I do not know how this turned out. Just read it and decide for yourself. One more chapter, maybe.

Cry Me A River

"I think we need to talk."

"Ziva, I…" He sat on the arm of his sofa, watching her carefully as she kept her back to him.

"Wait. I would like to say what I have to say first." She stopped him, still not turning around. She was looking at a photo on his mantle piece. It was of the two of them, laughing, at a crime scene. McGee had taken it and used it as inspiration to write a scene in his book, and then given it to him as a birthday present. She had initially been furious at McGee taking a photograph of them and not telling them, and then keeping it. In her eyes it was almost as bad as the photo's Tony had taken of her in her bikini. She let her mind drift back to that crime scene. They were exhausted and possibly in a state of sleep-deprived delirium. It had been a long case already and it didn't seem to be coming to a close any time in the near future. They were stood in a cornfield, the sun rising in the background. Tony had walked up behind her and slung an arm around her shoulder, pointing to something in the distance and making a joke. It wasn't even a funny joke, but for some reason she had found it hilarious, and her crazed laughing had triggered him to lose control too, and within moments they were laughing at nothing in particular, his arm still around her shoulder. Gibbs had yelled at them, and hit Tony, of course, but it still took them a few moments to regain some sense of sanity.

She jumped when she felt a light hand on her shoulder and whirled around. "I like that photo." He smiled. "You've been staring at it for ten minutes now."

"Oh." She nodded.

"You wanted to say what you had to say first."

"Right. Yes." She closed her eyes, not unaware that his hand was still on her shoulder.

Now you say you're lonely
You cry the long night through
Well, you can cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you

She let the music wash over her, trying to formulate the words that she needed. He had hurt her, so many times. She had tried so many times to show him how she felt, and either he had known and ignored her, or he had just been completely oblivious. She couldn't decide which one was worse. She squeezed her eyes tighter, but still a few tears slipped down her cheeks.

"Come here." He wrapped his arms around her and she sobbed into his chest. This wasn't the way she had planned this to happen. She was going to tell him it was a mistake. That they should go on as if he hadn't kissed her, because it was not what she wanted, and it was not what he wanted, and they were best as just friends. But she couldn't. She couldn't lie.

Now you say you're sorry
For being so untrue
Well, you can cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you

She seemed torn up about this. The night before she had been furious, upset about the kiss, but now she seemed more conflicted. He hated seeing her like that. He hated knowing that he had caused the pain in her eyes. "I shouldn't have kissed you last night. I thought I would regret not kissing you, but I don't think I would have regretted it as much as I regret kissing you now." He sighed and she looked up at him, frowning.

"You regret kissing me?"

"I regret making you unhappy." He smiled weakly as she pulled away from him.

You drove me, nearly drove me, out of my head
While you never shed a tear
Remember, I remember, all that you said
You told me love was too plebeian
Told me you were through with me and

She bit her lip. "What…what if I was wrong?" What?! No! What are you doing?! What are you saying?! This is not right. Stop it. Shut up. You are supposed to be mad at him. You are supposed to be upset at him for kissing you!

But it is what you want. You want Tony.

And you cannot have him! Stop it. Now! He is notorious for being a player, you know that! Stop it!

But he is also kind. And it was a very good kiss.

What about Michael, huh? He is back in…you do not know where he is, do you? Abba likes Michael. A lot more than he would ever like Tony.

"Hey, you okay?" Tony's voice broke her out of her internal debate. She looked up at him.

"Pardon?"

"What did you mean, when you said you might be wrong?"

Now you say you love me
Well, just to prove that you do
Come on and cry me a river
Cry me a river
I cried a river over you
I cried a river over you
I cried a river...over you...

"Maybe…Maybe I was wrong and you were right."

Okay, so the song was originally written by Arthur Hamilton, but I was listening to the Roberto Pitre version, with Coté de Pablo singing as I wrote this, which, in my opinion, is the best, but I think there is something slightly surreal about writing this with Coté's version, because, well, it would just be weird. So let us just say that they were listening to Julie London's version. If your have not listened to the Roberto Pitre version, you really should, because it is amazing.