"I hope you never lose your sense of wonder,"

The sun set slowly, the light kissing her golden skin as we lay in the shady sand. As I tangled my fingers in her sand-clouded hair, she lazily kissed my neck, sighing contently in my arms.

When she leaned up against my chest, I couldn't help but play with the little strings on her back. As her eyelids drooped, I gently tugged the royal blue strings. Her eyes shot open, and I quickly dropped my arm to my side. She looked around suspiciously before settling into an uneasy sleep.

Once I was sure she was sleeping, I gave the stings one final, untying pull and-

"TONY!"

"Gah!" my eyes shoot open, startled, and my breathing tries to slow down, as does my heart. I finally calm down and look up to find Ziva standing over my desk.

"Come on, boss wants us at Norfolk," she says, tapping her fingers on my desk.

"Well, hello to you too," I grumble, and then, glaring at her, I shovel an assortment of things I'd need into my bag. She rolls her eyes and half-jogs away to the elevator. Hanging my jacket over my arm I too go to the elevator, but unlike her half-jog, I am ungracefully prancing to the door, which happens to be near my face.

Sighing, I push the button for the elevator.

"Third degree burns on his lower back and wrists," Duckey states as he points to the burnt flesh of the once human-looking body.

"The victim was tied up before being burnt," says Gibbs, scratching something out in his notebook.

"He was tied up, dangled over the fire," Ziva calls out. "They used him for information. Judging by the burns, he either talked and wasn't of any help, or refused to talk. Either way, they burnt him slowly." She took six pictures of what appeared to be the same rock.

Giving her his signature glare, Gibbs asked, "How would you know that?"

"Old Israeli torture technique. I recognize the burn patterns."

It's amazing how she still remembers that. Or... that it was even on her mind. But then again, she's Ziva.

Unpredictable.

A/N: Special thanks to Ashley4287. I couldn't have done this without her. *Gives virtual Ice Cream* =D

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