A/N: Here's today's chapter. I know it's a short one, but I enjoyed writing it. I don't have a lot to say about it, but I hope you enjoy it!

"You're late, DiNozzo," Gibbs said as he wrote on his notepad.

"Sorry, Boss," Gibbs looked up at him. "Right, no apologies. Sorry," Gibbs walked past him and gave him a headslap as he went. "Thank you, Boss,"

A tent had been set up to protect the crime scene, lightning striking a few miles away. "It's too dangerous to be out here," a ranger said to Gibbs.

"We've dealt with worse,"

"I'm the ranger here, this is my park. I won't let your floozies get struck by lightning on my watch. And besides that, what about compromising evidence or something?"

Gibbs looked around. "Hurry it up," he said to the team.

McGee was photographing the evidence while Ducky looked over the body. "So, Tony. I noticed you and Ziva were gone for a while,"

"We were gone for half-an-hour, McGee,"

"That's two hours on Gibbs' watch,"

"We were getting coffee,"

"It's a one-and-a-half-minute drive at four in the afternoon, Tony,"

"You would know that, wouldn't you?" McGee rolled his eyes.

"Have you talked to her yet?" Ducky joined in.

"What makes you think we need to talk?" Tony asked, not looking up from the sketch he was working on.

"Come on, really, Tony?" McGee said, but he didn't mean it harshly. He glanced over at Ziva who was speaking with the rangers several yards away.

"Ziva and I are fine, McGee,"

"Is that so?" Ducky asked, sharing a look with McGee.

"Yes, actually, it is," Tony replied. He sighed a little.

"You don't really believe that, do you," Ducky said, standing.

Tony shook his head a little, and found himself speaking softly to the doctor. "Sometimes, I get so close, and--"

"The ranger said only a few people were in the park today," Ziva announced as she reached the pair.

"Case in point," Tony murmured to Ducky who gave him a pat on the shoulder and walked towards his truck.

"Hm?" Ziva asked, looking up from her notepad.

"Nothing. Was anyone in the area?"

"Not that any of the rangers have been able to tell, and it would be hard to, but they say they have increased the number of rangers on patrol,"

"Why?"

"He said that the constant presence of NCIS has put the entire community on edge," she grinned.

Tony chuckled. "If I were in the Navy, I would be sure to stay away from this place," he agreed. "We've had more dead petty officers here than anywhere else,"

It was then he felt the sting of a headslap. "You think it's funny, DiNozzo?"

"No Boss, I was just appreciating the irony,"

"You continue like that and I'll make sure you're appreciating more than irony,"

"Yes, Boss," Tony said, Ziva smirking.

"You are just full of mistakes today, aren't you?" she laughed.

"Mistakes?" he asked, his heart dropping. Earlier, in the rain, he almost kissed her. Did she think…

"But that is what I love about you," she chuckled casually as she walked away to collect evidence.

"Oh really?" he teased, grinning.

Thump-thump-thump.

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock. The clock on the wall had been singing the same song for the past two hours as Tony lay on his couch, staring at the ceiling. His movie had ended long ago, the screen now in hibernation as a small "DVD" icon bounced within.

His foot tapped the air in synch with the clock, an anxious swell inside him. Tony wasn't sure how much longer he could take this.

Suddenly, finding a well of will within, he stood up, found some shoes and his coat, and got in the car.

What do you think will happen next?

Don't forget to review!