Hello, Again
You have reached the voicemail of Ziva David. I am not able to answer your call. Please leave a message at the sound of the beep.
He knew what the message would say. He had written it out for her to read after hearing the string of Hebrew curse words and a frustrated growl when she attempted to create her own. Still, Tony listened to every word. When the beep sounded in his ear, he started talking.
"Hey. It's me…again. I can't sleep. It's 3 a.m. and I'm staring at the ceiling. I haven't had any coffee in two days. Wine either. That's somewhat of a personal record. No scary movies or action movies that get my adrenaline pumping. There's no one here to snuggle with or to warm their cold feet on my legs or snoring like a buzz saw." He took a breath. "I miss you…everything about you. I don't think I'll be able to really rest until you're here. I think I'm gonna try, though. Night. I love you."
Tony ended the call. He stared at the name and number on the screen. Ziva's face smiled back at him. There was no risk of Ziva receiving his call and it putting her at risk. That phone was locked away in his safe. The phone she had now was secure and calls were to be sent or received in only the most extreme of situations. Still, it made him feel better to hear her voice and talk to her, even if he knew she wouldn't answer. He wasn't lying. He missed her…god how he missed her.
Eventually, the picture faded away and the screen went dark…matching his mood. Tony sighed audibly and placed the phone on the nightstand. He tried to think about all the places she may be and figure out the time difference to see what she may be doing. There were too many possibilities. Ziva could be anywhere in the world. Tony grabbed the pillow from the other side of the bed and hugged it to his chest. Rolling onto his side, his eyes lit on the double photo frame on the bedside table. One side held a candid shot of the two of them at Gibbs' house one Thanksgiving. Tim had taken it and gave it to Tony as a gift when Ziva "died" as a way for him to remember the good times. Leave it to Tim. Only he would know how much it would mean to Tony. The other was one of the bikini pictures he had taken on the beach in L.A. That picture had gotten him through the long, lonely deployment as Agent Afloat. Now, it was helping him get through this period of separation. As much as he loved the sight of Ziva in her bikini, he longed for the day when he could return the photo to the back of his sock drawer because he had the real thing back in his life as well as his bed. "Good night, Sweet Cheeks," Tony said to the photographs, "wherever you are. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Author's Note: This idea came to me last night and wouldn't leave me until I got it out. I blame my Spotify playlist and late-night Tiva conversations. Reviews are wanted and welcome. Happy reading. TIVA FOREVER!