Later that afternoon, McGee couldn't shake his suspicions. He walked back into the bullpen, staring at Tony and Ziva, who were sitting together at their desks. They were focused on the case in front of them, but McGee could sense a new dynamic between them — something that wasn't quite like the usual bickering or playful banter. It felt… different.
Tony caught McGee's gaze and raised an eyebrow, his usual smirk spreading across his face. "What's up, Probie? Got that look on your face like you've just uncovered a great mystery."
McGee straightened, trying to hide his frustration. "Nothing. Just trying to figure out why you two are suddenly so… cordial with each other."
Ziva, who had been reviewing her notes, shot McGee a playful glance. "Cordial? Is that how you describe people who have known each other for years, McGee?"
McGee's eyes narrowed. "You're not fooling me, Ziva. Ever since you got back from the wedding, you two have been... different. No constant bickering, no snarky comments... you're acting like you actually enjoy each other's company."
Ziva leaned back in her chair, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "Maybe we do enjoy each other's company, McGee. Have you considered that?"
Tony leaned forward, chiming in with a grin. "Yeah, maybe we decided to stop the whole 'hate each other' thing for a while. Gives us more time to focus on our actual work."
McGee stared at them, trying to read between the lines. "So, what? You two are... friends now?"
"Sure, we're friends," Tony said with a shrug, but there was something in his voice that McGee couldn't quite place. "We're great coworkers, McGee. You should try it sometime."
Ziva smiled, but it wasn't quite the same smile she usually wore. It was softer, almost... more genuine. McGee felt his suspicions growing stronger. There was something else going on here. Something deeper than just friendship. But instead of pushing, he decided to keep quiet for now. If Tony and Ziva weren't ready to talk about it, he wasn't going to pry.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. "Right. Whatever. Just don't get all sappy on me, okay?"
Tony shot him a mock glare. "Sappy? We don't do sappy, Probie. You should know that by now."
McGee turned back to his desk, still pondering what he had just witnessed. Maybe Abby was right — maybe he was reading too much into it. But then again, he couldn't help but feel like he had stumbled onto something significant. Tony and Ziva had always had a complicated relationship, but now? It was different. And McGee couldn't help but wonder just how different things were between them.
As the day went on, McGee kept watching them, noticing the little things. The way Tony would casually touch Ziva's arm when making a point, or the way Ziva would look up at Tony with a quiet understanding in her eyes. It was subtle, but it was there. Something had shifted, and McGee couldn't ignore it.
It was only a few minutes later when they finally found one of the victims friends so Gibbs sent Tony and Ziva to talk with them.
As the elevator door closed behind Ziva, McGee sat back in his chair, still feeling the weight of his suspicions. Something had definitely changed. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he wasn't going to be able to ignore it much longer.
But for now, he decided to let it go. There were more important things to focus on — at least until he could get the truth out of Tony or Ziva.
As they drove to the victim's friend's apartment, Tony and Ziva remained in the comfortable silence that had replaced their usual banter, both thinking about the case. The drive was brief, but Ziva could sense that Tony was still trying to figure out how much to push the "something more" between them — something that wasn't easy to ignore, especially after their weekend together. But for now, they had a job to do.
When they arrived at the apartment complex, they were greeted by the victim's friend, a man in his early thirties, his face drawn and tired from the stress of the last few days. He invited them into his small, cluttered apartment, where the tension in the air was palpable.
Ziva, ever the professional, immediately addressed the situation. "We know this is hard, but we need your help. Anything you can tell us about your friend's last days could help us understand what happened to him."
The man, who introduced himself as Jason, sat down slowly, looking exhausted. His hands trembled slightly as he spoke. "I still can't believe he's gone… we were close. He was like a brother to me."
Tony leaned forward, keeping his voice calm and sympathetic. "We understand, Jason. And we're not here to accuse anyone. We just need to know anything you can about his last few days. Did he mention anything strange? Any new people he was involved with?"
Jason hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "I... I don't know. I mean, yeah. A couple of weeks ago, he started talking about someone new — this guy, named Rick. He was a little sketchy, you know? But Matt seemed to trust him. He said Rick was helping him with some… business stuff."
Ziva's brow furrowed. "Business? What kind of business?"
"I don't know," Jason admitted, shaking his head. "He didn't really go into details, but I could tell Matt was getting more serious about it. He said he was getting 'in too deep.'"
"Did he ever mention feeling threatened?" Tony asked, sensing they were getting closer to something important.
"No," Jason said, looking down at his hands. "But after he started hanging out with Rick, Daniel wasn't around much. I didn't see him again until… until I heard about the shooting."
Ziva and Tony exchanged a quick look, knowing that they were getting closer to a lead. Tony stood and nodded to Ziva, signaling it was time to wrap things up.
"Jason, we're going to need to talk to this 'Rick' guy," Tony said. "Any idea where we can find him?"
Jason shook his head, looking frustrated. "I wish I could help. But all I know is that Rick's connected to some shady business deals. I don't know what kind, but I heard something about him being involved in smuggling or black-market stuff."
"Thanks, Jason," Ziva said, her voice softening. "We'll take it from here."
As they stepped outside, Tony held the door open for Ziva. Once in the car, they sat quietly for a moment, both mulling over the information they had just gathered.
"So, 'Rick' is our guy, huh?" Tony asked, breaking the silence.
Ziva's eyes were focused on the road ahead as she answered. "Could be. But we'll need more than just a name. We need to know what this 'business' is and if it's connected to Daniel's death."
As Tony and Ziva stepped out of the car, the tension between them was still palpable, but they both knew it had to stay that way — for now. McGee's suspicion was growing, and while they both enjoyed their time together over the weekend, they needed to keep things professional, at least for the time being. They exchanged a glance before heading inside to speak with one of the victim's friends.
The conversation was brief but useful, giving them a few new leads to follow. As they walked back to the car, the air between them was slightly lighter, but the reality of McGee's prying eyes hung over them like a cloud.
"We really need to stop looking like we're in on some secret," Ziva muttered, her arms folded across her chest as she buckled herself into the passenger seat.
Tony shot her a sideways glance, the corners of his lips twitching into a smile. "You think McGee's onto us?"
"Definitely," she replied, looking out the window. "It's like he has a sixth sense for things like this. We need to make it seem like everything is back to normal. That means more bickering."
Tony nodded, his expression serious but with a spark of amusement. "Well, I can do that. But you'll need to get better at pretending to be annoyed with me. You're too easygoing lately."
Ziva gave him a sidelong glance. "I'm not the one who's always making jokes. You've been doing all the talking lately, DiNozzo."
"Hey, I have to keep it interesting somehow. Otherwise, we'll just be that boring 'professional' team. Besides, who would want to watch two people talk about evidence all day?" Tony grinned, already shifting into his playful mode.
Ziva rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smirk. "You're impossible."
"Impossibly charming," he added, his grin widening.
"More like impossible," she muttered, but there was a lightness in her voice that made Tony's smile grow.
Tony nodded, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. "Let's grab some takeout for the team. We're gonna need all the brainpower we can get. We need to keep up appearances."
Ziva smirked. "I agree. We don't want him thinking we're getting along too well."
Tony flashed her a grin. "Yeah, we'll show him that the usual bickering is back. We'll give him something to gossip about."
As they walked into the bullpen, Tony and Ziva immediately began their usual back-and-forth, giving McGee and the rest of the team the impression that everything was back to normal. They were good at it — too good. As they moved toward the desk with the takeout, Tony continued his exaggerated argument about the movie.
"You're telling me the plot of The Fast and the Furious doesn't make sense?" Tony said, throwing his hands up in mock disbelief. "Come on, Ziva! They go from street racing to international crime-fighting in the blink of an eye!"
Ziva raised an eyebrow, glancing at him as she unpacked the food. "It doesn't make sense, Tony. It's not just about racing cars. It's about everything being solved by driving fast. They throw the laws of physics out the window!"
"Not everything is about physics, Ziva," Tony shot back with a grin. "Sometimes it's about the sheer adrenaline of the ride."
Ziva rolled her eyes but smiled as she took a seat at her desk. "Tony, it's all about the car. They're in a car. They can't do everything they do in those movies just by driving fast."
"Exactly!" Tony said, not missing a beat. "And yet they do! It's like every single time they take a sharp turn, they somehow save the world. Makes no sense."
Ziva couldn't help but laugh softly. "Maybe you're missing the point. It's a movie."
"Yeah, but still…" Tony sighed dramatically, flopping into his chair. "I mean, really. It's like they didn't even bother with logic. Just throw in a muscle car, a bad guy, and boom — solved. I'm supposed to believe that?"
Before Ziva could respond, McGee interrupted with a raised eyebrow. "So, this is what you two do when you're not working on cases?"
Tony grinned at McGee. "Just because we bicker doesn't mean we don't get along, Probie."
Ziva, playing along, shot Tony a mock glare. "I can't help it if Tony needs everything explained to him multiple times."
McGee smirked at their usual routine. "Right, because you're the one who always makes sense."
As the night wore on, the team continued to work tirelessly. Evidence was sifted through, reports were analyzed, and phone calls were made. The steady hum of activity in the bullpen was broken only by the occasional clatter of keyboards or a muffled phone conversation.
Finally, Gibbs stood up, walking to the front of the bullpen. "That's enough for today. We'll pick this up in the morning. Get some rest."
The team gathered their things, heading for the elevators. Tony had parked his car right next to Ziva's, so the two of them walked out of the building together. The cold night air hit them as they stepped outside, but the familiar buzz of the city felt oddly comforting.
As they walked to their cars, the cool night air wrapped around them, and Ziva broke the silence with a casual question. "Did your father and his wife arrive safely on their honeymoon?" she asked, glancing at Tony as they strolled side by side.
Tony nodded, his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, they made it. They're already sending me photos of beaches and cocktails. It's a little much, but I guess they deserve it after everything." He grinned, clearly feeling relieved that the wedding went off without a hitch.
Ziva smirked slightly. "I'm sure he's enjoying himself. You looked... happy at the wedding, Tony. It seemed like it meant a lot to you."
Tony chuckled. "Yeah, it did. Just good to see him happy. So, speaking of things to make us happy," he hesitated for a moment, then turned to her with a grin. "How about you and me hit the cinema tonight? We can catch a movie, and maybe grab dinner afterward. What do you think?"
Ziva stopped walking and turned to him, an eyebrow raised, her lips curling into an amused grin. "You're asking me to a movie... is that a date, Tony?" she teased, her voice playful yet laced with curiosity.
Tony froze for a second, clearly caught off guard by the question, but he quickly recovered with a smile. "Well, I mean... If you want to call it a date, I guess I wouldn't mind," he said, giving her a shrug.
Ziva laughed softly, her eyes sparkling. "Hmm. A movie with dinner. Sounds nice. I think I can agree to that," she replied, enjoying the playful dynamic between them.
Tony grinned, relieved, and gave a slight nod. "Alright then. I'll pick you up later"
Ziva gave him a small nod in return, then unlocked her car door. "I'll see you later."
Tony hesitated for a moment, his smile still lingering. "Looking forward to it."
With that, they both climbed into their cars and drove off into the night, the anticipation of a quiet evening together lingering between them.
Tony arrived at Ziva's apartment building, his nerves buzzing despite his usual confidence. He parked his car, quickly checked his phone, and then walked toward the entrance, trying to shake off the butterflies in his stomach. He wasn't used to feeling this way, but tonight felt different.
He rang the bell and waited, hands in his pockets. When the door opened, Ziva stood there, looking effortlessly beautiful in a fitted blouse and jeans. Her hair cascaded down in soft waves, and her eyes sparkled with that mischievous glint that always made his heart race a little faster.
"You look good," Tony said, his voice a little lower than usual. He couldn't help himself—she really did look great.
Ziva gave him a sly grin. "Thank you. You clean up well, DiNozzo."
Tony chuckled, running a hand through his hair, suddenly a little unsure of himself. "I do what I can," he said with a wink. "Ready for the night?"
Ziva locked the door behind her and stepped outside. "As long as you don't try to make me watch one of your ridiculous movies again," she teased, her tone playful.
Tony threw up his hands in mock protest. "Hey, those are classics! You just don't appreciate the finer things in life."
She rolled her eyes but smiled. "We'll see."
They walked to Tony's car, and he opened the door for her before getting in the driver's seat. The car hummed to life as they headed out onto the road. For a few moments, neither of them spoke, the silence comfortable but charged with an unspoken tension.
Tony glanced over at her. "You good?" he asked, breaking the silence.
Ziva turned her head slightly, meeting his gaze with a soft smile. "I'm good," she replied quietly.
A small smile tugged at the corner of Tony's mouth. "Good," he muttered under his breath before focusing back on the road. His thoughts were racing, unsure of how to approach what was hanging in the air between them. He kept it to himself for now, not wanting to ruin the moment.
As they neared the cinema, Tony finally spoke again. "You ready for some questionable movie choices?" he asked, trying to keep the mood light.
Ziva chuckled. "Only if it's not one of your cheesy action movies."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "I'll have you know that my taste in movies is impeccable," he said, grinning. "You just don't get it yet."
She laughed, a warm sound that Tony couldn't help but enjoy. "We'll see," she said, glancing out the window.
They pulled into the parking lot, both of them feeling a quiet excitement, though neither of them voiced it. Tony turned off the car and looked at her for a moment before opening his door. They both stepped out, walking side by side toward the theater.
There was an ease between them tonight, something that felt like the beginning of something neither of them fully understood, but both of them wanted to explore. They entered the theater, their laughter and conversation filling the air as they found their seats. And just like that, it felt like everything was falling into place.
The night was just beginning.