A/N: Inspired by art by Pascal Campion (I mean, the woman looks nothing like Ziva, but it's Pascal Campion, so whatever he draws reminds me of Tiva). Can't post the link here, but you can find it on my tumblr blog.

They trudge upstairs to their apartment, another long case solved successfully, Gibbs having mercy on them all and sending them home while the sun is still up.

The building is quiet, and the ray of sunshine coming in through the window in the hallway warms her back and eases her soul. Languor takes over her body and she slows her steps even more, falling behind slightly.

When they reach their floor, and Tony heads for their front door, she doesn't follow. The stream of warmth bathing her body feels too good. The rectangular beam of sunlight on the wall in front of her beckons her.

By the time she leans her weary body against it and closes her eyes, she hears the click of the lock and the squeak of the opening door. Maybe this weekend she will actually get around to fixing that hinge.

He sounds tired, but amused, when he asks, "What are you doing?"

"Enjoying the last bit of sun while I still can."

A thump of his backpack hitting the floor in their apartment's hallway, footsteps muffled by carpet.

"I thought fall was your favorite season?" His voice is low, his breath teasing so close to her ear.

"It is, but we have been scooped up in the office far too much during this case."

"Cooped."

"Like chickens?"

"Mhm." He nuzzles her hair.

"That makes sense, for a change."

He chuckles, she smiles, eyes still firmly closed, unwilling to step out of the solar bubble she finds herself in.

"I guess you can take the woman out of the desert, but you can't take the desert out of the woman."

She chuckles, he's not wrong, his lips are soft against her temple.

"Enjoy your thirty seconds sun bath, I'll get started on dinner."

The extra heat his body brought to her bubble leaves, and she grins.

"I'll bring in the fire extinguisher from the hallway."