The Race
A bit of fun gets out of hand.
"Monday night." VEEERRRY special agent Tony DiNozzo exhaled over his files and sheets of paper. "What a Monday night without an overload of paperwork the weekend shift couldn't handle."
"Shhh." McGee was lightly drawing a stick man on a scrap of paper next to him as he procrastinated over his impending mind death.
Tony looked around at his dishearten and tired team mates who leaned over their work with little interest in it completion.
"Let's shake things up a bit, hu team?" He stood and rubbed his hands together
"Let's not." Ziva didn't even look up as she replied, her pen between her teeth as her eyes travelled over the paper she was trying to concentrate on.
"First one to finish gets bragging rights." He interrupted them with the challenge as their heads shot up, becoming competitive.
"Bragging rights eh?" Tim shot his eyes across the bullpen and then narrowed them back at Tony." I think I can accept that challenge, bragging DOES mean a lot to you Tony."
He shrugged and fell behind his desk his hands rubbing together with eagerness.
"You in David?" he asked Ziva who sighed
"What is in it for me?" She asked and Tony winced slightly at her lack of contractions
"Bragging rights and… Looser buys first three rounds." He tipped his head, extending his offer which she contemplated.
"It must be fair game. No cheating."
"Done. Ready probies?" He poised his pen over the case file and the other two nodded in unison.
"Ready." Tony purred like a car engine before a race
"Set." McGee said, eager to beat Tony
"Go!" Ziva finished and the sound of paper on pen tip filled the bullpen.
Half an hour had passed, Tony jumped up with his stack of paper work, maybe just maybe he could win. McGee shot his gaze up at him from his paper sliced fingers and sprung up, Ziva watched the boys run to the filing cabinet across the squad room. Tony, as an old time jock was in the lead. He made a b-line for his intended draws when something caught his ankle and he fell, McGee landed by him seconds later like a ton of bricks, Ziva jumped over his extended arm and slipped away her high piles of paper in to their separate draws.
"I won. Who is buying?" She smiled down at the boys as she leaned on the cabinet.
They fought to stand up and McGee found his draw first, he pushed in his first paper when he heard a slam and Tony was beside him, dusting off his hands.
"Looks like drinks on me Ziva." He laughed and walked back to find his bag.
"Don't worry Tony, maybe you can buy me a drink some other time." Ziva grinned and flounced past him with a mischievous smile playing across her mouth.
He thought of her words confused for a second before cracking a grin and calling back "Nice contractions miss America!" and he could have sworn she laughed back.