Gibbs let everyone go at 1700h. The case had really shocked everyone. Especially with how gruesome it had been.
Mickey had gone down to get Abby with Mcgee. Leaving Tony and Ziva walking out together. They walked in silence to her car.
"So see ya in a lil bit?" He asked still unsure.
She smiled and nodded and got in her rental and drove off.
Seven couldn't come fast enough for him.
1830h Ziva's apartment
She had come straight home and showered. She had just finished straightening her hair and was doing her makeup when her phone started to buzz. She looked at the caller ID and smiled.
"David."
"Hey Ziva! It's Abby. What are you doing?"
"Getting ready to go out. Why?"
"Oooo Who are you going out with Miss David?" She asked teasingly.
Ziva rolled her eyes. She knew if she told her it was Tony she would never hear the end of it. "Just a friend Abby. Not to be rude but is there a reason you called?" She looked at the clock she had fifteen minutes until Tony was going to be there and she was about twenty minutes away from being ready.
"Oh ya! We are having movies and pizza and beer tonight at my house! Was going to see if you wanted to come! It's a girl's night." She said excitedly.
"Oh sorry Abby. I have plans already. Maybe another night. But I really need to go so I can finish getting dressed." Ziva said apologetically.
"Oh it's cool. Have fun!" With that she hung up.
Ziva now had ten minutes to get ready. Maybe Tony would be running late.
No such luck however. Seven right on the dot there was a knock at the door. Ziva had her hair done and her makeup she just wasn't dressed yet. She was still in her robe. She pulled open the door to reveal Tony with a bouquet of lilies and a huge smile.
"Hi! These are for you." He said handing the flowers to her.
She smiled "Thank you! Please come in." He finally looked at what she was wearing and laughed. She glared at him. "Abby called and distracted me. Give me five minutes."
"You can wear that I don't mind." He said watching her walk into her bedroom. She came back five minutes later in a white strapless sun dress. The white looked really good with her skin tone. "You look amazing." He said.
She blushed. "Thank you."
"Ready to go?"
"Yes." They walked out of her apartment and down to his mustang. He opened to door for her. This was different. She had never been on a date with Tony Dinozzo before. So seeing him like this was a treat. He walked around the car and got in the driver's seat. "So where are we going?" She asked. He didn't tell her earlier and she was curious.
"You'll see." He said smiling at her and drove away.
Ten minutes later they pulled up to this cute little Italian restaurant. He got out and walked around to open her door for her again and held his arm out to her. She got out and took his arm. "Toda."
"Benvenuto." They walked in arm and arm. The hostess smiled as they walked up. Ziva noticed she didn't look away from Tony. He did look exceptionally good in his green button up shirt. It brought out his pretty eyes.
"Name?" The hostess politely asked.
"Dinozzo."
"Ah yes. Right this way." She grabbed two menus and walked further into the restaurant. She sat them at a booth in a quiet corner. The table was candlelit. They sat across from each other and the hostess sat the menus down. Bending over slightly in front of Tony so that he could look down her shirt. "Your server will be with you shortly" She said smiling, but her smile faltered when Tony didn't look. He just continued to stare at Ziva.
"Thanks." He said and she walked away.
Ziva smiled at him. She could not believe he didn't look. That girl was begging for him to look. Ziva looked around and noticed how quiet the restaurant was even though it was packed. There was a dance floor in the middle and romantic Italian music played. There were a couple of couples dancing. The server walked up before she could look around further.
"How are you all this evening?" He asked politely.
Both Ziva and Tony mumbled "fine"
"Great. Can I get you started with something to drink? Perhaps you would like to try our house white wine?"
"Zee?" Tony asked.
"I prefer red." She said looking at him.
"What do you all have in a red wine?" Tony asked.
The waiter listed several different selections. They decided on a simple merlot. "Excellent choice. Would you all like a few minutes to decide?"
"Yes please." Tony answered for them. After the waiter walked away Tony looked over at Ziva. She was looking over the menu. He smiled at her. "I'm glad you agreed to come with me tonight." He said.
She looked up and smiled back at him. She noticed she was smiling a lot tonight. "I am as well. This is really nice." She said looking back at her menu. The server came back with their wine.
"Are you all ready or would you like a few more minutes?"
Ziva looked up at Tony. "I am ready if you are." She said.
"Ya go ahead." He said still looking at his menu.
"I would like just the chicken alfredo." (A/n idk if that is kosher and I am too lazy to look it up so just go with it for me! Haha)
"Great choice ma'am. And for you sir?" He said looking at Tony not noticing the glare he got for the ma'am comment.
Tony chuckled seeing her glare. "I would like to try the lasagna."
The waiter picked up the menus. "I will get that put in for you. Enjoy your wine."
"Thanks." They sat in silence for a few minutes before Tony finally spoke. "So, Zee, would you like to dance?" He seemed kind of nervous asking.
She looked at him kind of surprised and said "Sure. Okay."
They stood up and Tony took her hand lacing his fingers with hers and led her to the dance floor. She was suddenly nervous but she loved the feel of his hand in hers. Once they hit the dance floor he pulled her close to him putting one hand on the small of her back and pulling the hand that was intertwined with hers up to his chest. She wrapped her free arm around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder.
Tony loved the feeling of having her in his arms. They stayed like that for several songs until Tony saw the server drop their food off at the table. He pulled back from her and smiled as she looked up at him. "Our food is at the table." He said and kept his intertwined with hers as he led her back to the table.
As they sat Tony asked, "So what do you think about Mickey being an Agent again?" He knew that she had hung out with Abby and Mickey a lot this past weekend but he wasn't sure how she felt about Mickey working with them.
Ziva shrugged. "Gibbs seems to think very highly of her, no?"
"She was his first Probie. He trained her and she was with him for five years before I joined. I was supposed to be her Probie and then she ditched us to go save lives in third world countries." He said careful not to bring up Africa. Somalia was still a sore subject for them.
"Oh, I see. So he has a special place for her in his chest then?"
"Heart, Zee, and ya I guess you could say that. I think it had mostly to do with Abby. She made me and him promise before she left that we would look after her."
Ziva smiled. Tony was a really good man and she knew that. He would do anything for his team. She wondered what had happened between him and Mickey all those years ago.
"If you don't mind me asking," she paused unsure if it was appropriate to ask.
"You want to know what happened between Mickey and me." He said more like a statement then a question.
"You do not have to tell me, it was rude for me to ask, I…" she started but he cut her off.
"No it's okay. Back then I was a major party boy. I had just left Boston PD and Mickey was just as you know her now. She was basically the girl version of me. When we first started working together, Gibbs had his no dating co-workers rule like he does now. But Mickey and I didn't really think it would be breaking the rule if we were just messing around." He said and noticed she looked confused. "Sex." A look of realization crossed her face so he continued "So we slept together. Often. But we dated other people as well. It worked for us. I was sad when she left. But it was something she had to do. I understood. Abby was a wreck the first couple months after Mickey left. Mcgee and I tried everything we could to keep Abby from breaking down. Mickey and she were really close." He took a sip of his wine.
"She felt like she had lost her." Ziva said knowingly. She knew all too well what it felt like to lose someone close to her. Tony reached over and placed his hand on top of hers. She looked up and him and gave him a small smile. He was the only one to know about Tali.
They sat in silence for a few minutes while they ate. He finally looked back at her. "So how is it?"
"It is good. Would you like a bite?"
He nodded. She twirled some pasta and stabbed a piece of chicken onto her fork and lifted it up to give him a bite. He grinned at her. "That is good. Here try mine." He gave her a bite of his lasagna.
"Mmmm." She said and took a sip of her wine.
The waiter came back once they were finished. "Would you all like to see a dessert menu tonight?"
Tony looked at Ziva. She just shook her head and laughed. "I think we are full thank you." The server sat the check on the table. Tony paid and they stood to leave. Tony slipped his arm around her waist as they walked out. Ziva was surprised at how comfortable she was with him as she slipped her arm around his waist as well. He opened her door as she slipped in. When he got in she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you for tonight." She said sheepishly.
He looked back at her. "You are very welcome." He took her hand again and intertwined his fingers with hers again. He just felt like he had to touch her as he drove her back to her apartment.
When they pulled up to her apartment, he got out just like he had done at the restaurant and opened her door. After he shut her door, she slipped her hand into his as they walked up to her apartment.
They stopped outside her apartment as she dug her keys out of her purse. She unlocked and opened her door and turned to look at him. Contemplating whether or not to invite him in.
"Do you want to come in for a drink?"
A/N: So what do you guys think? I already wrote the next chapter! But I wrote two different versions. I wrote a super smutty version in which it would totally be shot up to M and I wrote a fluff version in which it stays T. It is up to you all to vote for which one you want. I will post whichever you wish. By the way all 3 chapters written in one night on Dr. Pepper and Halloween candy! So if they are a little off the wall I apologize this is what happens when I get hyped up on sugar! So REVIEW and tell me which version of 11 you all want to read!