Chapter 17, Getaway: Valentine's Day 2026
Ziva was excited and nervous at the same time. Gibbs had agreed to watch the children for the weekend while she and Tony had a "date weekend." Tony had made reservations for a couples' getaway in the Poconos for Valentine's Day. It would be their first vacation without children since before Tali was born.
Tony had been able to take a half day off on Friday, and since Ziva's schedule was flexible, they left their house around 1300 on Friday. After admonishing the kids to be good for Grandpa Gibbs, they headed north. Tony figured they would arrive about 1700, check in to their cabin and then make dinner plans. He wanted to have a weekend free of worries and responsibilities, something that he and Ziva had not had in too long.
Ziva intertwined her fingers with Tony's, "Do you realize the last time we had a vacation with just us was Berlin?" Even that had not been a true vacation, because they had been working for NCIS to track Ilan Bodner at the time. The extra days on either side of the work responsibilities had been ones of time spent together, and reflection. Both had shared more of their pasts with the other, and danced around their feelings.
"But look at how far we have come since then and how much we have both changed." Tony smiled at Ziva. "I would not change a bit of the past twenty plus years." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. "More of that later when we are not on the road."
~TIVA~
The cabin had a large open living space with a fireplace, a hot tub, a large master suite with a king sized bed, two decks and a view of a wooded area and a lake. Tony had arranged for twenty five red roses, one for each year they had known each other, and one for each child, to be delivered before they arrived. After they brought their weekend bags in and placed them in the bedroom, Ziva spotted the roses immediately. She read the card that Tony had put with them and smiled at him. "Tony, I don't know what to say. The roses are beautiful and the card…" Tony interrupted her by pulling her to him and kissing her.
"Ziva, you are more beautiful than ever, and I love you so much. I sometimes wonder how I deserve you." Tony's eyes were tearing, but he swore to himself that he would NOT cry. He pulled a small box out of his pocket. "I would be nothing without you, Ziva DiNozzo. You are my life, my soul mate, my better half in every sense of the word." He opened the ring box, revealing a diamond and sapphire eternity band. "This cannot truly convey all that I feel." He took the ring from the box and slipped it on Ziva's finger over her wedding ring.
Ziva put her hands on Tony's face, caressing each side, and pulled him to her. She kissed him with all of the love she felt for this man who had been her soul mate, her completion, her everything, and her best friend for as long she could remember. "Tony, I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow. Each day I am with you, adds to the love I have for you."
Kisses led to more and Tony picked Ziva up and carried her into the bedroom. Clothes were shed and the couple spent most of the next hour intimately. Ziva and Tony both felt the electricity generated by the other's touch. As they slowly wound down, Tony traced lazy swirls on Ziva's skin. Ziva traced circles on Tony's chest. "I guess we need to think about some dinner."
"Mmm," Tony agreed but did not want to break the contact with his soul mate. "Maybe we can find some place that delivers?" Ziva nodded into Tony's shoulder, but neither one moved just yet.
They eventually found a pizza delivery not too far from their cabin and ordered a pizza. They laughed at the thought of ordering only ONE medium pizza; the usual for the family was four large pizzas. After pizza, they watched a movie from Netflix, cuddling on the sofa lounger with a blanket around them.
~TIVA~
Saturday morning they slept in, getting up at 0830, instead of their usual 0700. They decided to go to the small town they had passed on the way in to get breakfast and some groceries. Both were content with making the remainder of their meals at the cabin and staying by themselves. Ziva was looking forward the hot tub later in the day. While in town, Ziva sent a text to Gibbs, asking if all was okay. He sent a message back that everything was fine and that she and Tony should just enjoy their time alone.
After making a salad for lunch, Tony suggested that they try the hot tub. Ziva changed into a bikini that she had purchased for this trip. She would probably never wear it in public ever, but for Tony, she would show off her body. When she came out of the bathroom with it on, Tony's mouth dropped open. His ninja was still as sexy as ever, even after four pregnancies and life as a parent. "It's a good thing you are my wife, sexy lady, or I would so be in trouble," Tony teased Ziva. She took her towel and wrapped it behind his neck and pulled him to her. "Oh, really?" She could tease him right back. He kissed her hungrily and held her close.
~TIVA~
They fixed dinner together, punctuated with lots of kissing and touching. The veal marsala and salad were perfect. Both joked about making just two servings of food, instead of feeding the family. Had it really been nearly thirteen years ago that they had cooked for only two? "That seems like a lifetime ago, but one thing hasn't changed." Tony kissed Ziva. "We still have fun cooking together." He kissed her again.
"Mmm," Ziva leaned into the kisses. "But now we do not get to have the dessert we used to have back then." She deepened the kiss, and then looked at Tony suggestively. "Tonight, my love, we will."
One of the reasons the couple had wanted some time alone was to discuss what they wanted to do with the properties that Ziva had inherited from Eli. Over dinner and baklava dessert, they decided to update the bathrooms and kitchens at the Berlin and Rome apartments, put in low-e windows on the Haifa beach house and construct a new house at the Tel Aviv farm. Neither of them had been to the house in Chile, all they knew was that it was near Santiago. The decision was made to visit the property sometime in the next year or two to determine what, if any, repairs or renovations would be needed. With the inheritance from Eli, and the smaller one from Senior, neither of the DiNozzo parents needed to work. They had jobs because they chose to work. As Ziva said, and Tony whole-heartedly agreed, "I am the type of person who needs to have a job outside the home, just to keep me sane."
Tony also mentioned them planning for retirement, as he was fast approaching sixty. A tentative plan was made for him to retire at the end of 2030, the year he turned sixty-two and Ziva would retire at the same time, at fifty-one. Their total assets would provide for educations for all five children, a comfortable retirement for both and the possibility of long-term care later in life. To look at them as a typical family, no one would ever believe that the two had a net worth of nearly forty-five million dollars.
Business over, Tony cleared the table and took the rest of the wine and their glasses to the living area. Ziva chose a movie from Netflix, and they snuggled together on the sofa lounge. Neither one remembered what movie, because they were wrapped up in each other. Kisses and caresses became more heated and the two made love slowly and savored each other's touch. They fell asleep intertwined on the sofa lounge, happy and sated in their cabin cocoon.
~TIVA~
On Sunday morning, Tony awoke before Ziva. He carefully eased off the sofa lounge, stretching his back and arms after he stood up. He started the coffee maker and took out the cinnamon roll dough that they had bought the day before. He heated the oven, and opened the package, trying not to make too much noise. He placed the preformed rolls on a baking sheet and put them in the oven. Ziva awoke to the smell of cinnamon and coffee.
She silently got off the sofa lounge and walked over to Tony. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, and he leaned towards her. "Let me take these rolls out of the oven, and then you can have a proper good morning, beautiful lady." Ziva smiled, and moved so that he could retrieve the baked rolls.
He placed the rolls on the counter to cool, and turned towards Ziva. He pulled her close, and placed his lips on hers. "Good morning, gorgeous."
"Good morning, my handsome love." Ziva smiled at Tony and he grinned back at her, their eyes speaking the whole time. "I love you so much, Tony."
"Love you more."
~TIVA~
After breakfast, they made sandwiches to take on the road as they headed home. Tony had planned to leave after lunch, but the sky was clouding over and the forecast was showing snow starting around noon. They left about 1100. The drive home was uneventful and the only snow they encountered was some fine flakes swirling around.
As they turned in the driveway at home, Tony turned to Ziva. "We should do this more often. I really enjoyed being with you this weekend." Ziva agreed, "We will have to make time for at least one escape like this every year." She leaned over and kissed him passionately.
Their moment was interrupted by LJ, Beth and Rivka running out to greet their parents. "Ima and Abba are home!" LJ, when he saw his parents kissing, yelled, "Ewwww, they're KISSING!"
Tony smiled, and squeezed Ziva's hand, "Back to parent life!"