Title: Favourite Friend
Author: Trista Groulx aka dustytiger
Rating: T (same as the show, nothing explicitly naughty)
Disclaimer: I am an unmotived beauty consultant and frazzled barista who does not own NCIS, it belong to its creator, network, writers, actors, actresses and other people who bring it to life weekly, I make no money from having fun with these characters, just some much needed sanity. I also do not own the song which helped this fic to grow it belongs to Katie Rox, and likely SOCAN.
Summary: Tony goes to pick up Ziva from the airport after she buries her father, but she doesn't want to go home.
Notes: Another part with Senior hehe… I love him… Thank you for all of the kind words last installment… it really brightened my day, please keep 'em coming. Right now I am reminded why finish my fic before I post it, so much life drama happening but I can still keep updating and not leaving people hanging.

"…I need you here, you're my favourite friend…"

Senior was drinking his second cup of coffee when Ziva and Tony joined him at the restaurant. He smiled at his son knowingly, causing the woman with him to blush again. Senior had never been a person who was shy about human sexuality, and was a little surprised his son was with a woman who was. Although, he assumed that when the couple was alone all that shyness melted away and she was like any other woman.

He liked that his son was dating someone who wasn't a bimbo who felt the need to be all over him no matter where they were. It was a refreshing change for both Dinozzos to be around a woman like that. Senior knew the last woman who was like that was the mother of the man who was sitting across from him; a good woman, and he hoped that is son would get more time with his special woman than he had. The server came over with a coffee for each of them, and they soon ordered.

"I'm impressed Junior," Senior said smiling at his son. "I didn't think you'd ever make this happen."

Tony sighed softly, while Ziva smiled at his father. "I suppose we needed the right reason," she explained.

"I understand that, it was the same with his mom and me. I might have my wild side, but that woman knew exactly how to tame it, and it certainly seems like you have figured out how to do that for Junior. I'm happy for you kids."

The rest of the meal they spent mostly talking about Tony's childhood. Both Dinozzos even started to talk about fond memories about his mother. Ziva didn't know a lot about is mother, and liked to hear about her, she sounded like a great woman, an knew that her death had been hard on both men, and it would help them to heal to talk about her, just like telling Tony about her father and childhood was helping her move forward with her grief over the death of her father.

As they finished their meal Ziva excused herself to the washroom, leaving the two men with the strained relationship alone. For a long moment they sat there not saying anything to one another, not wanting to ruin a good morning between them. They both knew that a big part of the reason they were getting along so well was because of the woman in Junior's life.

"We'll have to do this more often," Senior told his son with a slight grin.

"What's that look Dad?" asked Tony.

"It's nice to go for brunch with my son, having my future daughter in law keeping us from walking out on each other."

"Future daughter in law, that's a tad presumptuous, don't you think?"

"Junior, when I visited you at Christmas you didn't even have enough space for a woman in your apartment, telling me you were happy to be a lone wolf, not in those words. I come to visit you a few months later and you are living with the woman you have been in love with but were too stubborn to admit to for years. Knowing you will marry her isn't presumptuous, it's a damn good bet."

"Dad," he sighed.

"That's exactly how I reacted when people would tell me I would marry your mother," he laughed.

"Are you really comparing my relationship to yours?"

He shrugged. "If the shoe fits, Junior, that woman was the best thing that ever happened to me. She taught me a lot about love, and she gave me you. I know I made a lot of mistakes, but not when it came to her, whether you want to believe it or not son if she was still here I would still be happily married to her today. It takes a certain kind of woman to tame a Dinozzo and that woman has what it takes, just like your mom did. After I lost her I never wanted to be tamed again, and looked for completely different women."

"Did you ever think that I just grew up?" sighed Tony.

"I'm your father, Junior, you can fool a lot of people but not me. As much as you hate it we are more a like then you think and you know what I'm saying is the truth. The Israeli Goddess is unique, beautiful, can keep up with you and is perfect for you. You're going to marry her."

Tony was about saying something to his father about what he had just said although he wasn't sure he could make any argument sound convincing, when Ziva had come back to the table and he didn't want to get into with his father in front of her. He realised that Senior had been right there was something about her that kept the peace between the two men, and it was nice to have, even if it was only for a few minutes at a time, a normal relationship with his father.

"I guess we'll find out what happens," Senior told his son, with a wink.

Ziva sat down. "What were you talking about while I was gone?" she asked.

"Father, son stuff," Tony replied.

The senior Dinozzo smiled. "Junior you are usually much more hands on with your ladies. If I hadn't seen that smile you get when she comes into view I would swear I was missing something."

"You do not need to be mauling your partner in public in order to show affection," Ziva sighed. "I have never understood that."

"Another argument for my earlier statement, Junior, but Ziva there is something nice about kissing someone and knowing that everyone around you is a little jealous that it's you kissing the person you love."

"I will remember that."

Tony sighed softly. "Dad I'm not denying that I love Ziva more than any other woman I have known, but I think you are reading too much into everything. We've only been dating a few months. Why does everyone think we're even close to that point in our lives?"

"Because I'm your father, and parents know a few things before their kids, even if those kids don't want to admit it."

Ziva took Tony's hand. "I do not see why you are getting so mad about this Tony. If our friends and family want to believe we are going to get married, I do not see the harm." She ran her fingers along his cheek. "It only means they see what we feel without us acting like we are horny teenagers around them." She kissed his cheek softly. "Please do not start a fight with your father over this now. Today has been good and I would like it to continue to be."

Tony sighed, running his fingers through her hair. "Okay," he sighed, kissing her lips, shocked when she didn't pull away from him.

While his lips were on hers Tony suddenly came to a realisation everyone was right. He didn't want to ever know what it felt like to be locked in this sort of embrace with someone else. He didn't feel uncomfortable having his father with them. He was going to have to speak to someone about this, but he wasn't sure he was ready to ask his father those questions, things were still too strained between them, and he didn't want his father to be smug about being right.

End Part 15

Notes: Wait, wait… what? Did you catch that? What's Senior right about? Who is he gonna talk to about what now ;) Let me know what you think hearts and hugz to all for the support and kindness please keep it coming…