A/N: Familiar Faces are back!

First of all, I'd like to thank all of you that followed reviewed and favorited the story. It means a lot. You give me the courage to continue, to keep the TIVA fandom alive in our hearts

Secondly, I'd like to congratulate Cote De Pablo for the Dovekeepers as I am one of her "noisy" fans. She was a-m-a-z-i-n-g on Monday! As for Tuesday's episode and Weatherly's statements about TIVA I wanted to make some comments but then I realized that both subjects are not worth of commenting on the Author's Note of this particular story

Anyway, back to the story

I know that many of you believe that something might happen in Paris. I want to clarify that I'm on the other side with those who believe that nothing happened. However, whatever I write about this topic on this story it would be based on a Tweet from the writer of this particular episode.

Specials thanks

To : Tereza who is my personal consultant on this story

To: Laitie my personal beta who she has been through a hell to correct my errors as always…Say hi to your mom for me

By the way: I do not own NCIS…If I had, TIVA would have happened years ago and that mess that GG created wouldn't have existed

This is the new chapter of Familiar Faces….Enjoy!

Athena

The next day came and McGee, as he promised, drove Tony to his apartment so he could change. They then headed for work together.

"Damn!" McGee cursed "I forgot my cellphone on the car. Go Tony, and I'll be there in a few." he motioned for Tony to head toward the entrance of NCIS building.

Tony was in such a hurry to reach the elevator that he bumped into a woman when he made it there.

"I'm sor- Ziva?" Tony asked surprised as the woman turned her head.

"Tony..." Ziva said. The way she said his name was like a magic spell, and her eyes always hypnotized him. Ziva felt it, too, looking into the depth of those green-hazel eyes. She felt like she was back in time two years ago, when they were dancing in Berlin when there was no mission, no Bodnar, no one else in the dance floor,only them.

The 'ding' of the elevator made them jump and brought them back to reality. They stepped inside along with one more Agent who stepped out on the first floor, leaving them alone again. That was when Tony took the chance and flipped the switch off and the elevator came to halt. Turning at the same time to face each other, they both said in unison, "Ziva, I..."

"Tony I..."

They both laughed at their timing.

"You go first," Tony said, flashing a Dinozzo grin.

"It's ok, you go first, Tony," Ziva reassured him.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I mean, the incidents at the office and your house.I mean,I have no right to judge your choices or the men you want to see.I mean, it's your life. I'm just sorry, again."

Ziva tried to process his speech, and before she answered, she remained silent, something that made Tony nervous.

'Danm you, Dinozzo, she's not going to forgive you. You're so screwed,' Tony thought.

When Ziva finally had courage to talk, she answered, "First of all, Adam and I are just friends. And…and what happened in the past stayed there..." Tony frowned at this statement. Ziva bit her lip because she knew the reason. Paris. They never discussed it. No-one had the courage to start that conversation. It was like an unspoken agreement that what had happened in Paris, stayed in Paris. Something similar with Las Vegas, to be exact. But that day, Ziva understood that this was a sensitive subject for both of them. She just tried to pass her own comment as insignificant and continued "And secondly, apology accepted."

"Wait, what, just like that?" Tony was confused. The old Ziva would have kicked his ass about yesterday's events, and the new one forgave him just like that?

'There must be a catch, it can't be...' Tony thought

"Tony,remember what I told you the day I came back to NCIS? That apologizing for something to someone takes a lot of courage? You mean your apology and you needed a lot of courage today to apologize and I appreciate it. That's why I accept your apology. But with one condition," she clarified.

'Ha there is the catch,' Tony said mentally.

"And that is?" he asked curiously,and made a step towards Ziva, chuckling.

Ziva's eyes filled with sadness and her Mona Lisa smile faded from her face. "Don't drink again," she said with a voice full of hurt.

Tony's face turned to serious watching Ziva's sadness. He understood that drinking not only hurt himself, but also the people around him. Well, the second part he saw it yesterday night in Ziva's house.

"I won't, I promise," Tony answered without hesitation.

Ziva smiled at him again and Tony flipped the switch on and the elevator started moving onto the MCRT floor. When they arrived at their floor and stepped out of the elevator, all the Agents stared at them like they had seen a ghost. Approaching the place where their desks were, Tony and Ziva observed that McGee and Bishop were already there, but Gibbs was nowhere to be found.

"Tony where have y-" McGee stopped dead in his tracks watching both Ziva and Tony entering the bullpen together. Bishop was so surprised that she choked on the cracker she was eating as her jaws opened wide.

"Good morning Tim, Ellie..." Ziva said, smiling, as she headed for her desk

"Morning." it was the only the two Agents mumbled, with their eyes wide open following Ziva, not believing what they'd just witnessed.

The time flew by and Gibbs came to the bullpen, confronting Tony in the elevator for his behavior the day before. Lunch break came and Ziva's phone on her desk rang.

"David."

"It's Abby! Get your ass down here NOW!" Abby screamed, and before Ziva managed to answer, the dial tone on her phone was heard. Ziva did as she was told and headed down to Abby's lab to face a very angry, Goth scientist.

"What the hell was that yesterday, Ziva?" Abby yelled.

"Abby..." Ziva tried to explain, but she failed.

"Don't Abby' me! DON'T. 'ABBY.' ME!"Abby shouted, furious, with emphasis at Ziva.

"You came back after two years of absence without contacting us all this time, and I forgive you, and then you drop three nuclear bombshells on my head in one night and expect me to forgive you so easily?" Abby asked, frustrated, walking up and down the lab. "You'reeeeeee sooooooo wronggggggg girllllllll..." she drew out each word pointing her finger at Ziva. "Do you know that I couldn't sleep at all last night?"

Ziva felt the same way she felt years ago when she came back from Somalia. Abby was mad at her for her behavior towards Tony about Rivkin's death and her stay in Israel. Abby was right for shouting at her back then, as well as now.

"Plus," Abby continued, "How am I supposed to face Tony after those revelations? How can I look at him in the eyes again after what you told me about you and Adam?" Abby shouted "Tony is like a brother to me. How can I keep that secret from him, Ziva, knowing the truth that you and Adam haven't…" she trailed off

"You're right Abby I'm sor-" but Abby cut her in

"I don't want you to say you're sorry. Saying you're sorry doesn't make things easier. Although I understand your intentions for wanting to push Tony away, you lied to him, Ziva, and with your lies you turned a man who was 100 percent rock to a wreck and apologizing doesn't fix things," the Goth scientist hissed. "You could have found another excuse to keep Tony away from you and protect him without hurting his feelings the way you have."

Ziva lowered her eyes on the ground in shame.

"And you didn't trust me Ziva," Abby continued with hurt and sat on a chair. "You're like a sister to me and you didn't trust me with Paris or with Ray."

"You are right, but about Paris...I haven't even discussed it with Tony. It is taboo for us, that night...and…we just haven't discussed it," Ziva defended herself.

"Really?" Abby asked in disbelief.

Ziva nodded.

"Well, I might forgive you for everything," Abby looked at Ziva devilishly, "if you answer one more question," Abby continued. Ziva was anxious to see what the question was that had to be answered for her to be forgiven.

"How...was it? You…and…Tony…in Paris…you know what I mean," Abby asked with a smirk, and Ziva blushed chuckling. "I think that answers my question why you and Ray never..." Abby trailed off, smiling.

"Yes," Ziva reassured with hesitation. "It was a factor, but also," Ziva continued and sat on the chair next to Abby,"the way Ray treated me, you remember right?, didn't inspire confidence, safety."

"But you were going to marry him." Abby argued.

"Only because Tony couldn't provide me that. And back then, I really wanted something permanent. Plus, I was scared. Gibbs and rule #12 made the circumstances worse. I thought if had happened something between me and Tony it would have ruined our friendship. That's why I turned to Ray and accepted his proposal, even if I knew he wasn't the one for me. So I kept telling myself that I had feelings for him, but as much as I tried to convince myself for that I failed…I liked him only as a friend, nothing more," Ziva revealed. "Because I was in love with Tony," she continued. "And then, with all the mess that happened with the Burrows case, truth be told, I felt sort of...relieved...because if it hadn't happened, I would have run away from the wedding the last minute."

"Abby, Tony is…" Ziva trailed off sighing. "I fell in love with that goofy playboy from the first moment I laid eyes on him," she went on with a smirk.

Abby smiled at her friend's confession before her face turned back to seriousness and asked, "So, will you tell Tony the truth? About you and Adam, I mean," the Goth scientist clarified.

Ziva's face dropped. "No, no I won't tell him. I can't," she answered sternly.

"So will you let him believe something that it isn't true?" Abby asked in disbelief.

"Yes. Look, Abby, I love Tony I want a fresh start with him, but if anything happens between us, if he really loves me, he will accept me to be in his life like I am with my faults and my mistakes like I have with him. Well, besides the drinking," Ziva noted, rolling her eyes. "Not because I haven't slept with Adam," she explained.

"Tony loves you, Ziva! If he didn't, he wouldn't have gone to Somalia to avenge your death. He wouldn't have gone to Israel to find you and bring you back. He doesn't care if you slept with Adam or not. He's forgiven you Ziva; he's forgiven you for Adam. Tony just wants a life with you at his side," Abby said "The least you can do is tell him the truth. He deserves it!" she went on trying to persuade Ziva.

"I know." it was the only thing that Ziva said quietly.

"But you are not going to do it," Abby said, more as a statement than a question.

Ziva shook her head, and the Goth scientist sighed.

Ziva also discussed with Abby the conversation between her and Tony in the elevator until the lunch break finished.

#6452, #6453, #6454,#6455…Ha! There it is!" Tony exclaimed, pointing at the top of the shelf "Case #6455!" Tony went on grinning. "Armed robbery 3/28/2006. Two sailors dead."

"We will need a stair for this, and a very high one," Ziva informed him.

"Ladder, Ziva," Tony corrected her. "Laaaaddeeeeer."

"Whatever, same difference," she said back, rolling her eyes.

"Wait, I thought saw one somewhere," Tony said and made his way toward the entrance of the storage unit. It didn't take long for Tony to come back with the ladder.

"You or me?" Tony asked while he was placing the ladder on the shelf.

"I'll go," Ziva answered and climbed it. "However, I think McGee is wrong," Ziva went on while she was dragging the box out of the shelf,

"So do I" Tony agreed, supporting the ladder so Ziva wouldn't lose her balance. "I mean, this theory that there must be a connection between those cases doesn't stand. We caught the bad guy back then," he went on and raised his head to look at Ziva.

"God, it's too heavy!" Ziva said, groaning,and tried to give Tony the box.

"Ziva look out!"Tony shouted when Ziva lost her balance and slipped of the ladder. Tony let the box to fall on the floor and caught Ziva the last moment before she fell. Holding her in his arms, bridal style, their faces a few inches apart,they looked deep into each others eyes like they had years ago when they had taken part in that War Game.

"Are you alright?" Tony asked her with worry.

"Yes I am. Thank you, Tony," Ziva said to Tony, her voice trembling, not taking her eyes from his.

"You're welcome," he said back in the same,awkward tone.

There was a brief silence in the room which interrupted by Tony's cell.

"Tony?" Ziva asked, her eyes still locked on his.

"Yeah?" Tony answered, completely hypnotized from Ziva's look.

"Your phone is ringing," Ziva said and Tony didn't move at all. He kept looking deep into Ziva's eyes.

"Tony?" Ziva repeated and Tony was staring at her, completely hypnotized.

"Put me down," she said and Tony looked at her curiously with a 'why' look. "Put me down so you can answer your phone" Ziva clarified.

"Oh," Tony mumbled and lowered Ziva down on the floor, losing immediately the warmth of her body.

"Dinozzo...Yes, McHurry, we found it and we are on our way," Tony answered the phone, not taking his eyes from Ziva's. "That was McGee," he said after he ended the call. "We better get going," he continued and took the box in his hands.

"We should," Ziva said back awkwardly and both of them made their way to the exit of the storage unit.

The rest of day contained mainly paperwork until Gibbs sent them home. Everybody had finished except Tony, who had a few more minutes to work.

"Are you going to be late, Tony?"McGee asked.

"No, Probie. In few minutes we can go," Tony answered.

"Actually," Ziva interrupted, standing up from her desk and approaching Tony's, "I was thinking I would drive you." That caught both McGee's and Tony's attention. "Sin...since your car is...outside…my place..." she continued.

McGee, watching the exchange of looks between Tony and Ziva, felt like an intruder. It was like the day that Ziva came to NCIS to visit Vance after her rescue from Somalia. The same look, the same awkwardness.

"I better get going, then. Goodnight," McGee said. No answer. Just a pair of green-hazel eyes locked on a pair of brown ones. McGee, seeing that no one answered him, headed for the elevator, grinning. 'Maybe there is still a chance for those two,' he thought.

"I'm finished," Tony said not taking his eyes from hers while he was turning off his computer. "Lead the way Ms. David." he gestured for Ziva to move first, grinning.

"Thank you…Mr. Dinozzo" Ziva said back, smiling and both headed for the elevator.

Let me know what think

P.S. I'd like to dedicate a part of this story to my friend Ioanna who died on a car crash in December. She was the closest thing I had to a sister…R.I.P my friend you will be always in my heart…