The Sound of Laughter
Tony and Ziva in the rain
The case had been hard on all of them. It always was hard to deal with cases that involved children. This case was no exception. Siblings, one just five, and the others nine and ten, had witnessed the murders of their parents. Gibbs did his usual papa bear mode and tried to protect the children at all costs. He growled at the team to solve the case, and bring closure for the children and justice for the parents. Tony and Ziva had been on protection detail with the children and had watched them deal with the aftermath of the murder. It had gotten to both of them that these children would no longer have their innocence.
When the team had gone to make the arrests, the skies had chosen that time to let loose in a torrent of rain. One of the two suspects had fled on foot, and Tony and Ziva gave chase, getting soaked to the skin in the process. The suspect had run into an alley and seeing no escape, had fallen to his knees and surrendered. They had walked his sorry ass back to the car, both not too pleased with being soaked. The only saving grace was that the July day had been overly warm, so the cooling of the rain was welcomed.
They got back to the Navy Yard and handed the suspects over. Both had changed into dry clothes from their go bags; Tony into jeans and a t-shirt and Ziva into jeans and a tank top. Gibbs had finally let them go home for the day around 1900.
As Tony and Ziva walked across the parking lot, the rain let loose again. As they ran towards the cars, Tony could not avoid a large puddle and splashed both himself and Ziva. She looked up at him, and then stomped her foot in the next puddle, splashing him back. He took her hand and led her over to the small park area on the other side of the parking lot. Each time there was a puddle, he deliberately made a splash as did Ziva. They were getting soaked again, but neither one thought about it.
They splashed their way to the paths in the park. Ziva looked at Tony with the rain dripping down his face, his wet clothing and his hair plastered to his head and smiled. Tony took in Ziva's sodden form: clothing soaked, hair stuck to her face and arms, and the rain running down her face. He laughed. She looked at him, "You should not be the one laughing; you look like a drowned bat."
Tony laughed harder, "Drowned RAT, Ziva." He splashed by running his hand through a puddle on the bench. She laughed and stomped in a puddle next to him. Then she took off down the path. He took off after her and caught up to her under the branches of a tree. He reached up and grabbed the lowest branch and let it go showering them both with water from the tree.
She laughed again. He laughed with her and moved nearer to her. Ziva met his gaze, and they moved closer. She placed a hand on his chest as he brushed her hair off her face. They locked gazes, falling into each other's eyes. Tony moved his head and brushed his lips on hers. She put her arm around his neck and drew him to her, locking her lips on his.
Together, in the rain, all was right with their world for this moment in time.