𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄 ━━ 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐳𝐳𝐨

THIRTY FIVE | labels

"Good morning, Tony."

"And a good morning to you, Ms. Giudice."

We stand in the elevator silently, the only sound coming from the ding at each floor.

I chew on my bottom lip, glancing at him from the corner of my eye. "Thank you for taking me out to Valentino's last Friday."

"My pleasure." He simply nods, still not looking at me.

"You're still mad at me." A deep breath slips out. "How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?"

That seems to do it for him as his head snaps to face me. "Sorry for flirting with the waiter? Or sorry for telling him I'm a friend?" His words drip with poison.

"I was not flirting with the waiter." I bark back, jabbing a finger into the emergency button.

Looks like it's gonna be one of those days.

"So when he grabbed your hand and kissed the top of it, you just giggled like a schoolgirl?" He accuses. "I don't see how that's not flirting."

"He was being polite!" It takes everything in me not to scream in frustration.

Tony crosses his arms over his chest. "Fine. Let's pretend he was just flirting with you." His fingers curve down into quotes. "What about the fact you said I was a friend when he asked you?"

"We've never gone over labels, Tony." I grab onto the handrail with my back turned to him. "I didn't want to call you my boyfriend if that's not what you want us to be."

It's quiet for a few moments before I hear some shuffling sounds. His hands graze the tops of my arms, intertwining with my white knuckles.

There's some shakiness to his tone. "You thought I wouldn't want to be your boyfriend? That I wouldn't want to call you my girlfriend?" The phrase taunts me.

Boyfriend.

"N-No."

His hot breath lingers at the back of my neck before he proceeds to press a gentle kiss there.

"I would love nothing more than to call you my girlfriend."

My body turns to face him, my hands gripping the ends of his jacket. "Really?"

"Really." His lips curve up in a smile, which I return. "So it's official?"

"You're my boyfriend."

"And you're my girlfriend."

I switch off the emergency button, allowing the elevator to resume its original path. We stand side by side, the way we stood before.

Only this time, his hand finds mine and holds it tightly.

We walk out to the squad room to see Ziva and McGee sitting idly at their desks. Ziva twisted her knife between her fingers, and McGee drums against his coffee cup.

"No case?" Tony drops his bag at his desk.

Right then, Gibbs charges in, heading straight towards his desk. "Gear up!" There's our case. "We have a missing person. Coleman Park carousel in Arlington."

Don't let it be a child. My fingers cross in hope and prayer.

"Lieutenant Commander Alex Turner. Disappeared an hour ago." Gibbs stuffs his gun into its holster. "His six-year-old son called NCIS. He's alone and waiting for us."

I'm the first out the door, bag and guns in hand. Inside the elevator, I take my time strapping on my holsters and guns.

"What is wrong with her? Does she want to drive?"