"Right hand blue!" Ducky called out when the spinning needle finally stopped from his perch on the couch, watching with a large smile on his face as the others laughed at the four remaining contenders in their current game of Twister.
Abby and E.J. had both fallen out of the game with so many bodies on such a tiny space and a hilarious roar of laughter went up with the new predicament the others now faced moving to the new space. Ziva had insisted she was now well enough to play and the current Twister Champion McGee, with Tony, Ziva and Liat were the four left twisted on the mat.
"I swear to God, McGoo if you put even attempt to put your hand where I think you're contemplating…" Tony seethed from his precarious position balanced over Ziva with McGee directly behind him in an already very uncompromising position with bodies pressed tightly together. His comment only sent another round of hysterics through the spectators and a devilish smile up at Tony from Ziva. She was now doing what looked like a back bend, crab crawl position beneath Tony, face up. Her chest with the last move now pressed tightly against Tony's and Liat nearly doing the splits beneath her as the one on the very bottom of the pile.
"Tony, it's the only blue spot open now that you've all made your move. I have to." McGee was not liking his position as man on top and behind Tony either but somehow this is how he ended up.
"If you make me fall on top of Ziva and crush Liat, I will crush you!" Tony threatened as McGee was already moving and everyone laughed again at the sheen of sweat forming on Tony's head not only from his balanced position using every muscle in his body but also from the position and contact of his body with Ziva's.
McGee's movements pushed Tony off balance enough that he began to fall.
"Roll Liat!" Tony shouted not wanting to crush her on the bottom, as he started falling to the side, scooping his arm under Ziva's back and bringing her around to roll over on top of him while McGee went the other way.
"Quick moves, Little Ninja!" Tony lay his head to the side lying on the floor to see Liat was fine and had rolled over her head and into a standing position. His heart was pounding with Ziva lying on top of him as he turned his face back to her, "You okay?" He asked with a small smile, just wanting to make sure he hadn't hurt her in the roll.
"I'm fine." She smiled enjoying her position as the first time in a very long time to be pressed this way with Tony. "Thanks for the save, Tony."
"Well… we've spent so much time putting you back together, I wouldn't want to break you again." He spoke quietly staring into her dark smiling eyes, trying to remember they were not alone. "Good going, McGoo!" Tony teased McGee redirecting his mind away from his thoughts on Ziva and helped her up instead.
"You're the one who fell, Tony. Not me." McGee smirked stretching his back. "Ziva, Liat and I in the next round. You're out!" He smiled widely having bested Tony yet again in the game, eager to maintain his status as Champion.
"You against the two insanely flexible Ninjas?" Tony scoffed rolling to his knees to stand. "You don't stand a chance, McDreamer!" He shook his head laughing that McGee would even think he stood a chance between Liat and Ziva who had not played, either one, the last time around when McGee claimed his Champion status.
"I'm going to have to bow out of the next round," Liat smiled shyly looking up at the clock, "I need to start getting ready. Asa is picking me up soon." She was actually a little sad to be leaving such a good day of fun, "I will of course, demand a rematch as I'm quite certain I can beat Ziva in this game." Her smile widened with a teasing tone, the gaunlet laid down between the competitors.
"Ooooh," Tony couldn't help but smile seeing the predatory gaze and tight smile forming on Ziva's face at the challenge. "This is going to be more exciting then the Ali-Frasier Fight! Ziva versus Liat in a Twister Death Match! We should sell tickets! Make a ring in the middle of the office. We'd have lunch money for a year!"
"Don't even think about it, DiNozzo." Gibbs shook his head with a small smile, knowing Tony may just try it.
"Are you sure you and Asa won't join us for our own version of Mardi Gras this evening?" Abby tried to persuade Liat with a smile, not wanting her to leave their family fun day that wasn't quite over, "My gumbo is legendary!"
"I will have to take a drain check, Abby. I'm sorry." Liat apologized and the others smiled.
"It's rain check." Ziva corrected her this time, having learned that one not long ago and received a pleased and proud smile from Tony.
"Big plans tonight, aye Liat?" McGee smiled only wishing the best for her.
"I'm not sure, McGee." Liat smiled nervously tucking her own hair behind her ear, "Asa won't tell me what we're doing. He said that it was a surprise and he's being very secretitve. He bought me a dress and told me he would pick me up at 6 PM." She sighed shifting nervously with all eyes on her, "I don't do well with surprises. In my life, surprises have generally not been a very good thing."
"Whatever Asa's planning, I'm sure will be good." Tony smiled softly remembering the man's plans this evening for Liat. Asa had told him he was planning to propose. He pulled Ziva back against him wrapping his arm around her from behind and resting his head with hers. Needing to feel her close and so thankful they had found their way. Ziva instinctively lifted her hands to hold onto the arm he'd wrapped around chest protectively. Before they had been rooting for Liat and Malachi to work things out, but after everything that had happened, they weren't so sure about that anymore. Now they only wanted whatever would make Liat happy. They weren't going to try and sway her one way or the other but let her find her own way and support her whatever that may be.
Liat only smiled softly in response and excused herself to get ready upstairs. The others settled in to watch a movie while Abby began making preparations for the rest of their dinner. Breena and Palmer would be arriving shortly and their Lousiana themed evening would commence.
"You know the tradition behind the Mardi Gras beads, don't you Ziva?" Tony teased after Abby began passing them out.
"You mean..the one where women traditionally get drunk and flash their boobs to receive more beads?" Ziva gave him a slanted eyebrow speaking quietly as they watched Gibbs head for the basement and Ducky soon after.
Tony's eyes widened slightly with smile spreading to learn Ziva knew of this tradition, "Tell me, Ms. David…wherever did you learn this?"
"You left your Girls Gone Wild: Mardi Gras DVD in the player when you invited me to stay with you after…" She didn't want to finish the thought of 'my father died,' and instead, smiled forging on, "Schmeil was certainly given a thrill for those three minutes until I could figure out how to turn it off. We decided to play chess instead." She couldn't help but giggle seeing Tony's mouth drop open in surprise.
"Schmeil the Man of Steel with Girls Gone Wild," Tony laughed and shook his head imagining the man's face and Ziva in the same room. "I'm sorry I missed that."
"I'm sure it is three minutes of his life he will never forget, Tony." Ziva smiled turning in his arms and fingering the bright strings of gold, blue and green beads around her neck. Tony laid back on the couch, pulling Ziva down half way on top of him. Their chosen spot for the film.
"We should invite him back down again." Tony smiled softly brushing the fallen hair behind her head and holding it there while looking up at her, cupping her face. "I'm sure he'd love to see how much you've healed. Much better then the last he saw of you in that hospital bed."
Ziva nodded softly thinking of the dear sweet old man she loved so much. "And your father." She smiled down at Tony. Anthony DiNozzo Sr. was not the best father in the world, but he certainly wasn't the worst as they were both learning, especially in light of today's events. The man was trying to make amends and had been there when Tony needed him the most after Ziva was shot. "We should invite them both for dinner some night." She spoke quietly thinking what an entertaining meal that would be with Schmeil and Tony's father sharing stories. "Next week is Passover, perhaps they would both like to join us then?"
Tony reached up to finger the Star of David necklace she was wearing, now dangling from her neck near his face and smiled softly, happy to hear she still fully embraced her faith and heritage. He was concerned that after this morning, she may cut out that part of her life as well declaring herself done with Israel. "We can ask them. I think they would love to. We can watch The Ten Commandments together." He offered with a slight smile still playing with her necklace.
Ziva could tell what Tony was thinking in the way he was staring at her necklace and playing with it now, the way he smiled when she spoke of inviting them for Passover. He'd been concerned she had given up her faith knowing how important it had been to her.
"That day," She began quietly wanting to share with him and realizing now her prayer had been answered, "When you found me in the Synagogue…" She paused and Tony nodded that he remembered, "I had prayed to God to show me a sign… not to lose faith…to keep believing. The moment I finished this prayer I heard something and turned around. And there you were, Tony. The answer to my prayer." She smiled feeling tears well in her eyes this time in happiness. "My reason not to lose faith and to keep believing." Her fingers brushed lightly along his face, "You promised that day to give me whatever I needed…at the time, I only wanted revenge." She swallowed hard and a single tear slid down her cheek and Tony brushed it away staring up into her big brown eyes, "But what I really needed…was you. Just you. Thank you for not leaving my side. For being just what I need." She smiled softly and dipped her head to kiss his lips lightly. "I love you, Tony."
"Ani ohev otach. Aht lo levad, Ziva." He looked at her intently when their kiss was over, her faces still hovering just inches above his own. "I love you and you are never alone. Not ever again." He smiled softly and leaned up, kissing her again.
"They are so cute together." E.J. smiled speaking quietly watching Tony and Ziva on the couch from the kitchen. She and McGee had been helping Abby prepare their dinner and all three couldn't help but watch the interaction between Ziva and Tony on the couch. They couldn't hear what they had been saying to each other but their physical closeness and the smiles and kisses, gentle way Tony was still holding onto the side of Ziva's face clearly conveyed how much they loved each other. "The entire time Tony and I were together, it always felt off. Finally, I realized that he'd already given his heart away to someone else. I didn't know to who though, until Cobb had taken Ziva. Then I knew," E.J. smiled softly turning around at the counter holding both McGee and Abby's full attention to hear this side of the story from E.J. "His reaction was that of a man in love and I watched the pain in his eyes seeing Ray be the one to comfort her, to take her home to safety when it was over. I never felt jealous." She gave them another small smile, "I only felt badly for them both when I saw the same look of love and longing on Ziva's face looking at Tony across the room as she left with Ray; clearly wishing through the same look in her eyes that she was leaving with Tony." She looked back at them now, with Ziva' sprawled now on top of Tony, her face turned to the side and head pressed to his chest as they lay snuggled together on the sofa watching the movie now in silence. His hand lying protectively over her lower back and holding her hand with the other over his chest where she had it tucked up against her own body. "I am so happy for them both, to have found their way." She smiled with tears starting to prick her own eyes, "I can only hope to find a love that meaningful and deep of my own someday."
McGee slid up behind Abby, kissing her head and hugging her from behind with an arm around her shoulders smiling back at E.J. as they all stole glances into the living room to see Tony and Ziva so at peace with each other, lying perfectly at peace and content.
"So what do you think, Duck?" Gibbs sighed taking a seat with the older man next to his workbench in the basement, wanting to get the Good Doctor's perspective on today's events. "I don't quite know what to make of her reaction." He voiced quietly still unsure about Ziva's calm acceptance of the horrific news. "Is she okay?" He asked still deeply concerned for her wellbeing.
"What her father has done is completely unfathomable, Jethro." Ducky shook his head, "Even I am having a difficult time processing it. For Ziva who has already been through so much in her life…more then any of us could ever comprehend, even now seeing just a small glimpse into the tragedies of her life," He thought of the images in that file of her torture, "I believe in a way, she was expecting it. As she said herself, she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I think that part of her has known that something like this was coming by way of betrayal from her father since she learned of his secret project to train Elite Assassins in such an inhumane way as that of Operation Frankenstein. That Eli had brought Ari, his own son, into that already." He sighed shaking his head again with sadness at the lives destroyed. "I think hearing that he was responsible for her capture and torture as well as the death of her mother was just the final push for Ziva. The final realization that there was nothing more her father could ever do to her or take away from her that would be worse then that and it set her free. He can't hurt her anymore." The older man's eyes watered with tears even as he smiled in happiness for Ziva to be free. "She is likely going through an acceptance phase and will bounce back and forth for some time, I'd imagine as she truly lays this part of her life to rest, but I do genuinely believe she is all right, Jethro. She survived hell on earth. Nothing that anyone could ever do to her would be worse then that and to know her own father sent her there and was responsible. I believe Ziva realizes that is her 'rock bottom' and why she feels free now. She finally has a firm place to stand and rise again, knowing that its over."
"And Liat?" Gibbs asked finding himself surprisingly concerned for the younger of the two Israeli women. Witnessing her reaction this morning to the news was unexpected, though in hindsight he could see how this would be devastating for her to hear as well.
"Ziva has had years of betrayals from her father and Mossad that has brought her to this place. She'd been expecting this final blow as I mentioned. Somewhere inside of her she has been processing and preparing for this potential outcome. The proverbial, 'last straw." Ducky strummed his chin with arms folded over his chest in thought, "Liat on the other hand, had her entire way of life and belief system violently ripped out from under her this morning at the realization of what was done to Ziva by the organization she so strongly believes in and the man she once respected in Director David. Her foundation has been shaken. I imagine that she will also need some time to reconcile the pieces of her life and decide where she will go from here." He paused with a slight smile, "Her connection with Ziva, I believe after watching them this morning together, will be of tremendous help as they both move forward from this. They are able to see in each other both the past and the future. A bond that only the two of them could share having lived such parrellel lives growing up in Israel. They are good for each other, Jethro. To each of them they are the sister that they lost and found again in one another, healing old wounds and giving hope to the future."
Gibbs nodded with a sigh, strumming his own chin in thought listening to what Ducky had said.
"Did you know that Liat is of the same age that Ziva's younger sister would be?" Ducky added softly finding this aspect of their relationship fascinating.
"Ziva is also the same age that Liat's older sister would be." Gibbs added having done his own digging into Liat's background when she first arrived on scene, wanting to know more about her life before trusting her with Ziva's safety. "Both of their sisters names were Tali." He added softly with a quirked eyebrow.
"Fascinating." Ducky shook his head in awe and disbelief. "The coincidences between the two."
"There are no coincidences, Duck." Gibbs spoke quietly thinking about his life and losing Kelly and how Ziva had come into his life after, the same age as the child he lost; Ziva needing him as much as he needed her. "Some things, are just meant to be." He added softly, realizing that was also true for the mending of broken hearts in regards to Liat and Ziva and their shared loss over their sisters and healing those wounds through their relationship with each other.
When they returned upstairs, both Gibbs and Ducky smiled to see the position Ziva and Tony were in on the sofa and completely at ease, with Ducky nodding softly to Gibbs in a silent message that this was exactly what Ziva had needed today. Gibbs had made the right call. To be surrounded by the people who loved her. Her family.
"Oh, hey Boss!" Tony was startled when Gibbs took the chair next to them, unsure of Gibbs reaction to seeing Ziva lying so comfortably on top of Tony on the very small sofa. They both began to move when Gibbs ordered them to "Stay as you were." Without looking at either of them. Instead they looked at each other and smiled before Ziva lay her head back down.
Liat had made her way downstairs and took a deep breath before walking back into the living room, feeling nervous for several reasons this evening. She lay her white fur shawl that came with the dress from Asa over the back of the loveseat, "Agent Gibbs," She spoke quietly gaining their attention and their eyes widened with mouths hanging slightly open at the sight of her, "I wanted to ask you before I left for the evening, what exactly do you want me to tell Malachi about today?" She continued speaking as though paying no mind to the looks she was now receiving.
"Nothing." Gibbs shook his head slowly, stunned by her beauty and trying to focus, "We're going to wait on this and see what he brings to the table." He wasn't sure if Malachi had played a part in the manipulation of Ziva and wanted to feel the man out. "You look incredible." Gibbs finally gave her a small smile.
"Beautiful." Tony smiled as both he and Ziva sat up on the couch and McGee, Abby and E.J. joined them from the kitchen, all wearing amazed smiles to see Liat looking so radiant.
"Gorgeous." Ziva smiled shaking her head as E.J. and Abby both nodded in agreement.
"He will forget his own name at the sight of you, My Dear." Ducky smiled standing beside her.
"Wow…" Was all McGee could muster with a smile taking in the sight of her. "That is some dress."
"Thank you." Liat shifted slightly nervous in her heels, fiddling with her tiny handbag. "Asa does have spectacular tastes in clothing." She smiled slightly at the dress he'd picked out. Full-length strapless red dress, that hugged her torso in all the right places, gave spectacular view of her cleavage and flowed flawlessly down the rest of her body. Her long dark blonde hair was flowing in big curls around her shoulders and make-up done to perfection made her a vision in red. "Ziva," She swallowed nervously, "Would you mind helping me with the bracelet?" She asked holding the delicate white gold and diamonds out towards Ziva in her hand.
Ziva smiled feeling a swell of pride in her chest and slid off the couch walking towards her. Ducky and Gibbs sharing another knowing look and smile at watching the exchange between the two, after their conversation in the basement not long ago about the two.
"You look like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman."Tony smiled thinking the two women looked very similar. They heard a car pull up and he bound off the sofa looking through the window and saw Asa had arrived in a limo. "Your chariat has arrived." He called back with raging smile, seeing Asa step out looking rather impeccable himself and carrying a single red rose. He greeted Asa at the door before the man even had a chance to ring the bell. "Hello and Good Evening, sir." He smiled and stepped aside, ushering him into the house.
Asa said hello and then stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of Liat on the other side of the room. His own mouth hanging slightly open and simply staring as she began to shift nervously under such an intense gaze.
"Now who's forgetting to breathe," Tony teased remembering what Asa had said to him about Ziva in the blue dress, smiling while whispering into the man's ear and then slapped him on the back, spurring Asa to say something.
"Liat, you look breathtaking." He finally managed, speaking in Hebrew with smile slowly spreading across his face as eyes sweeped up and down her body. "Beautiful." He smiled coming closer and still finding it hard to speak. "Wow…" He finally said in English and they all chuckled.
"Thank you, Asa." She smiled softly at him and accepted the rose he held out to her. "You look very handsome yourself." Her smile widened taking in his' own appearance. "Should we go?" She asked nervously wanting to leave and not feel so many eyes on her as the center of attention.
Asa stepped back and ushered her with his hand towards the door with Liat picking up the shawl and putting it on.
"So we really shouldn't be expecting her to come back this evening, right?" Tony asked the man quietly with a smile, leaning into him knowing what this evening was all about.
Asa shook his head no softly with a barely concealed raging smile, "Not if this goes according to plan…I hope." He took a deep breath, realizing she could say 'no' to marrying him and then wouldn't want to be around him after.
"Be good to our girl." McGee stepped up beside Asa on the other side with arms folded over his chest in the same manner as Tony stood, like protective big brothers watching their little sister leave on a date. McGee smiled softly at him.
"Always." He whispered in return with a smile.
Ziva saw Liat trying to free her hair from under the shawl and stepped in quickly without thought to help her, making sure it was all perfect and then stood before her, smiling. "You look amazing. Have fun. It will be a good time." She spoke quietly remembering their earlier conversation when Liat seemed unsure of surprises. For the second time that day and ever since meeting Liat, she closed the distance and gave her a kiss on the cheek and then stepped back with a smile. Like a proud big sister sending her off with encouragement and Liat blinked back her tears, quickly looking away at the gesture and accepted Asa's arm as he guide her out the door.
They all stood by the window and watched them get into the limo and pull away.
"He's really pulling out all the stops on this date." McGee smiled turning from the window when they were out of sight.
"Big night, McGee when a man proposes to a woman." Tony smiled and caught all of their wide-eyes at revealing that bit of information not known to them before. "He better make sure its special."
"He's asking her to marry him? Tonight?" Ziva asked quietly feeling her heart start to pound at what a day this was turning out to be.
Tony nodded with a soft smile, "Yeah. He told me last night that tonight, was the night."
"You think she has any idea?" E.J. asked quietly wearing her own smile thinking about what this could mean.
"I think so." Ziva nodded softly, thinking about their conversations and Liat's body language and the look in her eyes this evening.
"Do you think she'll say 'yes?" Abby asked knowing how Liat felt about Malachi as well.
"Yes." Ziva nodded again with a soft smile, folding her arms over her own chest, "She would not have gone this evening otherwise." Remembering her conversation with Liat more then a month ago about what her answer would be if Asa asked. "She's trying to be happy."
"I was really rooting for Mal, but it's really hard not to like this guy." Tony sighed with a smile as they all moved back towards the kitchen, "Especially knowing how well he treats her and genuinely loves and cares for her."
"Do you think he has any idea of how she really feels for Malachi?" McGee asked being the one to first discuss these relationships with Liat during their stakeout.
"Yes, he told me he knows she is in love with Mal. That he gave them every opportunity, especially Mal over the last few years to become something more and Mal never stepped up to the plate. Said he even stood back waiting for 'this' mission when they were here in the US for Mal to make a move if he was ever going to before becoming Director and Mal didn't." Tony answered and surprised them all with that information. "When Mal called him to tell him to visit her, knowing Asa was waiting to ask her to marry him, he knew that Malachi was bowing out and wishing them the best."
"Holy crap." Abby spoke and surprised them all at her reaction, "I mean…what kind of ridiculous chivalry is that? If the man loves Liat why didn't he fight for her?" Abby was more then pissed to hear how easily Malachi had given up. "And yes, Tony," She looked right at him seeing as he was about to answer her question with some nonsense justification for the man's actions, "I thought it was crap when you didn't fight Ray for Ziva either!" Tony looked like he'd swallowed a bug when all eyes flashed to him at her calling him out. "If you love someone, you don't let go and call it love! You hold on with everything you have! Tooth and nail and biting and clawing if need be! You might get your heart stomped on but at least you tried! Malachi didn't even try!" She shook her head, "I'm fully behind Team Asa now. At least he has the courage to go after what he wants with Liat, taking the risk knowing how she feels for Malachi. I hope she says yes and they live happily ever after!" She nodded sharply as if that was the last of it and stomped off into the kitchen to finish the meal.
"Well…" Tony sighed with a half smile looking at Ziva after Abby had gone, "I guess she told me." He laughed softly when Ziva did. Abby always told them exactly like she saw it. "That's the first time she's ever done that with me. Calling me out about how I felt for you then."
"Really?" Ziva tilted her head surprised, "She blasted me when I returned from Africa…about how I could have ever doubted your motives or what you felt towards me."
"Reeeeally…" Tony exaggerated the word with his own surprise to hear such a thing.
"I'm honestly surprised she was able to bite her tongue with both of you for so long. I used to hear it endlessly in those days. Her real thoughts about the two of you." McGee spoke up and smiled at being able to shock them both with the truth. "How blind you were and how much she wanted to pull a Gibbs and smack your heads together."
"So says the man who was in love with Abby for years and never spoke up!" Tony chided him with a smile and glaring eyes. "You two were great at calling the Pot Black then!"
"The what?" E.J. asked in confusion, "Don't you mean the pot calling the kettle black?"
"No," Tony smiled, "I'm using the Israeli version from now on. It's a Zivaism I've decided to keep." He winked at Ziva and she smiled rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "It reminds me of our first undercover assignment together." Tony sighed loudly sitting down on the couch and stretching his arms across the back with a large smile, "Ahh, the good old days."
"Tony, you were punched seven times in the face and nearly killed on that mission." McGee looked at him with a slanted eyebrow and quirked smile as if he were crazy to call them the 'good old days.'
"It was worth it." Tony smiled only looking at Ziva remembering what an affair that whole undercover assignment had been, "It was the first time I ever saw Ziva's dimples." He winked at her again thinking of the deep indentions just above her butt and Ziva's face tightened trying not to smile but fire in her eyes that he would say such a thing in a room full of people.
"I didn't know Ziva had dimples." McGee seemed more confused looking at Ziva's face. "I've never seen them."
"And you never will McGoo!" Tony smiled wider when Ziva's death glare heated up, promising he'd regret it later with the look in her eyes.
"I think you should stop talking now, My Little Hairy Butt." Ziva answered in the same voice and slight French accent she used for that assignment with a smile, her eyes never leaving Tony's and realization dawning on everyone else exactly where Ziva's dimples had to be.
"Oh," McGee's face fell and then suddenly began turning red, "I'm going to go help Abs in the kitchen." His mind suddenly recalling the FBI Agents insistance that Ziva and Tony really were having sex on that mission and began to wonder all over again, if they really had seeing the smoldering look between them now.
Gibbs just shook his head and left the room with McGee, with E.J. following quickly. If Tony and Ziva noticed they'd all left them alone in the room, it wasn't apparent as they continued to look at each other and the air crackling between them. The memories of 'faking' the act with bodies touching so intimately colliding harshly now with the wants and desires to actually touch in such a way without holding back anymore.
When the others looked back from the kitchen and saw them still staring at each other in silence and in such a way, they could almost feel the electricity in the air surrounding them.
"You know, Jethro, technically Ziva should be cleared this weekend from her mandatory physical limitations," Ducky began quietly trying not to smile, "You may wish to make other plans." He teased quietly to Gibbs with a soft laugh before turning.
Gibbs smile couldn't be stopped, shaking his head with cheeks and ears burning slightly red at the thought of what may happen when seven years of Unresolved Sexual Tension were finally unleashed seeing the already smoldering looks passing between Ziva and Tony as the clock ticked down. For once he thought about spending the weekend at Fornell's, instead of the other way around.
"Zi-" Tony whispered lying on his back looking at the ceiling hours later when everyone had settled in for the night. McGee, Abby and E.J. had all gone home for a good night's sleep, as well as Palmer, Breena and Ducky leaving only Tony, Ziva and Gibbs in the house on this night. Gibbs stationed dutifully downstairs on the couch while Tony lay in the empty side of the bed where Liat had been sleeping previously, though not this week as she stayed with Asa in his hotel. Tony had become somewhat accustomed in just three days time to lying in bed beside Ziva now as they fell asleep.
She currently lay on her side with her back to him, having fallen nearly asleep when she heard Tony calling her name. "Hmm," She asked sleepily, utterly exhausted from the day.
Tony wanted to ask if she was really okay but had second thoughts after rousing her, realizing she was nearly asleep and the last thing he wanted to do was remind her of why she should have nightmares given the information they'd learned today about Somalia.
"Nevermind." He answered in the same whisper.
Ziva lay still for a moment and realized what he had wanted to say. Why he wasn't touching her in this bed or wanting to cuddle when he had the night before. He was afraid to touch her and give her bad dreams or thoughts. He was trying to be respectful of her space. She hadn't realized what he was doing until that moment. Without saying anything, she rolled over to face him and then slid into his side, hooking her leg over his, and head over his heart. Her arm she draped over his middle and nuzzled her face in.
"I'm okay, Tony." She answered the unasked question quietly, taking a breath and listening to his heart pounding below her ear, "I am likely to have some intense nightmares tonight…I cannot control that… but in my conscious thoughts about all of this, I am okay. I cannot changed what happened to me or what my father did. But I will not let him take anything else from me. Please do not ever be afraid…to hold me or touch me." She held him closer wanting to be as close as possible, "I appreciate that you care so much as to give me space. But I promise you, that if I need it I will ask. You never have to wonder about that with me. Right now, I feel safe with you, lying like this and listening to your heart." She was quiet a moment, "When I feel myself starting to become afraid with your touch…I remind myself of the memory I have of you when you rescued me… and how it felt when Saleem ripped the hood off of my head. The sight of you all dusty and dirty, the wild look in your eyes and the smile on your face to see me. You came for me. You saved me from that hell. I had never been more happy in all my life to see you then in that one moment." She was quiet again with new tears building in her eyes and smiled, "I love you, Tony…so much it hurts. And because I know you truly love me…I know you will never hurt me. I trust you."
"Ani ohev otach, Ziva. Always." Tony kissed the top of her head and lifted her hand strumming lightly over his heart to hold and play with her fingers.
"I have two moments like that…" He spoke quietly after a moment thinking about what she'd said. "The first, was the same as yours. In seeing your beautiful face after believing you'd been dead all summer. And the second," He swallowed taking a moment to feel her heart pound against his own chest with a steady beat, "Was watching the Star of David on your neck bounce once and then twice, signaling you were still alive laying on top of Ducky's Autopsy table. I thought I would die in that moment of relief and pure joy. I will never forget that feeling as long as I live. Those moments are seared into my mind for eternity." He lifted her hand and kissed her fingertips gently, "The moments I got my heart back."