Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS.
Spoilers: ... Mostly the nuns; nothing major.
I don't usually write Abby/Ziva-friendship fics, and this is only my second attempt; regardless, I hope I got the dynamics of their friendship right!
Also, this fic is about nothing. Sort of.
Enjoy; please review!
-Soph
Compromise
The night was cold, a breeze blowing directly towards them as they exited the building with the rest of the concertgoers. Even though it made goose bumps pepper her skin, Ziva didn't mind. She relished the coldness after the heat and smoke and sweatiness inside the building; her ears felt both deafened and as if they were thudding at the same time, a feat which she hadn't even known was possible until then. She suddenly couldn't remember why she had agreed to go with Abby in the first place.
She didn't notice that Abby had started talking until the goth put a hand on her arm; and then, paying close attention because even Abby's voice seemed softer than usual, she heard an invitation to the still-open diner across the street. Ziva nodded almost too eagerly. Maybe a strawberry smoothie would make her feel much better.
Abby got egg and sausage with a glass of milk, the combination of which perplexed Ziva; but she simply put in an order for a strawberry smoothie for herself and leant back against the garishly red seat, willing her ears to stop the ringing that they were now doing.
"I always get really hungry after a good concert," Abby explained, and Ziva chuckled. Abby sat up straight and gazed across the table intently. "Thank you for coming, Ziva."
Ziva smiled at her friend. "It was my pleasure, Abby." And she meant it, because even though she had hated the concert, seeing Abby's happiness had been worth the pain.
The forensic scientist picked at her fingernails. "I'm tired of the guys always saying that they won't come," she announced suddenly. "It's not fair. I mean, you always go to whatever Tony wants you to, and Tony always goes to whatever you really want him to, and I always go to Timmy's book-signings even if he doesn't tell you both about them, and it's not fair that he or anyone else doesn't want to come to my concerts." Ziva opened her mouth to say something, but Abby's eyes widened and she hastily continued, "Not that I don't appreciate that you're here! I do, I really do. It's just…"
"I know," Ziva said gently. "You wish they would support you, too."
"Well, it's not like … like I'm holding these concerts and I need them to support me; I just wish they liked hanging out with me and doing the things I do."
"We do like hanging out with you, Abby. It is just that the things you like doing are…" Ziva struggled for the right words. "Unusual and very different from our tastes."
"But you still came," Abby pointed out, and Ziva grimaced inwardly.
"That is true."
"It shouldn't be an excuse," Abby griped. "You came because you're my friend and you care about me. Well, they're my friends and they should care about me, too."
"We do care about you, Abby."
"Not about this. I mean, I know you guys wouldn't hesitate to save me from like, a serial killer or a horde of rampaging elephants about to trample me to death, but it's not every day that that has the possibility of happening. What am I supposed to do in the meantime to get you guys to hang out with me?"
Deep down, Ziva knew Abby was right to bring up the question. The forensic scientist often supported them and cheered them on for no other reason than that they were her friends, and that that was simply who she was; friends stood on equal ground as family when it came to Abby, and Ziva knew Abby would do anything for them that they either wanted or needed her to. That included, on a particularly memorable day not too many years ago, yelling sense into a fallen-from-grace former team member and then hugging her so tightly afterwards that all doubt as to whether she was still welcomed inside Labby was removed.
The truth was, Ziva owed Abby much more than a single promise to attend a concert with her just because she was looking all too blue at their refusal. Everyone owed Abby more. But Ziva was a pragmatist who understood human nature, and she knew that Abby would be hard-pressed to get any one of their teammates to attend the concerts she frequented, simply because they didn't like heavy metal. No one, really, subjected themselves regularly to four hours of listening to what they didn't like and couldn't ignore. And so, the only way for Abby to get them to do the things she liked would be for her to make a compromise with them.
"Perhaps," Ziva proposed, "you could consider asking them to do other sorts of things with you?"
"Like what?"
"Well, I do not know, but I like bowling."
"Bowling?" Abby perked up. "So, you'd come bowling with me and the nuns if I asked you?"
"Perhaps…" Ziva answered slowly. "If the nuns allowed me to."
"Of course they would! They've been yearning for some figurative new blood forever. Bowling-wise, that is." Abby grinned. "Don't worry about being Jewish, if that's what you're worried about. They have no issues with a different religion at all."
Ziva bit her lip. "Are you sure I would not be an intrusion?"
"Positive. They'd love you. Come, Ziva, please?"
Ziva took in Abby's eager eyes and hopeful face, and found that she hadn't the heart to refuse the goth even if she wanted to. She nodded. "Okay."
"Thank you!" Abby's momentarily bright gaze darkened. "Now, about the guys…"
"Perhaps you could come to a compromise with them about what you and they both like?"
Abby pondered that. "I could do that. Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"I mean it, Ziva," Abby said sternly. "You're way better than those guys."
Ziva laughed, and then sobered. "For the record, Abby … I am sorry that we did not come to your concerts before. I had a nice time tonight."
Abby eyed her suspiciously. "Did you really?"
"… No," Ziva confessed, causing Abby to burst out into giggles.
"It's okay. But I'm happy you came."
"I am happy I came, too. Really."
Abby smiled, satisfied. "So, Sister Elizabeth is planning to start a bowling competition between the nuns. I'm on her team. Would you like to join in?"