In the back of his mind, Tony knew he shouldn't do this.
Because, the last time it happened several months ago, it resulted in a man dead and Ziva hating him for a while. And, at this point, he was just now regaining her trust again.
But there was something that made him drive his car, staying at least two blocks behind Ziva's mini, in hopes that she wouldn't see him. As he drove, he had a flashback of when they first met, when Gibbs asked him to follow her. And she knew about it.
He smiled at the memory and turned down the same street she did, and almost lost sight of her as she cut off another car, who blew their horn at her. Tony shook his head in disbelief.
She'd been in this country for four years, and she still hadn't learned driving etiquette.
Ziva finally pulled into a restaurant, and it was one that Tony actually knew well, for he himself had brought a lot of dates there before. Luckily for him, the guy had a table out on the patio, giving Tony a perfect opportunity to watch them, hopefully without their knowledge. He sat across the street, at a coffee shop. Sipping on his cappuccino, he watched as Ziva laughed and put her hand on top of his. Tony didn't know why, but his gut clenched.
Earlier, he had decided that it wasn't jealousy.
He was just concerned for her safety.
There were, after all, crazy people in the world.
He was startled slightly when the waitress came up and asked him if he wanted anything else. He shook his head and turned his attention back to the couple across the street, and Ziva was laughing again. He rolled his eyes.
What in the hell was so funny?
After another thirty minutes, Tony looked down at his watch, and was slightly pleased when the lunch hour was about over with, and she was due back in the squad room. As if on cue, she stood from the table and so did he. Ziva wrapped her arms around him for a hug, and he pressed a kiss on her cheek, making Tony's gut clench again.
She waved goodbye to him as she sped off, and he stood watching her with his hands in his pockets. Once she was out of sight, he pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number, a smile stretching across his face in result of whoever he was talking to. Tony stood from the table and put a few dollars down before walking out of the coffee shop.
Back at the squad room, Tony marched over to his desk and put his weapon back in it's drawer. He wasn't surprised that he and Ziva were still the only two in the squad room, "Well I'm full." He announced, and Ziva looked at him, her eyebrows together.
"Good." She said softly, and turned her attention back to the paper she was currently working on.
"Had a sub sandwich." He said, and she nodded again, "It was delicious."
"I am glad." She said, still not looking at him.
He sighed, "What did you have?"
She rolled her eyes, "Pasta salad."
He chuckled, "Where from?"
She narrowed her eyes, "Why do you want to know, Tony?"
He put his hands up in defense, "I love pasta salad!"
Ziva let her face drop, "In the four years I have known you, I have never seen you eat pasta salad."
"Eat it all the time at the house." Tony lied.
"We ate at Fireflies." She told him. Tony grinned form ear to ear and stood up, walking over to his partner.
"So are you going to tell me who he is?" Tony asked. He was all in her personal space, leaning on the desk, his legs crossed as he stared down at her.
Ziva looked up at him, "Do you mind?"
"Who is it?"
"Tony, I have already told you that it is not any of your business."
Tony grinned, "Is he ugly?" She rolled her eyes and stared at him again, "He must be ugly."
"No he is not, Tony. He is actually rather handsome."
"Nah. He's ugly." Tony stood to his full form and walked to the front of her desk, leaning on it with two hands, "Because if he wasn't you'd be bragging about him, not keeping a secret from your friends."
Ziva sighed, "I do not see how not telling you who I am dating is keeping a secret."
"Dating? You're dating him? I thought you were just having lunch." Tony asked quickly, and instantly regretted it.
She smiled slightly, "Yes, I have been dating him for a couple of weeks now."
"Why is he such a secret?" Ziva chuckled, but soon, it was a full blown laugh, "Something funny Dah-Veed?"
"You are so jealous."
"I am not jealous." Tony said.
"Yes, you are, Tony."
"Am not!" Tony nearly shouted. Ziva stood from her chair and mocked his position, and it resulted in their faces being incredibly close.
"Why do you want to know so bad?" She asked quietly.
He stood and crossed his arms, mostly because her intoxicating scent was driving him insane, "There are crazies in the world, Ziva."
Ziva used her eyes to look him up and down, "That is not news to me, Tony."
Tony ignore the comment towards himself and continued, "So I have to protect you." Ziva rolled her eyes and sat back down in her chair.
"I can protect myself."
Tony laughed sarcastically and sighed, running a hand through his hair. He then walked around her desk again, sitting in the same position as before. Ziva looked at him and rolled her eyes. Tony knew she was annoyed.
But he had to get to the bottom of things.
"So if you're not gonna tell me his name, I'll call him Dan."
"Whatever floats your butt, Tony."
"Boat." He said, and then thought some more, looking at her face as she tried her best to ignore him. He grinned as he finally decided on a question, "So how's Dan in bed?"
Ziva laughed sarcastically, "You are insane if you think I am going to discuss any of this with you."
"You haven't had sex with him yet?" He laughed, "Wow. Something or someone you have on your mind must be stopping you."
And that's when Ziva lost it.
She stood from her desk quickly and moved his legs out from under him, causing him to fall, hard, onto the ground. He groaned from the pain as she straddled his lap one hand firmly under his chin, the other pinning him down by the arm. "This subject is dropped, Tony." She said through her teeth. Tony gulped.
"Okay." He managed, and she got off of him, storming in the direction of the restrooms.
Tony got onto his feet again, rubbing various parts of his body that were in pain.
He'd gone too far.
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