He takes a breath, "Tell me what do you want? What does your heart want?"
"I want... I want you to love me. Love me, and no one else."
"Why did it take you so long to ask?"
"I didn't know how. I didn't think that you could ever love me. I didn't really think that anyone could..."
"Because you're broken? Because you feel unworthy?"
"Yes."
"You know, all you had to do was ask."
"No," she swallows hard, "I didn't know."
"I'm sorry you didn't know."
"So now what?"
"You let me love you."
"And if I can't?"
"You have no choice."
"Are you sure about that? Do you really know what you're getting in to?"
"I am thrusting myself into complete, and total chaos. But I'd like to let you in on a secret."
"And, what is that?"
"There's no one else I'd rather be in the midst of chaos with."
"That's good, because we always seem to be in the midst of chaos."
"It likes us."
"And why do you think that is?"
"Because we're secretly superheroes."
"Secretly?"
"I don't like being in chaotic situations. But, I have to admit, I feel better when I'm in them with you."
"And, why is that?"
"Because you always remain calm. You keep me from freaking out."
"Sometimes you freak out."
"But, I know that I have to stay calm enough, to keep us from getting killed."
"I thought that was my job."
"Which is why you're my partner."
"What is wrong with McGee?"
"Nothing, he's just not you."
"That's for sure."
"I almost forgot, I have something for you."
"You have something for me?"
"I have to confess."
"What else could you possibly have to confess?"
"Just one more thing."
"Go, ahead."
"I sort of broke into your desk, and stole something out of it."
"You have no respect of personal space."
"Says the woman who ate my burrito the first time we worked together."
"It wasn't the first."
"Not the point."
"Why are you confessing that you stole something from my desk?"
"I am going to give it back to you."
"That's what you have for me?"
"Will you just close your eyes?"
"Close my eyes?"
"Ziva, please," he begs.
"Fine," she huffs.
"I'll be right back."
"Ok."
He goes to his car, and runs back to her apartment. He skips the elevator, and sprints up the stairs. He comes into the apartment, and she's smiling at him.
"You need to get into better shape."
"I'll keep that in mind," he huffs, and puffs.
"What do you have for me?"
He holds out an object, wrapped in silver paper.
"What is it?"
"You're supposed to open it to find out."
"Why are you giving me a gift? Is there some special occasion that I have forgotten about?"
"No, no special occasion."
"Why are you giving me a gift?"
"Just open it, and stop asking questions."
"Ok," she agrees. She flips it over, and carefully slides her finger under the seam. She carefully unwraps it, making sure not to rip the paper.
"Ziva, you don't have to save the paper, just rip it open," he tells her.
She rips the paper off, and wads it into a ball. He takes it from her. She lays the picture frame in her lap. She stares at it, silently. The picture she had shown him at work. The one of her unborn baby. After a few moments she looks up at him.
"You don't like it?"
"I... I don't know what to say," she admits.
"Too much?"
"No," she shakes her head.
"Then why are you about to cry?"
"This is thoughtful, and you...are never thoughtful."
"I can be. That's not why you're about to cry, though, is it?"
"No," she shakes her head.
"Does it scare you?"
"Does what scare me?"
"That it's real? That you have photographic evidence? There is a person inside of you."
"Sometimes."
"Can I ask you something?"
She nods.
"What were you thinking?"
"Sleeping with Gibbs?"
"No, we already established that you were using poor judgment, on that."
"So, what, are you asking?"
"At your appointment, when you got to see the baby, what were you thinking?"
"That I could no longer pretend that it wasn't real. I didn't really know what to think. I did not realize that it was such a big deal."
"Of course it is."
"I heard the heartbeat."
"Yeah?"
"I guess I did not realize that I..."
"That you could be so attached to someone who isn't even born yet?"
"Yeah."
"You look tired."
"I am."
"Then go to bed."
"Ok."
"I'll go."
"Stay."
"Stay? I'm not sleeping on the couch."
"No one is asking you to."
"Ok," he nods.
She takes a quick shower. She gets into her pajamas. He uses her shower, and she finds him something to sleep in. He questions her about who the clothes belong to. She reveals that they are his. He puts them on, and she finds him a toothbrush. A new one. One that is unopened, and unused by anyone else. When he comes out of the bathroom she's already lying in bed.
Half an hour later he finds himself laying in her bed. He lies on his back. One of her arms reaches across his chest, the other rests at her side. Her head rests on his chest. She listens to his heart as it beats. His arm holds her against him. It rests on her back. He listens to her breathing. Though it's dark, and he can only see her outline, he knows that she's not asleep.
"You're not asleep," he points out.
"Neither are you."
"Something's on your mind?" he guesses.
"Always," she admits.