The next morning, Ziva arrived at the NCIS bullpen, setting her bag down and logging into her computer, her expression unreadable but serene. She was soon joined by McGee, who glanced at her, noting the subtle calm that had settled around her.

A few minutes later, Tony walked in, slightly disheveled but grinning as he tossed his bag onto his desk. McGee immediately turned to them, curiosity sparking in his eyes.

"So," McGee began, "how was the wedding?"

Tony and Ziva exchanged a quick look, both of them fighting back a grin.

"It was... interesting," Ziva replied vaguely, a hint of mischief in her eyes.

"Oh, you know how weddings are, McCurious," Tony interjected, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. "Vows, cake, a lot of dancing—my dad was the life of the party, as usual."

"Interesting how?" McGee pressed, sensing there was more to the story.

Tony gave a nonchalant shrug, glancing over at Ziva with a glimmer in his eye. "You know, the usual drama when my dad's involved. Oh, and did I mention the bride was younger than me?"

McGee raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. "Wait, younger than you? That's... that's a little awkward."

Tony nodded, stifling a laugh. "You don't know the half of it, McCurious. The wedding games were wild, and my dad... let's just say he had plenty of dance partners."

"And Ziva?" McGee asked, turning toward her. "Did you get roped into any of the dancing?"

"Tony's father insisted I join him for a dance," Ziva said, her tone light as she recalled the night. "It was... a different experience."

Tony chuckled. "Different is one way to put it. He tried to convince her to spill state secrets, but Ziva's too much of a ninja for that."

McGee's eyebrows shot up. "So did you two have fun, at least?"

Tony and Ziva exchanged another quick glance, and this time, they both allowed themselves a small smile.

"It was fun," Tony said simply, his tone unusually sincere.

"Yes," Ziva added, her voice soft. "It was... nice to be somewhere different for a while."

McGee smiled, sensing that there was more to their answers than they were letting on but deciding not to push any further. "Sounds like you two had quite a weekend."

They both nodded, their gazes meeting for a brief second before they returned to their work, leaving the weekend's unspoken moments just for them to remember.

Gibbs strode into the bullpen with his usual authoritative presence, immediately cutting through their quiet laughter. "Enough about weddings," he said gruffly, tossing a file onto Tony's desk. "Grab your gear. We've got a case."

Instantly, everyone snapped into focus, packing up their bags and double-checking their equipment. In minutes, they were heading down to the parking garage. Tony, as usual, called shotgun, and Gibbs took the wheel while McGee and Ziva climbed into the back seat.

As they pulled out of the garage, McGee leaned toward Ziva, an amused smile playing on his lips. "So, Ziva," he said, lowering his voice just enough to avoid attracting Gibbs' attention. "How exactly did you manage to spend several days with Tony without, you know, hurting him?"

Ziva shot McGee a look, lips curling into a barely restrained smirk. "It was not difficult, McGee," she replied with mock seriousness. "Though… there were moments where it crossed my mind."

Tony, catching that, turned around in his seat with a wounded look. "Hey! I was an angel all weekend, Ziva. If anything, you were the one testing my patience."

She raised an eyebrow, her expression unamused but her eyes sparkling. "Oh really? I do not remember that. Perhaps I should test your patience now."

Gibbs gave a small grunt from the driver's seat, though a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Enough. Both of you."

McGee held back a chuckle, clearly enjoying Tony's reaction. "Guess it's good you both made it back in one piece," he said with a grin.

"Speak for yourself, McNosy," Tony shot back, though he glanced at Ziva with a small, genuine smile. "We were just fine."

Gibbs gave an exasperated sigh from the driver's seat, glancing sideways at Tony. "Keep it up, DiNozzo, and your head's not making it out of this car in one piece."

Tony smirked, undeterred. "Boss, I don't even remember the last time you gave me one of those love taps."

Ziva's voice came from the back, perfectly deadpan, "July 18th. You had just told McGee to call you 'Sensei.'"

Tony turned to look at her, eyes narrowing. "You and your ninja photographic memory…" he began, only to be abruptly cut off by a solid smack to the back of his head.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, rubbing the spot, while Ziva and McGee couldn't help but grin. "See, Boss? It's been a while, but… message received," he added, his smirk returning.

"Good," Gibbs replied, a hint of amusement breaking through his stern exterior. "Then keep quiet, all of you. We're almost there."

They all settled into a brief silence as Gibbs maneuvered the car toward the crime scene. Ziva stared out the window, her mind still half-lost in the weekend's memories. A subtle smile played on her lips as she recalled Tony's unexpected softness beneath the sarcasm he wore like armor.

A few moments later, they arrived at the scene. Gibbs parked, and everyone climbed out of the car, quickly shifting from friendly banter to professional focus. They flashed their badges and moved past the tape, ready for whatever the case had in store.

As they approached, Gibbs turned back to them. "DiNozzo, Ziva, you're with me. McGee, start talking to the witnesses."

They split up to do their work, and Tony leaned close to Ziva as they walked, muttering, "See, you're lucky you didn't have to grow up with that look."

She stifled a laugh and elbowed him lightly. "Maybe it would have kept you in line."

"Hey, I've got plenty of charm," Tony replied with a wink. "And if you're lucky, you might see more of it."

Ziva rolled her eyes but couldn't stop the slight smile tugging at her lips. Just as she was about to reply, Gibbs shot them another sharp look, and they fell back into line, getting back to work on the case.

The team fell into their usual rhythm, surveying the scene with well-practiced focus. Gibbs led Tony and Ziva to the area marked off by crime scene tape, where a small group of officers waited. The victim lay in the center of a park, and the case details were beginning to emerge.

After reviewing preliminary information from the officers, Gibbs split the team up again. "DiNozzo, you and Ziva canvas the area. See if any cameras caught something unusual. McGee, pull the victim's phone records and check if he was meeting anyone here. I'll handle the scene."

Tony turned to Ziva, raising his eyebrows. "Shall we, ninja?"

She nodded, and they set off together, crossing the park in search of potential witnesses and security cameras. Tony kept glancing at Ziva, his mind slipping back to the wedding, but he pushed those thoughts aside, determined to stay focused. They stopped by a streetlight pole with a small security camera above it, Tony craning his neck to get a better look.

"You know, it's funny," he murmured, unable to resist. "This weekend might be the first time we spent more than 48 hours together without you throwing a punch."

Ziva smirked. "Perhaps I'm getting soft."

Tony chuckled, shaking his head. "Doubt that." He looked back at her, grinning. "Then again, maybe I'm just irresistible."

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "Keep telling yourself that, DiNozzo."

McGee was only a few meters away from then when he thought about teasing his coworkers who still did not seem to see what everyone else saw so he said . "Hey, lovebirds, mind focusing on the case?".

Tony shot McGee a glare, opening his mouth to retort, but Ziva was already stepping in. Ziva's gaze sharpened, and she took a step closer to him, arms crossed, with a smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Careful, McGee," she said in a low, dangerous tone, "or I might remind you what happens to those who stick their nose where it doesn't belong."

McGee's smirk faltered as he caught the glint in her eyes. "Uh, got it. Just... just joking."

"Good." She gave him one last look, then turned back to Tony, who was struggling to hold in a chuckle. Ziva shot him a quick, knowing smile.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side, Zee-vah," Tony muttered under his breath, still grinning.

"Smart choice, DiNozzo," she replied coolly, as they resumed their search for clues.

They continued gathering footage, speaking to a few pedestrians who had passed by earlier, and checking nearby businesses for any relevant video. The work brought them back into sync, slipping effortlessly between their familiar roles as partners, picking up on each other's cues without a word. It was the same unspoken rhythm they had on the dance floor the night before.

After an hour of canvassing, they reconvened with Gibbs and McGee at the park's entrance to report their findings. They hadn't gathered much, but Tony noticed Gibbs was eyeing him a little closer than usual.

"Something on your mind, Boss?" Tony asked, trying to sound casual.

Gibbs gave him a quick once-over. "Just noticing that you seem a little...distracted, DiNozzo."

Tony cleared his throat, shifting under the scrutiny. "Focused as always, Boss."

But Gibbs didn't look convinced. He glanced briefly at Ziva, who held his gaze steady, unflinching. There was an unspoken understanding there that Tony couldn't quite decode, but whatever it was, Gibbs just nodded and turned away, moving back toward the crime scene.

As they walked back to the car, Tony glanced at Ziva, both of them smiling just a little. Whatever lay ahead with this case, they knew they had each other's backs—on and off the field.

The team arrived at the scene, a quiet residential neighborhood with police tape blocking off the entrance to a modest, brick-walled home. As they climbed out of the car, Gibbs gave them a quick rundown.

"Victim's name is Daniel Pratt. Retired Navy captain. Neighbors reported shots fired late last night. Let's see what we're dealing with."

They split up, each moving in sync as they entered the house. Tony glanced at Ziva, who nodded before heading to examine the living room. McGee set up his gear by the front door to process evidence, while Gibbs was already talking to a neighbor outside.

Tony wandered into the kitchen, looking for any signs of forced entry or anything out of place. He found Ziva kneeling beside a cabinet, pulling out a few pieces of broken glass with gloved hands. She looked up and met his gaze, her brow furrowed.

"Broken glass, but not from any windows," she observed. "It's like someone knocked it over in a hurry."

"Maybe our victim surprised them," Tony said, crouching down beside her. "Or… he fought back. Could've been a struggle."

Ziva nodded, her gaze intense. "You're right; look here." She pointed to some faint scuff marks on the floor. "These could be from someone's shoes—maybe dragging or wrestling."

Tony gave a low whistle, impressed. "Good catch, ninja. That memory of yours does come in handy."

She smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Unlike you, who is just lucky when he remembers where he parked."

He grinned back, ready to make a witty retort when McGee called out from the hallway. "Guys, I found something in the bedroom closet—blood, but no body."

They exchanged a quick look and stood up, moving to join McGee. Gibbs had reentered and was already heading toward them, taking everything in with his usual intense gaze.

"Looks like this one won't be easy," he muttered. "Alright, let's work it. And I don't want any more talk about parking or… lovebirds," he added with a pointed glance at Tony and Ziva.

Tony and Ziva exchanged a quick, knowing glance, keeping their smiles in check. Whatever was between them could wait. Right now, they had a job to do.

Back in the bullpen, Tony and Ziva exchanged a mischievous glance as they watched McGee disappear down the hall toward Abby's lab. The opportunity was just too good to pass up.

"Think he's noticed we've been getting along?" Tony whispered with a grin, grabbing the small tube of superglue from his desk drawer. It was a classic prank they'd pulled before, and this seemed like the perfect moment to bring it back.

Ziva smirked, crossing her arms. "Oh, he's suspicious, alright. The poor probie is always waiting for the next practical joke."

Tony's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Perfect. Let's give him something to worry about."

Together, they moved quickly, working as a well-practiced team. Ziva kept watch, casting the occasional glance down the hall to make sure Gibbs or McGee didn't suddenly appear. Meanwhile, Tony expertly applied a thin, strategic line of superglue along the edge of McGee's chair and the underside of his desk, just enough to ensure that when McGee returned and sat down, he'd be stuck.

"Think he'll suspect anything?" Ziva whispered, leaning over to watch Tony's handiwork.

Tony shrugged with a grin. "Oh, he'll suspect, but he'll never confirm. That's what makes it fun."

With the prank set, they both hurriedly returned to their desks, putting on their best poker faces just as McGee returned from the lab, looking mildly exasperated.

"What are you two up to?" McGee said, narrowing his eyes.

Ziva raised an innocent eyebrow. "We? Up to something?" She shook her head, feigning disbelief. "McGee, I think your paranoia is getting the better of you."

Tony chimed in, leaning back in his chair. "Yeah, McParanoid. You think we'd waste time pulling a prank in the middle of a case?"

McGee frowned suspiciously, but finally sat down, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. They all settled into their work, with Tony and Ziva occasionally exchanging amused glances.

After a few minutes, Gibbs strode into the bullpen with his usual authoritative air. "Alright, people. Where are we with the case?"

McGee attempted to stand up, reaching for a file, but quickly realized he couldn't budge. He tugged at his chair, confusion turning to horror as he looked around.

"Uh… I think… I think I'm stuck," McGee muttered, looking down in disbelief.

Tony fought hard to keep a straight face as he raised an eyebrow, feigning concern. "Stuck? McGee, how on earth did that happen?"

Gibbs shot Tony a look, immediately catching on, but he let it go with just a hint of a smirk, focusing back on the case.

Ziva leaned over, her voice perfectly deadpan. "Maybe it's karma, McGee. You've been prying into things that are none of your business."

Tony snickered, unable to hold back any longer.

Gibbs shook his head, a small smirk on his face as he pulled out a multitool and carefully slid it under McGee's chair, working to loosen the superglue's hold. With a bit of effort, he finally freed McGee, who got up with a slightly embarrassed huff, dusting himself off.

"Thanks, Boss," McGee muttered, still glaring over his shoulder at Tony and Ziva, who were failing to hide their amusement.

"Maybe next time, McGee, keep your eyes on your work instead of worrying about things that aren't your business," Gibbs said, a trace of humor in his tone. But he gave Tony and Ziva a pointed look before heading back to his desk.

McGee, rubbing the back of his neck and muttering to himself, headed straight for Abby's lab, needing someone to commiserate with. He found her at her workstation, headphones on, completely absorbed in her music as she worked. He tapped her shoulder, and she popped one headphone out, looking up with a grin.

"Hey, Timmy! What's up?"

McGee sighed, leaning against her table. "I think something's up with Tony and Ziva."

Abby raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"They're… getting along. Really well. They're even laughing together, and—" He lowered his voice. "They didn't just go to the wedding together; they actually seem to have enjoyed it. Like, really enjoyed each other's company."

Abby's eyes widened with excitement. "Are you saying they're finally getting along, maybe even—"

"I'm saying something's fishy," McGee interrupted, crossing his arms. "They've been acting weird since they got back. Almost… too nice to each other."

Abby's grin grew. "Maybe they're finally realizing they're a good team. And hey, I'd call that a good thing, wouldn't you?"

McGee shook his head, still suspicious. "I don't know. It's like they're hiding something. They barely even bickered in the car this morning."

Abby laughed, clearly delighted by the idea. "Maybe they just had a great weekend, Timmy! Give them a break. Besides, you're always the one complaining when they argue. So now they're not, and you're worried? You sound like Gibbs."

McGee huffed. "I'm just saying, something's going on. And whatever it is, I plan to find out."

Abby patted his shoulder with a mischievous smile. "Maybe some things aren't meant to be uncovered, Timmy. Let them have a little mystery!"

McGee frowned, clearly still suspicious, but as he left Abby's lab, she simply chuckled to herself, unable to contain her hope that maybe, just maybe, her friends were on the verge of something more.