Hello my wonderful followers! Yet again here is another procrastination story! I think I might be due to finish another…not sure I sort-of lost track I hope you like and PLEASE COMMENT! They make me soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo happy (as well as improve my writing). So please, please, PLEASE comment via that little button down there on the bottom and most of all ENJOY!
I DO NOT OWN NCIS.
The team dredged through the thigh-high snow. It had been fourteen hours since Gibbs had announced there was a body and that they were to travel to Colorado in the middle of a blizzard. Tony grumbled incoherently yet again. They had gotten turned around at the crime scene. Their cars parked over four miles from the body as it was on conservation land. Ziva shivered uncontrollably in the cold, she had not packed enough warm clothes in her overnight bag. Tony's eagle eyes for anything Ziva, caught the not-so-obvious shiver.
"Not warm enough for the Israeli is it?" He jibed. Ziva just plowed ahead her progress hindered by the snow. She wasn't sure how long they had been walking but Ziva was working up an incredible sweat. She heard the all too familiar sounds of a head slap behind her. McGee piqued up from the back of the group.
"GPS says we should be there by now." They looked around, peering through the blowing snow. There was nothing in sight, save for the few trees ahead. Ziva stepped forward; there was a long area of snow that was packed down more than the others.
"They have been here but they must have left by now." Ziva said, willing her teeth not to chatter. From her spot she looked to see if there was an obvious trail away. It only led further into the woods.
"From the extent of snow coverage, I would say it is not recent." She announced. Tony moved to stand next to her swearing. Ziva stepped into the track, it only covered to a little lower than her knee. Much easier to walk in the path she deemed. Again she started the laborious trek. When she hit the trees, the trail vanished completely. She swore under her breath, looking around but unable to see through the snow blowing everywhere. She turned back to Gibbs, McGee and Tony but was met by a wall of white. She heard muffled voices. A small pit of fear wiggled in her chest but she forced it down. Just as quickly as it came, the white out disappeared and she was again reunited with her team.
"Maybe we should follow our path back." Tony suggested. It'll lead to the car eventually.
"Snow's falling too fast, it's already covered." McGee lamented. There was a long silence.
"We should move into the coverage of the trees" Ziva said. "Snow will be less there." There was a unison nod of agreement. Turns out the trees were not a forest but a mere strip. Ziva sighed in frustration as barren white land spread out ahead of them. She continued to plow forward, her mind slightly dazed. She kept the same direction as the prior path. She felt a hand grab her shoulder and she whirled, throwing an elbow that connected with a nose and was already crouched for a swing kick to the head when she realized it was just Tony. She straightened and watched as he stumbled back into Gibbs who caught him and brought him gently down into the snow. Ziva just stood dazed. Tony groaned in pain, blood seeping through his hand when he pulled it away from his face. He spit blood into the snow and glared. Ziva's mind was sluggish and dazed and she just stood staring. McGee crouched, placing a handful of snow on Tony's face.
"Told'ya not to do that." He chided and Ziva wondered what she had missed. Her body was numb she swore and her vision blurred for a moment. Gibbs watched as Ziva swayed slightly, her eyes unfocused. They needed to get out of here and fast. McGee continued to wipe red snow away and place fresh snow on Tony's face. Tony moaned every time McGee's mitten brushed his nose.
"Quit being a baby Tony."McGee ordered. "Doesn't look broken." He announced to Gibbs. Both Gibbs and Ziva nodded. Shortly the bleeding stopped and McGee hoisted Tony to his feet. He looked at Ziva.
"I was going to ask you where we were going." Tony said and Ziva looked at him quizzically.
"Following the trail from before." She said matter of fact, as if it were blatantly obvious. The team looked around, everything covered in snow and uniform. Even the trees from before were gone to the eye. "It must lead somewhere. If we stay in a straight line we will soon come across something." Her logic collected unison nods; however the boys of the team were unsure whether or not Ziva was actually staying in a straight line. They soon decided to continue on their way. Ziva, feeling the tension resulting from her actions jumped ahead to walk alone, cutting the trail herself despite her small frame.
Tony watched as Ziva marched ahead, scouting, her small frame powerfully moving through the snow. It was a wonder that they didn't catch up to her. He gingerly touched his nose. He had been warned. He couldn't help but razz Ziva for it but her mood was off, distant unusual. A drift of snow made her temporarily disappear and he couldn't help the worry that clenched in his throat every time it happened. This time was different though, she did not reappear in the barren land. Tony paused, Gibbs and McGee had not yet noticed and they almost collided with Tony.
"Ziva?" Tony called, cautiously stepping forward. Upon hearing no reply he squinted at the snow. Maybe she had fallen in the snow it covered her? The overpowering white almost caused him to overlook the slight change in the pattern of snow. Tony kicked it and it fell away a few inches from his foot. Curious he looked forward and noticed a large cavernous drop, coated in ice. A small, dark object crumpled at the bottom in the surrounding white. He held up a hand to stop Gibbs and McGee from spilling over as well.
"Ziva?" He called again. He saw the figure move slightly; a small gasp and moan reached his ears before the shaky response.
"I am here Tony." Her voice was faint. Alarmed McGee leaned over the precipice.
"Looks to be about ten feet." He announced. Tony grimaced. Not large enough to die but definitely enough to seriously hurt. Gibbs however was already plowing forward, worried. He swung himself over the edge, holding on till the last minute and then letting himself drop into the snow. Watching the success, Tony attempted with no such luck and landed, whitewashed in a heap. McGee landed beside him with less grace than Gibbs but more knack than that of Tony. Gibbs was hovering by Ziva's side. Ziva was laying down on her back, one knee bent, the other straight, arms resting on her stomach, hands balled in fists and pain scrunching her face. Gibbs was quietly murmuring something to her that Tony could not hear. He got up and went to crouch near Ziva, McGee doing the same on the side opposite. There was blood seeping through her pant leg and Tony wondered if Gibbs had noticed.
"We should probably look at-"He gestured to her lower extremities. "-that." Ziva nodded her consent and just rested her head back in the snow. Gibbs moved down to get a closer look. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his knife, ripping a small slit in Ziva's cargo pants that he pulled back to get a better view. What Tony saw made his head spin and his stomach clench. Amidst the pool of blood dripping through the wound and down her leg, there were protrusions of white bone, parts hidden in a coating of the red plasma. Gibbs sucked in a breath and Tony joked to himself that McGee fainted behind him. Gibbs pressed ever so gently on her calf, away from the wound and it caused Ziva to cough back a moan of pain. Gibbs backed away, digging through his pockets, then his pack and finally emerging with a first aid kit. He unwrapped the package of gauze; though it wouldn't do much he placed it over the wound, binding it with tape wrapped completely around Ziva's leg. Ziva's back arched in agony but she did not make a sound, clenching her teeth together. When he was done, his eyes met Tony's and the true predicament of their situation set in. He pulled out his phone, looking for signal. Of course, there was none. Tony noticed the paling look and pulled out his, the same.
"Gibbs?" A small voice piqued up behind him. He turned back to Ziva. "Can you help me sit up?" He was surprised at the implied please and the childlike weakness that Ziva was allowing herself to show. He nodded silently and arranged himself so that his back was against the cliff wall and reached down to Ziva's armpits and started to pull her towards himself in order to prop her against the wall. As soon as her leg moved, she cried out in pain, but it was cut short as she bit her tongue, blood sliding over her lip. Her breathing hitched and before Gibbs could do any more, she fell into unconsciousness, limply collapsing into his lap. Tony thought he was going to be sick, Gibbs felt like he had just kicked a puppy, and McGee stared.
"We need to get her out of here and fast." It was the first words Gibbs had said since the car ride from the airport.
"Tony and I can continue to look for civilization." McGee spoke. "Since you are already…occupied." Gibbs nodded in agreement.
"Ziva and I will stay here. Send search crews as soon as you can." He commanded making the idea an order. Tony dug in his pockets and presented a couple granola bars and some chocolate. McGee motioned to do the same but Gibbs stopped him.
"You need that just as much as we do." He took Tony's. "We have this. Now hurry before the sun sets." Tony jumped to his feet quickly, suddenly acutely aware of what he had to do.
"We'll get you outa here boss." He reassured. With a quite nod from Gibbs the solemn pair started off into the increasing blizzard, soon all Gibbs could see were the fading footprints in the snow. He stroked Ziva's hair reassuringly, however his insides were screaming the opposite.
A GREAT CLIFFHANGER FOR THE BEGINNING WOOHOO! I love doing this… just gonna say it as sadistic as I am. So comment comment COMMENT and I shall see you when I get the next chapter up! (well I guess not really see you…)