Title: My Heart Cries for you
Author: Trista Groulx aka dustytiger
ating: T (same as the show)
Disclaimer: I am remain poor and don't own NCIS it belongs to it's creator, network, writers, actors and actresses who bring it to life weekly.
Summary: Tony is diagnosed with leukemia and needs to rely on his family for support.
Notes: Tony gets home from work, a wrap up before the epilogue. Wow I can't believe it's almost over. Also none of you have guessed what might be coming next hehe... Virtual cookies if you guess right :D

Tony got home a little later then he had hoped, but his adrenaline as still pumping from his first day back at work. He had wanted to be back at work for months, but the reality of it hit him after they wrapped up his first case back. Ziva was home while he worked, she wasn't going to stay with NCIS now that he was cleared for duty again. He knew she wasn't going to be leaving again but it was still strange to know she was going to find a new career. She was a great agent, she had been groomed to do what she did, and he wondered what she might decide she wanted to do now that her time with NCIS was really over.

When he got into the house he shared with her the smell of a roast came wafting into his nostrils. It was amazing to him to feel like he was coming home to find dinner being prepared and his wife waiting for him, even though he knew she would eventually want to do something again this was nice. She was sitting on the couch reading a book, and he greeted her with a kiss.

"How was work?" she asked.

"Great," he replied. "It feels so good to be back."

"I am happy for you. I still do not know what I want to do," she sighed.

"You'll figure it out."

He sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms she smiled at him. It felt nice to connect like this. He then kissed her lips softly, and she put down her book, wrapping her arms around him. He deepened their kiss a part of him wishing that dinner wasn't in the oven already so he could carry her up to their room. He pulled away from her, resting his head on hers, she smiled at him, running her fingers through his hair, glad she was able to again.

"I am a lucky man, Zi,"he told her. "I didn't think I would find this, and I certainly didn't think we would get this chance after everything that happened."

"I am lucky too, Tony, do not ever forget that. I should have listened to my heart when I first felt this way about you but I was not ready. I am now, and you make me happier than I think I deserve."

"Don't say that. You deserve happiness just like anyone else. You came back when I needed you most and that's all that matters. It doesn't matter to me how we got here, or any time we think we missed what matters is what we have now."

She kissed his cheek softly. "I am sometimes amazed to hear you say things like that Tony."

"It took the right woman, and the right motivation I guess. For a long time I didn't think I wanted this so I didn't look for anything real, and would try to make things work with the wrong people knowing it would end badly. I didn't think we could ever find this."

She took his hand and squeezed his hand. "I think I did that too. What we have was certainly not love at first sight, but I suppose that's better. We have seen each other through good times and bad and we have been able build something real, that will last a long time because it took so much for us to get here."

He nodded. "You're right. I'm glad we were able to make this work."

He then leaned in and kissed her lips softly but with purpose not wanting to let her question for even a moment what he wanted, and he knew she wanted it too. She pulled away from him for a moment, taking dinner out of the even before returning to the couch, and capturing his lips again. He grinned pulling her closer, this was exactly how he wanted to end his day, and hoped it could happen often.

"Are you not tired?" she asked him.

He shrugged. "I'm never too tired for you."

She laughed and he suckled on her pulse point making her moan softly. She smiled letting her enjoy the sensation. There were times where she was still amazed this was real. They had had their ups and downs, but there was always something about him she was attracted to, but never thought she could tame. Now that she had him, she wasn't going to let him go. Sometimes she would stress about the way everything happened between them, but Abby would assure her that everything happened for a reason. She'd known long before their first kiss that she loved him in a way she had never loved anyone before and that's why she ran away from it for so long. She had always lost the people and things she loved, and couldn't believe this time was any different. It took almost losing him for her to take that chance, and she couldn't be happier, and she knew he felt the same way.

He lifted her easily into his arms, bringing her to their bedroom. He had found in her something he wasn't sure he would be able to. Growing up he had only seen one example of pure love, and he was almost too young to remember it. Most of his memories involved a revolving door of women coming in and out of his life, and after things fell apart with his too young engagement he thought that it was his duty to continue the DiNozzo legacy. It had taken him long time to realise he was, in fact, in love with her. He was instantly attracted to her, she was beautiful, slender and brunette. They certainly had not got off on the right foot, and there were times they hated each other. But when it mattered most they were there for each other.

He still remembered being on the tarmac with her in Israel wanting to tell her he loved her, but knowing there was something else she needed that she might only find in her homeland. It hurt him more than anything in his life, but he left her there out of love. It seemed so illogical but it was the truth he wanted to make her happy, but he didn't want to force a life on her she might not want. So he let her go in hopes that like the old saying went she would come back to him. As much as getting sick was hard on him, and the biggest fight of his life it had a great outcome, and that was having her as his wife. Maybe it wasn't ideal but it was their story, and it had a happy ending and that was what mattered to them both. He laid her down other their bed, and found her lips again, happy to know this was his future.

Notes: Hope that ties things up, I can't believe the epilogue is tomorrow. Let me know what you're thinking heart.