even in the years to come she would ever quite be able to figure out why her feet had carried her here but as she brought the tempo of her running down and looked up at the building drawing closer to her she couldn't escape from the memories of the night before and the dare that had started it all.
He frowned at his feet as they slowed down appearing to be satisfied with his destination. Why he had ended up here he didn't think he would ever know the answer to. He looked up at the bar looming ahead and he remembered the hope that had surged throughout his body as he'd stared into her deep warm eyes just before she'd leaned over and pressed her lips against his.
She took a few more steps before coming to an eventual stand still. She was breathing deeply and standing tall to encourage the oxygen back into her lungs. She wiped the swept from her brow with the back of her hand. Her eyes never leaving the now dark sign announcing the name of the bar, her memories going round in a continuous loop.
His hand was tangled in her hair, the other curled around her waist resting in the small of her back pulling her slightly into his body. He pulled away from her a fraction, he was breathing heavily and his eyes were devouring her. She felt her body tingle in response as he trailed his finger across her kiss bruised lips before planting a line of kisses down her neck.
She heard at sudden sharp intake of breath that brought her back to the present, and as she lowered her eyes away from the sign she saw him.
He took a few more steps before coming to an eventual stand still. He shivered as a draft blew down his collar and he wrapped his coat further around him, flipping his collar up shielding his neck from the cold. His eyes focused on the unlit name of the bar, his memories of last night playing over and over in his head.
He had one hand tangled in her hair, the other curled around her waist resting in the small of her back pulling her slightly into his body. He gently eased himself away drawing in some much needed air. She looking stunning, her face glowing, her breathing ragged her eyes filled with the deepest desire and want. He couldn't help but raise a hand to her face and trail his finger across her kiss bruised lips before planting a line of kisses down her neck.
He heard deep ragged breathing and for a moment he was certain his memories were coming to life but as he turned away from the sign, he saw her and he couldn't help but gasp in surprise.