A/N: Please review!
The sun shone through the white curtains in the bedroom. The apartment was silent except for the breathing of two people. They were laying in the bed, close together. The woman's head was on the man's chest. Her hair spread out on her "pillow". The man had his arm wrapped around her. His hand resting on her waist, holding her against him. His other arm was wrapped in gauze. A sling sat on the nightstand next to a phone and a glass of water.
The man stirred. He tried to move but it was hard with his arm and the person on his chest. He looked down and smiled. He leaned down and kissed Danielle's forehead then placed his head back on the pillow. Alex breathed in and tried to relax. He was safe. She was safe. They were sleeping in their new apartment and everything was going to be okay. It was time for their happily ever after.
He used this time to think. He thought about the wedding. Dani was so excited. She told him all the things that they had registered for and they have gotten the guest list down. Almost. They still have not decided on a date. "Maybe a fall wedding?" He thought. "The could have it one day in September, when it was still warm and sunny. Maybe it could be an outside wedding? In a courtyard or at a park. I guess I really don't care, as long as she is happy" Alex looked down at Dani who was still sleeping. He smiled and held her closer.
Dani felt something squeeze her tighter. She woke up slowly, unaware of her surroundings. She opened her eyes and saw blue. Well, a blue tee-shirt. She began to move a little and lifted her head up and saw Alex smiling down at her. She smiled weakly then put her head back down on his chest. She let out an exhausted sigh and closed her eyes again.
"Morning." Alex smiled.
"Morhdfkja." Dani mumbled.
"What?" Alex laughed not understanding a word she said.
She lifted her head up and looked at him. "Morning."
"That's what you said. I thought you spoke alien." Alex said.
Dani pouted and hit his chest lightly. "Hey, it is early. I can't form sentences and I am not responsible for what I say."
"Uh huh." Alex laughed. Dani sat up and looked over at Alex.
"What do you want to do today?" Dani asked.
Alex sat up and looked around at their new bedroom. It was empty. Dani had begged Tony to let them stay the night even thought they had nothing there.
"Move in?" Alex asked with a smile.
Dani smiled. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. "I love you."
Alex laughed against her lips and brought his arm around her and pulled her closer.
"I have a question." Alex said.
Dani smiled and looked up from his lips to his eyes.
"I might have an answer." Dani said.
Alex smiled and brought his good hand up to mess with her hair. "I am wondering if you are ever going to get that rain check?" He asked.
Dani thought back...
"Nothing, just thinking about that preview from earlier…wondering if I could take that rain date now?" Danielle smiled.
"You can have it whenever you want." Alex said moving closer to her and putting his lips to her ear again. "As I was saying…. I was planning on…."
"Hey, didn't I tell you she needed sleep." The nurse said. barging in on their conversation.
"Well yes but.."
"NO BUTS." She said, "If I hear a but, you are out of here and sleeping in the waiting room! Got it?"
"Ya, I got it." Alex said.
"Good. Now, Danielle, SLEEP!" the nurse said
"Yes, ma'am. I promise I won't let him keep me up!" She smiled. The Nurse shook her head and walked out.
"I am guessing you want another rain date?" Alex laughed.
"Let's sleep. I'll check that date tomorrow." Danielle said already falling asleep.
"Okay," Alex said holding her hand.
Dani smiled. "When your arm is healed."
"And if it is healed now?" Alex said trailing his hand down her back and playing with the edge of her tee-shirt.
"I would know you were lying." Dani smiled giving him a short kiss on the lips then slipping out of his hand. "Nice try though."
Alex sighed as he watched her walk out of their bedroom.
"You're killing me!" Alex yelled after her. He could hear her laughter through the doorway. He sighed then slowly got off the bed. He grabbed his sling off the nightstand and put it on before walking towards the kitchen.
Dani looked through the fridge. She had grabbed a few things for breakfast last night. She knew they needed to go shopping for...well...everything. She decided not to get too much till after the wedding.
Alex walked up behind her. She was facing the sink when he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.
"You are very mean to me." He said against her neck as he placed kisses on her shoulder.
"You will survive, Alex." Dani laughed.
Alex snorted. "I was just on a boat with all men! Not one girl in sight except for your beautiful picture."
"Bet you had fun with that." Dani smirked.
Alex took in a big breath. "Do you talk to your father with that mouth!"
Dani chuckled. "You never denied it."
"Doesn't mean I am confirming it." Alex whispered against her neck, placing kisses as he went along.
Chills ran up her spin. "You are not making this easy." Dani said.
"Exactly." He said.
Dani soaked in the moment then pushed him away. "I am not giving in that easy. If that is the best you got, then bring it on!" She smiled turning so that she was leaning on the counter, facing him.
"Then you do not know me very well." Alex smirked. "I bet that I will be able to get you to give in before my arm heals."
Dani laughed loudly. "In your dreams."
Alex leaned forwards and put his lips to her ears. "Every night." He whispered before backing off and sitting down at their table.
Dani took a minute to calm herself down before going back to her task, making them breakfast.
Tony woke up to the sound of his alarm. "Ughhhhhhhh." He whined turning it off then turning over in his bad. He reached out and found old sheets. He sat up an looked around the room. It was empty.
He out of of bed and threw on his boxers. Dani wasn't supposed to be home till one.
"Ziva?" He called through the house. He walked into the kitchen and found a plate of eggs and a note.
Gibbs said you have the day off. Here is breakfast. Don't forget to get a guest list together with Dani when she gets home around 1:00. Here are a couple thing to do around the house too.
1. Unload dishwaser
2. Please clean up the movies, they are a mess
3. Help Dani move stuff to the apartment :)
Love you
~Zi
Tony placed his eggs in the microwave and heated them up. While he was waiting for them, he unloaded most of the dishwasher.
He ate breakfast in the living room in front of the TV and when he was finished, he organized his DVDs. They were everywhere. Stacked in piles, DVDs out of their cases, EVERYWHERE. He placed everything back in order and by 11:00 he was done everything that Ziva had asked in to do but help Dani and the wedding stuff.
Tony went out into the kitchen and began creating a list of his family that he wanted to come.
Dad's Side
1. Nonna + Nonno
2. Aunt Clara+Uncle Anthony+Jill+Peter
3. Aunt Debbie+Uncle Jim+Vinny+Eddy+Joanna+Kristen
4. Uncle Johnny+Sarah+Billy+Joseph
5. Dad+Guest
Mom's Side
1. Marie+Jess+Tommy
"That looks like everyone." Tony said aloud.
"Huh?" A voice asked walking into the house.
Tony turned around and saw Dani and Alex is his kitchen doorway.
"Hey guys." Tony smiled. He put down the list looked up at Dani.
"Dad..." Dani laughed. "You gonna put clothes on?"
"Yeah...I'll do that right now." Tony said getting up and moving quickly to the bedroom.
Dani went straight to the refrigerator and grabbed out a water bottle. She sat down at the kitchen table with Alex.
"Ahh... The guest list." She smiled picking it up and reading it over. She grabbed the pen and began writing everyone's name on the list. Alex helped her out, chiming in on names she couldn't remember.
"I see you have found my list." Tony said walking into the room.
"Ya, we started to add to it so we could have a count." Dani said. She handed Tony the list. "We have about 40 people."
"Okay." Tony said reading over the list. He came to a blank section. "What is the blank section for?"
"Ziva's family." Dani said. "I told her she could invite her family."
Tony sighed. "Dani," He said softy. "Ziva doesn't have a family."
"What?" Dani asked softly, surprised.
"Her mother and sister died when she was little." Tony said. "She doesn't talk to her father anymore and her brother was killed about 7 years ago. She considers the team her family now."
"No Aunts? Uncles? Anyone?" Dani asked.
"I know she has one Aunt. But she doesn't like me very much..." Tony trailed off.
"What did you do?" Dani said.
"I kinda... well...I thought she was in trouble so awhile ago I yelled at her aunt saying she needed to leave Ziva alone. But it was over the phone so I didn't know it was her aunt." Tony said.
"Really Dad." Dani said "Really."
"I think we are all cool now though, even though Ziva will not let me talk to her." Tony said running his fingers through his hair.
"I don't know what to say." Dani said, "I feel really stupid for telling her to invite her family now."
"Don't." Tony said. "I am sure she knows it wasn't to insult her. Besides, I am the only person she has really told about her family. You are not the only one who doesn't know."
"I still feel like I should apologize or give her a hug or something." Dani said.
"She told me..." Alex said. Tony and Dani both looked over at him.
"Huh?"
"She told me. Her mom died when she was five, right?" He asked Tony.
"Ya..."
"And her sister died at 16. Ziva was away on a mission when it happened. And her brother, well, she didn't say anything about her brother." Alex stated.
"How do you know all this?" Tony asked.
Alex looked over at them. "She told me when I first met her. It is how she got me to tell her about my dads beating."
"Wow." Dani said.
"I thought you knew." Alex said to Dani.
"Hello?" A voice called from the living room. "Who is home?"
"Kitchen." Tony yelled.
They watch Ziva walk into the kitchen. She was wearing her work cloths and they could see her gun at her hip. "Gibbs gave me an hour for lunch. So I thought I would stop by and see how everything is going."
"You are checking up on me." Tony smiled. "Making sure I do everything on your list."
"No." Ziva smiled. "I wanted to see Alex. How are you feeling?"
"Better." Alex said. "Everything seems to hurt a lot less."
"Good." Ziva smiled. "How is the apartment?"
"AMAZING!" Dani chimed in.
Alex laughed. "It is nice. Thank you. Thank you so much."
"No problem." Ziva smiled. "Now, let me see this guest list." She said sitting down on Tony's lap and grabbing the papers from his hand. "Good..Good...I know them...okay...Tony, that is a lot of family...Wait, what is the blank spot?"
"Anyone you wanted to invite." Dani said.
"Really."
"I told you this yesterday. Do I have to remind you about the car ride?" Dani smiled.
"No, I remember." She said sharing a smile with Dani. "And thank you. It will only be my Aunt Nettie attending the wedding."
"Alright." Dani said still smiling. Ziva could tell something was off.
"Boys, you wanna give us a minute. I have to talk some girl stuff with Dani for a minute." Ziva said.
"Sure..." Tony said getting up along with Alex and going into the living room.
"You never told me." Dani said as soon as they left the room.
"You never asked." Ziva replied simply.
"Do you miss them?" Dani asked.
"Sometimes." Ziva said. "But sometimes when I look around, I realize that I have family here. It doesn't hurt as much knowing that I have people to watch my back."
"I think the most asked question for me is do you miss your mom." Dani said.
"Do you?"
"I do." Dani said. "Sometimes, I get upset that she won't be at my wedding. I get upset that she isn't here to watch me grow up, watch me become a better person. But then I realize the only reason I would want her there is because I want to rub it in her face that I can become something without her. That I didn't need her to be an influence in my life."
"It does no good to keep hating her." Ziva said. "It is wasted energy."
"I know." Dani sighed playing with the ring on her finger. "Sometimes, I just can't help it."
"So, how did last night go?" Ziva asked changing the topic.
"Well...I guess." Dani said. "we didn't do anything. We just slept and stuff. He has made a bet with me. He thinks he can pretty much seduce me before his arm heals when i have told him twice that nothing was going to happen until it heals."
Ziva laughed. "How is that going?" She smiled.
"Funny." Dani said. "It is going to be an interesting week and a half."
"His arm will heal that fast?" Ziva said.
"No, he has an appointment to get the bandages off and he doesn't have to wear the sling. It will look like one nasty scar but, other than it healing normally, it will be okay." Dani said. "He has therapy for a long time and he is not allowed to drive, so I am his designated driver."
"Sounds like fun." Ziva laughed.
That Night:
"Zi?" Tony whispered into the dark bedroom.
"Yes Tony." Ziva said.
He shuffled over to their bed. "I thought you were asleep." He said.
"I am awake now," She said sitting up. "What do you need?"
"I just wanted to talk. You have been gone all day." Tony said. "But you are tired, go to sleep. We can talk in the morning."
Ziva scooted over and pulled Tony down next to her. "Talk to me." She said placing her head on his chest and wrapping her fingers around his.
"I love you." He whispered against her head.
"That all?" She smiled.
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. "No, I wanted to talk about Dani." He said. "I know you talked to her, and know what is going on in the apartment."
"Tony," Ziva laughed. "She is fine. Alex will protect her."
"But who can protect her from Alex?" Tony asked.
"He would never hurt her."
"That is not what I was thinking about." Tony said softly.
Ziva rolled her eyes. "They have not had sex yet if that is what you are asking me."
Ziva heard Tony let out a breath. "Well that clears up a lot of the talking I wanted to do."
Ziva sighed and held him tighter. She kissed his chest lightly and leaned against it so that she cold look at him. "Can we go to sleep now?"
"Yes." Tony smiled placing a kiss on her lips. Ziva leaned into the kiss and then broke it off, laying back down against his chest. She listened to his steady heartbeat and fell asleep to rhythmic pulse.
Tony kissed her forehead and fell asleep as well, listening to her soft breaths.
A/N: pLeAsE rEvIeW ! Click the button if you remember the green review button! I do!
