A/N: I figured I may as well have little drabbles between our favourite pair throughout the season, discussing their relationship. "Relationship" not meaning "coupleness" because, while it would be nice to see, they have yet to be together and are better off single for the time being. Anyway, I will be starting this post-Faith. If you haven't seen it (7x10) then you really should, it was nice. Very good use of Kangaroo Cry. I should really stop wasting your time rambling.

Reviews are almost as loved as my dogs are. :)

A quick warning, the rating may change to 'T' at some point depending on how this goes. I tend to write with NCIS-style language, so their type of swearing...

I don't own NCIS, you'd know my name if I did, and besides, if I owned NCIS, the following chapters may have occurred… not to mention, we wouldn't have to wait 'til Jan 5th for the next episode!


Ziva sat quietly in her apartment, her eyes drooping as she watched the flickering fire in the dusty old fireplace. Christmas wasn't her celebration in any way, yet she enjoyed every aspect of it; many people didn't celebrate with religion these days anyway. Could she not remain Jewish and enjoy the extra warmth and love from her NCIS family over the holidays?

Her phone rang suddenly, disturbing her thoughtful dosing. With a low swear in Hebrew, she grabbed the phone. Who would be calling at this time? Not giving herself a chance to brood on this, she thrust the phone to her ear and said as pleasantly as she could manage, "Ziva David."

"Y'know, most people just say hello," a voice commented from the other end. Her eyes went wide. Tony!

"Tony, Merry Christmas," she replied calmly. "Why are you calling so late? It is nearly midnight."

"Yeah, but I'm bored," he elaborated.

"Should you not be hitting the bars tonight?"

"Most are closed at this hour."

"And what do you expect me to do? Entertain you?" the last words were dripping with sarcasm.

"Ohhh, depends on what you mean by entertain…" he cleared his throat before continuing. "Happy Hanukkah!"

Ziva allowed a quiet sigh to escape her as she repositioned herself on the couch, now kneeling at the side with her elbows on the couch arm. She looked a lot younger this way, perhaps more vulnerable in a position like this, and yet she did not feel an impulse to keep her weapon nearby. "Hanukkah was a while ago, Tony. But all the same, it is Christmas, so you may as well say 'Merry Christmas.' Have you not some family to visit?"

"Very much like you… no. That's why I'm calling you. You're family, aren't you?" he sounded a bit unsure in this statement. Was she going to stay forever or slip away again?

"Tony, we are all family, are we not? Well, perhaps not the whole of NCIS but us--the team. And you definitely showed you have a soft side today, so I am sure that you are family," she acknowledged the uncertainty with a smile that he would not see.

"Soft side? What soft side?" he sounded absolutely outraged. Mission accomplished, she told herself with another sly smile and a look shining in her eye she could only dream of his own eyes spying.

"The Deloris gift was nice. You did good, even for a senior field agent. You are not often like that, unless of course you're dating another blonde bombshell."

"Okay, so it was nice!" he admitted, still sounding outraged with her. "But you can't say I'm never like that. You're right… I'm nice to my girlfriends. And Gibbs."

"I hope you are not dating Gibbs!" Ziva cried out, her laughter echoing over the phone line. "And that would explain your lack of… compassion towards myself and McGee."

"Hey, I'm perfectly nice to you, Ziva! But I'm obviously not dating you, and the thought of dating McGee is just… ewww." Tony shuddered on his end of the line.

"You are being, how do you say it? Homophobic, Tony. There is nothing wrong with couples like that. Besides, am I 'ewww,' as you put it, as well?"

"I'm not homophobic! I have nothing against that sort of thing! It's just I don't… fly… that… way," he said and waited for a few seconds of awkward silence before saying, "Anyway, I gotta go for the night Ziva. Have a good Christmas. Or, have a good twenty-five and a half minutes of Christmas, 'cuz that's all that's left. Oh, and Cindy Loo Hoo, I wasn't kidding about taking your present back. I did get you something. Check your… hallway."

And with that, he flicked the phone off, took one last look at her apartment from where he was in the street, and drove off. Good night, Ziva, he thought, and merry Christmas-Hanukkah.

Ziva cautiously stood up and tip-toed over to open the door. At first she saw nothing, but then a dull wood caught her eye. A boat? But Tony did not craft. Upon closer look, she realized it was flat and held something; a picture.

She picked it up and turned it over carefully in her hands, examining the small image from every angle. Even the bland back that was just visible through the faded glass was nice; though now she noticed it had a bit of writing. Tony's, surprisingly neat, clearly stating: ABBY'S CHRISTMAS PARTY '09.

The words brought a smile to her face and she crept back inside to sit on the couch again, but the frame never left her hands.

And thus she continued to stare at the picture until her clock struck twelve; it was simply a picture of her standing much too close to Tony. His handsome face was laughing as was hers.

You are family, she thought happily, one look at this picture and anybody could tell.


A/N: I hope you don't think the Tony thing was too creepy. xD But then again, Gibbs that to Jenny once, so who knows?