Lie Again

Return of the Boyfriend

He watched her from across the squad room. She was laughing freely, something she hadn't done in a while.

Relief washed through him, even as he knew only one man could make her laugh like that, and it wasn't him.

He couldn't help but stare. For several weeks now, she had seemed tired and upset, reluctant to smile at his jokes and yet unwilling to scold him either. But now she glowed. That was really the only way to describe her.

She eventually ended her phone call and joined him in the bullpen. He was pleased to see that she didn't deflate, as he expected.

"Good morning, Zee-vah," he said, giving her a dopey smile.

She glanced up from her computer, probably checking her email like she did every morning. She smiled, with her eyes, too, and it sent a happy shiver down his spine. "Good morning, Tony."

"Sleep well?"

She gave a little shrug, her eyes going back to her inbox.

"That was quite the phone call. CI-Ray?"

Her brows furrowed briefly, but she couldn't keep the grin off her face. "Yes. It was Ray."

He was still a little confused about that- he'd been so sure Ray was the reason for Ziva's recent funk. "Sounded like a good conversation."

Ziva looked up again, and he could tell by her expression that he was, as usual, toeing the line.

Fortunately for her, Gibbs walked in just then. "Grab your gear. Dead petty officer in Georgetown. Move it, DiNozzo."

***

Ziva's good mood somehow survived the gruesome crime scene. Not even Tony's constant jokes and movie quotes could ruin it.

She was still cheerful as she left work that night, went home to her lonely apartment.

Ray's call came right on time, 6 o'clock sharp. Maybe he was finally going to keep his promises and put her before his work.

Over the next hour and a half, they planned a dinner date for when he was back stateside. Three more days. Only three. Ziva wasn't much of a squealer, but she was excited enough to squeal now.

The call ended the same way all the others ended, with Ray apologizing, saying he had to go. Ziva's mood took a slight dip at this point, but she quickly fixed that with a glass of wine and her favorite book.

Her mind kept wandering away from the story, until finally she got up and went to her closet. Ziva had a few dresses- the black one she wore to that trade summit party with DiNozzo Sr, the other black one she wore to Jenny's funeral (but wasn't quite the same since her apartment blew up), and... Alright, she had two dresses. One, really.

She'd need to go shopping.

She cringed at the thought, and scanned her closet again just in case she'd missed something. Nope.

So she sent a reluctant text to Abby, asking if maybe they could hit the mall after work tomorrow. The reply was almost instant- a smiley face and 'totally.'

Shaking her head, Ziva returned her attention to her wine.

***

Ziva was still peppy, Tony noticed the next morning. And sure, he was relieved, glad even, but he was also a little annoyed. There was just something off about Ray Cruz, and Tony didn't like the thought of him spending too much more time with Ziva. Especially after their big fight last year.

What Ziva saw in him, Tony could never guess.

"How's CI-Ray?" he asked dutifully.

She frowned. "Do not call him that."

That was more like the Ziva he knew.

"And he is fine."

Tony waited for a moment; if he was reading her correctly, she'd keep talking.

"He's actually coming back from Europe in a couple days." Bingo. "We're going to have dinner."

He groaned inwardly. Given that man's history, that dinner wasn't going to happen for one reason or another. Ray would get held up at the office, or his flight would be delayed, or he'd be so into his paperwork that he wouldn't see the time. There'd be something.

And then Tony would again be left with no choice but to clean up Ray's mess, say comforting things that he doesn't mean, say less comforting things (about Ray) that he does mean.

Not that Ziva would ever listen. She had a thing for bad boys, and Tony didn't quite fit in that category.

"Tony?"

He shook his head a little to clear his thoughts. "Yeah."

"Are you okay? You are very quiet this morning."

"Yeah, yeah, just a little tired. You said Ray is taking time out of his busy schedule to have dinner with you?"

She glared at him for that one, and didn't make any attempt to continue the conversation. He reminded himself to watch his mouth.

***

Ziva met Abby at the mall as planned, where the forensics specialist immediately  insisted on getting smoothies from the drink vendor.

"Abby, can we make this quick? I have other plans for tonight," Ziva said, already checking the time.

"This will be as quick as I say it will be." Abby took a long slurp of her smoothie. "Not as good as Caf-Pow, but still good. Okay, Ziva, where do you shop?"

Ziva gestured to a few stores she was comfortable entering, and then Abby pulled her in the opposite direction.

Why hadn't she just gone shopping alone?

With Abby's help, Ziva was able to find three new dresses, each of them under $20.

"You're going to look so gorgeous, he'll never want to let you out of his sight again," Abby promised.

Ziva wasn't quite so sure, but she really wanted to believe it.

"Thank you, Abby."

"Don't mention it. But I want to hear all the details when you get home from that dinner. Or the next morning, if, you know, you're busy after your date, too." She winked suggestively.

"Abby... I haven't even seen Ray in months."

"All the more reason."

"He could have changed."

"Now you're just making excuses." Abby took Ziva's relatively untouched smoothie and tossed it in a trash can. "Just listen to your heart, and everything will work out."

*****

9/21/17    This is random, but in light of recent events, I want each and every one of you to know that you are loved. No matter what you may think, there is someone out there who cares about you. If you ever need someone to talk to, please reach out or call the suicide prevention hotline (1-800-273-8255). Please talk to someone. You are not alone.