Ziva awoke the next morning, draped across Tony's chest, to the blaring sound of her cell phone. She opened her eyes unwillingly and quickly pulled herself off him in embarrassment, mindful of his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Tony lay undisturbed, snoring loudly, and still in a deep sleep. She retrieved her phone (which was sitting next to Tony's) from the nightstand she had left it on the previous night.
So as to not bother Tony, she made her way into the bathroom closing the door behind her. She checked the caller id; anticipation grew when she discovered it to be an FBI number. Why would the FBI be calling me? Realization flooded her senses; she had mistakenly taken Tony's phone to be hers. Before giving herself time to second guess herself she answered the phone, quickly identifying herself. A husky male voice answered.
"Is a Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo available?" The man asked politely.
"He's sleeping; I'm his partner Special Agent Ziva David."
"Just a moment, please." Ziva was placed on hold and waited patiently, curiosity itching its way into her thoughts.
"Agent David?" A new voice (one which she recognition to be Fornell) came on the other line.
"Fornell?" She questioned.
"Yes, I was just calling Agent DiNozzo to give him the good news; but it seems I may have caught him at a bad time." Ziva felt slightly uncomfortable at his assumption but quickly disregarded his implication.
"Have you found any leads on Dearing?"
"I am not at liberty to disclose that kind of-" Before Fornell could officially reject giving her any information she interrupted him.
"Listen, Fornell, if you have something on Dearing I deserve to know just as much as Tony, I was after all in the building that was blown to pieces by Dearing's bomb. What-do-you-have?" She lost her patience, which was fairly evident in the sound of her irritated voice, pausing after each word to provide emphasis.
Fornell hesitated for a moment before continuing in a quick and hushed tone, "We have Dearing in custody."
Ziva froze, unsure of the emotions the news provoked. It was a mixture of relief and longing to have heard the bastard had been killed; unfortunately that was not the case.
"David?" Fornell called, after her lack of response.
"Yes." She replied flatly.
"I trust you'll tell DiNozzo and both of you will be needed for testimonies. After all you were both in the explosion; by the way it's good to hear you're doing well. Anyway, when it's a convenient time for you two come down to the office." Ziva quickly thanked him and they said there goodbyes.
Ziva trusted Fornell, only because Gibbs trusted him, but that didn't mean she had to like his sarcastic replies or cold demeanor; although he could be pleasant at times as well as helpful.
"Ziva?" Tony's voice, hoarse with sleep, broke her out of her mental thought process.
She quickly exited the bathroom and entered the bedroom to find Tony propped up on his elbows waiting for her arrival.
"Is everything alright?" He asked concerned, rubbing his heavy eyelids trying to remove his exhaustion.
"Yes." She glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand and notice it was still early; five in the morning to be exact.
She decided to let him rest for a few more hours before telling him the news; for even if she had told him his judgment and understanding would be cloudy from sleep.
"You can go back to sleep." She stated as she returned to her side of the bed.
With a comfortable sigh, Tony nodded and dropped his head on the pillow as Ziva placed the cell phone in its original place on the nightstand and slid into bed. Exhaling sharply, she allowed herself to relax. Tony had quickly fallen asleep, once again, but with the news she had just received she was having some difficulty.
Tossing and turning restlessly for half an hour Ziva was loosing hope of being able to fall asleep when her thoughts were cut short by Tony's arm mindlessly wrapping around her and pulling her back against his chest. His loud snores signified than he was unaware of his actions, but Ziva still felt the need to protest, which she resisted when she craned her neck and saw Tony's peaceful face.
She cursed her soft heart, strangely felling comfortable in his embrace, and before she was able to give anymore thought to the subject she had blissfully drifted into slumber.
Tony had awakened at noon to the sound of his cell phone ringing. He opened his eyes to find Ziva pressed against his chest, instinctively flinching half expecting her to punch him for his closeness, he removed his hands at once. The sunlight spilled through his bedroom window blinding him when he looked up.
He quickly retrieved the cell phone from the nightstand and opened it to stop the ringing before he sneakily stood from the bed, surprised Ziva had not heard the call. He walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind him. He didn't have a chance to look at the caller id so instead he pressed the phone to his ear and identified himself.
"Agent DiNozzo, please hold." Tony knew at once, it was FBI because they always had a rookie call him then transfer to call to Fornell.
"DiNozzo." Fornell's exhausted voice came over the line much to Tony's displeasure.
Tony trusted Fornell, because Gibbs and he had history, but that didn't mean Tony didn't hold a grudge against the man for almost sending him to prison for the rest of his life.
"Fornell."
"We've got a situation with Dearing." Tony was a little confused, but amused the older Agent meant they had a lead.
"You guys got a lead." Tony stated but it sounded more like a question.
"Didn't David tell you?" Fornell asked and Tony felt a mixture of insecurity and impending danger.
"Tell me what?" Tony grew curious.
"We had Harping Dearing in custody, but…" Tony's gaped at the revelation allowing it to soak in before pushing Fornell to continue.
"But, what?" Tony's stomach dropped as the word 'had' repeated in his mind.
"We don't know how he managed it- he…" Fornell paused, irritating Tony further.
"What?" Tony spat, mindful of Ziva sleeping in the other room.
"He had taken some kind of substance, we're still waiting on the toxicology report, but whatever it was…it stopped his heart, we weren't able to revive him. Dearing's dead."
Damn it. Tony's blood boiled. The evil terrorist had managed to get off lucky and it sent Tony's temper soaring.
"That's not all. We found that he had blunt force trauma to the jugular very similar to…" Fornell trailed off, and Tony was not allowing any detail escape him.
"Who?" Tony was aware of the many other agencies that used that attack, but wanted to gain insight on Fornell's thoughts.
"Mossad." Tony froze unsure of what to say, but quickly composed himself.
"Are you seriously implying that Ziva had something to do with this?" Tony laughed humorlessly, anger and rage seeping through his veins.
"She had motive, opportunity-" Tony cut him off before he could continue.
"She JUST got out of the hospital; she can barely stand on her own much less kill a man in protective custody. You can't seriously be considering her a suspect. And anyway, she's been with me all day yesterday and all night."
"DiNozzo she was trained by the best, do you really think she wouldn't be able to cover her tracks. After I called she could have easily slipped out without you noticing." Tony listened intently to the man he was beginning to hate, doubt suddenly started to penetrate his thoughts, as he recalled Ziva entering the bedroom at five in the morning; he shook away the thought flabbergasted he would ever consider the idea to be truth.
"Hey, listen, Fornell, I don't know what it is with you trying to pin all these murders on NCIS agents. First, you accuse me of murdering a woman and hacking her to pieces; and now, Ziva who has an alibi and witness to that alibi. C'mon, what kind of game are you playing?"
"I am not playing any game DiNozzo this is a murder investigation." Tony swiftly interjected.
"Well, it sure as hell seems like you FBI clowns are just screwing around because not only does a most wanted terrorist die in your custody, someone murders him. Yep, you guys got top notch security over there I feel really safe NOW." Tony's voice grew louder and he suddenly remembered Ziva and popped his head out the door to see if he had woken her, he hadn't.
"DiNozzo this isn't the time for sarcasm-" Before Fornell could finish Tony interrupted him.
"Listen, stop wasting you time going after Ziva because she's innocent. I am sure of it. She was with me the whole night. In case you have forgotten Ziva is no longer Mossad she is an NCIS Federal Agent and even with her Mossad background Ziva would never have given that jackass the easy way out by killing him. I know her, you know her, Gibbs knows her, and we all know she wouldn't do it. I got to go. You want to accuse anyone else you call Gibbs." Tony hung up the phone before Fornell could respond.
He clenched his fist as they trembled with fury.
How could they accuse her? It's ridiculous? She's just out of the hospital. Just yesterday afternoon I brought her to my place? Plus, she can't ride the elevator by herself, and her legs wouldn't have enough strength to taken all the flights of stairs needed to reach the garage. No, it's not Ziva. It just isn't.
He made his way back to the bedroom where Ziva was beginning to awake. She spotted him and noticed his angry expression which he tried to hide.
"Tony." She started, sitting up as he sat at the foot of the bed by her feet, his cell phone in his hands.
"Hey, how did you sleep?" He tried to sound casual but Ziva just straight to the point avoiding unnecessary small talk.
"Fornell call at five…" She began and paused.
"He said they have Dearing in custody and they want us to go down there to fill out eye witness reports. Tony, is something wrong?" He listened to her explanation with his head hung and his eyes on his hands which were fiddling with his phone.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He asked his angry melting away.
"Well, it was five in the morning and you were exhausted. I thought it could wait until the morning when we both had clear head and could really think about what we doing." Her reasoning made sense to Tony and he felt the bed move as she crawl to his side and sitting on her knees next to him, he looked up and saw her confused expression.
She was confused as to why Tony seemed so…down.
"Is something wrong?" She asked when he didn't speak.
Tony didn't want to ask her this question, but he had one unanswered question of Ziva and he needed it to be answered so he could better defend her if she needed it, "Ziva, we'd you go when I woke up and saw you walk in?" He looked her in the eyes then, she didn't hide anything from him. He could see the honesty in her eyes and he didn't personally need the question to be answered to know she was innocent, but he professionally needed to know the answer to be able to provide an alibi in-case she needed one.
"I picked up you phone thinking it was mind. It was ringing and I answered it because I saw it was the FBI I thought they had a lead on the case. I talked to Fornell, he told me about Dearing. I hung up and came back to bed. By the way, did you know you are very touchy in you sleep?" Ziva plastered a wide grin on her face and Tony felt embarrassed that she had, after all, been aware that he had wrapped her in his arms as they slept.
He returned his gaze to his hands, his smile slowly fading. Ziva knew there was more.
"What is it, Tony?" He didn't want to tell her that the FBI suspected her so he tried changing the subject.
"You hungry, I'll go fix us some breakfast. I bet I still got some left over pizza in the fridge." He made to stand up but Ziva grabbed him by the arm and he froze close his eyes, he'd have to tell her now.
"Tony." She said expectantly.
Tony took a breath then began. He explained Fornell's reasoning and Tony didn't know what pained him more. The fact that Dearing was dead and they were trying to pin it on Ziva or the sudden sadness that her eyes adapted.
Her eyes, definitely her eyes.
"It's stupid, Ziva. There gonna figure out it wasn't you and when that happens I make Fornell personally apologize for being an ass. Hey look at me, he tried pulling that gag on me once, trying to pin a murder on me and I made it out okay." Ziva lips curled up at the cornered but it didn't quite reach a smile, at least he had given her some comfort.
"Gibbs knows you're innocent. I just think they are shooting in a dark room. You can't kill anyone, not in the state you're in. You just got out of the hospital, you're still weak. Speaking of which I'm gonna make some breakfast alright. Nothing is gonna happen to you Ziva. Gibbs isn't going to let that happen."
I'm not going to let that happen.
Tony was determined that to be fact, but Ziva knew better. She was weak, yes, but she was also well trained. Tony didn't know that even in her weak state she could kill if she truly wanted too and easily; although she never would. She had smiled at his comforting and watched as he left.
When finally alone in the bedroom she let her eyes wander, her gaze landing on the book she had gotten from Tony's bookshelf after…after… they kissed.
Ziva smiled at the memory and suddenly got an idea. She flew out of bed, becoming suddenly dizzy from the rapid change of moments. She steadied herself on the wall before she walked out the bedroom through the hall way that lead to the kitchen and further down the living room.
She could smell coffee brewing and eggs in a frying pan before she saw it. Tony stood in the kitchen scrambling the eggs he looked up at her when she walked in to acknowledge her presence then return his attention to the task at hand.
"I hope you don't mind scrambled eggs. I always like my eggs scrambled." He didn't hear and answer and decided that was odd and looked up jumping out of his skin when he saw her standing just inches from his face.
"I don't mind." She whispered and to Tony is sounded almost seductively but he figured it was just his mind playing tricks on him.
She leaned in and for a moment he thought she was going to kiss him, but was left disappointed when she abruptly turned away and walked to the coffee pot that was now steaming with the brown goodness. She poured two cups and poured some milk in hers with two teaspoons of sugar.
Ziva knew Tony's coffee ritually and decided a tablespoon would save her time with the sugar; he didn't like milk, only a lot of sugar. Six tablespoons to be exact. Tony finished with the eggs and placed two plates full of scrambled eggs on the table as Ziva placed their mugs of coffee. They ate in silence, once every few minutes stealing glances at one another.
Once finished Ziva grabbed both their plates and set them in the sink. She had finished her coffee but Tony was still working on his. He stood when she made her way to the sink and when she turned she gasped a little at his closeness, she hoped he hadn't noticed. He had. He smiled at the fact that he had successfully startled her the same way she had startled him. Tony thought he would never see the day were he could frighten Ziva, the steely-eyed ninja. He took a sip of his coffee and stepped closer, closing her in, her back press against the counter. His arm went around her as he set the coffee mug inside the sink behind her. Now there breath collided with the proximity.
"Thank you for breakfast it was good." Tony didn't answer but rather smiled in response.
He waited until her gaze began to drift to grasp the back of her with his strong hand and bring her lips to his. She was stunned at first and unmoving then she quickly regained thought. She pressed her chest against him and he could feel her breasts through the sweater. He moaned and she echoed him. The kiss was smoldering, deep and willing. He tasted like coffee and she could help herself. She plundered into his mouth searching for all of his taste. They broke away breathing heavily.
They had done it again. They had kissed. Tony was unsure of what to do or for that matter what to say, as was Ziva. They stared into each others eyes hoping the other would know what to do. Neither made any indication of moving. Moments passed and their breathing regulated Tony removed his hand from the back of Ziva's head and almost instantly Ziva threw herself at him.
Pressing her lips against his and pushing him a few steps back with the force. They continued kissing for several minutes when both pulled apart at the sound of a cell phone ringing. They sprang away from each other like they were two teenagers who had just been caught kissing by their parents. Ziva avoided his gaze as she stepped passed him and walked to the bedroom, with him following right behind. It was Tony's phone and Ziva recognized the number, she tossed him the phone and he automatically opened it and pressed it to his ear.
"DiNozzo." He had expected to hear Fornell on the other lined shock when he heard the familiar icy tone.
His back straighten instinctively.
"Boss-yeah-yeah…okay." Ziva listened watching his facial expressions.
Tony closed the phone and after a few moments directed his attention to Ziva, "Gibbs is back. Fornell called and Gibbs took the first flight back to straighten things out he wants us to meet him at the FBI headquarters." Ziva nodded in approval as she reached for her clothes from yesterday.
Tony watched, a little stunned, by the sudden change in events. He had just kissed Ziva, in his kitchen, and Gibbs was back…and he kissed Ziva, again, in his kitchen. She looked so calm and collected, they needed to talk. He felt he needed to speak with her. They couldn't keep doing this. By this he meant kissing each other and then pretending it never happened.
"Ziva." He started as he watched her change into her shirt; he turned around to give her some privacy.
"Maybe we should talk." He offered.
"About what?"
"About what just happened?" He meant to say it like a statement but it was more a question than anything else.
"Tony, I-" Ziva finished clothing herself and walked to stand in front of him unsure of what to say. She wanted to tell him straight out, I love you, but she knew she couldn't say that because she thought it to be the equivalent of saying, "I want to have your babies." She did not know what to say. She felt anything she said would inevitably come out wrong and she didn't want to ruin their chances. She was, after all, romantically dysfunctional.
Tony could feel it coming…the rejection…he knew it.
He waited for the classic lines the, "It's not you it's me." "I'm sorry; I just don't like you that way." "I don't love you." "Maybe we shouldn't do this." "I'm sorry; this is just moving to fast for me." "Look you're a good guy and everything, but I just don't think we should take this any further."
He was cowardly and chickened out before she could say another word he interjected, "We should go, can't keep the boss man waiting, you know how he gets." He turned around quickly leaving a stunned Ziva.
What happened? I didn't even say anything.
She watched his leave the bedroom and decided that perhaps they should wait to talk. It would give her time to think of the perfect words and a chance for him to walk away from her if that was the case. She felt the fear growing inside her.
What if he doesn't love me? What if he could see what I was trying to tell he and he didn't feel the same way and that's why he stopped me; so I wouldn't embarrass myself?
She self-consciously bit her lip thinking of the endless possibilities until Tony walked back into the bedroom, purposely avoiding her gaze, and asked her if she was ready. She grabbed her phone and nodded, following behind him as they walked through the many halls of his apartment building heading toward…the elevator. She saw the door that led to the stairwell and stopped, calling for Tony to wait. He stopped and turned to face her.
"Did you forget something?" He asked casually.
"No, I was just wondering…I'm feeling much better today, let's take the stairs." In all honesty she did feel a bit stronger, but she wasn't entirely sure she was strong enough for forty three flights of stairs.
"I don't know, maybe you should give it a couple more days." Tony didn't want to ride the elevator just as much as Ziva, but he wasn't going to risk her well being, even if it meant being scared to death in an elevator ride which he would willingly endure for her.
"I think I'll be fine and if I get tired I'll just stop." Tony gave her a, 'I don't know' look before hesitating then giving her his consent.
Together they walked down the stairs, Tony led the way and Ziva followed behind at a slower pace. They had successfully descended to the thirty second floor when Ziva began to fell light headed. Every floor they reach Tony would ask her how she was and her response was always the same, "Fine." They continued descended until they reached the twenty fifth floor. Ziva's vision went blurry then tunnel like.
"How you holding up?" Tony asked turning around just as Ziva began to fall forward.
He caught her.
"Whoa." He held her close to his chest as her legs gave out, her body went limp in exhaustion but she was still conscious.
"I think I need to sit down for a minute." She stated breathlessly.
Tony didn't listen; he effortlessly picked her up in his arms and walked her out the stairwell. They were on the twenty fifth floor; twenty five floors in an elevator. Well, actually its twenty four because we're already on the twenty fifth floor. Tony thought to himself as he began to walk to the elevator. Ziva grew nervous in his arms, aware of what he was thinking.
"Tony I'm fine. I just needed a minute. Tony…" They had reached the elevator and Tony had spoken a word to her, as he was trying to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to do.
He pressed the elevator down button and watched it light up.
"Tony, I am fine." Ziva argued but knew that if Tony were to set her down now she would probably collapse under her own weight. The elevator dinged and the doors opened Tony took as deep breath and stepped in, his head held high. Ziva felt her hands begin to quiver in fear and she wrapped her arms around Tony's neck and buried her face in his chest.
The doors closed.
Ding. Thirteenth Floor.
They had made it to the thirteenth floor when the elevator came to an abrupt stop, causing Tony to stumble, almost dropping Ziva who clung desperately to his shirt collar. The lights flickered in the elevator two before darkness surrounded them.
Ziva held her breath expecting the worst. Tony gasped for air as flashbacks of the explosion flooded his mind. He held Ziva tightly and closely in fear that she would be ripped away from him. Tony stood in the darkness of the elevator; everything was silent except for their ragged breathing and the rapid beating of their hearts.
"I-I-I think it's stuck. Power must have gone out, maybe a blown fuse, nothing to worry about." Tony stuttered.
Ziva was in too much fear to respond.
Tony tried to joke to relieve the stress of the situation, "What is it with us and always getting stuck in elevators, and on the thirteenth floor too, ha, just out luck?" He forced a laugh that sounded more like a cough.
"It's- not-funny." Ziva forced herself to speak, though she found it to be incredibly difficult. After a few moments of breathing Tony shifted uncomfortably from the weight of Ziva being in his arms for so long. He backed slowly until he felt the elevator wall, Ziva felt his movements.
"Wha- What are you doing?" She asked panic seeping in her voice.
"Sitting down." He slid down the wall with Ziva still in his arms and sat in the right corner of the elevator.
She still hand her face buried in his chest and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders trying to ease her discomfort, which comforted him at the same time.
"I guess, we are not meant to ride the elevator." Ziva stated willing herself to try and relax as best she could.
"If you believe in that kind of thing." Tony returned with a small smile on his face.
Ziva let out a nervous chuckle at the memory which strangely released a bit of tension. The comfort was suddenly lost when reality seeped back in. They were stuck in an elevator.
"I'm gonna call Gibbs." Tony reluctantly released one arm around Ziva and dialed Gibbs number.
After one ring their boss answered. Tony explained their situation and Gibbs told him he'd call McGee, who had also returned to D.C, to check out the situation. It wasn't long before McGee called Tony, both Tony and Ziva jumped at the sound of the ringing thinking it was the elevator plummeting to ground and inevitably causing their doom.
Tony answered quickly and felt relief when McGee said it would take only half and hour to fix the fuse that had been blown.
Tony placed his phone back in his pocket and informed Ziva that they'd be freed in half and hour. She had released her death grip on his shirt but hadn't released his clothing. They couldn't see each other from the darkness and Tony was glad Ziva wasn't pushing his touch away because he felt he would have lost his mind in fear and darkness. He decided to keep joking, though it wasn't appropriate, it seemed to have helped ease them some.
"You know Ziva, under other circumstances some might consider us…clinging to each other…in the dark…and clinging to each other…and in the dark, kind of scandalous." Ziva wasn't in the mood to joke around anymore.
When she had heard him say, 'us' it made a shiver run up her spine bringing her to think of their earlier conversation. She felt beyond scared and thought the only way she would survive this experience with her sanity would be to try and get her mind off their current situation; she decided to bring up their early conversation.
"Tony-" Tony cut her off thinking she was going to panic.
"McGee promised no more than half an hour. Don't worry we're going to be okay. It's all in our mind. And as I always say, 'The mind is a terrible thing.'"
"Earlier when you asked to talk after we…you just walked away. Why?" The sudden change of topic caught him off guard.
"I-um-er-I" He stopped unsure of how to answer.
"Before you interrupted me. I was going to tell you something. I wasn't sure how to tell you because I was…I was…"
"What?"
"Unsure…of how you felt…about…" She struggled.
"About what?" Tony echoed their earlier words.
"About…me." Her voice died to a whisper that was barely audible.
Tony could only hold her as she waited for his response, there was known.
"I understand." She said and Tony heard disappointment in her voice.
"Understand what?" He finally gained use of his voice.
"That you do not…want me. I understand."
What is she talking about? I don't want her! What!? What is this madness? He was in disbelief.
"Why would you think I don't want you? Of course I want you. I thought you didn't want me." Tony didn't register what he had just said until he had said it.
He had just admitted he wanted Ziva, he wanted her.
"I thought that you walked away because you didn't want me." She stated.
"No, no, no I walked away because I thought you were going to tell me to get lost or something." He was still stunned by the new revelation.
"I wasn't." She stated simply.
"Then what were you going to tell me?" Tony asked curiously.
Ziva did not know if she could muster the strength to speak the words. She was scared, tried, and weak. Memories of her and Tony being trapped in the elevator after the explosion flooded her mind.
She remembered how he had tried to comfort her as best he could, though he himself must have been terrified. Her mind drifted to thoughts of Somalia, the beatings the tortures and how she dreamed she would see him once more, and how he had appeared that one day to pull her out of hell, her guardian angel.
She thought of Thanksgiving and eating dinner at Ducky's with the team and how she would catch him staring and he would look at her, smile, and then look back at his plate of food.
When Mike was killed, he had held her like a friend then caressed her face gently soothing away her pain.
On movie nights they'd share popcorn and chatter the night away, simply talking nonsense that filled in the space.
Just any ordinary day at the office, he'd smile at her, that beautiful smile of his, from his desk to hers and she'd see it from the corner of her eye and pretended she hadn't so he would do it again.
Memories of their life together flashed before her eyes building up her strength.
She thought of the P2P killer and Harper Dearing and how everyday those monsters tried to tear families, love, and happiness apart.
That sent her over the edge, she took a breath and admitted to Tony and to herself the feeling she was most sure of.
"I love you."
There was a bearable silence as Ziva waited for his reply. Tony couldn't have heard that right but he did hear it. Ziva loved him. Ziva loved him. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. It took him a moment to realization he hadn't said anything.
"I…really?" He asked in doubtful still he had heard her right.
"Yes…I…I love you."
She said it again. Tony couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. Ziva had verified that he had heard correctly. The words danced in his mind and he had now completely forgotten that he was in an elevator, and that he was supposed to be panicked. He was…happy.
Ziva loved him. He reached for her face, his hands trembling with nervousness, adrenaline, and shire excitement. He rubbed his thumb in a circular motion on her cheek, in the darkness, leaning in and softly pressed his lips to hers. Gently kissing away each others fears. His lips soft but firm, hers soft, tender, breathtaking. He pulled away knowing that he needed to speak.
"Ziva, I-" The elevator suddenly shook the lights flickered on and the elevator began to descend.
Both were too nervous and frightened to realization when they reach the both floor and the doors opened to find McGee standing outside staring down at his two partners.
"Um…everything…okay." He asked awkwardly taking in their embrace.
"Yeah." Tony answered, picking up Ziva in his arms as he stood afraid she wasn't strong enough to stand on her own. Perhaps later, he could tell her. I love you too.