Author's Note: What will happen in the bullpen?

Tony and Ziva sat in Tony's mustang, riding down to the office. Ziva didn't want to say anything to Tony just yet, and Tony was much to embarrassed to say anything to her. At this point, Tony thought that giving her that necklace was a mistake. But he couldn't stop his mind from wandering when he looked at that star around her neck, glistening on the dashboard. Why would she be wearing it if she did not feel the same way? Tony decided to just wait and see.

Ziva sat in the passenger seat of Tony's '66 mustang, playing with the ends of her hair. She was surprised Tony agreed to Ziva coming back to the office with him, let alone letting her ride with him. Ziva's Mini was still sitting in the parking lot of the coffee shop, but she didn't care. She would take the Metro and pick it up tomorrow. She collected her bag and her coat as Tony pulled into the parking garage. They were both aware of the silence that hung between them, and this time, neither of them did anything to break it.

The ride up the elevator was torture to Tony, he wanted to stop the elevator and spill his heart to Ziva, to touch her, to cradle her face in his hands, but there was no way he could do that. Not now, and not with the way Ziva was acting. He carefully stole a glance toward Ziva, and quickly looked away when he found she was looking at him.

Ziva turned away as Tony met her gaze, embarrassed he caught her staring at him. She wondered why Tony was being so quiet, it was not the usual DiNozzo she knew and loved.

The one she loved.

That blunt thought caught her off-guard, and she realized what she had been missing. She, in fact, did love Tony, but it was different from anything else she had every experienced. She truly cared for Tony, not just loved him. She had missed it, because it was not obvious to her. As she worked with Tony, she had grown on him, and he had grown on her. The bond between them was so incredibly strong, that nothing could break it. Not even a failed romantic relationship.

Ziva figured this out as the elevator came to a stop at the third floor, and she wished with all her heart she could have stopped the elevator, flipped the switched and told Tony. Told Tony what she had been to afraid to tell him earlier. She wondered how such a small, sweet gesture could erupt into something this big. No words were exchanged as Tony and Ziva stepped out of the elevator and into the squad room.

It was dark; not one other agent was on the floor. The only light in the room was illuminating from the single desk lamp placed on Gibbs' desk, casting eerie shadows on the wall and ceilings. The wind howled outside the window, and snow started to gently drift onto the sidewalk. It was a harsh reminder of last night, taunting them with the words left unsaid. They both separated to their designated desks, and sat down, acting as if they were extremely preoccupied with the task not yet assigned to them. They sat shuffling papers and typing on their keyboard, until Ziva looked up and her eyes met Tony's. But this time, Tony nor Ziva wanted to look away.

Ziva was locked in Tony's eyes, a deep green that captivated her. The green reminded her of the woods from her childhood, the woods where her, her brother and her sister would play. It was easy to get lost in it, but you knew you were always going to be safe.

Ziva's brown eyes were bottomless to Tony, it was the entrance to her mind, her heart. Tony knew that Ziva was trained at hiding her true emotions from others, but she could not hide it in her eyes. Tony could read the deep brown, like an open book. Her eyes held secrets. You couldn't know them by just looking, but you knew they existed.

"Uh, guys?" McGee asked awkwardly, standing at the entrance to the bullpen, holding a manila folder filled with a sit-rep for Tony and Ziva. He had just arrived from MTAC and had walked in on Tony and Ziva having eye-sex. How many times had they done his to him? 5? 6? Gotta be more then that. McGee knew Ziva had confided in him, so he wasn't going to comment like he usually would. But he couldn't help but wonder...

Ziva looked up, not even realizing McGee's presence.

"Yes, sorry McGee." Ziva stood up, fumbling. She knocked her pencil holder off her desk, but grabbed it before it could actually hit the floor. "Um, what were you saying?"

Tony had to smile at Ziva, he didn't know he had this much effect on her. He adjusted his tie and stuck up his chin, content with what had just happened.

"Uh, I just brought you guys down a sit-rep, Gibbs wants you to, ahh, look it over...alright...bye." McGee scrunched his eyebrows, not sure what exactly to say to them. He shook his head as he jogged up the stairs back to MTAC, and he managed to shoot Ziva a knowing glance before he opened up the silver door and slipped inside.

Back down in the bullpen, Tony and Ziva were huddled around his desk. Tony was reading the report, but Ziva was studying Tony's features. The way his usually perfect hair was in a gold brown mess, the smallest amount of stubble lining his chin. Ziva had the urge to reach out and touch him, but she resist the urge and forced herself to look down at the papers in Tony's hand.

Tony was very well aware of Ziva's eyes on his face, but he took no action to stop it. The adrenaline pulsed through his veins, and he felt his heart start to beat faster. Was he really getting turned on by Ziva just looking at him?

At this point, it was no mystery they were not paying attention to the report. The tension built around them, growing until Ziva decided it was time to break it. All this time she believed she was being the stronger one, but in truth, she was hurting the people she loved the most. She knew she had to man up, and tell Tony what he needed to hear. It was time to talk.

"What are we doing, Tony?" Dead silence hung in the air between them, Tony hesitated before responding.

What are we doing? Is that all she had to say? Not even an 'I'm sorry' or an 'I was wrong'? As much as he loved her, he was getting tired of the Mossad role Ziva never stopped playing.

"No, Ziva, what are YOU doing? I gave you more then enough time to think about it. But for some reason, you didn't have the decency to care about how I felt enough to tell me whether or not you felt the same way. You know what, Ziva? You might think this, this, Mossad Ziva is who you are, but it's not. This isn't the Ziva I gave that necklace to. I gave it to the Ziva I thought you were. And that's the Ziva I fell in love with"

Ziva was stunned. The truth of Tony's word hit her like a ton of bricks, and she didn't know what to say to him. The pained expression on Tony's face is what killed her. She knew she was the cause behind that pain, and she couldn't take it.

"I'm, I'm sorry, Tony." Ziva said, barely above a whisper. She felt the tears well up in her eyes, but she decided that it wasn't worth stopping them. She let one lone tear roll down her cheek, and Tony's view on her changed. She was vulnerable, weak. He was finally seeing the Ziva he knew and loved. He took her face in his hand, and brushed the single tear off her cheek, and let his hand linger there longer then it need to, and before Ziva knew it, their faces where inches apart and Tony's lips crashed against her's in a strong, passionate kiss.

Finally! The next chapter will pick up where this one left off. Tell me what you think! I'm going all the way with this story!

Just mentioning some faithful reviewers....

Betherzz

ncischick09

LOLY POP XD

You guys are the ones who keep me going! Thanks so much! And special thanks to ncischick09 for the brilliant ideas that helped me shape out this storyline, they were VERY helpful. Keep reviewing and maybe you can make the Reviewers Hall Of Fame!