It had been a full 10 minutes before Ziva put her phone down and addressed Tony. 'McGee was calling to arrange a time and a place for us all to have lunch. He was with Abby just now and she wanted to say hi.' Ziva looked at Tony apologetically as she felt like she had kept him waiting too long, however Tony wasn't thinking about that.
'Did she not want to say hi to me?' Tony raised his eyebrow wondering because he had lost track of the conversation due to a lawnmower that had been passing them as Ziva was on the phone.
Ziva looked down to her feet, 'I didn't mention you were here, just I, I think it's best if they don't know.'
'Don't know what, Ziva?' Tony smirked. Ziva stared into her partner's eyes not knowing what to say, however she knew she had to respond somehow so took his hand and made a small smile in his direction. Tony looked down at their hands; he knew Ziva was thinking about what their team would think however didn't they already ready have some idea that there was something more between them? McGee had surely spent enough time with them to notice it? Heck he based characters on them and wrote about them in Deep Six! Ducky had hinted before but that was a long time ago. Gibbs must know, Tony thought; his famous Gibbs Gut must have known before any of them? So what was stopping her? Suddenly it dawned on him and he only needed to say one thing for conformation.
'Rule #12,' Tony stated trusting his judgement was right.
Ziva looked down to the floor, 'Yes.'
Tony squeezed her hand to tell her it was okay and decided to leave that conversation for the moment knowing it would come up at a later point again. 'So when did you and Tim arrange lunch?'
'Tomorrow, if that's okay with you?'
'Perfect!' He stood up pulling Ziva up with him; 'Come on, let's walk.' The pair walked around the park for another 20 minutes, neither saying anything but it didn't matter; they were together walking side by side with their fingers intertwined.
Without a word they then made their way to Tony's car and Tony started to drive in the direction of Ziva's apartment and before they knew it they had arrived. Tony noticed Ziva hesitate as he switched of the engine.
'You okay sweet-cheeks?' Tony played with her. Ziva laughed at her partner; he didn't even have to try to make her smile. She then had several flashbacks of their first time and then from their recent trip to Berlin. Berlin. So much had changed during that trip; it was from that moment when they were dancing she knew she really did love him. Of course he couldn't know that, well not yet at least.
'You want to come up for a bit?' Nothing was going to happen between them, she knew that; she just wanted more time with Tony.
'Sure,' Tony said slightly nervous about where this was going. He pushed that aside and made his way up to Ziva's apartment following his best friend.
Once they had made it to her front door Ziva let the two of them in and headed for the kitchen. 'Coffee?' she yelled through to her living room where Tony had taken a seat on her couch.
'That would be great,' he replied taking in her place. His eyes found the clock on the wall: it was 6:31. Ziva soon reappeared with 2 cups in her hand.
'I was wondering if you wanted to stay for dinner? I was just going to order something in anyway so you're more than welcome to join me,' Ziva said handing Tony his drink.
'I would like that very much.' Tony placed his coffee on the table in front of him as Ziva got out her phone and a menu from a local take out spot she kept in a drawer.
'Pizza okay?' Tony nodded his head answering his partner's question. Once she was off the phone Ziva sat beside him taking a sip of her own drink as they both waited for the doorbell to go.
Once the pizza the pizza had arrived and Tony had insisted to pay it but Ziva refused to let him as he had paid for lunch, they sat down together to eat while Ziva put on her TV.
'You are really going to sit and watch the movie channel?' Tony sat back slightly surprised at Ziva.
'I prefer books Tony but that doesn't mean I never watch TV!' she laughed sitting back on her sofa.
'Fair enough,' Tony smiled to himself pulling Ziva closer putting his arm around her as she rested he head on his chest both happily watching the movie while being so close to each other. They were both so comfortable they could stay there sitting so close to each other all night, and who knew maybe, Ziva thought, that might happen.