Birthday Surprises
Disclaimer: Um, yeah, so I don't own any of these characters just a lil FYI, incase you didn't know.
A/N: This was gonna be a quick little one shot but I'm not sure so I guess I'll decide after I read some of your thoughts. So please review and let me know what ya think. Later, Bridge.
NIGHT
The door opens to reveal a darkened living room. Ziva, Tony, and McGee enter Gibbs' safe haven. They quickly close the door. Tony immediately breaks the silence by dropping his load of shopping bags.
"Bout freakin' time he left.I feel like my hands are gonna fall off for lack of blood circulation." He complains as he makes his way to the kitchen.
Ziva walks over to the couch and places her bags down on the worn cushion. She slowly turns and takes in her surroundings. So familiar and yet mysterious. Usually when she comes here she is in need of help or a hiding place; thus, she never really took the time to really observe her surroundings for what it is: Gibbs. The house was like the man. Presentable and yet rugged. She considered the changes she'd make if she were-
Her thoughts are interrupted by McGee.
"Can we just hurry up please. I don't wanta get caught doin' this." He says in a whisper as he comes up beside her.
"Chillax McPansy. We got plenty of time." Tony quips as he returns with a sandwhich.
They both give him a disapproving look.
"What?" He says as he retrieves the bags he'd dropped at the door and moves them to the couch with theirs.
"Tony's right, Tim. He's with Ducky. We've plenty of time." She reassures him.
"Yea, I guess your right. It just feels weird bein' here uninvited, and I still don't feel right not including Abbey." McGee tells her.
"Abbey tells too much." Tony interjects between his bites of his sandwhich.
Ziva slaps his arm. He shrugs.
"What he really means is she's excitable especially when it comes to Gibbs." She says. Tony points at her and nods to McGee.
"I'm just sayin' that I think she'd have liked to be a part of it." McGee says in Abbey's defense.
Tony shoves the last of his sandwhich into his mouth and dusts off his hands.
"Let's get started." He mumbles while still chewing.
They begin pulling items out of the bags.
LOCAL BAR- SAME TIME
"I don't see why we couldn't just go out for a nice meal Jethro." Ducky complains as they enter the small establishment.
"Because I just wanta drink, Duck." Gibbs says honestly as they make their way to the bar. They squeeze through many young people who are obviously already drunk and are 'dancing' on the dance floor. A young woman around 25 'dances' her way into Gibbs and effectively blocks their way to the bar. She rests her arms around his neck. He can't help but find her attractive. She is tall and slim with shoulder length brown hair that is tussled from her flinging about. She holds to him as if he were his date. His hands fall to her hips for lack of anywhere else to put them.
"Excuse me, my dear. We were just making our way to the bar!" Ducky screams over the music.
She is slow to respond but she looks up at Gibbs and he smiles at her. She then moves on into the crowd and begins dancing with another couple. Gibbs and Ducky finally make it to the bar. Gibbs exhales and takes a seat. Ducky sits next to him.
"Sad isn't it Jethro. The way young people dance nowadays is…well it's appalling." Ducky tells him as Gibbs orders his drink.
"What?" Gibbs turns to him.
"I said the dancing is appalling. Don't even get me started on the music. And that girl. Well, she should be ashamed of herself. You're old enough to be her father."
"Yea, thanks for reminding me." Gibbs responds as he downs his first bourbon.
He knows Ducky's correct in his observations. The dancing is more like humping, the music makes no sense and simply repeats the same phrases over and over, and most of the people there are barely over the drinking age and have no clue about the real world. But it was the first bar they had found that didn't have too long of a line to get in, and Ducky's story of his year in Africa was interesting but seemed to never end and he didn't have the heart to hurt his friends feelings. Now, he feels guilty since it was Ducky's idea to go out tonight in the first place and he seems to not be having a good time.
Ducky turns and faces the dancing crowd. They all seem to be enjoying themselves, as ridiculous as they appear.
"You know this reminds me of the time when…" Ducky begins his story. Gibbs signals to the bartender for more drinks. He listens to his good friend recount his story as he drinks.
GIBBS' HOUSE
McGee is busy decorating, Tony is attempting to help him, and Ziva is gathering the things she will need for her mission tonight: dinner. She doesn't know her way around Gibbs' kitchen so it takes her a bit longer than usual.
"You know, you're really good at this McGee. I think you missed your calling." Tony picks at him.
"I used to help throw my sister's birthday parties." He says unashamed.
"I can tell. You're like—"
"Tony. Would you just drop it and help."
"I'm trying, but I don't get this streamer things. Every time I do the fold thing you told me to do everything gets all tangled up and it doesn't look like the ones you did anyway." He says in frustration.
"You have to untwist as you go." Ziva says as she walks past him to get the last item she needs for the meal.
"I don't see why we didn't just throw a kegger like we used to in college." Tony said.
"Because none of us are kids anymore." She says as she walks past him. He stops and looks at her, lifts his eye brows, and then holds up the tangled mess of streamers.
"I got it Tony just do something else." McGee says as he takes the streamers from him.
"Yea, I'll do something else. I'm goin' to get some drinks. I, uh, forgot 'em." Tony tells him. He Leaves.
McGee finishes the decorating. He steps back and looks at his accomplishment. Ziva enters the room and looks on with him.
"Very nice, McGee." Ziva tells him. Shocked at how well he did decorating the room.
"Need any help in there?" He asks her.
"No everything is fine." She reassures him. He seems anxious.
"You can go ahead and call Abbey now."
"Thank You." He rushes as he scurries away to call her.
Ziva begins picking up the trash left over from their decorating. Tim returns and helps her. They finish and sit down on the couch. Ziva calls Ducky.
BAR
"Hello!" Ducky screams into his phone. "What, I can't hear you!... Oh, yes mother, of course I can. I'll be there as soon as I can." He says and closes his phone. "It appears our evening must be cut short. Mother appears to be hearing noises outside and is frightened."
Gibbs who is tipsy stands and responds, "That's okay, Duck." He wraps one arm around Ducky's shoulders. They head out.
"I'll drive." Gibbs says. Grinning like an idiot.
"Oh, that's alright. I'll drive. You should rest." Ducky's tells him. Gibbs shrugs and gets into the car. He taps a rhythm on the dash as Ducky starts the car.
GIBBS' HOUSE
A loud bang on the door. McGee answers it nervously. Tony is kicking the door while holding three bags.
"Here take these. There's more in the car."
"What is all this?" He asks as Tony shoves the bags into his arms.
"I think this is plenty!" He yells to Tony after looking into the paper sacks and seeing all the alcohol. "There's only five of us!"
"You can never be too safe." Tony says as he returns with a final bag. "And I figure with all these decorations—"
Ziva enters the room with a large cake and places it on the table.
"What is all this? They are going to be here any second. Kick the lights." She says as she takes the bag from Tony.
"It's hit the lights not kick." He corrects her as he heads for the light switch.
McGee and Ziva take the alcohol out of the bags and place it on the table. Ziva quickly opens a bottle of vodka and quickly turns it up. McGee observes her funneling the drink. She lowers the bottle from her lips and her face contorts as the burn hits her. McGee has a scared look on his face. She lights the candles.
"You said this would be a good idea. You said he'd—"
"I know what I said. I lied. How am I supposed to know how he's gonna react. Where's Abbey?"
"Can't come. She's sick. And now so am I." He says nervously.
"Hey, here they come." Tony says as he hits the lights and the ducks down as he rushes back to where they are. He and McGee pick up the cake.
Gibbs and Ducky make their way to the house. Gibbs is still a bit too happy and is walking with one arm slung over Ducky's shoulder and he repeatedly pats Ducky's chest.
"Yea, you're a good pal Duck… I don't know what I'd do." He rambles. He stumbles up the steps.
"Do be careful Jethro." Ducky says as he follows him up the steps.
"Always am Duck." He says as he opens his door. He enters the house and flips the light switch.
"SURPRISE!" They all yell in unison. Tony and McGee are holding a large cake with way too many lit candles on it.
Gibbs stops and stares at them. He's a bit drunk so he takes a moment to process everything. Streamers hang from the ceiling and crisscross each other, there is food prepared and spread across a table in the middle of the room, music is playing, a cheesy birthday banner is stretched across a doorway. Ducky gently gives him a push on into the room. He closes the door behind them.
Tony, Ziva, and Tim look on, confused. Ducky makes his way to them.
"Ducky you were supposed to have a drink not get him—" Ziva starts but Ducky interrupts her.
"I know, but he seemed to be really down on himself after I said he was old enough to be a young lady's father, and he just kept drinking one after the other until he was- well like this." He says indicating Gibbs who still hasn't said anything. Instead he's just standing there looking at them. Suddenly somber and sober.
"Hey." Is all he says. He makes his way over to the table where they all stand and ignores the cake. He grabs a bottle of liquor and leaves the room. They all stand dumbfounded.
"I think that went well." Tony says as he and Tim place the cake back on the table. Tony blows out the candles. Ziva stands still as stone.
"Right, so, I'm gonna go…I'll just see you guys on Monday…and yeah—" McGee says as he backs his way to the door and leaves.
"I am sorry my dear. It all looks wonderful. You three did a magnificent job." Ducky says to Ziva, trying to make up for Gibbs' rude behavior.
"It's fine Ducky. I shouldn't have forced you all into doing this with me."
"You didn't force us. We wanted to do this, didn't we Anthony?" Ducky turns to Tony who is making himself an overflowing plate of food.
"What?...Yes. Absolutely… I'm just gonna go too. I—just let me grab that—" he says as he reaches beside Ziva and grabs a bottle of liquor. "Ducky can I give you a ride, you know, 'cause you rode with Gibbs…and uh—"
"Yes, yes. Thank you." They both awkwardly rush out, Tony with his hands full.
Ziva feels out of place in addition to the feeling like the past three hours of preparation time was wasted and like her idea for a surprise party had backfired entirely. She'd hoped it would give him an opportunity to relax and enjoy his birthday, but instead he seemed annoyed by them.
She doesn't know whether she should leave or clean up or what. Gibbs still hasn't returned.
Finally, she begins taking the streamers down. She yanks them furiously. Anger rising in her as her eyes begin to water. She's hurt and angry. She finally has all the streamers in one pile, them she pulls down the banner and tosses it into the pile. She takes the dishes back to the kitchen and attempts to put them back where she found them. However, her frustration gets the better of her, and she resorts to just putting them on the counter. She goes back and forth from the table to the kitchen trying to return things to their rightful place and the food, the tons of wasted food, into the fridge until all that's left is the liquor and the cake. Tears are slowly making their way down her cheeks.
She places the overload of liquor on the counter and decides that's the only place to put it. She drops the last bottle that she'd drank from earlier and some of the liquid spills onto the floor, but luckily the bottle is plastic. She stands and grabs a hand towel and grumbles to herself as she cleans up the liquid.
She finishes and returns to the table for the cake. She grabs the large cake and returns it to the kitchen. When she returns the music is no longer playing and Gibbs is picking up the pile of torn streamers and decorations.
"Ziva." He says. Startled, thinking everyone had quickly cleaned up and left after his silent treatment.
"Gibbs." She returns his shock. She's uncomfortable. "I was just leaving." She quickly adds and makes her way toward the door.
"Are you crying?" He asks.
She feels her face and wipes the few tears there.
"No." She lies.
He drops the trash in his hand and circles around her.
"Ziva—"
"I'm fine." She states calmly. "I'm sorry we came uninvited." She says as she steps around him.
"I'm sorry." He says quickly. She stops. A moment of silence ensues and she again has to wipe her eyes. He steps back in front of her and blocks her path. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have acted that way."
"We just wanted you to have a good birthday." She says sadly.
"I know. And I ruined it." He almost whispers.
"Why?"
"Because to me it isn't something to celebrate. Anymore."
"But you always celebrate Abbey's birthday. You give her gifts and take her to dinner. Why do that if it isn't something to celebrate?" She asks him.
"Hell, I don't know. 'Cause she likes it."
"Well I thought you would like it since you always seemed to enjoy taking her out for her birthday. I thought maybe you'd like for someone to do it for you, but I can see I was wrong. Don't be mad at Tony or McGee though. Or Ducky. I made them help so I'm the one to blame." She says sadly as she looks him in the face.
"Why did you want to do this Ziva? Really?"
"I told you because I thought you would like it." She lies and looks away.
"That's not it, and you know it. Now why?" He insists.
"Because of Tony…(she laughs awkwardly)"
"Tony?"
"Tony tells me of how things used to be—when Kate was his partner. Before Ari—and me. And he always tells me of how you used to laugh more and how you and she would smile at each other as if you both knew something he did not. He says you were happier then and that sometimes you would look at her as if you cared for her more than as a colleague, and (she looks him in the eyes) I don't know. I guess maybe I was hoping that I might be able to see you that way tonight (she looks away) or that maybe someday you would look at me that way."
"I wasn't involved with Kate." He assures her.
"Just like you aren't involved with me." She whispers as she backs away from him. Gibbs feels a bit dizzy as he thinks about what she's said or is trying to say.
"Ziva, I don't know what you're trying to say or what you want me to say. I can't think." He says as he raises his hands to his head and runs them through his fingers through his hair.
"I just wanted you to be happy again, and I thought this would help."
"Well, it doesn't." He says a little harsher than he'd planned.
"Right." She says and turns away from him. He stands there looking at her. He's angry at himself and her.
"It makes me feel—It makes me feel old—and alone. There I said it." He says angrily as he kicks the pile of decorations. "Another year older, another year closer to retirement. And then what? What do I have Ziva? Nothing." The last part is raspy as it barely passes through his lips because he is ashamed of himself.
"You can have me." She tells calmly him as she turns back to him.
"What?"
"I said you can have me Gibbs." She repeats as she makes her way to him.
"You don't mean what you're saying.""
"Gibbs, first, I am a grown woman and have been for quite some time so don't tell me I don't know what I am saying and second, you aren't that old" She is in his personal space now. He smiles as he looks down at her. Her curly hair as unruly as ever and she is dressed comfortably, but still manages to look incredibly beautiful as always.
"Are you sure?" He asks her again.
"What do I have to do to prove to you that you are the one that I want to be with. You. And I don't care that you're older than me or that you work excessively, or even that you are not a very good decorator. I want you and I have for quite some time." She wraps her arms around his neck and rests her hands on the back of his head.
"I just want you to be sure before anything happens because… well, I don't think I could stand it if I couldn't see you anymore. I've had to live through that a couple times already and if things go any further between us—I don't think I could handle it if something happened and you left."
"What're you trying to say?" She asks. He places his hands on her hips.
"I'm trying to tell you I love you. (she's shocked) Ziva, I've loved you for so long it hurts. I just always thought I was too old for you and that you wouldn't be interested."
She Gibbs' slaps him hard.
"What was that for?" He asks rubbing his head with his hand.
"For taking so long." She says as she pulls his mouth down to hers.
He wraps his arms around her waist and deepens the kiss. He feels moisture on his cheek. He breaks away and looks at her.
"Why are you crying?" He asks.
She shrugs and he pulls her into a tight hug. Her stomach growls, effectively ruining the sweet moment.
"What'd ya say we eat and then continue this upstairs?" He says looking down at her.
"I'm not that hungry" She says as she kisses him quickly before grabbing his hand and pulling him up the stairs.