Remaking Rapunzel
"That is the stupidest story I have ever heard!"
Sarah McGee rolled her eyes, unable to hold back a smile as the woman opposite of her slammed the book on the table between them closed. So much for their break from studying being peaceful gossip.
"What kind of idiot wrote this? Why would you read this to a child?"
"Ziva, it's just a fairy tale." Sarah tried to explain. "Kids like them; they're cute."
"And absolutely misogynistic!" The Israeli woman scoffed. "If her hair was that long, why did she not use it to strangle the witch? Or, if it held a prince's weight, it would have easily held her own. She couldn't tie it to something herself? There is no need for a prince at all. She could have done it all on her own- she could have simply picked the lock and left, taking her abnormally long hair with her. Obviously she cared about it, to let it grow that long. Yet, she copped it off without a thought when the prince came along."
"Chopped, she chopped it off." Sarah corrected.
"Thank you, McGee." Ziva teased.
"Hey!" Sarah laughed. "Don't compare me to Tim! I suppose they do that to you all the time."
Ziva grinned. "I would like to see them learn a few more languages before they criticize my English." She said smugly. "At least McGee is nicer about it." She admitted after a moment.
"Timmy's great." Sarah agreed, smiling fondly. "A lot different than Tom- I mean, Tony. They seem to get along though."
"I believe they are close." Ziva agreed. "For all of their teasing, they are both very protective of the other. Almost complete opposites, however. I suppose that is why it works- that is your saying, is it not? Opposites attract?"
Sarah burst out laughing. "Ziva!" She exclaimed. "No!"
"What?" The older woman did see the amusement her friend did. "I said it wrong?"
"No," Sarah bit her lip, trying to stifle her laughter. "That's right, but it usually only applies to couples. Romantic couples. I'm pretty sure Tim's not gay."
"Hm." Ziva raised an eyebrow, but turned instead back to the book before her. "I still do not understand. You do not think this will be on the test, do you? Such foolishness could not be." She said decisively, pushing the book away.
"I don't know, I just thought you might enjoy seeing it." Sarah easily accepted the book back. "There are other versions, you know. Politically correct versions, girl-power versions, where Rapunzel does leave on her own. This is just the classic fairy-tale."
"I would not let my daughter read that. It teaches a horrible message." Ziva said scornfully. "This part of American culture I do not care for. A young lady should be independent; she should never have to depend on a man."
"Yeah," Sarah agreed, hugging her favorite fairy-tale to her chest. "But it's romantic, Ziva!" She appealed to her friend's extremely well-hidden softer side. "A man willing to do anything he can to rescue his lady love."
"A man who expects to protect and rescue you from everything is not a stable one." Ziva cautioned the younger woman. "He could easily turn into a stalker or abusive as he tries to keep you safe from any possible harm."
Sarah smiled. She loved spending time with her brother's team mate. She'd long admired Officer Lisa and Officer Ziva had turned out to be even better than her fictional counterpart. As unintentionally funny as Tim had always said, as strong and independent as Sarah could ever hope to be.
"I know, Ziva." She said, in that same overly-patient tone she often used on Tim when he went into big-brother mode. "And I would never let a guy just come and abduct me from my home. But you have to admit, to a little girl, it's romantic."
"The book would be better spent showing girls how to escape such a situation." Ziva refused to drop her point and Sarah conceded.
"You're right, Ziva." She agreed. "These are from a different generation. You should have Tony show you some of the new fairytale movies. They all have much more active female roles. No more waiting around for a prince."
"Good." Ziva said, nodding. "I am happy to hear that."
"So, you never read fairytales as a child?" Sarah asked curiously, resting an elbow on the table and her chin on her hand. She had taken over helping Ziva prepare for her citizenship test as Tim's latest deadline grew closer, which was how her friendship with Ziva had blossomed. She loved spending time with the other woman and especially enjoyed learning about a different culture.
"I did not lead a regular childhood." Ziva said, staring away absently. "I followed in my father's footsteps from a very young age. He had me learning about weapons and martial arts. The only remotely child-like thing I did was to take ballet with my younger sister and I quit before my first recital. Father did not approve."
"What about your sister?" Sarah asked softly.
"Tali was treated as a child should be," Ziva smiled at the few good memories she had of her childhood. "Father felt she was too weak for Mossad and turned her over to Mother. Tali was still taking ballet when she died. Perhaps she knew of some fairy tales, though I hope she was not foolish enough to believe them, if they are like your own."
"I enjoyed fairy-tales." Sarah smiled at the memory. "It was one of the few things I could make Tim do with me. He wouldn't have tea parties with me or play House. But from time to time, I could convince him to play Prince and Princess. I thought Tim made the best Prince ever."
Ziva thought of her teammate. "McGee is a very chivalrous man. I do not encounter many in my line of work."
Sarah nodded enthusiastically. "He's one of the last good guys out there. I've always thought so, at least."
Ziva smiled sadly. "All little sisters should think that of their older brothers. Lucky for you, yours actually is."
The two sat in silence for a moment, before heading back to work.
When Ziva got home that night, her mind was spinning, trying to accommodate all the new information she and Sarah had gone through. She had been worried when McGee had offered his sister's services in tutoring, but the girl had learned her lessons well from her older brother. She was possibly even more stern a taskmaster than he was, though Ziva was sure that was because Sarah did not actually know as much about Ziva's past as Tim did.
Ziva enjoyed spending time with Sarah, as the girl was highly amusing as well as willing to explain even the simplest of concepts. But, as was perhaps inevitable, their conversations often featured McGee. He was, after all, their common link.
Because of this, however, Ziva had inadvertently learned much more about her teammate than she was sure he knew. Like the rest of their team, he was mostly quiet about his childhood and private life, if only for fear of teasing.
Sarah did not have the same restrictions at all. She admired her brother every bit as much as she admired him and wasn't shy about sharing.
Ziva couldn't help but laugh, knowing how much Tony would love to have some of the stories that she had gotten from Sarah. He would never let the "Probie" live them down.
Like the story Sarah had told only that afternoon. It would not leave Ziva's mind, even as she sunk into her evening bath. Prince and Princess was something she'd never contemplated playing and even if she had, Ari would never had agreed to something so frivolous.
McGee had.
He'd forgone all the dignity of his teenaged years and had dressed up, complete with a crown, to play with his little sister. Sarah had said they'd danced and practiced bowing and curtseying. Tim would do whatever Sarah asked, answering with a simple, "Yes, Princess Sarah."
In spite of her hesitance in accepting McGee's competence as a field agent, she had never had a doubt as to his kind character. She could easily see the man who had welcomed her to the team even as his bright green eyes were shining with pain taking time to play with his little sister.
She sank deeper into her tub, smiling. She could practically picture the scene. McGee would make a handsome prince. A dark blue dress shirt, a crown highlighting the blonde streaks that she was sure would have been more prominent when he was a child. He was an elegant man; he could easily have fit into a different time.
It was no wonder Sarah had enjoyed Rapunzel so much, not when she had the very image of a Prince in her own home, Ziva concluded.
She let her eyes drift closed, hoping the heat of the bath would sooth some of the tension that inevitably rose when she thought of Ari. She would never begrudge Sarah her big brother, especially when he fulfilled his duty so well, but she would always regret what had become of her own built-in hero.
As was perhaps inevitable, she could not get the story of Rapunzel out of her head. She could imagine herself in a tall tower. According to Sarah, the romance was just as important as the rescue. So, if she ignored the door and headed for the window on her own, would she find her prince?
As the only female on the MCRT, with the exception of Abby, she had an array of impressive male specimens. She tried to imagine each of them coming to her rescue.
Obviously, Tony was not the romantic sort of Prince, she decided after a moment. True, he would make a striking picture. She could see him, his hair painstakingly mussed, in a tight-fitting outfit with a bright sash across his chest and a big sword at his side. There would, of course, be a bright golden crown sitting regally on his head to let the world know who he was.
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" He'd call.
He would not stop there, though. If she were foolish enough to lower her hair to him, she could practically see the smirk that would grow on his face.
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, now your top!"
She dissolved into giggles, something she only allowed when she was sure no one else was around. Tony would make the perfect Pervert Prince. He'd certainly be useful if the witch came around, he could talk her in circles while Rapunzel-Ziva snuck away.
What about Gibbs? Gibbs would be a horrible Prince. Not that she didn't think he'd rescue her- of course Gibbs would rescue her! And he was certainly handsome enough for the job. But he'd treat it as a mission, believing that if she was still there it wasn't because she was too weak to escape on her own. He'd dress in camouflage, painting his face so as to hide from the witch, not concerned at all about wooing the princess.
He'd try to pick the lock, always willing to try the easy way first. Should that fail, he wouldn't be foolish enough to depend on her and her hair for the rope. He'd come fully equipped, with a grappling hook and rope. He'd scold her for the ridiculous hair and impractical gown, demanding she wear flats and trousers and scale down the building with him before whisking her away to safety.
Effective, yes, but Sarah would not be impressed. There would be no wooing, no romance, merely a man on a mission. And it wouldn't be special, because he'd probably rescue three other princesses while he was taking her to safety.
Maybe if she were a redhead… or possibly Abby.
But, McGee… Well, she could easily picture him coming to her rescue. He would come prepared as well, but in a much different manner. He was the weakest at picking locks, but he would arrive with the blueprints. If there was a secret entrance, he would direct her there. He wouldn't be concerned about looking the part, though he would be dressed neatly as ever. Nothing flashy for him.
He would be the only one to ask if she had a way out, offering his support if she needed it. He'd offer transport, supplies, but wouldn't be so callous as to think that she couldn't rescue herself.
Yes, she decided, smiling softly as she toweled herself off. Tim would be a great Prince. Not that he wouldn't take the lead, if she was truly stuck there because all of her plans had failed. He would be just as willing to be her backup, but should the occasion arise, Ziva had no doubt he'd be just as willing to burst her out- no, bust her out.
And she'd perhaps reward him with the romantic kiss Sarah so believed in.
Her car was in the shop, thanks to some lazy American's careless driving, but McGee had offered her a ride in to work the next day. When she woke, she quickly dressed and headed for the bathroom to do her makeup.
Long practice made her makeup application easy, but she froze in the mirror as she took in her appearance. Her hair was certainly not Rapunzel-like in the least. Not yellow-blonde, nowhere near a tower's length. She was perhaps not suited to be Rapunzel. Maybe the one who loved the Beast? She did have brown hair after all.
Before she could get lost in her musings, her cell phone rang. Highly aware of Gibbs' Rule 3 (well, one of them, at least), she quickly answered. "David."
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" Still absorbed in her thoughts, it took her a moment to realize someone else had spoken those words.
She pulled the phone away to look at her caller id to see who was on the other line. "McGee?" She exclaimed, pulling the phone to her ear again.
"To the window, Rapunzel." Tim McGee's voice came through loud and clear, as well as highly amused. "Don't you know this story? You can't tell me Sarah didn't tell you it at least a dozen times. She used to make me read it to her about five times a day. I didn't even need the book by the time she was seven, I had the whole thing memorized."
She chuckled, leaving her bathroom and heading to her living room, which had the only window facing the street. "I did hear it a few times. She was insistent that I like it. She seemed to take it as a personal insult that I found fault with it."
"She's a terror." He said cheerfully. "I've known that for years. Ah, there's my fair princess."
She couldn't hold back a smile, as she finally saw him. He was on the sidewalk just below her window, leaning against his car. "McGee, what are you doing?" She asked suspiciously. He was grinning mischievously, a look which she usually only saw when he was planning a prank on Tony.
"Hey, I know my sister. She's tried to convince every woman she ever met to put herself in Rapunzel's shoes." Tim said, waving up at her, before sliding away from the passenger door to reveal several objects on the roof of his car.
Ziva couldn't help herself, but burst into laughter. "Oh, McGee." She shook her head. Only a floor up, she could easily see the grappling hook, box of band-aids and scissors lying on his car.
"Now, I'm all for equal opportunity." He said by way of explanation. "So, you see, I've got band-aids in case you get beat up in your escape. The scissors are for your hair, of course, and the hook is just in case you like your hair today. Sarah could never make up her mind- some days she was all for cutting her hair off and some days it was her prized possession. Now, come down or I'll have to come up and rescue you. You can't let the evil witch Sarah keep you locked up there- Gibbs will have my head!"
Ziva shook her head at his audacity. "I'm telling Sarah you called her a witch." She teased.
"Hey!" He pouted. "No fair! Now get down here- you have two minutes. Do you need my help?" He teased.
Ziva had never seen such a playful side to McGee and decided she really liked it. Still… "I think I have this one covered. Keep the bandages though, I face perilous dangers." She couldn't resist.
She ended the call. Stepping quickly into her bedroom to grab her bag, she then hurried downstairs. McGee was standing when she got outside, the scissors and grappling hook conspicuously missing, though the band-aids were in his hand.
"Oh, good, you made it. I wouldn't want to get this suit dirty." He offered a teasing smile. "Well, if nothing else, I'll always be a passable chauffeur," he said, shrugging. He tossed her the band-aids and opened the passenger door. "Your chariot awaits, fair lady."
She wasn't willing to let go that easily though. She knew Tim McGee. She could already sense his hesitation and knew that if she got in that car, his playfulness would truly end. She was not exactly sure what she wanted to happen, only that she was not yet ready for it to end. "What has gotten into you today?" She asked to buy time, tucking the band-aids into her jacket pocket and crossing her arms.
As she'd known would happen, he immediately raised a hand to rub his neck, his cheeks flaring red. "Sarah came over last night. I had to listen to her go on about Rapunzel all night. I couldn't help but wonder what you'd do if you were Rapunzel. I had to do it- sorry." He apologized.
"It was adorable, McGee." She said, smiling to let him know he was off the hoop- hook.
"Um, thanks." He gestured to the still-open door. "So…?"
"Oh, no, McGee." Ziva shook one finger, stepping up to him. "Sarah was very clear on this. She made sure I understood the importance of fairy tales. She also said all day yesterday how good a Prince you were. You most definitely fit the description of a dutiful Prince, so it is my duty as a Princess to finish the fairy tale."
"What?" McGee asked, looking adorably confused by her words.
She didn't give him any time to panic, instead pulling him down to kiss. It started off awkwardly, as the foolish man initially tried to speak when she pressed her lips to his, but within seconds he had fallen in line, his arms tightening around her.
She only pulled away when she needed to breathe, happily noting that though his cheeks were flaming red now, his eyes sparked with lust. "Now, that is a worthy fairy-tale ending." She said in satisfaction, patting his cheek and slipping into the car.
She watched out of the corner of her eye, as Tim stood there for a moment, dumb-founded. Slowly, he shook his head and then walked around the car to the driver's seat.
The ride to work was silent, but Ziva was content as she pulled his hand into her own. He made no move to pull away.
And if Tony was confused when, upon arriving at work, she made sure there was a space for the band-aids to have a prominent space on her desk while a red-faced McGee watched in awe, all the better…