Author's note:
Oh, guys! Have I already told you how much I love you for your support? You're always making my days better and better... Which I totally need these days. School is very exhausting thing, I must say. I always can't wait for the weekend so I could get some normal sleep. :) Which led to twelve-hour sleep on Saturday... Besides, there is one teacher because of whom I always have huge migraine – he is so boring. Now, I have to hate Thursdays because of him.
Anyway, thanks again to all of you for your reviews, follows, favorites and as well as to those who just read. You rock! And you're a great inspiration to keep me writing.
And what awaits us today? McAbby to the rescue! :D What was that Abby said in the season 10? From the ashes, McAbby will rise! And all that just because Tony doesn't know what to do and Ziva is pissed off. And after that some serious words between our couple... Ah, those two are killing me! :)
So, unlike previous two chapters – this one has a 'happy ending'. McAbby are going to fix things in Tivaland – thanks for that BertAndTiva! :) That was fantastic comment! And it won't be for the last time, trust me. Read, enjoy and leave some kind words in the review box below. Thanks a lot guys!
Disclaimer:
Do I really have to say that I do not own NCIS or the characters?
Kissing Deal
Chapter 7 – Another Point of View
Tony downed the scotch that McGee ordered for him as he was in the mood for some alcohol even for the early hour. Ziva's behavior absolutely confused him and he needed to shake off the shock he just experienced.
"So what happened?" McGee finally lost his patience as he was dying of curiosity.
"Well, if I had known it, I would have told you. The problem is – I don't know what happened. She's just..." He trailed off, still trying to absorb the last hour in his mind.
"OK, why don't you tell me how it all started? Then we can finally get somewhere." McGee offered as he sensed that Tony needed to talk about it.
Tony sighed and rubbed his face as he prepared himself to explain what was happening here. "Everything was fine until yesterday's evening." He began slowly as McGee shifted on the chair, trying to get to the better listening position.
"I wanted to talk with her about her plans for the future. But instead of it, we ended in the conversation about my mother." Tony described the events of the yesterday's afternoon which he spent with Ziva in the garden.
"You told her?" McGee asked surprised. When Tony told him about his mother, he said that McGee and one therapist from school were the only people who knew. So he had to really trust Ziva if he was able to open up to her so much.
"Yeah." Tony nodded, wanting to get back to the root of the problem so he continued. "Then, I tried to ask her again during the dinner but..." He trailed off as he sighed, remembering her reaction.
"You pushed her." McGee finished for him, nodding understandingly. "Come on, Tony. You already know what she's like when you're pushing her. The more you push, the more she..." He began as Tony smiled, pointing his finger at him, signing that McGee expressed it aptly.
"She backs away." Tony finished his sentence. "I know it, McGee. But that doesn't matter now." He said because this wasn't his problem right now.
"I apologized to her in the morning and she told me that she wanted me to care about her future and I promised her not to push her." He went on as McGee sipped his own drink and listened attentively.
"Everything was great suddenly. She was even more... playful. But then Wendy appeared and she..." He finally got to his current problem as McGee shot him an incredulous look and didn't let him finish.
"Wait, what? Wendy – your ex-fiancé?" He said unbelievingly. He awaited some good twist but this was far more interesting than he expected. Maybe he could use it in his next book?
"Yeah." Tony nodded miserably. "She's staying just for tonight. Her house is under reconstruction and she needs a place to stay." He quickly explained, getting tired how he had to still tell somebody what Wendy was doing here.
"And Ziva got angry. I thought at first that she's angry because Wendy might interfere in our assignment. But then she began asking me whether Wendy and I were seeing each other." Tony continued, accepting gratefully another drink that McGee ordered for him. McGee nodded thoughtfully as he finally began to understand what was going on here.
Tony took a deep breath so he could continue. "I confirmed that but before I had any chance to explain that I broke it off after two months, right before Ziva and I went to Colombia, she completely freaked out." He stated miserably as McGee's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't know that Tony got back to Wendy for a while.
"She ran away and when I tried to follow her, she yelled at me to leave her alone. After call from MTAC when Gibbs told us that you and Abby are here, she immediately went after you. That's the whole story." He finished, playing Ziva's behavior in his mind over and over again and still he didn't get what her problem was.
McGee thought about it for few seconds, giving Tony time to recover a little. "OK. Why do you think Ziva acted like that?" He asked carefully. He knew about Tony's feelings for Ziva – well, who didn't – but Ziva's feelings was something he has never understood. Maybe Tony had another insight into it – he was probably the closest person she had.
"Honestly, I have no idea. If it was just anger, jealousy or whatever..." He muttered, still absolutely confused and the alcohol wasn't helping at all.
McGee again nodded thoughtfully as he decided to focus on the most likely option. "Did Wendy do something that might get Ziva jealous?" He asked him, sipping his drink.
Tony shrugged his shoulders as he analyzed the conversation with Wendy in his mind, trying to find something. "She kissed me." He then remembered that maybe that could be the reason why Ziva freaked out. He was supposed to be her husband after all... Or was she really jealous? Could it concern their kissing deal? That she was the only one who had the right to kiss him?
McGee shot him an incredulous look. "What?!" He asked him unbelievingly. How he could let the woman who broke his heart to kiss him?
"I... I couldn't stop her!" Tony immediately defended himself because he was angry with himself too for that he let Wendy to do it.
"I didn't know what to do! She... She even told me her room's number in the case that I'd want to stop by." He stated miserably as he began to be confused with his feelings as well. Why he wasn't able to stop Wendy?
"You're not considering it, are you?" McGee asked him suspiciously, knowing that Tony might use it as a way how to forget about Ziva, although it was impossible.
"No! I love Ziva and you know it, McGee!" Tony said firmly, wondering why McGee could even think that he would do it.
McGee nodded satisfied that his friend didn't want to do something stupid. "Fine then. If I'm getting it right, there are three options why she acted like she acted." He returned back to the important things.
"And what are they?" Tony asked impatiently as he was glad that he finally had someone else's point of view on the whole situation.
"Well, first option is that she's genuinely jealous. That would be great for you because it might mean that she has some actual feelings for you." McGee began slowly and Tony's eyes filled with hope.
"Second option isn't so good. She might be jealous but not really. She could just put it on a show because of the assignment you two have here." McGee offered another explanation of Ziva's behavior. Tony's face fell as he began to suspect that even the third option won't be good.
"And the third option is that she tries to protect you. As your friend she knows what Wendy did to you so it's possible that she just wants to prevent you to do another mistake." McGee finished, considering the third option as the most likely. Not that he didn't wish Tony that the first option was the right one but still – he wasn't sure of Ziva's feelings for Tony.
Tony scratched his chin thoughtfully as he didn't want to give up on his hopes that she really might be jealous. "And how I ascertain which option is right?" He asked McGee, hoping that he might help him.
McGee thought about it for few seconds and then he came up with reasonable solution. "Paradoxically – by pushing her. I know you'll have to break your promise but it's the only option." McGee explained, smiling as he was glad that he was able to come up with something.
"What do you mean exactly?" Tony asked, not getting what McGee had in mind.
"Well, we both know that heated conversation can reveal suppressed feelings." McGee clarified his idea to Tony.
"Wait. You're suggesting that I should have an argument with her?" Tony asked him unbelievingly. After the fight they had yesterday, he is supposed to start another fight today?
"Yes." McGee nodded in agreement. "Provoke her, pick a quarrel with her, make her angry. She'll want to let off the steam and heated conversation is here." McGee further explained his plan.
Tony thought about it for few seconds. "Fine. We'll start an argument. What next?" He asked McGee curiously.
"Try to push her to the confession that she's jealous. It's better if you'll insult her before that. She'll get angry even more and then when you'll be demanding the answer, she won't be able to hide her real emotions. And then – you will certainly know which option is the right one." McGee gave his advice, satisfied with himself. He was happy that he was able to help Tony with this.
"What if it won't work? What if I pick the quarrel for nothing?" Tony expressed his doubts about the plan even though he had to admit – it wasn't a bad plan.
"When it comes to you Tony – I'm sure that you will always find a way how to make a peace between you two." McGee assured him with a pat on his shoulder and Tony smiled.
"You're genius, McGee. Thank you." He thanked to his friend as he began to plan how to pick a quarrel with Ziva. And he certainly had one idea how to do it.
Ziva meanwhile dragged Abby further from the hotel as Abby tried to stop her for a while and asked what the hell happened that she was so angry. But it was useless, Ziva was stronger than her and she didn't respond to her questions. Then Abby caught a glimpse of some small café where they could finally talk. Luckily, she was able to convince Ziva to stop and sit down at the café.
Abby ordered them coffee and Sachertorte to calm down Ziva a little bit with some chocolate. "So, will you finally tell me what happened?" She asked her curiously, hoping that it wasn't something too much bad.
Ziva sat at the table sunk in the chair one leg on the ground and the other across it as she crossed her arms across her chest, refusing to talk.
"Ziva..." Abby tried it as she waited for the explosion that will probably come.
"He! He and she happened!" Ziva yelled and immediately lowered the tone of her voice as several people looked into their direction.
Abby began to be confused even more. "Fine. Who is he and who is she?" She asked carefully because she didn't want Ziva to break something.
"Tony and Wendy." Ziva snapped, getting angry again as she thought about them together...
"Wendy? Tony's ex-fiancé?" Abby asked unbelievingly. What does she have to do with it?
"Yes! She is staying in the hotel because her house is under reconstruction and she does not have any place to say." Ziva explained quickly with sarcasm in her voice.
"And you have a problem with it because...?" Abby left the question opened as she began to suspect that Ziva was jealous.
"He is stupid! She hurt him once, she can hurt him again!" She hissed as Abby grimaced puzzled, not understanding what she was talking about.
"Wait, what? I don't understand a thing here." She demanded an explanation about what was going on here.
Ziva sighed and took a deep breath. "I asked him if he had seen her after the case we met her on. He confirmed it." She stated simply, accepting the coffee and the cake from the waiter.
Abby narrowed her eyes in surprise. Tony is seeing Wendy? "Let's not jump to conclusions. Were they seeing each other or are they seeing each other?" She asked Ziva as she couldn't believe that Tony would date a woman for two years and none of them would know about it.
Ziva turned her head at her as she didn't consider such option. "I don't know. I didn't give him a chance to explain it." She confessed, cursing silently her temper for that she didn't let Tony to say what he wanted to say.
Abby gave a sigh of relief. "Well, that's it. He probably saw her few times after the case but I'm sure it's over now." She said as she cut off a piece from the torte and shoved it into her mouth.
Ziva snorted disgustedly. "She kissed him, Abby." She informed her with an obvious jealousy in her voice.
Abby smiled – she was so jealous but she probably didn't want to admit it so she tried to find other excuses why she was so angry with Wendy's presence in the hotel. "Did he kiss her back?" She asked because Ziva had to be eyewitness of it.
Ziva sighed as she didn't want to admit to Abby that she was blind with jealousy so she didn't even know how Tony reacted to Wendy's kiss. "I do not know. But he didn't do anything to stop her." She then confessed and immediately countered.
Abby's smile widened as she wanted to push her to the confession that she was jealous. "So, she kissed him and you're angry because you're jealous?" She offered, amused as Ziva shot her an incredulous look.
"No! I am not jealous. I am just..." She defended herself as she tried to find the best words, "...angry with myself that I was so stupid to admit those feelings for him while he is seeing another woman." She finished her voice full of anger again.
Abby just rolled her eyes at her denial. "Admit it – you're jealous Ziva." She said strictly and waved her hand at her because Ziva was opening her mouth to dismiss it.
"I'm telling you that he isn't seeing her. Maybe he did but not anymore. Besides – I told you he loved you. You just have to finally open your eyes and let yourself to see that." Abby told her as she sipped from her coffee – it wasn't Caf Pow but she had to admit that it was good.
"OK, fine. Maybe I am a little bit jealous." Ziva finally gave up as Abby shot her another skeptical look. "Maybe a bit more?" She offered as Abby smiled glad that she was able to admit it.
Ziva put her head into her hands as she didn't know what to do. What she was feeling for Tony was so great that the jealousy practically tear up everything inside her. Why she didn't let him explain? Why she let the jealousy to take over her mind?
"What will I do now?" She whispered the question into the ether, not expecting some answer. She screwed it up – again. She overreacted – again. And now she fought with Tony – again. Oh, how much she wanted to return back into the morning when they were on the breakfast before Wendy interrupted them.
"First of all when we get back – talk to him and let him explain. Make a peace with him, Ziva. If he's innocent, and I think he is, he doesn't deserve your anger." Abby persuaded her, hoping that these two will finally find a way to each other.
Ziva nodded and took a bite from her Sachertorte as she had to smile at the chocolate. It reminded her the breakfast again. But then Abby fired another question which took her by surprise.
"When we finally resolved this, can you tell me if you've already fulfilled the promise you gave me?" Abby eyed her curiously because she sensed that something already happened.
Ziva looked at her with a fear in her eyes, knowing very well about what promise Abby was talking about. But she couldn't tell her about the kissing deal – it was just between her and Tony. And the kiss they shared yesterday – could it count as the fulfilling of her promise?
She shifted nervously in the chair and began to scratch her head as she avoided the eye contact with Abby. "I... We..." She began to stammer and Abby's mouth hung wide open as she realized that something had to happen.
"You did!" She pointed her finger at Ziva accusingly. "You gave in to those feelings just for a minute. You fulfilled your promise." She said unbelievingly as her mind raced, thinking about what exactly could happen.
Ziva's eyes widened in horror. "Abby..." She began but Abby began her usual ramble when she didn't listen to other people and just talked.
"That's great, finally! So what happened? Did you kiss him? Or did he kiss you? Who started it? And did you go even further? Oh my god, you slept with him!" Abby rambled as Ziva tried to catch at least something from it but after the last sentence she stopped her.
"Abby! I did not sleep with him. We are on an assignment, I cannot sleep with him during it!" She explained trying to reduce Abby's joy over her and Tony.
Abby stopped as she grimaced disappointed. "Why not?" She asked Ziva, considering sleeping with each other as the best way how to express their feelings.
"Officially, we are at work, Abby. There are some rules about it. We cannot spend all the time by... having sex." Ziva explained, knowing that she broke this rule few times and it didn't turn out good. That's why she forbade to herself to do it again.
Abby sat back and crossed her arms across her chest. "You two are boring." She whined as she was getting tired that those two just couldn't jump on it and finally admit what they feel for each other.
Ziva smiled for the first time since they left the hotel and shook her head. She felt like if Abby was their marriage counselor or something. However, Abby didn't want to give up on her hopes. She sensed that Ziva fulfilled the promise so something had to happen.
"So what happened? I know that something happened so spit it out, Ziva." She ordered to her while finishing her cake and waiting eagerly for the answer.
Ziva sighed as she realized that Abby just won't drop the topic. "We kissed." She announced quietly, hoping that it will satisfy Abby enough.
Abby clapped with her hands excitedly. "And? How was it?" She asked eager for some juicy details.
Ziva looked around herself nervously and Abby knew that she got her. "Ah, you liked it!" She pointed a finger on Ziva accusingly again with a huge smile.
Ziva knew that she lost. It was useless to deny anything, Abby always had her own ways how to learn the truth. "You do not even know how much..." She sighed dreamily, staring into the distance with a face of woman in love.
Abby reached over for her hand to squeeze it. "That's good." She told her calmly with a smile. "When it will happen again?" She fired another question, not wanting to give up in her interrogation.
Despite Abby's insistence, Ziva smiled as she answered her question. "I do not know. Give us some time, OK? All I want to do right now is to kill him, anyway so..." She said, giving Abby a little hope at least.
Abby smiled as she finished the coffee together with Ziva and waved her hand on the waiter that they wanted to pay. "And now, we're going shopping. As I remember, you two are going to a party tomorrow, so you need some stunning dress so Tony wouldn't be able to take his eyes off you." Abby reasoned as Ziva rolled her eyes in pretending annoyance but actually looking forward to it.
When they got back with bags in their hands, they were both smiling as they enjoyed the girls' shopping together. Ziva's mood was far more better than in the morning and shopping with Abby wasn't bad at all. It was almost five o'clock when they finally got back to the hotel.
In the same time when they got off the taxi, McGee and Tony went out of the hotel after they spent together the whole day in the nearby gaming club where Tony tried to utilize his training and kick McGee's ass in some game. The fact that he wasn't successful wasn't important at all.
McGee pulled out his phone wanting to call Abby where she was but suddenly saw her with Ziva getting out of a taxi. She waved at them happily and went to hug them both. Ziva meanwhile paid the taxi driver, took her bags and slowly sashayed to them too. Her eyes were focused on Tony but he couldn't see that because she wore sunglasses.
She stopped, removed the glasses as she pulled them up into her hair and put the bags down. "Hi." She said with a warm smile, directly looking at Tony who feared her reaction to him.
But when she greeted him like that, he realized that she cooled down so she didn't plan to kill him – at least for now. "Hi." He grinned at her as he was mesmerized by the way she looked. The light spring breeze ruffled her hair and the sun which was going down illuminated them in magical way and they continued to stare at each other like they always did. There was no need for words – the eye contact and the soft small smiles on their lips was everything they needed to understand each other.
Abby watched the interaction amusingly while McGee began to feel like a fifth wheel. He cleared his throat trying to disturb them but all he got was Abby's smack on his arm. "Well, we should go." He tried it verbally as Tony and Ziva turned their heads at him.
Abby thought that she will kill McGee for that he interrupted their moment. "Yes, we should. Come on, let's leave those two to sort their things out." She finally agreed sensing that these two needed their privacy.
They bid their goodbyes to their friends as both whispered some advises to them and got on the car. Tony and Ziva waited until they were gone before they finally looked at each other, knowing that they needed to talk.
"Can we talk?" They asked each other simultaneously and immediately laughed at it. Tony nodded with his head at the bench which was in front of the hotel and Ziva gave a short nod of agreement. They headed there and sat down to face each other.
They both opened their mouths to say what they prepared but Tony was faster. "I'm sorry..." He began but she immediately caught his lips in a pout to stop him.
"No, don't do that again." She told him because he apologized to her for something that wasn't his fault already in the morning.
"I am the one to blame. I am sorry." She told him resolutely as she released his lips and put her hands into her lap. He listened attentively, reaching for one of her hands to intertwine their fingers.
"I... I do not know what came over me. I should not react like that." She told him, trying to convince herself as well because she was lying now. She knew very well what came over her – the green-eyed monster called jealousy.
He just nodded and let her continue. "It is your business if you are seeing Wendy again..." She began and he finally stepped in.
"That's the thing. I'm not seeing her, Ziva. You didn't let me explain in the morning." He told her, his eyes pleading her to let him explain to her what happened between him and Wendy two years ago.
She fell silent and waved her hand at him so he could start. "When the case ended, she left me open door to her and I refused at first but... I felt lonely so I went through that door." He explained sadly because he wasn't proud of himself that he was so weak and ran back to his ex-fiancé even though she hurt him so badly.
"But it was a mistake. What we had was from the past and it was already gone. We both had bad reasons for renewing our relationship, that's why I broke it off after almost two months." He further explained that what happened between him and Wendy two years ago didn't last long.
She squeezed his hand to give him an assurance that she was still listening. "And I haven't seen her since then. Until today." He finished, searching her eyes for the sign that she actually believed him.
"But she still wants you." She noted calmly. She saw the way how Wendy acted towards him and it was more than obvious that she still hoped that Tony will return to her one day.
"Yes, I know. But I don't want her." He said as she shook lightly with her head. There was still something about them which made her to doubt what he just said.
Tony suddenly shot at her a question which caught her by surprise but was able not to show it. "Why do you even care?" He asked curiously, tilting his head in question, waiting for her reaction. He just tested the waters how he could start the planned argument with her.
She looked at him, directly into his eyes pondering whether to back off again but she didn't have anything to lose. "Like it or not, Tony but I do care. She broke your heart once already; you do not need to be heartbroken again. You are the last person who deserves something like that." She said, making small circles with her thumb on his palm.
He chuckled inwardly. That was very thoughtful of her but she would be surprised if he told her that he considered her, Ziva David, as the woman who has broken his heart countless times. She did that over and over again and didn't even know it. However, he was glad that she truly cared about him – even though it meant that she was angry according to the third option McGee mentioned – she just wanted to protect him as her friend.
"Why do you think so? I'm over her." He said however, not wanting to reveal his feelings right now and rather focused on the reason why she thought that Wendy might break his heart again.
She raised an eyebrow on him in surprise. He didn't see that? "I am sorry to disappoint you Tony, but the way how you act towards each other says otherwise." She told him, fearing that he actually still might have feelings for Wendy.
He chuckled as he reached out and tucked her hair behind her ear. He finally understood why she was so afraid of her own feelings. She has had some serious relationship in her life but nothing could compare to what he had with Wendy. She didn't understand that – it was obvious that she has never experienced it – the love that was so strong that even if it didn't turn out good there was still something between the pair when they met.
"But that's natural, Ziva. I just can't delete her from my life, forget about everything we were through together." He began to explain, caressing her face lightly. It broke his heart that she has never had something like this.
"I wanted to marry that woman. Forget about other women and to be with her until the end of the world. It wasn't just a whim that I proposed to her. I was ready for commitment. She apparently wasn't." He said and Ziva felt like crying. His guesses were right – she has never experienced something like that thus she didn't understand the way how they acted towards each other.
Yes, she considered Ray's proposal but it was only for the reason she didn't want to be alone. It really couldn't compare with what Tony and Wendy had. She had to look away from him as another sentence he said almost finished her off.
"Even if I didn't want it, she would always have special place in my heart." He said and she felt the first tears trickle down her eyes. And her? What did she mean to him?
"And what about me?" She whispered inaudibly as Tony raised her chin to make her look at him.
"Can you repeat it? I didn't hear that." He asked, wanting to know why she was so sad suddenly. Those were tears in her eyes? He just wanted to be honest with her, he didn't have any intention to sadden her.
She looked into his eyes which were studying her carefully. She gulped as she was again afraid to voice it aloud. The answer didn't have to be positive and that was she feared the most. That he has never liked her, that she meant nothing to him.
"And what about me?" She finally managed to ask in a choked voice. "Do I have a special place in your heart?"
He looked at her unbelievingly. How could she even ask? How could she even think that she doesn't have a special place in his heart? That was ridiculous! He risked his life numerous times just to get her back!
"Ziv, how can you doubt that?" He asked her, furrowing his eyebrows as he caught both of her hands between his.
"Why do you think that I dragged myself to Somalia?" He continued as she still didn't look convinced. "I wanted to look into the face of that bastard and tell him how huge mistake he made when he dared to kill such wonderful woman like you." He said as her eyes began to fill with tears. He didn't know if it was tears of sadness or happiness and he didn't care.
He let go one of her hands to caress her face affectionately. "You have a special place in my heart for a very long time, Ziv. Never doubt that." He assured her and she didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
She was unbelievably happy with what he told her but on the other hand she felt disgust with herself that she still wasn't able to say something like that into his eyes. She was too blocked to do it but she felt that sooner or later she will have to tell him something or it will destroy their friendship. He was the one who was still assuring her about his undying affection to her but she still was too much afraid of opening up.
He sensed that she wanted to somehow repay it to him but couldn't find the right words, so he rather pulled her into a comforting hug. That gave her the courage she needed – he was there, he listened but she didn't have to look into his eyes.
"And you have a special place in mine." She let out the words from her mouth finally and could tell that Tony smiled widely satisfied.
They sat there in a hug for few seconds. Tony caressed her hair while she tickled him with her breath in the crook of his neck. She then pulled away from his embrace as she began to think about things which weren't appropriate right now.
"Everything alright?" He asked her concerned, not wanting to let her go. The hug was more than comforting.
She reached out to ruffle his hair. "Yes, everything is alright." She assured him as she stood up and reached out her hand to him. "Dinner?" She asked, winking at him playfully.
He accepted her hand, nodding and took her around her waist as they started their way inside the hotel.
The End of Chapter 7
Oh, McGee – the analyst... :) And Abby – our marriage counselor :D I know that you want Ziva to open up more to him so I hope that her confession of and you have a special place in mine is enough for now. She will open up to him – just give her a time.
Little spoiler for the next chapter here – I'm not finished with Wendy yet. So more jealous Ziva is about to come! It's even the title of the next chapter... ;) And also, it's part of her 'opening up' process so don't worry. Everything is going to be fine.
So, thank you really much again – I hope you'll review this chapter and let me know what you think. Next chapter is coming next week on Monday. I know, I know it's horrible to wait the whole week but school is the priority. You have to study if you want to get what you want. Well, at least most of the time. And I really want my dream job.
Enjoy another episode of NCIS! And this time with Mike Franks – can't wait for it, I cried when he died. Always loved his character and always happy to see him back. Have a nice week everyone!
