Hi everyone! This is the chapter where Tony gets to play out his fantasy – all good things happen to those who wait, especially our beloved Tony and Ziva!

So once again, an 'M' rating, for obvious reasons… also, some minor spoilers relating to the episode 'Untouchable'.

PAST TENSE

Chapter 5:

Tony was bored, really, really bored. His chest was now virtually clear of any infection and he rarely coughed. Ziva had organized a DVD player for the TV in his room, and everyone from Jimmy Palmer to Gibbs had brought in movies for him to watch. He'd seen everything from Madagascar to a very intriguing Israeli film with English sub-titles courtesy of Ziva. It had been more than 3 weeks since he was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition, but he'd responded to the treatment and antibiotics remarkably well. If he got the OK, he was going to be released the following day.

Ah, Ziva. His mind wandered back to her. Being trapped in the hospital with nothing to do all day had stuck his already overactive imagination into overdrive. He knew she was interested in him, that much was obvious – but the next step? Gibbs rule be damned, he was going to follow his gut on this one and that meant pursuing her. Whether or not they ended up in a relationship was anybody's guess. Wait – did he just say the 'R' word? Tony shuddered. Did he really want more with Ziva he wondered? He knew she occupied his thoughts, and he felt much better when she was around, but did that mean he was willing to let himself get seriously involved with her? Now that thought scared him. He wasn't used to this feeling and now he was confused. 'Damn it', he thought.

"So I see you're awake", the very woman occupying his thoughts entered the room, carrying some magazines and 2 more movies, 'Goldfinger' and 'Dr No', his two favourite James Bond films from the '60's. Ziva tossed the DVD's onto his bed.

"Ziva, you found them! Oh, I love these, have you seen them? Gotta love Pussy Galore", Tony was lost in reading the back of the boxes.

"Pussy – what? Is that another of your sordid fantasies Tony?" Ziva wasn't sure how to react.

"Yeah – ah, no, Ziva, Pussy Galore is the ultimate James Bond chick. She's awesome".

"With a name like that she'd have to be" Ziva smirked.

"How's my apartment? Did you get a chance to go over there this week?" Tony had asked if she'd mind keeping an eye on his place while he was in the hospital and she'd happily obliged.

"Yes, I even fed your pussy….. 'cat', she emphasized the word 'cat' while smiling at him.

Tony raised an eyebrow, "I don't have a cat, Ziva… oh, I get it, cute", he figured out she was teasing him. Ever since the case where a victim's cat had scared him she'd had fun with it. He really only left himself wide open for that one especially after their earlier conversation about Pussy Galore.

Ziva was laughing, it was good to be able to have fun with Tony again after everything they'd been through. She'd found herself visiting him each day, keeping a watchful eye on him from when he'd been fatefully brought in unconscious, to now, nearly 4 weeks later where he was virtually back to the Anthony DiNozzo she knew and lo… 'liked,' she corrected her mental reverie. She had also found herself staying at his apartment, sleeping curled up in his bed where she could smell his scent on the sheets and in the pillows. It calmed her and helped her sleep, also giving her a false sense that Tony really was next to her. Several times she had reached out in her sleep to touch him, only to find the cool, empty space that ultimately woke her each time. How many times had she run the scene over in her mind of seeing him step out of the shower? How many times had she wished she'd stole a glance lower…

"Hey, earth to Ziva, come in Ziva", Tony was waving his hand in front of her face.

"Oh!" she snapped out of it.

"You zoned out on me there, whatcha thinkin' about? Me?" he waggled his eyebrows at her while giving her one of those 1000watt DiNozzo smiles.

Ziva was quick with a comeback. "No Tony, just wondering when I should do my dirty laundry".

"Ewww. Actually, I could do it for you, if I get out of here tomorrow, just your underwear though. You do wear underwear, don't you Ziva?"

"Good to see you are feeling better Tony", Ziva smirked.

"Oh, you better believe it Zee-vah," he smirked back at her.

"OK, it's a deal. You can do my laundry but you have to make me dinner, too" Ziva lightly patted him on the head as she stood to leave.

Tony couldn't believe his luck. He had been trying to plan a way to invite her to dinner when he finally got home, but he didn't want to seem too pushy. Instead, she had invited herself. He couldn't wait, he was like a kid in a candy store. He only hoped he was going home tomorrow, or it would be a very long couple of days.

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Four days had passed since Ziva had suggested Tony make her dinner. He had to spend an extra two days in the hospital for routine follow up tests before they would let him leave. The next two days Ziva had to work late and to be honest, he was a little tired when he first got home despite being in a hospital bed for a month.

He used the time to stock up his fridge, start back at the gym and sort out his medical bills. Fortunately NCIS had an excellent health plan or he'd be well and truly broke by now. He chuckled as he did his own laundry, thinking of the pact he'd made with Ziva to do hers. One thing he did find was that not only had she occupied his thoughts but he swore he could even smell her throughout his apartment, especially when he went to bed. 'I've really got it bad' he figured as he'd bury his head into his pillows, positive he could smell her even in his bed.

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It was finally the end of the week and Ziva was coming over for dinner that night. Tony had waited patiently since he'd left the hospital and he didn't know how he was going to keep in control once she arrived. 'What has gotten into me!' he tried to shake away the nerves created just by thinking of her.

A knock on the door broke his train of thought. It was Ziva and she was early.

"Hello", she greeted Tony as she brushed past him, walking confidently into the apartment like she knew the place extremely well. She had small bag with her that she proceeded to put on his dining table.

"You don't have to do it straight away," she grinned at him.

"Do what straight away?" Tony's mind was on a one-way street by this point.

"My laundry. My underwear is in that bag", she took her jacket off as she pushed the bag towards him on the table.

'Ziva's dirty underwear is on my dining table. Thank you God!' he thought silently, looking skyward.

Ziva walked into the kitchen to see what he was making for dinner. Mmm, he had gone to a lot of trouble. She only hoped she could keep herself contained long enough to enjoy the food he was preparing them both. Weeks of sleeping in his bed had worked her into quite a state. Tony followed her into the kitchen where they awkwardly tried to avoid bumping into each other.

Tony opened the fridge to reach for the bottle of Veuve-Clicquot Champagne he'd bought especially for the evening ahead with Ziva. He had it all planned out. First he'd make his famous sauce with fresh shrimp and scallops to serve with fine angel hair pasta. Then after he'd impressed her with his culinary skills, he'd suggest they move to the living room where he'd have the fireplace lit (chicks love that, he knew from experience). Then he'd make his move. It was simple but fail-proof.

But instead of being confident, he was actually nervous. The famous Anthony DiNozzo, 'a different date every weekend DiNozzo with the notches on his bedpost to match', was nervous. Ziva on the other hand, seemed perfectly in control.

She could sense his nervousness and was incredibly attracted to it. She still couldn't help but have a little fun with it though. So as she stirred the pasta on the stove, she dipped the spoon into the accompanying sauce and took a small, delicate lick of it from the end of the spoon, closing her eyes and groaning her satisfaction. She licked her lips slowly as she opened her eyes to make direct eye contact with Tony.

Tony, all of a sudden, was having trouble opening the champagne. Ziva seductively sauntered into Tony's personal space, taking him by surprise. "I think we should just do it", she purred.

"Wh-do-what? Tony wasn't sure what he heard.

"You know, do "it" she persisted.

"Do "it?"

"Yes, we should just do - how you Americans say, "it" - as in have sex, yes?" Ziva kept her eyes locked on Tony.

At this point the champagne cork popped and hit the roof with a thud. It was mimicking Tony's heartbeat. The foam of the champagne was flowing from the bottle and he barely noticed as Ziva moved in and seductively took the head of the bottle into her mouth, sucking at the champagne spilling from the bottle. Tony swallowed. He was always prepared but not for this. He was suddenly very aware that she was running the show here. He was being seduced by Ziva – not the other way around.

This was a first for Tony DiNozzo. But did he care? Hell no! He came to his senses and promptly pulled Ziva away from the champagne bottle long enough to push her up against the counter as he crushed his lips to hers in a bruising kiss. She tasted sweet from the champagne and he couldn't get enough of her. Ziva responded by deepening the kiss, pushing her tongue into his mouth. The champagne was long forgotten as the bottle sat on the counter unattended while Tony and Ziva desperately discovered each other for the first time. Tony had lifted Ziva to sit on the kitchen counter as he began to kiss his way down her throat, pushing her shirt away in the process so he could knead her breasts through her lacy bra. She had her hands wrapped around his neck, pushing him into her chest as she wrapped her legs around him where he stood. He moved lower to undo her pants and without hesitation she helped him remove them from her slender legs. He threw them in a heap on the floor, neither one noticing where they landed as he moved down lower to bury his face between her legs. He inhaled her heady scent, he was already high on her arousal as he pushed her panties aside to feast on her. God how long he had wanted to do this to her!

Ziva was so close to already losing herself in him that she had to mentally shake herself back to the present. She couldn't believe they were doing what they were doing on his kitchen counter as the food on the stove opposite was about to burn. Neither did she care at this point, she had waited so long for this she was beyond any rational control. What he could do with his mouth was incredible! She gasped as he thrust his tongue into her, all the while caressing her with his fingers. She knew she wasn't going to last long at this rate, but she couldn't hold back – she was going to come as he sucked on her and that thought alone drove her closer to the edge. As he expertly moved his tongue in and out of her she felt her inner muscles tense and right at that moment he knew just where to touch her and she fell apart clutching him to her. Tony continued to lap at her as she shuddered and screamed out in ecstasy. He smiled as he knew it wouldn't be long before his neighbors would be complaining. So, Ziva really was a screamer after all.

Tony slowly moved back up to kiss Ziva, his face still wet. This didn't seem to bother her as she kissed him back passionately. Oh how that in itself turned him on even more. He knew she could taste herself on him and it didn't bother her at all.

"One of us is wearing too many clothes," Ziva managed to get out between heavy breaths, her voice low and sultry. She began to rip at his shirt, sending buttons flying as she tore it away from his body. He was damp from sweat and she feasted her eyes on his naked torso, the taught muscles of his upper abdomen flexing slightly. Her eyes followed the trail of dark hair that led from his belly button to his pants. She licked her lips. She wanted to see more of him. She began to undo his belt and tug at his waistband and Tony was quick to help her shed him of his pants. He kicked them off and almost immediately his boxers followed. He was completely naked and pushed up against her on the kitchen counter.

"Now someone else here is wearing too many clothes" he breathed into her ear as he nipped on her lobe. She threw her shirt off, all the while making sure his lips didn't leave her ear. Tony reached behind and undid her bra, releasing her breasts. Her bra also landed somewhere in the kitchen, along with what was left of her soaking wet panties.

"So beautiful", Tony whispered into her neck as he continued to kiss her, moving lower to kiss her now naked breasts.

Ziva clutched him to her. How could she tell him she couldn't wait any longer without sounding desperate? She wanted him inside her and NOW. "Tony, now, please…."

"Now, what Ziva?" he breathed against her right breast as he took her nipple into his mouth sucking on it, eliciting another primal groan from her. His eyes looked up at her but he never left what he was doing. He was going to kill her with pleasure, she was sure of that.

"Tony, you know… now, please," Ziva was pleading, her breathing ragged. She managed to reach down and grab his hard shaft, smiling inwardly as she felt its size, enclosing her hand around it as she massaged, paying special attention to the tip.

Tony's eyes went wide as he felt her warm hands engulf him. He had hoped to prolong what they were doing, slowly drive her over the edge again, but now that was not going to be the case. She began to move her hand quicker, moving it up and down making him even harder if that was possible.

"Ziva…"

"Yes, now please Tony", she moved him to between her legs, spreading them wide to make it even easier for him. She rubbed his tip against her wet folds, enjoying the sensation as well as the anticipation.

That's all it took. Tony couldn't wait any longer. He helped her guide him and she pushed her legs closer to him, drawing him into her as she did so. He wanted to make it last but he doubted that would happen this first time between them. So he thrust himself into her, moaning her name each time. Ziva only wrapped her legs tighter around him and met his thrusts and moans with her own. Neither one of them were quiet, anyone outside the front door would be getting an earful.

Ziva raked her nails over Tony's back as he continued to push into her. Their bodies were making slapping noises as flesh hit flesh with each thrust. Tony was close, he knew it. He kissed her and plunged his tongue into her hot mouth, tasting her as they continued to make hot, passionate love to each other. Ziva was starting to come, she couldn't wait any longer as the sensation he was creating within her sensitized body began to take over. "Ohhh…" She threw her head back and screamed his name, and at that moment Tony felt himself let go and he joined her in ecstasy, screaming her name several times over.

As their breathing returned to normal, they looked at each other, Tony smoothing a strand of damp hair from Ziva's face and tucking it behind her ear. He kissed her gently, and she returned the kiss, sucking on his full, lower lip a little longer. "I thought you were going to feed me" she moved in to kiss him again.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "I thought I just did".

Ziva playfully slapped him on the chest. "You are a pig, you know that?"

"How about we go upstairs to my bed, we'll be more comfortable up there." Tony kissed her neck. "And I'll bring up some food", he added as an afterthought.

Ziva raised her eyebrows and smiled. Tony picked her up and carried her up the stairs to his bedroom, where he deposited her on his bed. He stood back and looked at a naked, tousled Ziva David, laying in the middle of his bed and he felt his heart start to race.

"Like what you see?" she was taking advantage of her position. She knew the affect she was having on Tony who stood there, getting hard again at the sight of her.

"Don't you go anywhere. I'll be right back", he ran downstairs and Ziva could hear him rustling around in the kitchen.

Tony looked around the kitchen, which resembled a bomb site. Their clothes were on the floor, stuck to the tiles by the spilt champagne. Ziva's panties had somehow managed to land in the sauce on the stove top, which by now was a gluey mass stuck to the bottom of the pan. The pasta had been reduced to a lump of goo. Tony opened the fridge to retrieve their dessert – a tray of fresh fruit he'd prepared to have with liqueur by the fireplace. He grabbed the tray, and then put the champagne bottle under one arm, the glasses under the other before remembering the bowl of whipped cream. He opened the fridge with his foot, sighing, as he realized he had to put everything down before he could get the cream out. He was getting frustrated – he wanted to get back upstairs to Ziva and fast!

Before long Tony entered the bedroom and Ziva couldn't help but laugh at the site before her. There was Tony, tray of fruit in his arms, a bottle of champagne under one, 2 glasses under the other and a bowl of whipped cream clutched between his teeth.

He lowered the fruit onto the bed and she reached for the cream. He pulled the glasses out from under his arm and began to pour each of them a glass of the now semi-flat French champagne. "To us" he said, as he tipped his glass against hers.

They sipped at their wine, Tony settling on the bed next to Ziva. "You really are full of surprises, Special Agent DiNozzo," Ziva said as she reached for a strawberry. He raised his eyebrows. As she slowly chewed on the berry he leant across to kiss her, removing it from her mouth with his tongue, then continuing to eat it himself.

"That was a sneaky move!" she grinned at him, while reaching for another from the tray.

As she finished her next strawberry, Tony grabbed a piece of mango, dipping it in the cream before he moved to slowly feed it to her. "Mmm, that's good" she licked her lips as some of the cream fell down her chin. Tony wiped it away with his index finger before sucking on it and licking it clean. "Ohh, you are good" she chuckled.

Tony smiled, trying to feign innocence, "I am?"

Ziva reached for a piece of kiwi fruit this time, dipping it in the cream and pushing it into Tony's mouth. "Yes you are, and you know it" she quipped.

This was going to be a long night. Tony didn't care, it was exactly what he'd been waiting for, and he intended to make the most of it. Ziva was certainly his match in the bedroom and he couldn't wait to find out what else she had up her sleeve. The night was still young, after all…

TBC…