A/N : My computer decided to go on a vacation with my recent month-and-a-half of serious business travel and long hours. This equates to me losing my chapters that were done and I've had to re-create them. Unfortunately, I just haven't been happy with them…guess the original is always better than the copy, right? That being said, I've tried to get the story back on track. Please let me know what you think.

Chapter 21

Ziva opened her eyes and surveyed the room. Her mind briefly questioned how her bra had ended up near the far wall, but the gentle breathing beside her reminded her of the events that had led her to her current position.

She looked down and smiled. Gently, she ran a hand across Tony's forehead, pushing some loose strands of hair out of his face. Ziva gasped as a hand quickly grabbed hers.

"I thought you were sleeping." She accused gently.

"Sign of a good agent…make you think I was sleeping while I was really checking you out." Tony grinned as he began to suck one of Ziva's fingers.

She hummed.

"And did you find anything of interest on this reconnaissance mission of yours?"

"The terrain is extremely deceptive. Smooth surface, but filled with curves and valleys."

Tony nipped a finger tip. Ziva gasped, as she leaned down towards Tony.

"Might I recommend a good scout? One that can help you successfully navigate this terrain?" She offered.

Tony's grin widened. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in.

"I'm glad to see that we both want this mission to succeed."

Ziva's lips began to explore Tony's neck. She had learned one important piece about Anthony DiNozzo this evening. She knew before he had more than his fair share of immature moments. She knew before he had a very male physique. But tonight she had seen what happened when the two traits combined.

Tony had taken a childish joy in exploring Ziva's body and even more interest in her responses when his fingers….ummm….right…..

Ziva arched into Tony's touch and bit her lower to lip to keep from crying out. His fingers stroked her dampness, urging her passion to climb higher.

"I won't tell anyone, you know." He whispered, as he ran a hand up her hip, past her waist, along her ribcage and settled it on a smooth, olive-coloured globe.

"Hmm?"

"If you lose control." Hazel eyes had turned serious as they studied Ziva. "What happens here…between us…is staying right here."

Ziva arched an eyebrow in disbelief.

"Tony, please…we all know how you like to boast about your conquests. The only difference this time is that this time the trophy works with you and may retaliate."

Ziva blinked. Tony's eyes actually looked hurt there for a moment, only to instantly be replaced by the DiNozzo carefree grin.

"Glad to know you think so highly of me, Zee-Vah." He murmered as he rolled the female agent onto her back, allowing him the more dominant position. "But let's get one thing straight, I have no intention of talking about us…work is work…."

He began to nuzzle the side of Ziva's neck and moved up to trace his tongue along the inner curves of an ear.

"…and play is most definitely play." He whispered. "And I'm going to keep playing until…"

"…until…?" Ziva sighed questioningly.

"Until you lose control. 'Cause I'm damn close, Agent David, to losing my own and fair is fair." Tony's mouth claimed Ziva's, their tongues warring for dominance.

Gibbs looked down at the pale arm draped rather possessively across his chest. Roxane's electronic profile had indicated that she was an only-child, and her inability to share apparently dominated her sleep personality…facet…as well. He smiled softly.

His brain kicked in and wiped the smile from his face.

What was he doing! She wasn't a suspect but she was involved. She was a friend of Ziva's. He was aware that he had crossed some ethical lines this night.

Hell, who am I kidding? I crossed them the moment she stopped in front of me.

The arm draped across him tightened as Roxane stretched alongside of him.

"You're tense." The blonde head whispered.

"Just thinking."

"The case?" Roxane looked up in Gibbs' eyes. "Or us?"

Jethro's mouth twitched, but he remained silent.

"Ah…it's a little bit from column A and a little bit from column B." She whispered knowingly.

"Guilty as charged." Gibbs replied.

Roxane rolled on top of Jethro, her blonde hair swinging down to tickle his chest.

"I don't recall charging you with anything, Special Agent Gibbs." She rocked herself against Jethro, causing him to grab her hips and hold her in place.

"You're making an assumption here, Ms Jamieson." He cautioned. "I'm an old man who…"

Roxane grinned and rolled her hips in a small circular motion.

"Who…." Gibbs frowned, trying to regain his concentration. "Who…"

"Who talks way too much." Roxane leaned down and gently kissed Jethro. She ran her tongue along his lower lip. Tightening his grip on her waist, Gibbs opened his mouth and allowed Roxane to explore his body. The way he looked at it, he'd done most of the exploring earlier on and he was fair enough to allow her the same opportunity now.

"Remind me why I'm here, Abby?" Tim's voice carried above the music blaring in the lab.

"Because you're keeping me company while we wait for the DNA results." Abby spun around on her chair.

"Yeah, that's it." Tim flipped through a box of items taken from Captain Reed's apartment. "Out of the kindness of my heart."

Abby raced over to hug him. "Knew it!"

Tim wondered if the term 'facetious' was in Abby's vocabulary, but he seriously doubted it. Even sarcasm seemed to wash right over her.

Something just wasn't sitting right with this case. Okay, if he was completely truthful with himself, a lot of things just weren't sitting well with him on this case.

The computer beeped and Abby instinctively pressed a button without looking. The printer quickly spat out a sheet of paper, which the goth girl snatched up.

"No DNA match but we have a gender match." She proclaimed sadly, looking at the microscopic projection of the hair on the computer monitor.

"It's a start, Abs." Tim said absently, flipping through some pictures.

"It's a dye job, though." Abby mused.

"Huh?" Tim stopped at a picture.

"Dye job. Natural shade is brown."

"Really?" Tim asked with interest. He started to flip back through some pictures. "Call Gibbs. I'll call Tony and Ziva."

"Why?"

"Just call, Abby!" He barked.

Somethings still not right here. He mused.

Okay, the incessessant ringing was beginning to grate on his nerves. And as much as Tony wished it would go away, he knew that the only way to do that was for him to answer the darn phone. Growling, he lifted Ziva's arm off of him as reached for the phone on the night stand.

"DiNozzo…and this had better be good!" His sleepy voice growled roughly into the phone.

"Tony?" A puzzled voice.

"Yes, Probie." Tony sighed.

"Ummm…"

"What do you want, Probie?"

"Why are you answering Ziva's phone?"

"What?" Tony bolted upright. Ziva, having been awake from the time Tony had answered the phone, watched in amused interest.

"This is Ziva's phone…why are you answering."

Tony bashed his forehead with the palm of his hand.

"Uhh…..we went out for supper…must have swapped phones accidentally."

Ziva winced at that that lame excuse. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it had been her phone ringing and not Tony's.

"Uh huh. Look, while you were eating, Abby and I discovered some things. You might want to come in. Abby's calling the boss."

"Okay." Tony glared suddenly. "Hey, why are you calling Ziva before me?"

"Now how would you know that, Tony? Unless of course, your phones are currently side by side and you grabbed the ringing one."

"Ah hah, so you admit to calling Ziva before me!" Tony accused.

"Not unless you want to admit that your phone was on a nightstand beside hers."

"Uhhh…"

"See you in a bit, Tony." Tim grinned. "Oh, and say hi to Ziva for me."

Tony blinked as a dial tone greeted him.

"Well?"

Tony looked back at the beautiful woman lying beside him. Her dark curly hair fanned out and looked delightfully tousled. Tony took some pride in knowing that it was his actions that had caused her hair to get to that state.

He leaned down and kissed her fully. Ziva returned the passion, running her tongue along his lips. He dropped the phone on to the floor, so that both his hands could cup her face and make the most of their last few minutes of alone time.

"Come on, we need to shower. Might be faster if we shower together." Ziva suggested.

"You know, normally I'd suggest that in the interest of water conservation…but yours is just as good." Tony grinned as he watched Ziva gracefully walk her nude body from the bed to the doorway to the bathroom.

"You coming?" She called back playfully.

"Hoping to!" Tony proclaimed and chased Ziva into the tiled room.

"Jethro?" Roxane stopped her movements and reached over to grab the offending object from her nightstand. "At first I thought you were making my ears ring…"

Gibbs actually had the good sense to flush.

"I'm usually..."

Roxane leaned down and quickly kissed him before handing the phone over. She rolled off of him and got out of bed.

"Hey, no worries. I'm the queen of inopportune phone calls. I'll give you some privacy." Roxane walked into the bathroom.

A few moments later, a disappointed Gibbs entered the bathroom. Roxane stood at the counter brushing the tangles from her hair. Gibbs took the bristle brush from her and took over the task. He watched her face in the mirror as he gently stroked the tangles away.

"I need to go." He kissed the side of her neck, his blue eyes never leaving the reflection of her own.

"Thought as much. Would you like a coffee to go? I can make some while you get dressed."

Gibbs smiled at the small domestic moment. He'd forgotten what it felt it like to find some corner of peace in the chaos of his life.

"That'd be nice."

"See you downstairs in a few." Roxane turned and quickly kissed Gibbs on the cheek. Grabbing a robe from the back of the door, she tightened the belt around her waist to give Jethro some additional privacy.