Title: Give Me A Hand
Pairing: None.
Rating: K
Genre: Gen
Cat: Friendship
Spoilers: None.
Warnings: None.
Summary: Something's up with Ziva and McGee's hoping he can figure out what it is.
Author's Note: Written for breakthisautopilotpath on Tumblr (I think she has a ffnet account but I can't remember the name, sorry!). She requested McGiva and "Give me a hand." Ended up being not quite shippy, but still cute. ;)
McGee arrived in the squad room to find it empty, and let out a relieved sigh as he made his way to his desk. Tony had been driving him nuts all day, all poking and prodding and touching him – enough with the touching already! Gibbs was being as grouchy as he ever was, and Ziva. . . He wasn't quite sure what was up with her. Something had to have been bothering her, because she'd barely said two words all day, and when he tried to talk to her, see what was wrong, she'd just made some excuse about having something urgent she needed to do and ran off.
He was still pondering Ziva's behavior when he heard a weird groaning noise coming from across the room. He raised an eyebrow as he slowly stood from his chair, looking around the room for some sign of what could have made it. When he heard it again, he called out, "Hello? Is somebody there?"
"McGee!"
His eyebrow raised higher. "Ziva? Where are you?"
"Under my desk!"
He slowly walked over to her desk, feeling a bit wary after the way she'd been acting all day and not wanting to get pulled into a trap of some sort. "Um, why are you under your desk?"
She let out a frustrated sigh. "I was playing with my necklace and I must have gotten . . . agitated? Is that the word?" McGee shrugged, though she couldn't see him because she was still under her desk and he was standing in front of it. "I ended up yanking it off and the pendant fell on the floor somewhere and now I cannot find it." Her head suddenly popped up on the other side of her desk and she looked over at McGee. "Can you give me a hand?"
He still looked a little wary, but said, "Sure, I guess. . ." and lowered himself to his knees, keeping his eyes on Ziva the whole time.
She squinted at him over her desk. "Is something wrong, McGee?"
He immediately shook his head. "No, nooo. Everything's fine!"
"Then why are you treating me as though I am about to attack you?"
"You're . . . not, are you?" McGee asked, looking ready to flee if that was the case.
"No! What is wrong with you?" She propped her elbows on her desk and pushed herself to her feet, putting her hands on her hips and giving him a demanding look.
"Me?" McGee stood, as well, getting closer to her desk. "I'm not the one who was giving her teammates the silent treatment today." It was his turn to give her a pointed look, and she withered a bit under his gaze, but regained her confidence shortly.
"I was not giving anyone the silent treatment," she said.
"Then what would you call it? I mean, did I do something?"
Ziva quickly shook her head. "No, you did nothing wrong." She looked like she wanted to say more, but didn't, and McGee used his sympathetic nature to his advantage, walking around to where she stood and lowering his voice as he spoke to her.
"You know you can tell me anything, right?" he said, and Ziva nodded, but didn't look up at him. She suddenly looked much more her age than she acted, and it endeared her to McGee even more. He had a sudden burst of confidence and said, "Can I do something for you? Do you want a . . . hug or something?"
"You're not just trying to feel me up, are you?" Ziva asked, and McGee jumped back, not wanting her to get the wrong idea.
"No, no, of course not, I was just trying to help," he insisted, shaking his head.
She looked up, smiling. "That was a joke, McGee." She didn't look away from him that time, her smile fading as McGee gave her another pointed look. It took a few more moments for her to speak, then she said, "Today is the anniversary of the day Talia died."
McGee's expression changed to one of understanding. "Your sister," he confirmed, and Ziva nodded. He sighed. "And I kept talking about Sarah today because I just talked to her. I'm sorry, Ziva, I didn't know."
She shook her head. "No, there was no way you could have known. I am not mad at you, McGee."
"Still, I feel bad." He paused. "Are you sure you don't want a hug?" He smiled, half-intending it as a joke, but was surprised when Ziva nodded.
"Would you?" she asked, and he turned serious again.
"Of course, Ziva. You don't have to ask." He was still hesitant as he approached her, but she made him relax as she initiated the hug, and he easily hugged her back.
"Thank you," Ziva said after a few moments of easy silence, and rested her head against his chest. It comforted her to hear his heartbeat, to feel his solid chest under her ear, to simply know he was there when she needed someone.
He rubbed her back. "Anytime, Ziva. I'll always be here for you."
She lifted her head to look at him, a smile on her face. "I know."
THE END