A/N: My heartfelt thanks to all of you who read (and reviewed!) "Out of the Shadows," the missing scene between "Unwelcome Visitors" and "Revelations" that was written and posted recently. Apparently I need to stop guessing how many chapters are left in this story, as the "First" Date ended up with more words than I expected and, hence, is broken into two chapters that I decided to post at the same time. I can say that there are two major scenarios left, though I will resist the urge to predict how many chapters they will take to play out. Please know that every review is greatly appreciated. =) Hope you enjoy this!

Monday evening found Ziva still at her desk, looking through a stack of cold cases in hopes of finding a new lead. Not even this tedious work, though, could erase the smile that had hovered about her lips all day as thoughts of their weekend in Stillwater floated through her mind.

Sunday…

She and Jackson did indeed cook breakfast together Sunday morning, both of them enjoying themselves immensely with the simple, everyday task. They decided to make French toast, and Ziva introduced Jackson to the concept of adding vanilla and cinnamon to the beaten egg mixture. He was impressed. Jethro sat at the kitchen table with his coffee and the paper, surreptitiously observing them. Watching Jack with Ziva allowed Jethro to see his dad differently, to see him in a light in which he hadn't for longer than he cared to remember. And nothing ever made him happier than to see Ziva confident, cared for and enjoying herself.

After breakfast dishes had been cleared away, the three of them piled into Jethro's truck and the men gave Ziva the grand tour of the entire area, driving for miles in a large geographic circle.

They ate a late lunch at a restaurant in an old-fashioned working mill, then worked their way back to Jackson's. Shortly after, Ziva and Jethro loaded up their bags to head back home. As they said their goodbyes, Ziva hugged Jackson tightly.

"Thank you," she whispered in his ear, eyes squeezed tightly shut against the happy tears that threatened, "for everything."

He had just smiled and hugged her back, the lump in his throat stealing his voice. His arms around her and the kiss on her forehead silently communicated that it was his pleasure. All of it.

As they climbed into the truck, he called out huskily for them to come back soon and waved them off.

Back to Monday…

The team had not been called out on a case at all that day, so the shift had been full of nothing but paperwork, cold cases and Tony's antics. Ziva was in such a good mood that she gave him back as good as she got. Gibbs and McGee just enjoyed the show – except when Tony was on the receiving end of the Gibbs stare for coming close to crossing that invisible line into inappropriate land.

The rest of the team was now gone for the day. Gibbs was under an ultimatum from Vance to get a tall stack of his team's reports reviewed and signed, so he'd spent most of his day with that task. He had also been doing some digging on a cold case himself that was on his mind. He wasn't quite ready to leave when he ordered the others to go home. McGee offered Ziva a ride, but she'd smiled and said she'd wait for Gibbs, secretly thrilled that she could now say that out loud. She really didn't mind waiting; she'd rather be here with him doing paperwork than be at home without him.

Jethro stood, capturing her attention. As she looked over, he gave her a faint smile and said, "Be back in a minute, then we can go."

She nodded and watched him take the stairs up to the director's office two at a time, the stack of reports under his arm.

Ziva put away her own files and shut down her computer. The completely empty squad room was uncharacteristically silent. The team that was on rotation this evening was out on a case and everyone else had gone home. After more time had passed than she'd expected and Jethro still hadn't come back, she started to wonder what was taking him so long.

Suddenly her cell phone rang. The caller ID told her it was Gibbs.

"I was just wondering where you were," she answered, her smile evident in her voice.

"Is this Ziva? Ziva David?" a male voice she knew to be Jethro's said into her ear.

"Yes," she answered, drawing the word out slowly, confusion evident in her voice and on her face. What was he up to?

"This is Jethro Gibbs," the man continued. "I work at the desk next to you. Maybe you've noticed?" The last was offered in a hopeful voice.

She grinned. She had no idea what was going on here, but she loved it when his mischievous side came out to play, so she gladly went along.

"As a matter of fact, I have noticed you," she admitted, wandering toward the window to look out into the darkness as she spoke. "Strong leader. Excellent investigator." Her voice dropped an octave. "Very handsome."

She could just picture the corresponding grin that she knew was on his face, too.

He cleared his throat. "I was wondering…would you be interested in having dinner with me Saturday night?"

Amused pleasure bloomed on her face, but it took a minute for her to connect all the dots. While in the dress shop in Stillwater, they had made plans to go out Saturday night. In some ways it will almost be like another first date she'd told him, excited at the whole idea of it.

Her heart turned over in her chest. How was it possible that she kept falling in love with this man all over again?

"I would be very interested in that," she admitted, emotion reducing her voice to nearly a whisper.

"Glad to hear it," he responded, sounding a little relieved. "Pick you up at six?"

"I will be ready," she promised, her voice stronger. "What should I wear?"

"Let's go someplace nice," he suggested. "You know, dress up."

"That sounds good," she said, picturing her new burgundy dress in her mind's eye all over again. "Do you need my address?"

"Investigator, remember?" he returned. "I'll find you."

As she smiled, her attention was caught by his reflection in the window glass. He was up on the catwalk that led to Vance's office, having just moved to the railing. He'd been standing where he could see her, but she couldn't see him until he had changed his position.

Looking at him in the glass, she offered, "I look forward to it. See you at work tomorrow?"

"If not before," he answered enigmatically, then characteristically ended the call without saying goodbye.

She pushed "end" on her phone and turned to look up at him. He was smiling at her with that look he reserved only for her. Impulsively she snatched up her backpack in one hand and ran up the steps to take hold of his hand. Too impatient to wait for the elevator, she tugged him into the stairwell. Her back to the wall, she pulled him against her and attacked his mouth.

When she let him up for air, she rested her forehead against his chin.

"Not that I'm complaining," he started, "but what was that for?"

"For being you," she husked.

He smiled and pressed a kiss to her brow.

"Ready to go home?" he asked. She nodded, and they continued down the stairs.

Just as they went through the door into the parking garage, she spoke.

"By the way, you will have to find something to do with yourself on Saturday evening," she informed him. "I have a date."

Saturday

They spent Saturday as they usually did when they weren't working. After sleeping in a little, they tackled some cleaning, laundry and yard work - all those household tasks that were easily put off during the week. Around four Jethro found her pulling their sheets out of the dryer in the basement.

"Got a couple things to do," he advised her. "I'll be back."

She looked up at him quizzically. This was the first she'd heard he'd be leaving.

"Is everything all right?" she asked.

"Mhm," he responded, bending down to kiss her cheek. On his way back to the steps he reminded her, "Don't forget – be ready by six."

Now she was really confused, but she let him go, feeling awkward about pushing for information that he obviously didn't want to give.

Ziva took the fresh-smelling sheets upstairs and quickly remade their bed. She decided to go ahead and take her shower so that her hair would have time to dry. In fact, she impulsively decided to take a bubble bath complete with a glass of wine and a candle burning. She might as well pamper herself a little while she had the time. Besides she could relax and daydream about Jethro, the mere thought of which made her smile and her stomach flip-flop.

After a while, she washed her hair and shaved her legs – after all, she had definite ideas about the way the evening would end, she smirked to herself – then got out of the tub. After drying off, she rubbed one of her favorite lotions into her skin, luxuriating in the aroma of exotic flowers and spice. She combed out her hair to get started on that. For tonight, she had decided to wear it straightened out and curled at the ends with one side pushed back over her ear, which always took a while to accomplish.

At five fifteen, she seriously started to wonder where Jethro was as she applied her makeup. At five-thirty she tried calling him, but it went to voice mail; she did not leave a message. Fifteen minutes later, she had slipped into that gorgeous burgundy dress and the matching shoes. She kept her jewelry simple, adding elegant earrings with an oval pearl that hung down to complete the effect she was aiming for. Looking in the mirror, her pleasure at the outfit was dimmed just a little by the fact that Jethro still wasn't home. She decided to try him again and this time he picked up.

"Hey," he said, as though nothing were amiss. "You ready?"

"Yes," she answered. "Where are you?"

"On my way," he answered. "See you in a few minutes." He hung up without saying anything else. She cleared her phone feeling more confused than ever. She briefly wondered if she should lay out his clothes so that he could get ready quickly, but realized she wasn't sure what he was planning to wear. With an inward shrug, she put a few things into a small black clutch purse and went downstairs to wait for him.

At six o'clock on the dot, she was just considering calling Jethro's phone again when the doorbell rang, taking her by surprise. When she opened the door, her gaze was immediately captured by a bouquet of white roses. Her heart thumped and she lifted her eyes to the face of the man who was holding them. Jethro. She was speechless.

He gave that half-smile that never ceased to make her all tingly inside. "Hi," he offered.

"Hi," she responded with a smile of her own, emotion making her voice husky. She stepped back, opening the door more widely. "Come in."

He stepped through the doorway and turned to her. "You look beautiful," he told her, his eyes saying all that his words didn't.

"Thank you," she returned, joy blooming on her face. "You look very handsome yourself." He was dressed in a black suit, white shirt and a burgundy tie. She hadn't even known he possessed a tie in that color. Come to think of it, she wasn't completely sure he owned any ties. Well, maybe one.

He held out the flowers. "These are for you," he offered.

Completely enchanted, she took them. "Thank you," she said, unable to resist burying her nose in them to inhale their heady scent.

His heart rate kicked up just watching her.

"Let me put these in water, then we can go," she suggested, carrying them toward the kitchen. He followed her, watching as she found a vase in the back of a cupboard and arranged the flowers.

"Nice place you've got here," he mentioned, uncharacteristically making small talk.

She grinned, her back to him. "Thank you. I am very happy here myself," she said with a wink as she turned back holding the vase. She carried it to the living room and placed it on the table beside the couch.

"There," she said, satisfied. Picking up her bag, she asked, "Shall we go?"

He nodded and held out his arm. With a delighted grin, she placed her hand in his bent elbow and they walked through the door after he'd opened it. Keeping up the pretense, she was the one to lock the door with her keys that she'd thrown into her purse out of habit. As they turned toward the driveway, Ziva stopped short.

Instead of his silver truck, the driveway was occupied by a shiny gunmetal grey Jaguar XKR-S. She looked at Jethro in shock. He smirked.

Dropping his role for a moment, he murmured into her ear, "Buddy of mine's been needing to use my truck. Today seemed like a good day for the trade." He looked down at her face. "My truck doesn't quite go with the dress, and besides - only have one chance to make a good first impression on my date."

She was absolutely astounded by the planning he'd put into all this. Blinking back tears, she raised a hand to his cheek. She tried to speak, but didn't have the words to do justice to the feelings swelling inside her. The discerning smile in his eyes told her he got the message loud and clear.

Reaching up, she brushed a kiss across his lips. "Let me assure you," she whispered once she found her voice, "your date is already very impressed."

He grinned and after a brief peck to her lips, he led her to the low-slung sports car. Opening her door, he assisted her inside. As they started off, she asked where they were going.

"That's need to know," he winked.

Reaching over for her hand, he murmured, "Trust me."

"Always," she whispered.

He raised her hand to his lips, then placed it on his thigh, keeping hold of it.

They drove north into Baltimore to the harbor area. Gibbs pulled into a semi-circular drive under a portico in front of an elegant brick building. One valet opened Ziva's door for her, while another went around to Jethro's side and took the keys from him. The tastefully ornate sign indicated this was Blues Alley Jazz Club. If Ziva had been shocked before, she was now positively blown away.

As Jethro came around the car, she found his gaze with hers. He allowed a satisfied smirk at her stunned look, then placed his hand on the small of her back to guide her in.