Chapter Sixteen
Ziva rode back to NCIS headquarters in the same car as Tony. She didn't say anything but merely held his hand and placed her head on his shoulder as Mo drove and Billy sat in the passenger seat. Gibbs sent her with Tony because taking that shot had scared Tony to the bone.
She could feel him shiver occasionally and he wasn't cold.
"I could have killed you," he said softly.
"I trust you, Tony and Gibbs showed you how much he trusts you," she said.
"I couldn't live without you," he said.
"You don't have to," she said.
NCIS
Two days had past and after action reports filed. Tony sat in Vance's office at the conference table along with Gibbs. Vance sat at the head of the conference table chewing a toothpick. Gibbs could see that he was about to start a lecture when suddenly Vance exhaled and smiled.
"Alright, DiNozzo, you like to push things. I can understand that. It's your nature. But you want this job, I recommend you amend your nature," Vance said. "No more death defying shots or I will pull your badge. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir," smiled Tony.
He had no intention of taking a shot like that unless he had to. Just a fraction of an inch off and Ziva would have been dead instead of Macaluso. No, he wouldn't do something like that again unless he was the last line of defense.
"You are now officially Supervisory Special Agent Tony DiNozzo and Jefferson and Simms are part of your new permanent team. You are the MCRT Support Team. A memo will go out throughout the system for MCRTs to use your team when stuck on a case," he told him.
"How did you manage to get me Jefferson and Simms?" asked Tony.
"You'll assist Marine CID also when they have a need. Call it Pro Quid Pro," Vance said.
"Oh, Latin. I'll have to get Ducky to translate," said Tony.
"You'll probably need another member or two for your team to fill it out since I am exposing you to the whole system. I want your next two members to be NCIS agents, DiNozzo, understand?" Vance said.
"Yes, sir," said Tony.
"Gibbs, congratulations on stopping that weapons sale. Both your teams have saved lives. Keep it up," said Vance.
Gibbs nodded then stood up. He watched with pride as Tony stood up and walked to the door without help. He opened and exited.
"You were right, Gibbs," said Vance.
"About what?" asked Gibbs.
"DiNozzo. He is one of the best we have," said Vance.
"Took you long enough to see that, Leon," Gibbs said then joined Tony on the mezzanine landing.
They stood side by side with Gibbs staring down at his bullpen.
"You've done good Tony," he said.
"I haven't thanked you, boss," said Tony.
"Thanked me for what?" asked Gibbs.
"Buck, the lessons and the faith you've always had in me," Tony said.
"Rule five, DiNozzo," smiled Gibbs.
"You better show up at our house warning party as Ziva calls it," said Tony.
"I'll be there," He said.
"Congratulations, DiNozzo," Gibbs said.
NCIS
Ziva stared at Tony as he sat at the piano playing with the keys more than playing the piano. Since the shooting incident he had been pensive and a pensive Tony was always worrying. She had known his many sides, his many faces, and now she was starting to see an even new Tony DiNozzo. He was becoming a man who wanted a future and she hoped a family and she didn't want to see him take a step backwards because of something that could have happened rather than something that did happen.
"Tony," she said.
She had made up her mind. He needed something permanent, something he knew wasn't going away and so did she.
"Yeah, Zi," he replied.
"I want to get married now not later," she said.
Tony stopped playing around. He thought for a moment.
"Abby get do the blood tests and Tay Sachs, since one of is Jewish. We can get either a reformed rabbi or a justice of the peace. Gibbs can give you away and Abby be your maid of honor and McGee my best man," Tony said.
"So, you want to get married now, too?" she asked.
"We can make a house marriage, right here. We can announce it at the house warming party. Maybe we can put a tent up in the back and heat. It's up to you," Tony said.
"Do you think three weeks is enough time to do this, to put it all together?" she asked.
"You don't want a big overly planned wedding?" he asked her.
"No. I want a wedding which is just our friends and family," she said.
"You can have any kind wedding you want, Zi," he said. "I want to give you want you want. I know that isn't the most eloquent thing I've ever said but it's true."
"I want to be married to you now not later," she said.
The smile that lit up his face assured Ziva that she had made the right choice. It was time that they made this permanent.
Epilogue
The small wedding was perfect. Tony's father showed up with his new wife and offered to pay for a honeymoon anywhere they wished to go. Ziva chose Haifa so that she could introduce her husband to Netty and what family she had left in Israel. Even her father showed up to make peace between her and her husband.
When the honeymoon was over they were back to work. For six weeks they had a normal life. This meant she was busy as part of Gibbs' team and he and his new team, which he added Cassie Yates to, as well as a probie, were becoming a popular backstop with the MCRTs throughout the system.
He had finally and completely accepted his new life. Yes, he'd never be the field agent he once was, but he was still an investigator and still making a difference. Knowing this had all his old confidence return. He could handle this.
"Tony," Ziva said as he made them coffee in their kitchen as they prepared to go to work, "we need to talk."
The tone of her voice scared him slightly. It was too serious, too much I have something you may not want to hear in it.
"Yeah, Zi," he said apprehensively.
"I know this might not be the best time. Things are going so well for us and, I admit, I have been very happy with our life," she started.
"Zi, you sound like you're going to leave me," he said with a hint of panic in his voice.
"Oh, Ahuvi," she said and gently caressed his cheek, "never. I shall never leave you."
He sighed: "Okay, is Gibbs sending you off an undercover case because if he is we are having words."
"No, it's… I'm pregnant," she said.
"You're pregnant? I'm… how did that happen?" he said.
"Tony, you know how a baby is made," she said with a smirk.
"No, I mean that we were careful. We took precautions," he paused then Gibbs' slapped himself, "except in Israel when I wanted to it before meeting with your father because I was nervous."
"We are going to be parents," she said.
"But I just got used to being blind and married. A father? I'd be afraid to babysit our own kids. I'm mean I definitely won't be playing hide and seek with our kid," he said.
"Tony, calm down," she kissed him. "I am happy and you will be a great father, different from most, but great."
"For the first few years of their life our kid is going to have to wear a bell around their neck so I know where they are," he said.
She laughed then kissed him again.
"Are you happy, Tony?" she asked.
He thought about it. If he could deal with blindness, he could deal with being a father.
"Yeah, Zi, I'm happy," he smiled. "I've never been so happy in my life."