Tuesday April 12
"Don't you ever just want to go see your friends without me or have a few hours by yourself?" Ziva inquired as she dried dishes from their meal. Not only had they been working on the case for five days straight, but he'd also taken her riding again tonight and she couldn't help wondering when the tipping point would come that he'd had enough of her for awhile.
Tony sighed and put down his crossword puzzle. "Between Agent Afloat and Summer 2009 I've had enough time by myself to last forever."
Her brow furrowed. "Normal husbands and wives don't spend every minute together from waking up, through work, to bedtime. They're at least apart during the day."
He did not see how that was an issue. They'd never fit into any normal parameters before. "Why would I want to be apart from you Zi? Give me one good reason."
She bit her lip, unable to think of one. "But we are together so much Tony! Home and work and Sunday afternoon basketball. Do you never need a break from me?"
Rather than act on his frustration he reminded himself again that few people in the last sixteen years of her life had spent time with her and wanted to be with her for her, no ulterior motives included. Tony got up and stood in her way, hands at her hips. "Why do you think I married you Ziva?"
Immediately the first things off his initial 'I love you' list came to mind and she repeated a few of them. "Because you think I am beautiful and intriguing and dangerous. Because I watch movies with you, threaten you just to see the look on your face, and feed you edible food?"
He huffed in exasperation. "I think you edited my comments. I believe the original wording was because you are a stellar cook. And you left out the part about my world rising and setting on your smile, and because I love you." His fingers tucked some hair behind her ear. "I asked you to marry me so we wouldn't have to be apart anymore. No more saying goodbye after movie night or good night after dinner, no more going our own separate ways when work was done and spending weekends apart." Tony cupped her face, making her really hear him. "I want to be with you Ziva, always - in my free time and at work, on Sundays with our friends and at home even if we do nothing at all." He kissed her gently. "Please stop waiting for me to get tired of this and look for a way out of us. It's not going to happen."
Thankfully the lid in her hand was only plastic because it fell to the floor when she threw her arms around his neck and smothered him with kisses. She whispered a soft 'thank you' when he lowered her back to the ground and continued the chore, but Tony couldn't help thinking that this time he'd gotten through and (hopefully) she'd never wonder about that again.
NCIS
Wednesday April 13
CJ called her husband during his free period, which coincided with the end of her last class. He smiled upon seeing her picture on the screen and answered, leaning back in his chair. "Mrs. MacKay, this is a nice surprise."
She winced, watching the tow truck guy hook her car up to the winch. "You might not think so when you hear the reason behind it."
"Oh?" Brent checked his watch. "Do I need to get permission to leave and send Ryan home with Wes and Breanna?"
"It's not that serious, but thanks." CJ sighed. "My car finally died." Her old white beater had been struggling for months and he wasn't really surprised it had finally given up the fight. "I'm sorry honey." It was the first one she'd bought with her own money so she was a little attached to the sad looking vehicle. "What happened?"
She shrugged. "I started it after class, got as far as the edge of the parking lot, it stalled and never turned back on. I'm getting it towed right now, but the driver has some mechanic training and says he may as well take it to the scrap yard and bypass the garage altogether."
"Make sure you get all your stuff out of it. You know what Shane says." Their mechanic was forever teasing CJ about all the things she kept stuffed under the front seats (kleenex boxes, phone books, kids' books, rags). His line was, 'Last time I checked this car is not a filing cabinet.'
CJ gave a rueful laugh. "Easier said than done beloved. You remember what the trunk looks like, right?"
Technically yes, it was his fault her trunk was so full. He'd insisted she keep emergency supplies in there for the winter and they hadn't quite got around to spring cleaning their vehicles yet. "Fair enough. So how are you and the car contents getting home if I'm not coming?"
"Actually, Cassie's here. I remembered she doesn't take students after lunch on Wednesdays and gave her a call. She's giving me and all the stuff a ride home. But..."
Brent nodded. "You work tomorrow and have no way to get there."
"It wouldn't be the first time I've taken the bus. Just makes life a little less convenient."
"We can do some looking this weekend," he suggested.
"I guess I don't have much of a choice." She sounded a little dejected. "Anyways, I just wanted to let you know. I'll meet you and Ry at home. Cassie and I may go out for a coffee first though, so don't worry if I'm not there when you get in."
"Sounds like fun. You never get a chance to be bored around Cass. Tell her I owe her one."
CJ relayed the message and laughed. "Cassie says you owe her several and one of these days she'll collect."
"Oh brother," he muttered. Sisters on a mission could be very dangerous, a fact he'd already learned the hard way once. "She's lucky I love her."
"Have a good rest of your day."
"See you soon honey. Love you."
"Ditto."
Brent got back to his class prep but half of his mind was already thinking about the right kind of car for CJ and calculating how much they should spend on a used vehicle.
He brought the subject up once Ryan was in bed, also lamenting the loss of their reliable old car. She'd had it for half of his life and he was sad to see it go. CJ came over to the couch with drinks and handed him a steaming mug. "So, wasn't expecting that."
"Life is all about surprises," he commented.
"The good news is I've got more than enough saved to cover the cost of a new one." Her salary was being mostly saved now that Brent had been fully supporting them for the last seven months.
At her comment Brent made a frustrated noise. "Okay, we've got to talk about this."
CJ was taken aback because she didn't know where that had come from. "Talk about what?"
"About what?" he asked. "CJ, can't you see it? You're still talking like there's a separation between us." He been wanting to bring the subject up for awhile but didn't know quite how to phrase it. "Honey, all the money we have should be ours. Not mine, not yours, ours. But you don't think that way. You use your salary to set aside school savings for Ryan. We never switched over to joint accounts after we got married. You still pay for your cell phone and student loan out of your wages."
She frowned. "They're my responsibility Brent. I took out that money for school, I need to pay it back. That shouldn't be on you."
Brent scraped his fingers through his hair before taking hold of her hand. "I really want us to be a true couple, one in every way. Not just physically and living in the same house, but a joint account that all our bills come out of. I want us to decide together how much we should be saving for Ryan's schooling and have it come from our money, not just yours. He's my son too. To choose how much we spend on presents for different occasions and what we buy for the gang." He licked his lips. "This is really down to the nitty gritty of being married, but I want all of it. I always have."
CJ rubbed her forehead. Talk about a big adjustment in thinking! She remembered how her pride had stung when he'd bought her a new laptop battery after the power outage a couple weeks before they were engaged, when she mentioned that hers was all but useless. He was trying to be nice, wanting to help take care of her even before she was willing to allow him to do so completely. She thought about her promise to let him support them once they were married and despite the discomfort she felt at the possibility of making Brent responsible for her school bills, she knew it was something that needed to be done.
Staring into her tea, she knew exactly what Aunt Kate would say about this dilemma and in fact the older woman had already warned her there would be moments when it would be harder to let Brent take the lead in their relationship, times when she would have to give up some of the ways of thinking she'd developed as a single mom and allow him to take on responsibilities as her husband. "But CJ, I don't have to tell you that it will be so worth it to make those sacrifices. He loves you so much. Let him love you, okay?"
She eventually lifted her eyes to his. "Being married is different than I thought. Taking two lives and making them into one..." She let out a breath. "I know what I promised Brent and I'm going to do my best. But it's really not easy to...give up the mentality I had when it was just me and Ry."
"I know." He kissed her fingers. "We'll take it one step at a time. First - car. After that we can slowly work on transitioning the banking stuff."
CJ offered him the glimmer of a smile. "First step - car. Check." Her brow furrowed. "Think we should give Shane a call and see if he has any advice? It's been a long time since I've had to look for a vehicle." Last time her dad had come out to California and helped her figure out which was the best option. He'd been trying so hard to make up for last time.
"Good idea. We can do that tomorrow. And since I doubt Ryan wants to spend the day bumming around used car lots with us, want to see if your parents can take him?"
"Okay." CJ kissed her husband softly. "Thanks for being so understanding...about everything. It's my turn now."
Brent put his arm around her shoulders. "Live and learn. We'll figure it out Kris, I promise."
And she knew he was one of the guys who could be counted on to keep his promises.
NCIS
Jimmy had thought of little else for the past month. He'd debated, deliberated, run the scenarios through his head. He'd planned, checked, double checked, and confirmed their date. Now he stood outside her apartment building, wiping sweaty palms on his pants for the third time as he waited for the woman he loved to appear. When she did Breena smiled brilliantly and threw her arms around his neck. "This is such a surprise! When you told me about the case I didn't think I'd get to see you until this weekend."
He kissed her softly and offered a half-grin, brushing his fingers over her cheek. "I couldn't wait that long."
She tilted her head. "You're so sweet. How did I get this lucky?"
Jimmy chuckled self-consciously. "I'm the lucky one."
They stared at each other a few minutes more, then Breena raised her eyebrows expectantly. "Where are we going?"
He took her hand, folding his fingers between hers. "I thought we'd start with a walk? Stars are really pretty tonight."
She loved that he noticed the simple things. "Perfect."
The couple began a slow wander down the sidewalk. It was quiet on her street, rather peaceful for the city, and when they reached the bench halfway down Jimmy stopped and they sat. "I-I called you tonight because I-I need to talk to you about something."
Breena laid her palm on his cheek. "Are you okay?"
He let out a breath. "Okay...might be an overstatement." Removing his glasses, he gave her that nervous little smile she found so endearing. Jimmy swallowed and slowly slid off the bench to kneel in front of her. "Bree, sweetie, you know how much I love you, right?" Tears already in her eyes, she nodded once, pressing her lips together as she waited. "I cannot tell you how thrilled I was when you said yes to a first date. Or how honoured I was to know that you'd somehow found me worthy to be the man you loved. But I can tell you how incredible it feels to have you in my life. I love you from the bottom of my heart and there is no way I can imagine my life without you. Will you marry me?"
She put her fingers over her mouth to hold back the emotion but a tear trailed down her cheek anyways. "Jimmy Palmer, you are exactly the kind of man I want to spend my life with."
Jimmy still wasn't convinced. "That's a yes, right?"
Breena grinned and leaned forward to kiss him and he accepted her offering gratefully. "Yes."
She'd never seen him so excited as when he stood and pulled her to her feet. His hands framed her face and he brought their lips together. The fervor of his kisses left her breathless and wanting more. It felt like they were the only two people in the world. Nothing could compare to this night.
NCIS
Thursday April 14
Tony got a text message when he woke up that made him frown at the urgency. I need to talk to you right now! Meet me on the bench across from HQ as soon as you can. AP.
He frowned and rolled over to kiss Ziva's shoulder, continuing a slow line across and up her neck, stopping just behind her ear. "Good morning Mrs. DiNozzo."
She shifted to face him with a smile on her lips, one he met with his own. "Good morning."
They shared a long kiss, then he sighed. "I gotta run into work early."
Ziva's brow furrowed. "Is something wrong?"
He shook his head. "I don't know. I'll update you later. Think you can snag me something for breakfast? I don't have time to stop."
Now she was anxious as well. "Of course. I will pick something up on my way in."
Tony grinned and claimed her tempting mouth one last time. "Thanks babe. See you there."
He was up and dressed and out the door before she even put her robe on and she chewed on her lip. That was highly unusual.
Worried about how serious the something might be that Jimmy needed to talk to him about, Tony drove as fast as he dared without being in ticket range and jogged across the street the moment the car was safely parked in the employee lot. He saw the Autopsy Gremlin before Jimmy saw him and the way the younger man paced back and forth in front of the bench made him nervous. "Got your 911 Palmer. What's going on?"
Jimmy looked up with a grin which quickly fell once he caught Tony's expression. "Did I say 911? I didn't mean to make you worry." He grabbed his phone to check the text and see what he'd written. "I just...I really needed to see you and I hoped- I'm sorry if-"
Tony cut him off. "Relax Black Lung. Breathe." Jimmy did as ordered, one long breath in and a slow one out. "Now, explain."
Joy lit his face and he grinned widely. "Breena said yes!"
Tony's eyebrows jumped up. "Yes what?" But he'd seen that kind of happiness before on his own face when Ziva gave him the answer he wanted and he just knew. "Took our advice seriously, huh?"
"It's all I've thought about since that morning at the crime scene." Jimmy's thoughts drifted back to the night before when Breena made him the happiest man in the world. "And she said yes!"
Tony pulled him in for a hug and then held him at arm's length. "Congratulations Jimmy. That is fantastic news! Well worth jumping out of bed and coming here for."
Jimmy winced. "Sorry about that. I haven't slept yet and it messes with my logical thought process."
A glance at his watch showed there was still time before work. "You might be able to grab a quick nap on an empty table in Autopsy." Palmer showed an immediate dislike for the suggestion. "Or Abby keeps a bedroll and pillow in the Ballistics Lab."
"Yeah. Right. Good idea."
He started to walk away but Tony stopped him. "When's the big day?"
Jimmy's face fell a little at that. "Well, not soon enough actually. We're talking it through, but right now it looks like next spring."
Tony's eyebrows drew together. "Why so far away?"
He sighed. "Breena's dad doesn't really like me much. Umm...or at all, really. She wants to give him time to get used to the news and hopes we'll develop some sort of actual relationship before we get married. And apparently it takes months to actually plan a wedding. I didn't realize it was so complicated. I'd rather..." Jimmy pushed up his glasses. "That's just so long to wait. But she's been dreaming of this day since she was a little girl and I...can't take that away from her."
Tony squeezed his shoulder. "You're a good man Jimmy Palmer. I guarantee she'll be worth the wait."
"Oh, I'm not arguing that," Jimmy clarified, all the while wondering how Tony could make that kind of guarantee when he'd never been married.
"We'll look forward to invitations." The younger man's expression was a blank and Tony prompted. "The team does get to come, right?"
Palmer blinked. "Of course. Absolutely. I just...hadn't thought that far ahead yet."
Chuckling, Tony pushed him towards the building. "Sleep first, think second. And seriously man, congratulations."
"Somehow I knew you'd be a good one to tell first. Thanks Tony."
The senior field agent watched his friend cross the street, in case he actually walked into traffic, then dropped onto the bench. Who would've thought, out of all of them, that Jimmy Palmer would be the one to have a serious girlfriend and be ready to settle down? A smile spread across his face. He'd enjoy ribbing the Autopsy Gremlin about his upcoming nuptials, but on the inside he would be so happy for him. Not only did Jimmy deserve this, but Tony knew from experience that it would be the best decision his friend had ever made.
NCIS
Due to Tony's change in plans Ziva also came into work early, bearing a take out bag of the breakfast he'd requested. Seeing as they weren't officially on the clock yet the couple headed for the breakroom and again appropriated one of the tables. Ziva glanced both ways and smiled at him, looking truly relaxed for the first time in weeks. "There is such freedom in knowing EJ is out of the country. I feel like I can actually breathe without having to wonder what corner she might be lurking around next."
After discovering the eyeball had MTAC clearance, EJ and the other two members of her team left to investigate the person it came from. Since she was heading for Hawaii they estimated she would be gone over a week, maybe more if they were lucky. So far they were just enjoying the uninterrupted peace of the last few days. "I know what you mean." Tony dug into his bacon and egg sandwich. "Mmm...this is really good." He frowned at his wife, then swallowed. "Didn't you get anything for yourself?"
She shrugged. "I had a banana at home.
Tony's nose wrinkled. "Not good enough." He rummaged through the bag and came up with a crispy hashbrown. She always got him extra knowing that was his favourite. "Here, have one."
"Tony, I-" she tried to protest but he shoved it into her hand.
"Eat. Enjoy. Say thank you."
Ziva rolled her eyes at his concern and delicately bit off the end. "Thank you." She waited a few more moments, then, "So, are you going to tell me what the mad rush out the door this morning was all about?"
He dropped his food as if a lightning bolt had hit. "I can't believe I forgot!" Tony grinned bigger than she'd seen in awhile. "Palmer's getting married! He proposed to Breena last night and she said yes!"
Clasping her hands together, she looked at him with shining eyes. "I am so happy for them." Ziva tilted her head. "It is quite an honour to be the first person he told. I am glad to see your friendship is still intact even after so many years removed from the roles you both took on when Gibbs retired."
"Jimmy's a good guy. I have a lot of respect for him. But he's like McGee, too easy to tease sometimes."
"I'm sure he knows you care because you do tease him."
Tony took a long pull on his orange juice straw. "Abby'll be the second one he tells."
Her brow furrowed. "How can you be so sure? I would expect Dr. Mallard to top the list after you."
He chuckled. "Poor guy was so excited he hadn't slept yet. I sent him to the Ballistic's Lab to crash for an hour. When Abby shows up and finds him there, she's going to demand an explanation. If the whole building hasn't heard his news by the end of the day I'll be extremely surprised."
Ziva reached over and drew her fingers lightly over his hand, particularly the empty place where his wedding band belonged. "I wish that for us, sometimes. To see the excitement on our friends' faces, to feel their joy as they share in our announcement." She sighed. "I do not know how and I do not know when, but I am looking forward to the day it is our turn."
Tony lifted her hand, kissing the emerald ring from their first anniversary. "That's gotta be a step up from dreading it." Of course, given Gibbs' reaction to a suggestion of something with EJ it didn't seem likely that they'd get the answer they hoped from him.
She nodded. "At least it is something in the right direction." It was habit to check again for witnesses before she finished. "I love you."
He closed his eyes briefly. He would never be able to hear that enough.
NCIS
Friday April 15
Tony got back from walking Meira and was in the bathroom waiting when Ziva stepped out of the shower. He grinned. "Hello beautiful."
She paused in squeezing water from her hair and glanced down at her towel clad self. "This is beautiful to you?"
His brow furrowed. "You're beautiful Zi. There's no conditions on that." Tony moved to her and pushed heavy wet waves off her shoulder. "I say that all the time, don't you know I mean it?"
Ziva flapped her hand. "I thought it was just one of your throw phrases."
Tony chuckled and drew his fingers up her arm, leaning in. "Catch phrase. And no, it's not."
Her lips parted willingly under the gentle pressure of his and her fingers slid through the back of his hair. Always one to take advantage of moments like this, Tony tilted his head and deepened the kiss, savouring the taste of his wife. Ziva responded languidly, keeping them from getting over involved, but she was so relaxed and pliable under his hands that he couldn't help running them all over her body. The need for air was the only thing that broke them apart and Tony rested his forehead on hers. "We should start every day like this."
She smirked and pecked his lips once more. "If we did, you would always be late for work."
His eyebrows jumped up. "Me?! Why only me?"
Ziva laughed and brushed past her husband, heading for their room. "Because I believe speed limits are more like guidelines than actual rules."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Thank you Captain Barbossa. Can we agree to come back to this later?" he called after her.
She stuck her head back in the door and winked. "If you're lucky."
He grinned. "Oh babe, I am definitely feeling lucky today." Hopefully that luck extended to tonight, because there was nothing Tony loved more than an opportunity to enjoy his wife.
NCIS
Jordan was a little late coming home after work so Allie had already started supper by the time he walked in. She dried her hands on a small towel and went to meet him with a smile and a kiss. "I was starting to worry."
"Sorry, had an important stop to make."
Her eyebrows lifted in question. "Oh?"
"Yeah." He grinned and held up a coral coloured flower. "I just wanted to show this rose how beautiful you are."
The corners of Allie's mouth curved up. "Did you now?" She couldn't keep the smile in and accepted his gift, breathing in the delicate scent. "Well, I guess that is a good enough reason for being late. In that case, I'll still feed you."
Jordan claimed her lips for a long moment. "Good. Because I'm starving." For more than just food however. Later he'd share with his wife that a coral rose symbolized a desire he hoped very much to act on. Right now he wanted to enjoy the delight in her expression for a little longer. Sweet, simple, and to the point - the best pick up lines only had to be a few words with a whole lot of meaning behind them.
NCIS
"Date night is never to be taken for granted again," Cassie announced after they'd dropped the kids off with her dad and Claire. This week had been kind of challenging, both normally well-behaved kids were pushing their limits and the bounds of their parents' patience.
"I second that." Mark leaned his head back against the seat. "I know we had other plans, but I feel a need to decompress right now. Can we do something tomorrow and just chill tonight?"
"House to ourselves, we can do anything we want."
He kissed her hand. "You are an amazing gracious wife. Have I told you lately that I love you?"
Cassie smirked. "You can always show me later." She paused. "Or tomorrow, if your energy returns by then."
Mark bit back a grin. "Never too tired for that Mrs. Reece. And I've always preferred showing to telling."
"I know."
They got home and Cassie grabbed two glass bottles from the bottom shelf of the fridge, using an opener to pry the tops off. Handing one to her husband, she clinked their drinks together. "Cheers." Both indulged in swallows of the old fashioned soda pop that was their special indulgence - kids and gang members alike knew never to touch the extras stashed in the refrigerator.
"Ah." Mark leaned back against the counter. "That's more like it." He was quiet for a few minutes, then turned to his wife. "So, what's your pleasure?"
"A day at the spa, a whirlpool tub all to myself, and a massage given by a very good looking man." She sighed like that was an unattainable dream. "But back here in reality I'll settle for a bath with my husband as a precursor to...other activities."
He kissed her slowly. "I could even get you that massage, if it fits the mood."
"We'll see." Cassie made her way upstairs with Mark following close behind. She was in the ensuite getting undressed when he walked in wearing just his underwear. He moved past her and set his back against the wall, arms crossed. "So, do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?"
Her lighthearted laughter filled the room and she fixed him with the most adorable look before crooking her finger at him. Mark approached slowly and pulled her close. "Mr. Reece, it has always been love at first sight." She indulged the tender kiss he gave and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her face against his skin so he could feel her breath. "I love that after sixteen years you still want to flirt with me."
He held her tighter. "We'll never be married too long for that Cass, I promise."
For being sweet he got a response passionate enough to consider skipping a bath altogether in favour of the main attraction. As far as reactions went, that had to be pretty high up the list. Tony was dreaming if he thought he was winning this bet. Playing a game had never been so rewarding.
NCIS
Saturday April 16
Ziva stopped on their walk from the henna tattoo shop after the third symbol for strength had dried over her scar and leaned on the railing. "Bridges are romantic."
Tony slid his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck. "Are they?"
"Mmhmm."
"Why?"
She looked down at the water. "Because they remind me of Paris and love. There are always love scenes on bridges in movies."
"Which ones?" He was curious to see how much attention she'd paid.
"Oh, Anne of Green Gables. And The Swan Princess."
So maybe she'd been around for one too many group dinners where the film had been McKenna's pick. "Anything else?"
Ziva glanced over her shoulder. "Was there a bridge in Letters to Juliet?"
Tony shook his head. "Balcony. Good moment, though a little cheesy."
"A Walk to Remember?"
He pursed his lips. "Dock. But pretty close. And another balcony, at the end. Starlight proposal - I should've thought of that."
"I like yours better," Ziva assured him.
Tony grinned. "Good to know."
She wasn't done yet. "Ever After?"
Now she was just testing him. He could have fun with this. "Gypsy campfire. Similar to Ella Enchanted, except they had giants." Now who'd been watching too many little girl movies?
"Speed?"
"Airport tarmac." Classic scene, but he wouldn't've classified that one as a romance per se.
"The Lake House."
"Mailbox. And backyard." His fingers crept up her side and she squirmed away from the tickling. "Give me something harder."
"Miss Potter."
That was one of hers. "Train station." Bittersweet ending. And they'd had too many close calls of their own.
"While You Were Sleeping."
He chuckled. "Someone else's wedding. Very bad taste. Then a subway station."
"The Village."
He frowned. "Odd choice for a romance Zi."
She smirked. "I like danger."
Tony sighed and rubbed his thumb over her hand. "Front porch at night. Very sweet speech for a guy of few words." He knew the moment was a particular favourite of hers.
Ziva leaned back against his chest. "Tell me the other bridge ones."
"Hmm." Tony put some real thought into the request. "Tom and Huck before he stuck his foot in it with Becky. They were engaged for all of five seconds, so that's got to be a record."
Her eyes narrowed. "They were also twelve."
"Good point." His brow furrowed. Coming up with a list was harder than he thought. "There's a pretty good bridge kiss at the end of the third Transformers movie." From her expression he knew that wasn't quite what she was looking for, however he'd saved the best for last. "But if I had to pick one, I'd say A Little Romance. The main characters don't kiss on a bridge, however, the bridge itself plays a fairly significant role." Tony tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Tradition holds that if two people kiss beneath the Bridge of Sighs in Venice at sunset, they will be in love forever. And two kids travel a great distance to reach for that reality."
Ziva had turned in his arms and she smoothed her hand down his shirt. "Perhaps we should go there someday." She wanted to see Italy with him, the place of his heritage.
He leaned his forehead on hers. "Do we need to have a love scene of our own on a bridge Mrs. DiNozzo?" He never got tired of calling her that, claiming her with his name.
She smiled. "Yes, I think we do."
Tony brought his mouth to hers, his hand cradling the back of her head, while Ziva's hands drifted up his neck, fingers sifting into his hair. There was no rush, no worry, no witnesses, and for a long time they just shared sweet kisses and didn't bother thinking of anything except each other. It was, in the end, a very nice bridge scene to add to their own collection of best romantic moments and he couldn't help repeating a quote that just seemed perfect for the time and place. "Every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favourite."
Ziva laughed and shook her head. "Where did you get that?"
All he could do was stare at her, soaking in the happiness exuding from his wife. She'd been like this yesterday too - and even Eli's letter number five wasn't allowed to ruin her joy, so she threw it away with barely a pause and then kissed him into a stupor. He'd barely remembered later to change all the garbage while she was in the bathroom and when she asked why he didn't just wait until Sunday to worry about that, he simply said he had to do it when he was thinking about it so he didn't forget. Tony left out the part about hiding the letters in his bottom desk drawer, that was for later.
He finally shrugged and answered. "I saw it in a Hallmark store."
"Very appropriate." She rested her head on his shoulder. "Tony, I think today has been a perfect day." Ziva didn't see how it could get any better.
Holding her face very carefully in his hands, Tony claimed her lips again. "I'm hoping this particular scene is a preview of the rest of their lives." If only every day could look just like this one.
NCIS
Sunday April 17
She'd never been woken up like this before, that was for sure, but Ziva knew she could definitely get used to it. Rather than her husband's hands and lips coaxing her out of dreams, this time she was drawn awake by the soft sound of a guitar being strummed in the livingroom. For several moments she lay in bed and listened, then she wrapped the sheet around herself and tiptoed to the doorway where she could observe her husband unnoticed. Tony was picking out notes, moving up and down the neck and trying different frets, all the while humming along to a melody in his head.
Not wanting to interrupt, she retreated into the room and began getting dressed, being sure to make enough noise that Tony would notice. He did and very soon set the guitar aside so he could greet his wife and get his good morning kiss. The day just wouldn't be the same without it. Of course, they very rarely stopped with one kiss but before the couple got past make out territory Tony's stomach grumbled and Ziva broke away with a laugh.
"Time to feed the hungry bear, yes?" she asked, patting his abs.
"Beast." He stole one last kiss and slung his arm around her waist. "I guess we better. Big plans today."
"Oh?" One raised eyebrow encouraged him to continue but he shook his head.
"Nope, saving it for after we eat."
His wife's patience and her curiosity were not evenly matched or he would've been in trouble. Instead of prying for information she got down bowls and pulled out two kinds of cereal while Tony stuck bread in the toaster and grabbed a frying pan for bacon. They shared sections of the newspaper during the meal, occasionally commenting on something or reading an article out loud to each other. Then dishes were collected and washed and it was finally time to tell her what was on their agenda for the day.
Now that he was back to full health, Tony had determined it was time to make up for their missed rockclimbing date and informed his wife of that fact. Ziva lit up and he loved being the cause. "We're going now?"
"Yup," he grinned smugly. "Already called Mark and told him this was a very special day for us, so we'd have to pass on basketball."
Her brow furrowed and she glanced at the calendar. "Why is it special?"
Tony shook his head. "And I thought girls were the ones who kept all the important dates in their heads."
Ziva's gaze narrowed and she began ticking them off on her fingers. "Day we met. First kiss. First official date. First 'I love yous'. Engagement. Day we moved into our house. Marriage. What am I missing?"
As much as he wanted to drag out the suspense a bit longer, he gave in. "This, my dear Zee-vah, is halfway between our first 'not a date' and our first official date." Tony pursed his lips. "And technically tomorrow is too, because exactly halfway was twenty-six point five days which doesn't work quite as well."
She slid her arms around his neck. "Who am I to argue with logic like that?"
Their mouths met and melded and he pulled back to share yet another 'I love you reason' from his list. "Nine hundred twenty-six - I love you for your melt in my mouth baking and chef level cooking."
Ziva laughed. "But I did not cook this morning."
He rolled his eyes. "Minor details."
"Anything else?" Lately he'd taken to giving her more than one in a row.
Tony tipped his head to the side as if considering how much to share. "I love you for your loyalty to us and our friends and our team."
She brushed her nose over his. "I love you for the same reason."
He made a face. "No interrupting."
Ziva put a finger over her lips. "Sorry."
His lips stole the apology on her next breath. "And I love you for teaching me your language and letting me inside your heart."
Ziva pressed her hand to his heart. "At the time that was the only thing of mine I had to give. I definitely chose the right man."
"I missed a great opportunity to put a pick up line in my proposal," Tony suddenly lamented.
"Oh?"
He grinned. "I should've led with, 'Hi, I'm Mr. Right. Someone said you were looking for me.'"
She chuckled, eyes twinkling. "You are ridiculous."
"Maybe," he shrugged, "but you're smiling so I guess I did something right."
"Ahava," his wife whispered, claiming his mouth once more, "you are always doing something right."
NCIS
Monday April 18
Flowers were delivered to Ziva's desk mid-morning and she opened the card a bit warily for the team's sake, then sighed and shoved it in her back pocket. Tony glanced sympathetically across the room. "Rob still trying to make up for being a first class jerk?"
She rolled her eyes. "That is none of your business Tony."
In fact, the flowers were from her thoughtful husband and the card made her fight not to smile. Happy Five Years of Relationship Sweetheart! And many more to come. I love you - TD.
It was not very covert, but they'd planned her reaction to any gifts he gave at the office to make them appear from someone else. And with the current situation he knew no one would ask to see the card. Ziva sighed. "Gibbs...may I have a few minutes to take these somewhere else? I would rather not look at them all day." As a matter of fact she wished she could look at them all day, but she didn't have enough confidence in her ability to look disappointed each time rather than delighted as she actually was.
He gave a brief nod and she picked up the vase. "I will not be long." Just long enough to leave the vase on the floor of her car where it could safely hide until they headed home tonight.
Ziva made it back upstairs in time to see Tony flex his fingers and groan, rubbing his forearm gingerly. McGee glanced over. "Tough workout Tony?"
"No," he shook his head. "Had a date yesterday and we went rockclimbing. I'm feeling it a little bit."
"Rockclimbing?" McGee commented. "Sounds like fun. Must be the adventurous type of girl."
"Yup. Tough too."
Tim grinned. "She kicked your butt, didn't she?"
He sat up a little straighter. "We were decently matched."
The probie snickered like he didn't believe a word of it and Ziva did her best to remain introspective, but inside she was thinking about their date and how much fun they'd had racing up a rock face. The anniversary of their fifth year together would get even better tonight, because the back of the card said he was taking her out for dessert at one of DC's more upscale restaurants. Special occasions should always be celebrated with flair, Tony wrote and she had to admit he was doing a spectacular job. She definitely owed him for this one.
NCIS
It took him a whole week, but Gibbs finally picked up the phone Monday night to call Celeste. She answered with relief in her voice. "If this was how you felt then it's been two very long weeks for both of us."
He let out a breath. "You were right. Not a bad idea to take a step back and use the space to figure things out."
She sighed. "Have we figured anything out?"
"I know this - California is too far away."
Celeste chuckled softly. "I'm afraid I can't rearrange geography to make it any closer."
Probably best. He couldn't think clearly with her close all the time. "I also think not rushing where this is going is in both our best interests." Gibbs slumped back into the couch. "Whatever the next step is, I refuse to make a mess of us a second time."
"The responsibility doesn't all lie with you," she reminded him. "But I'm really glad to hear you say that."
He fiddled with the carving knife but didn't bring his project out yet. "The stories you want...need to hear will come Les. But some will have to be face to face."
"I thought maybe telling the hard ones over the phone would make it less intimidating." The last thing she wanted was for him to feel any pressure when he shared about the other women who'd held his heart before her.
Gibbs nodded at her wisdom. "Maybe there'll be some of that too."
"So for now...business as usual?" Celeste queried, not wanting to steer the conversation into deep waters for the time being.
"For now," he agreed.
"Did you solve the case that made you stay late last week?"
"Work in progress." Gibbs hesitated. "The guy Ziva's...oh, but the team isn't on our approved list of topics anymore."
Celeste slid her fingers into Lexie's soft fur. "I didn't mean you can't ever talk about them, they are the people you spend most of your time with. I was just hoping every conversation we have wouldn't revolve around them."
"And this one?" He couldn't afford to guess wrong.
"Catch me up. I feel very out of the loop. What about Ziva?"
"The guy she's been talking to since her Miami trip in September showed up to surprise her at the office yesterday."
"Oh...wow. I bet Tony didn't like that very much."
"Not really," Gibbs concurred. "Not sure I do either."
"I thought you were glad she was interested in someone else."
"I was. But turns out the guy is CIA, so I don't trust him. And he lied to her, so I don't trust him." He paused and felt his anger rising again. "And he really hurt my girl, so I want to show him the consequences of his error in judgement."
"I assume NCIS frowns upon altercations with members of fellow agencies?"
"Yeah." He sighed, because roughing up CIRob was a very attractive option right now. Especially after how she'd acted with the flowers this morning. "Guess I have to leave it for her to handle."
"That would be wise. But if Ziva asks for your help that's a whole different story. You remember I've seen you in Interrogation Jethro. You can be quite intimidating when the situation calls for it."
"I'll keep that in mind." Gibbs figured that was enough about the team and work. "How'd you spend your week?"
Thinking about you, was what immediately came to Celeste's mind but she couldn't say that part out loud. She did, however, greatly look forward to the day when being honest with her ex-husband about how she felt was something not only allowed as part of their relationship, but encouraged and also reciprocated.
NCIS
Two months. Two very long months of going from seeing Abby as much as he thought he could get away with to as little as he thought he could get away with. Their interactions had been strained, their usually cozy working relationship frigid, and their time together outside of the office non-existent. And Tim was tired of it. That's why tonight he'd bucked up the courage and come over to her place, determined to start making things right - if indeed she'd give him that chance. He stood outside her door for a good ten minutes before he could make himself knock, then he took a deep breath and sent up a prayer. He needed all the help he could get.
Abby opened the door with a smile, it could've been any number of people since she enjoyed having visitors, but the expression feel into something more like confusion when she saw who was on the other side. "McGee? What are you doing here?" After the last several weeks of losing everything that made their relationship special, this was the last thing she expected.
"Hey Abbs," he managed, shoving his hands in his pockets. He swallowed and stared at the ground, momentarily unable to get any further into his mission, then he forced his eyes up to hers. Man, had he missed looking into those expressive green orbs! "Uh...can I...take you to dinner?"
She blinked, almost in a state of shock, but recognized the vulnerability and fear of rejection in his face and posture. She thought about how hurt she'd been when he wanted to take a step back and how she'd called everything they were doing quits to make it less difficult. But that decision and its ramifications had been extremely difficult and not just for her. She remembered the loss she'd felt as the weeks dragged on without her movie night and dinner buddy. She recalled their symbiosis in working together and wanted that again. Most of all Abby took herself back years ago to their first try at something more, when she knew what it was like to be in his shoes, to be the one freaking out because they were getting too close.
With all of that in mind she found the answer easy to give and for once kept it simple. "Yes."
Hope leapt into his troubled gaze and she could see the gratitude shining through clear as day. Abby grabbed her purse, tucked her hand around his arm like always, and they walked out together. Wherever this path was leading them, they'd finally taken the first step and she believed it was finally one in the right direction.
