Tony waved back, as she continue to watch Ziva make her way out of the park. This was the first time that he was able to keep a huge grin seeing her leave, because he knows that she'll be back to see him the following day, she will be back because of him. There were unfinished business to handle between them, and he knows it. Although he is not yet ready to face them, he's thinking of spending the remaining days enjoying his time with her, he will make the most out of it of course, and who knows, maybe there will be no other reason for her to be back in Israel, and she will finally come up to her senses and stay here, her family is here. I am here. He thought to himself.
As soon as she was out of his sight, Tony sighs happily and sits back on the bench, humming a happy tune, bringing out a piece of paper and a pen from his pocket. He thought that after he left her in that tarmac there will never come a day that he will bring this piece of paper out ever again, Tony's I Will list, the list that he wasn't able to share with Ziva, the list that was half written for Ziva, the list that Tony's been dying to bury right after he arrived from Israel.
We call them our wills, our teacher said that if we buried our wishes in the ground and thought about them every night, they will come true.
He opens the paper that were once neatly folded, and look at all of the things he wrote last year in that airplane, wishing that all of the things listed in there will come true in time, after all he strongly believes that good things come to those who wait.
He crosses out number one, the very first thing that came to his mind when he started his list.
I will welcome her in open arms the very first minute I see her walking to me.
Tony comes back to his apartment, a smile still imprinted on his face. There was no way he could have seen this coming, seeing her here, smelling her scent, looking directly in her eyes, touching her face and not just an ordinary picture of her from his phone it was all unreal, how can he not get over it? Seeing her and having her in his arms was even bigger than the movies he loved watching over and over again. That was the problem; he brings her so much joy that he forgets the things happening around him.
"Tony, hey—Tony" Erin gives a soft tap on his shoulders, and Tony stirs, forgetting the woman who's been trying to catch his attention as soon as he step foot on his apartment. His eyes widen, as she takes one more step in front of him, waving her hand.
"Erin, I'm sorry. I thought you went home already" He said, shell-shocked. Wishing that she didn't notice the goofy grin he's having ever since he started making his way in here.
"I thought you'll be back early, so I decided to wait for you. It turns out visiting your friend took you long enough to be back soon—I'm sorry if I freaked you out.
Tony laughs, how long was I talking with Ziva? He placed a hand on her hip and pulled her closer to him. "DiNozzo men never freaks out, Ms. Watson. And I should be the one saying sorry, I really had no idea you were having plans of waiting for me."
"Neh, it's okay. How was it?" She asks, as she and Tony sits back on the couch, not wanting to let go from Tony's arm wrapped around her. She rests his head on his shoulder, with her hands playing with his fingers.
"How was what?" He looked down on her.
"How was your meet-up with your friend?"
And Tony felt like he won a million dollars just by thinking of it, he just can't stop bringing that weird smile on his face. He looks down on her and wanting to mention Ziva's name right away, but he thought that maybe it wasn't safe to mention her name yet to Erin, Ziva was someone he was close to having a romantic relationship with him, Tony was a hundred percent sure if he was able to convince her to come home with him, they would have been together by now and he wouldn't have met Erin and not that he had regrets meeting her. Mentioning someone from his past, and basically the reason why he was having problems with sleeping, months before he met Erin was not a good idea, not right now. So Tony just shrugs and rests his head on the couch, trying to avoid her gaze.
"It was fine, truly amazing seeing her again."
"Oh, so it's a her" Erin says, as she looks up to him again, with a smirk on her face.
This is really the right time to be Gibbs slapped. He's really getting old, he easily forgets things lately, or was it just because he has a very big mouth that can't avoid mentioning things that can fall back to a trap? He runs his hand across his hair, the same thing he does everytime he's a) hiding something b) nervous or c) Both
"Is this the girl you've been telling me stories about? Your partner for eight years?" She asked.
And now we felt like he really deserves a Gibbs slap right now, he totally lose track of the times he would tell stories of Ziva to Erin, he says her name almost all the time when he and Erin do something that once both he and Ziva did before, or simply everything because Erin's personality was close to Ziva's personality. It was hard not for Tony to mention her to Erin.
"Uh—yes, her name is Ziva and she's back from Israel."
"Is she back for good?" Erin asked once more.
"Well, I hope she's back...for good." Tony admits as he released a heavy sigh.
Erin looks at him stunned, based from Tony's actions she could easily tell that the Ziva he was referring to was more than just a partner to him, there must be something that happened between them that made Tony's behaviour today a bit unusual for her.
"Are you guys—"
"No, no! We were co-workers...friends, and nothing more." He assures that, Friends- who- kissed passionately- as- a –way- of- saying- goodbye- to- each- other, that kind of thing. He foolishly thought, sooner or later, he would have to bring this topic to Ziva, what they had, that spark of relationship they had was very hard to define, and in time they will need this to be talked about.
"Oh okay, I'm sorry. I was just curious about you guys. Maybe you could ask her out sometime"
"What?"
Tony looks at her ridiculously; this one was coming out on her girlfriend. Although, spending an afternoon with Ms. Fancy pants would be nice. Just as he was about to take her suggestion, Erin burst out to laughter.
"Geez, Tony. I was talking about you, me and Ziva for dinner."
Oh
Another award winning Gibbs slap for Tony, God, he should stop assuming things too quickly. The last thing he wants was him, Erin and Ziva in a closed room, talking to each other for an hour or two. That will be too awkward, especially for him because he both had strong feelings for these women, and he can't ever deny that.
"I'll think about it."
"Oh c'mon Tony, please please!" She gives him a puppy look, her hands clasped together begging for him to say yes. She was curious of what she look like and what personality she has that makes Tony's nerves tingle just by talking about her.
"Ziva is a ninja who can kill you 18 ways with a paper clip"
"She could easily break your bone just by looking at those eyes"
"Her idioms will always make you laugh to death, I swear Erin."
"But once you get past that Mossad influenced exterior she had, you will surely love her."
"She is that one person I don't mind getting stuck with an elevator for hours with, and believe me it did happen."
"She's the only person I never lied to"
There will always be Ziva this and that, and not that she was tired of hearing Tony's countless stories about her, she just really want to know what makes her different to his perspective. So she pleaded him hard, and of course, Tony couldn't take the look she's giving, and who knows maybe the three of them together wouldn't be as bad as he thinks, and so he gives in and he nodded.
"Okay, fine. Yes." And at last he finally agrees, praying he did make the right decision.
Meanwhile back at Ziva's hotel, her mind kept going back to his words on how he proclaimed that he was the lucky one with meeting Erin Watson, and she just can't help but burst into tears because she was almost his lucky one, but now she is way too far from being called one. She lost hope to what they could have been, lost hope that she built before she even got here. She may had lost everything, but one thing is for sure that she never lost her feelings for Tony. Never will, he may belong to someone else now, that doesn't mean her feelings to him faded just like dust.
I may never win you back, but least know that I tried. She softly whispered to herself, she closed the door in exhaustion and as she closed it, she lays her back to the door and slides down, not knowing what else to do. She curls up on the floor, wrapping her arms around her legs very tightly as she buries her head in the gap of her crossed arms, she let her emotions out and cried. Not caring if people will hear her from the outside, not giving a damn of what people will think of her, all she felt was the need to let it all out.
She stayed there for a very long time, gathering her thoughts on what to do next, and she thought of nothing. All her soft weeping came to an end when she heard her phone ring from the pocket of her coat. She took it out, checking the caller I.D and she gave out a very long sigh. She wipes her tears, and tries to regain her breathing and accepted the phone call.
"David" She says softly, trying not to break down to tears again.
"Shalom Ziva, how was your first-"
But before she let him finish his sentence, Ziva cuts him off. She puts her guard down, because he was after all a very special friend to her, he was the one who stood up beside her, all this time she was alone in Israel, he was someone whom Ziva could trust, few of the people who she is willing to be open to. And so she said the whole truth quickly, since he is the only one whom Ziva thinks could help her cope with the situation.
"Adam, he met someone"
Author's Note:
And so there comes the shocker! Adam is back, but let's be clear this two are not going to end up like what you think. ;) He'll play a very good role here in the story so better be prepared for that. Anyways, wow I was able to upload three chapters in one week, really enjoying the break, I hope you guys too. And I hope you had a very wonderful Christmas! Have a Happy New Year. :-)
And thank you so much for your reviews! Just keep 'em coming, having you here is the best thing ever. Thank you guys, and be sure to R/R! :)
-Mavic
