Author's Note: Thanks again for the ongoing support! It's so good to see those hits/subscribes/kudos piling up. I'm glad so many people are still as invested in this series as I am.
As always - enjoy!
Chapter Three - Unofficial
Ziva was every bit as ruthless as she'd promised on Sunday morning when it came waking her unexpected party crashers, although it was slightly later than she'd intimated to Gibbs, waiting for Abby and Breena to surface, weary but unharmed first. Teacups in hand, they staged an enthusiastic dance party on the kitchen tiles, doing their best to remember the steps they had learned the previous night, and laughing when the male contingent of the party were jolted into consciousness and gathered on the couch, holding their heads regretfully, feeling somewhat worried about their fates. Too tired to really keep dancing, they moved to tidying up. Abby folded and replaced the spare blankets, letting the lid of the wooden chest fall with a thud each time she let go, Ziva busied herself with the dishes with distinct lack of her usual grace, while Breena ran the vacuum, cleaning up the dirt the guys had tracked in from their midnight 'adventure', watching with amusement as they flinched at every loud noise or peal of laughter as the women worked fluidly around each other, maintaining a steady stream of chatter as they did so.
With the house restored, another glance at the sorry row on the couch told them it was time to take pity; Ziva handed out jasmine tea with lime and aspirin, Breena went downstairs and cleaned out Jimmy's bucket, and Abby took the keycard Gibbs had delivered and borrowed Ziva's car to conduct a speed of light sweep of the hotel suite for forgotten belongings before checkout time. When Abby returned, bearing massive bottles of sport rehydration drinks, Caf-Pow!, and an ankle brace for Jimmy, they sequestered themselves in the kitchen, making a breakfast designed to cure even the worst of hangovers. With the carefully concocted balance of fats, sugars and electrolytes, and no "DiNozzo Defibrillators" in sight, the guys recovered somewhat, and by the time the group parted in the early afternoon, they could be qualified as human again although still worse for wear; Jimmy limping, Tim sheepish and apologetic, and Tony nursing a headache. As she'd suggested the night before however, Ziva was more amused than annoyed, and although she sent Tony back to bed to sleep it off, she joined him for a sleepy cuddle, letting him know he was forgiven.
Everyone was back to normal by Monday morning (barring Jimmy's ankle), but there were still plenty of regrets when Gibbs greeted each one of his late-night visitors with a stinging head slap and a stern word. The week rolled on; on Tuesday Abby hacked their computers and using a code that not even McGee could get to the bottom of, set everyone's screensaver to a countdown timer until the wedding. Ziva spoke at one final highschool on Wednesday, while the rest of the team attended a body found in a car parked down by the docks. Thursday brought two whole building evacuations; the first for the mandatory fire drill which went off smoothly, the second not half an hour after normal work had been resumed when someone managed to set the microwave in the break room on fire. This was followed promptly by a lead to the whereabouts of the person responsible for the case they'd started the day before, Tony and Gibbs heading out to apprehend them, while Ziva and McGee stayed back, coordinating warrants and paperwork. The suspect ran, leading Tony on a long and circuitous foot pursuit through several narrow, dimly lit back alleys, before Gibbs cut them off with the sedan; returning to the yard somewhere around dinner time, tired and sweaty but triumphant.
"Please tell me you were craving pizza tonight." Tony threw himself into his chair with a sigh of relief. "I need grease after all that running."
"No. But McGee was." Ziva pointed to the elevator as the man in question arrived holding a couple of fragrant boxes, and a plastic bag printed with the name of a nearby convenience store.
"Whoa, I've been trying to convince Ziva we should have pizza for a solid week, McGourmet, how'd you manage it?" Tony stood again to take the top one gratefully, flipped open the lid and chose a slice. "I can feel my arteries clogging already. Bliss."
"Bribery." McGee shrugged with a grin, setting the second box down on his desk. "Sometimes you've got to offer something in return to get what you want."
Tony gave an incredulous scoff. "No way would our Agent David ever be susceptible to a bribe, especially anything you could offer her. You're talking about a trained spy..."
"A pregnant spy who has a weakness for peanut butter." McGee finished, handing Ziva the bag. "Every Reese's product they had in stock, should keep you going for a couple of days."
"Thank you!" She peered into the bag. "That is too much, I will pay you back."
"Nope. Consider it a future investment." He shook his head. "Remember this next time we can't decide what to order. I figure that's good for getting your vote on at least the next three office dinners."
"Deal." Ziva agreed with a laugh, pulling out one of the bright orange packets, and setting the bag on the floor.
"She's pregnant and getting married in two days, McGoo. Not rocket science to work out that she probably wanted chocolate." Tony laughed, and took another bite. "If I had any idea you were so easy Zi..." He angled a mock disappointed shake of his head in her direction. Ziva threw a second package of candy at him as retaliation, bouncing it squarely off his forehead.
"I still have one more trick up my sleeve." A bottle of antacids appeared from McGee's inner coat pocket with a flourish. "Picked these up too." He tossed the bottle at Ziva, before reaching for his own slice.
"My hero! For that, four meals." Ziva caught the bottle. "You are truly my knight in shining armour right now."
"There's always Pepto Bismol in my drawer." Tony gestured with his pizza. "Don't give McGee a bigger head than he's already got."
"Pepto Bismol is not recommended during pregnancy, Agent DiNozzo." It was Vance finishing the sentence this time, joining them in the bullpen, Gibbs impassive and silent in his wake. "I came down to let you know, the whole team is off tomorrow, including Ms Sciuto, providing you get those reports done this evening."
"To what do we owe this generosity?" Tony questioned, surprised. They had organised an early finish for the following day, but had not taken any extra time off surrounding the wedding, most of their leave having been used during the summer, and preferring to keep what was left for family leave after the baby arrived.
"Mrs Vance was very clear what would happen if anything happened to her chance to dress up and leave the kids with a sitter on Saturday. I know the odds with this team, you'll pick up a case and end up on the next flight to Guatemala if you're in here." He gave a low chuckle "And I've had the starring role in a wedding myself before, there's always some last minute details to take care of. Right, Gibbs?" Only Vance was brave enough to show open amusement at the look on Gibbs' face.
"Thank you, Director." Ziva answered for them all, and chocolate fix achieved, she stood, heading for McGee's pizza box and reached for a slice.
"Consider it your wedding present then." Tony and Ziva had declined actual gifts. "As long as those reports are finished, I will see you all Saturday afternoon." Vance helped himself to a slice from Tony's desk and headed for the elevator.
"Thought you liked olives Ziva?" McGee questioned watching as she studied it with a frown and began picking off the olive slices.
"These are not olives." She informed him, dropping the offending topping onto a paper napkin. "Not real olives anyway."
"Arguing that olives on a pizza are anything like the kind she grew up eating is a battle you won't win. Don't go there." Tony cut in before the younger agent could make further enquiries. He'd been subject to a lecture almost as long and impassioned as McGee's speech on jetpacks when it came to the difference between freshly cured olives eaten a few yards away from where they had been grown, and the "cremated slices of rubber" that came on a pizza, and after having experienced it himself in Israel, he had to admit she was right. "So tomorrow, six extra hours to fill... what's the plan, Zi?"
"Much the same as before, only with more time to do it. There is some decorating to be finished, and Abby and I have a hair appointment at four, and your father is due to land at noon. However, if you are willing to drive to the airport instead, I will not argue." Ziva had been nominated as Senior's chauffeur being the least likely to be out on the field when he landed. "But we can have breakfast out at the diner seeing as we no longer need to be in early." She added with a smile; breakfast with Joyce at the diner near Tony's old apartment was their favourite (well, maybe second-favourite) lazy-morning activity.
"Yeah, I can do that. Should probably take him out for dinner now that we know we're free too." Tony suggested. Senior had been thrilled with both the wedding and baby news, declaring that it was about time both happened. He'd heard about Ziva's proposal and the accident that had killed Eli, but little from the intervening months; Tony had not been in contact with him during Ziva's absence, giving only the barest of dot points after the fact, mostly that Ziva had stayed back to continue finalising the estate and had come home when she'd learned she was pregnant, and he had assumed the baby had simply spurred them into action about actually tying the knot faster. As far as not discussing anything too personal with his father went, Tony was happy to keep it that way. "I'll find us a table then." He finished when Ziva nodded her acceptance of the plan.
"Table for two, DiNozzo. Ziver, you and Abs are with me for the night." Gibbs cut in.
"I thought you would be picking us up at the house in the afternoon?" Ziva's eyes flashed across to his desk, curious but hopeful. Tony knew Ziva had wanted to get ready at Gibbs' house with Abby, as she would have in Be'er Sheva with Tali by her side if things had been very different, but hadn't asked for this, worried about hitting Gibbs too close to Kelly's memory.
"Where else are you going to spend the night before your wedding... kid?" The last word was barely audible even inside the bullpen, but the message was clear, he'd known too.
"You realise that would mean we would be at your house on Saturday morning Gibbs? Are you ready for Abby in bridesmaid mode?" Ziva questioned lightly, although Tony could see how pleased she was at the invitation.
"I'll take my chances." Gibbs gave a sigh that was not quite defeated enough to be convincing. "And if you want anything other than potatoes with your steak, you bring it."
"Thank you. I will try to keep Abby's wedding explosion limited to the one room." There was the briefest glance of understanding between them, before Gibbs turned his eyes back to his files.
"Hey McGee, you in for the Adams House Grill if Abby is already spoken for? Beer and Magnum PI marathon at Casa De Tiva afterwards." Tony asked. "Figure it can't hurt to have a buffer between me and Dad, and if Gibbs is going to get all Spencer Tracy Father Of The Bride on us and claim Ziva for the night, it seems like a pretty good Best Man kind of job. My treat." He added when McGee's face revealed his feelings about being asked to play referee between the DiNozzo men.
"Sure, if you're paying. You guys mind if I head over earlier to wire up the speakers too?" McGee asked, wiping his hands on a paper serviette and settling behind his desk. "No sense in leaving it until after work hours if I don't have to be here."
"You know how to use your key." Tony agreed. Between wanting to keep their celebration focused on home, family and love, a lack of available bookings at actual venues and Tony's line about getting married in the basement in their pyjamas, plans were underway to turn the room into a temporary wedding reception space. The ceremony would take place in the Navy Yard itself, outside under the trees. After deciding they preferred an outdoor venue but realising most were ruled out by their clause not to get married at a crime scene, they figured the place that had housed almost every dead body they'd ever investigated was actually the safest way to make sure they didn't find a new one. When asked, Vance had given his approval surprisingly easily; too easily as it turned out; he had provided Ziva with the schedule of career day presentations the following morning, a clear you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours message.
"I am sure Abby will drag you over before you were thinking of coming anyway, Tim." Ziva laughed, de-oliving a second slice of pizza.
"You're not off the hook till I approve those reports." Gibbs warned without looking up. The three agents took the hint, finished eating and started typing.
On Friday night, armed with garment bags, and about a million other things he couldn't identify, Ziva and Abby dutifully appeared at Gibbs' house. Dinner was the usual quiet, fireside affair, the steak and potatoes supplemented by Ziva's salad and Abby's dessert, and afterwards they settled down to watch a western while Abby painted Ziva's toenails a metallic silvery-green. Just as the movie finished, but before they got ready for bed properly, there was a knock at the front door.
"Think you've got company, Ziver." Gibbs nodded his head towards the direction of the sound.
"Tony wouldn't knock." Ziva said, surprised. "He knows the door is always open."
"He would tonight." Abby put in, now busy with her own toes and a bottle of black polish. Gibbs rose and held out his hand, drawing Ziva to standing, waiting while she shuffled her now-dry toes back into her shoes.
"Yeah, she's coming!" Gibbs called as Tony knocked again, he walked her to the entry, dropped his own coat over her shoulders and nudged her towards the door. "Get out there."
"Hi, this is a surprise." Ziva stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her. "Are you okay?"
"I'm always awesome, just came to braid your hair." Tony bent to produce a hairbrush from the backpack he had dropped by the front door. "McGee and I were about to call it a day, but I realised something was missing."
"Oh, Tony." She studied him for a moment, the hopeful, proud smile that he wore when he knew he'd nailed a small gesture that made her feel treasured, and smiled too. "That is very sweet of you to remember."
"As if I'd forgotten, tonight of all nights. Sit down." He gestured to the lone chair on the porch and moved behind her as she did so, releasing her low ponytail.
"How was dinner?" Ziva asked, tipping her head back and closing her eyes.
"Good... well, getting there. He's trying, you know? Sometimes too hard. But at least there's one thing we see eye-to-eye on now. I'm marrying the most beautiful woman in the world tomorrow." He pulled the neckline of the oversized coat back a bit to give himself room to move her hair.
"Flirt." Ziva gave a laugh.
"Always, and you love it." He responded with confidence. Well practised by now, he finished the plait quickly. "Want to go for a walk? I'm not quite ready to say goodnight."
"Absolutely." She slipped her hand into his, and they lapped the block twice, fingers twined, not needing to talk, but just enjoying the company and simplicity of a moment alone in the quiet fall evening.
"So," Tony paused reluctantly when they reached Gibbs' house again, walking slowly back up to the porch "McGee's probably waiting up for me before he passes out, I should go. But, first, I've got a present for you."
"We said no presents." Ziva chided gently.
"What are you gonna do, break up with me for spoiling you?" He chuckled. "So, you made your point pretty clear about garter belts a while ago. But... I got you something else to wear instead. My present can be getting to take it off you tomorrow night."
"This doesn't sound like the kind of present you should be giving me on our boss's front porch." She cautioned. Tony gave her a knowing smile, the 'wait a minute' finger and bent to the backpack again, hefting it to the chair before producing a long, thin wooden box.
"Happy night before our wedding, Zi." He presented the box with a flourish. Ziva accepted it with a whispered thanks, turning towards the house to see better in the porch light, tracing her fingers over the carved lid, noting the date for the following day had been hidden in the intricate pattern. "Here... I know you've moved on from the past, but I know how much you still like a good knife." Tony moved around a little too, and took the box back, lifting the lid.
"Oh, you shouldn't have..." Ziva breathed as she reached in, unwrapping the pale blue silk inside and lifting out a small, pearl-handled boot knife. Even in the dim light the fine crafting and lethality of the weapon was evident. Ziva took a step backwards, testing the balance and weight of the blade, spinning it on her fingertips, and flipping it a couple of times. "Perfectly balanced." This came on the tail end of an appreciative sigh. "It is absolutely beautiful, thank you." She offered sincerely after a few more moments, still running her thumb delicately along one of the finely honed edges.
"You're welcome, Zi." Tony gave a 'no big deal' kind of shrug, but his eyes spoke of how pleased he was with her reaction. Ziva drew the handle experimentally across her cheek.
"Cold... real mother of pearl." She murmured, lowering the knife to study it again. "This is incredible Tony."
"Oh, you can tell Abs the handle is vintage and recycled." Tony added at this revelation. "I know what she's like about cruelty-free products. The blade was made new for you though. Not a drop of blood on it."
"Thank you, neshama." Ziva glanced up again, smiled at him. "You have thought of everything."
"I also thought one of your usual thigh straps might be kind of weird under whatever you're wearing tomorrow..." Tony took hold of the segue and ran with it. He set the box on the porch railing, and rummaged in the backpack once more. "So, I had this made specially." A small package in the same blue silk. He traded her for the knife, carefully boxing it again as Ziva pushed the fabric back to reveal a white leather sheath, obviously custom made for the blade she had just received.
"You should have told me you were planning this." The silk wrapping fluttered unheeded to the porch, as she unwound the straps designed to tie around her thigh, and wove the soft leather around her fingers, inspecting the stitching and noticing, with a smile, her initials embroidered on the backside of the sheath itself. "Wow... This is beyond description, Tony. Thank you."
"I know it's not your usual style, but it seemed kind of bridal." He shrugged. "You like it?"
"I love it. I love you." She tucked the sheath into one hand, reaching for him with the other. "You really want me to be armed at our wedding?"
"Yeah, I fell in love with a badass Ninja chick. Wouldn't feel like I'd married all of you if you weren't, and like I said, I get to take it off." He gave a grin, his mind obviously fast forwarding to that moment, but distracted a heartbeat later by his phone chiming. "That'll be McGee, I really gotta get back now."
"I am ready for bed anyway. But this has been really special, thank you." Ziva sighed. "Are you ready for tomorrow?"
"A million percent." He gave a firm nod, his face growing thoughtful. "You know, I've never just walked you to your door before. Made out with you against it a couple of times... but you always let me in afterwards. This is new."
"I do not think Mrs Mendez ever forgave us for the time she caught us." Ziva laughed, remembering. "But no, that's never happened."
"It feels kind of like a first date, only something tells me we passed that point a while ago." He brought a hand down to caress her belly with a laugh. "C'mon peanut - one kick?"
"I think the walk rocked her to sleep, she has been quiet for a while now." Ziva said softly. "But the more you want it, the less she will oblige."
"Sounds like someone else I know." Tony teased, and kissed her before murmuring against her lips, "Okay... all I can smell is sawdust and coffee. Feels like I'm kissing Gibbs"
"Well, there goes the first date sentiment." Ziva pulled back with a groan. "That may be a new record for the least romantic thing you have ever said to me."
"I promise you that I will always find a new low." He quipped with a grin, kissed her again but retreated with a grimace, lowering his face to the collar. "Yeah, it's the coat. It's too weird."
"Tomorrow you will kiss me in my wedding dress instead, I am sure that will make up for it." Ziva took his face in her hands and kissed him quickly, a hint of what would come the following day. "I am going back inside before you come good on that promise and I change my mind."
"Well, seeing as it's the last time I get to call you this; goodnight, Ms David." He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead, keeping his eyes open. "I can't wait to marry you."
"Neither can I." She kissed him one more time, collected the box from the railing and stepped back towards the door. "Laila tov, neshama sheli."
"See ya, Ninja." He swung his bag back over his shoulder, and Ziva watched as he took the path to the gate in two long, bounced strides, before turning and letting herself back into the house.
"Took your time." Gibbs commented dryly, walking back through from the kitchen as Ziva paused to shrug off his coat and hang it up again. "Thought I was gonna have to turn the hose on you two. Here, it's that weird herbal crap you like, Abs raided your purse." He proffered a mug of tea.
"Thank you, and no. Your coat worked just fine." Ziva admitted with a laugh, accepting her mug. "Apparently Tony does not think the smell of sawdust is sexy." She fell into step beside him, moving back through to the lounge.
"Wasn't even trying with that." Gibbs shrugged, and passed Abby her drink. "Just thought it was cold out."
"Awww... look at you." Abby gushed, glancing upwards. "You're so in love you're practically glowing! Isn't she Gibbs?" Ziva stowed the gift in her bag, not ready to share it with anyone else just yet, and settled back down beside Abby on the worn couch, sipping her drink carefully.
"You'd hope so at this point." Gibbs murmured, flicking off the TV. "I'm gonna be in the basement."
"Abby, if you get the mattress, I will get the linen." Ziva suggested. "I want to get some sleep while my little stowaway is quiet too." At some point in the previous year, Gibbs had found himself the owner of not one, but two air mattresses and the assorted bedding to house Team Gibbs on the living room floor after a rough case. It wasn't a frequent occurrence, but the moral support of a late night chat and the comfort of a slow sleepy morning surrounded by chosen family, was important to every member of the team when things had been particularly bad, and little by little, his hallway closet had become home to the necessary items to make it a more comfortable situation for everyone involved.
"I don't know how you can be so completely calm tonight, Zivvie. I swear, come December 30 I'm not going to be sleeping a wink!" Abby tidied up the remains of the nail polish, leading the way to the closet. "Hey, it's not here - Gibbs, where's the air mattress gone?"
"Yeah I moved it upstairs." Gibbs called from the kitchen, as Ziva reached around Abby for the blankets and pillows. "First room on the right."
"Typical. Doesn't change anything for like 15 years, then he moves the one thing I'm looking for." Abby grumbled playfully, heading up the stairs. "Oh whoa... Gibbs! You sneak! Zivvie, get up here!"
"What, Abby?" Ziva set the bedding back on the shelf and followed Abby up, to a room to which she had never previously seen. Like Gibbs, the team were more or less limited to the ground floor and basement; they'd go up to use the bathroom, but come straight back down, leaving the other doors closed. She paused beside Abby in front of the open doorway, the room was clean and sparse, but obviously ready for them, with a freshly made up bed with a proper mattress, and a full-length mirror standing in the corner. "Oh, I see."
"Figured you girls needed somewhere better than a bathroom to get ready tomorrow." Gibbs offered quietly from behind them.
Ziva glanced over her shoulder at him. "You did not need to go to any trouble over this, the bathroom would have been fine, and the air mattress too."
"You deserve better'n that, kid. And you got your back to think about." He'd obviously noticed her stance had changed recently, her hands moving to the small of her back whenever she'd been standing for long periods. "'Bout time it was a guest room again, anyway." He added with a shrug.
"You planned this!" Abby declared. "I know how much stuff you had in here, there is no way you did all this since you asked us yesterday. You act like it was a last minute decision and you're so put out by having us get ready here tomorrow morning, but I see right through your act, Mister. You're just as big a pile of mush about this wedding as I am!"
"Night, Abs." Gibbs kissed her temple, neither confirming nor denying her accusation.
"Hmm..." Abby gave him a hard stare, but let it go and turned to enter the room, flinging herself into the middle of the bed. "New mattress! Yes! Dunno where you're sleeping, Zivvie."
"Thank you." Ziva turned to face him, rolling her eyes at Abby's antics. "This was very thoughtful of you." She reached for his hand, gave his fingers a gentle squeeze, letting that say the rest. Opening even one of the rooms that had been part of the life he had made with Shannon and Kelly was a big deal.
"Yeah, I know." He squeezed back, tugged her close enough to kiss her brow. "Night, Ziver."
"Well, this has not come a moment too soon. I cannot see my feet." Ziva looked down. Her toes, which Abby had so meticulously painted the previous night, had vanished beneath folds of white chiffon. The morning had passed quietly, the biggest preparations beginning after Ziva returned from Casa De Tiva, insisting on using her own shower once Tony and Tim had vacated. Abby had expanded her base of operations to include Gibbs' dining table, claiming the light was better for doing makeup. In response, he had retreated to the basement, waiting until they were back in the guest room getting dressed before attempting any getting ready of his own.
"It's just the skirt. You could still see them in your jammies last night." Abby pointed out, running the zip up the back of the dress and hooking the clasp at the top "And your feet don't matter - look at the rest of you!" She took Ziva by the shoulders, now that she was in the dress and turned her towards the mirror. "Those little lacy sleeves are so cute, but elegant all at once, and I would kill for cleavage like that, well not kill, I am strictly non-violent, but all those baby hormones and a plunge neckline? Tony's going to flip with how good they... I mean you look."
"Do you think Tony will like it?" She'd chosen a lace bodice, almost daring in its design with a low neck and semi-sheer effect, but balanced by the simplicity of the skirt that floated downwards, clinging gently but not too tightly around her belly before gathering at her ankles in the smallest of brush trains.
"Are you kidding? He's not going to be able to take his eyes off you!" Abby promised, bending to fluff the skirt at its hem for the full effect. "And I guarantee Timmy will blush when he sees you."
"I do not think he will notice me, achoti." Ziva murmured with a smile, pulling Abby to stand alongside her. "You look beautiful, Tim will love your dress." Ziva had simply given Abby her credit card and an otherwise free rein, saying that the dress was a gift and she trusted Abby's shopping process. Abby had argued hard on both points, but Ziva was immovable, and Abby finally ended up (while spending less than Ziva was prepared to shell out for, and more than Abby was really happy receiving) with a dress in emerald green with a black lace overlay; a mix of goth, vintage elegance, and something uniquely Abby.
"He does, he's already seen it." Abby admitted. "Well, I had to show someone, but I swear he didn't even get a glimpse at yours. Okay, final touches, we have... 8 minutes and 37 seconds before we're supposed to be downstairs to go. Earrings next."
Gibbs was calling for them from the foot of the stairs in five. But between Ziva's remarkably cool demeanour, and Abby's zealous over-preparation which had allowed time for photos and a 'big reveal', they were already ready to go, and were in the middle of taking selfies when his voice carried up saying he'd already brought the car around.
"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs! Wait till you see her! She looks amazing!" Abby clattered down the stairs first. "Whoa, you're looking sharp too! All sauve and freshly shaved."
"Steady on." He caught her at the bottom, gravity and momentum threatening to pitch her head first onto the floor. "It's a five-Gibbs kind of good is it?"
"I ran out of breath, would have been ten." Abby replied with a grin. "So what do you think of my dress?" Balance regained, she executed a pirouette in front of him.
"You're always gorgeous, Abs." He said warmly. "Is Ziva ready?"
"You tell me." Both heads swivelled towards her on the stairs. Abby, even though she'd been in the same room not a minute earlier, responded as though this was the first time she'd seen her giving a wide gasp and a step backwards to appreciate the view at a distance.
Gibbs was quiet for a moment, studying her as she stood two or three steps from the bottom. "Lemme have a better look." He stepped forward to take her hand, as she finished her descent, encouraged her to turn slowly, stopping her when she'd completed a full rotation, a quiet pride crossing his face. "Yeah... you'll do just fine." He murmured, his voice ever so slightly thicker than usual.
"Quit with the understatement Gibbs." Abby stopped taking photos to swat his arm. "She's stunning."
"Yeah, that too." He conceded, took another look at her, pointed at her leg. "Since when does a leg sheath count as a garter belt? Knife, right thigh."
"How?" Ziva gave a laugh of acknowledgement, checked the fall of her skirt to make sure it wasn't clinging in the wrong place. "There are no tells."
"I always know." He responded with his usual inscrutable smirk, before confessing. "Who do you think made the box it came in?"
"Quit with the weird knife guessing game already." Abby had moved to the front door, collecting their bags and her parasol. "Let's go get you married, Ziva!"
Once at the yard, Abby quickly took charge of the remaining preparations, while Ziva opted to wait in the car for a moment's peace. The rest of the group had gathered, and were mostly busy with the setup; Jimmy was still favouring one foot a little as he and Breena arranged a group of white chairs on the grass. Ducky, newly ordained as a legal wedding celebrant, was sitting sedately at a small table, going over some notes. McGee was fiddling with a speaker, while Tony and Senior stood a little way off, chatting. The Vances, and Jackson Gibbs who had driven straight in from Stillwater that afternoon, but would stay with Gibbs that evening, were in a group of their own, which Gibbs himself joined.
"Abby! Wow, great dress! Got a problem, there are more chairs than people." Jimmy approached her first. "I can set them all up, but a bunch of empty chairs is going to look kind of depressing in the photos."
"Jimmy! Didn't you read my planning email?" Abby rolled her eyes at his guilty expression. "There's 6 chairs for photos; one each for Kate, Director Shepard, Mike Franks, and Tony's mom, and two for Ziva's family one of her with her siblings when they were little, and a photo of her parents on holiday in Haifa in 1981... she chose them because they were from a time before everything went south. it was all in the email Jimmy! Ducky has them, come on!"
A few minutes later, the area was ready to Abby's satisfaction. Under the dappled shade, A row of chairs sat in a semicircle, parted in the middle, in the semblance of an aisle. Off to the side, the other six chairs stood, each adorned simply with a photo and a tiny battery operated candle. At the front a large area rug borrowed from Mallard Manor defined the official ceremony space, with the small wrought iron table and two chairs, similarly obtained, sitting slightly off centre, with the speaker Tim had been checking concealed under the central column leg. Senior was busy charming Breena, while the Vances Jimmy and Ducky had gathered by the table, talking in low tones, and Abby and Tim squabbled lightly over the camera placement.
"Wait a minute... where's Tony?" Tim stepped back, ultimately letting Abby have her way with the final adjustment of the tripod. "He was talking to Senior when you got here, but he's over there with Bree now."
"How do you lose the groom?" Abby questioned impatiently. "We can't have a wedding without him!"
"I didn't lose anyone Abs, he's an adult!" Tim turned towards Senior. "Did you see where Tony went?" He called.
"He told me he had to go check something. You know how Junior is, gets an idea in his head and off he goes." Senior replied. "He said he saw Ziva dashing off to the main building about five minutes ago..."
"What?!" Abby spun around, squinted at the bright yellow car, where Ziva was supposed to have been waiting, although the two Gibbs men stood a short distance away, the car itself was empty. "Where did she go... where did he go?" Abby exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention, as she hurried over.
"Abby, good to see you!" Jackson met her with a hug. "Where's the fire?"
"Oh you give the best hugs Jackson," She did at least slow down for a moment to enjoy the older man's greeting. "There's no fire, only we don't know where Tony or Ziva have gone."
"You lost them?" Gibbs questioned.
"Not lost exactly..." Abby hesitated. "More like, took our eyes off them for a minute."
"So when Tony disappears, I've lost him, but when it's Ziva..." McGee started.
"Well I would have gone back and been sitting in the car with Ziva if you had been setting the camera up right..." Abby bit back.
"Hey, timeout!" Gibbs cut in. "What do we know?"
"Tony was talking to Senior, and Ziva was supposed to be waiting in the car till it was time for you to walk her up. Next thing, they've both vanished." Abby supplied frantically. "What if they changed their minds, or they're fighting or..."
"Breathe, Abs. They'll be holed up together somewhere." Gibbs said, before adding with an eye roll, "Prob'ly making out if I know DiNozzo's reaction when he sees Ziva looking like that."
"Senior said Tony took off towards the building to check something, apparently Ziva was headed up that way in a hurry." Tim filled in. "He must have been following Ziva."
"But what was Ziva doing? She said she was all set to wait until we'd finished setting up. She brought one of her pregnancy books, and was just going to enjoy the quiet while it lasted." Abby's words tumbled over themselves. "Oh! She probably wanted to do a last minute makeup check, and no offence, Gibbs, but your rearview mirror is kind of useless for that... But what would Tony want to check? He's not supposed to see her in her dress until the wedding starts for real... that's like so much bad luck..."
"I'll round 'em up." Gibbs gave a weary sigh. "Abs, show Dad to his seat. Back in five."
"Hey, where are you off to?" Tony leaned on the wall opposite the door to the ladies' bathroom as Ziva exited the room
"Tony!" She paused, startled. "I went to the bathroom." She gestured at the sign behind her head, puzzled.
"Oh yeah, bathroom..." He looked at the sign as though reading it for the first time. "Uhh, why?"
"Seriously?" Ziva snorted. "Because I am 24 weeks pregnant and your daughter is using certain parts of my anatomy as a water bed. Is everything okay, Tony?" Her confused expression changed to one of concern.
"Oh, right." Tony had the grace to look embarrassed. "I uhh... Saw your little disappearing act. Kinda thought you'd changed your mind."
"If I had changed my mind, would I really end up in a third floor bathroom with no window?" She questioned in return. "We both know I am more capable of disappearing than that."
"Yeah I guess not." He gave a sheepish smile. "Still... saw you get a look at everything and then take off. Didn't fill me with hope."
Ziva shook her head, cupped his cheek. "Oh Tony. No. That is not what that was. I was coming straight back down after this." Her tone was gentle. "I am not changing my mind. I only came up here because the ground floor facility is never properly clean."
"Walk with me, my runaway bride." Tony invited, taking her hand. They made their way out of the dimly lit hallway, traced the familiar path back to the bullpen, pausing in the same spot they'd met seven and some years earlier. "Holy hell, Ziva, you're gorgeous." Tony sucked in his breath, as the better lighting from the window allowed him to take in the full picture, dress, hair, makeup, for the first time.
"You clean up nicely too, neshama. Very handsome." Ziva's cheeks warmed at the compliment, too genuine to be delivered with his usual eloquence. "The green tie suits your eyes." She reached forward and straightened it slightly.
"Seriously, I don't think you've ever looked so good." He turned her under his arm slowly in much the same way Gibbs had, and took in the ornate silver comb sweeping her hair over her right shoulder and the strings of tiny pearls Abby had carefully woven through the loose curls, and cast another sweeping glance over the dress. "That's your wedding dress, Zi. Holy crap, you're really doing this? You're actually going to marry me?"
"Of course, Tony." Ziva insisted. "I had no intention of doing anything else today. Did you really think I was going to change my mind on you at the last minute?"
"Not really... well maybe a little. It's not that I doubted you. But, just for a second when I saw you running up here... I got ahead of myself. Let what happened last time back in. I needed to make sure you were still in." He shook his head. "Guess I made kind of an idiot of myself. But it still doesn't feel real sometimes, you, the baby, the wedding. How'd a goofball like me end up with all of this?"
"I do not know if it was the drunken sex, or the jealous fit you threw when I danced with Gibbs, or that you got me pregnant, but for some reason I fell in love with you." Ziva replied with a laugh, before growing serious. "There is nowhere else in this world that I would rather be right now. Except perhaps outside actually getting married. But I promise you Tony, you are stuck with me."
"Stuck with you, huh?" Tony questioned with a smirk. "I can live with that." He shrugged off his fading anxiety with a cool nonchalance.
"Very stuck." She nodded, took both of his hands, closed the gap between them and pressed her lips against his gently. "I want to marry you, Tony DiNozzo."
"I want to marry you, Ziva David." He answered with a second kiss.
Ziva stepped back a little, keeping their hands joined, but to a distance where she could make eye contact. "I promise, if I ever feel like running again, the only direction I will run is towards you."
"In that case, I promise that I will spend every day giving you something that is worth running to." Green eyes locked with brown, and his thumb stroked the back of her hand lightly, emphasising his message.
"I will always have your back." Ziva replied, continuing the theme
"I will never see you without thinking how lucky I am."
"I will never give you cause to doubt my love."
"I will always correct your English."
"I will say yes to pizza a little more often."
"I will never forget that you can kill me eighteen different ways with a paperclip."
"I will never kill you with a paperclip, nor any other piece of stationery." They both shared a grin at that one.
"I will never stop picturing you naked."
"I will try to use more pop culture references, just to make you smile."
"I will never treat going to bed with you like a sure thing, and always do my best to seduce you properly instead."
"I will fall a little more in love with you every day. And a little more in lust as well."
"I promise it will never be just my knee."
"I like the sound of that." She broke the back and forth repartee with a sultry whisper.
"You do, do you?" He smirked, pleased.
"I do." She confirmed quietly. "Do you?"
"I do, too." Tony gave a grin, and looked down at their joined hands, the way they faced each other in front of the window as they should have been before Ducky at that very moment. "Did we just get unofficially married?"
"I think we did." Ziva nodded with a smile. "Are you ready to go do it for real now?"
"Yes, but first, if we just got unofficially married..." He smiled, tipping her chin upwards. "We need an unofficially married kiss."
"That seems reasonable." Ziva met him halfway, but leaned back a second later when Tony's fingers went to slide into her hair. "Hands off. Abby spent ninety minutes on this and I am not sitting through that again!" She pushed the cascading curls back over her shoulder and slipped her arms around his neck, seeking his lips.
A moment later a piercing whistle caught their attention, they turned to see Gibbs in the elevator, propping the doors with his shoulder and wearing an impatient facial expression. "Hey! You two getting married or what?"
Tony gave a laugh, and let her go reluctantly. "Ziva David, will you marry me for real? Right now?"
"Absolutely." She agreed with a smile, they joined hands and walked to the elevator to join Gibbs.
"Sorted it?" Gibbs questioned softly as the doors slid closed.
"Nothing to sort." Tony shook his head, punched the button for ground. "Just overthinking. Needed Ziva to ground me."
"I just had to visit the ladies'." Ziva shrugged innocently. "Tony followed me."
"Well, you're late for your own wedding, and nearly gave Abby a heart attack" Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Oh, and DiNozzo..." He added a few moments later as they retraced their steps back to where the rest of the wedding awaited them.
"Yeah, Boss?" Tony paused, looked at the older man.
"That lipstick ain't your colour." He answered with a smirk. Ziva laughed and swiped her thumb across the peachy gloss at the corner of his mouth. "Both of you walk in front where I can see you."
Hands still linked, Tony and Ziva made their way up to their friends to get married, officially this time.
A/N: FYI - I imagine the women dancing to Carrie Underwood's Last Name and Before He Cheats during the kitchen scene.
Pepto Bismol is not recommended during pregnancy because it can increase the risk of bleeding (that's something I just learned)
For those who are curious what Ziva's dress looks like in my head, head to "dress afford dot com" and type the product number 715914 (because this site does not allow links) I picture the skirt being a little less full though. Hairstyle, think 'Temptation' but a little sleeker and a little more bridal.
Abby's dress idea google "Penny Green Taffeta Lace Dress" and it's the first hit from Voodoo Vixen again, a little more Abs, but that's the gist.
Yes, a proper ceremony scene is coming as soon as I finish tweaking it, it's a Tiva wedding, it has to be perfect.
Much love, M xx