Author's Note: Previously in the story, Tony DiNozzo is introduced to Claudia, a colleague of Suzanne Gibbs. Though the two spent the night discussing Gibbs and Suzanne, they seemed to have a curiosity to know one another.

The following chapter:

Tony visits the White House;

Suzanne remains in denial about a pregnancy

Tony's romantic gesture begins a new chapter in his life.

Enjoy and please leave comments or suggestions! Thank you for reading this story!

Friday morning, Anthony DiNozzo, Special Agent, deviated from his typical morning routine. He stopped at the Bullseye for two dozen roses. He thought about the lovely Claudia Bailey, smiled at the thought and even chuckled. He, Tony DiNozzo, stopped by to select flowers! He enjoyed last night. It was the most enjoyable evening shared with a woman since Ziva. Hours after the event, he texted Suzanne and thanked her for arranging the meeting. She retrieved the note hours after the event, happened to glance at the phone while preparing Jethro's breakfast.

"I really hope those two hit it off…" She showed the cellphone text, pouring him a cup of coffee. Suzanne used the fan and an opened window to sustain the queasiness from certain food smells. Water helped immensely, as she sipped slowly.

"From what I noticed before we left, it looked like they did." Jethro sipped his coffee and read his newspaper. He peeped over the paper momentarily and noticed his wife's outfit—lightly faded denim jeans, long-sleeved Georgetown t-shirt and matching sneakers.

"You're looking too casual today, Suz."

"I have another outfit at the office, just in case." Suzanne sipped on her water bottle. "Besides, it's Friday. The President is back from his vacation; we're in the building all day today." She glanced at the kitchen clock, noticing the time: 6:30 AM.

"I'm running late. I promised myself I'd be there by 7:30 to work on the schedule."

"Aren't you eating breakfast?" Jethro asked.

"I just took my medication." She answered, gathering her belongings. "I can't eat for another hour."

"At least…take a piece of fruit with you." Jethro tossed a banana. "No coffee?"

"Had a cup..." Suzanne lied for the first time to Jethro. The coffee, she learned, agitated her morning sickness.

"Hey, Suzanne? Are you okay?" The skilled investigator noticed her unusual behaviors as of lately. It wasn't making sense. She stopped running, something she did before they married, even as a job requirement. She sipped on ginger ale more than her caffeinated drinks in recent weeks. Suzanne offered logical explanations-preparing to give up caffeine for Lent, for example. As for the exercise, she said that "plantar fascitis" or heel pain.

She internally debated to mention the possibility, the slightest chance she may be expecting to Jethro. They've been married 6 months. Not once they mentioned children, only her nephews and Amira.

"I'm fine, Sweetie. I'm just a little sleepy..." They did go out last night, went to bed later than normal and woke up at the usual time. Suzanne reached over, kissed Jethro on the cheek.

"I'll see you tonight. I love you."

"I love you too."

Suzanne Gibbs was the epitome of an old ad campaign featuring the 24 hour woman. Besides clearing her work area, she cleared, prepared the President's work area. The President scheduled an 11 AM staff meeting. By 8 AM, all items on her immediate to-do list were completed. She usually arrived an hour before her colleagues to overview the daily agenda, to drop or add an event to the official and unofficial White House calendar. Since the boss was on vacation and she concentrated more on the paperwork, she wanted a head start.

"Good Morning. I'm here to see Mrs. Gibbs." The security booth glanced at the federal credentials, convinced it was perfectly fine to enter the White House. Casual Fridays, and even DiNozzo added flair. His clothing, name-brand, tailored, were professional enough to wear during the week. His jeans were dark, buttoned shirt and matching loafers with a 3/4th length leather jacket.

"Mrs. Gibbs, someone has a delivery for you."

"Can they deliver it, please?" Suzanne asked on the communication system. "I'm by myself."

While at work, Suzanne donned headgear that made giving and receiving calls accessible with a small side switch and button. It was the first accessory she put on while moving about the wing. She answered switchboard routed calls with the cordless communication device.

Of all days, Linda called to say she was stuck on the Beltway. Claudia called her cellphone earlier, sharing with Suzanne she was on the Hill for the President.

"What are you doing?" Linda asked.

"I'm just retyping the updated agenda for Latin America." She continued, multitasking, as usual. Suzanne moved from her desk to Claudia's, looking for a specific file.

"Claudia left the file on her desk…yeah, I got it…" Suzanne replied, scanning through the file.

It was a mere moment she was inattentive, her back turned to return folders in the cabinet. Suzanne was surprised to see Anthony DiNozzo walking into the office.

"I'll see you after while then…okay…bye."

"These are for you, Mrs. Gibbs." Tony handed her a dozen carnations in white and pink hybrid, the colors suggesting friendship and appreciation. Suzanne smiled. The other package was a dozen white and pink roses.

"Thank you, Tony."

"Jethro…I mean, Boss, mentioned you like hybrid carnations." He stuttered, at a loss for genuine words. "I just wanted to thank you for introducing me to the lovely Claudia Bailey."

"Come on and talk with me while I find some vases." Quickly, the two moved from the cubicles to the break room. Suzanne opened the top cabinets, moved several items around and found two medium sized vases.

"I didn't know so much goes on around here!" Tony observed the quick paced movements of other employees, even Suzanne's abilities of multitasking.

"Everyone's not here." Suzanne smiled, preparing the water. She opened a side cabinet, grabbed four round pills and popped two in each vase.

"It's aspirin to keep the flowers a little bit longer." She grabbed a pair of shears, trimmed the stems of the floral arrangements with an angled cut.

Tony nodded and followed Suzanne back to the desks. She placed hers on the desk and the other on Claudia's. Suzanne pointed at the middle desk, the name placket—Claudia L. Bailey-embossed on the front.

"Is…Claudia here?"

"She's on the Hill right now. The boss wants her to woo Congressional members in the Northeast—her territory…"

"I just wanted to properly thank you, Suzanne."

Suzanne returned to her desk.

"I hope you had a good time."

"I did." Tony nodded, giving an unusual smile. It was one she'd never noticed in years working with the man. Her extension chimed. Suzanne raised one finger, answering the call.

"Good Morning, Connie. I'm sorry; the President is booked this morning and at 1 pm this afternoon…"

"Press Office…I'll be another moment…" Suzanne covered the mouthpiece.

"He's expecting the final script and preliminary work from Jane…2 pm is fine." Suzanne scribbled on a post-it notepad, glanced up to Tony, still noticing the office. "Hey, Connie: please email it to me and c/c to Linda and Claudia…Claudia's on the Hill…we need to check it…Thanks, Connie."

"Suzanne: when will Claudia be available?" Tony asked.

"This afternoon." She jotted down the notes, placed it on the computer screen. As Suzanne turned her chair, she happened to glance at the clock, noticed it was 8:45. "Aren't you going to be late, DiNozzo?"

"Gibbs is going to blow a gasket if I'm late one more time…"

"For you, I'm going to call Jethro soon as you leave, telling him that I called you to retrieve some items from SECNAV." Suzanne winked. She happened to have some files from the office, asked Tony to sign the classified documents.

"I owe you one, Suzanne." He smiled. She rose from the desk, gave Tony a hug.

"Thanks again for the flowers."

"Thanks for saving my ass." It was at that moment Linda came inside the office, watching Tony leave. The three exchanged pleasantries.

"You must be Mrs. Person, ma'am, and it's nice to meet you." Tony shook her hand. "Forgive me, but I need to go to work." He waved once again and briskly walked down the hallway.

"Was that Claudia's date from last night?" Suzanne nodded. Linda chuckled, settling into her work space, giving the thumbs up sign.

"That's an ass worth saving…"

The meeting was postponed until Claudia returned from Capitol Hill. After an hour-long session discussing strategy for the environmental bill, the trio returned to their work spaces. It was a welcomed surprise for Claudia to begin the afternoon paperwork with a floral arrangement waiting for her.

"Let me guess…your husband sent us flowers?"

"No ma'am." Suzanne typed on her keyboard.

"I wonder who they're from…" Claudia rushed over to her desk to open the card.

"Read the card!" Linda asked.

Upon reading the card, she spent several seconds, laughed hysterically and sat the card on her desk. Suzanne grabbed the card and read it aloud.

"Oh, a woman…Tony."

"It's a Bond reference…" Claudia chuckled. "…pleasantly surprised after introductions that the doctor is a woman."

"I think he's made a good impression." Linda said.

"Yeah…" Claudia nodded her head, smiled. "Yeah."