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: Gibbs needs to talk to Tony and Ziva, and something about their wedding settled. Thank you as always for the support guys. I lied again, 25 parts then the epilogue. Still trying to put some M rated parts together but no promises.
"…I need you love…"
The couple was surprised when their boss had told them he needed to see them after work. They weren't sure what to expect from him. Things had been going well at work and they thought they had been keeping their relationship at home. They went into the basement where he was of course working on his boat as they went down.
"What's up Boss?" Dinozzo asked, not wanting to stall whatever it was he needed to talk to them about
"They caught Bodnar," Gibbs told them.
Ziva felt relief wash over her knowing that she was safe, and wouldn't need to feel like she was a child in need of a baby sitter any time she wanted to go anywhere. As much as she enjoyed spending time with Tony it would be nice to do the groceries without him hovering over her. It would also be nice to be able to answer her own front door again.
"That's great news," Dinozzo said. "You have told us at work though."
"I know. I have something to show you. Follow me."
He went upstairs and into the yard. The two of them were shocked when they saw the chuppah he had made. They could tell he had put a lot of work into it. Dinozzo had never told Ziva about it, wanting Gibbs to be able to surprise her with the gift. He was surprised to see it finished, he hadn't expected it to be so big, and wondered how they might move it when they finally chose the venue where they would be married. They knew everything else they wanted for their day but finding a place to have it was proving to be tricky.
"Gibbs, you did not have to do that," Ziva told him as she looked at the chuppah.
"I wanted to," he assured her. "Now it's just a matter of getting it to where you need it to go when you decide where you're getting married."
"Could we not leave it here?"
"What?" both Tony and Gibbs asked.
"Tony and I want something small, and we did not like the places we have seen. Gibbs, could we have the wedding here?"
Gibbs was surprised to hear her say that, but not nearly as shocked as Dinozzo seemed to be. Ziva could picture the whole wedding happening there. They could move the chuppah to the other end of the yard, so that she could walked toward Dinozzo from the back door. They could set up chairs for their friends, and family, and a small tent where they could eat. She didn't really want a night of dancing with her new husband, and she thought that being in Gibbs' back yard would be the perfect solution. They would be able to have Ducky preform the ceremony as they wanted.
"If that's what you want, it can happen," Gibbs assured them.
Dinozzo's mind was racing, they hadn't discussed having a backyard wedding before. He thought that when it finally happened they would be married somewhere where weddings happened all the time. He had always thought that backyard weddings were a cheap and a little cheesy. Money wasn't an issue for them, if she had wanted to get married in Israel he would have made it happen for her.
"Do you two want some coffee?" Gibbs offered.
"Sure," Dinozzo replied, surprising Ziva but not Gibbs.
Gibbs went inside to give them a moment alone, knowing they needed it. He wanted them to know this was an option if they agreed on it, but he wasn't sure they would. Ziva looked at Dinozzo, confused as she took his hand.
"Is something wrong?" she asked.
"Ziva, you want a backyard wedding?" Tony asked her.
"I did not think I did, until I saw this," she explained. "We both want something small, and agreed that having a civil ceremony would not be enough. I think this is the answer. Do you want something else?"
"I don't know, I guess I always pictured my wife walking toward me in a church."
She ran her fingers along his cheek. "You should not have fallen in love with a Jewish girl then. I would never convert, and I cannot ask you to, so we will have to compromise."
"You're sure this is what you want, because I will make whatever you want happen. It doesn't matter what it is, anything at all we'll make it work."
"I know you would, but I do not need that. This way we can do this the way we want to, and the space will not look empty with the people that we are going to invite. We are both comfortable here, I think it is perfect, do you not?"
"When you explain it like that maybe it is. It's just not what I pictured."
"There are parts of the wedding which are not how I thought they would be either Tony."
He squeezed her hand. "I know, Ziva, and I'm sorry. Let's have our wedding here with our best friends, as long as Gibbs is okay with that."
"Why wouldn't I be?" Gibbs asked, appearing with the coffee. "If this is what you want, then I'll make it happen."
"Are you sure?" Ziva asked.
"Of course I am, it's not like you'll be inviting hundreds of people, and this way we don't have to worry about damaging the chuppah to get it where it needs to go."
"I still cannot believe you built this, it's beautiful. There have been halls we've looked at which don't have such a nice one."
"I wanted it to be special. There's a lot of symbolism in these."
She smiled. "Would it be difficult to move it just to the other end of the yard?"
"No."
"What are you thinking Ziva?" Tony asked.
"Perhaps we can set it up here," she said standing in the spot directly facing the back door. "Then the aisle would be from the door, so you do not see my dress before the ceremony. There would be enough room to put the chair we would need, and then a tent over there for the food, and cake."
"What about a dance floor?"
"We move the chairs and use the lawn Dinozzo, unless someone you know has suddenly become some sort of professional dancer in their spare time."
"What about our dance?"
"We can dance on the lawn Tony, I will not be wearing high heels on my wedding day. This is what I would like, but I would like you to want it too."
"All right Ziva, it's a good idea, it is… I just."
"I do not want our wedding to be about show. I want it to be real."
He nodded, putting his hand on her face. She smiled at him, and he knew this was really what she wanted, she wasn't settling. He looked around, but still couldn't see her vision, but knew she would make it happen. He also knew that having it at Gibbs' would mean there would be less chance of anything going wrong, barring the weather, since everyone always listened to the boss.
End Part 20
Notes: I hope you like the idea for the wedding. HUGZ to all of you who have been supporting this, let me know if you still like it :D