A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I hope people are sticking with this story. There are only I think probably three or four more chapters left. After that I'm not sure. I may just keep writing one-shot fluffy fics since that's what I like doing. and if I keep writing about a happy Tony, Tali, and Ziva then maybe the show will actually show it? Ha, I can dream. Enjoy this update!

February 2012

There were very few things Ray had in her apartment, mostly because she did not let him stay there often. When he came to D.C., they usually stayed in his hotel. She supposed you could make an argument about that being a flaw in their relationship, about how they were not meant to be. Come to think of it, they always did do whatever he wanted or go wherever he happened to be. Florida, Switzerland, the Caribbean…wherever Ray was, he wanted her to drop everything and join him. And she did that. Dropped her life and went to Ray. Did not answer her phone until he convinced her to listen to him. Stood her up, because he was too busy murdering an innocent woman.

She rifled through her sock drawers, looking for any sign of him. There was nothing. A toothbrush, which she tossed into the sink, along with a razor, some aftershave, and a pair of his socks she located in her laundry basket. She swiped a bottle of bourbon from the shelf in her pantry, wondering how it got there as she did not traditionally drink liquor at home, and took a few swigs of it before dumping it into the sink. The final touch, she thought, striking a match. She watched it burn for a few seconds before she dropped it into the basin. The flames shot up, not as dramatic as she would have preferred, but probably because there was not much fuel there. The aftershave, maybe, and the bourbon, but there wasn't a lot to actually burn.

It was still satisfying.

She glanced up at the smoke detector in the hallway beside her, watching the spirals make their way up. "Ben Kelev," she swore. She jumped up onto the counter and detached it, angrily yanking at the battery.

"You know that's a misdemeanor, purposefully detaching smoke detectors in public dwellings. Could get you cited."

The surprise at hearing another voice, least of all his voice, startled her and she stumbled a bit on the counter, yelping as the floor made its way up to her as she pitched forward. She beat her hands to stay balanced, glaring angrily at Tony in her doorway. "You could have killed me!"

"Consider it payback for all the heart attacks you've given me just jumping around." Tony closed her front door. She scowled at him, wondering what he was doing there. They left the building with Detective Burris and he made sure the Detective got home okay, still looking out for the other man's welfare. Maybe he saw something in Burris that reminded him of him, she had no idea. She was glad he went somewhere else, as nice as their conversation at been in the squad room, as nice as it was to call him her friend and have Burris give them wordly advice on caring for each other, Tony's expression when the other man had said that scared her a bit. She was also scared at her reaction.

She had felt something in that conversation with Tony that she had not felt in a very long time and it…it scared her. Now he was here in her apartment. "What are you doing here?" she demanded. She pointed to her door. "And why did you open that door?"

"You're as bad as Gibbs, leaving it unlocked like that."

"I can kill anyone who walks in."

"Yeah, I was taking my life into my hands." He dropped a six-pack of beer onto the counter, pointing to it. "Had to go to three different beer stores to find this stuff. Do you know how hard it is to find Gold Star in D.C.?"

"Gold Star tastes like shit."

"Yeah, but it's a taste of your home."

He was right there. Eli David kept strictly kosher and that included no alcohol. She rebelled in her teen years when they were out of that environment and yes, she had gotten plenty drunk as a teen on the Israeli-brand beer. She smiled at the six-pack and lifted a bottle out, tossing it in her hand. She lifted her gaze to him. "You just went to three different stores to find Israeli beer and come to my home uninvited?"

"I didn't want you to be alone."

"I am fine, Tony. I told you I would be fine."

"Yeah, well looks like you're turning into a pyromaniac." He turned on the faucet, the water washing away the ash and dregs of the small fire she'd produced in her sink. He chuckled. "I always thought of Kate as the one who would burn her ex-boyfriends things."

"I am sure you have been the subject of many boyfriend bonfires over the years Tony."

"No, my ex-girlfriends just trash me on the Internet."

"Of course they do." She did not want him here. Not when she was feeling as humiliated and embarrassed as she was. Ray had lied to her, he'd lied to everyone, and he had murdered an innocent woman. He had used her, tried to manipulate her, and in the end he wanted her to forgive him. To be the man she fell in love with. She thought she was in love with him. She thought she was in love with Michael. Both of the men in her life who she had been serious with, had considered possible marriage and children and a future…they had betrayed her. Just like Eli David did. Just like Ari.

She sipped the beer, filling it warm her stomach. It was a taste of home. Memories of her youth. She was not sure she wanted to have those right now. "Thank you for fixing my phone," she said, unsure what to say to Tony. She was acutely aware of his presence in her small apartment.

"Sure."

"Did Detective Burris get home safely?"

"He's fine." Tony walked around to join her on her couch, leaning back. He leaned closer to her, his voice soft, comforting her. "He'll be okay. He's a tough guy."

"I feel…horrible for him."

"So does everyone, but…could have happened anywhere. His wife was involved in a lot of things, went to a lot of dangerous places…could have been hit by a car on the street." Tony was trying to make her feel better. It did only minimal to make her feel better. He leaned a little closer, whispering. "I know how bad you felt when Ray stood you up at the restaurant."

"I do not want to speak of it ever again." Her back went rigid and straight. They both remained on the couch, drinking their beer. When she finished, he got up and retrieved the six-pack. This was a weak beer. It was not going to do what she wanted to do. Forget. The bottle of bourbon fell down beside the six-pack. She lifted her head up to him. "Thanks."

"Works for Gibbs."

She kept with the beer for now. "Why are you here Tony?" she whispered. It broke their comfortable silence. They could continue drinking or they could talk about what he was doing here. This was out of the normal for him.

"I told you. I didn't want you to be alone."

"Would you do this for Kate?" She arched her eyebrow at his startled look. It wasn't because they were co-workers or partners. He wouldn't do this for Abby. Maybe McGee but that was a guy thing. This was not a guy thing. This was because they had shared something over the years and it got deeper and deeper with each passing year. They'd even slept together. She closed her eyes briefly. "If this is about us…"

"It's not. It's about the fact that we are friends. That we were friends before you were NCIS. Call it whatever you want, contacts, sources, whatever, but we were friends." Tony paused and shrugged, his voice dropping even further, to a hushed whisper. "We're more than friends. We're more than partners. Call it what you want."

This was very out there, even for him. Could have been the alcohol. She turned her head, staring at him. He was just looking at her, unblinking. She grabbed the bourbon, sipping it for a few seconds. She closed her eyes. Could he have done this any other time? "Tony," she murmured.

"What?"

There was so much between them. From contacts to sources to friends to lovers and all in-between. She wasn't his partner right now. She was still in a strange limbo-like state, because Kate hadn't left for the job in Georgia she had interviewed for and gotten. She was still on the team, but when she wanted to do temporary assignments at FLETC or moonlight as a profiler for the FBI, that's when Ziva David showed up. Otherwise she was relegated to a desk on another floor, wondering if this was what she left Mossad to do. She left Mossad for a chance to do something different, to remove herself from under her father's thumb, but now…she wondered if she should return. Just for another break. From the embarrassment that Ray had caused her.

She pulled his hand into hers, tugging at his fingers, tracing the lines. Her brain was fuzzy. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and lifted his knuckles up to her lips, kissing it and folded his fingers back in to his palm. "We are friends. You are probably one of the closest friends I have ever had, Tony."

"I'm honored," he said, chuckling. He sat up and moved closer to her, his shoulder bumping against hers. "You'll be okay. I have no doubt that you will come out of this…more of a force than you already are." I sure hope so. She smiled sideways, tears shining in her eyes. He was a good man. For all the clownish and juvenile behavior, Tony had proven to her he was a good man. "And if Ray ever tries to contact you again, I'll take care of him."

She laughed, wiping at her eyes. "Yeah…well…get in line."

"He didn't know what he had," Tony whispered, bumping his shoulder into hers again. He kissed her knuckles. "You'll get it one day Ziva. The whole thing. Family, husband, kids…the works."

As she had said in the squadroom, she believed that day was farther and farther in the distance. She smiled again. "Yes…maybe."

"And you will be happy. Whether you think you are right now or not…you'll be happy and not just content." He kissed her knuckles again and got to his feet, gesturing to the door. "I'm heading out. Enjoy the beer. Call if you need anything."

Wait…she didn't want him to leave yet. "Tony," she called. She got to her feet and nibbled her lower lip as he picked up his coat. He slipped his arms slowly into his coat, smiling slyly at her. She laughed, her hands on her hips. "Did you plan this? The early exit to get me to ask you to stay?"

"Is it working?"

She set her jaw. Son of a bitch. "Yes," she drawled, crossing her arms again. She cocked her head again. "Old times."

"Old times." He took his coat off and reached into the pocket, whipping out a DVD case. "Rear Window. Best Alfred Hitchcock film ever, Psycho is completely overrated for the shower scene alone. Jimmy Stewart at his finest. Has humor, has scariness, voyeurism, murder, everything you need."

"It has Grace Kelly. I love Grace Kelly."

"And look at that, you opened up and shared something I didn't know before. It's like old times already." He cracked open the case and hurried over to the television, which she only had for if he ever visited. Which was almost never, but it got use when he was around. He fell backwards ontot eh couch and she sat beside him, taking another beer to her.

As they began to watch the movie, she leaned in, whispering loudly. "Why are we watching a movie about the back window of a car?"

He groaned, turning up the volume. "Oh you have so much to learn. Keep watching."

She chuckled, moving a little closer to him, her arms wrapping around her stomach. If his job was to get her mind off of Ray, he was somewhat succeeding. This reminded her of the old times, yes, when he would come over once a week and show her a movie, under the pretenses of helping her with her English. They liked each other, but they would never openly admit it. He was annoying. They did not get along, ever, but…they were compatible in some ways. She rested her head on his shoulder, hoping he did not move. To her surprise, he rested his head down against hers, saying nothing.

They enjoyed each other's company as they watched the movie, finishing the six-pack and then the bottle of bourbon. It did nothing to completely wipe her mind of what had happened with Ray, but she did still feel numb. As much as she enjoyed this, she knew she was going to have to talk to Vance. Until Kate left, she would have no official place on the team. She was the big sister to Abby and McGee, the daughter to Gibbs, and the…whatever she was to Tony. NCIS had done its job, but she needed to get out again. This thing with Ray showed her that much. She would speak with Vance in the morning.

Until then, she enjoyed her time with him. Just in case it would go away.

May 2012

"Ziva! Ziva stop!"

She ignored her friend's shouts for her to stop running away from him as she flung herself through crowds of people in the streets of Jerusalem, hurrying as fast as she could from the café where she'd been having lunch with Adam, when the televisions all began blaring about the terrorist attack in the Navy Yard, against NCIS Headquarters in the heart of Washington, D.C. She'd almost choked on her food, tried to call several times to get hold of someone, anyone, but all the phones were jammed. She needed something, anything!

"Out of the way!" she shouted, pushing through a crowd of tourists from Texas, if their Lone Star t-shirts meant anything. She ran down one of the streets, lined with government buildings, and burst into the glass revolving door of one with no markings, whipping her badge out to show the suddenly frightened and jumping guards at the desk. "Agent Ziva David! NCIS liaison! I need to get upstairs!"

Behind her, she heard Adam shouting that he was Shin Bet and no he did not need a visitor's badge. She jabbed the button for the elevator, trying to call Gibbs again. There was nothing on his phone. "Ziva!" Adam shouted, jumping into the elevator behind her. He pressed at his side, shaking his head hard. "You run fast."

"I could always outrun you." She had known Adam Eschel much of her life, they were in the Army together and while she chose the secret shadows of Mossad, he had stuck to the more open and law-enforcement side of Shin Bet. It made sense for her to get assigned to Shin Bet to be the NCIS liaison, doing threat assessments on the ports and flying back and forth to Jordan and Bahrain and other areas where US Navy and Marine Corps could find themselves. It was just a chance for her to breathe a bit after the Ray debacle and return to Israel for a change of scenery. She did not work with Eli or Mossad if she could help it, but sometimes their paths crossed.

Despite being in Israel for almost six months she had not spoken with her father. Not since his impromptu visit to D.C. the following year. "Ziva," Adam tried again. She hit the button for the top floor, her hands on her hips, impatient. This elevator could go no faster, huh? He reached for her hand, stilling her movements.

"Let go if you value the use of your fingers," she grit out.

Adam let go of her hand, sighing. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Ziva, you know better than anyone after a terrorist attack, the cell phone lines jam immediately, loved ones trying to call in and out of the area, there could be damage to the grid from the explosion…it does not mean that they are…"

"Do not say it!" she exclaimed, lifting her phone back up and trying again. She pressed it to her ear, closing her eyes tight as she got Gibbs's voicemail again. Damnit! She slapped the phone to her side and glanced sideways to him again. Adam looked at her with great concern. She swallowed the lump in her throat. "They are my family."

When Tali was killed the club explosion, she was in Mossad training. She did not know until Eli dropped in on one of their classes. At the time he had only been a low-level director of some programs, had not consolidated the power he was only just becoming exposed to. She was in the middle of marksmenship training, having to shoot a knife out of the hand of a fake terrorist. It was silly, the dummy standing still as she lined her shot. They would begin the more complicated testing later, but it had been so easy. She'd passed with flying colors when the instructor said her father was there to speak with her. She'd gone to see him, happy to see her Abba but upset he felt the need to bother her during training. That's when he told her about Tali. They'd cried together, a father with the only daughter he had left, and a sister sobbing for her sibling. She'd seen the images on the news, in the paper, and the crime scene phones as Eli tried to find the exact perpetrators involved, to bring down the network that chose that club and killed his daughter.

She had felt numb pain and then rage. Rage that filled her to her very soul at who had done it and what she would do to get back at her sister's killers. This was not like that. They were her family, they had been targeted, and she had to get in touch with them, to make sure they were alive. She was more measured right now. Years of training and experience had changed her attitude towards these types of events. To a point. She was frantic to get in touch with them, but right now she did not know what had happened. Harper Dearing was involved, of course it was him, she had been doing threat assessments and traveling to various ships to identify any on board who may sabotage the ship at Dearing's go-ahead.

I should have been there, she thought, leaning against Adam, her voice soft. "I have to talk to them, they're…they're my family," she repeated.

"You will," he said. The elevator doors opened and he followed her out. "Just sit down Ziva. Let's find out what actually happened."

While Adam started running down leads to actually find out casualties counts, get her looped in as her role as an NCIS agent whose home agency was targeted by a mad terrorist, and hopefully get a secure line to Gibbs or Vance, she stared down at her cell phone. She closed her eyes and hit one of the contacts, lifting the phone to her ear. Please pick up, please pick up, she silently begged, closing her eyes tighter and holding her forehead in her palm.

"Hey."

Her knees gave out, surprising her at her own weakness. She sank into a chair and pressed her hand even harder against her forehead. Tears pricked at the corners. You will not cry, she vowed. You will not. Do not do it Ziva. "You are alive," she whispered. She dropped her hand to her lap, where her fingers clenched tight. Her fingernails dug into half-moons in the palm of her hand. The news continued to blare around her. Someone changed the channel, each one talking about the terrorist attack on the United States Navy, at the heart of Washington, D.C. Something that happened too frequently in her birthplace was now happening in her adopted country. Her friends and her…her family…She could only repeat it. "You are alive."

"Yeah, I'm alright. Kate and I are stuck in an elevator."

"You should never take an elevator in an emergency." How could he be so stupid?

"Gee, thanks Mom." His voice dropped. He must have sensed the urgency in her voice, because the sarcasm died instantly and he softened. "We're okay. We're stuck, but we're fine. I mean…it feels like I'm trapped in an oven since the air conditioning is clearly off and I'll probably die of the stink from Kate's perfume…ow!" There was a scuffling and she heard Kate tell him to shut up and be useful, try calling Gibbs if he was getting service in the elevator and stop talking to his girlfriend. He sighed. "It was Dearing."

Of course it was. This meant that Gibbs would not stop until Dearing was dead. It meant things had to be done that she ordinarily would not do. "I will speak to my father."

"Ziva, no," he warned.

It was too late. Whatever she could get her father to do, whatever Mossad contacts he may had, but she would do what she needed to do to help Gibbs kill Dearing. "No, Tony. I have made my decision. I will be on the first flight back. I will contact my father and…and do whatever I need to do. He has gone after my family now."

He chuckled, his voice soft. She imagined him hiding away in a corner of the elevator as far from Kate as possible, his voice so soft she could hardly hear him. "You consider me your family?"

She smiled and ducked her head, keenly aware that Adam was listening. They had always had a fluctuating relationship. No matter where they were, they were always aware of the other's presence. It had only intensified in the last year since she moved back to the United States. "Yes," she murmured, running her tongue over her teeth. The stomach drop she felt at seeing the bombed building on the news a few minutes ago…the idea of not having any of them had stabbed into her with the painful realization that without them she would be lost.

But with him….well, she would have to think about that some other time. Right now she just wanted to make sure he was okay. She had validated that he was safe now. The next up was kill Harper Dearing. If she could help from here while she waited on her flight, fine. She would do what she had to do. They listened to each other's breathing for a few seconds, just verifying to the other that they were there. He chuckled, breaking the silence. "Ziva don't talk to your dad about this. We'll get Dearing, you don't need to put yourself in that position."

"I will be there as soon as possible."

"And when you get here?"

He was fishing for something. She wasn't sure what that might be, but he was fishing. She hugged her arm around herself, her eyes closing. They had both been put in too many positions where they thought the other was dead and each time it had eaten away a little inside of her. "We will…talk," she murmured. There. That was all she could commit to at this moment. She closed her eyes tight. Thank God he was alive, that was all she could think. "You are safe."

"Well I'm stuck between floors three and two, so if this thing plummets to the ground I'll only be slightly injured."

"Do not speak like that!"

"Okay, sorry," he laughed. He sighed again. "Wish you were stuck in this elevator with me. I think Kate's starting to go crazy, she's turning in circles…ow! Stop hitting me!"

"Stop talking about me!" Kate's muffled voice yelled in the background.

She wondered how neither of them had killed each other after practically a decade as partners. Her fingertips came up to rest on her temple, her eyes fluttering shut. It would soon be time for her to get to the airfield. Then she would be in D.C. and she could be there to see if all of them were okay. "Keep me updated," she murmured. "Let me know how everyone is." The images on the screen showed Dearing, the corporate photo, claiming him as the mastermind behind the attack. He was a smart one, pathological, who knew where he would be going now. Gibbs would find him.

"We will. Be safe."

"Always." She waited for him to disconnect the call first, but he didn't. She squinted, her lips pursing. "Goodbye Tony."

"What? You hang up first."

"Oh my God!" Kate yelled in the background. There was an echo, like the elevator shifting. Ziva's eyes widened, hoping it would not in fact plummet to the ground, when there was another scuffle, Kate's voice clearer now, if a bit winded and exasperated. "Listening to the two of you is going to kill me before being trapped in this tin can with DiNozzo will. Do what you need to do, call in all the Mossad favors, but if you're just going to be sitting on the sidelines, why don't you try to find Harper Dearing and get us out of here!"

She smirked. "It is good to hear from you Kate. Do try not to kill Tony. That honor is reserved for me."

"No promises." Then the line did disconnect.

The breath she had been holding escaped from her in a sob as she fell forward over her hands. He was safe. That was one down. She looked at her phone again and dialed Abby. Once she heard Abby's voice, listened to her rail against Dearing and hear that Gibbs was okay and McGee was alive, but she hadn't seen him yet, then Ziva was satisfied. She finished her conversation with Abby and lifted her head up to Adam, who was waiting beside her desk. "What?" she asked.

"Your father will see you now." He paused. "And whoever you were talking to earlier…he's a lucky guy." He flashed a quick smile.

Who, Tony? "He's just a friend," she said. She got up and ignored Adam's snort of derision and steeled herself, approaching her father's practically gilded office. She walked in, ignoring his secretary and stared straight at Eli David's pleasant smile, his fingers steepled in front of his lips. She scowled. "Abba."

"Come in Ziva, I am so glad you are safe."

"I need you to do something before I get on a Navy transport plane." She told him about Dearing, said if he could do what he could that would be…wonderful. He vowed he would. He didn't ask for anything in return. Just that she give him a hug, which she did. Then she left, feeling like it could have been worse and wasn't that just something? She said goodbye to Adam, grabbed her things from the hotel where she had been staying for the last six months and headed straight to the airport, where the plane was waiting.

The flight was awful, turbulence and her mind racing the entire time. She finally shut her eyes for at least a few minutes, but they finally got there, landing at Pax River. The back of the plane lowered down and she walked off, seeing the Charger waiting for her, a familiar person leaning against it. She dropped her bag and went straight into his arms, hugging him tight. "I am so glad you are safe," she mumbled into his shoulder.

"I'm glad you're back," he said. He pulled back, his hands framing her face. It was just them, she thought, smiling as he quickly kissed her cheeks. She kissed him in return, letting go and picking up her bag, throwing it into the backseat. "Gibbs is on a revenge mission."

"Tell me something I didn't figure out a second after the bombing, where are we on the investigation?"

"We tried to smoke him out, but Harper figured it out and killed a bunch of FBI agents in the process. Gibbs is trying a different tactic."

"Well let's go get him."

They ended up watching as Gibbs went out and did not ask questions when he returned and Dearing was found dead. She did not know what happened in the cabin where Gibbs found Dearing and did not want to know. A madman was gone. He was dead and they would not have to have him sit in prison for the rest of his life, espousing his vitriol and inspiring others with his insane revenge agenda. She knew where revenge could get you. Eli David had put his daughter's death on his shoulders, rising to the highest level of Mossad as a means of getting back at those who had killed Tali. While she didn't join Mossad for her sister, she had stayed for it. She would never go there, she thought. Never get that dark, if she could ever help it, and if she did…then she would not take down anyone innocent in the process.

"Are you going back to Israel?"

They were in Tony's apartment this time, curled up on his insanely small bed. He said it was so no one overstayed their welcome. It was a means of keeping people away. She was the only woman who had ever slept in it, she understood. That had to account for something. "Has Kate ever been to your apartment?" she murmured, her fingers tapping over his collarbone.

He glanced down at her and shrugged. "No. Why do you ask?"

"You've been partners with her for almost a decade. You were trapped in an elevator with her after…after almost dying in an explosion."

"We didn't die."

"Still…that has to change a person. A relationship." She moved and propped her head on her elbow, looking down at him. He stared up at her, unblinking. They both said nothing for a few seconds, until she sighed hard, quiet. "I am glad you are not dead."

That was probably the third time she had said it to him. It was practically their way of saying they cared about the other. He smirked up at her. "I am glad too." He wrapped his arms back around her, pulling her against him. She snuggled closer, her head in the crook of his shoulder. He began to tug on her hair, which she'd pulled up into a messy bun on top of her head. "So are you going back to Israel?"

I don't know anymore. Vance hadn't said anything when she'd shown up and inserted herself into the investigation again. Kate had said she was ready to leave. The Dearing case had burned her. She kissed his jaw. "We shall see," she whispered, still holding onto him. They had kind of fallen into this. They hadn't planned it. Paris was supposed to be a one time thing. Nothing like it would ever happen again. It was Paris after all. The most romantic city in the world, where they were Tony and Ziva and not Agent DiNozzo and Agent David…it was easy to get caught up in the passion and the chemistry.

This had been all about being alive. When Gibbs left to go after Dearing, they hadn't said a word. They'd kept working. Ducky had had a heart attack and she'd gone to make sure he was alright, since she hadn't heard from him. She'd congratulated Palmer on his wedding and sat with Abby. This would affect Abby worse than anyone, she thought, trying to help her get through as best as she could. She checked on McGee, who had shrapnel in his side removed and now sported several stitches. Girls like scars, she'd teased him, saying he would have a nice one to get some attention. It was like nothing was the matter. Until they got word from Gibbs and then everyone began to pack up and leave. Kate said she would see them later and she was going home to sleep forever. McGee and Abby left to get a drink. Jimmy went with Ducky to get Breena from the airport.

And the two of them had just stared at each other before they both got in their separate cars, drove to his apartment, and tackled each other in the entryway, all teeth, tongues, and limbs. They had to feel alive. It was completely common. In the face of death, you wanted to feel alive. They were in Washington, D.C. They were not Tony and Ziva. They were themselves and they were in the real world this time. She moved as close to him as she could which was pretty close since they were on a twin bed. Something she still couldn't get over. "You're such a child," she murmured.

"I rock your world and that's all you have to say to me?"

"Rock my world?" She sat up again and peered down at him, her eyebrow arching. He cocked his head, challenging her with a smirk fo his own. She snorted, pulling the sheets around her. "Maybe rock my Monday."

"Ouch. Well, guess we can try again."

And again and again and again, she thought, laughing. It felt strange to laugh, after all that had happened. She pressed herself against him again, moaning as the kiss deepened, the teasing and laughter disappearing as they grew more urgent and needy. She gasped when he broke the kiss, trailing them down over her shoulder and began to blaze a path over her chest and stomach. There was something in the background, she thought, eyes closed as her fingers gripped the sheets. "Tony," she gasped, eyes closed. The knocking grew louder. "Tony!"

"Hmm….what?"

There was a muffled yell outside of the front door. "Tony! Open this door! I've been standing out here like five minutes!"

They both jumped up, arms around each other, staring at the front door. "Damnit," Tony groaned, grabbing the comforter and wrapping it around him while she swept up her clothes from the floor and tripped into the bathroom to change. He waved his hand at her. "No, no don't get dressed! It's probably my crazy neighbor…" He peered into the peephole, squealing like a little girl. "Or Kate!"

"I can hear you! What are you doing? Open this door!"

"Get dressed!" Ziva hissed at him.

He shook his head and pushed her into the bedroom. "No, I've got an idea." He slammed the door on her, with the order to stay put, and made his way to the front door. Oh God, she thought, leaning against the door. What was he doing? She waited, silent. As hard as it was to admit, Tony wasn't bad at improvising. It was part of why he was so good working undercover. She listened, intent, as he answered the door, acting like nothing was wrong.

"Why are you wearing a comforter? Are those women's boots?"

"Kate you come banging on my door, why are you here anyway? You've never been to my apartment. How do you even know where I live?"

"I'm a trained investigator Tony. I'm here because I thought you should know that I've formally accepted the position in Georgia. Gibbs will announce it tomorrow." She cleared her throat. "Ah…we can talk later, but…thought you might also want to give Ziva a heads up. That makes a permanent spot on the team now."

"Um…sure."

"You could call her."

"I will. That sounds like something Gibbs should do though. Man, I'm going to miss you Kate."

"Sure you will."

"I will!"

"Hmm, we can talk later, your ah…lady friend might be missing you. Nice comforter. I like the plaid."

"Thanks, I spent a lot of time picking it out."

"Uh-huh, I'll see you tomorrow Tony." Kate's voice grew louder. "Bye Ziva!"

Tony stumbled. "Um, what are you…Ziva's not here!"

Then again, he was also terrible at improvising. She shook her head and opened the door, calling out. "Bye Kate!"

A few minutes later, she was back in the bed and Tony was coming back into the room, scowling at her. "What?" she laughed. "I was just improvising." Besides, Kate would keep it to herself. She trusted the other woman at least that much. Tony crawled back into the bed beside her. There was an opening. "We're going to be on the same team again," she whispered. They'd been saying that for almost seven years now. Only this time it looked like it was going to be true.

Means they had to stop this. For good. He nodded, dragging his finger over her shoulder. "Hmm….yeah." He kissed the path he'd traced, shrugging. "We'll deal with it once you're officially on the team."

She sighed, glancing sideways. They were friends. They were people who had now slept together twice. Well, more times than that, but two occasions. She couldn't stop thinking of how she'd felt when she saw the building exploding on the news. The horror and the intense pain in her gut. The relief at hearing his voice. He was alive. He was alive and safe and she had to face what that meant to her in that moment. It wasn't the same as she'd felt when she confirmed Gibbs and McGee and Abby and Ducky were safe. It was different. It was…it was Tony.

They didn't have a long time, she figured, her arms snaking back around him. The morning would come soon enough and she would leave. She didn't want to overstay her welcome. Not when they were going to be partners.