A/N: I wasn't sure about posting this one, I was never completely happy with the way it turned out but I'm going for it anyway! I was trying to capture the friendship side of Tiva (as much as I like to write the romantic side!) I'd like to put in a big thank you to every single person who has read/reviewed/favourited my previous two stories, and a special mention to UnsuspectingHearts and Jupiter Lily who kindly reviewed each story so beautifully! Enjoy!
Traditions and Customs
Tony breathed a sigh of relief as he closed the folder on his printed report and sat back in his chair folding his hands behind his head.
"Chalk another one up for NCIS." He smiled. "What are we up to now, bad guys… zilch, team Gibbs… ooh a billion?"
"I dunno Tony, I think bad guys have beat us before." McGee mumbled.
"Nah, they think they beat us, we always win in the end; that's how it works with Gibbs, you always get the last word, unless you really are Gibbs and then your last word is more a stoic stare that never fails to strike fear right into the soul of the most hardened of criminals."
Ziva rolled her eyes but smiled at him nonetheless as she hit save on her own report.
"I for one, am glad that case is over." She spoke.
"Yeah it was a tough one wasn't it?" McGee offered.
The three agents exchanged a look between them but said nothing; somehow there was an unspoken rule that they seemed to have established; this was not a case they would discuss again. They had seen the true horrors in the world that humans were capable of doing to one another and they never wanted to have to relive the memories that the past week had brought with them.
"So, I'm thinking we need to go somewhere and unwind?" Tony suggested. "Ziva?" He raised his eyebrows at her. "Maybe we could hit that new Chinese place that opened on the corner? Agent Hart over in legal said they make the best Mu Sho Pork in town! Though I'm sure they'll have something more Kosher for you." he winked.
"I think we need a little more unwinding than that." She grinned. "Perhaps, a bar?"
"I like your thinking David!" he nodded, leaning forward and tossing several items from his desk drawer into his backpack.
"You coming McGee?" Ziva asked.
McGee looked up from his computer a little sheepishly.
"Uh, no, no, I think I'm just gonna head straight home, it's been a long week and I could use the rest." He smiled. "Thanks though."
Ziva shrugged her shoulders and smiled.
"You know where we will be if you change your mind."
He nodded in response.
"You're not going home to rest McGoo, at least tell the truth about why you don't want to come." Tony jeered.
McGee's eyes widened in shock, he was both confused and a little bit scared; Tony's imagination had been known to take creative license with his life, who knows what tales he'd been weaving this week.
"McGeek over here doesn't want to come out with us because it's a school night and his mommy wants him to finish all his homework before she lets him parade around online as a dwarf; isn't that right Timmy?" Tony winked as Ziva grinned while shaking her head.
McGee's face fell and he narrowed his eyes, after the week they had just had, he was not in the mood for more of Tony's jibes.
"First of all it's an Elf." McGee corrected defensively. "And secondly, don't assume I'm going home to play my game, I've had a hard week, I worked my ass off on this case and maybe I just need some time to be by myself."
Ziva looked over at McGee who seemed genuinely hurt by Tony's suggestion.
"Sorry McGee." She offered.
"Oh don't fall for his little angry and defensive routine Ziva, come on McGee admit it, you'd rather pretend to be an Elf Lord than come out for drinks with real life humans. Computer contact is all McGee knows Ziva, it's like a whole other planet in there, online, McGee is, dare I say it… cool!" McGee opened his mouth to speak but Tony cut him off. "Don't even try and deny it, I saw your hands shaking from elf withdrawal, you've got a problem McGee, admit it, computers are like your crack, admit it… admit it!"
"Enough Tony." McGee spat as a warning.
"Admit it!" Tony chanted.
"Fine!" McGee yelled, his blood pressure rising and his face red, he slammed his hands down on his desk and was now standing. He took a breath and lowered his tone again, un-balling the fists he hadn't even realised he had made until he felt his fingernails start to pierce his skin. Tony and Ziva stared at him, eyes wide in shock. "Fine, I'd rather be playing my game online with people who respect me enough not to call me names and make fun of me." He breathed, slowly sitting back down in his chair.
"Well there we go," Tony sighed. "That's all I wanted, the truth." He nodded before addressing McGee once more.
"Have fun McGee, Ziva, shall we?" he suggested throwing his backpack across his shoulder and heading towards the elevator.
Ziva picked up her own bag and slid it on her shoulder, as she rounded the edge of her desk she turned back to McGee.
"Ignore him," she whispered. "I happen to know plenty of women who would find your elk fighting skills sexy!" she winked.
"Elf." McGee corrected. "But thank you Ziva."
"Have fun." She grinned back before hurrying her pace to the elevator which had just arrived on their floor.
"And that is why you shouldn't be a supporter of the Sox." Tony concluded as they rounded the corner onto the block of a new bar that they had been meaning to visit since its opening.
"Tony, I do not even follow baseball, let alone have a team, and if I were to have a team I do not think I would pick one based on the colour of their footwear." Ziva sighed; Tony had been trying for months to get her to a baseball game but she had always refused, he figured explaining the rules to her would take some time, and he knew as soon as he tried she would give him a rebuttal on why those rules made no sense, but he wanted to take her nonetheless to help her experience some traditional American customs.
"No it's not socks as in "socks" it's "Sox" S, O," he trailed off before he could finish what he was saying, his eyes widening with excitement. "Ziva look, look!" he exclaimed pointing to a chalkboard that had been stood outside of the door. "Karaoke night!" he beamed. "Now this you need to experience."
"I have heard of karaoke Tony." Ziva offered, seeing Tony's face fall a little having ruined his anticipation somewhat.
"Yeah but have you ever actually seen it? Done it?" he asked.
Ziva looked sideways drawing on memory.
"No." she concluded.
Tony smiled mischievously. "In which case, this is going to be fun!" He put a hand on her shoulder and ushered her inside the door.
The two of them took refuge in a quiet booth seat tucked away in the corner of the bar; the one that boasted the best view of the stage eagerly awaiting your next Mariah Carey wannabe singer. Tony had an ice cold beer nestled in his hand while Ziva was mulling over a fresh mojito.
"So karaoke," Tony began. "It's basically,"
"Japanese for "empty"." Ziva finished.
Tony rolled his eyes.
"Let me guess, you speak Japanese."
"Actually, no, but I do know a few words." She winked proudly.
"Whatever, the main thing you need to know about karaoke is that it's the perfect place for inebriated and drunken idiots to make fools of themselves by deciding to show the rest of the general public just how outstandingly awful their singing is!"
"Why would you want people to know that you are awful?" Ziva questioned, confused, her lips pursed together, before she lifted her glass and sipped at the cold, refreshing liquid.
"That's the beauty of it! These guys get up there thinking they're like, Joe Israel!"
"Who is Joe Israel?"
"I dunno, I didn't know any Israeli megastars so that you might actually get a reference for once." Ziva narrowed her eyes.
"Actually, my favourite Israeli-"
"Ziva, it doesn't matter what his name is; they won't have him on their books." He interrupted. "So you pick a track from the book, they call your name, you get up there, take hold of the mic, the words appear on screen and you sing away, much to the hilarity and occasional distress of all the other people in the bar." He grinned, downing half of his beer.
Ziva raised one eyebrow, still not quite sure she understood why anyone would want to make a fool of themselves in public, but then again, America had many traditions she had not yet grown accustomed to.
She drank near to all of her beverage before turning to Tony who had just finished his own.
"I will get this one yes?" she asked.
"Sure." Tony nodded.
"Same again?"
"That'd be great."
Ziva returned to their table a few minutes later with a drink in each hand.
"So I've been thinking," Tony spoke. "I bet you twenty dollars that one of the first 5 singers picks the Gloria Gaynor classic "I Will Survive". It's like karaoke gold, everyone covets that song, but once one person has sung it you can't follow suit, that'd be like getting up after Celine Dion and trying to better "My Heart Will Go On", no matter how awful that first singer was, you never know how good you are until the drunken patrons of a karaoke bar heckle you!"
"Ok, I will take that bet."
"Get you're money ready David, because you are gonna lose!"
No less than five minutes later the karaoke host took to the stage to introduce the first "talent" of the night.
"Ladies and gents, lets welcome the lovely Angela to the stage, give her a round of applause this is her first go at karaoke and she has chosen to sing the Madonna classic, "Like A Virgin"!" The forty-something host stepped to the side clapping his hands as a woman in her mid to late 50's took to the stage in an outfit intended for someone much younger than herself.
"Ha, it's been a long time since she was a virgin!" Tony quipped. Ziva punched him in the arm before turning her attention to the woman on stage. The host cued up the video screen and as the music kicked in the lyrics appeared and the woman began to sing.
"I made it through the wilderness…" the woman began to croon and already the song was so horribly out of tune it was barely recognisable. Tony couldn't help but smile at the way Ziva's face contorted as she squinted one eye and subtly attempted to stick one finger in her ear to quieten the lyrical torture she was enduring.
"Wow, she is um – certainly something." Ziva commented.
Tony laughed.
"She's horrible… and yet I cannot turn away!" He lifted his beer to his lips, his eyes focused on the woman murdering a classic.
After what seemed like forever, Angela finally brought the song to an end as perhaps two of the many patrons in the bar clapped her attempt. Feeling sorry for her Tony got to his feet enthusiastically clapping loudly.
"Woo! Great job Angela!" He yelled as the woman shot him a coy and somewhat embarrassed smile.
"Tony, do not encourage her." Ziva warned.
"It's all about encouragement; it's what makes them want to sing again!" Tony nodded.
Following Angela was 24 year old Mikey who gave a mediocre version of "Born in the USA", followed thereafter by two college students who had to have been drinking from at least noon judging by the slurred and extremely out of tune rendition of Rihanna's "Te Amo".
"This is… I can not…" Ziva struggled to find the words for just how barbaric this practice seemed to be. "I need another drink." She sighed pulling herself to her feet.
"Hang on, this one's on me." Tony offered. Ziva smiled at his reciprocal kindness, and went to sit back down. "No, I'm not moving, I might miss something," he said reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. "Here, keep the change for your troubles!" he winked.
Ziva pursed her lips while eyeing him up and down.
"And they say chivalry is dead." She commented before snatching the bill from his hand and making her way back towards the bar.
As she ordered another round of their drinks and pocketed the remaining money she turned around to face the stage as she heard a soulful voice croon out a track she had actually heard.
A man who looked from her distance to be in his mid thirties stood on the stage exuding no bravado and no cocky confidence like she had seen so far, he simply stood there and sang with so much honesty and emotion that she couldn't help but be taken in by him. She took a sip of both her own and Tony's drink before returning to the table, if he had seen she would have told him it was to make sure she didn't spill any, but in reality she knew she needed to ingest as much alcohol as possible as quickly as possible if there was any way she was going to make it through the rest of this night.
"He is good." She spoke handing Tony his beer and sliding back into the booth seat. "Why are there not more singers like him taking part?"
"That's all part of the fun, they don't know if they're good, we don't know if they're good, it's like American Idol auditions, you're praying for a train wreck but every so often you get a Sinatra amongst the Fergie's; this guy just happens to be one of them."
"What is American Idol?"
"Seriously David, we need to get you a TV."
As the gentleman's song drew to a close, for the first time that night Ziva felt compelled to applaud his performance along with the rest of the bar. The man took a gracious bow before retreating to the bar somewhat uncomfortable at all of his attention.
"Yeah!" The host spoke enthusiastically into the mic as he clapped the man away from the stage. "How about Austin huh? What a voice! Let's see if our next singer can top that!" He offered looking at the next sheet of paper with entrant details on. "Next up, the lovely Megan."
"This is it Tony, get your money out." Ziva warned.
"It's a woman, she's bound to sing "I Will Survive", be ready to part with your paper David."
The woman took to the stage and Tony knew from the very beginning of the track intro that she was not singing the Gloria Gaynor classic. He felt his heart sink ever so slightly, but then it occurred to him, Ziva probably had no idea what "I Will Survive" sounded like! This could work out well for him.
Megan opened her mouth and stumbled over the first line of "Before He Cheats" before she found her footing and began to sing fairly well. She certainly wasn't as good at Austin before her but she was a sight better than the others who had sung this evening. Tony would class her as one of the floaters if she had been on a TV talent show, she probably would have made it through the first round but there was nothing special about her, nothing that made her stand out, she was simply suspended, floating in a sea of adequate voices.
"Yep, this is it, that classic song, hand over your money Ziva!" Tony grinned holding his hand out.
"This is not Gloria Gaynor." Ziva retorted defiantly.
"No Ziva, this is the lovely Megan, the host said so himself, how many drinks have you had?" he patronised hoping she wouldn't figure him out.
"Nice try Tony, but I actually know "I Will Survive"."
"Get out!" Tony exclaimed shocked.
"It is true; we do get import music in Israel you know, this song however, not so much."
Tony sighed and handed over a twenty dollar bill.
"Fine," he slapped the money into the palm of her hand. "And for the record, this is Carrie Underwood, winner of American Idol just so you know."
Ziva shrugged it off; she was twenty dollars richer in monetary values and a million dollars richer in smugness and pride over Tony.
"Now the question is, what do I do with this money?" She questioned with a sly smile.
"Buy us another couple of rounds?" Tony suggested. Ziva looked at him with a sideways glance; she clearly did not approve.
The bar atmosphere drew silent as the song came to an end and the audience clapped for Megan.
"We'll go straight into the next song and welcome Angela back to the stage!" The host applauded handing the microphone over to their first singer of the night.
"Woo! Come on Angela!" Tony jeered once again as she took to the stage.
Suddenly a familiar tune began to pour out of the speakers as Angela proceeded to butcher all aspects of her chosen song.
"At first I was afraid, I was petrified,"
Tony's ears pricked up and his eyes widened in delight.
"Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side,"
"I WILL SURVIVE!" Tony exclaimed yanking the money back from Ziva's hands. She jumped as he pulled the paper quick as a flash from her grip and tucked it back into his pocket. "I said first five singers, Angela sang first so she totally counts as first five! I win!" he beamed with a self-righteous grin.
Ziva rolled her eyes once again and downed the rest of her drink.
"Semantics." She huffed, regrettably handing him over twenty dollars of her own money.
"Oh come on Ziva, lighten up, maybe we can even get you up there!" he winked.
"Ha!" she laughed with one short burst. "It will be a cold day in Helsinki before you see me on that stage."
Tony furrowed his eyebrows. "Hell Ziva, not Helsinki, it's already cold there!"
"Whatever, I for one would not wish to embarrass myself in front of all these people up there!"
Six shots of tequila later Tony watched as Ziva drunkenly twirled her way around the stage like a pro. She held the microphone to her mouth like a seasoned professional and, despite struggling to walk in a straight line to get to the stage, she managed to remain up right and read the song lyrics properly… or as best she could.
"Woooooaaaaah, we are halfway there…. WOOOOOAAAH LIVING ON A PRAYER!" she belted into the microphone. The audience in the bar were eating her performance up, clapping and cheering for her. Truth be told her voice was very good, she had the right pitch, she was in tune, in time and in key, the only problem was her accent but it didn't seem to be bothering the other patrons.
"Take my hand and we will make it I swear… WOOOOAH living on a prayer!" With a little added air guitar and foot tapping she certainly knew how to work the crowd. As the song reached the climactic key change Tony had no choice but to stand and tap along to the woman who was now swinging her head and hair dramatically around with her eyes closed and teeth clenched together in preparation for her big note. He had to admit drunken Ziva was a whole lot of fun! Everything about this moment was so out of character and yet he loved to see her letting loose and having fun like anyone else. As the music faded out the entire bar stopped to applaud Ziva's effort, she was met with cheers and whistles from several of the men; the crowd had gone completely wild and she had loved every single minute. It took her three attempts to get the microphone back in the stand, her vision was blurred by both the alcohol and the head banging, but she soon stumbled her way back to their booth, while being greeted with several people commending her efforts on route.
"Ziva!" Tony exclaimed. "I… there are no words!"
She grinned happily at him.
"I have never in my life done anything like that." She confided in him.
"Well you should do it more, look at them, the crowd LOVED it!" he laughed. "I have to admit, it was pretty hot!" He winked.
"I am glad you thought so." She spoke mischievously. "Because you are up next!"
"What?" His face dropped and his eyes widened. "No, no, not a chance."
"Relax, I picked a song from what I am sure if one of your favourite movies…" she winked.
"And now we have Tony DiNozzo with his rendition of the John Travolta and Olivia Newton John classic, "Summer Nights."" The host announced.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me."
"Come on DiNozzo, the crowds are waiting for you!" Ziva said shoving him out of the booth and onto his feet.
"It looks like he's a little nervous folks, let's give him some encouragement!" The host spoke clapping. Other members of the crowd began to clap along for him and several of the women gave flirtatious words of encouragement too.
"You're forgetting that this song is a duet." Tony hinted. "So I'm gonna need a partner."
"No way, I have not even seen the movie." Ziva protested as Tony grabbed her by the arm and dragged her to the stage.
"Not necessary, just read the words and sing along!" he winked.
Before she had another chance to protest he had pulled her onto the stage and thrust a microphone in her hand. The music kicked in and she watched as Tony began to tap his foot and click his fingers, she'd seen him sing around the office before but this was something else altogether! She had figured he would back out, Tony always seemed to her to be all talk and yet here he was about to perform a song for the abundant bar crowd. At the same time she had to consider that this was Tony, if anyone knew how to have fun it was him and if you couldn't let your hair down out of work hours then when could you?
He opened his mouth and began to sing.
"Summer lovin' had me a blast… take it Ziva!"
She looked at the screen slightly panicked but began to sing regardless.
"Summer loving happened so fast," her timing for this song was not as impeccable as the last but she was determined to give it a shot.
"Met a girl, crazy for me,"
"Met a boy, cute as can be,"
As they went into the chorus in unison the rest of the bar began to sing along with them, taking the pressure off of Ziva and uniting everyone under the roof. There was a wonderful sense of community and belonging within the bar at that moment, a notion that they were all one family, despite all the differences between them and after a week of working a tough case this was just the way to unwind.
Tony couldn't help but smile at his partner; this was certainly a night he would remember for a long while yet!