October 13, 2013

Tony picks up the phone without looking at the caller-ID that tells him who is calling. He doesn't even care who is calling, he is too lost in Ziva's eyes and her heart. "DiNozzo," he says into the phone.

"I had a question about the information you gave us," McGee's voice says through the phone. "I mean, it all appears to be correct, but how did you come by it. It might be important to know and then maybe we can figure a way to find this guy and catch him."

"Yea, McGee," he says quietly, not answering the question.

"Where did you get the information?" McGee repeats.

"Oh, um, talk to Gibbs," Tony says to him, trying hard to focus on the conversation that needed having. "Yea, just talk to Gibbs. He can tell you whatever he needs to tell you."

"Tony? Is everything alright? You sound, distracted?" McGee asks suspiciously and Ziva nearly laughs, since she can hear his tone through the phone since her and Tony are very close at the moment and it is skin on skin and that distracts them more than anything.

"Yea, fine, McGee," Tony mutters. "Got to go."

Ziva has begun tracing patters on his chest and kissing his neck, finding the distracted Tony very entertaining. He is certainly distracted from McGee and everything else in the world. He wants her and she knows it.

"Wait," McGee says. "How am I supposed to trust that Gibbs will give me the information?"

Tony nearly moans as Ziva's hands trace lower on his stomach. "McGee!" he grumbles. "Can't talk… not now," he ads as Ziva stops, realizing that she will give away that he's not alone if she continues with what she is doing. She is laughing silently and Tony's face of frustration at the other end of the phone and at Ziva stopping is something that nearly ruins her silence.

"Fine. But I'm calling if Gibbs can't give me answers," McGee says to him. "I'm tired of knowing nothing at all."

Ziva lets out a small giggle but suppresses it in Tony's chest, hoping to hide the sound from McGee who is probably curious on the other end of the phone, since this is so far from the normal Tony talking on the phone.

"Tony? You're not alone are you? I thought you were supposed to stay at your place. Doesn't that require you not going out to bring a girl back? And who would you bring back anyway? You've never brought anyone back there, and you found that especially repulsive after Ziva was there," McGee asks him.

"Nobody is here," Tony says quietly. "Got to go."

Tony hangs up the phone and picks Ziva's head up off his chest. She is now laughing full out and he can see that she is feeling rather playful. He flips her over and pins her to the bed, which stops her laughing immediately, since one of his hands is now just inches away from her chest. She takes a deep breath and the mood is changed.

It is nearly dinner time and Ziva has just finished with the lasagna when she finally hears the door open to the apartment and knows that Gibbs has finally arrived. She brings the food into Tony's dining room and sets it on the table and goes to the living room to greet Gibbs. She smiles at him and he kisses her cheek gently.

"I see there's no death yet," he says, wearing a proud expression. "That's good. I'm beginning to trust you two."

They exchange a glance, knowing that they have a huge bombshell to drop when this whole thing is over. They agreed not to openly bring it up before the case was solved, so their boss didn't get further distracted by them and their sudden changes than he already was. Ziva guides Gibbs into the dining room without a word, using her left hand on his back to steer him, hoping that he won't have to see it tonight.

They eat in silence. "That was great, Ziva," Gibbs says with a smile.

"Tasted just like my mother's," Tony ads with a grin. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"You're much welcome, both of you," she says with a shy smile.

"I'll clear the dishes," Tony offers, leaving Ziva alone with Gibbs for a moment.

Ziva folds her hands on her lap, under the table, still being cautious of the left hand, especially since it feels a little heavier with someone's prying eyes to look at the sparkling piece of jewelry that was added since last night's dinner that they shared together.

"So, I think we'll find him soon," Gibbs says to Ziva. "Or I hope we do. We've got FBI, CIA, and NCIS on this case. We're looking everywhere. When we bring him in do you want to interrogate?"

"No," Ziva says. "But, I do want to face the man who is trying to kill me, Gibbs. I want to look him in the eyes once."

"Okay," Gibbs said. "I would've thought you would want to be the one to put him away for threatening your family."

"You've got it under control. I don't need revenge. None of you are hurt or killed," Ziva says. "And, I trust you to do you're job, Gibbs."

"Thanks," Gibbs says, sounding a little surprised at the openness coming from his make-shift daughter. "Means a lot."

"You're welcome, Gibbs," she says quietly as Tony comes back into the room.

"Thanks for coming again, Gibbs," Tony says. "It's always good to see you. I'm getting kind of used to this social setting in my apartment."

"And it's always good to have a loving father around," Ziva ads, looking straight at Gibbs and taking Tony's hand and standing up to meet him. That's when Gibbs' eyes go wide and Ziva realizes what he's seen. He grabs her left hand and stares at the sparkly diamond for a moment and then stares at the two agents standing in front of him and sighs.

He shakes his head a moment and looks back down at the ring. This time a smile breaks his stern look and his eyes light up when he looks at the two sharing a worried look toward each other. Their eyes meet his and see he is smiling and he nods once toward them.

"You're late, DiNozzo," Gibbs says quietly. "Shoulda happened years ago."

"Sorry, boss," Tony says quietly. "I'm a little slow."

Ziva chuckles at his response, the worry and anxiety leaving her completely as she nearly gets another blessing from Gibbs. But when she looks at him, he is looking between the two very seriously again.

"Like I said, you two take care of each other, through thick and thin, for better or worse as the saying goes," Gibbs says to them. "I realize you're not like me and Jenny. You can work together and maintain this. I firmly believe it and if you prove me wrong, you're getting smacked, harder than normal. I'm happy for you and you have my blessing, as a father."

He is looking at Ziva and glancing at Tony, knowing that Ziva will have some emotional reaction to this. And he is right. There are tears visible in her eyes, but they are not falling. Her face is also red and the eyes are already starting to get a little puffy. She smiles at Gibbs and then to Tony and plants another kiss on his cheek.

"Goodnight, kids," Gibbs says quietly to them.

"Goodnight, Gibbs," they both say at the same time and watch him leave the dining room and hear him leave the apartment behind him, with a quiet click of the door handle as it latches in place.