Note: Hi, how are you? Yes, I know that my last chapter really affected your emotional state, but you really needed to keep in mind that there are still fifteen? Chapters left and this is a Tiva fic...so many possibilities. And all will be nice, I promise...okay, they will all be nice for Tiva. [coughsatthehintoffuturechapters].
Don'tBeTooMad.
. K is for Kickoff .
His adrenaline is pumped, the crowds are in the stands cheering him on. He isn't one to ensue chaos, but the time has now called for that deliberate task. He is one to bare the weight of the world and hold onto it tightly, he doesn't fancy himself a hero only a man who wants to do good, be good. The people around him see him as a childish playboy who is at the age of forty two and shows no signs of settling down. The people closets to him; a geek, the goth, a sniper, the story teller, an autopsy gremlin, and the ninja all know those acts are a work of fiction. In fact he plays such roles so magnificently that sometimes it is only the ninja who sees his façade, she tries to help and sometimes he pushes her much like she pushes him. Sometimes they both push and other times they both pull. The time to pull, to take hold of one another has come. The kickoff game has started and while he has never deemed himself a football player, he is about to make the final touchdown and whatever the outcome he will get a victory.
...
It took six months before Tony finally tracked down the serial killer, six months of devoting every other thought that wasn't about Ziva or his team to tracking down a man who was killing naval crew members just because he solely believed that those men were not doing their job. In the long run the man confessed, said he was nothing but proud of what he had done and if he ever got out of jail he would do again, what a psycho.
It took two days before the whole mess was cleaned up. The killer was escorted to jail where he would no doubt get the death sentence for his trial and the team's reports had been written. Agents Cook and Finny gained their next assignment, they were headed to Africa to track down a man who was believed to be selling blueprints of navy ships. It wasn't until at the bar on their final day together while out celebrating that he noticed the matching golden bands on their ring fingers which came at a shock to him for he had only believed them to be a Ziva and himself in the making. They proved that relationships like his and Ziva's could work and he prayed silently that Cook and Finny's could last a long time just like he had every intention of himself and Ziva's.
Tony decided not to call and tell her the news until the third day. He still didn't have word from Vance on his next assignment, but he had already started packing preparing for the long journey home and praying that it would be a journey home. He really, really wanted to go home. It wasn't just to see Ziva, even if that was the most of it, but he wanted to see his team who had only communicated through phone calls and the rare skype call Abby had given every other week. He missed his family and only seeing them would stop the aching in his chest.
She joined his call within five minutes of him texting her if she were free and he didn't think she looked more beautiful than in her polka dot pajamas, coffee curls hanging loosely, and the widest smile he had ever seen.
"I was wondering when you would call me." Ziva's smile grew wider, if at all possible. "Gibbs found out from Vance that your assignment is over." Did he imagine the little jump out of her seat? "Have you heard anything new?"
"Nope, but I take it I get some Christmas time with you before my verdict is established." Tony couldn't stop the grin as he watched her anxiously wiggle in her seat. "Gibbs found out from Vance?" His brows arched as he scratched his chin through the three day shadow. "Or did Gibbs overhear?"
She chuckled, reaching for something out of his view which just so happened to give him a nice look at her cleavage and to pull back several seconds later with a glass of wine. "I do not know which, but I can assure you he has been keeping more tabs than McGee or Abby." She flashed him a quick grin before taking a sip.
"Well isn't that sweet, are they really that worried about me?" He frowned as he watched her tongue graze along her lips, lips he desired to capture with his own.
"Are you kidding? You are all they have talked about for months, I think the new kid..." Her finger reached out to tap her chin, eyes narrowed as she tried to think of his name. "Arnold? Aaron? Aurthur? I forget his name," She frowned before shaking her head, leaning forward once more to set back her glass. "He drives everyone mad, Abby has threatened to kill him at least once everyday...I have gotten up to fifty and I might have stabbed his hand today."
"Is that why you are drinking?" He chuckled, but his eyes filled with concern. Perhaps he would ask Tim to check up on her later, just in case.
"No, the kid deserved what he got and Gibbs played it off with Vance but he did take my knife..." Her bottom lip tucked out as she gave a slight whimper. "I am actually drinking because..." Her eyes suddenly widened as if she had been about to spill some big secret. He watched confused as she struggled to think of something only to clear her throat. "How was your day?"
"I've been packing, so pretty bad. Don't outrun the question." Tony pointed his finger accusingly at the screen as he watched her jaw tightened.
"I am not outjogging the question." She rolled her eyes as if he had been the one to mess up the saying. "I just cannot tell you." The Israeli-American shrugged as she ran a hand through her coffee locks. "You have to wait." Ziva sighed, chewing on her bottom lip as she gave him a sympathetic shrug.
Tony tapped the kitchen counter, where he had been standing when they had started the call, he didn't know what to say or do. His partner, well former but would always be, was drinking and couldn't tell him the reason? Well, she wasn't pregnant by some loser because she was drinking; the not pregnant part was a plus and a plus - no loser or baby that wasn't by himself - and it was a reason that was immediately crossed off. She seemed somewhat excited by the news, but also kind of sad...did such a thing exist? "You really can't tell me." He frowned, searching her chocolate eyes for even the slightest hint only to be hit with another ache as she shook her head.
"Sorry, Tony..." She trailed off as if she had wanted to throw more at the end, but thought better. "But do not be mad, you will hear soon enough. I promise." Tony's mouth twitched at the comment. Was someone else getting married or having a baby? Him and Ziva had already shared a few brief exchanges over the pass few months of wanting a family and had hinted strongly at the family being with each other even if the exchanges hadn't been the "I love you, we should do this" talk, they both had hinted that such a talk needed to be delivered in person. So what was it? What was eating her? His eyes suddenly grew wide as he clamped his hand over his mouth. "McAbby is having a McPeanut?"
"What?" Ziva's gaze snapped to his, her brow furrowing; well that ruled out that. "McGee and Abby are not at all thinking of those things, especially with each other." She chuckled, pushing back a loose curl. "No, one is having a baby," Her eyes did a quick once over of Tony as a mischievous smile played across her features. "Yet."
"Are you seriously trying to avoid this by getting me excited for our future kids?" He chuckled, shaking his head. She really knew how to get him off topic.
"No, no, of course not." Chocolate browns did another quick swipe of his visible frame followed closely by a lick of her lips. "Do you want a boy or girl?"
"It's a little too soon for kids, sweet cheeks, I haven't even kissed you yet." He pointed out, before reaching up to grab a glass from the cabinet and heading towards the sink to pour himself a glass. "So why can't you tell me?" Tony pondered as he returned back to his spot, brow arching with a quick sip of his glass. "And don't avoid the conversation."
Ziva sighed in frustration, eyes drawing closed as she contemplated her options. She could tell or deny. Telling him was not at all a possibility, not when it wasn't her information to tell and denying it would only piss him off so she decided to go with the third option; tell him she can't possibly share and that he will just have to accept that. "You will know soon, Tony, I promise but it is not my news to tell."
"Is it at least good news?" He grinned, but it didn't quite meet his eyes.
"For you...perhaps." Her tongue fell across her bottom lip again before she stood up and captured the laptop in hand, he could now tell that she had been in her living room. "Now, what should I wear when I pick you up from the airport?"
"Who said I was coming home?" He chuckled when she gave him a knowing look. "You want to pick me up from the airport?"
"Of course, Tony." The laptop was sat down on her neatly made bed as she walked to her closet to shuffle through it. "You can decide whatever you like, I will wear it just for you."
"Really?" Tony's voice cracked slightly at her words, this comfort with Ziva - this flirty banter that had more meaning was still somewhat new. Sure they had grown closer over the pass two years, building up their trust and honesty, but they hadn't thought to bring in the heavy flirting until the month right before Vance ordered him to Australia. "I always find you the most attractive when you are yourself." He smiled genuinely as he caught her gaze.
"Well, it will be a surprise then." She chuckled, spinning the laptop to climb up into the bed. "So...can you tell me about how you took down your serial killer?"
He gave her his best grin as he allowed the earlier conversation to slip away. The young man gave full depth of catching the killer, his eyes glinting with nothing but pure love as Ziva laughed at all of the right parts. His favorite part of the story was telling it to her, watching the facial expressions she made until her eyes began to droop from exhaustion. "And that my lady is how I caught him, would have probably been tracked down sooner if Vance had sent you along with me."
"You could have thrown me into your suitcase." She grinned, lowering her head against the pillows with a yawn. "I am proud of the man you have become, Tony and I am even more proud of the man you will become." He was quick to catch the glint in her eye, the one that foretold of their future together and he didn't have any other option but to smile genuinely at her and her confidence in him.
"When I get back to DC..." He trailed off, folding his arms against the coffee table; he had changed rooms an hour ago. "I want to do this, Ziva...I want to do us whether the rest of the world likes it or not. We have run from our feelings for far too long."
"I know, Tony and we will...you just have to man down and kiss me." She grinned shyly only for it to be interrupted by another yawn.
"Up." He corrected automatically. "You should get some sleep, sweet cheeks. Give me a call when you wake up?"
"Of course." She smiled, leaning forward so that she could shut off the computer once they had said their goodbyes. "Good morning."
"Goodnight."
Ziva looked as if she were about to add something more only for her head to give a slight shake. Another smile came his way just as the screen changed black.
"I love you." He ran his fingers through his hair, wondering if there would ever be a time in his life where he could exchange those words over and over again with her. Tony thought of his dream and warm kisses on the beach, maybe someday they would be able to do that but it certainly wouldn't be anytime soon with so many miles in between them.
Chewing the inside of his cheek, Tony closed the screen of his laptop before heading towards the bedroom to continue his packing. It was true that in the amount of six months he had failed to buy anything other than a couple of shirts and a few souvenirs that Finny forced him to buy. Nothing special existed in the small place besides two photographs; one of the team and of course Paris.
His thumb briefly ran over the images before he tossed them back onto the bed and reached for his phone, he needed to speak to someone else that was many miles away. He was sure he would get his butt kicked for this later, but to him interrupting the director's sleep would be a price to pay to be back home with his loved ones.
"I want back on Team Gibbs. I'm flying into Washington as soon as I can get a flight." Tony stated as soon as the phone stopped ringing.
"I thought you'd already be here DiNozzo." The director yawned. "You better hurry up, I haven't gone a day without someone begging for me to drag you back." The man scoffed before there was a click that could only be assumed the end of a phone call.
Tony scratched his chin. Had it really only taken a phone call for him to get his assignment which really wasn't an assignment at all? Was he really about to go home? He almost raced to call Ziva to inform her, but quickly reminded himself that even ninjas need their sleep..He could just call her when it was morning back in Washington to surprise her with him being only a couple of hours away. Tony wasn't usually one to use his badge to gain a quick flight out of somewhere, but desperate times called for desperate needs and he was pretty sure that kickoff season had just begun. DiNozzo, one. The World, zero.
So the next chapter will have them being reunited, yay! What is it that you think Ziva is keeping a secret about? What do you think she was going to add before deciding against it? I would really like to know your opinions on that, assuming you aren't all pissed at me...I deserve to be pissed at, I admit but the next chapter will make you very satisfied. Oh and what do you think the next word will be?
