Okay, it's been a MILLION years since I've written anything – Tiva or otherwise. But Cote's return finally convinced me to watch seasons 11-16, and then when I was done with that I decided to rewatch seasons 7-10. Knowing how Ziva feels about Tony has changed a lot. It's been incredible. Anyway, this AU tag to You Better Watch Out has been bouncing around in my head for a while now and so I finally sat down to write it. The first little bit of dialogue is borrowed from the episode, the rest is my own. I don't own the characters…if I did Tiva would have been canon in season 10 ;). Enjoy!

"Sorry I'm late," Tony called out as he entered MTAC. "I got distracted. Even when he's not around Senior can have an effect on me. Look what I found under the tree." He glanced at Ziva as he held up a ring.

"The family ring!" McGee exclaimed.

"Mhmm."

Ziva stepped up to take a closer look. "It is beautiful."

"It is." Tony locked his gaze on Ziva's. They were surrounded by all of their closest family and friends, but Ziva was the only person he saw in the room. Abby and Senior had slipped in as he talked, but their entrance went unnoticed as his full attention was on the woman in front of him; he wanted no room for miscommunication in what he said next. "It's got a diamond…it's yours, if you want it." A tight, nervous smile played on his lips.

Ziva's lips quirked up in a grin and her eyes lit up. The love in her eyes was unmistakable when she answered. "I do."

Tony broke out into a full grin. "Good. Because right now, I'm just a boy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to love him. But there's actually a different question I want to ask." Tony bent down on one knee and took Ziva's left hand in his. Without looking over his shoulder he could feel the energy radiating off of Abby as she bounced around in excitement.

"Ziva David, will you marry me?"

Ziva smiled wide. "Yes." Before she could say more than that, Tony slipped the ring onto her finger and shot up off of his knee, pulling Ziva tight against him. His arms found a familiar place around her waist as hers wound around his neck, holding him to her as tight as he was holding her.

After a moment, Tony leaned back, looking Ziva in the eyes again as he brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. His hand came to rest on the side of her face. Ziva's hands slid off of his shoulders to rest on his chest. "I love you, Ziva. Leets me toot." He may have stumbled over the translation, but the look on Ziva's face told him she understood. He would love her always. Permanently. That fact couldn't be changed or taken away.

"I love you too, Tony." With that, Tony leaned in and kissed her the way he had been dying to since the day Harper Dearing tried to blow up the Navy Yard. They were both a little breathless when they finally broke apart.

So many obstacles has stood in their way – Jeanne, Eli, Michael, Israel, Somalia, Ray, EJ…the list seemed never ending. But their love had grown and endured, just like one of his movies.

Harper Dearing unintentionally trapping them in the elevator was just the kick in the pants he needed. They had wasted a lot of time, but Tony vowed to himself that he would spend the rest of his life making sure Ziva knew how much he loved her. No more excuses. The widower of a murdered Navy lieutenant had once told him and Ziva to cherish each other, every day. The guy was right. Life was too short not to tell someone you loved them when you did.