A/N: This comes with a huge HAPPY BIRTHDAY! shout and wave to my good friend kaelleigh! =) I'd love to hear what you think of the chapter and please wish kaelleigh a very happy day!

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The sun had not yet broken the horizon when Gibbs felt something tickling his face. His eyes and nose scrunched up and he jerked his head to the side – only to bump into something soft…hmmm…he rubbed his face against it…it felt like a very smooth cheek which seemed to be connected to the sexy voice he heard in his ear.

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

He would know that voice anywhere. He relaxed and turned into her, even as supple lips brushed his ear. A not-so-gentle nip on his earlobe followed, causing him to jerk slightly. He wrapped his arms around her, expecting to feel the light cotton of her pajamas. Instead, his arms encountered her running clothes and his brain slowly registered the fact that she was sitting beside his hip, draped across his chest, rather than laying beside him.

"Going out for a run?" he mumbled sleepily, without opening his eyes.

"Already back," Ziva answered, nuzzling his neck, the ends of her ponytail tickling his nose again.

His eyes flew open at her words, and his head whipped away from her toward his alarm clock, which was placed strategically where he could see it without his glasses. Normally he had the coffee made and was out of the shower by the time she got back from her morning run. He was relieved to see he hadn't overslept; in fact, it was right around the time his alarm was normally set to go off.

"I turned off the alarm so I could wake you myself," Ziva explained, trailing kisses along his jaw.

"Mmm. Feel free to do that more often," Jethro murmured. Then his brow furrowed lightly as he blinked sleep from his eyes and looked down at her in concern. "You're up early. You sleep okay?"

"I slept very okay," she reassured him, practically purring. "I was just awake and decided to start the day."

He was finally awake enough to realize that she didn't seem worried or upset – things that might have kept her from sleep. In fact, if the energy practically radiating off her in waves was any indication, she was…happy. Excited, even.

"What's got you so chipper this morning?" he asked, unleashing her ponytail to tunnel his fingers into her hair.

"It is Monday," she answered, as though that explained everything.

He gave her a look that suggested he was wondering what color the sky was in her world, because she sure as hell wasn't anchored in his.

"And that's a reason to be happy." His tone made his words more of a statement than a question.

"This Monday it is." She pulled back and looked at him with bright eyes. "We can ride to work together today."

His own patented half-smile appeared on his face in response to her words, spurred on by the fact that this is what had her too excited to sleep.

Wrapping a hand around the back of her neck, he pulled her toward his mouth. Just before his lips captured hers, he softly voiced, "Like the sound of that."

She grinned as he took her mouth. Then every thought left her head as she was pulled under the tide of their desire.

After he'd kissed her thoroughly, she snuggled into his neck again. "I brought you coffee," she informed him.

His eyes lit up at the sight of his USMC mug sitting near his alarm clock, the heavenly smell of the dark brew tugging at his senses. "Now that's service. If I weren't already engaged to the most incredible woman in the world, I'd ask you out," he teased.

"I could sweeten the deal with a refill," she offered, her teasing mood perfectly aligned with his. She so loved it when his lighthearted side came out to play.

"Nope, not even that could make me give up my girl," he answered, running his hands over her back.

"Wow. It must be love," Ziva observed with mock amazement.

"Oh, it is," he answered assuredly.

Her happy laugh simply enchanted him.

"I love you, too," she said, pressing another kiss to his mouth.

He searched her face for any buried tension. "You don't seem worried about talking to Vance this morning," Gibbs noted.

She shrugged. "I am not. Now that I am an American citizen and am no longer a probationary agent, there is little he can do to us, yes? The worst he can do is move me to a different team. And even if that happens, we can handle it."

The change in her from the woman who'd been so worried about their friends' reactions was remarkable. Clearing that hurdle and realizing she still had her family behind her had snapped her usual confidence back into place and put that beautiful sparkle back into her eyes.

"We," he punctuated the word with a brief hard kiss to her lips, "can handle anything."

"True," she agreed. "Now, you handle your coffee while I handle my shower. We do not want to be late."

Ziva pulled away and headed to their bathroom. Over her shoulder she threw him a cheeky look. "I am in such a good mood, I will even let you drive." With that, she pushed the door partway closed and stepped toward the shower.

He chuckled out loud as he reached for his coffee. After drinking only half, he decided to see if she wanted company. As he headed to the shower, he reflected that she was right: this was already a good Monday.

x x x x x x x x

Gibbs and Ziva stepped into the still-deserted bullpen a short while later. Tony was not yet there to begin tormenting them with his elevator comments, but it was only a matter of time.

After they'd stowed their guns and badges in their desks and Ziva had dumped her backpack near her filing cabinet, they looked at one another.

"Ready?" he asked her. It was early, but Vance would be in his office.

"Ready," she confirmed resolutely. Despite her earlier words to Jethro, her heart rate kicked up a little now that the moment was upon them. However, she was determined to get this behind them so they could truly start the rest of their lives.

They headed for the stairs up to the second floor. Ziva was walking in front, her high ponytail swaying slightly as she moved up the steps.

"You are staring," she commented without looking at him.

Yes, he was. Today she was dressed in charcoal gray dress pants that fit smoothly and a slightly clinging soft black top with a V neck and three-quarter length sleeves. Nothing spectacular in and of themselves, but on her…he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Just trying to figure out how you can look as hot in that outfit as you did in the shower," he admitted honestly.

"Oh, that is pretty good," she grinned, admiration in her voice.

"It's pretty true," he returned, with a rakish tilt of his head.

Her delighted laugh made him smile as they reached the top. Their eyes found each other's for a brief moment, then they turned toward the director's office. Ziva tucked her hands in her pockets, keeping her engagement ring out of sight for just a little longer.

They passed by Cynthia, who was just stowing her purse in her desk and turning on her computer. She started to halt the visitors, but gave up without a word when she saw the twosome included Gibbs.

Jethro threw her a half-smile. "Won't be long."

"Good morning, Cynthia," Ziva smiled at the secretary.

"Morning, Ziva," the other woman returned. Then she stared in shock as Gibbs opened Vance's door without knocking, but stood back to let Ziva walk in ahead of him. Out of the corner of her eye, Ziva caught the way Cynthia's mouth gaped. Hiding a grin, she stepped through the doorway.

Vance was seated behind his desk, one of the endless manilla folders opened in front of him. There were so many in his line of work that he often groused he should have bought stock in the company that supplied them. The morning news headlines were playing across the TV hanging on his wall. He looked up as his door opened, watching in silence as first Ziva, then Gibbs came into his office and shut the door.

"Hey, Leon," Gibbs said.

Vance muted the news program and pulled the ever-present toothpick from his mouth. "You need something, Agent Gibbs? Besides a long-overdue lesson in knocking on closed doors before you open them." The toothpick returned to his mouth.

Jethro smirked and shook his head. "Just wanted you to know something."

Vance looked at Gibbs, then at Ziva, then back at Gibbs.

"I'm listening."

Jethro looked him straight in the eye. Without fanfare, he stated, "Ziva and I are getting married."

For a couple of seconds, Vance went completely still. Then he slowly took the toothpick from his mouth again and pointed it at Gibbs.

"You wanna run that by me again?"

"Got a hearing problem I didn't know about, Leon?" Gibbs asked sarcastically. "I said, we're getting married."

Vance stared at Gibbs for what seemed like endless minutes, but Jethro didn't so much as blink. Leon turned his focus to Ziva. "You have anything to say about this?"

"I already said 'yes,'" she answered. Her head turned toward Jethro. "That was the most important thing to say, was it not?" she asked with mock innocence, her brows raised in question.

His head nodded once affirmatively. "I thought so," he agreed.

After flashing a quick grin at each other, they turned composed faces back to their director.

Vance stared at them for a while in silence. However, given that these two were among the least likely people on earth to squirm under his gaze, his attempted intimidation quickly lost its fun. He decided to drop the pretense. All of it.

"About damn time," Vance observed, then glanced back down at his folder, effectively dismissing them.

Gibbs and Ziva looked at each other in disbelief. This wasn't news to him? Gibbs looked back at Vance, who really was back to work – or doing a fine job of faking it.

"Wait a minute – you knew?" Gibbs confronted his boss.

Vance gave him a look that said he failed to understand why his people continued to underestimate him.

"I knew."

Ziva gave Gibbs a fleeting glance. She hid her surprise, but in reality she was amazed.

"Why didn't you say something?" Gibbs challenged.

Vance leveled a direct look at him. "Figured as long as it wasn't hurting anybody, there was nothing to say."

"How long have you known?" Ziva asked.

"Let's put it this way: if I'd wanted to put a stop to this, I'd have done it two years ago."

And the surprises just kept coming.

Vance looked at them, considering. "You know, most directors in my position would be concerned about a sexual harassment complaint. But that usually only happens in situations like yours where something goes south. And in this case I figure YOU'RE," he looked at Ziva, "more likely to dump him, and YOU," he looked at Gibbs, "are the least likely person I know to actually fill out the necessary paperwork."

Ziva and Gibbs looked at each other in wry amusement. Ziva wasn't so sure about being more likely to dump him, but the rest was true enough.

"Just don't make me regret this," Vance ordered with an unswerving look for both of them.

Then he unexpectedly dropped his director persona. With a small smile he added, "And congratulations. When's the big day?"

"Haven't picked a date yet, but soon," Gibbs advised.

Vance nodded and they started to leave.

"Agent David." Vance's voice stayed her. Ziva's eyes flew to Jethro's as he stopped, too, his hand on the doorknob. She turned back to Leon questioningly.

"Yes, Director?" she asked, somewhat cautiously.

"Does your father know?"

Ziva removed her hands from her pockets and reflexively stiffened into a soldier's stance, her face blank, giving nothing away of her internal reaction.

"I have not spoken to Director David in several months, so he has not heard this from me." She gave Vance a flat look. "As to whether he knows, I cannot imagine that he does not."

Gibbs looked at her in surprise. He hadn't given Eli a second thought, but clearly she had.

Vance bobbed his head once. He happened to agree. "Well, he won't hear it from me unless he asks. I won't lie to him."

"I would not expect you to, sir," Ziva answered, voice still devoid of emotion.

"And at the risk of overstepping my boundaries, are you sure about this?" he asked Ziva.

Her countenance changed. Ziva threw an amused glance at Jethro over her shoulder. "You are not the first person to ask me something along those lines, for some reason. Yes, I am sure."

Vance nodded, satisfied. "If you need any help with the plans, feel free to call my wife. She loves nothing better than a good wedding."

"Thank you, sir," Ziva replied, appreciating more than just the offer of Jackie's help.

Leon gave her a small smile and a nod. He turned the sound back on the TV and returned to his folder, signaling the end of the conversation.

When she was almost at the door, Ziva turned back.

"Oh, and Director? You are right that there will be no sexual harassment complaints. I have no intention of 'dumping' Gibbs, and if he tries it…" she narrowed her eyes a bit, "the only paperwork you will have to process is the life insurance payment for his widow." And with a quick wink, she sauntered out the door as Gibbs held it open for her.

Jethro just grinned from ear to ear. God, he loved that woman.

Cynthia noticed Gibbs' repeated chivalrous behavior with the door, but managed to control her surprise this time - until Ziva acknowledged her with a wave of her left hand, causing her engagement ring to sparkle in the light. Cynthia's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. Ziva smiled, while Jethro smirked.

"Have a nice day, Cynthia," Ziva wished her as they continued on their way.

By unspoken agreement, they bypassed the stairs and headed for the elevator, wanting a minute alone. As they waited for the doors to open, Ziva suddenly snorted in quiet amusement. Jethro questioned her with his eyes just as the doors opened.

After they were inside with the doors closed, Ziva looked at him with merriment in her eyes. "I was just wondering if he will swallow that toothpick the day we tell him I will need maternity leave."

She expected him to laugh with her, but that's not the reaction she got.

Gibbs stilled, then pushed the stop button and turned to face her. His eyes darkened with emotion as an image of her pregnant with his child slammed into his brain.

"Jethro?" she asked faintly, unsure of what was going on in his head.

With one hand, he cupped her face gently; the other rested on her hip, thumb brushing over her belly. Looking into his eyes, it became clear to her that he wasn't laughing because he was so moved he could barely speak. The realization crossed her mind that they hadn't actually talked yet about having children except for that brief interchange in the park months ago.

He rested his forehead against hers. "You're sure?" he whispered huskily.

"Why do people keep asking me that?" Ziva asked somewhat exasperatedly. She pulled back far enough to look him full in the eyes. "And why is no one concerned as to whether or not you are certain about me?"

"Because everyone knows I'm getting the better end of this deal," he answered without a doubt in his mind.

She shook her head. "I disagree."

Her left hand came to rest on his right, pressing his hand more firmly against her midriff, while her other hand slid up to rest on the back of his neck. Despite the fact that they were technically at work, this moment felt too important to merely allow it to pass by. They would talk more about it, she was sure, but for now she kept it simple. "I am sure, Jethro - about marrying you and about having children with you…if you want that, too."

"Oh, I want," he assured her.

Slowly their lips curved into full-blown smiles that were thrilled, yet tinged with a bit of wonder. They laughed softly together, their joy bubbling over.

And then, for the first time in two years, Jethro gently crowded Ziva up against the side of the elevator and kissed her slowly and deeply, completely swamping her senses. She gave as good as she got, until he was just as lost in their connection as she was.

Let Tony tease them all he wanted. Right now, Gibbs was far too happy to give a damn.