Steak and Shake v1.1, fixed grammar and typos. I really need a beta, don't I?
The group sat around a large circular table inside a private room, all looking at their menus.
A waitress walked in, "Are you ready to order?"
"What is Carmine's Challenge?" Savannah asked, pointing at at the back of the menu.
"Oh, it's a 72 oz USDA premium cut top sirloin steak, a huge baked potato, a salad, dinner roll, and a shrimp cocktail and if you eat it all within an hour, you and your entire party eat for free!"
Savannah's eyes lit up, "Hey! I bet one of these big, strong men can finish that off, am I right?"
"I'm up for it, if you are, Junior." Senior said, looking across the table at Tony.
Tony looked at the menu, he slid his finger downward, he did a double take at the price, "129.99 bucks?"
"Come on, Junior, I thought you had more backbone than that!" Senior laughed.
"Tony, I have seen you eat before, you are a huge garbage gump."
"Gut, Ziva, not gump, that's Tom Hanks."
"Nonetheless, you can do it." Ziva stated, giving him a little encouragement.
"You doing it, Uncle Vincenzo?"
"No, he's not." Sophie answered for him, "Beef gives him gas.".
"Why you always gotta bust my balls, huh?" Vincenzo whined, Sophie stared him down until he finally gave in, shrugging his shoulders, "I didn't want beef anyway."
Ziva laughed, "You two are so cute together, how long have you been together?"
"Too long." Vincenzo stated.
"46 years." Sophie said, giving her husband a soft slap on the shoulder. He turned his head and smiled, she leaned in giving him a peck on the lips, "No one else wants him, so I keep him around." She joked.
"Don't let her fool you, Ziva." Vincenzo said, "She's just in for the meat."
The entire table laughed.
The waitress looked at Tony, "Did you want to try the challenge?"
Tony shrugged his shoulder, looking unsure.
"I guess it's just me then." Senior said, "I guess I'm the only real man here."
"No, he will try it." Ziva nodded towards the waitress, "And I will have linguine pescatore and two orders of tiramisu, one for me and one for him." She smiled patting Tony on the stomach, "I have faith in you."
Tony smiled, "Thanks, Ziva."
"I was talking to your stomach." Ziva smirked, patting it a few more times.
"Of course you were."
The waitress took the rest of dinner orders and left the room.
"Before I forget." Savannah spoke up, "Here are your keys." She handed a key to Sophie and one to Ziva.
Ziva took the key and stared at it.
"Is there something wrong?" Savannah asked.
"Yeah, we're probably..." Tony started to say.
"No, no, everything is fine." Ziva smiled.
"We have our own private beach houses, absolutely beautiful view, you're gonna love it!" Savannah joyfully exclaimed.
"Where is it at?" Tony asked, taking the key from Ziva.
"East Hampton." Savannah answered with a smile, "The Atlantic."
"The ocean?" Ziva looked at Tony confused.
"Name of the hotel, Ziva. Big bucks."
"I expect nothing less from your father, Tony."
"Yeah, well...I don't." Tony whispered under his breath.
"Are you getting married in a church?" Ziva inquired.
"No, the hotel has set up a beautiful, quaint area for us on the beach and we'll be having the reception inside and Junior, I wanted to ask you something."
Tony lifted his head from the menu, "Uh, yeah?"
"I'd like you to be my best man."
"Me? Why not Uncle Vincenzo?"
"Because he's giving the bride away, Junior."
"Yeah, yeah...sure, dad." Tony smiled and hoped for the best, but he knew his father was still hesitant about the whole thing.
The waitress walked into the private room, carrying a large tray. She placed plates in front of Vincenzo, Sophie, Savannah and finally Ziva, "And I'll be right back with those steak challenges."
The waitress returned, accompanied by a man who was carrying a stopwatch. She placed the first steak in front of Senior, then the next in front of Tony, then added the other items around the giant steak platters, "You have one hour, starting...now."
Tony lifted his knife and fork, his eyes swung to Ziva, her mouth was wide open just staring at the massive piece of meat, "Any last suggestions?"
Ziva started to laugh, "I am SO sorry."
"You don't have any faith in your man?" Savannah asked.
"Excuse me?"
"It just seems, you lack faith in him."
"I have all the faith in the world in him."
"Obviously not."
Ziva started to stand, Tony quickly grabbed her hand, she looked down at her hand, "Ziva. No." He squeezed it tighter, pulling her back to her chair, he leaned in and whispered, "Remember, you're wearing white."
Ziva softly chuckled and smiled, "Good call."
Savannah sat back, crossing her arms, "How about a little wager on the side then?"
Ziva shot up from her seat, pointing at Savannah, "You're on!"
Tony sighed, lowering his head into his hands.
"Shall we say." Savannah leaned forward, "Honey, how much do you have in your wallet?"
Senior looked at Savannah, he dug into his back pocket pulling out his wallet handing it to her, she opened it up and looked inside, "300 dollars?"
"I do not have any money on me." Ziva replied, she slowly sat back down, looking defeated, "I now understand why Gibbs has been divorced three times."
Tony reached over to her, holding out his wallet.
Ziva took the wallet, "Are you sure about this, Tony?"
"No." Tony laughed, "Not really."
Ziva opened the wallet, taking out 300 dollars, laying it in the middle of the table, "It is a bet."
"I have 300 dollars on neither finishing." Vincenzo entered the wager, holding up 300 dollars.
"Heh. Hey stopwatch guy, you want it on this, too?" Tony joked.
The man laughed, "No, thanks."
"Tony, stop flirting with the stopwatch guy and eat, he's not going to help you!" Ziva chuckled.
Ziva was standing in front of her suitcase, it was opened and completely filled with clothing, a framed photo of her, Tali and Ari sat neatly on top. She pulled up on her dress, sliding it over her head, leaving her only wearing panties. She held up a large, "I Conquered Carmine's Challenge!" t-shirt in front of her, she smiled at Tony's accomplishment before sliding it on. She walked over to the bed, pulling back the covers. Tony was asleep. She carefully climbed into bed, his stomach started to gurgle, she covered her mouth trying not to laugh. She patted his stomach with her free hand, trying to calm it down, "Shhhhhh."
Tony's stomach continued to grumble, Ziva leaned down, "Hey, you, stomach, stop it, no more grumbling, ya got it?" His stomach immediately stopped, she smiled at her stomach-whisperer like abilities, "Good boy." She said, pressing her lips to his stomach.
"Uh, Ziva?"
Ziva fell back, they were now both laying on their backs, "Yeah?"
"Were you talking and kissing my stomach?"
"He did win me 900 dollars today, Tony."
"Win...you?"
"I am your partner, should I not get half, hmm?" Ziva smiled as she turned over, laying her hands on Tony's chest.
"Did I eat so much that I got lost in a haze of steak that we got married and I totally forgot about it?"
"Oh, believe me, if you married me, you'd remember it." Ziva chuckled.
"Umm, wouldn't we still be having sex?"
"I would hope so!"
Tony rolled over, forcing Ziva to her back. He slid his fingers across her forehead, brushing her hair out of her eyes, he gazed down at her and smiled.
Ziva smiled back at him, his smile grew larger, making her laugh, "What are you doing?"
"Thinking."
"About?"
Tony moved his left hand to Ziva's right cheek, cupping it lovingly, the tip of his middle finger slowly caressed behind her earlobe. Ziva closed her eyes and smiled. He lowered his head, pressing his lips to hers. She tilted her head up to kiss him back, but his head had turned, he slid his cheek along hers, "Thank you." He whispered into her ear.
Ziva opened her eyes, "For?"
"Being you."
Ziva raised her right hand, sliding her fingers into his hair, she grasped a fistful and in one motion tossed him onto his back, swinging her leg over him, straddling his waist hard.
Tony's cheeks puffed up, his hands flew upwards, covering his mouth. Ziva fell backwards and watched in horror as he jumped out of the bed and ran towards the bathroom barely making it to the toilet. She sighed deeply, covering her face with her hands and started pounded the back of her head into the mattress.
Author Note #1 - Going to the dentist sucks and I wrote most of this kinda high, so...be gentle.
Author Note #2 - I have to say, I love me some happy T and Z and yes, I know it out of character, but I don't care.
Author Note #3 - The Steak challenge is real, but it's in Texas. Well, of course it is! ;p