I did say that there might be one more chapter, and I have been working on this ever since I said it. I have just had an idea for one final final chapter, but I do not know if I will write it and if I do I do not know how long it will be or when I will upload it. You never know – in forty years time you might get a little notification to say "Hi there, I'm Eddie, your on board computer system. Everything Starts Somewhere has just had it's final final chapter uploaded."
Unlikely, but you never know…
First Dates
"You look beautiful." Tony smiled as he leant against the doorframe, his eyes flicking up and down her body in appraisal. He wanted to walk over to her and tug at the green sash holding the satin dress up, to see if the material felt the same as it had those two long years ago. She'd left her hair natural like she had that night in the hotel as well and the fire was almost back in her eyes. Almost. She was still convinced he was just a creation of her mind.
"You do not look half bad yourself, Tony." She looked at the tux and flicked the light off as she breezed past him out of her front door. He held his arm out for her and, after a moment's consideration, she took it. He guided her to his new car, the mustang that resembled his old one in every way but the colour – this one was a pale eggshell blue. They sat in silence as he drove to the pizza place she had chosen for their first date and he pulled up outside. "Are you still sure that you want to go here? I have a reservation at a hotel restaurant if you want and we are definitely dressed for the occasion."
"Here is fine."
"As you wish." He smiled, seeing if she could get the movie reference. She didn't, but that didn't matter, he had The Princess Bride on DVD at home. Maybe he'd watch it with her someday. He leapt out and walked to the passenger door, opening it and giving her his hand. They attracted many pairs of eyes as they walked into the all night pizza parlour, out of place in their fine clothes. The place was full of students out for a late night snack and people just finishing a late shift at the office. Busy for 2300 hours. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his side. "What do you want?"
"My usual." A test. It had been months since they had spent the evening together with pizza.
"One peperoni and sausage, one olive and anchovy."
"You remembered?" She looked honestly shocked.
"Of course."
"Anything else, sir?" The cashier asked and Tony shook his head. "Very well then." Tony handed money over, not needing to be told the prices.
"Can we have them to-go please?" He smiled as Ziva frowned at him.
"We are supposed to be eating here."
"And I changed my mind."
"Then where are we going?"
"Patience." He ran a finger down her cheek. He nodded a thank you as he collected the two boxes and guided her out of the shop with a hand on the small of her back. She stayed silent, sulking for the whole car journey to the navy yard.
"Tony, if you call sitting at your desk eating pizza a date then we have had many dates before."
"You really have no patience, do you?" He sighed as he parked his mustang in its usual slot and turned to look at her. They got out again, Ziva not waiting this time for his hand as she made her way to the front of the NCIS building. "Hey, where do you think you're going?" He wrapped an arm around her waist and tugged her around the back of the building, towards the river. She narrowed her eyes at him as he led her along the pier and up the gangplank lit with fairy lights.
"Are we supposed to be here?"
"Scared?"
"Never."
"Then stop asking so many questions." They followed the trail of fairy lights to the deck and a small patio table. "You, Ziva David, are the first person ever to have a romantic dinner of pizza and a very expensive champagne my father gave me when I turned 21 on the deck of the DS Barry." He nodded to the shadows and Palmer walked out, looking rather uncomfortable dressed as a waiter. The ME's assistant pulled out Ziva's chair so she could sit and did the same for Tony before pouring two flutes of champagne and lighting the candle in the middle of the table next to the single black rose. Tony handed Ziva her olive and anchovy pizza and started eating his slowly, keeping his eyes fixed to her uncertain face. "Satisfied that you haven't just made this up?"
"I do not think I would be able to make something like this up." She shrugged.
"Then why do you look so uncomfortable?"
"Because I do not understand why you are doing this."
"Hm." He furrowed his brow. "You'll figure it out with time." He continued to eat, leaving her staring at him.
"So you are not going to tell me?"
"Nope."
"How did you get this all put together so quickly?"
"I had help." He pointed to the black rose. "I did threaten Abby that if she did not buy a red rose I'd kill her, but apparently my empty threats were just that. And of course Gibbs giving you the dress from the undercover wardrobe to wear." He grinned. "Guess who the fairy lights belong to."
"The Director?"
"No, guess again."
"Cynthia? Lee?"
"McPrettyInPink. Apparently he brought them when he was decorating his sister's sweet sixteen." Tony laughed at her shock. They finished their meal in amiable quietude and Palmer hurried over with a packet of chocolate biscuits and a handful of chocolate bars from the vending machine.
"This is all I could find, Tony." He held them out and gasped for breath after his run.
"They'll do, Jimmy. Hey, thanks for this." He held the younger man's forearm as he started to walk away.
"No, don't mention it." But he beamed at the appreciation as he nodded and walked back into the shadows.
"So, apparently there is not a great stock of dessert foods on the navy yard." He placed the assortment of food on the table. "Take your pick."
"Thank you, Tony." She kissed his cheek gently as they stood by his car.
"It's not over yet." He grinned.
"Tony, it is 0100 hours. We have work tomorrow."
"Stop making excuses." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and smiled. "Come on, or we'll be late."
"I am tired, Tony."
"You can sleep on the way there." He grinned and she sighed, only wondering how much caffeine he must have had to keep him this awake.
She slept in the car, and stayed sleeping as he lifted her out and carried her up the stairs. She stayed asleep in the leather chair he placed her in until tendrils of sunlight crept through the windows. She sat up and blinked, looking around the cabin and seeing him dosing in a chair opposite. "Ow, that is no way to treat someone after such a romantic night." He rubbed the side of his head where the pillow had hit.
"Where are we?" She demanded. "This is kidnapping."
"Not if you complied." He shrugged and looked out the window. "Looks like Mexico."
"What are we doing in Mexico, Tony?" She sighed and leaned her head back.
"Going to the beach."
"We have to be at work in three hours." She looked at her watch.
"No we don't. We have two weeks off."
"How did you manage to get two weeks off?"
"Easy. I told Jenny that after such a long undercover mission and so much overtime she owed me at least four weeks off."
"And she just accepted that?"
"Well, I also said that since it had not exactly ended well, I was needing a break."
"So why am I not at work?"
"Gibbs told her he didn't think it was wise leaving me alone for too long, told her I might not come back. So you are my guardian." He grinned.
"What are we really doing here, Tony?"
"We're going to spend two weeks on Mike Franks beach. He, his daughter-in-law and his granddaughter are spending some time with Gibbs. We have the run of the house."
"But why?"
"Why do you think?"
"I do not know." Her usually strong voice faltered as she peered out of the window.
"You'll get it soon enough." He shrugged. "Water?"
"Tony, what are you doing?"
"Offering a bottle of water. Why, it look like I'm doing something else?"
"Tony."
"Ziva."
"Stop it."
"Stop what?" He asked innocently, smiling.
"Ugh!" She reached for her thigh holster and realised it wasn't wrapped around the top of her leg anymore. "What have you done with my gun!?"
"It's in the safe. I didn't want you shooting me."
"You took my holster off!"
"I didn't think it safe for you to be sleeping in it." He shrugged and leaned back on his folded arms. She reached for the pistol and knife concealed at her ankle. "They're in the safe as well. It does make me wonder, Zee-vah. Why do you need so many weapons for a date? I'm not that dangerous."
"He says as we fly over Mexico against my will."
"I thought this is what you wanted. I thought you wanted me to take you on a date."
"I would have preferred you not kidnapping me." She snapped. "And you leaving my weapons with me."
"I'm not kidnapping you."
"Then why are you taking me to Mexico?"
"Because Gibbs said I wasn't allowed to take you to the 'crystal white sands of your homeland'." He quoted from McGee's book.
"Take me home, Tony." She looked at him and he sighed.
"This was supposed to be our first date, Ziva. Why can you never just be happy with a surprise?"
"Because I was taught to shoot things that jump out at me."
"Which is precisely why I took your weapons away." He laughed slightly and walked over to her. He took her hand and smiled. "I wanted to try and make up for the past year. I will spend a lifetime making it up to you if that is what it takes. We can move to Tel Aviv, or Paris, or wherever you want. We can buy a house and forget Jeanne and NCIS and Mossad and arms dealers and everything. I want you to be happy."
"And what about your happiness?"
"That will come with seeing you happy." He smiled and brushed her hair out of her eyes.
"I do not want to move away from DC, Tony. I do not want to forget about NCIS. I just want you to love me."
"As you wish." He smiled and brushed his lips against hers. She narrowed her eyes but said nothing, lapsing into an amicable silence as the plane began to descend.
"They're coming home, Timmy!" Abby bounced around as they waited in the squad room.
"If Ziva didn't kill him."
"She wouldn't do that, Timmy. She loves him."
"I fear Timothy that Abby is correct." Ducky sighed as they all stood facing the elevator.
Jenny looked at Gibbs. "You better be right about breaking the rules, Jethro, because if this doesn't work out it will be my neck on the line. Let alone the fallout it will cause if something goes wrong between the two of them."
"Trust me, Jen. I'm right."
"Aren't you always." She muttered under her breath and turned away.
"You don't think I did anything wrong when I waited on them the other week do you Doctor Mallard, because if I got something wrong and that ruined all chances of a relationship for them I don't know what I'll do." Palmer said nervously and Gibbs glared at him. "Right. Er, Doctor, I think I might go downstairs and make sure the pipettes are clean." He backed away and hurried out of the room before anyone could yell at him.
"I apologise for him, Jethro. He really does mean well, even if he is slightly misguided at times." The elevator door dinged and Abby squealed, running and hugging the agent who walked out. He yelped as he was ambushed, turning to look at the strange creature that had attached itself to him.
"You're not Tony or Ziva!" She pulled away, freeing the man from the restraints of her arms and letting him hurry to his desk with fear-stricken eyes. It wasn't every day that you were attacked by a curious hugging Goth. He looked back over and saw her return to stand by agent Gibb's team. That would explain it – she must be the forensic specialist. In his four weeks of working at the agency he was rather glad that he had not had the unfortunate luck of being sent on any errands to the lab. He had heard stories that would give anyone nightmares.
The elevator dinged again and this time she got the right person as she flung her arms around Ziva's neck.
"Indoor voices, Abs." Tony smiled at her squealing.
"You're home!" She stood back and looked at the pair of them, then to their hands entwined together between them. "Eeeee!"
"Abby, please." He tried to cover his ears with his free hand.
"Abs, you've said hello. Now get back to work." Gibbs looked at her. "The two of you with me." He walked between them so they had to let go of one another's hands. He stormed into the elevator and they exchanged a look before following him, Tony recapturing her hand in his.
He stood silently.
They stood silently.
They both began to feel ashamed.
They both began to feel like they had broken the rules.
And they had.
"What are you two doing?" Gibbs broke the oppressive lack of noise.
"We're being happy." Tony shrugged.
"You've broken my rules."
"You said I could take her to Mexico!"
"I said you could repair your friendship!"
"And what if we both want more than friendship? What if we'll never be happy as just friends? Because I am happy right now and I want to stay that way! If me not working here is the only way to get that, then fine!" Tony yelled.
"Hey!" Gibbs hit the back of his head. "You happy, Ziva?"
"More than ever."
"And you are too?"
"Yes."
"And you each promise that you won't do anything to destroy the other or what you've got?"
"Yes." They replied together. Gibbs looked at them for a long moment before a very, very rare smile graced his lips.
"Good." He smiled and hit the on button. They both stared, shocked.
"Wait, what?"
"DiNozzo, I'm happy for you."
"So what was the whole 'what do you think you're doing!'?"
"It was me checking that neither of you were gonna screw this up. Or screw the other up. But, if you can't keep your work and home lives separate, I will hit you both so hard that your kids'll feel it."
"Kids!" Tony choked on the word and Ziva visibly paled. Gibbs raised his eyebrows at her, which made Tony look at her. His eyes bulged. "You're not…"
"No!" She shook her head frantically and Gibbs laughed. They both glared at him.
"I couldn't resist." He shrugged, grinning. "The look on your faces was worth it."
"He's dead." Tony muttered as they exited the elevator.
"Do not worry, my love. I know how to kill someone with just a toothpick." She shrugged and he laughed.
Yes, he was happy.
He was happy with his little, beautiful assassin.