Ziva stretched and watched Tony sleep. It was past eight on Saturday morning and he showed no signs of waking. I believe I have exhausted him, she thought with a mischievous smile. She made a stealthy trip to start the coffeemaker without disturbing Tony. When she slipped back under the blankets, she moved to sit astride him.
"Oh, yea, baby. I love this dream," Tony groaned still half asleep.
Leaning down, Ziva whispered in his ear, "You are not dreaming, my love. Open your eyes."
"Hey," Tony said with a huge grin as he took in the view. "I like waking up to morning sex."
Tony tried to kiss Ziva put she resisted and sat up out of his reach.
"No kissing before you brush your teeth. You will just have to find other ways to occupy your mouth."
"I don't do sex without kissing. Get over it," he joked as if he were capable of resisting her.
"Liar," Ziva replied. "You do sex any way I will give it to you."
Catching her off guard, Tony flipped them over and passionately kissed her. Maybe his morning breath is tolerable after all was Ziva's last coherent thought for the next hour.
"Want to go downstairs? The breakfast buffet lasts until ten-thirty," Tony asked much later. Laughing when her stomach growled in response, he added, "I'll take that as a yes. Shower with me?"
******
Abby lugged the tub of mealworms off the elevator and smiled when she saw Lucy waiting for her.
"Let me help with that, dear," Lucy told her after unlocking Ziva's apartment door. "It's such a treat to get to see you again. I was so glad when Ziva told me you would be coming by. Poor thing, she's been so busy the past two weeks. I've barely had a chance to talk to her."
A few minutes later, Abby sat at Lucy's kitchen table enjoying homemade bread and vegetable stew.
"So tell me dear, have you heard any more from that young girl who stayed with Ziva? Hannah, I believe it was. I only met her briefly but she seemed like such a sweet girl. Ziva only had a moment to tell me she was a kidnap victim. I do hope she will be able to overcome all that happened to her," Lucy said with concern.
"Oh, wow, so Ziva didn't get to fill you in, huh?" Abby asked. When Lucy shook her head, Abby continued, "It was awesome. Well, not awesome what happened to Hannah but Ziva was awesome. She was so brave. She talked to Hannah about what happened in Somalia to help Hannah talk about getting kidnapped by this evil cult. You do know all about Somalia, right? I mean it sounded like Ziva told you a lot. Anyway, Ziva rocked. She totally got Hannah to open up. When Ziva talked to her, it was like in front of Gibbs and McGee and everything. So now they know what happened to Ziva but she seems really okay with it. Timmy was totally upset at first but I talked to him and then he talked to Ziva and they're good. Gibbs didn't say anything but you could tell he was all in his biblical justice mode. Like he was ready to dig Saleem up and kick his ass, oops, sorry, kick his butt, all over again. Then Gibbs like talked to Ziva too and she seemed really good after that. And I think Hannah's gonna be okay too, you know? I mean, not like now or anything, but eventually."
Lucy smiled when Abby finally took a breath.
"It's wonderful to see how far Ziva has come, isn't it, dear? She is well on the road to being fully healed. I hope that means she and Tony will have a wonderful time together this weekend," Lucy said.
"So, do you think they've done the deed yet?" Abby gossiped with smirk.
"I think that is none of our business, dear," Lucy tried to say with sternness but her sparkling eyes gave her away. "My Matthew took me to a resort like that once and it was quite romantic. Of course, just getting to be alone was romantic in those days. Having young children can put quite a damper on things if you aren't careful. We always found a way to have some time together, though. Matthew would often surprise me a special date for just the two of us."
"You actually make marriage sound fun, Lucy," Abby said with a sigh.
"Marriage can be quite wonderful. Not that it is always easy, mind you. Most of the good things in life take a little work I've found. I'm convinced it is worth it, though. I wouldn't change a thing about my life with Matthew. Now, my dear, Ziva never tells tales. Is there a special young man in your life?" Lucy wondered feigning ignorance.
"Nope. I'm blissfully single. Well, okay, it's not really bliss but it's better than being with the wrong person, right?" Abby asked.
Ziva might not be one to gossip but she had mentioned the special connection between Abby and Tim. Lucy was wise enough to read between the lines. All thought she pretended innocence what she said next was quite intentional.
"Well, dear, now don't you worry. I'm sure the right person will come along before you know it. You never know. Maybe he is already a part of your life. That is exactly what happened to my Jason. He and his wife Melissa were the best of friends all through college and it wasn't until after graduation that he realized he'd fallen in love with her along the way. Of course, by then she'd moved to Tennessee and started a new job there. He wore his old car out over the next year but he finally convinced her to marry him and move to Virginia."
"Oh, I almost forgot. I need to talk to you about Ziva's citizenship. There's a plan in the works," Abby said conspiratorially as she deliberately ignored Lucy's story about Jason.
******
Ziva and Tony left the restaurant Saturday morning with two hours to kill before their snow mobile tour began. Hand in hand they explored the shops scattered throughout the first floor of the resort. Ziva was particularly entranced with a store that sold finer kitchenware. She considered the prices outrageous, however.
"So, you never answered me about the dress. Did you bring one?" Tony asked as he steered her toward a clothing store.
"I brought my black dress," Ziva replied as she drifted away from him.
Tony watched to see what caught her eye and when she returned to the same red dress for a second time he encouraged her to try it on.
"We've got time. Just see how it looks. For the fun of it," he told her.
Ziva knew the moment she looked in the mirror that Tony was going to try to convince her to buy the dress. It was similar in style to her black dress but much more modest. The front had a v-neck with a twisted design at the waist. The sleeves were capped and the full skirt fell a couple of inches below her knees. The cost was reduced for their President's Day sale but it was still significantly more than she normally spent on clothing.
"You have to get it. You can wear it tonight," Tony said when she finally ventured from the fitting room.
"It is too expensive. And it is not practical like a black dress. I might never have another occasion to wear it," she argued.
"Sure you will. Wear it to your swearing in ceremony. You could even wear it to your interview. You'll look patriotic," Tony teased.
"That is ridiculous. I am dressing professionally for my interview…" Ziva began before she was interrupted by the salesperson.
"How are we doing over here? Oh, that dress looks perfect on you. Not everyone can pull off that shade of red but you wear it beautifully. What do you think?"
"She's getting it," Tony told the lady handing her his credit card.
"Tony…" Ziva whispered in exasperation.
"Think of it as part of your citizenship gift," he told her.
"That is not necessary. I do not expect a citizenship gift," Ziva said.
"Come on, becoming a citizen is like graduating or something like that. In America, we give gifts for graduation. Really nice gifts. Get with the program and learn the customs, Ziva. You're about to become a citizen for crying out loud," he said deliberately annoying her so she would be distracted from stopping the sales lady before the transaction was completed.
Ziva just rolled her eyes and returned to the fitting room. Giving up on changing his mind, she handed the dress out to Tony. When she came out, he was wearing a victorious smile and holding a plastic garment bag.
"We should run this up to the room before it's time for the snow mobile thing. You know, you better get used to the idea of gifts. I happen to know I'm not the only one who's planning on doing it," Tony hinted.
"What are you talking about Tony? It is Abby, yes? You will tell me," Ziva threatened.
"Good luck with that. They aren't stupid. They didn't tell me the details. They knew you'd be able to get it out of me now that now that there's sex involved. All I know is they're up to something and it might be kind of big," Tony admitted.
"Who is they?" Ziva demanded to know.
"Abby's the organizer but there's been a lot of whispering between her and McGee and even Gibbs. And every time I've caught her in autopsy with Ducky and Palmer, they go quiet. Seems like it might be everybody but Vance. Who knows? She might even be recruiting Lucy since you gave her the perfect opportunity with the food for Sammy thing. So are you dying of curiosity now?" Tony asked doing his best to irritate her.
"I can live with not knowing until Tuesday. McGee or Palmer will tell me then," Ziva said with a smug smile.
******
"Shiiittt!" Tony yelled as he jumped as far away from the snow mobile as he possibly could. "Ziva!"
He looked around quickly and was relieved to find her already standing again. Naturally, she had managed to clear the overturning snow mobile by several feet. He, on the other hand, came within inches of having the thing land on his ankle.
"What the hell…what were you thinking? The guide said to stay on the path," Tony yelled.
"This is not my fault, Tony. I followed the instructions. You are the one who does not know how to lean into an incline," Ziva replied haughtily.
"I leaned into the incline, Ziva. An incline, I might add, that we would not have been on in the first place if you had stayed on the path," Tony argued.
"You leaned toward the bottom of the incline, Tony. You are supposed to lean toward the top. It is basic physics. You weigh more and you leaned down. Your weight pulled us over," Ziva explained as if he were a small child.
"You folks okay?" the young guide asked. "No worries. We'll get it up righted in no time. Happens to someone about once a month around here. Just be glad it didn't land on you. We had a guy break his ankle that way last time. Guess that's why they make you sign the release form, huh? You might want to stay on the level part of the path from here on out at least until you get a little more experience handling the turns. Lean toward the up side of the incline next time. Let me get some of the other guys to help."
As soon as the guide was out of earshot, Tony and Ziva looked at each other and burst into laughter.
"Are you sure you are not injured?" Ziva asked.
"Nah. It was a close call but I managed to get out of the way. You know, I think I can stop worrying about the plague. I know how I'm going to die. It'll be from your driving. But hey, at least we'll go together, right?" Tony joked.
"Be careful, Tony, or you will be walking back to the hotel," Ziva told him in a steely voice.
"Oh, hey, come on. You're not seriously mad? I mean, you gotta admit it's funny as hell that you wrecked the snow mobile," Tony teased until he realized she wasn't smiling. "Ziva, come on, I'm just kidding. You're not really upset are you?"
Tony was worried for a few moments until she relented and broke into a grin.
"Trying to start a fight so we can have good make up sex, Princess?"
"I do not think we need an excuse to have good sex, Tony."
******
"So, I really wish we could afford one of the baby grands but I think we're just going to have to stick with an upright," Abby told the sympathetic owner at Bob's Used Pianos.
She had spent the last ten minutes explaining to him why they just had to buy a piano for their friend to celebrate her becoming an American citizen. Bob was clearly intrigued. It was debatable, however, whether it was the story of Ziva's citizenship journey or the adorable storyteller that had him so inclined to help.
"Well, I tell you what. We've got one baby grand that came in yesterday from an estate sale that I could make you a deal on. Normally, I wouldn't take a risk on one in this condition but the musical quality was so good I couldn't pass it up. I'll warn you, though, it looks bad. There's a lot of damage to the finish. I was planning to get a carpenter to work on it before I sell it but you're welcome to take a look," Bob told her.
"Jimmy, are you sure? It looks awful," Abby asked after her co-conspirator had finished assessing the piano in question.
"It's a great instrument, Abby. I know the outside surface looks bad but it's just superficial damage. It really is in excellent condition. If you're serious about going with a baby grand, this is the best we're going to get for our money," Jimmy explained.
"I think it's just the remnants of those Hello Kitty stickers that are throwing me off. I mean Ziva and Hello Kitty? It just doesn't work," Abby said before calling Gibbs to bring his truck.
When Gibbs arrived, he gave Abby a pointed look and nodded toward the sad looking instrument.
"You sure about this, Abs?" Gibbs asked.
"This was a very expensive piano at one time," Jimmy rushed to explain. "It's in excellent condition, really. It just looks bad but, uh, you know, looks aren't always everything. I mean, they're important, of course, but…"
"It'll be at your house for a few weeks," Abby pleaded. "Maybe you could…"
"No promises, Abs," Gibbs replied but after seeing her pout, he added, "I'll see what I can do."
******
Ziva stood at the sink in the ladies' restroom listening with disgust to a conversation taking place across two of the stalls behind her. She and Tony had just finished dinner and had stopped for a quick break on their way to the ballroom.
"So, seriously, if I don't get a ring from that son of bitch this weekend, I'm sleeping with Bryce. That'll make him jealous as hell. He needs to figure out what it's going to take to keep me, you know? I'm not waiting on his ass forever."
"You show him, girlfriend. It's been six months. He needs to get his ass in gear. And make sure it's a nice ring, too. No less than five thou, for sure. Your finger deserves the best."
The girls exited the stalls just as Ziva was leaving. It was all she could do to turn away without telling them off. Of all the manipulative …they have no idea what love is, she fumed inwardly.
"Wow, what's her problem?" one of the girls asked with a scowl.
"Jealous much, bitch?" the other directed at the door without realizing the danger of angering Ziva.
Fortunately, Ziva was well out of earshot and did not hear what the woman said.
"You okay?" Tony asked as Ziva came over to where he was waiting.
"Fine," she said giving him a smile and a kiss. "I love you."
"Uh huh, I love you, too. What's going on?" Tony asked not at all fooled by her claim to be fine.
"Obnoxious conversation in the bathroom. I have a new appreciation for honesty in a relationship," she explained.
"I don't want to know. Forget about it and let's go dance," Tony said with a grin.
******
Ziva and Tony were cuddled in front of a warm fire watching the Olympics Sunday evening. Tony had grown worried although he tried to hide it. Ziva seemed very preoccupied. She was making an effort to focus on him but something was obviously bothering her. He had no idea what the problem was since from his perspective their day had been amazing.
Tony had wanted Ziva to try new things and he had not been disappointed. Ice skating had been hilarious. He'd spent more time with his rear end on the ice than she had. She'd teased him mercilessly for it. It was her first time on skates and yet she somehow managed not to fall. Snow tubing had been less of a challenge and more of a return to childhood. Before they realized it, they'd literally spent two hours playing in the snow. They'd even gone to the game room for awhile and gotten into a serious Wii boxing match. They'd had quite a large audience before Ziva finally kicked his Mii butt.
After dinner, they had joined the bonfire and marshmallow roasting in the courtyard. There they'd encountered a stressed mother trying to manage three young boys while their father was stuck on a business call. Unable to stand by and do nothing, they'd foregone the romance to help. It had taken three tries but Tony had finally figured out how to heat a marshmallow with no "black stuff" on it. Finally tired from all the fun, Tony had suggested they relax in front of the fire.
While Tony was engrossed in the television, Ziva's mind once again returned to the overheard conversation from the previous evening. She should not have been surprised by it. It was not as if she were naïve enough to believe the whole world was like Lucy and Matthew. Ziva was an idealist, though. Why would you want a love you had to coerce someone to give you? Your true soulmate does not need to be tricked into marrying you, she thought. It was then that she realized what was truly bothering her. It was Tony's words the night before about a real commitment.
Tony muted the television and turned to Ziva, "What's going on, Princess? Dreading the return to reality tomorrow?"
"I would like to stay here forever, yes," Ziva said with a smile before sighing. "I cannot stop thinking about the conversation I overheard in the restroom yesterday."
"Was it really that bad? Were they planning to murder somebody?" he joked.
"No, one of the women was planning to manipulate her boyfriend into giving her an engagement ring. She was planning to have sex with another man to get his attention," Ziva explained.
"Sucks but it happens. We see it all the time. I don't get why it bothers you so much. You don't even know them. For all you know, the guy could be an ass. Maybe he sleeps around on her and deserves it," Tony speculated.
"I supposed my experience with Eli impacts how I see it. Manipulation is not love. It is playing games. And it made me think. Tony, what did you mean when you said I needed a real commitment? You love me. That is real," Ziva explained.
Tony hesitated and swallowed before finally stammering out an answer, "I guess, you know, I was, uh, thinking of real as something more permanent. You know where you would be sure this wasn't going away. Um, like a start to your I Love Lucy dream. Look, Ziva, I'm not really ready to talk about this, okay?"
"Okay," Ziva said tenderly. "Will you at least listen to what I have to say about it?"
When Tony nodded reluctantly, Ziva continued, "When I told you I was scared, I did not mean for you to think I need more than you have already given me. I know you love me. My fear was the result of my past and the vulnerability I felt from the change to our relationship. I shared it with you only because I wanted comfort."
"Ziva, I know you'd never try to manipulate…" Tony started before Ziva interrupted.
"I am not finished. Whatever it is that you believe is the start to my dream will not change anything between us. The true commitment comes from your heart. A ring is certainly no guarantee of permanency. Gibbs is proof of that is he not? Tony, you love me and only me. That is a commitment, yes? We have only been dating for three months and have much time ahead of us. I want you to promise me that you will not feel pressured to do anything before you are ready. That is what you told me many times. And waiting is the reason this weekend has been the very best time of my life."
"I guess I just think you deserve more, Princess," Tony admitted.
"Then I will give you the same consideration you gave me. I will be honest and tell you that I am hoping for more…someday. I want you to be a part of my future. But I still think waiting is a good idea. We are building a foundation and we will need that if we want this to last. You are worth the wait, my love," Ziva said.
Having said that, Ziva stopped talking and concentrated on showing Tony how she felt instead.
******
Gibbs gently ran the fine sand paper over the newly stained finish of the piano. What had started as promise to appease Abby had become a labor of love. He spent most of Saturday night sanding off the old damaged finish. Fortunately, none of the damage went below the surface. A good hard sanding had erased all of the scratches, drawings, and sticker residue left by the previous owner.
Gibbs had gotten up early Sunday to add a coat of stain. After allowing it to dry all day, he began a light sanding. He would apply another coat of stain the next morning. He would repeat this process three or four more times before applying a couple coats of lacquer. The key to refinishing was patience. One light layer at time with a light sanding in between. When he was finished, he would tell Palmer to have the piano professionally cleaned and tuned. Gibbs was determined that this instrument would be worthy of its new owner.
As he worked, Gibbs wondered if Ziva was worried about her INS interview. He debated whether to tell her beforehand that Vance was certain he'd cleared the path to early citizenship for her. He preferred to let her be surprised if she wasn't too stressed. He decided to judge based on her demeanor on Tuesday.
******
Late Sunday night, Tony lay awake with Ziva peacefully sleeping on his chest. God, I love you, he thought as his fingers stroked her back. It was hard to imagine he'd ever been afraid to admit it. And she was right about this weekend. It had been worth every minute of the agonizing wait. Over the last two days he'd seen the return of her confidence and the results had been beyond his wildest hopes. In this moment, it was impossible to believe he'd ever grow tired of being with her.
It was also impossible for Tony to be excited about returning home the next day. Although he knew the nights spent at Ziva's apartment would be even more enjoyable now, he was not looking forward to the intrusion of cases and real life. To love something, or rather, someone more than his job was a new experience for Tony. For years, his entire identity had been centered on being Gibbs's faithful protégé. Now he was more. My love, Ziva had called him and that described it perfectly. He was more than just a boyfriend. He was still struggling to understand how much more, though.
Thinking about the week ahead, Tony worried about the outcome of Ziva's citizenship interview. Although he remained positive for her sake, Tony was prepared for the worst. He'd done a lot of research on obtaining U.S. citizenship. He'd always bought into the myth that marrying an American citizen would solve everything. While it could keep an immigrant from being deported and enable him or her to have a green card, the marriage had to last three years before citizenship would be granted.
Ziva would meet the individual five year residency requirement in September. If things didn't go their way on Wednesday, the key would be keeping her here and eligible to work at NCIS until then. To that end, Tony had done a little more research. The state of Virginia had the most lenient laws for marriage. Couples could obtain a marriage license without blood tests and marry the same day the license was acquired. Maryland and Washington D.C. were much stricter and each had a waiting period of a day or more. He said nothing to Ziva about any of it, of course. Just something to have in my pack pocket, he thought.
The choice between marrying Ziva to keep her here and losing her was an easy one. The choice between being her boyfriend and committing to a true marriage was another matter entirely. I don't know why I'm even thinking about this, Tony thought. She's not asking for more. He suddenly had a new appreciation for how Ziva must have felt about needing him to wait for sex.
The thing that freaked him out the most about the life Ziva wanted is that he had no idea how to live it. I don't know what a working marriage looks like, he thought. He'd had no example of it in his life. Before Lucy, he'd never known anyone who'd actually pulled it off for more than a couple of years at the most. Gibbs was his hero and he certainly was no shining example in this area. That's not actually true, Tony suddenly realized. The boss was married to his first wife for a long time and it sure seemed like it was still working when she died. Maybe he just didn't want to make it work with anyone else, Tony thought. Although it made him very sad for Gibbs, that thought also gave Tony comfort.
******
"What did you do with Tony, dear?" Lucy asked Ziva Tuesday evening as she looked at the pictures from the couple's weekend getaway.
"He is watching the Olympics. A hockey game, I think. He wanted to give us a chance to talk," Ziva explained.
"Oh, dear, you look just beautiful," Lucy said holding up a picture of Ziva and Tony taken in the resort ballroom. "This reminds me of the photographs Jennifer and Jason always brought home from college. Flash! I believe it was called."
"Yes, I was not expecting there to be photographers. I was annoyed before I realized they would not bother you unless you called for them. And it was fun to go to the studio on Monday and see all of the pictures. The one with the overturned snow mobile is my favorite. The guide insisted on it. He said they take one every time someone turns one over. Tony and I still disagree on who was at fault," Ziva said with smile.
"Now dear, why do I think there is more to that story than you are telling me?" Lucy replied with a knowing look.
"We pretend to fight about it so we will have a reason to make up. That is all," Ziva revealed.
"Was this weekend everything that you hoped it would be, dear? You certainly seem to have enjoyed yourself," Lucy teased.
"Lucy, it was wonderful. Tony was wonderful. He was as patient and gentle as I expected he would be. And I feel…I am myself again. I have regained what was taken from me. When I am with Tony now, I am bold and confident and…uninhibited," Ziva told her.
"I am so glad to hear that, dear. You know, Abby told me what you did for Hannah. It is a sign that you have truly healed when you are able to reach out to someone else and help them through the same thing you yourself have faced. I remember the first time I reached out to a grieving mother after I lost my Julie. I finally felt like I could breathe again. The grief did not leave. It never will but at least it was no longer controlling me," Lucy shared.
"Yes! That is exactly it. It is not that everything that happened no longer affects me. It does. But every day, every moment is no longer defined by it," Ziva agreed. "Oh, Lucy, so much has happened since we have been able to talk. Not only with Hannah and Tony but I have learned that Eli is ill as well. He has prostrate cancer. He is expected to survive it."
"I imagine you must find that very confusing, dear. You want to be angry at him and, yet, now you have a reason to feel sorry for him," Lucy said thoughtfully.
"I feel that he is getting what he deserves," Ziva said quietly. "Is that giving in to bitterness?"
"Well, dear, I think only you can answer that. I will say that was my first thought about it. I wondered if maybe there is a little justice in this world after all. The man certainly deserves harsh punishment, in my opinion, but he is not my father. I only see what he has done to someone I love. I have learned the hard way, though, that unforgiveness only hurts the one who does not forgive. You are wise to avoid bitterness, my dear. I admire you for that," Lucy replied before moving to a happier topic. "Are you ready for your interview in the morning? You must be so excited."
"I am ready for the civics questions and I will have no problem demonstrating mastery of the English language despite what Tony says," Ziva answered with a smile. "I was feeling nervous about the residency requirement until today. Tony is the one who is worried though he pretends he is not. He asked Gibbs for leave time to go with me."
"Why is it that you no longer feel nervous, dear?" Lucy asked.
"I cannot explain it. Intuition, perhaps? There was something about the way Gibbs acted when we left…he is expecting a good result, I think. I have told you his gut is always right, yes?"
"Well, my dear, I expect a phone call the minute you know something. You simply cannot expect me to wait all day," Lucy said with mock sternness.
"Abby said the same thing to me at lunch today. You must both learn patience, Lucy," Ziva teased.
"Please dear, I'm much too old for that."
******
After logging in to her computer on Wednesday morning, Mary Weatherford reviewed the upcoming citizenship ceremony calendar very carefully. She had several applicant interviews today and most of them were likely to be approved. She wanted to have a general idea of the open slots for those soon to be citizens to attend a swearing in ceremony. Oh, perfect, she thought liking what she saw. She had an opportunity to make her first couple of applicants very happy today. These are the days I just love my job, she thought as she went to call her first interviewee.
"Ms. David. Ziva David."