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By midweek the entire team was willing to wait in line to kill Tony with Gibbs at the front of the line. Tony's body was practically vibrating with energy as he waited for Friday to roll around. He had the whole evening planned and was just praying that they didn't snag a case to throw a monkey wrench into his plans.

Finally it was Friday at about four-thirty in the afternoon and Tony was impatiently trying to countdown the remaining minutes until he could leave. He was driving everyone in the bullpen mad with his constant stream of inane babble. And Gibbs had had enough.

"DiNozzo."

"Yes Boss."

"Do you have any comp time accumulated?"

"About a hundred hours or so at last count Boss."

"Good then spend thirty minutes of it and get the hell out of here before Ducky has you on a slab in the very near future."

Tony was stunned, Gibbs was not known for letting anyone leave early. Little did Tony know however that Gibbs had gone to lunch with Laura on Tuesday to find out what had transpired between them after Tony had started acting so strangely at the office. Gibbs' friendship with Laura was a rarity and it was something he was coming to value more and more. And he was happy that she and Tony had finally sorted things out and admitted their real feelings for each other. But he still felt protective of her.

Tony had quickly grabbed his stuff to head out and was surprised when Gibbs joined him in the elevator. And was even more surprised when he hit the emergency stop switch. He looked at Gibbs questioningly, "Boss?"

Gibbs didn't even turn around just said in a very matter of fact way, "Just keep in mind DiNozzo that I know how to get rid of a body. Do not hurt her." And he flipped the switch to get the elevator moving again.

Tony heard the meaning in Gibbs' words but had to reply flippantly, "Gotcha Boss. But just keep in mind that that's my redhead you're getting overprotective of."

Gibbs couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face as he looked sideways at Tony. And the two of them were chuckling as Tony exited the elevator.

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He had told her to dress formally, and that peaked her curiosity. Not that they hadn't gone out in formal wear before, they had for a couple of weddings and special events, but they hadn't really dressed up for just a night out. She wondered what he was up to.

She was just putting her lipstick in her evening bag when the doorbell rang. Looking out the peephole brought a smile to her face that grew wider when she opened the door. Tony was looking very suave standing there decked out in his black tuxedo and holding a single red rose.

When she opened the door Tony's mouth fell open. He had seen her dressed up before but this was different, she was dressed up for him and she was exquisite. She wore a very classy plum colored crepe sheath dress with a slit up one side to her mid thigh. Its neckline ensured that he would be a little distracted all night. Her hair was pinned up loosely and she had little errant curls escaping here and there. Her makeup was perfect and made her creamy skin flawless and the dramatic eye makeup made her eyes seem to glow.

What gave him a warm and fuzzy feeling though was the silver filigree butterfly necklace she had on. A few months earlier the library had held a craft fair fundraiser and Tony had surprised her by showing up. They spent some time together walking through the vendors and she had spotted the necklace and had picked it up admiring it. As they walked away with Laura in the lead Tony mouthed to the vendor to hold the necklace. And when Laura was distracted by something he had gone back and paid for it and hid it in his pocket. He left a while later but it meant a lot to Laura that he had shown up. And later that night when she got home she found a gaily wrapped little box with a big bow in the middle of her coffee table with a note that read, "Nice job on the craft fair Madam Director", and when she opened the gift and saw the butterfly she laughed. It had become one of her favorite pieces of jewelry and she looked for excuses to wear it. And when she got dressed for the evening there wasn't even a question as to what necklace she would wear.

When his brain finally caught up with his eyes he told her, "You look amazing." And he nervously leaned in and gave her a little kiss on the cheek that she thought was incredibly sweet, not so much the kiss itself but the fact that he was nervous about doing it.

Laura laughed that playful laugh he loved so much and teased, "Thank you. But you have seen me dressed up before Tony."

"Yeah but tonight I can gawk and get away with it." He quipped back with a suggestive wag of his eyebrows.

Tony had called in several favors for his special date with Laura. And when they pulled up to a little theater in an older part of town she had no idea what he was up to. Formal wear for a movie? Then she realized the theater had a sign hanging in the door, ‘Closed for Vacation'. So she thought it was a little bizarre when they walked up to the doors that they were met by an usher in full old-time regalia, the bright gold-trimmed red suit and hat and wearing white gloves.

"Welcome Mr. DiNozzo, your seats are right this way." Tony didn't give anything away to Laura, he just offered her his arm and they followed the usher.

He led them into the theater and Laura was surprised to see a small table elegantly set for two in the middle of the theater's wide aisle, at the perfect viewing distance from the screen. The usher held her chair out for her and she sat down looking around in awe at the old theater. The usher left them giving Laura a little wink as he left.

"What is all this Tony?" she asked with a big smile.

"Nothing." But he couldn't contain his grin as he poured them each a glass of their favorite Chardonnay. He raised his glass in toast, "Here's to the last first date you and I will ever go on."

"Now you've jinxed it, you know how my first dates generally go." She teased.

"Yeah, but I get why you'd want to see The King and I a hundred and fifty times."

She laughed, "It's only a hundred and forty-nine by the way."

He didn't say anything but gave her a knowing grin as he sipped his wine. The usher returned with the first of many courses and they shared a delightful dinner. When the last of the plates were removed Tony edged his chair a bit closer to her and gave a little wave to the projection booth.

He looked at Laura and with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes said, "On with the show."

The lights dimmed and her eyes grew huge as the movie started, it was her beloved The King and I in all its glory on the big screen.

He leaned over and teased, "By my count this should be a hundred and fifty."

She turned to meet his eyes and he saw that she was biting her lip trying not to cry, and he said softly, "Hey no crying now."

She smiled and sniffed, "I can't help it. This is the sweetest most romantic thing ever."

He rolled his eyes and teased some more, "Women."

She took his face gently in her hands and kissed him. And they both got lost in it, full of promise and anticipation it sealed what they both wanted, each other.

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