"Zee-vah" he whined.
She didn't even flicker but instead just sat staring intently at the screen in front of her occasionally clicking her mouse or leafing through the file of the desk.
He waited a few more seconds and then picked up the Berry Mango Madness smoothie that was settled on his desk.
"C'mon Ziva" he stood up and walked over to her desk placing the cup in front of her before bending down low so that his face was inches from hers.
"Ziva" he whispered in her ear, his warm breath tickling her skin and she suppressed a shiver although she could feel the tiny hairs on the back of her neck raise and stand on end.
"Ziva" he tried again a little louder.
Her eyes remained focused on the screen, underneath her desk her fingers were interlaced gripping together.
"Ziva" he tried luring her out of silence again.
"Tony! I am not deaf!" she shouted suddenly, sending him reeling back in surprise, tripping over her bag which had been lying next to her chair. He tried to steady himself but failed miserably and fell in a heap onto the floor. Once he'd righted himself and managed to get back onto his feet she was gone.
"Sheesh, someone got out of the wrong side of the bed today" he muttered.
He was brushing his suit down when Gibbs came up silently behind him and smacked him across the back of the head.
"Ow Boss. What was that for?"
Gibbs cocked his head to the side and quirked an eyebrow.
"Think about it DiNozzo" he said with an almost imperceptible nod in the direction Ziva had recently vacated the bullpen from.
Tony's eyes widened.
"Boss I swear it wasn't me. I didn't do anything. I promise" he tried to plead his case but could see Gibbs had already dismissed his protests as he gave him a stern glare before continuing to his desk taking a sip of his coffee before sitting down.
Ziva David looked at herself in the mirror of the ladies bathroom. She continued her stare for a few moments before vigorously shaking her head.
What's wrong with me? She thought angrily Tony DiNozzo. That was what was wrong with her. She couldn't get him out of her head. She woke up smiling because he'd been in her dreams. On her morning run her mind wandered back to him as she thought about what crazy things he might do that day. When he tried to sneak into the bullpen ten minutes late sending her a dazzling grin she couldn't help but smile. At work he was always there. If they were working a case she knew he had her back. Knew if the need arose he'd take a bullet for her and she knew in return she'd gladly do the same. If they were stuck doing paperwork he would always sit across from her rambling away in his typical fashion, every other sentence from his mouth a movie quote. After work if they didn't meet up for pizza and a movie she went back to her apartment, alone and wishing tomorrow would come just so she could see him again.
She looked at herself disgusted, when had she become that kind of girl? When had she let a man consume her thoughts so entirely like this? When had she allowed him to break through her wall of defence and into her life? She slumped back against the wall with a sigh. Tony DiNozzo. She couldn't ignore him as the incident moments ago proved. Couldn't ignore it. She was in love and she couldn't go on denying it any longer.
She pushed herself against the wall to study her reflection again. Being in Mossad had taught her a lot of things, but love? She didn't know anything about love.
He stood leaning against the wall one foot on the ground the other bent up pushed against the wall. His arms were folded across his chest and he flashed a bright smile at the people who gave him questioningly looks as he continued to stand outside the ladies toilets.
He had contemplated storming in there after her as she had done to him so many times before, but she was a crazy ninja chick and he was nought but a lowly special agent, senior field agent albeit but still not likely to be walking into the female restroom anytime soon.
He wished she would just hurry up and come out. He wanted to talk to her. He needed to talk to her. Despite his earlier protests with Gibbs he had a sneaking suspicion that he may be the cause of his partners recent outburst. He had no doubt at all that if she was even feeling half of the overwhelming emotions he was right now then yeah he was probably to blame.
He closed his eyes and tried to pinpoint the exact moment when things had changed. When had he fallen in love with her? He couldn't do it though. It had happened so gradually he hadn't even noticed. Day by day nothing had seemed to change but pretty soon everything had been different. He gulped as he realized he'd just admitted to himself that he loved her. He'd fallen in love with his partner. How could he let have let this happen? He had been struck by her the very moment he had laid eyes on her, that day all those years ago when she'd walked in on him fantasizing about Kate. He'd resented her then but in spite of himself couldn't help but be intrigued by her. They'd grown to become friends. He trusted her with his life. He respected her. Admired her. Sure she drove him crazy with her constant abuse of the English language but nobody was perfect. She'd been there for him after the whole Jeanne affair even when he thought he didn't deserve the comfort. The dynamics of their relationship had changed a little then but he put it down to the rough time they'd both had recently. Things had gradually returned to normal but then, he swallowed forcing the memories back, Jenny had died and they'd all been reassigned. That time had been hard for him. He'd blamed himself for Jenny's death and without his friends to help him through he felt like he'd been drowning in grief, guilt and regret. The feelings that he experienced when he was told he could return to being on Gibbs team was indescribable. He thought everything was getting back to normal but then this had hit him like a tonne of bricks and metaphorically knocked him off his feet. He looked at his watch. Geez what's taking her so long? He pushed his foot from the wall and turned to face the door. He stood eyeing it, his hands clenched into fists by his sides. He thought again to his new realization. I love her. He screwed his eyes tight shut and pushed the door open.
"Ziva!" he called out making his way blindly into the bathroom.
"Tony! This is the ladies bathroom"
He opened his eyes and shrugged his shoulders as he looked up to meet her gaze the joke that was on its way stuck in his throat at the unfamiliar look in her eyes. She looked afraid.
"Ziva, I..." he started gently but didn't know how to go on.
"What do you want DiNozzo? Chew it out" she said her tone harsh and weary.
"Spit. It's spit it out" he corrected her and immediately wished he hadn't when he saw the dangerous glint in her eyes. He wished he could take it back. He wished he could kiss her right here and now. He wished he could understand what was happening. He wished he could make everything ok. But he didn't know how, so he simply smiled at her, hoping to get through to her the feelings that were locked inside of him.
Why couldn't he ever just let it go? Why did he feel the need to constantly correct her?
She looked up him, his dazzling eyes and that smile. The smile she loved. Not his trademark cheesy 1000 watt grin but the sincere smile the one the melted her heart.
They stood toe to toe for minutes, the only sound was their gentle breathing and the distant sounds coming from outside in the bullpen. He took a step towards her and she felt the butterflies in her stomach. They were so close they were almost touching.
She didn't have the words to say to him right now. Didn't think she could admit her feelings. This was not like anything she had ever felt before. She had liked Ray yes but she hadn't really known him long enough to love him. There had been that spark, the spark of possibility, of hope, of promise - but he wasn't Tony. There was nobody quite like Tony. She could feel his breath on her cheek again, the scent of coffee fresh on his lips.
He was standing uncharacteristically still, staring at her and she wondered what was going on inside his head. She doubted it was anything like the internal debate that was going on inside hers, did she right here right now tell him how she felt regardless of what she thought his reaction would be or did she pretend like it was nothing, make up some excuse, and walk out her head held high but her heart breaking inside? Yes she doubted very much that was anything like what was going on inside his head, it probably had something more to do with pizza, movies and naked women. He was just waiting this silence out so he could return with her to the squad room and avoid a Gibbs slap.
They stood another few minutes and suddenly and unexpectedly she saw something flash across his eyes, something that she didn't understand, something that she didn't even have time to process because the second after he'd taken that final step towards her and covered her mouth with his.
What was he doing? Wait was he kissing Ziva? He was kissing Ziva. The thought was almost enough to make him pull back in surprise. Almost but not quite.
He hadn't meant to kiss her. He still wasn't sure how exactly he gotten from where he had been standing to having his hands wrapped around her slender waist and his lip hungrily kissing her. He couldn't even begin to think about the implications of this moment, he blanked Gibbs and his rules from his mind and his thoughts centred around one vital fact. He was still alive. She hadn't killed him. And she was kissing him back. He smiled at the thought, but continued to explore her mouth, breathing in her rich scent, his thumb grazing her bare flesh between her pants and shirt; he pulled her impossibly closer towards him. He wanted this kiss to last forever.
She reluctantly pulled apart from him, her eyes opening she searched his for any trace of regret, any hint that this was a joke, she looked for anything that would tell her that this hadn't meant as much to him as it had to her. But staring into his eyes she saw only sincerity and she couldn't help but place her lips gently on his again, giving in completely to the indisputable fact that was now glaringly obvious. She was in love and she wasn't alone.