Thanks for all the support and kind words I've been getting on this story at the moment. It really does mean a lot.
Chapter Twenty-One
They'd spent the next day finishing up all the loose ends in the office and finally that was all over. Tony couldn't wait for the business to finish; the sooner it did the sooner he could be spending non-work-related time with Ziva and the team. Because they finished up yesterday, it meant they had five whole days until they flew out. And Tony intended to make the most of those days as best as he could.
As they all drove out to Ziva's house, he tried as hard as he could not to think about what would be happening after the fifth day. He made a mental promise to himself not to think about it these next few days. He deserves to let go, have fun. To not think about how much his heart is going to break.
He was currently in the front of Ziva's personal car. Her car. He was slightly surprised about what she drove. He half expected some big rig wagon, a tank of a car. However, she drove a sleek white sedan. Tidy, almost fancy. He liked that he'd guessed wrong. It actually was so her the more he thought about what she was really like behind her walls.
Derek and Sarah were in the backseat, Ezra and Azriel were going to do a shopping run and meet them out there. They'd driven maybe twenty minutes when they pulled off the main road onto a long driveway. They drove between fruit trees, the morning sun flickering in behind the tall plants.
The driveway opened up into a loop with an old stone building. It was larger than he expected. For a moment he couldn't believe this was her home. It was absolutely beautiful. You could tell it was old but had been restructured over the years to embrace modern times.
"Wow Ziva this place is beautiful" Sarah stated in awe from the back.
"It has been with my family for as long as I can remember. I am the only one who really comes here" Ziva replied, parking the car by the front door. The front door was a large set of old wooden doors, totally unnecessary in size but absolutely stunning.
They started getting out of the vehicle and Derek and Sarah grabbed their bags from the back, Ziva grabbed his. He was a little better on his leg, but crutches were still necessary. He was hoping to be off them before he left. Ziva had clucked her tongue at him and growled when he tried to leave them behind this morning. It had actually been a little cute when she'd done that.
"So, no one else comes out here?" Derek stated in amazement as he looked at the building.
"My brother Ari will come out on occasion, but he is always out of town" Ziva explained as she unlocked the front door, pushing the large wood open. Inside was much the same as the outside, old bones with new furnishing. The stone and wood in the home was prominent, with modern furniture complimenting the history. As they walked in there was a large lounge room which merged into a dinning.
"I have never seen anything so beautiful" Sarah was wide eyed and in heaven. Tony smiled. This really had been a good idea, he's glad Ziva had invited them. He thinks this is just the recovery they'd all needed.
Ziva gave them a brief tour. A grand kitchen came off the dining room. A hallway from the entrance lead down to multiple bedrooms. Each of them claiming one. There were a handful of bathrooms. Some more siting rooms, office. This place was a palace. The lounge led out onto an area in the backyard.
It was a large stoned area with outdoor seating. Wood fire stove, looking out into the masses of orchards. Tony really couldn't believe this place. Well he could, her father was the director of Mossad so obviously the man had money. But her family must have always been high in something for a family home to be like this.
There had been a little more of the house where Ziva hadn't really taken the tour. He guessed that's most likely where her bedroom was. Because he noticed all the rooms they had seen were standard, like a guest room. He would guess that her room is probably very private to her.
Not long after their tour Ezra and Azriel had arrived. Bringing with them large amounts of food for Ziva's pantry and fridge, and a lot of alcohol. Tony suddenly wanted to wrap himself up in this little bubble of friends and never leave. He felt like he'd known them all for years.
He was coming back from the bathroom and could see Ezra, Azriel, Sarah and Derek outside on the outdoor couches. He could hear the sound of a knife chopping from the kitchen so he floated in that direction.
He thought about sneaking up on her but he realised as soon as he entered the kitchen that his crutches took away all his stealth. Ziva had turned to face him as soon as he appeared. She was smiling at him in a way that pulled his heart strings. How does she do that? She turned back to her chopping and spoke up.
"I have banned everyone from helping me in the kitchen, you are no exception to that rule. You are my guests" she stated. That explained why she was the only one in here. He had wondered.
"But I heard this is where all the treats are" he replied, coming up behind her and leaning his crutches against the bench to his side so he could have both hands free. He brought his hands to the side of her hips, leaning his body into the back of hers. "And I'm not talking about the food" he whispered into her curls. Her chopping had been consistent until that point.
They hadn't had sex since he'd been shot and he was starting to desperately want her touch. He knows she was trying to let him heal, but he'd healed enough. He wanted her. She wasn't going to escape him tonight.
He heard the knife in her hand being placed on the bench and she turned in his hands, her lips almost brushing against his. "No treats before dinner" she remarked, smirking at him. Because she wanted him just as much. He loved how playful she was with him, it felt like that feeling with her had been missing for too long. There had been too much fighting in the last couple of weeks.
"Not even a little?" he charmed, leaning in as he brought her lower lip between his teeth. Gently nibbling at that delicious mouth of hers. He knows once his lips are on hers, she won't resist him and she doesn't. Her lips kiss him back and her hands are gripping around his shirt. He couldn't think of anything better than the kiss of this woman.
His hands soothed down her sides, coming to rest on those delicious hips of hers and he pulls her closer to him so they are pressed head to toe. God, he misses her. He's never been this addicted to anyone in his life. But there had always been something different about her, from the moment they met.
He presses his tongue into her mouth then, really showing her just how much he craved her. She doesn't protest, the soft moan that slips from her lips is anything but that. After short time, her hand at his chest is pressing him back lightly.
"Tony" she smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling "I must finish making these snacks, as much as I could happily kiss you here all day" she told him and he chuckled. Her admitting to want to kiss him all day long was something. And the way her eyes looked up at him, brought a softness to his heart. This woman had honestly cast a love spell on him.
"I guess you did give me a treat, but it'll only make me hungrier later" he smirked down at her, giving her another brief kiss just so she knows how serious he is. That bubbly giggle of hers slipped from her lips at that. Other than her moaning his name as she climaxes, her giggle had to be his favourite sound.
"If you behave yourself" she clucked at him, sending a wink before turning back around and getting back to her task at hand. He gathered his crutches back in his hands now that she had vacated his grip.
"You sure you don't want a hand in here?" he offered, switching away from his lustful teasing to actually being helpful.
"No, honestly I am okay. You go have a drink with the others" she said, turning a smile at him. Her smile was honest, unguarded. Right in this minute they were miles away from the dark place they had been in last week. This was nice, this was them. Without the sad thoughts, without the reality. This was them relaxing and just being themselves together. It gripped his heart tighter at how good it felt like this.
He went to protest a little, because he wanted to help and didn't want to leave it all to her alone. However, she saw this and clucked her tongue at him again. He loved when she did that, made that little sound that told him she was in charge and to do as he was told. It always made him smile.
"Okay, but only because you insist" he said, but before he left the kitchen, he made sure to lean over her shoulder and place a soft kiss to the side of her neck. Showing her that he'd be waiting and he missed her already.
He hobbled his way outside and sat himself on the couch with the others, grabbing a beer. He couldn't believe how relaxed he was. This place, her family home with all his friends and his lover, things couldn't be more perfect. He tried not to think about what it's going to be like when they leave, when he leaves her. Because they'd promised each other they would just live in the moment, so there weren't any regrets when he did leave.
Later, after they'd eaten the delicious array of food Ziva had prepared them, the outdoor fire had been lit and they were all laughing around it, sharing the good times. It reminded Tony of the time they had all gone to the bar together. This team just got along so well. The alcohol had absolutely made things even merrier.
At one point he tried to get up and go get another beer without his crutches and Ziva at his side had picked up on that quick. Her hand was grabbing his and when she pulled, he fell back onto the couch, the side of his body touching the length of hers. They hadn't sat more than an inch from each other all night, they were between their friends and they didn't hide what was between them.
"You will be taking those crutches if you think you are going anywhere" she whispered to him, leaning over him. Her breath was hot on his neck. She wasn't mad, her face held amusement more than anything. But he also knew she was being serious too. He brought his hand up behind her on the couch and it made her all that bit closer to him when he turned towards her.
"What if I don't need them?" he challenged, because he loved when they bantered like this. They'd both had a bit to drink and he was high on the feeling of the alcohol and simply her. He knows the others are probably watching them, but he didn't care. It only amused him more to see how far he could push her with their teasing in front of the others. He wondered if she'd kiss him in front of them?
Because damn, he wanted those lips in his. The moment in her kitchen had been far too long ago.
"If you want that leg of yours to recover enough for sex, you best take those crutches with you" she purred to him. She'd leant closer to him when she'd said it and her lips were so close now. She was half leaning across him; he could feel her right breast pressing against his chest. Goddamn she was close. It didn't seem like it bothered her either that their friends were in eye shot. After all, they were all friends. There was nothing to hide now.
"Well, when you put it that way sweetheart" he found himself saying, winking at her. He saw the way her eyes twinkled at the endearment he gave her, her lips pulling into a smile. She liked that. As tough and badass as Ziva David was, she was a big softy at heart. He saw right through her.
He was about to stand from the couch again when her hand gripped his shirt, pulling him back down again and her lips pressed to his. Briefly, but oh so delicious. Yes, she would kiss him in front of the others it seems. Interesting.
"Good boy" she all but whispered against his lips, winking at him in return this time. She let his shirt go with a small chuckle as she watched him attempt to compose himself as he stood up and grabbed his crutches this time, escaping to the kitchen for more beers.
Everyone else had been doing their own thing, pretending like they all hadn't just seen that. He had to chuckle and shake his head as he made his way up to the house. Ziva, she just knew how to please him and make him happy without a second thought. Every little thing she did had his heart swelling with love. The fact she'd been open in front of their friends like that, had meant even more. It meant she was comfortable with showing them she cared about him, that she desired him. Maybe even liked him just a little bit.
He wanted this time at her family farm to never end. He was happy. Content.
When he got to the fridge and started fishing in there for some more beer, Derek was joining him in the search for another drink. The smirk on Derek's face told Tony that beer wasn't the only thing that had him following Tony to the kitchen.
"Go on, get it out" Tony laughed, reaching for a couple more beers and placing them on the bench. Derek leant against that bench and crossed his arms, his smirk getting bigger.
"Oh nothing, I just figured you could use a hand with those beers" he said and Tony laughed at him some more.
"That smirk on your face has nothing to do with beers Derek" Tony said, grabbing a few more beers out. Now that Derek was here, he could manage a few more being carried back to the table.
"True" Derek admitted and Tony waited for the next comment "It's nice to see you two like that" Derek added, his words a lot softer and less jovial than Tony had expected. Tony placed another beer on the bench and looked at the man in front of him. Someone who he'd grown to see as a very good friend was looking at him with a gentle, happy smile. Tony smiled back. Derek had seen the Ziva, the bond that had stolen Tony's heart.
"You know, when I first met you, I wondered what it was like to feel how you did about your wife. But I think I know now" Tony said, suddenly finding himself letting more out than expected. He'd thought about throwing a joke Derek's way, but for some reason the truth came out instead.
Derek put his hand on Tony's shoulder then, appreciating the fact he hadn't just thrown him a joke about it.
"You might think it can't work because of where you two are, but don't let her go. You only find a love like that once Tony" Derek said. Tony took those words hard. He doesn't want to let her go. Tony hadn't said the love word aloud yet, but clearly Derek sees it for what it is.
"I don't want to let her go for sure, but it all seems so against us" Tony replied, feeling heavy all of a sudden.
"You know, I've seen it before on deployments where people worlds apart come together. I'm sure you two will make it work. She's not going to let you go either by the looks of it. Don't think about it, just make sure you put the effort in. It won't be easy, but the ones worth it never are" Derek explained. Tony's sure he's seen a lot being a Seal. Travelling the world and seeing people fall in love when everything was against them. Tony smiled at Derek. As much as he didn't want to think about how much it wasn't going to work out, Derek was giving him hope that maybe, just maybe it could work.
It wouldn't be easy and surely there'd be a lot of long distance involved, but she was worth that. The feeling she gives him, how easy it was with her. That was something he'd do anything for. If he's willing to try, maybe she would too. He'd dwelled so much on how it wouldn't work in the usual relationship sense, he never really thought about the fact it didn't have to be a normal relationship. It could be whatever their unique love and situation needed it to be.
"Thanks Derek, I never really thought of it like that" he said. Because he hadn't. Maybe Derek had seen that, needed to tell him it didn't have to be normal. It could just be them, as long as they were happy.
"Anytime brother" he said, giving his shoulder another squeeze "And if you're ever in need of an emergency flight over here, I know a few people who owe me favours" Derek added, giving Tony a wink. Tony laughed. Yeah, he was going to miss this team, his new friends. He knows Derek lives in the same state as him and he is suddenly glad for that. He was lucky to have Derek as a friend.
"I wonder how Faith and Ziva would get along" Tony said out of the blue, thinking of Derek's wife and Ziva meeting one day. Suddenly it felt like things could be possible between them.
"They would absolutely gang up on us and we'd both be hopeless" Derek said, barking out a laugh. Tony laughed too. It might have sounded like a horrible time, but Tony was suddenly looking forward to that day. Because if that day came, it meant things did work and could work between him and Ziva.
There's nothing he wanted more.