A/N: I must say, you all are awesome! This story has reached over 50 reviews. That is wonderful. I'm so thrilled that you all are enjoying it. Thank you so very much! Now, this chapter is more of a filler, cause I've been suffering writers block (writers block sucks!) Also, I'm not sure if any of the medical stuff is accurate, so if it's not I apologize for that.

Disclaimer: Still applies

Chapter 11 – Some Things Are Meant To Be

Tony was out of the hospital within a couple of days. He would have to use crutches to help him walk. He couldn't stand them and told Ziva that he would much rather stay in one spot and not move at all than have to use the things. He was not allowed to go back to work for several weeks, and when he did he would be on desk duty, another thing that Tony wasn't exactly pleased with. For the meantime, Ziva had told him that he would be staying at her apartment, and that would be the end of that.

"Make yourself at home, Tony." Ziva opened the door and set down Tony's suitcase filled with everything he would need for the next few weeks.

"Ziva, you know you really don't have to do this. I'm sure I'd be fine at my apartment."

"Nonsense Tony, I want you to stay here."

He hopped over to her. "Really?"

She gave him a smile that could almost be classified as shy. "Yes." She nodded. "Now where would you like to sleep?" Tony looked like he was about to say something and then stopped himself. "What is it?"

"Well, I was thinking that since we're…together…I mean you do wanna be…"

"With you. Yes, Tony, I do."

"Good, cause I wanna be with you too."

"You wish for us to sleep together, yes?"

He chuckled and his grin became cocky. "Oh absolutely, though I think we should probably wait till I've healed a bit more first."

Ziva rolled her eyes. "I meant we can sleep in the same bed."

"I knew that." She laughed and brought his suitcase into the bedroom setting it down on the bed. "Ah, I could use a nap." Tony sighed.

"Not right now, we need to get ready."

"Get ready for what?"

"I invited a couple people over for dinner." She walked over to the closet and started sifting through the average amount of clothes. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Tony freeze his current movement of yawning. His expression made her almost want to laugh, but she settled for an amused smirk.

"What people?" He asked coming up to stand behind her.

"Friends."

"Whose friends."

She huffed and turned to face him. "Yours and mine."

"Our."

She looked confused for a moment. "Yes, we have about an hour."

"No. Our, as in our friends."

"Yes, our friends."

"I like the sound of that." He noticed her difficulty deciding on an outfit so he stepped in. "Here, wear this one." He dug his hand all the way in the very back and pulled out a sleek brown dress that was simple yet appropriate for the evening. It went down to just below the knees and had thick straps.

"How could you even see that all the way back there?"

He shrugged. "Maybe my eyes specialize in choosing beautiful things." He was staring right at her when he said it. How does he do that; be so romantic? She wondered. "Like my new Armani suit I just bought." Annnd…that's more like it.

"Just go take your shower…and make sure not to get your bandages wet", she called as he shut the bathroom door.

"Ow,ow,ow."

Ziva quickly dropped her dress that she was just about to put on, and knocked on the bathroom door. "Tony, are you alright?" When she didn't receive an answer she opened the door. Tony had his back facing her as he struggled to remove his pants. "Here, let me help you with that." Her voice made him jump causing a searing pain to abrupt in his leg. Tony had to grind his teeth to keep from shrieking. Turning around to face her he feared he may have an even bigger problem in his pants, I mean, on his hands. She looks good in white lace. "What? Why are you giving me that look?"

He managed to regain his brain cells long enough to ask, "What, what look?"

"That look like you want to eat me."

Ok, that was totally the wrong thing to say right now, he thought. "Ziva, would you just help me? And maybe…cover up a little bit?" He pointed down and she followed his gaze to her scantily clad body.

Instead of shrieking like some women would, she simply shrugged. "What's the matter Tony? Am I making you uncomfortable?"

He dry swallowed when she refused to cover herself up. Ziva gave an appreciative glance at his bare chest. This man is like an animal. And I'm all for being his prey. "Uh…on second thought, I think I can get my pants." Ziva stepped directly into his territory, a hungry glint in her eyes. It now looked like perhaps she was the one who wanted to sink her teeth into him. His eyes widened as her hand moved lower and lower making a slow track to the front of his pants. "Danger, Will Robinson. Danger!" He heard himself say, though he doubted Ziva did.

Pop went the button, and down went the zipper. "Uh oh." He gave a nervous chuckle. Her hands then by passed the forbidden zone completely and traveled up his chest instead. Her fingers plowed through his chest hair and ended up circling around his neck. She bit his bottom lip, but quickly hushed his whimper with her tongue as it slide into his mouth. It felt like she had three tongues all of them programmed to produce abundant amounts of pleasure.

Then suddenly, there was no tongue, no teeth, no lips, and no pleasure, only its aftermath.

"You might want to make that shower extra cold. Looks like you're going to need it." She slapped his cheek and turned around, giving him a scrumptious look at her panties on the way out.

"You will so pay for that, David." He shook his head at the muffled sound of her laughter that followed.

"When are they gonna be here?" Tony asked as he more like attempted to pace around the living room on his crutches.

"Tony will you stop dancing around like you've got spiders in your pants."

"It's ants, but I'm sure spiders would be just as uncomfortable." He walked over to where she stood at the stove. "You were being cruel back there in the bathroom. Way to kick a man when he's down, Zee-vah."

She gave a small snort. "Really, Tony, in your case I thought it was up." She smirked. "However, eventually I will make it up to you."

He didn't voice it, but he hoped that 'eventually' would come soon, as well as the other 'eventually' that she had claimed she couldn't tell him yet in the hospital. To Tony an 'I love you' is a big thing, for the somewhat traditional kind of man that he was. Though he knew his life was anything but traditional, and Ziva's appeared to be very much the same. And he wouldn't push her. She would say it when she felt it was the right time.

She had just taken the pan of lasagna out of the oven when there was a knock at the door. As soon as she opened it, she felt like she couldn't breathe. "Abby, uh, you're squishing me." Her cheek was pressed into the excited woman's shoulder causing her to sound almost baby like.

"Oop, sorry Ziva."

"Abby?" Tony asked as he came over to the door.

"Tony!" Abby surprised everyone, including herself, when she minded Tony's injuries and gave him an air hug instead.

"Tim, how great of you to come." Ziva smiled.

"Thanks for inviting me Ziva."

"McGee, what in the name of Probieland are you doing here?"

"Ziva invited me", McGee said smugly, coming over to stand next to Tony.

"Yeah, I got that but…" He stopped when he heard Ziva introduce the next guest. How many people did she invite?

"It is wonderful to meet you, Ducky. And you must be Jimmy." Tony gave McGee a questioning look at which he just shrugged back.

"Anthony how are you? I have not seen you since you were admitted to the hospital. You know, I remember back when I just a young lad like yourself, and my Father…"

Tony put his hand up to cover his mouth and made a 'ding' sound. "Man, is it time for that bread to come out of the oven already? Excuse me Ducky while I go check on that." On his way to the kitchen he grabbed Ziva by the arm and dragged her with him.

"What Tony?"

"Ziva, why exactly are all my friends from work here?"

"It was Abby's idea. She wanted to do something for you to celebrate your coming home from the hospital", she said in a hushed voice.

"Okay, well at least Boss isn't here….he's behind me, isn't he." Ziva winced at the sound of the slap delivered to his head. He turned around to face Gibbs, putting on an overly bright smile. "Boss, what a surprise. It's great to see you…"

"DiNozzo."

"Yes Boss?"

"Shut up."

"Gibbs." Ziva gave him a nod. Tony whipped his head around to face her.

"Ziva." The older man returned her nod.

Tony's gaze flicked back and forth between the two of them. "You, you two know each other."

"Yes Tony. I met Gibbs when you were in the hospital." And she ended it there.

Tony could tell that the two had obviously bonded in some way while he was in the hospital, but he knew that it was merely on a friendship kind of level. In some ways he could see how his boss and Ziva were somewhat similar to one another. Two people running from the pains of their pasts, and though they would never admit it, they're too scared and afraid to face the possibility of that pain again.

The dinner conversation stayed light. As usual Gibbs hardly talked at all, but laughed on occasion at the absurd nature of his loved ones. The sound was like an open invitation that everyone responded to and soon everyone had loosened up a bit. It felt nice…like everything belonged, and for the first time Ziva realized that this is what a true family must look like. These people are a family. They all mean something to one another, and they have opened their hearts and have welcomed me in to become a part of that. Maybe it was meant to be that way all along. Ziva remembered what her Ima had told her once. "There are things in this world that are meant to be, and some things that are not, but…we must keep in our hearts and minds, that what is meant to be…will come to us eventually."

Ziva looked at the man sitting next to her, a wide smile on his face as he listened to the stories that were being told around the table. How is it that when he smiles she automatically feels the urge to do the same?

Tony felt his hand reach out for Ziva's under the table…at the same time she reached out for his. The two hands bumped each other at first, but then settled together. And at that moment, it felt as though all was wonderfully right, and nothing could ever be wrong.