All of the reviews I got were fantastic, I feel like I am always repeating myself but I am always grateful for the reviews I get from you guys :) And I have the next chapter for you.
Tony had decided, in the end, not to refill his scotch glass. Sure he could use another drink to calm his mind but he didn't want to do that if he really thought about it. If he thought about it he was going to rely on alcohol in a way he didn't want to. Ever since the time when everyone thought Ziva had died and he had become a bit of an alcoholic because of the news, he had given up on the excessive drinking.
There were times when he was alone in his apartment after finding out she was dead where he would just sit on his couch and drink until he passed out from the amount of alcohol he had consumed. Those were dark days in his past. He didn't like to think about those times anymore. And he never used alcohol like he did in those times ever again. Normally he would now only have a drink when he had company.
The only reason he had one tonight by himself had been to help numb the slight pain he had from today on his eyebrow. And after his thoughts turned to Ziva and he wanted another drink to get some emotional pain away he put the drink down. He will never go back to those dark days when he drunk his emotional pain away. It wasn't fair to the healthier life he led now. The relaxing, happy Tony he tried to focus on outside of work.
And it was working, mainly because he spent a lot of his time out of work with Ziva in his company and they had grown close again. Their friendship had reached a new level of closeness and the time they shared was always with smiles on their faces and laughter filling the air. He loved spending his time with her. It made him happy.
While Ziva was out and he had some time on his hands he had stuff he needed to sort out. Picking up his cell phone and making sure the time difference between where he is and DC wasn't extreme he dialed his favourite computer hacker. After a few rings the probie picked up.
"McGee" he stated.
"Hey Probie, how's things down there with the Boss man all by yourself?" Tony quirked.
"It is quiet considering you're not here, it's actually really peaceful and boss was considering leaving you in Alaska to start a one man NCIS team up there. You know, it would be good for you, some solitary confinement" McGee dug right back at him, Tony couldn't help but chuckle softly at McGee. Even though Tony gave him a lot of crap over the years McGee had really grown into a strong agent who wasn't afraid to take Tony on anymore. A few years ago McGee wouldn't have even thought once about saying a comment to Tony like that.
"Yeah, I miss you too McSmarty-pants" Tony replied. He heard McGee laugh lightly on the other end.
"Anyways, what did you need? Or is this one of those social calls were you have nothing to do except bother McGee when he has things to do?" McGee asked, earning another chuckle from Tony.
"And what things would that be Elf Lord? Do you have some important online demon slaying to do?" Tony replied, satisfied at his probie payback for the solitary confinement comment.
"No, I actually have a date tonight" McGee said proudly. Tony was proud of McGee and his dates, heck McGee went on more dates then Tony did these days, considering Tony didn't really date anymore. However he wouldn't tell McGee he was proud of him, that would be too much of an ego boost for the probie.
"Ok, I have a favor I wanted to ask but if you're busy I can call you back tomorrow?" Tony asked, turning serious. McGee picked up on that.
"Na, its ok. My date isn't for another hour so I've got time. What did you need?" McGee asked. Tony was glad for a friend like Tim.
"Well I need to transfer some money from my account to another and I was wondering if you could use your wicked computer skills to help me out on the matter?" Tony asked. He heard McGee move in his apartment and sit in that squeaky computer chair he loved so much.
"Yeah sure, whose is the other account?" McGee asked. He was curious to why Tony was transferring money to someone else but he wasn't going to dig into Tony's personal life if Tony didn't want him to.
"It's my Dad's" Tony replied. McGee knew what this was about without needing to ask. Even though Tony didn't know he knew, McGee knew Tony had been helping his dad out with money when his dad was struggling.
"Ok, sure" McGee replied. After Tony gave McGee all the details and things McGee had it all done in about ten minutes.
"There we go. It should be in his account by morning" McGee stated. He wasn't going to comment on the fact Tony Senior had almost no money left in his account and Tony must have done this a couple times by the old transfer information to his dad's account that McGee had stumbled upon.
Tony was actually very generous to his dad by what McGee had seen. By the looks of things Tony had given his dad the money McGee knew Tony was saving for a house. Even though Tony was alone, he was sick of living in an apartment and wanted a home for himself, whether or not he had someone to share it with.
"Thanks Tim, I do appreciate it. But do you think you could keep this between us? I mean, Gibbs knew I helped my Dad out a little while ago and if he knew I was doing it again I am sure Gibbs would personally go visit my Dad and talk to him about his problems" Tony replied. He knew that would be something Gibbs would do. He had told Tony he shouldn't help his dad out again next time if his dad wasn't changing his ways. But Tony was assured his dad would get help now, this was the last time he was doing this.
"Ok, don't worry, I'll keep my lips sealed. But Tony, don't you think you should make sure your Dad, you know, gets some help with his money problems?" McGee asked. McGee was a good friend, he was looking out for Tony.
"Yeah I know Tim, I have made sure he is getting help now. He has promised me he will, I told him this was the last time I would help him out" Tony explained. McGee was glad Tony had put his foot down with his dad and won't let him leach off Tony if he wasn't going to change after this. Tony was a softy at heart and to say something like that to his dad would have been hard. He hoped Ziva had been there for him, he knew they comforted each other when things got tough. Not that they knew that he knew that. McGee actually knew more than everybody thought he did about most things.
"That is good then. Well I better run, got to get ready" McGee stated.
"Ok Tim, thanks again. Enjoy your night" Tony replied.
"I will, thank you" McGee said in return. After hanging up Tony sighed and leant back into the pillows of his bed. He was glad that was all sorted out. Hopefully his dad would really change his ways with money because whatever happened, Tony wasn't going to give him anymore money, he had done it enough. And saying no to your father about something like this was hard. He had already given his dad most of his savings that he had for buying a house. Maybe he will just have to give up his dream of having a house instead of an apartment.
There was one more thing he had to get done tonight, and that was to go talk to the reception about the heater last night. It was working now so something must have been fixed but he still needed to have a discussion with them about how uncomfortable his night had been. Even though he had actually enjoyed what the broken heater had caused him and Ziva to do. Snuggle.
When he got to the front desk there was a man behind the counter in his fifties with white grey hair and the classic red suit jacket that all the desk workers had in this hotel.
"Hello Sir, how may I help you?" the older man asked politely as he saw Tony stop at the desk.
"Um, yes, well last night there was a heater problem in our room and…" Tony began but stopped when he noticed the desk clerk had an explanation already by the way he was nodding his head.
"Yes, yes. We do apologize for the malfunction we had last night with the hotels heater system. I assure you it has all been dealt with now but we are offering to pay for one night of your stay or add an additional extra night on free of charge to all guests" he explained. Tony didn't see what sort of benefit him and Ziva would get out of that when work was paying for it. Unless…unless they did stay an extra night. Maybe instead of flying home on a late night trip like they normally did they could catch one the next afternoon and have some time off while they were in Alaska.
Tony knew if he was going to do that he was going to have to be pretty damn persuasive and charming to get it to happen with his boss. He would have to think of something good for his plan to work.
"Ok, thank you" Tony said to the man who nodded to him in return. Once Tony was back upstairs he threw himself on his bed. He was bored without Ziva here. He checked his phone for messages but when he found none there he placed it back on the bedside table. He saw Ziva's book sitting there and couldn't help but pick it up and open the first page. He was bored and there sat a book for him. He was sure Ziva wouldn't mind.
When Ziva walked into the hotel room what she found she wasn't expecting. She had to smile. There Tony lay, on his bed, with her book in his hands. And he seemed very engrossed in her book. He looked up when he saw her enter.
"Young lady you are past your curfew" he grinned and briefly put down her book. She had to chuckle at him. She took her coat off, followed by her shoes. She could feel that the heaters had obviously been fixed by the fact the room was nice and warm.
"I did not know I had one" she replied. Playing along with him.
"You know you have to be home before eleven on a school night" he continued. She laughed as she walked across the room and sat on the side of his bed.
"And what is this I see?" she asked, tapping her book in his hands. He just grinned even more.
"This is a very good book" he replied. She smiled at him.
"Yes, I know that, I am halfway through reading it" she said.
"Don't worry I didn't lose your page" he explained, opening the book and showing her the bookmark still sitting in the page she was on.
"I did not take you as the romance novel type" she questioned.
"You rubbed off on me, and I am starting to enjoy reading more than I used to" he replied. She knew this was very true. Ever since he picked up one of her books one night at her place she had seen him reading a book every now and then when he didn't feel like watching a movie. Most of the time he would steal ones from her bookshelf. She liked having this affect on him, it was good to read books.
"Good for the imagination" she smiled and tapped the book again "Do not think you can steal this one before I am finished with it though" she warned. He lifted the book off his lap.
"And if I do not return it?" he replied. Smirking as he lifted the book higher above his head.
"You have seen my knife collection at home, yes?" she smiled back. She had the most knives he had ever seen in one place, he knew she was not someone to mess with. Well except for him. He could mess with her and get away with it. To a degree though, but still he could get away with a lot more than anyone else.
"Yes I have, and I am not intimidated" he replied. Ok, so he would be intimidated if it was a real threat but he knew she didn't really mean it. He lifted the book higher as she reached out for it.
"Tony" she warned, reaching for it again.
"Ziva" he replied, smiling down at her as she got closer to him. She was slightly leaning over him as she tried to reach the book. She moved more to get it and was leaning even closer, her chest brushed against his as her hand gripped around his on the book. Then as she did she didn't pull it to her, her eyes dropped to his. His nose was almost touching hers and he could feel her breath against his lips.
His hand holding the book lowered to the bed and hers followed it. She could feel what she hadn't felt earlier with James. That difference that Tony made her feel simply with a look just like this, a moment. She could feel how her chest tightened slightly at the effect he had on her. She could so easily kiss him right now, so easily just lean forward and press her lips to his. But for some reason she couldn't. James had kissed her only a little while ago and it felt…wrong for her to kiss him right now.
Maybe there would be another moment when she could. She just felt as though she needed to be refreshed, and maybe once she had showered and changed into her sleepwear she could snuggle up with him again tonight. She had noticed how he hadn't moved her covers from his bed. And before he could lean down and kiss her like she was thinking he was about to, she leant back and moved the hand she had around his onto his chest.
"I think I might go have a shower, and then climb into bed for the night" she smiled down at him. He smiled back, realizing that he could see her saying something in her eyes more than she was saying out loud. She wanted to climb into his bed with him for the night, just like they had last night.
"Ok, I will be right here" he replied as she leant off him and began to stand up off the bed. She collected her things and as she was heading to the bathroom he called out.
"And I'll be reading my book" he said. She turned her head and smirked at him. He really made her laugh sometimes. It was another thing that made him different from everyone else, they way he could make her smile so easily.
When she came out of the bathroom he was right where she left him, doing exactly what he said he was going to do. He didn't look up from the book as she walked towards the bed but she did see the smile cross his face. He knew she was there. Not even discussing the fact she was choosing to sleep in his bed tonight she climbed onto the other side and slid as close as she could so she was reading over his shoulder.
"Hmm, you want to know what happens in this bit?" she teased.
"If you tell me I will kill you" he replied. She turned to face him and raised an eyebrow. She noticed the increasing grin on his face.
"Since when did you take up the roll as the ex-assassin in this partnership?" she smiled. He still didn't take his eyes off the book, but she could tell he wasn't reading anymore. He was too distracted.
"Since… just now" he smiled, lifting his eyes from the book to look at her "I think I could pull off the assassin thing" he stated, jokingly.
"I would have to disagree on that one Tony" she replied. He put the book down on the bed.
"Really?" he asked, intrigued to her thoughts. She smiled and brought her hand up and rested it lightly on his chest. Over his heart.
"Your heart is too big, you are too much of a softy for that line of work" she stated.
"Me? I am not a softy" he argued playfully. He knew that he really was a softy when it came down to it, but that wasn't his image. He was a hardened cop, or that's what he tried to make people believe. Ziva, she saw right through that. She smiled down at him.
"Yes you are. It is just not what you lead people to believe" she said, leaning in a bit closer.
"And you, you are a softy too. Miss Romance Novel. I see right through you" he smiled back. She found herself leaning in closer. It didn't go passed her the fact she still had her hand on his chest.
"I am caught, you got me. You just know me too well" she surrendered. He chuckled lightly. She brought her hand up to the side of his face, just below the bruise by his eyebrow.
"It looks good, you haven't bruised as much as I thought you would. How is it feeling?" she asked, suddenly changing the subject when the injury caught her eye. He leant into her touch.
"Yeah its fine, it doesn't feel too bad" he replied, loving the sensation when her fingertips began running little circles in the edge of his hair.
"That is good then, yes?" she asked as her fingers kept moving.
"Yeah. So, how was your date with Evans tonight?" he asked, smiling again. She knew this conversation was going to come up at some point tonight and she had decided earlier that she wasn't going to lie to him about anything. She doesn't do that to him. She knows what lying between them does.
"It was nice. He was a gentleman" she began. He moved his hand and poked at her ribcage softly, a grin on his face.
"And? Did he put the moves on you or what? Give me the details" he smiled. She really had to chuckle at that, Tony sounded like he was her best girlfriend trying to get the boy gossip out of her. And even though he didn't like the thought of her and Evans doing any sort of 'moves' he wanted to know, and he was easy going with how he asked. Playful, less serious. So it wasn't as serious as he would feel it in his heart.
"Yes he did, he kissed me" she began, she could see his face fall slightly, he didn't like the fact he kissed her, that much was obvious to her "But I stopped it before it got anymore then a peck, I did not want that" she added. His eyes came back to hers. That was a bit easier on his ears to hear. And he didn't say anything else, she knew he would wait until she was done explaining.
"He wanted something more and I could tell, but I didn't want that, and I told him. In the end he understood" she finished. She could feel Tony's hand playing with the shirt at the side of her ribs.
"In the end?" he asked. His voice had gone a lot quieter and softer.
"Yes. He thought there was someone else who was holding me back from spending the night with him" she explained. His eyes dropped from hers to his lap.
"Is there?" he asked. She took the fact he was avoiding her eyes as a sign that if there was someone else he really didn't want to face the truth that would be in her eyes.
"Yes, sort of" she replied. His hand stilled at her side.
"Sort of?" he asked, still avoiding her eyes. She threaded her hand into his hair and lifted his gaze to meet her eyes. There was disappointment within those bright green eyes.
"There is this thing where I don't know if I can be dedicated to another man when I am so close to you. If I was to be with someone I couldn't be how I am with you, like last night, like this, right now. And I don't think I want to lose that" she whispered as she stared right into his eyes.
He got it, what she was talking about. What they had wasn't really normal and the things they had began to do lately, the closeness, when they go out for dinner at night just the two of them, the moments they spend alone at his watching movies all Saturday in their sleepwear when she crashes on his couch the night before, how comfortable they are with each other, how too comfortable they are with each other. He got it.
What they had was deeper than they should, they were closer than friends and they hadn't even realized it, they just hadn't done anything about it yet. And he got the fact that if she were to be with another guy, if she were to get in a relationship with someone, they couldn't have that. They couldn't have that relationship they do now. She didn't want to lose that. Neither did he.
She leant her head forward slightly and her face moved closer to his. He could feel that vibe coming from her that had been different lately and all those times they had felt it they hadn't acted on it. They had pulled back. But he couldn't do that anymore, he wanted to kiss her.
His hand moved on her waist and pulled her slightly closer. The look he was giving her right now made her heart beat faster, anticipation for something she had wanted for a long, long time. And when his lips brushed hers butterflies filled her stomach and she gripped his hair slightly, kissing him back.
His lips were as soft as she remembered them, but this time, this time the way he kissed her was so much different to that time they were undercover. This felt real, this felt full of emotion. She moved, lifting one of her legs over both of his and sitting herself on his thighs so she could kiss him better and wasn't on a weird angle. He only kissed her stronger. She never wanted to stop kissing him, ever. He was a very kissable man, he knew exactly what to do with his mouth when he wasn't talking.
His hands found their way to rest at the small of her back, softy running across her body. Her hands were both in his hair by now, lightly trailing her fingers back and forth. When his tongue swept its way into her mouth she got a rush of gooseflesh across her skin as his tongue tangled with hers. The feeling of him was everything in this moment.
His hands slowly burrowed their way under the hem of her shirt, skimming up her sides and back down again. The skin under his hands was soft at the touch and warm. When he dragged his thumbs across the dip in her hipbones on the front of her body he heard a small whimper escape her mouth and vibrate into his. God, the things she does to him at a simple sound like that.
He dragged her closer to his chest and the weight of her against him like that sent shivers of want down his spine. Why had he held himself back from her for so long? She moved above him, getting comfortable and she pressed herself right against him then, he thought he might come apart at the sensation of it mixed with the way she was kissing him and the way her hands roamed his hair like she owned him. If she wanted she could have him, she always could.
Her lips parted from his and her deep breaths fanned against the skin of his neck where she had moved her face. Her nose ran gently up the side of the skin there and he was itching to touch some more of her skin. Then she voiced something she needed to.
"Tony, are you sure about this?" she asked, running her hands through the back of his hair.
"Yes. Are you sure?" he asked in return. He pulled back slightly and locked his eyes with hers.
"Yes" she whispered. He brought his hand up to the side of her cheek and stared into her eyes. His heart was racing and this was one moment in his life where he felt the strings of his heart pull stronger than they ever had when he was sharing a moment like this with someone. Ziva was different, she made him feel things he never thought before possible. She made his heart skip a beat when she leant in again and kissed him softly.
His hands were on fire as he ran them across her bare heated back. They hadn't really needed to fix the heater tonight, they had each other. And she was gentle as she gripped his shirt in her hands and slowly lifted it over his head, smiling at him as they broke apart from the kiss. Really, nothing could get any better than her. And after this night that they share together, things will be different. But they will be a good different.
This night had been a long time coming for them, they have held back so many times over the past six years of being partners. This was truly inevitable. He was just glad that the time they had done it wasn't because the other was leaving, not because they needed any sort of release, not because they just snapped and wanted it, not just because.
It was because they wanted each other, because they were finally so comfortable with each other that the next step in their friendship was to take it further than a friendship. And they were both ready to do that. This was at a comfortable moment in their lives together. This was something so powerfully beautiful between them it almost made his heart stop when he finally joined and became one with her.
;)
Hundan