Disclaimer: When I was little, I was fairly certain that 'cherish' was a type of grape.
Spoilers: A Desperate Man. I wrote it then forgot about it. So…post post ep. Noodle incident included at no additional charge. And now I'm tipsy.
Summary: Top 40 Tony shares a drink with Broadway Ziva. Will they ever agree on a juke box selection?
"You've seriously never heard that song?"
Wanting to stop Tony from singing any more in the crowded bar, Ziva shrugged. "I am sure I have heard it. It sounds familiar. I will look it up online later."
"You shouldn't have to look it up. It's a classic." He eyed her skeptically. "1960s? The Association? You probably only know that Madonna one. Same title, different song."
"What Madonna song?" She tried to think of anything but 'Don't Cry for Me, Argentina,' ensuring that she could think of nothing other than 'Don't Cry for Me, Argentina.' "I…cannot think of it."
He lurched toward her, narrowly avoiding pouring his drink down her shirt as someone bumped him from behind. "Ah…" He waved his hand and got the attention of the lone, harried bartender, who nodded emphatically to his two fingers. "Well, to get back to Mads, I'm not gonna sing it, but she's a mermaid or something on the beach…"
"I am not yet ready for… Oh, I know that one!" She'd actually only caught a few minutes of the old movie on television a week or two ago, but better sitting through a lengthy, unsolicited summary in this bar than imagining herself on the balcony of the Casa Rosada. I will not burst into song, I will not burst into song… Oh, mermaid movie. Right. "With Tom Hanks, yes?"
Her trivial knowledge was rewarded with a condescending expression. "No, you're thinking of Splash and that's Daryl Hannah, not Madonna. I'm talking about the music video. I don't think I was too excited about that one because, c'mon, the short hair? Never does it for me. Start dancing in front of a burning cross in your underwear, though…"
"What is wrong with you?"
"The video for 'Like a Prayer'?"
This deflection was no problem. "Oh, no. It is bad enough you expect me to understand every movie reference you make, but I absolutely refuse to begin watching music videos as well."
"This from the woman I saw do the 'Thriller' dance a couple of Halloweens ago? Hey, how many more drinks do I have to get in you to get you to start Vogue-ing?"
Deflect, deflect… "I thought we were talking about..." Shoot. Depending on how much they had to drink, perhaps they could find a balcony later… "Besides…"
Tony dropped his credit card on the bar as their fresh round appeared. "I think Kool and the Gang had a song called 'Cherish,' too. I can only remember the middle part, but…hey! This place has one of those digital juke boxes. I bet it's got all three!" He disappeared before signing the receipt. She nonchalantly added a tip and forged his name before taking both of their drinks and following him.
She found him a moment later, leaning against an oversize computer screen and, surprisingly, ignoring a young, well-endowed blonde who had draped herself over his shoulder. As Ziva sidled up on his left, she realized the blonde had clearly had too much to drink. "So you're gonna play Lady Gaga, right? Then, um, Lady Gaga? I like that song she sings about…Lady Gaga."
Tony shook his head and continued to focus his attention on the screen as he accepted his drink from Ziva. She frowned as the blonde attempted to order a drink. "I am not a waitress. And I think you have had enough."
"You…you can't…Lady Gaga." The blonde abruptly wandered off toward a group of women at a table.
Ziva leaned against the juke box. "I think I just committed a felony for you."
"Cockblocking isn't a felony. Besides, you were doing me a favor. I'm too mature and wise to tackle the moral and ethical implications of picking up a girl I don't know who's that drunk."
"I was referring to…never mind."
"I've got two out of three 'Cherishes' here, plus something you won't be expecting. Did we lose our spots at the bar?"
"Probably."
He led her to a ledge along the wall where they could set their drinks. "You owe me a dance when the third one comes up."
She froze with her drink halfway to her lips. "Not 'Thriller.'"
"No, but way to make me regret my selection. Oh, 'Cherish' number one. The Association. Sound familiar?"
She tried to concentrate in the noisy bar. The fact that Tony was singing along directly in her ear didn't help. She nodded anyway. "Oh now I recognize it."
"Liar. Get drinking. I have the feeling these won't be here when we finish our dance."
"Yes, about that…" She glanced around. "Dancing does not seem to be…"
"Aw, afraid I'm gonna embarrass you?"
"Not since that time I found you tied up naked in that warehouse."
"Hey, I've told you several times that if I'd known those dental techs were going to use the nitrous to distract me…"
"Enough, we closed that case and I do not need to hear anything more about it."
"They were all female…"
"Tony!"
"Just sayin'! Oh, and here we go. 'Cherish' number two. Madonna. You won't even have to lie about knowing this one."
She bit her lip when she realized he was right. "Fine. But I still have no idea what it has to do with mermaids."
"Hey, me neither. I don't come up with these videos. But drink. My secret squirrel selection should be next. And drink faster if you wanna cherish me a little first."
"You know, just because a grieving man tells us to do something does not mean we are obligated to…what did he even mean. Cherish each other? It sounds…"
"Eh, it's like appreciating with an extra kick. You can appreciate a guy who buys you drinks then plays a song you've probably memorized."
"What are you…?" She cocked her head as a song she didn't have to concentrate to recognize began to play. "How did we come to the one bar that has Rodgers and Hammerstein on the…?"
"Don't think. Dance." He pulled her into a gap on the floor and pulled her close. "You probably wouldn't have expected me to know about a non-movie musical like Cinderella, but…"
"Don't talk."
"I was just going to say they made a TV version with Whitney…"
"Ssshh." 'Ten Minutes Ago' was a far better choice than 'Don't Cry for Me, Argentina.' She leaned into him as he navigated a small path through the crowd. It didn't even bother her that people were watching. The song ended sooner than she would have liked. "That was your best choice."
He grinned. "I'd agree, but you haven't even heard my last one yet."
"I thought you only had three songs."
"Nope, four. Thought I'd throw a bone to the poor drunk girl. We should probably get out of here before she gets the wrong idea, assuming she's still getting any ideas."
"What are you talking about?"
He winked. "Something about you and I. Let's go. That place in Georgetown is showing Roman Holiday. Have you ever seen it? Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn."
"All right. Let's go."
"Really? We should get tipsy and dance more often if it means you're going to be open to film classics. Or maybe it's just something about this place."
She shook her head. "Don't push it."
"Right. Only movie quotes for the rest of the night."
She had an inkling of what Detective Burris had meant about cherishing each other as Tony held the door open for her.