Author's note: First; THANK YOU for the great reviews! WOW. Ailyah, Greeny, Come2me, everyone - you are fabulous! I really love the interaction with you guys! And Ailyah - of course it is all about Tony laying guilt on Ziva - you hit the nail on the head! Desperate man and all...
And, I have to know - do you want to know what her mission is sooner or later?
McGee and Abby watched Tony and Ziva dance barefoot in the grass. They'd set up the reception in the meadow behind the chapel. Palmer was acting as videographer and Abby had set up the playlist on the same speaker system McGee had set up for their night at the Opera on the Potomac.
They'd pulled this all together in two days – Tony had slipped Abby his credit card and asked her to go to town on putting this all together. Abby, shockingly, was rather adept at planning weddings and McGee didn't see one flaw today.
"I've never seen Ziva cry this much," Abby paused and tilted her head. "Actually, I am not sure I have ever seen Ziva cry."
"I have," McGee said. "When her father died." Tim turned to look away from Tony and Ziva and whispered into Abby's ear, "She is in just as much pain."
"What can we do?" Abby glanced at Time, "How can we get her to open up? We were so close and what did she mean she can't change that she is Ziva David?"
"I am not sure," McGee replied. "But there is a clue there somewhere."
"Excuse me?" Father Logan stepped up to Abby and McGee with the Rabbi next to him. "May I ask…is the bride ill in some way? It is just that Mr. DiNozzo supported her throughout the ceremony and this all been so…"
"She isn't sick," Abby replied quickly. "She is going away and we do not want her to go."
"Going where?" The Rabbi asked. "To the War? Afghanistan?"
"No, not there," Tim answered with a shake of his head.
"Away," Abby said wistfully. "Just think of her as …special forces."
"I see," said Father Logan. "We will pray for her safe return."
Abby thanked them and nodded and muttered, "So will we."
The rest of the afternoon was spent eating, drinking, getting Sr. to tell stories about Tony, cutting the cake and finally tossing the garter and bouquet. Ducky caught the garter and of course, Ziva just handed the bouquet to Abby.
Before Tony and Ziva left, Director Vance pulled Ziva to one side. McGee hoped that maybe he could offer some insight on all this later but when Ziva left the Director's side - it was clear she had not shared a thing with him.
McGee waved as Tony closed Ziva's car door and ran around to get into the driver's seat. Tim could just make out the glint on her Star of David necklace and hoped the micro tracker worked as it was intended to work. At the moment it was the only way they had to keep tabs on Ziva when she left.
The hour drive home went by in a flash as they talked about the wedding, the cake, Ziva showed Tony the bracelet Abby lent her and said she had to remember to return it tomorrow. Tony told her he'd keep the bracelet safe but Abby wasn't allowed on their honeymoon.
When they arrived at the apartment building, the doorman took Tony's car keys and congratulated Mr. and Mrs. DiNozzo on their wedding. When they got to their door Tony had Ziva wait where she was, unlocked and opened the door then swept her into his arms.
"I intend to do this right, Mrs. DiNozzo," he said as he crossed the threshold and kicked the door closed behind him.
The apartment smelled of roses and Barry, the doorman, had done as Tony had asked. There were rose petals strewn from the door to the bedroom, a bottle of chilled champagne and glasses by the bed and the bed was made up with new bridal linens. Barry's cousin owned a bedding shop in Georgetown and it worked out perfectly.
The enjoyment Tony took from Ziva's face could not be measured. "Welcome home, Mrs. DiNozzo."
Ziva kissed him as her legs dangled in the air, "You are insane, Tony, but I love you."
She peppered kissed on his face as he walked her closer to the bed, "Are you going to put me down?"
"No, I kinda like this," Tony grinned. "You don't weigh anything. How is it that you can take a two hundred pound man in five seconds?"
"Training," Ziva laughed.
Tony put her on the bed and the rest of the evening was spent right there, making love, drinking champagne, indulging in the chocolate-covered strawberries next to the champagne and indulging in each other several times.
Somewhere around 4am, Tony woke afraid Ziva had gone but no, she was there in his arms fast asleep. He kissed her forehead and she barely stirred, she must be completely drained else she'd open her eyes. She was always aware of her surroundings, even in sleep. He never got how she did that. And she wasn't snoring - but she hadn't in years. He was grateful to that Iranian spy for that - when Ziva had broken her nose it had fixed her deviated septum; and it was still a cute nose.
How long had he slept alone in this room and wished for exactly this moment? All he wanted to do was take care of her...be with her. Ziva David was his wife now and he was so grateful. But it was time to push - she would walk out that door in a few days and he might not ever know what happened to her and that was unacceptable. So, tomorrow it was time to push as hard as he'd ever pushed anyone. He needed to get the truth out of her - he needed to know what this mission was and why it was so important to her. An act of conscience? That is what Gibbs said she told him.
What act of conscience could supersede what they had? He knew she loved him - it was impossible not to feel his love returned. But why wasn't this - between them - enough to keep her here?
He could not love this woman any more than he did. Tony will forever regret...regret the wasted time that they should have had together. He couldn't afford to waste another moment.