Time Gone By ✡ NCIS TIVA Fanfiction

Chapter 5

Her words hit him nearly harder than the gun two days ago. His pulse was really fast; he felt like a rabbit in front of a big truck.

"That... That's great" he finally answered, "And who-..." He knew that he didn't have to finish that question. "You" she replied. "Are you... I mean are you sure about that?"

After saying it, he noticed that that was the stupidest thing he could have said. "I haven't slept with other men after you went back to Washington if that's what you mean".

He had so many things that he wanted to tell her and so many questions.

"However, you can live here for a while if you want, I'll sleep on the couch." He said. How could he feel so stupid in her presence? That woman had been like a sister to him for years. Sometimes he thought he knew her better than he knew himself.

"Yes, thank you." She answered. Why couldn't they talk like before, why couldn't everything be like before she left?

The answer was obvious: Because she went away, because she ripped a hole into his heart and left everything behind. Did she regret it?

"Okay, nice." Tony replied. He wanted to avoid that embarrassing silence. "Well, this is just awkward" Ziva said and tried to smile. Tony nodded. They didn't say anything for a while.

She stood there, leaned against the wall and looked at the other side of the room. He sat on the bed and watched her, her dark brown eyes.

He remembered the first time they kissed, ages ago. It had been a fake; he just had gotten to know the young passionate Mossad-Agent and he didn't thought he'd have to do with her for a long time.

There they stood now, time gone by, and so much had gotten between them. It was like there was an invisible barrier which separated them, a wall of unspoken words and unasked questions.

"Do you want to eat something?" He broke the silence. "Actually I'm starving" she replied and Tony smiled a bit.

"There should be a few things in the fridge. Come on, let's go get you something." He got up and she followed him out of the bedroom. "Nice apartment you have there, by the way" she said and leaned over his shoulder to see what was in the fridge. "Oh, I don't really like it. It's too ... decent and nice and ordinary." He answered. That made her smile a bit. "We have salad and deep-frozen pizza. That sounds like a nice diner." He took the things out and went to the stove.

"Tony, you don't have to do this" she interrupted silently. "Do what?" He asked while washing the salad. "Let me live here, make me dinner." "You could help me with the pizza, if that's what you mean" he smiled.

She took the pizzas out of the wrapping and held on. "I meant that you don't owe me something. I ... I must have hurt you so much and you're still polite and -..."

she didn't finish her sentence. "I'm just glad you're back" he said. They kept cooking, but the atmosphere seemed to be quite a bit lightened up. When they finished making meal, they sat down on the couch to eat.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" He asked. "Of course, you choose!" she laughed. Since he lived here, he hadn't watched many movies on the big television yet. He went through his DVD-collection.

He wasn't sure which movie genre he should pick, but he decided to pick a classic. "You want to get a view in the world of McElvenking?" Ziva laughed. "In fact, in all these years I've been in America, I never watched the Lord of the Rings!" Tony started the DVD.

They sat together on the couch, eating pizza and discussing the movie. It was nearly like she never left. She asked when she didn't understand something and he explained it to her.

One or two hours later, she slowly fell asleep, her head on Tony's shoulder. He caressed her hair and carefully lifted her up to carry her into his bedroom. After he laid her down on his bed, he covered her under the blanket and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"Good night, Ziva" he whispered.