Shrimp Girl and Bug Eyes
Twelve year old Nadia was lying on her bed her head propped up on one arm. With her free hand she held a book and was busy reading it. She had lived with Gibbs for almost eight years now. She peeked out of the window and saw the clear blue sky of a wonderful summer day. She sighed and turned her gaze back to the pages on the book. Robinson Crusoe wasn't exactly a bad or boring book; she just didn't like having to read it. But, she had a book review presentation on it that was due next week. Fact was, though, she would rather be outside with her friends or just lying on the sun lounge Gibbs had made for her as a birthday present.
Deciding she had read enough for today and it was time to go out, she dropped the book on the floor and stood up. However, before she reached the door it opened and revealed Gibbs.
"There you are. I have to go, got a meeting with Vance. DiNozzo will come over and spend some time with you." He announced.
"Okay. I'll just go out and take a rest in the garden."
Gibbs nodded and watched her as she ran down the stairs and out of the house. He remembered it as if it had been yesterday, when the curious little four year old had moved into his house. It had taken him almost a year until he got full custody of her and another year before he was allowed to officially adopt her, but she had been allowed to live with him from the beginning.
To his private and personal dismay, Nadia had stopped calling him Hugaroo; a nickname Abby had given him during the time they had needed to solve the case about the murder of Nadia's stepfather. At age nine, she had decided she was too mature to call him that. However, sometimes when she was sleepy and they were watching a film together she would still snuggle to his side and call him that. It always transferred him back in time, when she had moved in with him.
As much as Gibbs loved being a father again, Nadia was a troublemaker. Always up to some mischief. She loved pulling small pranks on DiNozzo, McGee or Ziva and sometimes even on Leon Vance.
Shaking his head Gibbs headed down the stairs and out into the garden. Nadia had already made herself comfortable in the sun lounge. She had changed into a bathing suit Abby had given her. The clothing was black and covered with small white skulls; a typical Abby present.
"Don't forget the sun lotion!" He reminded her, while getting into the truck parked at the side of the house.
"I won't dad," came the absent-minded reply.
Gibbs shook his head and before backing out of the driveway, he wound down the window while he idled the engine. "I mean it Nadia. I don't want you getting sunburnt."
"Yeah, yeah!" She waved him off and turned onto her back. "I will go and fetch it as soon as DiNozzo is here." In the next second a car turned into the road with screeching tires and stopped abruptly behind Gibbs truck at the side of the house.
A rather pale DiNozzo was climbing out of the passenger's seat. "The next time I would like to arrive without feeling sick Ziva." He groaned and leant heavily on the car.
The former Mossad agent smiled smugly and waved to Nadia, who then returned the greeting with an equally broad smile.
After a few seconds, DiNozzo seemed to have gained enough control over himself to stand up and straighten himself, before stepping back from the car. "There's gonna come a time you'll run over someone," Tony predicted while wiping some cold sweat from his forehead.
"If you won't step aside soon I will run over you DiNozzo." Gibbs barked, from the window of his truck. The named agent hastily stepped away from the back of Gibbs pick-up and into the side yard.
"Always good to see you boss." He said with a grin. Gibbs sent him a distinct glare before jamming the car into reverse gear. "Make sure she puts on some suntan lotion." He said, "Ziva back out and follow me," he ordered. Ziva quickly reversed her little red cooper before Gibbs rammed it down and out of his driveway.
"Seems his truck is just a s big as a bully as Gibbs," whispered Ziva. Gibbs reversed quickly and then peeled off with Ziva following tight behind.
Tony wiped his brow, then walked into the garden. "Aright kiddo you heard what the boss said. Go and fetch some lotion."
"Awww come on. I've just gotten comfortable." She grumbled and turned back on her stomach.
"Nope. Go and get it. I'll make you something to drink in the meantime."
"Deal!" Nadia jumped to her feet and disappeared into the house. Tony followed her running his hand through his hair and humming some disco beat, imagining himself as Tom Cruise from the film Cocktail. He was sure Nadia had only waited for him to make such an offer, and have him wait on her hand and foot. A few minutes later Tony emerged from the kitchen carrying a big class full of ice tea, while Nadia had already made herself comfortable in the sun lounge again, the tube with the sun lotion lying in the grass at her side.
"There you are." He handed her the glass and sat down in the late morning shadow of an umbrella, simply enjoying the warmth of the sun. Soon enough he could hear Nadia's breathing getting slower and within minutes was fast asleep. Tony also yawned and put on his sunglasses and leant back on his elbows, enjoying the warmth also. They hadn't had a case for almost a week now. All they were doing was to catching up with the paperwork and reviewing cold cases. Soon enough the agent was also asleep.
Several hours later he was awakened the heat of the afternoon sun and then heard a groan. Nadia was sitting on the side of her beloved sun lounge gingerly prodding her back with her fingers. She was as red as a well cooked shrimp.
"Ouch!" She winced and looked over at Tony.
"That's what I call a good sunburn." He mocked and stood up.
"So you agree it's your fault." The twelve year old accused.
"My fault? Ha! Why should it be my fault? I told you to go and get the sun lotion, Shrimp Girl." He added teasingly.
Nadia gave him an angry glare. "Yeah, but not to put it on. Ouch!" She stopped prodding her arm, and stared up DiNozzo.
Tony spluttered and then patted her back.
"Jeeesh! Stop it!" She jumped away from him. "I'm red all over, Dad is going to be so mad," she pouted. "You should have warned me, Tony!"
The agent simply laughed and helped her to stand up. "Hey, you're not red all over yet, I'd take a wild guess and say you have a little white patootie under that suit. And there is no way you're blaming this on me, Shrimp Girl. Let's get you inside and some skin repair cream or something on. Hopefully it will fade some, before Gibbs gets home, otherwise your little white butt is going to be as red as the rest of you!" He added teasingly. However he knew Gibbs wouldn't smack her because of something like this. Most likely she would have to endure the "I-told-you-so-lecture" which every parent was able to deliver at any time.
"And he's going to slap you silly, up the back of your head, for letting it happen!" she groused hating to be the only one in trouble from Gibbs.
"Not if he doesn't know," quipped Tony.
Nadia put her hand on her hips in frustration, "How is he not going to know," she declared. "My back is glowing like a lantern."
Tony looked confused. Sure the kid hero worshipped his boss, believed he was the best detective in the world, but Tony was good too; He knew how to hide evidence. "What do you mean, your front isn't as bad as your back and if the cream doesn't work, we can cover you up, I guess... Shrimp Girl."
"No, Tony, he's going to know; he'll figure it out easy. It's as plain as the nose on your face, well as plain as the large white rims around your eyes. You feel asleep with your sun glasses on, Bug eyes!" laughed Nadia as she whipped Tony's tear drop Armani sunglasses off his head, and ran.
AN: A big shoutout goes to gaben who beta-ed this little one shot for me and added a few things to make it a lout better.
I hope you enjoyed this little piece of writing.