Anthony D. DiNozzo leaned up against the side of the door in frustration. He looked down at his watch once more. Another five minutes had gone by. What the hell was taking her so long? He groaned and banged on the wood again, "Ziva!" He shouted, "Come on! We're gonna be late!"

"Hold on!" She shouted back out before muttering in Hebrew, "I have not been in here that long!"

He looked down at his watch once more, "You've been in there for at least an hour, Ziva. Come on, let's go."

"I do not look good!" she shouted back, and that was it. He turned fully towards the door, banging on it repeatedly.

"You always look freaking sexy as hell now get out here!" He shouted before the door finally opened, revealing the beauty that was Ziva David.

She was dressed in a strapless, yet simple white dress that was complimented with chocolate brown sandals and a matching chocolate brown sash around her middle, tying as a bow in the back. Also accenting the dress was a strip of brown around the hem, and her hair was straight, not her natural curls that Tony loved oh so much to twirl in his fingers. Nevertheless, his mouth dropped open.

"Whoa, Ziva…uh…how come you never wear anything like that to work?"

She just smirked and then gently pushed his mouth closed before walking past him, "Because it is hard to run." She said, "And besides, this is a special occasion."

He scoffed as he followed her into her bedroom where she dropped to her knees in front of the bed. He laughed, "Aw come on, Ziva, I'm not over there yet. You wanna pleasure me already?" He said, and she just glared at him before she stuck her hand under her bed and pulled out a brown leather handbag. Tony nearly stumbled backwards, "You. Have. A. Purse?" She stood up, wiping the dust off of it before she headed to her dresser and loaded it with what she needed; Driver's license, NCIS ID, Cell phone, American Express Credit Card, Visa credit card, and then the two most important of them all; her gun and her knife.

"Yes, Tony, I have a purse. It was for an undercover mission I did a while back for Mossad." She said, clasping the clasps together on the purse and then swinging it over her right shoulder.

"You ready?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Yes, let's go." He took her hand in his, squeezing it once as he smiled at her before they exited the apartment.

"You look very handsome today." She acknowledged as they turned around so she could lock her door, her hand never leaving Tony's. He was dressed simple in his nicest pair of jeans, a brown belt, and a white button up, custom made from Italy dress shirt.

"Thank you. You look gorgeous as well." He grinned as he leaned down to press his lips against hers.

"Oooo goody!" They heard a small voice barely seconds after his lips touched hers, and they both snapped their heads to see Ziva's next door neighbor, the old woman that Tony believed was named 'Martha', standing outside of her door, a camera in her hand. She sighed as she shook the Polaroid picture and then walked over and handed it to them. Tony took it, smiling a little as their picture started to form. She sighed, "Ah! I can almost hear the wedding bells already. Invite me, please, Ziva!"

Ziva just gave the woman a smile, for she didn't know what else to say, "I will?" She questioned, and the old woman squealed once more.

"Martha! Martha!" They heard her husband, Al, call from the apartment, "Martha?" He screamed louder. She sighed.

"I will leave you two love birds in peace. Al is calling for me." She turned to the doorway, "Al! Just a second!"

"I'm gonna take a nap, Martha!" He shouted, a little louder, for he was slightly deaf due to his age, "It's finally quiet enough, and I think the room stopped shaking!"

Ziva furrowed her eyebrows together, "The room stopped shaking?" she questioned.

"Oh yes, dear, we kept hearing this slamming noise all night, the whole room was shaking. There was also this weird noise, kinda sounded like someone was moaning and there was screaming too." Tony and Ziva shared nervous looks as they adjusted their hands in the others, "We almost decided to call the police! Did you two hear it?"

"Umm…" Tony started, scratching his head, "Well…we kinda…" They looked nervously at each other again, and the old woman gasped as she stepped back.

"OH!" She gasped, "I didn't know!" She placed her hand on Tony's shoulder, "I am so sorry. Sometimes I can be so clueless!"

"Well…we really should be going, Martha." Ziva said.

"Yeah, don't wanna be late for our reservations."

"All right." She smiled before she pushed Tony's shoulder down so that his ear was at her level. He winced a little, "You are using protection, right?" Tony laughed.

"You're one funny lady." He smiled, "Yup, you're hilarious. You know, Ziva, I think we should…" He started pulling her away.

"Yes, I think we should go too…"

"Bye!" They both nearly shouted as they ran down the steps of her apartment complex and out into the parking lot.

Tony unlocked his Mustang, "Well that was awkward." Tony said as they both got into the car, closing the doors as they buckled their seatbelts.

"It could have been worse." Ziva admitted, shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh really? And how could it have been worse?"

"She could have called the police and they could have caught us."

Tony gulped, "I hate the police."

"You once worked PD!" She exclaimed.

"I know. That's exactly how I know that I hate the police!" He exclaimed as he started to car, "Now let's just forget this whole thing and go to Mariano's. Italian food always calms me down."

"Mmm…" She mumbled as he drove out of the parking lot, "Italian men calm me down." She turned and smiled at me.

"You're just saying that to tease me, aren't ya?"

"Is it working?" She asked, taking a slight moment to glance at his pants. She gave a small smirk of content.

"Well…"

"I believe it is, yafeh."

"And what does that mean?" He demanded, "You can't just go around spitting off Hebrew words without telling me what they mean."

"It means handsome." She mumbled. Tony grinned.

"Well thank you, la bonita."

She smirked again, and the rest of the car ride was silent to the Italian restaurant Tony had been raving about all case. He parked the car, got out, and then hurried around as he opened up the door for Ziva. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out as she grabbed her purse out as well. He closed the door for her and then locked it, "Toda." She smiled as they walked into the restaurant. Tony opened up the door for her as well and then gave the waitress their names before they were brought to a romantic little table in the back of the restaurant.

"Here is your table. Your waiter will be here shortly. Enjoy your meal." The rather attractive woman said as she placed down the two menus. Tony pulled the chair out for her and Ziva raised an eyebrow as she sat down. He took his place in his chair across from her.

She picked up the menu, "Oh Tony, what's the occasion?" She asked, "You're acting like a gentlemen."

"Why thank you." He smiled, giving a fake British accent as he too picked up the menu.

"Hi, Welcome to Mariano's. My name is Rebecca; I will be taking your order for tonight. Our specials tonight are a Chicken Marsala with Penne pasta and our chef special Lasagna. Would you like anything to drink?" Ziva carefully watched Tony. Rebecca was very attractive, and she knew it was only a matter of time before Tony said something about her.

He just glanced up at her, "Yeah, Ziva and I will have the red wine."

"Which kind?"

He looked up at Ziva, "Well sweetheart? Which kinda?" They nickname warmed her heart and the waitress rolled her eyes. Ziva smirked.

"Whatever you would like, darling." She said, putting an emphasis on the nickname back.

"Just whatever the Chef recommends. Tell Pablo that Tony DiNozzo's here and he wants to see him, will you?"

"Tony DiNozzo would like to see him." She gave him a flirtatious smile, "Got it." She said before winking and walking away.

Ziva caught his hand over the table, "Tony." She said, almost in shock. He looked up at her.

"What?" He questioned, confused.

"You did not flirt with that woman." He furrowed his eyebrows t her, and then gave her his famous DiNozzo grin.

"Now why would I do that?" He squeezed her hand.

Dinner flew by, the conversation filled with smiles, laughs, and the multiple games of footsy. Tony learned that day that the less his foot went up her leg, the less of a target he was to her stomping on his foot.

Suddenly, the doors flew open from the kitchen and Chef Pablo came out, holding both of their plates. He was a kind of plump man with facial hair, but definitely Italian in every way.

"Pablo!" Tony exclaimed as he approached their table.

"Chicken Parmigana?" He questioned, and then placed it in front of Tony before turning to his partner, "And this wonderful manicotti for the bella donna." He smiled and Ziva smiled back as he placed the plate in front of her.

"Grazie." She responded back, and Pablo put a hand on Tony's shoulder, shaking him.

"So. Tony, tell me. How have you been doing?"

"Just fine, Pablo, just fine. Getting along. You know, catching the bad guys….having a little…fun…" He winked at Ziva.

She just shook her head and smiled as she put a helping of manicotti into her mouth.

"And who might you be?" He asked, and Ziva looked up, sticking out her hand.

"Ziva David. Tony's…partner." She smiled.

"That is what they call it nowadays?" Pablo asked, and Tony opened his mouth to answer, but Ziva cut him off.

"And significant other." She responded, "'Boyfriend' is such a…juvenile term." She turned to Tony, "And it does not describe just how much I feel for him." She said, in a lower, seductive voice as she took another forkful of her manicotti.

Pablo raised his eyebrows before walking over to Tony and whispering into his ear, "Non perda." He said before backing away.

"I won't." He smiled his famous DiNozzo grin as Pablo bid them a goodnight and a good meal before disappearing back into the kitchen.

"What did he tell you?" She asked, and Tony just smirked.

"Don't you play that game with me, Ziva David. I know that you heard what he said and that you can speak Italian."

"I am not fluent!" She exclaimed.

"Do you know how to say 'I love you' in Italian?" Tony questioned, and she smiled.

"Of course. Ti amo…Tony." She smiled.

"Then you're fluent."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Leroy Jethro Gibbs graciously sat down in front of his friend, "Thanks for coming to join me, Duck."

"Oh, not a problem, Jethro. I always like to get out of the house. Away from mother." He laughed, as the waitress came by and took their drink orders, "So earlier this afternoon when Mr. Palmer….oh dear."

Gibbs looked up from his menu, "What? Ducky?"

"Jethro…" He said, sighing, and Gibbs turned to see what he was looking at. Tony DiNozzo sat across from Ziva David, and he carefully took his hand in hers across from the table before squeezing it once and then standing up as he pulled her up as well. She grabbed her purse off of the ground before standing back up and staring at Tony for a couple of seconds. Before they did what Jethro never ever wanted to see. She kissed him, a romantic kiss that lasted only about five seconds before they walked hand in hand out of the restaurant, oblivious to the fact that Ducky and Jethro were there.

"Damn it, Duck." Gibbs said as he threw his napkin down onto the table.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ziva woke up the next morning, completely content, naked in her bedroom, her hair sprawled over Tony's chest.

"Why isn't your hair curly?" He mumbled, his chest vibrating against the side of her face, and she looked up at him.

"You are awake." She commented.

"Yeah." He said, "And missing your curls."

"Tony." She sighed, "You do know why I straighten my hair."

"Yeah, yeah, it's easier to manage…blah, blah, blah…" He started, but then a phone rang. They sat up in bed and Tony grabbed the cell that was ringing off of the night stand.

"Who's is it?" Ziva questioned, and Tony turned the phone over. There was a purple sticker on the back.

"Yours." He said, passing it to her.

"David." She answered.

"Took ya long enough. You coming in today? Or are you sick?"

"Gibbs!" She laughed, "It's only…" She looked at the clock, "Oh. 0800h in the morning?" She asked, pointedly at Tony, "I will be there. Sorry, Gibbs. Must have slept through my alarm."

"Mhmm…" He said, "Get your ass in here. Now." And with that he hung up the phone.

"Get out of bed." She shoved at him, "We've gotta head in to work."

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The elevator doors to the squadroom opened to reveal both Tony and Ziva, hurrying to their desks.

"Sorry we're late, boss." Tony said, standing up first, "I…"

"Save it." He said, coming by and slapping down cold case files on both of their desks, "Next time, when you two decide where to sleep at night, make sure the alarm clock works, all right?" Their eyes shot to each other's in wide eyed fear.

"Boss?" Tony questioned, finally finding his voice.

"Oh. Just never get married." He said before he started out of the bullpen, "Manicotti and Chicken Parmigana was good last night, wasn't it? Going for coffee." He said as he left the two agents struck in fear as they stared at each other, each one standing on each side of their desks.

Tony was shocked. How'd boss know that?

Ziva was scared. What is going to happen now?

McGee was confused. Why am I always left in the dark?