Christmas day was here. Everyone was off celebrating the day with their families and friends. McGee was spending it with his family and Abby had persuaded Ducky to spend Christmas with her and the nuns. Palmer was with Breena and her family and even Gibbs was having Christmas with his dad. Ziva wasn't exactly going to celebrate Christmas though. For one, she was Jewish. And everyone was off with their own families for the holidays, so she had planned to coop herself up at home, watching Christmas movies DVDs to familiarise herself with this American holiday. What is a grinch? she thought as she embarked on her seventh movie of her Christmas movie marathon. Her train of thoughts was abruptly disrupted when her phone started to ring. "David." She answered automatically.

Who could be calling her at nine in the night?

"Hi. Is this Ziva?" A voice rang out with a flurry of noises in the background.

"Yes. Who are you?"

"Umm do you know a Tony DiNozzo by any chance?"

"He is my friend yes."

"Well I'm a bartender. Your friend's pretty drunk right now. He came in early in the evening and drank a shit load of booze. He threw me his phone and told me to call a Ziva. So I searched his contacts and-" The guy's voice was interrupted by shuffling noises as a new voice made its way.

"Hey Ziva!" It was Tony and he was slurring his words.

"Ugh Tony what trouble have you gotten yourself into?" Ziva complained.

"Why do you assume I'm in trouble? You know what they say about assuming. It makes an ass outta you and me!"

"What in the world are you talking about?"

"I just need you to come get me! Barney says I'm too drunk to drive!"

"Barney? The singing purple dinosaur?"

"Uhh no, Barney the bartender!"

"Oh."

"Yeah, so are ya coming to get me yet? Hurry!"

"I am on my way, stop rushing me! Pass the phone to Barney." Ziva could hear static noises as the phone was supposedly being passed.

"Hey again." Barney's voice came through the phone, though Ziva could distinctively hear Tony's distant voice in the background shouting "Hey guys! Ziva's coming!" as a crowd of voices cheered in response. Why are they cheering? They do not even know me. Ziva figured.

"What is the address of the bar?" Ziva inquired while she used one hand to pull on a pair of khakis and threw on a jacket, grabbing her keys and some money on her way out.

The bartender gave her the address and she hung up, flagging a taxi and making her way there.

The bar was quite crowded, as could be seen through the tinted glass panels when Ziva alighted the cab. Entering the bar, her nose was greeted with the smell of sweat and beer.

"Hey beautiful. What's your name?" A relatively handsome man with blonde hair and elevator eyes approached Ziva, boldly placing his hand on her ass.

In one quick movement, she had the guy writhing on the floor in pain as his hands covered his groin. The commotion seemed to have attracted some attention, which luckily included Tony as well. "Ziva! You're here! I knew you'd come!" Tony made his way over to her and slung his arm around her shoulders, giving her a one-armed hug.

He then managed to guide her to the counter and hopped onto one of the stools. "Hey Barney! Look who I found!" Tony called the man who had his back turned towards them.

The man turned around with a drink in his hands, which he handed to an awaiting patron before coming back to Tony. Ziva had got into the stool beside Tony's and was looking at the Barney she talked with over the phone. He was a charming man, mid-thirties with jet black hair and a pair of baby blue eyes. She gave him an appreciative look-over, which earned her an introduction by the man himself. "Barney Cavanaugh. You must be Ziva. Nice to meet y-" He introduced.

"Isn't she awesome Barney?" Tony interrupted dazedly, cupping his chin with both his palms.

Without waiting for an answer, he stood on the stool and shouted over the bustling patrons "Hey guys! It's Ziva! She's here! Isn't she great?" Tony pointed animatedly at his partner, turning a bit pink either from frustration or embarrassment.

Most probably both. She pulled Tony back down and glared at him as the crowd chorused with 'yeah's and cheers. Who are these people!

"Come on Tony. I am bringing you home." She declared as she shot an apologetic look at neglected Barney.

"Can we go home Ziva?" Tony slurred.

"What? I just said that."

"Said what?"

"I'm going to bring you home?"

"Why Ziva, I thought you'd never ask!" Tony clearly wasn't talking any sense as he stumbled off the stool.

With his arm over her shoulders once again, Tony was led out the bar by an increasingly annoyed Ziva. Ziva scanned the area for Tony's car and spotted it soon enough. As she guided Tony towards it, he untangled himself from her and uneasily made his way to the car. Leaning against the driver's door, he searched his pockets for his car keys. "Where are my car keys? Ziva I can't find my car keys!" He spoke loudly into the almost silent street.

"You mean these?" Ziva smirked as she jingled his car keys in her fingers.

Tony gasped and looked from his pockets, to the car keys in his partners hands, and back to his pockets again. "You sneaky ninja!" Tony exclaimed, eyes wide with child-like amazement.

Ziva laughed at his childish demeanor and went forward to guide him to the passenger side. After making sure he was safely secured in his seat, Ziva settled into the driver's seat and started to drive home.

"I don't want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need. I don't care about the presents, underneath the Christmas tree." Tony started singing softly to himself soon after Ziva started to drive.

"I don't need to hang my stocking, there upon the fireplace. Santa Clause won't make me happy, with a toy on Christmas day." Tony started singing louder, to Ziva's irritancy. She sent him another glare, but he was to busy singing to notice.

"I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know. Make my wish come true! All I want for Christmas, is you!" Tony practically shouted as he poked Ziva's arm at the last 'you'.

Ziva swatted his finger away as she gripped the steering wheel with underlying frustration till her knuckles went white. Drunk Tony is worse than sober Tony! Ziva complained to herself in her mind. But a sudden question came to mind that made her control herself from lashing out at him. Why did he get himself that drunk on Christmas night? With that question, Ziva decided to head for her home instead. Tony was too drunk handle himself alone at home anyways, and furthermore, she could probably get a chance to find out why he had gone drinking in the first place.

TBC