I apologize greatly for the INSANELY long time before posts, the holidays really screwed my writing up, more than I expected. So I beg your forgiveness and promise to have the next chapter up not later than Sunday night, sound fair?

THANK YOU for the reviews and alerts. I cannot say that enough, reviews keep me motivated, please keep them coming.

Good, on with the show then…

I am losing you again
Let me out and let me in
'cause you're not alone here
Not at all
Let me belong here
Break my fall

Break My Fall, Breaking Benjamin

Shelter me from this again
Dedicated to the end
Help me break my conscience in
To free us from our innocence

Chapter Seven – Break My Fall

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Tony asked as he got up, gathering clothes for the shower.

"I think I would like to go to the beach, have a drink, read a book."

He gave her a quizzical look. "You brought a book? To a stakeout?"

"Yes. You did not?"

"Well, no."

She shrugged and walked into the bathroom in front of him. "Then I guess you can google the girls."

"Ogle!" he called through the closed door and was met with a light laugh and "I know".

As Tony showered, Ziva debated which bathing suit to wear. Originally she had packed just a one piece that covered what she didn't want seen, but at the last second she had thrown in a turquoise and royal blue patterned string bikini she had purchased before Michael died. Making a quick decision she slipped on the bikini and was happy to find it fit perfectly and that the scars were not as obvious as she anticipated. And honestly, she didn't care if they were. This is who she was, scars and all. As the water turned off in the shower she put on a short cover and gathered her things, sitting on the couch to get a head start on reading.

Several minutes later Tony appeared in a pair of particularly obnoxious shade of orange Hawaiian style swim trunks and a white t-shirt.

She spared him a glance and went back to the book. "That is what you are wearing?"

He looked down and grinned. "You bet. You won't lose me on the beach."

"Even if I wanted to…" she muttered and got up, moving to stand right in front of him, one hand on his chest. "I do not want to hear how right you were, but I thought you should know that I do feel better after our…chat last night."

Now a serious expression crossed his face. "I'm glad. You know, that's not something I would joke about."

She nodded before changing the subject. "Ready?"

"You bet! Warm sun, cool drinks, sand, hot chicks in bikinis…" A firm slap to the back of his head stopped him. "Ow! You know you were included in the hot chicks' part."

All he received was an eye roll as she headed out the door.

It didn't take long for them to find two unoccupied beach chairs with an umbrella over them and settle in. Tony quickly shed his shirt and looked at her; she appeared nervous. For the life of him Tony could not figure out why, until she sucked in a deep breath and pulled the cover over her head, she had on one of the most revealing bikinis Tony had ever seen.

Words escaped him; all he could do was stare at her. She looked beautiful…gorgeous, easily the hottest thing on the beach. Though he understood her hesitation, the scars that marked her abdomen and back were bare for all to see, quite a step forward for his reserved partner. Her skin had regained the healthy tan she had before Somalia and she had put on a solid fifteen pounds since he had picked her up for that last 100 yards to the waiting helicopter; he remembered how light she felt in his arms and how he had been able to feel her ribs through the loose t-shirt she wore.

"You are taunting me," he said without taking his eyes off the curve of her hips.

"I am not taunting you," she responded and lay down on the chair, pulling her loose hair to one side.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "She says while wearing one of the tiniest bikinis this side of Brazil…"

She gave him a wicked look. "I could put the cover back on if it offends you so much."

His hands waved in defeat. "No, nope. This is fine. But I think I'll just google you all day."

A shrug came from her as she opened the book and started reading as if unaffected by his words. Behind the paperback she was fighting a smile.

Despite his comment, Tony did not spend the day ogling his partner; instead he got immense satisfaction out of watching all the other men stare at her as they walked by. It was one hell of an ego boost knowing she would be sleeping in his bed, and every guy that walked by knew it.

After an hour of intensely amusing people watching—including a couple that were clearly fighting, in extremely loud tones—Tony decided that he could sit still no longer so he snuck a glance at his partner. She was still deeply into her book. Enough was enough.

Reaching over, he snagged the book out of her hand and placed it on the table, looking at her. "Swim?"

She regarded him evenly. "Sounds good."

Getting up, he grabbed her hand and pulled her gently from the lounge chair, guiding her out to the surf.

Placing one foot into the warm water of the gulf, Ziva let out a long sigh and closed her eyes. She loved the beach. Despite growing up in the desert, there was something about the sound of the waves and the water lapping at her skin that she found comforting.

Opening her eyes she looked at her companion, who had been watching her with fascination. She gave him a small smile and started into the water, pulling him along with her.

A loud exclamation of "Ah!" came from behind her just as the water reached her hips.

"Problem, Tony?"

"Water's a little colder than I expected."

She turned to him—her hand still in his—and stopped short so he lightly bumped her. Every nerve ending she had tingled at the contact.

"Would you like me to…warm you up?" she asked seductively and glanced down at his swimsuit.

Tony stared at her for a moment. Had she seriously said that? "No, no I'm good."

"Dress yourself."

"Suit yourself."

She merely gave him a look and kept walking until the water was lapping just at her belly button and looked down; the clear water allowed her to see all the way down to the ocean floor. As he joined her, a school of small blue fish passed close to her left leg; she laughed lightly as one skimmed her leg.

He looked down and saw the cause of her laughter slip away. "Don't see that in D.C."

"Indeed not," she said and her eyes sparkled.

For a moment, silence covered them. He took another step toward her, placing his hands at her waist under the water. Then he gave her a devious smile.

Ziva saw it coming a split second before it happened but was unable to stop him. In an instant Tony had pulled her up and flung her backwards, sending her splashing into the water with a loud decidedly un-Ziva-like squeal.

Retribution was expected, and Tony had taken that into consideration before sending her sailing through the air, but the temptation was too great. Once she broke the surface of the water with an indescribable expression on her face he debated if maybe it wasn't such a good idea.

Then he noticed the water dripping down her body, following the curve of her collarbone, down between her barely covered breasts, sliding slowly down her abdomen, dipping into her bellybutton, before continuing down to the top of the bikini bottoms. Tony was so distracted staring at those rivulets of water and debating the punishment she would met out if he let his tongue follow those same trails that he didn't notice that she had approached him with a distinctly predatory look on her face.

A brief expression of alarm crossed Tony's face once he looked up and raised his hands, attempting to stop her advancement. "I…you…it was a joke…" he ended lamely as she finally moved into his space.

She licked her lips and leaned into him. "You will pay for that…later." Her voice was not angry as expected…but seductive. It confused and aroused him at the same time and he decided to press his luck reaching out one hand and resting it on her hip, sliding his thumb back and forth under the string that tied her suit together.

A warm tingle spread up her spine at the contact and suddenly later was looking very promising. The hand that had been firmly on her left hip lifted and she was disappointed at the lack of contact. Until the same hand grasped at the end of one of the strings of her suit, slowly pulling the material so the knot loosened as the waves lapped just above, so his actions were hidden from anyone that might look their way. And suddenly that warm tingle was everywhere, especially between her legs.

Continuing to pull he leaned down, placing his lips close to hers. "Did you bring a nice dress?"

Struggling to focus on his words instead of his actions she responded with a strained, "Yes".

Suddenly his hand stilled, just at the point where one more tug would have released the knot. "Good, you'll need it for tonight. I'm taking you out to dinner."

"Dinner…" she repeated, confused.

He nodded and let go of her suit, before diving under the water himself, leaving her standing in the water, aroused and confused. He seemed to have that effect on her.

After spending another hour in the water they had decided to call it an afternoon and head back to the room to get ready for dinner. Both had mentally moved "dinner" to "date," however.

Ziva had let Tony have the shower first, knowing he would be much faster, and true to his word he emerged 15 minutes later, white towel slung low on his hips. It had taken a significant amount of restraint for her to not walk up to him, pull the towel off and have her way with him. Instead she walked by and entered the bathroom herself, dress in hand.

Within 40 minutes she had showered, put on makeup and tamed her hair into large curls that cascaded down her back. Looking at the dress hanging on the back of the door, she wondered if it wasn't a bit too…risqué for dinner. The silky burgundy fabric was a simple sheath dress that came right up to her collarbone where large coins surrounded her neck, holding up the material. It was sleeveless and in the back a large keyhole formed in the material from the snap at the nape of her neck to right below her shoulder blades. In the front was an equally sized keyhole, from her neck to mid-breastbone, it had taken several minutes of positioning to get the material to cover her breasts appropriately. Then there was the length, which caused her the most consternation; it was…really short. Enough that sitting might prove challenging. Deciding the risk was worth it, she put the dress and matching silver high heels on and stepped out of the bathroom into the short hall with just barely a glance in the bathroom mirror.

As he adjusted his tie for what seemed like the eightieth time, the bathroom door opened and his partner stepped out in the most stunning dress he had ever seen on a woman. It hugged every curve and, oh god her legs. The shortness of the dress combined with the high heels made her tan legs go on forever.

Swallowing hard first he spoke. "You look…stunning."

She smiled and approached him, adjusting his tie one last time. He looked pretty good himself in grey Armani pants and a slate blue dress shirt with matching tie. "Thank you."

He waved his hand toward the door. "Ready?"

Nodding she headed for the door as Tony took in the swing in her hips and ass.

It was certainly going to be an interesting evening.

Tbc….