Note From the Author—This year I'm writing a short, holiday themed one shot for each category I write in. NCIS makes number seven : ) And yes, this isn't technically a sleigh ride, but humor me.
Disclaimer—I don't own the characters of NCIS, nor do I own the song from which this story's title comes
"What exactly are we doing here?" Ziva asked.
Abby stood in front of her with her glove clad hands on her hips. "We're sledding."
"But why?"
"Because it's fun, Ziva!"
"I still…"
Tony came up next to her and put his hand over her mouth before she could say anything else that could send Abby on another of her holiday togetherness rants. "It's a holiday tradition, Ziva. We don't know why or how it got started but its fun and everyone agreed so we're just doing it, okay?"
Brown eyes looked up at him with sweetness, the perfect cover for the fact that she was about to bite down on his hand. As Tony nursed his newly sore hand she smiled. "That is what you get."
"Gibbs!" Abby cried.
They all turned in surprise to see their boss pulling an old fashioned wooden sled with runners behind him, barely keeping hold of the thing as she launched herself at him. "Careful Abs or we'll end up down the hill without anything under us."
She pulled back with a huge smile on her face. "I'm glad you came."
"Wouldn't miss it," he told her with a soft smile. "McGee, come get this sled."
"Sure thing boss," he answered, grinning as he went.
Abby was still smiling when they were all set up at the top of the hill. "Okay, Tony and Ziva, you're first." There was a unified shout of 'why us' from the two agents and she looked at them like it was the most obvious thing on the planet. "Because Ziva's never been before."
"And because the two of you will be hilarious," Tim told Tony smugly.
Ziva shared a look with him, and they both decided there would be no getting out of it. So with the others looking on with interest they piled onto Gibbs' sled, Tony in the back and Ziva in between his legs. "Are we sure this thing is meant for two grown adults?" he asked nervously.
"Calm down, DiNozzo, you'll be fine," Gibbs told him. Then he used his booted foot to send the pair of them zipping down the hill.
It didn't take more than a second for her to get why this activity was looked on as so much fun. In mere moments they were both laughing hysterically as they went racing over the snow at top speed. Then they hit a bump.
Laughs turned to gasps as they both went flying. They hit the ground with a hard thud and the sled landed somewhere above their heads.
"Oh my God, are you okay?" Abby yelled down, her voice laden with concern.
Tony didn't move from his position on his back, just turned his head enough to yell back. "Give me a second. Ziva, you okay?"
She was just to his left and she moved gingerly until she nodded. "I am okay." She attempted to sit up and quickly flopped down onto her back. "Although I have severely bruised my ego." She winced. "And my behind."
Given that it was an assassin lying next to him he tried not to laugh, he honestly did; but the effort only lasted for about ten seconds. It started under his breath, but before he could stop himself he was full out, full on laughing, the sound echoing back up to the others. Evidently it was contagious because Ziva had soon joined in. Before long they had dissolved into hysterics, clutching at each other in the snow.
"I take it that means you're okay?" McGee called down.
She managed to get a hold of herself to answer. "We are both fine."
For a moment they just lay there, and it was only in the aftermath of their laughing fit that he realized that her head was pillowed against his shoulder, their arms wrapped around each other. Their eyes locked and it seemed as if they were moving closer…
"You two quit playing snow bunny and get up here before you get run over!" Gibbs voice echoed down to them, startling them both.
Tony gave a somewhat nervous laugh, never breaking eye contact. "So David, you like sledding?"
She smiled. "You know, I think that I could very well come to love it."
