This is a small but nevertheless meaningful chapter. I just didn't want to leave you hanging like this. I'm still missing some reviews on my other story Troubled that's why I haven't updated it so far.
I hope you nevertheless like this chapter and maybe you could give me some ideas for the next chapters!
Enjoy reading!

"I'll come back to you," I say. "I promise you, if it's the last thing I do, I'll come back to you."

Her face is buried in my neck. She nods.

"I'll count the minutes until you do." she says."

― Pittacus Lore

The next morning Tony actually woke up before Ziva and he found himself being entangled with her, her head resting in the crook of his neck.
Breathing in the ever so familiar scent of her hair he let out a deep sigh and momentarily closed his eyes again to revel in the moment.

Up until now he hadn't thought about their current situation, but seeing her lying so peacefully in his arms made him grow thoughtful.
Over the past few weeks they had definitely crossed a line which neither of them had really commented on.

It felt just so right and yet so wrong to hold her like this. He knew she needed it, she needed him, but at the same time he knew she was too fragile to even think about a serious relationship.
Yet they were both lying there, in her bed, night after night not questioning it and he didn't know if it really was the best idea.

His thoughts were interrupted though when he felt Ziva stir in his embrace and heard a small sigh escaping her lips.
Tightening his hold on her he gently murmured into her ear "Good morning sweet cheeks." And his words elicited a smile from her as she tried to forget about the last night's events and the throbbing in her knuckles.

The moment she felt his warmth surrounding her she entirely stopped thinking and within mere seconds she was on top of him and straddling his hips. He didn't even have enough time to respond before she had pressed her lips on his and began to feverishly kiss him, not noticing that Tony wasn't making a move.

As soon as he had recovered from the initial shock he tried to gently push her away and catch his breath.
"Ziva, no, this is not right. Please stop it." It was only then that she let go of him and rolled back onto her side, heavily breathing as well.

The realization of what she had just done only hit her a few moments later and by then the tears were silently trickling down her cheek as desperation overcame her.

The silent tears soon turned into choked sobs as she tightly clutched Tony's shirt unable to process what had just happened.

"Shh, shh, shh, it's alright Ziva; I know you didn't mean it that way." He now tried to calm her while soothingly running his fingers through her unruly hair.

"I-I just…" She brought out in between her abating sobs "I do not know why this happened. I am sorry Tony." Her breath was still hitched after all the crying and by now Tony's shirt was damp as well.

"You are just confused and overwhelmed at the moment." He tried to find an explanation and at this Ziva slightly looked up at him.

"It is not…that I do not want this, it is just…" She trailed off but he knew her well enough to know what she had wanted to tell him.

"This is not the right time Ziva; we need to sort everything else first before we can talk about this." He emphasized the word 'this' trying to make her understand.

Ziva nodded slightly in return and took a deep breath before speaking up again.
"Will you wait for me?" Her voice was wavering and almost breaking away and in this moment her vulnerability was clearly showing. She was afraid of his answer, seeing as her life was already shattered enough and she couldn't risk losing him as well.

"Always." He reassuringly murmured while tenderly kissing her forehead. "Always."

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