note: *Kiera slaps her wrist* Bad updater, bad Kiera.
Okay so I intended to post this yesterday (Tuesday), so I'd only have a week in between, but I got my laptop taken off me during the week and at the weekend, and I'd had no time to write- a social life appeared. I know, the horror! But I'm here now, with a new chapter. Yay? And sorry if this is a little… rough, I wrote it all today. Mainly all of it in the last hour.
Also I know I'm a little- a little, that's funny- behind on replying to reviews, but considering how late it is now (ten to eleven, and I've got homework to do before tomorrow), I'll have to reply to those tomorrow. I'm so, so sorry.

disclaimer: You know you're obsessed with NCIS when you go to help out at a wedding and all you can think is "Tony. Ziva. Married. Now."

listening to: Meet you there, by Busted.


I dedicate this chapter to Katie and Tom, for letting me share in their amazing wedding day.


Day 6


"Hey." She hears him say. His voice is hushed as he crawls out of bed, and she hears the slight scuffling noises that indicate he's attempting to pull on some clothing whilst still holding the phone. She smiles into her pillow but continues lying beneath the sheets, rather comfortable.

"Yeah I know, it's been a while. Well she's sleeping right now— Wait, you forgot the time difference, didn't you?"
He chuckles and she presumes whoever's on the other side- it may be Abby, it may be McGee, or it may even be Gibbs, she can't tell- has admitted that yes, they had forgotten such a difference.
"Nah, we didn't really get jetlag. I mean we were tired and stuff the first day we got here, but she slept on the plane and I did for a bit, too, so we caught up okay. That, and we don't exactly have to get up early."

She suppresses a snort at that, because the room's so bright it's closer to midday than it is from it, and they definitely haven't been rising early these past few days.

"Anyway, I thought I told you not to call me on my honeymoon! I'm trying to spend time with my lovely new wife, if you don't mind."
At this, his voice has become louder and he's clearly stepped nearer her. Before her sleep-addled brain has worked out where her partner is, she feels a hand come to rest on her head, fingers lightly brushing hair from her eyes as if absent-mindedly.

"Uh, Tony? You didn't actually get married, y'know."
She hears a chirpy voice say, and she grins at the faint sound of Abby drifting to her ears.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But it's going good, we haven't even fought yet." He says this as if it is a major accomplishment, and when she thinks about it, it probably is. "So why're you calling?"

"Gibbs is wondering when his prime suspect is going to be arrested and flown back to us. He said he'd like it to happen sooner rather than later. Though in less words than that..."

"Alright, but we're still on our honeymoon, so don't call me again unless it's an emergency, okay?"

"Great. I'll tell Gibbs then, shall I?"
Abby's voice is sarcastic even through the tinny confines of the phone, and Ziva smirks at the sound.

"Okay then, I'll talk to you after we get back, okay? Love you."

Abby replies with something similar before a loud tone rings out, and Tony puts the phone down with an audible tap.
He climbs back beneath the sheets before reaching over and pulling her into his arms- an act that she has no problem with.

"Honey, I know you're awake."

She peels open one eye and smiles rather guiltily, because of course he'd realized that.
"Good morning. Who was that on the phone?"

She knows, of course, and he knows she knows, but he humors her with a completely made-up answer nonetheless.

"Oh, just our friendly Maid of Honor, who apparently couldn't leave us alone, even when we're on a secluded island, miles away from civilization." He tells her with a shrug and a brilliant grin, and she chuckles before burying her head into his shoulder and pretending that his arms around her don't feel completely perfect.

000000

She pretends she can't feel his eyes trail all over her body as she roots through a drawer for a sundress to wear. The sun is particularly unrelenting today- Tony himself is wearing board shorts rather than his attire of previous days, of thin cotton trousers-, and although she was once accustomed to such heat, she supposes DC has made her more used to feeling a chill in the air.
She feigns ignorance as she hears him stand up and walk toward her; makes out that she can't hear his quiet whistling get louder and louder as he steps nearer.

"I like this one." He says smugly, one arm going round her towel-clad waist and the other reaching over to pull a pale cream garment from the dresser. Her eyes narrow instantly at his choice- perhaps the shortest and thinnest of everything she has brought with her. A wave of heat engulfs her, though, and she takes the dress without a word, dropping her towel on the way to bathroom. She pretends she doesn't know his jaw has dropped completely.

000000

He raises his eyebrows suggestively as he pulls on his shades, but she has no time to respond before he grabs her hand in his and drags her to a sun lounger, hidden beneath a palm-tree canopy. A butterfly floats past and whatever remark she was about to make disappears from her mind as she takes in her surroundings.
They have not explored this bit of the island before, and she can't help but wonder why. The sand beneath her feet is golden white and warm, and many trees and plants spurt out the ground in a wonderfully messy way. A brightly-colored bird flies in front of her vision every now and then, flapping off to a large bunch of trees that vaguely resembles a forest. Pebbles line the beach like a pathway; smooth white stones planted in not-quite-straight lines, and she follows the direction they head until her eyes can no longer make out what is land and what is ocean.
"Pretty cool, huh? Sam suggested it."

She turns, vaguely startled, to her slouching partner, rolling her eyes as he rests one leg on top of the other and stretches with obvious satisfaction.

"You have been talking with Sam behind my back? I'm jealous." Her voice is teasing and she almost bites her lip as she talks, peering at him over the top of her sunglasses. He pats her hand, assuring her that no, he would never do such a thing, before standing and saying he'll be right back and jogging off round a corner.

She observes the surroundings once more- even trying, but failing, to get a butterfly to rest upon her hand-, then chews on her fingernail until her partner's return.

"Ta-da!" he says, clearly happy, and she looks up to see him standing in front of her, hat now slightly askew on his head, clutching two coconuts in his hand.

"Figured it wouldn't be exotic if we didn't have cocktails from these, right?"

She merely laughs and takes a 'glass' from him before taking a sip and murmuring appreciatively. The liquid may be nameless and unidentifiable, but it certainly tastes great.

000000

"Do you think she will call again?" she asks as she chews on her straw, not really paying much attention to her words.

"Who?"

"Our maid of honor." She knows her question is silly- after all, they are supposed to contact Gibbs somehow or other every few days, to brief him on the situation-, but the question has been lurking in the back of her mind ever since the morning.

"Maybe. Why?"

"I... I like being cut off from everyone else. I like it just being me, and you, here," her voice trails off before she realizes what she's said, and she hopes he hasn't noticed as she continues hastily, "We are on our honeymoon, after all."

He leans over and places a sweet-tasting kiss to her lips, before brushing his against her temple, then takes her hand and reclines in his chair, a small smile on his face.


Cookie? Or Coconut-Cocktail?