"I'm going to ask Elle to marry me tonight," McGee announced to Tony and Ziva one day at work. "It's our six month anniversary today."
Ziva looked up and flashed her beautiful smile. "Congratulations, McGee. I'm sure that the two of you will be very happy."
"She hasn't said yes yet, Ziva. That is called counting your eggs before they're hatched," Tony pointed out cynically.
"Yes, Tony, but we all know that they love each other. It is not...new news, as you Americans say."
"The term is 'that's old news,', and I'm aware of that," Ziva replied fiercely. She was tired of this hidden jealously that seemed to flare up whenever McGee spoke of Elle and his future with her. Ziva couldn't understand why her partner was so envious.
"You have a ring, McGee?" Gibbs asked, coming into the bullpen, a fresh cup of coffee in his hand.
"Bought it last week, Boss."
"Do you have it with you?" Ziva wanted to know, getting up from her chair. Her movements were calculated and stealthy as always.
"Right here," Tim told her, holding up a small black box. "Would you like to see it?"
With Tony and Ziva on either side of him and Gibbs in front of his desk, Tim opened the small black box and showed them the ring. It was a silver band with a small solitaire setting. Simple, but elegant.
"It's beautiful," Ziva told McGee. "Elle will love it."
"Are you kidding?" Tony exclaimed. "I can barely see a jewel in there. Is there even one in there, Probie?"
"It's half a carat." Tim glared up at Tony. "Have you ever seen how much engagement rings cost, Tony?"
DiNozzo stood up and scratched the back of his head nervously. "Um...nah. Never really been down that particular road."
"Then you wouldn't understand, DiNozzo," Gibbs spoke up, taking a sip of his coffee. "Diamonds are expensive."
"Then just buy her a really big cubic zircona," Tony laughed, walking back to his desk. Somehow he knew he was losing the battle. When Gibbs stepped in, you lost.
Ziva whirled around to face Tony. "Are you saying that you would give a girl a fake diamond?" She walked over and got right in his face, so close that he could smell her perfume and the cup of tea she'd had early that morning.
"Um...maybe?" Tony replied uncertainly, trying to avoid looking Ziva David directly in the eyes.
"You are a sneaky person, Tony. I will think twice before I trust you again."
That night, I walked into the closet and pulled out a small black dress. Tim had told me that tonight was a "special date". I wasn't sure where we were going, but I knew that he wanted me to dress up.
In the bathroom, I put on my makeup, heavier than usual. I even went so far as to follow directions from a beauty magazine on "how to get smoky eyes in three short minutes". The rest of what I applied to my face was what I usually wore.
Ten minutes before he was scheduled to arrive, I slipped into the small black cocktail dress that flared slightly at the bottom and had a ruffle running around the hem, which fell just above my knees. The neckline plunged slightly, but I was feeling brave tonight. McGee made me feel safe and protected. I had never felt so loved and respected in all my life. I knew that I'd never be able to live without him in my life.
Just as I heard Tim knock on the door, I slipped my feet into a pair of red high heels, the dash of color I needed to complete my outfit.
"I'm coming," I called, grabbing my clutch off the bedside table and rushing out to let McGee into the apartment.
McGee was leaning against the doorframe when Elle opened the door and stood there, a vision in black. He couldn't help it; he looked her up and down, still incredulous that his beautiful girl in front of him was actually his girlfriend and, hopefully, soon to be his fiancé.
The dress fit every curve of her body perfectly and showed off Elle's long, tanned legs. The heels brought raised her up an inch or two so that her bright blue eyes were directly on level with his.
"You look gorgeous," he told her softly, taking her hands in his.
Elle blushed and looked down, but Tim lifted her chin with his other hand and looked into her eyes, vaguely noticing that the eye makeup she had on seriously accented the color of them. "I love you," he declared, pressing his forehead against Elle's.
"I love you, too, Tim," she replied quietly. "More than anything in this world."
When we arrived at the restaurant, I recognized it as one of the most illustrious in Washington, D.C. It was an elegant place that took weeks to get a reservation at. I smiled and shook my head, wondering how Tim had done it. Butterflies were building in my stomach because, in the back of my mind, I was beginning to wonder if McGee was going to propose. Surely not! Guys were supposed to be afraid of commitment, right? Then, it occurred to me that Tim wasn't like any other guy I'd ever known. He was sweet, gentle, and the love of my life.
All through dinner, I kept a close eye out for anything small and shiny, but nothing ever appeared. Desperately, I tried not to be disappointed, but I couldn't help it. I wanted to marry McGee, to spend the rest of my life with him. Dessert came, and then the check. Even though we had our usual conversation that never lagged, something in the back of my head kept saying that Tim had asked me out for some special reason. What was it?
For over an hour, he sat in his car, waiting for Elle to come out with her boyfriend. He'd been watching them for five months now, waiting for the perfect opportunity to do this. He had seen Agent McGee purchase the diamond ring at a local jewelry store. He'd seen them leave Elle's apartment tonight, dressed to the nines. Tonight was the night. He held the gun in his hand, his eyes dark with rage.