Driving Home For Christmas

Summary: Tony decides to drive home this Christmas.

The second he turned the engine on he began to question himself. Was this the right decision? To go home, to see his parents again? Was this really how he wanted to spend Christmas? Even spending the whole holiday with Gibbs would be more fun than being forced to stand face-to-face with his father again. But still, he pulled the car out of the parking garage.

He remembered the look on Ziva's face when he's told her he'd be going home for Christmas. In a soft voice, very un-Ziva like, she'd asked him if he wanted company. He had said no. But the fact that she had been willing to spend the holiday with him and his family, not as his girlfriend perhaps, but nevertheless with him, had warmed, and put a smile upon him lips now where he sat in his car, stuck at the first traffic lights.

Snow began to fall. Large, heavy snowflakes landed on the windshield. 'Nothing like a heavy snowfall to put you in the Christmas spirit' he thought and turned on the windshield wipers to clear his view. 'I may as well enjoy the peace while it lasts!' he reached out his hand to turn on the radio; perhaps they would play some good, classic Christmas songs. One could always hope.

I'm driving home for Christmas

Oh, I can't wait to see those faces

I'm driving home for Christmas, yeah

He sighed heavily at the song, ironic, isn't it? 'Can hardly think of a more fitting song for the moment…' Still he kept listening, his thoughts traveling to his family.

And it's been so long,

But I will be there

There had been a message on his machine one evening when he'd gotten home from work. From his mother. Asking if he would want to come home for Christmas. He hadn't called back. But it was only last night he'd made up his mind about going. Calling seemed unnecessary, he'd been invited, so hopefully they would be expecting him. He bit his lip nervously as he thought about his father. The last time they had spoken, it hadn't been good. His father had said something about if he didn't find himself a descent woman to settle down with soon, it would be too late. He had replied it was never too late to find love, and had hung up the phone. He really hoped it would be different this time. Surely he had found love, but the one problem was he hadn't told her.

So I sing for you

Though you can't hear me

When I get through

And feel you near me

I am driving home for Christmas

Driving home for Christmas

With a thousand memories

It was dark outside; the snowflakes fell still over the road he was driving. He'd probably be at his parents' mansion in the early morning, the 24th of December. His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. He frowned as he saw who was calling, but he wasn't late to answer it.

"Yes?"

"Tony, it's me" Ziva's voice answered, hearing her made him feel all warm inside, a feeling he thought he'd never experience.

"Ziva…what's up?"

"Are you on your way to your parents?"

"You know I am" she was a nice company, even on the phone, he thought, but that was something he surely was not intending on sharing with her.

"You know when I said I was willing to come with you…." She began, but cut herself off.

"Yeah, you said it this morning"

"Well, I meant it"

"I know"

"No, I really meant what I said, Tony. That part when I said I was willing to come with you…as your girlfriend"

"You didn't say that"

"Well, I wanted to"

"Really?" he was grinning from ear to ear now, if only she could see him! If only she knew how happy it made him to hear all this.

"Yes, really. And just so you know…I'm with you, Tony" He took a quick glance in the driver's mirror, and there, right behind him, was her car. She flashed her lights at him, and his smile got even wider. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad Christmas after all.

"Ziva,"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad" he could hear her giggle on the other end.

"Me too, Tony. See you when we get there"

"Yeah, see you" he said and hung up. The smile didn't leave his lips during the entire drive, and knowing that Ziva was right behind, was just the thing that could make this Christmas one of the happiest in a long, long time.

I'm driving home for Christmas

With a thousand memories

The End