All eyes were on Fornell as he stood next to the doorway, his cell phone firmly pressed against his ear.
"He's dead?"...Fornell spoke, he takes a step towards them, lowering and closing his phone..."He opened fire as SWAT entered the house, they returned fire, he didn't make it."
"Any good guys hurt?"...Abby asked, her hands intertwined, shaking in front of her face, hoping for the best.
"None."
Abby dropped her hands, smiling..."Good!"
"Probably a good thing he's dead."...Fornell added.
"Isn't that kind of wrong, Agent Fornell?"...McGee looked at him confused.
"We didn't know which was which, right?"...Fornell replied.
"Well, Ducky..."...Abby started to answer.
"They're both dead."...Fornell cuts Abby off..."Case closed."
"Uh, Tobias."...Gibbs points upwards, the telephone starts to ring, Abby turns, picking it up.
"Ah, right, the wife...but, hey, this isn't a federal case anymore."...Fornell smirked..."I guess I'll be going."
Abby exclaims with shere joy, dropping the phone, she rushes towards the door, Fornell steps back, barely getting out of her way as she hurries through the door.
--
Tony smiled, his eyes peering deep into hers as he started to pull away, he was met with a slap to his face, forcing his head to the right. He swung his head back towards Ziva just long enough to feel her hands grasping the back of his neck, his head pulled downward, she pressed her lips against his, the sharp sting slowly disappearing from his cheek as he could feel her hot breath mix with his.
Ziva's fingers fell away from his neck and slowly slid along the side of neck and down his chest. Her left hand closed around the knot in his black tie, gripping it tightly.
"I'm sorry."...Tony quietly uttered.
She lifted her hand towards his face, he slightly turned his head, anticipating another slap..."I missed you, too"...She whispered, she laid her hand on his cheek, caressing it softly.
A smile came over Tony's face..."Got my postcards, huh?"
Ziva nodded, flashing him a smile.
Tony looked down, her hand still clinging to his tie..."Uh, Ziva?"
"Say my name."...Ziva spoke softly.
"I just did."
"No, the way you do it...the special way."...She said, loosening up on his tie, but quickly re-tightening it..."You know."
Tony tilted his head to the side, he thought for a moment..."Heh. Do you mean when I say...Zee-vah."
Ziva smiles grew bigger, she fell backwards taking Tony with her. Her upper back firmly pressed against the vending machine. She tugged on his tie, pulling his head down to hers.
He smiled back at her as he pressed his forehead to hers and looked into her eyes.
"Where have you been? Why? What have you been doing? Why haven't you called? I've been...we've been worried."...Ziva rambled question after question, not letting Tony answer..."Someone said you took a job in Rota. Rota?! That's in Spain!"
Tony pulled himself away from her and tilted his head at the mention of Rota, he was silent.
"Well?"...Ziva urged him to speak.
"Honestly?"...He spoke.
"No, Tony, lie to me!"
He leaned back down, moving his mouth to her ear..."I'm Batman."...He whispered as he pulled his head away with a grin on his face.
Ziva rolled her eyes..."You will never get it."
"TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"...Abby yelled as she ran towards him. Ziva loosened her grip on his tie, letting the smooth material slide through her fist.
Tony turned, smiling at Abby jumped on him, knocking him to the floor.
"Abby!"...Ziva yelled.
Tony started to laugh as Abby kissed all over Tony's face..."You're BBBBBBBBBBACK!!"...She cried out, then started kissing him again, including once on the lips for longer than Ziva thought she should have.
"Abby!"...Ziva yelled again.
Abby smiled as Tony sat up, Abby wrapped her arms around Tony, hugging him tightly, with all of her might.
Tony grunted, hugging her back..."I missed you, Abs."
Abby sat back, looking at him..."I have all your postcards, they're up in labs, I set up your desk in my lab, too! It's good to have you back!"...Tony lifted his hands, he flicking her pigtails.
"Heh. I missed doing that."...Tony smiled at her..."But, uh, did you just put your tongue in my mouth?"
"I dunno, did I? I didn't mean, too!"...Abby gritted her teeth..."But probably."
"She what?"...Ziva looked down Abby, then Tony..."In your mouth? Why?"
Abby shrugged..."Sometimes when I'm excited, I stick my tongue out, don't blame me, my tongue has a mind of its own. I don't want Caf-Pow, my tongue does and what my tongue wants, my tongue gets!"
They both looked at Abby.
Abby shrugged again..."You're HOME!"...She shouted, ecstatically, hugging him again. She pulled away again..."Wow, Tony, you're really..."
"What?"...Tony asked.
Abby looked up at Ziva..."Wow. You really have to feel this, Ziva...I mean, he's so much harder than he was the last time he was laying on top of me."
Ziva tilted her head, looking at Abby angrily..."ABBY!"
Abby grabs Ziva's hand, yanking her down, she pulls her hand to Tony's stomach..."Our Tony has been working out! He's SO...buffed! And I'm diggin' the quad-black suit!"
"That is a tuxedo! Why are you wearing a tuxedo?"...Ziva felt the firmness of Tony's abdominal muscles on her fingertips, she grinned, forgetting all about the tuxedo..."Indeed."
"Heh. That's what happens when you're on a floating city for 4 months, speaking of which, remind me to thank the Director, because of him, I have my sex pack back."
"Six."...Ziva corrected Tony, he looked at her and slowly shook his head no as he flashed her a small grin.
Abby started to bounce up and down..."My three musketeers! Back together! YAY!"
"Uh, DiNozzo...why is my forensic expert riding you like a pony?"...Gibbs asked as he and McGee walked into the room.
"More like an Italian stallion, yes?"...Ziva grinned and whispered, but she quickly stands, pulling her hand away from his stomach, moving them behind her back as Gibbs glared in their direction.
Abby stood, she hurries over to Gibbs, hugging him..."Thank you, Gibbs, thank you!"...She looked up at him and turned her face, so that her cheek was facing him.
Gibbs leans in, giving her a kiss on the cheek..."You're welcome, Abby."...He said with a smiled.
She turns to McGee quickly giving him a hug..."Come on, Tim, lets go move Tony's stuff to his desk again!"
"Why me? He's back."...McGee asked, pointing at Tony.
"Because I said so, McGee!"...Abby spoke..."And I'll show you my new tattoo."...She grinned.
"Ooh, new one? Where?"
Abby's grinned widened..."You'll see."...Abby grabs McGee's hand, pulling him towards the door.
McGee stops, looking back at Tony on the ground..."I'm really glad you're back, Tony."
"Yeah, me too, Tim."...Tony gives him a nod..."It's a nice tattoo, McGoo."...He grinned.
McGee scoffed, looking at Abby..."He got to see it first?"
"He was on the ship, McGee, all by himself, with 5,000 people who hated him! Stop being so selfish!"...Abby pulls him out the door.
"Heh."
"What?"...Ziva asked.
"I didn't see any tattoo."...Tony smirked.
Ziva rolled her eyes again, Tony turned his head, seeing the extended arm of Gibbs in front of him.
Tony took his hand in his as Gibbs pulled him up..."Welcome home, Tony."
"Good to be back, Boss."
"You do know you stood up the Vice President of the United States, the Sec-Nav and not to mention the Director of NCIS."
"What can I say, Boss...I'm a Democrat. Heh."...Tony tried to pull his hand away, but Gibbs' grip tightened as he pulled Tony into him, giving him a hug.
"Welcome back, son."
Tony's swallowed deeply..."Can I call you dad?"
"No."...Gibbs pulls away, taking a step towards the door.
"Heh."
"Oh, DiNozzo?"
"Yeah, Boss?"
"Your shit. My basement. Out by Saturday."
"On it, Boss!"
Tony swung his head back towards Ziva, they were alone again. She was looking him up and down.
"What?"...He asked.
"Why are you wearing a tuxedo and is it technically a tuxedo, if you are not wearing a bow tie?"
Tony took a large step towards her..."I was in New York City, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry anyone...I was offered my own team in Rota by Jenny almost two years ago, but I turned it down, this is my home, this is where I wanna be."...Tony sighed, finally getting that off his chest, he flashed a small smile..."You don't have to wear a bow tie to make it a tuxedo, you can wear a regular tie...and, and I didn't call, because."...Tony swallowed deeply, looking away from her.
She raised her hands to his face, cupping his cheeks, turning his face back forward..."What, why didn't you call?"
"I-I didn't have to strength to say goodbye to you...I never want to say goodbye to you."
"Saying goodbye is not forever, Tony."...Ziva smiled at him.
"Look, I'm a dumbass, I admit that and I can be an asshole sometimes, but I'm not stupid."
"Then what are you afraid of Tony?"
Tony softly presses his lips to her forehead..."Losing you."
"How do you lose something you never had?"...Ziva sighed, her hands slid from his cheeks.
Tony caught her hands, wrapping his long fingers around her tiny wrists..."I'm tired of rules, I'm tired of you not knowing how I feel, I'm tired of lying to myself, I'm tired of being alone when there's someone I wanna be with, I'm tired of pretending I'm not in love with you."...He kisses her on the lips..."I love you and if you give me the chance, just one chance, you won't regret it and I swear to you, I will make you so fuckin' happy."
"DiNozzo, you can have my couch if you need it."...Gibbs said, re-entering the break room.
Ziva closed her eyes as Tony pulled away, tears welled from her eyes and started to trickle down her cheeks. Tony wrapped his arms around her, embracing her tightly..."Thanks, Boss."
"But that will not be neccessary, he is staying with me, Gibbs."...Ziva's voice muffled through Tony's jacket and through her sniffles..."On my couch."
"Yeah, definitely her couch, Boss."
Gibbs shook his head as he turned away..."Oh, have you spoken to..."
"Yeah, I had lunch with her, Gibbs. She's good, enjoying college, life."
"Good."...Gibbs said..."And I hope you'll have a good excuse for the director tomorrow, right?"
"Heh. Yeah, Boss. Good night."
"Good night, Gibbs."...Ziva sniffled.
"My God, DiNozzo, get her some tissues already."
"It's okay, she's using my tie."...Tony softly laughed.
Gibbs chuckled..."Good night, you two."
--
"Tony."...Ziva said, moving through a door into her darkened living room, carrying a steaming coffee cup.."Your cocoa, it's really hot."... Tony was laying on the couch, his jacket off, his black vest unbuttoned, his tie loosened, he was asleep.
Ziva smiled, setting the cocoa down on her glass coffee table, grabbing a blanket from the back of the couch, covering him with it.
A knock at the front door, makes her looks up. She carefully makes her way over, being careful not to wake him up, she looks through the peep hole, seeing Gibbs. She opens the door..."Gibbs? Is there something wrong?"
"Here, I forgot to give him this."...Gibbs held out a rectangular box.
"What is it?"...Ziva asked, taking it from him.
"Oh."...Gibbs looked at his watch..."12:23 a.m."..."Turn it to channel 9."
"Why?"
"You'll see."...Gibbs turned and left.
Ziva stepped back, closing her door. She shakes the box and moves back to the couch, picking up the remote and turning on the TV, she turns it to channel 9, the camera cuts from the "Fill It Float" tank to laughing David Letterman.
"Our next guest is a honest to god hero, get this, he dove into the water, swam down to the bottom and pulled two people out of a car, brought them to the surface and then gave them both CPR."...Dave looks at Paul..."Man, I'm tired just reading that and I didn't do a thing."
The audience laughs.
"Haha! Me, too."...Paul replied.
"Please welcome, NCIS Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo."...Dave rose to his chair as Tony came out of the doorway walking towards him. They shakes hands as Tony moves to the chair and sits down..."Welcome to the show."
"Thanks for having me."...Tony replied.
"First of all, for the audience at home and Paul."...Dave laughed..."Can you tell us what NCIS is?"
"Naval Criminal Investigative Services."...Dave looked at him oddly..."Heh. Basically, we're the FBI for Marine and Naval crimes."
"Told ya, Paul. He-heee."...Dave laughs again..."Tell us about yourself, Anthony? You married?"
"Tony, please and nope, not married."
"Seeing anyone, Tony?"
"Nope, I'm single."
"Hear that ladies? He's single."...He looks at Tony..."Gentlemen?"
"Ladies, please. Heh."
"I've seen the video on youtube along with 20 million others of the rescue and I have to say...are you Aquaman?"...Dave laughs..."You were under that water for like 3-4 minutes."
"I didn't even think about it, Dave...sorry, I've been watching you since I was college."
"Don't worry about it, you can call me anything you want, you're a hero."
Tony looked down and softly sighed..."I just jumped in, instincts, I guess...anyone would do it."...Tony raised his head, swinging his head back towards Dave.
"Very humble of you."...Dave replied..."You're a hero in every sense of the word and they both doing fine, correct?"
"Yeah."...Tony softly spoke.
The audience claps and gives him a round of applause.
Tony raised his head..."Hey, any chance I can jump in the "Will It Float" tank, too?"...He laughed.
Dave looks over, laughing..."Really? I guess so. Why not! Lift up the thing, kiddies!"
Tony looked over as the tank came into view. Tony rose, taking off his jacket..."Oh, by the way."...Tony looked at the camera..."If you'd like more information on NCIS, becoming a part of it or just learning more about it, go to www.ncis.navy.mil."...Tony tosses his jacket on the chair and moves to the tank, places his hands on the edge and jumps in the tank.
"Sink" in large print starts blinking on the screen..."Oh, too bad! But tell him what he wins, Alan."
Tony pops out the water, smiling as the band starts playing and singing "Will it Float."
"Thanks for being here."...Dave extended his hand..."Anthony DiNozzo, ladies and gentlemen and we'll be right back with The Foo Fighters."
Tony shakes his hand as the crowd applauds as it goes to commercial.
Ziva softly chuckled as she shook her head at the TV, she looked down at a snoring Tony and smiled.
She opened the box and brought it up to the light, sliding her fingertips along the words... "Special Agent of the Year. Anthony DiNozzo."