Part 1

Summer Games

Chapter 10

Everything between them was perfect. Things were going great. At first, Ziva was convinced it was a dream, but when she woke up to find a red rose and note with familiar handwriting on the pillow next to her, she had a huge smile on her face.

Ziva,

I went to get breakfast this morning, and I didn't want to wake you up. I'll get you some of your favorite coffee, too. By the way, you look so beautiful while you sleep. See you soon.

Love,

Tony

Ziva smiled at how that note sounded so much like Tony. She picked the rose up and smelled it, a smile playing on her lips as she smelled the lingering scent of Tony's cologne. Just then, she heard the apartment door being carefully opened. He didn't want to wake her up. She instantly inhaled the food, put the rose and note back in its place, and pretended to be asleep a little longer.

Tony came in the room with two plates in hand. He saw Ziva sleeping in the same spot he left her in. He put the food on the nightstand beside her and lent down to kiss her temple. Then, he took his hands and his fingertips brushed against her waist. She tried not to smile. His lips swept across her ear.

"I always wanted to see if you were ticklish." He accused.

"I am not." Tony tested his theory again, this time harder.

"You are."

"What did you get?" she finally asked him. He picked up the plate as she sat up and wiped her eyes, also stretching her arms. He put the plate in front of her, and just when she was about to take it, he pulled it back. "Tony." She nearly whined.

"You gotta kiss the cook."

"You did not cook the food, Tony." She informed him as he sat down beside her, still keeping the food from her.

"Well, then, you have to kiss the person who took so much time getting up to get out of bed, get you a rose, write you a note, and drive up to the restaurant."

"I did not know McGee was here." She teased.

"There are so many things wrong with that statement, I'm just gonna pretend like I didn't hear it." He decided and she brought his head down to hers and kissed him.

"Will you pretend like that didn't happen?"

"No."

"Then, give me my food."

Tony and Ziva did not take long to get out of bed after they had breakfast. Somehow, they had both instinctively ended up on the couch in front of a television that was not even turned on at the moment. Simply holding each other, Ziva scanning the movies in his movie collection to pick one, and Tony staring at the blank television, he was the first to break the silence.

"Any plans for today?"

"I have to grade papers." She told him.

"How about you skip that and watch movies with your boyfriend all day?" he suggested.

"What's wrong with grading papers?" she asked innocently.

"I still have a little trouble imagining you as a teacher."

"Well, believe it. I happen to like it, too."

"What are the kids like?" he wondered, and she smiled that he showed a bit of interest in her new job, even though she knew her decision still surprised him.

"They're great. Some of them get frustrated when they do not understand, but when I help them or another student helps them, it is just a good feeling. Some of the other teachers refuse to teach the special needs children because they are labeled as kids who are not as smart as the others, and that is the only time I have to resist the urge to use violence." She explained.

"I can imagine that." He chuckled.

"It's not that these kids aren't smart. It is just that they think differently, so it is a challenge coming up with ways for them to understand, but they are wonderful kids. Lots of people, even their fathers who have gone off to war, have given up on them. I don't intend to do that."

"I wanna see you sometime." He finally said, reflecting on her words for a minute.

"You see me all the time, Tony." She reminded him.

"No, I wanna see you teach them. I'd kill to have you as my teacher. I had crushes on a lot of my teachers, though."

"Some of the boys have already commented that I am very beautiful."

"Huh?" he questioned, and she nodded. "Should I be jealous?"

"I do not know. They are very cute."

"I think I'll have to have a little chat with them."

"How is working for Metro?" she asked him.

"God, it's so strange. You know, we don't get much action. It's mainly just a bunch of drugs, but drugs are fun." They both laughed at that.

"Maybe you could come see me during your lunch break. I only have a short class before mine." Ziva thought.

"Okay." He agreed.

"Tomorrow at lunch?" she asked.

"It's a date."

"DiNozzo, man found dead in his home! Come on!" his boss called to him.

Tony hadn't had a murder case since he started with Metro PD, so when he learned there was a note written on the man's stomach that was written by the killer, he thought the case would be a little interest. Then, they learned what the note meant.

His daughter, Chaplain Elizabeth Marsden, who had been MIA in Iraq for three months, which meant that Metro PD was conducting a joint investigation with the Major Case Response Team of NCIS. When his boss sent him over because of his relationships with the people at the agency, he only had one question on his mind.

Why did so many people join the Navy and Marines?

With his luck, he didn't know how many cases he'd have with NCIS.

"Tony." Dorneget said as he stood up from his desk to shake Tony's hand.

"Dorneget." Tony greeted him. Ned had been appointed the new senior field agent of the MCRT, and he suddenly felt the awkwardness as Tony stared at his old desk.

"I-um-I-I-I just was doing a little decorating at your desk."

"Not my desk anymore."

"But it will be soon, right?"

"I hope so."

"I mean, once Gibbs gets back from whatever mission he's on right now, you guys will come back, won't you?"

"I don't know."

"So, how is everyone? How's McGee? How's Ziva?" he asked frantically. "Abby's a wreck. She nearly bites my head off every time I ask for her to do something, and I make sure I ask nicely, too."

"She here?"

"Yeah."

"Ducky and Palmer?"

"Down in autopsy." Suddenly a voice interrupted a conversation between the two friends. Tony looked behind him, and he was met with a man, not much taller than him. He figured this man was the new boss.

"Who's this?" he asked.

"Detective Anthony DiNozzo, Metro PD." Dorneget introduced. The man extended his hand, and Tony shook it.

"Special Agent Craig Meyers, team leader."

"Nice to meet you, sir." Tony said.

"Likewise." Craig responded before taking a sip of his iced tea.

Tony had driven straight to Ziva's apartment that night because he knew she would be there after work. He found her at her coffee table, smiling about something. As he reflected on it, Tony figured he probably should have asked her what she was smiling about. Ziva could instantly tell something was wrong, though. She put down whatever was in her hand and walked towards him. Tony tossed his car keys on the counter, and he just wrapped his arms around her.

"What happened?" she finally asked him.

"It's a long story."

"We have time." Ziva told him, taking off his suit jacket for him and putting it on the back of her chair. He followed her to her bedroom, and she sat down on the bed, patting the space beside her, beckoning for him to come and sit beside her, which he did.

"Are you sure you wanna hear it?"

"Yes. What is the matter? You look really tense." She noticed, and without warning she moved from her position beside him to behind him. She knelt on her knees behind him, taking her delicate hands to his shoulders and massaging out the knots.

"We had a case today." He said.

"That explains why you look tired."

"With NCIS." He added. Ziva's hands froze on his shoulders. Suddenly, she removed her hands and kissed his cheek, afterwards dropping her chin to his shoulder. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he put his hands over hers.

"Are you alright?" she wondered.

"I just really want this case to be over. I know we say that about all of our cases, but I really want this one to be over."

"I'm sorry you have to do this, Tony."

"Me, too." She kissed his neck.

"Abby was really excited to see me, though, and so were Ducky and Jimmy. I tried to see Director Vance, but it turns out he was in a conference. Did you know Dorneget is the new me?" he asked her. She smiled against his shoulder.

"No one could ever replace you, Tony."

"That was the answer I was looking for."

"Well, I mean it."

"I know you do."

"What do you want for dinner?" she asked him, scouring her fridge for something easy to make.

"What do you got?"

"Chicken, and a lot of it."

"Chicken it is."

"I can make chicken pasta."

"Sounds good. Can I help?" he wondered as he watched her set the oven to the correct temperature.

"Grab a bowl." She instructed. He did, and as he did, he noticed something on the coffee table. That must have been what she was smiling about when he walked in.

"What's this?" he asked her. She walked over to where he was standing to see the card in his hand.

"It's a thank you card that my class made for me." She said to him, and he smiled at that before looking at her. "You can read if you want."

"Okay. I will. 'Dear Miss David, we have not known you very long, but you have been very nice to us since you got here. You are pashent and nice, and we know we are not the best kids, but you are the best teacher ever. You do not yell or get mad at all. You help us. Thank you for helping us. We love you, Miss David. Love, your class.'" He read, and he let the words sink in.

"Wasn't that sweet of them?" Ziva asked.

"Yeah, it was."

"I'm sure they'd love to meet you sometime."

"I still really want to see you teach because apparently you are the best teacher ever. I'd like to see some of that in action."

"You can stop teasing me, Tony. I know that you think I'm not the ideal person to have as a teacher. Can you imagine one of your teachers as an ex-assassin?" she asked.

"Ziva, I wasn't teasing you. These kids are obviously attached to you after knowing you for only a few weeks. You must be a pretty damn good teacher. Forget about what I thought when you first told me. This sounds like a good summer job for you, but it has to get frustrating, right. I mean, how do you put up with a room full of children who all need special attention?" he asked her. She smiled at him, and he knew he was about to get a good answer.

"I come from the Middle East, where I have seen schools blown up and children afraid to learn, but it is different here. These kids are so fortunate to be able to learn publicly, and I want them to be able to feel fortunate. I want them to feel special, and not just because they have dyslexia or Down syndrome or autism, but because they really are important."

"I'm really proud of you, Ziva."

"Thank you, Tony."

"Really, I am. Honestly, I could never imagine you doing something like this, but I'm glad that you are, even if it's just for the summer." She nodded before kissing him on the lips, wrapping her arms around his neck, the food momentarily forgotten.

"Are you staying the night?" she asked him.

"I should probably head back to my place after dinner. I need to change clothes for work tomorrow." He said. She kissed him again.

"Alright."

After dinner, Ziva walked Tony to her door. He took his suit jacket back and his keys.

"Should I come to the school at the same time for lunch? Are you free?" he asked her.

"Yes. I will see you tomorrow."

"Love you, Ziva." He said to her before kissing her lips lightly, lingering for only a second.

"I love you, too."

Chapter 10! I am in the double digits now. What did you think about this chapter? I know it wasn't very eventful, but I would love to hear your thoughts on it. Please leave me a review, and stay tuned for the next update tomorrow.

NCIStiva3