Yes, it's been four months since I've updated this. It's litterally taken me that much time to write this though, so that's my excuse. Deal with it :-P
Send me Picture Postcards from LA
They arrived at his apartment only a few hours later, after stopping for coffee for Tony and tea for Ziva on the way back. She was still feeling rather dizzy and they had come to the conclusion that coffee and pain meds in combination with her concussion probably wouldn't have been a good idea.
Tony was preparing tomato soup from the ingredients he still had in his in the kitchen and a recipe he found on the internet for them, while Ziva sat on the sofa sipping her tea. The TV was on but she wasn't really watching. She was staring at the wall above the TV where Tony had put a couple of snapshots of himself with one of the team members, work associates and what she assumed were friends of his.
She let her eyes wander over the row of pictures, surprised to see everyone she expected plus some she didn't know – but not herself. She knew there were plenty of photos of the two of them goofing around, Tony annoying her and her getting revenge. Mostly they were crime scene shots by McGee but also others taken by Jimmy Palmer and other coworkers.
Her train of thought was interrupted when Tony stepped through the kitchen door. "Do you want me to peel the tomatoes? The recipe says I should but I…" He fell silent at seeing her stare.
Wiping his hands on a towel that was hanging over his shoulder he cocked his head.
Ziva turned her head as if startled by him. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"
"Uhm, yeah. What's going on?" He asked.
She shot him a questioning look.
"I mean, you're awfully quiet out here, do you need anything?" He tried again and she stood, reaching for the remote on the coffee table and turning off the TV.
"I'm fine. Are you almost done with the soup?" She asked, still standing there and staring in his general direction.
"Sure, I just need to know if you want me to peel the tomatoes? Seems kind of pointless to me." He explained, a bit puzzled.
She walked over to him. "You need to peel them so don't get stuck in your throat. Here, let me help you."
Before he could say anything she'd already gotten a knife from his knife block, not even needing to search for it. They worked alongside each other in sync but Tony could feel that there was something wrong.
Dinner was over sometime later and they had both vacated the kitchen in favor of sitting on the sofa to just relax for a bit. Ziva, sitting with her legs crossed, was holding a mug and breathing in the hot, moist air coming from the surface of the tea. Her eyes were closed when she asked why there was no photo of them on his wall.
The sudden question startled Tony. His eyes wandered from Ziva's face to the wall opposite them. He'd never been big on interior decoration but there had to be some photos around him to remind him of the good times. Most of the pictures in his living-room were of friends and co-workers. In fact, all of his co-workers, past and present were right there to stare back at him. He even had one of Michelle Lee somewhere in a frame with several other photos in it.
He felt a pang in his chest at the thought of Ziva thinking of herself as just a friend. Not anymore, he thought.
"Well, the family photos are in my bedroom." He said, as nonchalant as he could.
She looked at him then, and met his eyes. "There are no photos in your bedroom." She said, confused.
Tony got up and held out his hand to her. She took a moment to consider his offer and then set the mug down on the table to take his hand and stand as well. Progress, Tony thought.
He led her to his bed and made her sit down and wait for him as he disappeared halfway into his closet to retrieve a box that must have held shoes a few years earlier.
He gently set the box down next to Ziva, who had drawn her legs underneath her to sit Indian style.
"There you go." Tony smiled encouragingly.
"Why do you hide them away?" Ziva asked as her brows furrowed.
He thought for a moment. "Well, I guess I think of it as protecting the ones I love. You know being a cop comes with its dangers. I never want for someone close to me to get hurt."
Ziva almost gasped at what she heard but managed to cover it up. She nodded, understanding his reasoning.
"Okay."
Ziva removed the lid of the old cardboard box and choked up a laugh at seeing a ball of hair ties on the very top of three stacks of photos. "Tony, what… ?" She exclaimed as picked up the ball, using only her pointer finger, to show him.
Clearly embarrassed, Tony ducked his head slightly and chuckled. "Well, you always forget your hair ties when you leave the gym.
Ziva laughed again and flung the ball playfully in his general direction. "You," she said playfully "are disgusting!"
Next, she picked up one of the pictures lying at the top of the stack. It was another one of the photos Tony had of his mother.
She stroked the outline of the older woman's face. "I would have loved to meet her," she said and reached out, turning the photo around to show him.
He swallowed and then said, "she would have really liked you."
Ziva gave him a brilliant smile and the lump that had been forming in his throat as the minutes since their reunion dissolved at once. Maybe there was a storm coming but for now his world was all smiles.
Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts :-)