Ziva's words were still ringing in his head when she stepped off the elevator two hours late and with no phone call. He had played his part stomping around being silently pissed. When in reality he had hoped she was getting some much needed rest. He had left her place at close to five that morning he wasn't sure but he suspected he'd been followed which meant he'd either been too distracted by Ziva's words or his shadow was very, very good.

She dropped her backpack on her desk as always and as she leaned over to check her messages he saw a love bite on her neck and wondered when he'd put it there. He saw Tony notice it too and the smirk.

"DAVID!"

"Gibbs I'm sorry I...I overslept." it was a lame excuse but, from how tired she knew she looked and the very obvious bite mark on her neck, it would work.

"My office now."

Gibbs could barely wait for the elevator doors to close. He slammed the stop button and with equal force pushed her up against the wall. Barely able to speak he asked her what he'd wanted to know the last few hours. "How did you know?"

Ziva didn't have to ask what he meant. Smiling she pulled him close. "I am a woman who is very good at reading people. I do not trust easily but I trust you, have for a very long time. It is in your nature to want to dominate. Not necessarily in an S/M manner but while you do not want a meek powerless woman you do want one that does not require you change who you are at your very core." feeling his lips at the pulse of her neck "When a woman knows that the man she is with will not abuse the privilege it can be a very big turn on to allow the man to be in control. It is very freeing in a way."

"You're killing me Ziva...soon very soon." Pulling back from her he knew he'd have to get her up to MTAC sooner rather than later.

Looking her over he decided she looked smug and he rather liked it, except for the reason they were here it wouldn't work. "You look too happy for having just gotten a dressing down from your boss."

"Do not worry, I can fake it if necessary." she almost laughed out loud at the raised eyebrow Gibbs gave her.

Stepping out of the elevator she made sure to look adequately chastised, as she made her way back to her desk and Gibbs went up to MTAC.

Opening the door he saw the Director was mostly alone, only two other agents were there working on computers.

"Director." Gibbs nodded "I need to speak to you, alone"

Leon didn't question Gibbs simply cleared the room and made sure any recording devices were turned off. "What is it Gibbs?"

"I've got an op that needs doing, only you can't tell anyone, you can't help me unless it gets ugly and it breaks just about every rule you can think of...well almost." Gibbs was blunt and to the point. When Leroy didn't flinch only motioned for Gibbs to sit next to him he began explaining what had transpired over the past twenty four hours. Except, the more intimate details involving Ziva.

The alert button for MTAC rang just as he finished up the details. Ignoring Leon's look of shock he reluctantly let Ziva in and saw it dawn on the director why she was in the room.

Leon had heard rumors of the "club" Gibbs was referring to and he would have said so but from the look on Ziva's face and her ready for action stance he changed his mind. It only took a second for him to know why she was there standing next to Gibbs. Gibbs was right rules were certainly going to be broken.

Leon had liked Ziva from the start; to say he was intimidated by her was no lie. She reminded him of someone else. She was known to do whatever it took to complete a mission. He'd sent her away when he'd first taken over partly from a need to assert control and partly because there had been rumors about her and Gibbs. Later he'd found out they'd been unfounded, but all rumors started from some grain of truth.

"Director I gather Gibbs has briefed you on the situation." at his nod Ziva continued. "I insisted on being here."

"I'm assuming agent David I don't have to ask why?"

Ziva held her head high despite the way the director was looking at her. "I am sure you are aware of the rumors since even before you came here about agent Gibbs and I. It is my belief they can be used to our advantage."

The director didn't miss the way Gibbs' head swung around to look at Ziva. Nor, did he miss the shock or the angry red haze that settled over the man. Yet more proof the rumors had been just that, rumors.

Ziva couldn't look at Gibbs it was a lie of admission but in Gibbs mind she knew it would still count as a lie.

"I am of course aware of the rumors, and that they were unfounded. But before we talk about any advantage they might give us. I have to ask do you fully understand what could be expected of you?"

Ziva couldn't hide the blush that she had no business having "Gibbs and I spoke about it at length. It's very likely these couples are dead. Even more likely there will be more couples missing before we can be trusted enough to get on the inside. I know what the possibilities are, what will no doubt be required. I am prepared and accept the mission."

Gibbs took a sip of his coffee and wanted to punch the Director and then ask Tony to do the same to him. Seeing the director look at him briefly and the back to Ziva he felt tightness in his chest.

"I can't order you to do this Ziva and I won't and neither can Gibbs. Any agency like ours can ask an agent to go beyond the boundaries of what is appropriate but I cannot, will not order it."

"I appreciate that, but with the situation as it is I could not live with myself if I just ignored the opportunity to help." That was honest at least.

"If I allow this things could get very difficult for you both after the op is over." The director watched Gibbs wince and knew it wasn't a worry over his own career. "I would of course do everything I could to smooth things over. But that could be sometime down the line."

Gibbs and Ziva nodded as one. But it was Gibbs who spoke first "We've had that discussion already. I'm prepared if necessary to accept early retirement. But I want it very clear that Ziva's career suffer no ill effect at all."

Ziva was pissed, another woman might have been flattered but she was irked. He didn't need to sacrifice his career for hers. Somehow though she held her tongue but she was pretty sure neither man missed her look.

"As you can imagine Director it would go without saying that Ziva and I would be discreet it is after all the whole point. What we would need from you is an out should things get hairy, the "in" so to speak for certain events etc. And possibly some negative attention if it helps further things. You would be the only other person than us to know what is really going on."

"I can handle the business end of things. You've already been seen at my house numerous times so that helps. But here we'll have to be careful. No more meetings like this."

"I was intentionally two hours late this morning; you can mark a reprimand in my file." Ziva had remained quiet only because she was pissed as she knew Gibbs was.

"Agent Gibbs I'd like a moment alone with Agent David, no argument."

Gibbs nodded he'd expected this; he didn't like it but knew it was necessary. Leaving MTAC he had to force himself not to look back at her.

Leon waited until Gibbs had left MTAC and the door was shut behind him.

"Ziva did Gibbs pressure you in any way?"

Ziva refrained from a blush this time as she thought of Gibbs pinning her to the bed, fingers pushed deep inside her. "He did not and you know he would not. He spoke to me in private about the matter and simple asked if I was willing. I thought about it and answered him."

Leon stayed quiet for just long enough to make her uncomfortable and then threw out the question he hated asking. "It shouldn't have to happen but what if you end up having to sleep with him."

Ziva had expected the question, had heard it before in a different life and was glad Gibbs was out of the room. War might have ensued had he heard it.

"I'm prepared to do what is necessary I said that before." at the directors shamed looked she smiled "He is not exactly ugly director and you have read my file so you need not feel guilty." Ziva worked hard to keep her tone neutral and stay the soldier she was trained to be.

The director knew something was there under the surface of all this, but figured it was better if he didn't know. "I'm going to give Gibbs the go ahead, but if at any time you change your mind. You come straight to me no matter what. Is that clear." at her nod he sighed "Good because that is an order. Now go downstairs and look properly pissed at being reprimanded."

Ziva had to work harder to hide the smile this time, somehow she managed to erase it before she stepped out of MTAC.

She barely heard Gibbs' whisper as she passed him "Play along."

Ziva sat in her desk and wondered what Gibbs was planning. When he slammed a stack of papers on her desk she suddenly understood and wanted to slap him.

"You don't go home David until these are done. Tony, McGee don't even think of staying late to help her."

Tony watched Gibbs walk off in search of more coffee. "Man Ziva you pissed Gibbs off good. Did you have to be late and then not even call?"

Ziva almost grinned especially when she saw that McGee was nodding most likely without knowing it. "Tony I overslept, my phone was under...something and the alarm ..umm" she waved her hand pretending to grasp for a word. "Got stepped on" this time she allowed just the slightest bit of a blush to show that got darker as Gibbs returned.

"I hope he was worth it David, today is now in your permanent record." Gibbs had to bite back a smile at Tony and McGee's eye-bulging looks at first him and then Ziva waiting for her response.

Ziva gave an entirely honest answer that was deafening even though it was a mere whisper. "You have no idea."

Two hours later Tony had to get his dig in and when Ziva returned she found a very thick turkey, avocado and hummus sandwich on her desk. At her silent question he smirked. "I figured you could use the protein."

Ziva almost threw the sandwich at him until Gibbs shockingly laughed out loud.

Looking at all three men she contemplated the sandwich "It certainly could not hurt. You would not believe his stamina" with that she sat down and ate her sandwich.

It hadn't needn't to be said that Ziva was not supposed to actually get the files done. It was an excuse to keep her late. It was now an hour after Tony, McGee and even the director had left. They were the only ones in the building except a janitor circulating the building somewhere; most likely what Gibbs had intended a little something to further fuel the rumors he hadn't known about.

She felt him come to stand next to her desk, and automatically rose to meet him. He put one strong hand on her hip and she couldn't stop her head from falling against his chest. She craved his touch wanted to feel him again.

Gibbs felt her need and it almost diffused his anger, but he wanted answers "What rumors Ziva?"

Ziva straightened and met his gaze knowing she couldn't sidestep this question. "There have been rumors for a while now about us. Offices always have them. I would have expected no different."

Gibbs nodded "But, I would have expected Tony. Not me."

Ziva smiled. Gibbs' words held no self-pity they were simply stated as fact. "Women always know who another woman is attracted to Gibbs. Call it biological or instinct. Maybe it's a way of learning the territory. But I heard the whispers from the time I first arrived. Someone I do not know who saw me coming out of your house one night."

"The night..."

"No not that night" Ziva pushed away thoughts of Ari easily they had no place here tonight. "I think it was the night after we all played poker I came back to get my jacket." She shrugged it didn't matter they had started all the same.

"I'm sorry" Gibbs moved closer to her and saw something flicker through her eyes "What?"

"I am not, I did not argue the rumors and I could have. I wanted..." Ziva stopped speaking when Gibbs pulled her close to him tipping her chin forcing her to look at him.

"What did you want Ziva?" Gibbs knew saw it in the apology hiding in her eyes and the way her body moved against his.

"I wanted them...the other women here to believe it was true." Ziva had been trained to lie, and Gibbs knew that about her so she met his eyes making sure he could see the truth.

Gibbs had originally had her stay late just to fuel the rumors and in the hopes a straggler might see them working late together but when he took her mouth with his it had nothing to do with an act. He thrust his tongue deep mixing his tongue with hers. Pressing her against the desk he heard the deep moan in her throat when he let one hand slide underneath her shirt to caress the soft skin of her taut stomach.

"I'm too old for you Ziva..." Somehow he'd found a way to pull away from her.

"Keep telling yourself that Gibbs." Ziva needed more from him "Meet me at my house in an hour. I have something for you."

Before he could blink Ziva was gone and Gibbs was left alone save the janitor who had just entered the office. Not sure what he'd seen Gibbs played it cool and grabbed his jacket and left.