Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS, nor am I in any way involved with the production or distribution of it.

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Chapter 10: Lust

Two weeks later, it had become apparent that the only useful information they gathered from the stakeout was that the sprinkler systems in the neighborhood were set to go off at 11:15 pm.

In the fourteen days since then—and more important, her second near-breakdown—Ziva had managed to say no more than 100 words to Kate. That was 250 less than the goal she had set for herself, though keeping track of everything she said was getting tiresome.

Ziva finished making note of their most recent exchange on pieces of scrap paper stapled together, writing down and counting every word said by either of them, and adding their number to a tally at the bottom of the page. She looked over the records once more, the faintest satisfied smile on her face, and pushed them aside.

Kate was focused intently on the computer screen, furrowing her eyebrows. The Israeli felt her eyes glaze over, Kate was perfect. Ziva…wasn't. She had proven it too, somewhere under the amassing stack of paperwork on her desk was a sheet of paper where she had written down everything bad about herself and everything good about Kate and she couldn't stand to look at it because she believed that it was completely true.

Several minutes of staring had passed—had it been several minutes? She had no idea and didn't really care—when Kate accidentally knocked the mug off of her table, spilling coffee all over the floor and her blouse. Someone let out a girlish giggle.

Her eyes widened and she looked down, trying to avoid any attention from Kate. Was she the one who giggled? Ziva David never giggled. But they were the only ones in the bullpen, and the other woman was glaring at her. Not a good sign.

An exasperated look on her face, Kate strode over to Ziva's desk and planted her palms on it, leaning in close to her. She had to stop herself from closing her eyes and smiling at the feel of Kate's breath on her cheek.

"What? You've been staring at me for the past fifteen minutes. Are you going to say anything or are you just going to laugh at me?"

She tried to think of some kind of rebuttal, but Ziva found herself unable to do anything but give her a stupid look.

Kate's eyes drifted toward the scrap paper next to Ziva, her voice grew soft and confused. "What is…Officer David, you've been recording and…counting? Our conversations."

Ziva grabbed the paper, shoved it in a desk drawer, and decided that the best option was to give Kate a nasty glare. "I would have written it in Hebrew, but there would be a different number of words."

"What the hell? Did you want me to see this just to irritate me?"

Of all the ideas Ziva had come up with to push Kate away, that wasn't one of them. "Yes."

Infuriated, Kate hit the Israeli's desk with her hand and looked away from her.

"This is my desk, control your anger."

Kate laughed cynically. "Oh, of course you're one to talk Officer…," her voice trailed off as she glanced at a notepad on the desk, then looked up at Ziva again, giving her a stare so frightening that she almost broke the act she was trying to pull off. "Did you do this to piss me off, too?" She grabbed the notepad and shoved it in the Mossad Officer's face. The sketch of Kate sitting at her desk couldn't catch how cute she looked—Ziva had drawn the picture without even realizing it. She was losing her mind.

"I did not do that."

"The pencil is still in your hand, Officer David. I swear to god, if we weren't coworkers—and I use that term lightly—I would slap you."

A suggestive smile spread across Ziva's face as she stood up, her lips inches away from Kate's ear, her voice lowered to a whisper. "I do not know, I think I might enjoy that."

Kate spoke through clenched teeth. "I can't believe you. I really can't."

The Israeli sat down and chuckled, twirling the pencil between her fingers.

"So do you two have confrontations at this desk for fun now? This is like, the fifth time." As usual, Tony felt the need to make his entrance known as soon as possible.

"It is the sixth time. Kate has started them all."

"No, Officer David, you've started them all."

Ziva took the opportunity to smirk at the other woman.

"It's good to know that you two keep track."

The glare Kate gave Tony was enough to make him shut up and walk back over to his desk. She turned toward the Israeli, weariness lining her voice. "I don't want to hear anything from, or talk to you for the rest of the day."

"I am okay with that."

The two locked eyes for a brief moment, and Kate turned away.

אאאאאאאאאא

Even though the work day ended three hours before, Ziva stayed at NCIS to catch up on paperwork. The unfortunate (and fortunate) part was that Kate had the same idea.

Kate also had the idea to leave at exactly the same time as Ziva.

The Mossad Officer walked into the elevator and sighed, she was tired, she wanted to get back to her apartment; she couldn't get out of the building fast enough. It surprised her when Kate stopped the doors from closing. "I did not think you wanted to talk to me." The other woman said nothing and entered the elevator. Ziva shifted and took a deep breath. "I was correct then."

Kate's hand slammed against the stop button and she turned toward Ziva, eyes blazing with an intensity that the other woman hadn't seen—or expected to see—from her.

"So, you are angry with me."

"How oblivious can you possibly get?" Kate's voice lowered to a whisper. "I want a yes or no answer, Ziva." The steel handrail pressed against her back and Ziva wondered when she let the other woman pin her into a corner.

A chill ran down her spine, the rhythm of Kate's breath on her neck sent her into a trance. She was losing control. No, she had already lost control. She lost it three weeks before, when she met Kate. "I…I do not understand."

"I know you understand."

Ziva tried to lift her head and regain what little composure she could possibly have at that moment. It was difficult when the only thing she could think about was the look on Kate's face as she demanded an answer from her. She had no idea what Kate was asking her—that was a lie, she knew what the other woman wanted. And it scared her. Ziva David wasn't supposed to be afraid, but she was and that scared her too—but the most terrifying thing was the possibility that she would say yes, and mess everything up entirely.

Summoning every amount of emotional strength within her—there wasn't much of it at all anymore—she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "No." Ziva looked down. "That is my answer."

"No. Really. You're telling me no, but you're stroking my arm."

She lowered her hand instantly. Missing that major detail finally convinced her that she was crazy. Like the whole incident with the notepad that morning—was it that morning or the day before? Maybe it happened tomorrow. That last part made no sense. It was impossible to think straight—she hadn't even noticed that she was doing it. "I…you had lint and…"

"I don't get you, Ziva."

Ziva's eyes met Kate's.

Kate's lips pressed against hers.

Whatever was left of Ziva's world fell apart in a flurry of passion.

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Lips locked and an arm wrapped around the other woman's waist, Kate fumbled for the key in her pocket, jammed it into the lock, and they stumbled into her apartment. She dragged the Israeli by her wrist into the bedroom and pushed her onto the bed. Everything around the woman lying below her seemed to blur. Her thoughts shifted back and forward between Ziva—parted lips, dark eyes, hand gripping Kate's wrist—and what was going to happen after that moment. Kate still didn't want to feel whatever it was she was feeling about Ziva, but she did and she couldn't stop. "We can't let anyone know about this."

Ziva nodded and tried to force a nervous smile.

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Kate tried to comfort herself by mentally repeating that her feelings for Officer David were only lust, that there wasn't anything more than some foolish physical attraction to the gorgeous woman whose arms were wrapped around her body.

But it was so easy to want to stay like that forever.

Ziva mumbled against her lips. The words sounded like something she didn't want to hear, or deal with, or think about. So she said nothing. But the Israeli pulled away from Kate and gave her a look that told her she expected an answer.

"I don't know." Kate reached for Ziva's hand, but the other woman pulled it away and left the bed.

After Ziva finished getting dressed, she turned to look at Kate. The hurt in her eyes made her cringe.

"Ziva."

She said nothing, but didn't leave. Kate couldn't tell if that was a good sign or not, she continued anyway. "Stay."

Ziva sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from her, voice unreadable. "Okay.

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Author's Note: Happy New Year! I celebrated it by doing nothing different than what I normally do. I hope you all had a good one, too.

Finally something happens between Kate and Ziva. This chapter took a little longer than I had expected. Writer's block is an awful thing, isn't it?

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, I enjoy reading them and they make my day.