The squad room was silent except for the quiet ticking of clock and steady tapping of fingers on keyboards, though it was already well past midnight on Christmas Day and approaching three o'clock in the morning quickly. Only two people were left, avoiding each other's occasional worried glance. Finally, as the clock struck three, surprisingly loud without the normal workplace uproar, Ziva forced herself from her seat.
"Tony, why do you keep… staring?" she asked quietly, placing her hands on his desk and cocking her head to the side. A playful smile danced on her lips and her eyes sparkled with Christmas spirit - not that of her religion; but a celebration enjoyed by even her. Family.
"I'm not staring, my Probette," Tony stood up and walked behind her. She did not move a muscle as he put his arms around her and onto the desk. However, she could not manage to hold back a squeak of protest. "Problem, Probie?" he whispered in her ear.
Ziva fixed a fake flirtatious grin on her face and turned to look at him, their faces just inches a part. With a righteous look in her eye, she leaned forward to declare, "Yes!"
He barely had time to register that she had put her hands on his wrists and flipped him backwards where he would be entirely at her mercy. The former Mossad officer leaned in to him, her breath tickling his ear but her hands never leaving his wrists. "I suppose you are the one with the problem now, Tony."
"You have no Christmas spirit!" he childishly declared, already cringing in wait for the attack he knew would come.
"Ba-home-bog!" she repeated her words from earlier. One hand released his wrist and she brought it to his face, a soft slap that she had once given McGee. Laughing, she retreated to her desk.
"Not fair," he murmured, then his voice grew louder. "Look, if you didn't want anything for Christmas, you could have said anything."
"What do you mean? Tony, I have not received anything."
"I saw the way you looked at Deloris when she got the present I gave her!"
Ziva shrugged. "It was sweet, Tony. You did good."
"Sweet, huh? Must be losing my image."
"Whatever. I am leaving soon, good night."
"Woah, wait. Why're you still here anyway?"
"That is none of your business. I have a… how do you say it? Christmas gift for you Tony." Forcing a smile on her face and regretting ever buying anything, Ziva rummaged through her cabinet until she found what she was looking for. She carefully placed a gleaming, silver wrapped package on her desk. Head tilted sideways, she beckoned for him to come.
"Hey, but you said no gifts! And you were gonna get me one? I almost feel bad. But not to fear…" Tony put on his best grin and pulled a package from his bag as well. "AhhHA! Knew I had it somewhere."
He put the present for her right beside the one for him and looked her in the eye. His breath hitched at the mix of surprise, happiness and slight confusion he found there. "On the count of three, take it and rip. Three… two… one!"
Tony grabbed the silver present up and ripped the paper off in a matter of seconds, his face lighting up like a five-year-old's. Ziva's face mirrored him. They stared at each other for many long seconds before finally saying, "Wow… you…?"
"Thank you, Tony!" Ziva laughed, making her way around the desk to put her arms around him.
It was a quick gesture, but it said enough. Tony laughed and pulled away. "Good night, my ninja," he called as he made his way out of the bullpen.
"Good night!" she called, still laughing over the gift.
For in her hand she held a beaded necklace with the words "NINJA" printed across the front.