So, this is the first chapter, set after 'Code of Conduct'. The story basically tells how the team feels about the sentence that made my day. It's just a four-shot about how Tony and Ziva could confess their feelings and get together. Just some Tiva-fluff. (since I'm a huge Tiva-fan)

I hope you like it as much as I like REVIEWS. (yes, that's a hint)

~~Ziva's POV~~

I'd say it with love…

What was the meaning behind those words? Was it just a joke? Did it mean he cared about her? Or was it more? Did it mean he wanted to be more than just friends?

She had been thinking about it since the words came out of his mouth, into the world. They had shared a short conversation, quiet, just looking in the other ones eyes, she, asking what he meant with it, he, not giving an answer. And then he talked again, trying to make things a little less awkward, and she was left with her thoughts and unanswered questions, wondering what he had meant when he looked in her eyes, a small smile playing around his lips as if he was daring her to say something, to confess.

To confess what? That she loved him? That she was very likely in love with him? She knew she wouldn't, couldn't, confess, not before she knew for sure he felt the same way.

She looked up when someone walked into the bullpen and locked eyes with her. He smiled at her, his bright green eyes twinkling. She smiled back and he nodded at her, a silent but sweet hello, expressing things he would never say.

"Hi, Tony!" McGee said from behind his desk, smiling at the senior field agent.

He turned to face McGee. "Good morning, McGoo!" He said cheerfully.

McGee raised his eyebrows. "Wow, you're happy. Did you have a fun date or something?"

Tony sighed. "Don't you think I already would've told you if I had?"

"True." She said, giving Tony a small smile.

"I haven't had a date in a while, actually. I'm just happy to be at work again, to see you guys again…" He said while pointing at her and McGee.

McGee just raised his eyebrows and gave her a questioning look, which she answered by raising her shoulders, not knowing what to say.

It was weird that Tony was saying these things. She knew he loved his job, but it wasn't like him to tell them he was happy to be there and to see them again. Why was he being so mysterious, why couldn't he just tell her what he was thinking and feeling, why couldn't he just confess?

She wondered how long it had been since his last date and she only realized she had said it out loud when McGee looked at her with shock written all over his face and Tony turned around, a smile that didn't reach his eyes on his face.

"Just a couple of months." He said, the smile still on his face, but pain in his eyes.

She opened and closed her mouth, not really knowing what to say. "I am… sorry. It is not my business…" She said, trying to avoid his eyes.

When she met his eyes, they were soft and he had a sincere but slightly sad smile on his face. "It's okay, don't worry about it." He said, and turned around to sit down behind his desk.

After a while Gibbs walked in and she looked up. "Do we have a case, boss?" She heard Tony ask, and when she looked at him he gave her a friendly smile.

"No, but you and I have a videoconference up in MTAC in 5 minutes." Gibbs said while he walked towards his desk and opened a drawer to take out a file.

Tony raised his eyebrows. "A videoconference? With who?" He asked, and grinned when he added "The president?"

Gibbs glared at him. "No, SecNav."

Tony's mouth opened and closed. "… oh… yeah, that's another possibility…"

She smirked, he was still the same Tony. She had missed him these months. Even though he could be very annoying, he was Tony, and, it didn't matter if she confessed it or not, she loved him. She was in love with him. He always tried to lighten the mood, the cheer people up when they were down… he had always had her back, even when she hadn't wanted him to, even when she hadn't expected him to, when she hadn't deserved it.

He had said sorry, she had said sorry, they had forgiven each other, but she hadn't forgive herself. The things she had said to him where unforgivable.

She looked up and suddenly noticed Tony and Gibbs were gone.

"Why did he react that way?" She asked McGee, desperately wanting to know what had happened in the months she hadn't been there.

He looked up. "You should ask him, not me." He said, trying to avoid here eyes.

"McGee? Please tell me. What happened when I was gone? Why can't I know about it?"

He looked at her like she was crazy. "What happened?! Ziva, we thought you were dead! That's what happened! We thought you had died on that ship! We were devastated." He said, a sad look in his eyes. He looked in her eyes and saw the question she didn't dare to ask. "And Tony, Tony was even worse…"

She looked at him in slight disbelief, until she understood. "He really blamed himself that much?" She asked, knowing how Tony reacted when he thought it was his fault.

McGee narrowed his eyes. "Do you think it was because he felt guilty? Do you really think that he would come and rescue you, risk his life for you, because he thought it was his fault?" McGee said, his voice only a whisper.

"He was different… those months. He was less… Tony. I mean, he was still making jokes, acting childish… but it was different, he really missed you. He got better at hiding it, it was barely noticeable in the end… but then we heard of your dead, and then… as he said… life lost all meaning to him…" He was looking her straight in the eye, his eyes sad. Her eyes had widened and had become sad, shock written all over her face. She blinked a couple of times to keep her tears from falling. She could barely believe it. Would he really act like that?

"Why?" She managed to whisper.

"He already told you…" He said.

Couldn't live without you, I guess…

She frowned slightly. "He meant it?" She asked, not really believing him. "Why would he tell me if he meant it? He would never do that."

He sighed. "He couldn't lie to you, remember? Truth serum?" He said, making her remember. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm gonna go back to work, Tony's gonna kill me for telling you this." He murmured, just hard enough for her to hear, and sighed, walking to his desk.

"McGee." She said, attracting his attention. "Thank you."

He nodded at her and looked down, concentrating on his work again, a sign for her to do the same.

Reviews? Ideas? Yes, please!