Chapter eight

A/N: I'm so, so sorry for the radio silence guys, I've just gotten back to classes so of course ALL my teachers want ALL my work back by the end of the first week (yesterday) and I've been helping look after my nan since they've been living here and her specialists have said she doesn't have much longer left, her radiation therapy didn't work and they said there is no point in starting chemo because she may not be around long enough to complete it. :'( Funny how a little headache can cause so much pain…

A/N: I don't own the show, I wish I did though

Ziva had been throwing up on Monday and she thought that maybe it was the Chinese they'd eaten on Sunday night, but now on Wednesday she was still sick 'it is just a stomach bug' she thought to herself, it's not denial, that other possibility is impossible. It has been since Somalia. Besides they'd only been together six months, it's too soon to even begin to think of that. If she was going to think of anything it would be of tonight, it was their six months anniversary today and Abby had decided that Tony and Ziva HAD to celebrate it.

Neither were all that sappy enough to really want to celebrate it but Gibbs had indulged Abby and decided that the couple could leave early to prepare for a dinner reservation that Abby had set up at a restaurant that neither Ziva or Tony had been to before but told them they needed to dress "beautifully". 'A real help Abby' Ziva mumbled to herself trying to think through her still scarce wardrobe while sitting at her desk for something she could consider fancy. Tony and Ziva didn't go out often but when they did it wasn't to overly fancy places like the one Ziva was sure to have chosen for tonight.

"Something wrong baby?" Tony's voice startled her out of her internalising, "what?"
Ziva asked on a catch in her breathing. "Sorry bub, didn't mean to scare you, you just looked like you were off with the pixies is all, you okay?" Tony said, voice laced with concern. "I do not think that there is actually such things as pixies Tony, even if there were I was just thinking." Shaking his head Tony chose not to question his girlfriend's logic or remind her that it was a figure of speech instead he probed her "thinking about what Zi?" "Just tonight, I do not think that I have anything to wear for tonight. The place Abby has described does not seem like jeans and a t shirt or a sundress kind of place." "Ah, you see Abby has that worked out for you, she said she had something for you in the lab, didn't say what just asked if I could send you down. When you get back though Gibbs said we can go. Still can't believe she got him to cave." Tony said with a sweet smile and a kiss to Ziva's temple. Standing and letting out a small chuckle Ziva made her way down to the lab.

Tony watched Ziva get into the elevator still smiling after her, Ziva had looked a little sick this week and Tony had been making up excuses for the team to keep them off her back, maybe she had worked out that tonight wasn't Abby's plan. Maybe she had worked out it was his plan and what else he had planned. He'd felt sick himself just thinking about what he was going to do tonight. He sent a prayer up to whatever deities were up there that tonight would go smoothly otherwise it is going to be real awkward afterwards.

Abby was bouncing on her feet waiting for Ziva to arrive, she had found not just any dress but THE dress, the one that Ziva was born to wear, but that was for later, much later. For now Abby had gotten a black Strapless dress that on Ziva would cling in all the right places but wasn't glued to her thighs, at the waist it flared out a little to fall around her knees. It was perfect for tonight and tonight had to be perfect, tonight could mean the future of their whole family. It had to go off perfect or things would definitely be awkward tomorrow. Abby had no time to dwell on it because just as that last thought entered her head Ziva walked through the sliding doors into the lab.

Ziva walked hesitantly through bracing herself for one of Abby's trademark hugs but the taller woman seemed to be lost in thought but quickly broke out of her trance and hugged Ziva before pulling her wordlessly into Abby's office section of the lab (avoiding the gun bay where the OTHER dress was hidden) and shoved the black material into Ziva's hand before pointing towards her bathroom. Ziva didn't need Abby's words to know what she was supposed to do, it seemed she was getting ready here, but what about Tony? Didn't he say they were allowed to leave when she got back from the lab? It was five thirty now, their reservations were at eight and knowing Abby Ziva wouldn't be leaving this lab until at least seven thirty, that didn't leave enough time for them to get back to the apartment for Tony to change.

Sending Ziva down to Abby's may have seemed like a cruel thing to do but at least it gave him time to get home and change without giving away the real plan, and by default the real planner. Leaving exactly four minutes twenty-six seconds later (the time it would take for Ziva to get to the lab and back to her desk and back to the lab if she'd forgotten something) Tony ran for the elevator and got in, in time for the doors to close. It's not that he didn't want anyone to see him leave, he had permission to go it's just he didn't want to risk Ziva catching him leaving in case it took her a minute to think of something she needed down there.

Arriving back at exactly seven twenty – seven, three minutes before Abby was sure to bring Ziva up for their date he settled into his desk to pretend to be doing paper work when the girls got up here. "Sorry I took so long Abby wanted to help me get ready in the lab." Ziva' voice caused him to look up and when it did he couldn't find the words, Abby had done an amazing job, the dress was amazing and she'd straightened some of Ziva's hair and curled other bits and put her hair half up. They had skipped the make-up except for some eyeliner and lip gloss and Ziva looked breath taking. No one but Tony would have noticed (and even he didn't for a minute there) that Ziva had blushed slightly at Tony's reaction. Finally snapping out of it Tony stuttered "you look beautiful baby, I mean you're always beautiful but… wow" Ziva let out a slight chuckle blushing a shade darker.

"You left." It wasn't a question or an accusation, just a statement, Ziva had noticed the change in suit. "Ah yeah, I kinda guessed Abbs would keep you down there a while so I went home to switch out." Tony mumbled, still in awe of Abby's choice of dress on Ziva. "You two better scram if you wanna make your reservations" Gibbs' gruff voice called out as he passed the three agents and scientist "Abbs, McGee. You two might as well go as well." The five of them made their way to the elevator standing quietly in front with small smiles on their face, Gibbs, Abby and McGee were glad the couple cuddling behind them had finally found each other.

A/N: that's all for now, tune in next time for their date. Again I'm sorry for the radio silence (especially considering I was posting daily I think for a bit there) it'll go back to weekend posts now cause I'm back at TAFE. Love Sky xoxo