I do not own NCIS or any part thereof…

This takes place not long after Guilty Pleasures so spoilers for that episode and really for all of season 7.

How dare McCadden call Ziva a "cupcake?"

CUPCAKE

When McGee left for the day, Tony stuffed the packet of Nutter Butters in his Probie's middle drawer, where he'd be sure and find them when he settled in the next morning. Smiling he made his way back to his own desk. McGee was an okay guy. McCadden had no right to talk about Tony's probie in such a disparaging way. Only he, the Senior Field Agent, had that right.

And the detective certainly hadn't the right to call Ziva a cupcake or make jokes about bringing her cookies. It was disrespectful to his newest probie. McCadden didn't understand about Ziva. He just wanted to nibble on her. Which Tony totally understood but Ziva wasn't for the likes of McCadden. He didn't know what she'd been through. Didn't know how fragile she really was since last summer. Oh, not physically; physically she'd regained her strength, put the weight back on, but inside his ninja was still hurting. She only showed it now and then but he knew. McCadden being the horny bastard he was might rip her heart out and then she'd either kill the jerk or go back down the rabbit hole she'd been in when they'd found her. The bad place where she had the dead eyes. Those eyes scared him. He never wanted to see them again.

Shaking his head to dispel the image, he opened his lower left-hand drawer and pulled out a small, square, white box. Carefully, he opened the top. Inside sat a large cupcake with a thick topping of pale yellow icing. He held the box close and took a deep breath.

The smell took him back to his childhood and his father's cook, Imelda, who magicked up some truly wonderful cakes and loved feeding them to the young Anthony. His favorite had always been her spice cake with its sweet, exotic odors. Sniffing now as an adult, he could recognize cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and the subtle, permeating scent of cloves; smells comforting, drool worthy, exotic and yet familiar, not unlike a certain beautiful probie who usually sat across the way from him.

The urge to take a lick of the cream cheese icing was strong but he managed to control himself. This treat was for Ziva, not Tony. Sadly he closed the box, picked it up and crossed to Ziva's area, carefully setting it in her chair.

"What are you doing at my desk, Tony?"

"Shit!"

He jerked upright and whirled to find Ziva standing only inches from him, arms crossed over her chest and looking pissed.

"Ahhh, Ziva, hi! You're back at work?"

Her frown lines deepened.

"What are you doing at my desk, Tony?"

Yeah, she was decidedly not happy.

"Look, I know I've been kind of a dick all week and I just wanted to…"

"I agree and you wanted to what...?"

"Well, I put the Nutter Butters in McGee's desk."

"Yes. That is good but what were you doing at my desk?"

He could swear next thing she'd be tapping her foot in annoyance. This would be right before she pulled out her knife and proceeded to remove important parts of his body.

"I, uh, I wanted to thank you for, for…"

"Tony!"

Taking a deep breath he rushed through his explanation

"I wanted to thank you for not taking sides and for not teasing me too much about McCadden and for the head slap you gave me in the elevator yesterday as a wake-up call and for, for…"

She arched her left eyebrow giving him what he personally thought of as her Mossad evil eye and he spat out quickly, "for being Ziva."

Her eyes widened perceptibly and her lips quirked then she looked away from him. Taking a deep breath he reached back to her chair and grabbed the bakery box. Holding it up between them he smiled.

"This is for you."

Now the dark eyes looked directly at him.

"What is it?"

He grinned.

"Open it."

Taking the box from him she moved to her desk and set it down carefully, examining it from all sides. Tony grew impatient.

"Open it, for god's sake, Ziva. It's not going to explode."

She shot him a hooded glance and then slowly opened the top. He watched in wonder as she smiled. Her smile was like the movie starting after the theater darkened, the start of something wonderful. When she looked at him, speechless, he grinned.

"Yeah, Cinotti's. Best bakery in town. I figured you'd like spice cake, right?"

He held his breath until she nodded and held the box to her face, inhaling deeply. Her eyes closed and the smile never left her face.

"It smells so good, Tony. Thank you."

Sometimes he couldn't help loving her. No fooling around saying "you shouldn't have" or "oh no, I couldn't." A simple straight forward thank you did it for her and him. She placed the box on her desk and lifted out the cupcake, holding it up and turning it around as she admired it then set it down.

"I bet it tastes just as good as it looks and smells, Ziva."

He really, really hoped she would share it with him; at least one bite.

When she reached to her waist and drew out her knife he flinched slightly. Nah, she liked the cupcake. At least he was pretty sure she liked it.

"You will share with me?"

Without waiting for his answer, she peeled the paper back and sliced the small cake in two and then handed him his half. Without hesitation he shoved it all into his mouth and chewed quickly. Damn, that was good. After he swallowed he looked back at Ziva.

She held her half but had made no move to bite into it.

"How did you get the whole thing in your mouth, Tony?"

"It's a gift," he said and smiled one of his best and brightest smiles, remembering too late he probably had brown cake crumbs stuck in his teeth.

The frown lines appeared above her nose and she looked wary.

"Here, let me hold it while you bite?"

Suiting actions to words he gingerly plucked the half cupcake out of her hands and held it out to her. After a moment or two she leaned in and took a small nibble, smearing a dollop of icing in the corner of her mouth. She chewed and looked thoughtful.

"It is delicious."

She took another bite from the cake he still held and more icing stuck to her lips.

"The icing is very good too."

Opening her mouth she took the last bit of cupcake in and her smile returned as she chewed. She flicked her tongue out and caught most of the gooey topping but missed that bit hiding in the corner, near one of her dimples.

He didn't plan it, if he had he wouldn't have done it, but on a whim he moved closer to her and whispered, "You missed some."

Then he stuck out his tongue and licked the icing off.

Jerking in surprise, she turned her head toward him and suddenly their lips were touching. She didn't draw away and he saw something in her eyes, something he didn't understand but it felt encouraging so he ran his tongue, sweetened by the powdered sugar and cream cheese, along her lips, seeking entrance. She yielded.

Her eyes were closed as he put his hands on her shoulders and pursued his exploration of her mouth. Frankly he was surprised he was still alive. He wondered how far he could take this as he maneuvered their bodies closer together. Her hands came to rest lightly on his chest and she sighed into his mouth but then the ping of the elevator echoed loudly in the empty space.

Ziva pushed him, turned and began to rapidly walk away. He ran a couple of steps to catch up to her.

"I'm sorry, I don't know why…"

Her soft fingers on his lips stopped him. He couldn't read her eyes now.

"It is fine, Tony. The icing was good yes? And the cupcake. Thank you again."

"Ziva…"

She shook her head and headed toward the elevator. He watched her go. Why had he done something so stupid? They were just getting back to normal, whatever normal was for them and now he'd screwed it up. Again.

"Tony?"

He saw her on the far side of her desk, behind the divider.

"Yeah?"

She took a deep breath.

"It was a good cupcake but very sweet. Maybe you would like to join me for a cup of coffee? If you have time?"

Stunned, he couldn't believe it not even when he heard his own voice say, "I'd like that "

Grabbing his backpack he stood beside her while they waited for the elevator. Just as the doors slid open she reached over and took his hand, gave it a little squeeze and then dropped it. After they walked in he punched the garage floor number as the doors closed behind them. She didn't say anything and neither did he until the doors opened again.

Casually he said, "Wanna ride together?"

She nodded and he led the way to his Mustang. She went to the passenger side and he started towards the driver's door but stopped then made his way to where she stood.

"Ziva, I'm sorry if I was out of line. I couldn't help myself."

He stopped, not sure how to say what he wanted to.

"You're delectable."

Dark eyes regarded him seriously for a moment then the dimples came out again.

"It was a good cupcake, Tony. The best I have ever had."

And just like that she stood on tiptoe and kissed him, kissed him on the mouth. The sweet and spicy tastes of the cupcake still there.

"Now I would like my coffee."

Nodding silently he unlocked the door and she climbed in. When he got back to his side he leaned on the top of the car for a moment before opening the door, licking his lips, still tasting Ziva on them. Spice cake was definitely his favorite now and the perfect metaphor for his partner, the sweet and spicy Ziva.

Only she was no cupcake but a living, breathing woman given a second chance at life and he thought maybe, no he was actually pretty sure, he'd like to be there with her for every sweet and spicy moment.

Opening the door he slung his pack in, slid into his seat and turned to his passenger.

"Where to, Probie Cupcake?"

And grinned like the fool he was as she punched him in the arm.

FIN