Just a quick little something I wanted to get out before Ray's proposal in tonight's ep. Apologies if it seems a bit stilted; I've been away from prose writing for awhile. As always, concrit appreciated.

Tim found Ziva sitting on a bench out in the Yard and sighed. He wasn't advice guy, not on stuff like this. But Tony was too close to the situation, Gibbs too far and Abby too, well, Abby for it to work any other way.

Ziva didn't look up at his approach, too busy staring at tiny jewelry box in her hand.

"Nice ring."

"Yes, it is."

"Too bad that guy that comes with it is such a dick."

Ziva looked up, shocked. "McGee!"

"C'mon," he said, as he sat down next to her. "I've kept my mouth shut because it's your life and your relationship, but you can't honestly be thinking about saying yes."

"Why can't I, McGee?" He didn't go for cover yet; her voice wasn't angry, just...lost. "He is handsome and smart and funny. I want a husband. I want children. I want a life. What's wrong with wanting that?"

"God, nothing at all, Ziva. But can you honestly tell me that you want it with him?"

"He is a good man."

When McGee spoke next, his voice was soft. "But he isn't good to you."

"What do you - ?"

"Ziva. Two months without a phone call? Without an e-mail?"

She crossed her arms. "He was on assignment."

"And when you were on assignment with Mossad - both times you were away - you still managed to e-mail me once a week."

"That was different."

"I'll say. I wasn't your boyfriend." Too late, he realized how that could be misconstrued as Ziva raised an eyebrow.

"Something you want to tell me, McGee?"

"Nooo," he started to extricate himself from the situation before changing his mind. "Actually, yes."

Ziva's eyes widened. "Seriously?"

"Not like that." He swatted her playfully and she laughed. Good, it had been too long since he'd heard her laugh. "You're one of my best friends. You're my partner. I love you; I'd do anything for you. And I'm not going to trust you to any guy who wouldn't do the same. You're worth more than that."

Her eyes dropped. "And what if no one else feels the same?"

"Bullshit."

Her head snapped up again. "Such language, McGee."

He raised an eyebrow. "Like you haven't heard me say worse. My point stands - bullshit. I can name two or three guys in that building," he said, gesturing back at the office, "who would be a better match for you than Ray."

"Rule Twelve, McGee."

"I didn't say any of them were on our team." He grinned, playfully. "Though, if that's your only reason for considering Ray's offer, it might be time for a little chat with Gibbs."

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter. I am...difficult. With my past, with my job. Ray understands that."

"Is that going to be enough for you? Five, ten, twenty years down the line."

"It may have to be."

"Why, Ziva?" Tim begged. "Why does that have to be enough? Is it so much work to hold out until you're happy?"

Frustrated with this line of questioning, she turned on him. "What about you?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you," Ziva snapped before calming herself. "I haven't seen Maxine around lately."

Tim's shook his head, wryly. "That would be because she left me."

"I'm sorry, that was insensitive -"

"No, fair's fair. I shouldn't delve into your love life if I'm not willing to talk about mine." Which was the reason he mostly stayed out of his co-worker's entanglements, but this was different. This was important.

Ziva squeezed his hand. "Still. I'm sorry. I know you cared about her."

"I did. But it's for the best. I wasn't what she wanted, long-term. I wasn't what she needed. Better to know that now than to wait til I buy a ring." He lightly flicked the ring box in her lap; Ziva ignored the attempt at changing the subject.

"Is that why you've been working late so often?"

"What do you mean?" He hadn't thought anyone but Gibbs had noticed.

"You're there when I leave. We get a call in the middle of the night and you are already halfway there. If it weren't for Jethro, I wouldn't think you ever went home."

"If it weren't for Jethro, I probably wouldn't." He paused, figuring out how to phrase it. "I know now that I wasn't going to be happy with Maxine. Not in a picket-fence kind of way. But I wanted that, and letting go of it hurt. Having my evenings free when I used to rush to be with her...it's strange. But she wasn't the only part of my life. She wasn't even the biggest part of my life. Being in the squad room reminds me of that."

Ziva looked at him, sympathy in her eyes. "That is...a bit sad, McGee. And you're trying to talk me out of marrying Ray?"

"Yes! Look, here's the thing. Yes, the break-up sucked. But you know what would suck more? Marrying her, and staying at the office every night because I no longer have anything to say to my wife."

"You would never be that man, McGee."

Tim shook his head. "I probably could. All it would take would be marrying someone just for the sake of being married, rather than because I'm head-over-heels in love."

Ziva looked at the ring box in her lap for a long moment. She flipped it open, seeing the light sparkle off the diamond inside. She hadn't always dreamed of marrying, of being a bride, but in the last couple of years...she sighed and flipped the box closed, burying it in her pocket. When she looked up, Tim had one arm open to her. She curled into his embrace.

"I don't want to end up alone."

"You won't." He kissed her forehead. "You'll always have us."

"You're team, you don't count."

"Fine, if you don't find anyone better than Ray in the next five years, I'll marry you."

Ziva laughed, but it was brief. "I'm getting old."

"Hush, you're younger than me."

"You know what I mean. I want children. Someday. I just don't know if I will ever get this chance again." She sounded so lost. Tim squeezed her tighter.

"You will. Worst case scenario, we both adopt and raise our kids together in some kooky blended family."

"I thought we were getting married."

"We can do that, too." Ziva chuckled.

"McGee?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

"Anytime, Ziva," he said softly. "Anytime."