A Stillwater Easter 2
Abby looked up at Tony. "Where you going?" She asked. "Are you going sightseeing? Can I come with you?" Her eyes pleaded with him. There was nothing wrong with Gibbs, Ducky and daddy Gibbs she just needed to get out and about.
Tony shook his head. How could he say no to those eyes? "Alright come along... Let's go get Ziva and round her up," he joked but was careful not to laugh.
"Ziva's already left," Abby told him. She'd left almost as soon as she came back from the store. "Wanted to get a look around town. Come on let's go," Abby said as she grabbed her sightseeing kit which included a camera and swimming gear.
Tony shook his head again. "We're not going to a pool... I don't think Stillwater has a pool. I bet a town like this has a lake," he smiled at both the Gibbs.
Jackson watched Gibbs shake his head and Ducky sigh. "Are they like this at work or just on holidays?" Jackson asked his son.
Gibbs' eyes narrowed. He was sure that his father would make some crack about not reigning in his underlings. "They're like this all the time," Gibbs answered. The more he thought about it, the more his agents seemed to act subdued. "Though they seem to be on their better behavior this weekend," that felt troubling.
"They got a bit testy with each other while helping out in the store," Jackson shrugged as he recalled the banter between them.
"Guess they're not behaving themselves," Ducky said. "It seems that they must've gotten over the car trip," he said with a smile. The silence on the way was troubling especially from Ziva and Tony but Abby and McGee picked up the slack in that department. "Sometimes just traveling can take a lot out of you," he told them. "When I was being driven in Thailand, we had to drive on hours on end... Not only did the driver get tired," Gibbs held out a hand to stop Ducky in his tracks. He didn't want Ducky to begin getting into long winded stories.
"Where'd everyone else go?" McGee came downstairs to only see Ducky, Gibbs and Gibbs sitting on the living room chairs.
"If you run you can catch up with them," Gibbs told McGee. He quickly left as he didn't exactly want to be left with the older men. Going around town sounded much better. Gibbs was about to say something when he noticed Ducky lean forward.
"You know something Jethro," Ducky said. "Maybe their reluctance about coming here is they think they might be bored," he took off his glasses to clean them. "Perhaps we can organize a barbecue and get a couple of videos for the night," he suggested.
Gibbs sat back and rolled his eyes. That could possibly be it. Tony had to keep his mind moving but he still couldn't figure a reason for Ziva's agitation. Gibbs sighed perhaps he can take her out back and have a word with her. "That's not a bad idea Duck," Gibbs commented.
"Well we can get to a video store in about an hour," Jackson checked his watch. "What kind of movies do they like?" Jackson asked.
"With them all they like a wide range of things," Ducky said with a smile. "Anthony likes anything John Wayne, James Bond..."
Gibbs interrupted him again. "Not those. DiNozzo won't shut up all weekend," he said. "How about a Western without John Wayne?" Gibbs asked.
"I have the perfect video in mind," Jackson laughed. "Sounds like he likes the leading men... What about the girls?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Well Abby likes just about anything," Ducky said. "But I have an idea what she might like and maybe Ziva to," he thought for a moment before nodding. "Yes... I think I do," he added without elaborating.
"McGee's the tough one," Gibbs said. "But political thriller," he thought about the kind of books he writes.
"How about you son?" Jackson asked.
"I don't watch any movies," Gibbs said. It was a lie, he often stuck movies on with his team when they needed background distraction if they were having issues.
"That's not entirely true Jethro," Ducky said smiling. "Need I mention..."
"No Ducky," Gibbs said but it was already too late to stop his friend from mentioning that one movie.
"Air Force One," Ducky concluded.
Jackson laughed. His son was never one to sit down and watch a movie but Gibbs' reaction to Air Force One being mentioned was laughable. It must have been one of his guilty pleasures. "Kill two birds with one stone that one does," Jackson said.
Gibbs forced a smile. There was no getting out of it now. "Alright... Let's get ready for the barbecue," Gibbs said to quickly get the subject off movies.
"Let's hit the stores," Jackson said as the three men rose to their feet.
Tony sat on the bench as Abby went into the store as she merrily entered a local store that were selling chocolate eggs. He would've gone in with her but just wanted to sit down for a moment. Abby never took things easily and was rushing around town like a madman. But he had to smile at her though.
"Are you feeling alright Tony?" Abby asked suspiciously as she noted him sitting there quietly.
"I'm feeling great Abs," Tony said. "Hey there's Ziva," Tony saw her going into a small hotel. Abby and Tony ran across the street to hurry and catch up with her. They were soon at the hotel and in the lobby.
"Ziva," Abby got her attention. "What are you doing?"
"Looking for a hotel room," Ziva answered with a straightforward response.
"But why?" Abby asked.
Tony began looking around quickly.
"It is too crowded at Jackson Gibbs house," She responded. "I am going to a hotel room," Ziva said as she watched a lady come through the lobby area wearing bunny ears. Her mouth dropped open and she shook her head in disbelief.
"It isn't crowded," Abby protested. "What's going on?" She demanded to know.
"It's that!" Ziva pointed to the bunny ears. "It is these," she picked up a couple of chocolate eggs in the bowl and dropped them back. "This is terrible," she thought for a moment. "Look, Tony does not even want to be here," she had noted that Tony had disappeared from view.
"We aren't just celebrating Easter," Abby said. "We're being family," she reminded her.
Ziva rolled her eyes angrily. "I am finding myself a hotel room. There will be more room when I get my stuff and check in," she told them.
Tony came strolling back with his hands tucked under his armpits. "You're not serious are you?" Tony asked. "I'll move into the hotel and there'd be plenty of room for everyone," he offered seriously. He shrugged his shoulders. "No probs," he said.
"No, look you stay," Ziva said. "I know you are excited about being back in Stillwater. Even though you are not acting like it," she observed and pointed to Tony's arms. "What are you doing?" She asked.
"It's freezing in here," Tony said simply. "No, I'll check in. No problems," he continued to argue his case.
"Look, neither of you are checking into a hotel," Abby ordered them to listen. "What is wrong with you two?" Abby snapped. "You've been quiet all week Tony... You've been mean as all week Ziva. So what's wrong with you two?" Abby demanded to know.
"Nothing," Tony and Ziva said in unison.
"Then there's no reason why you two will be checking into a hotel then... Right?" Abby received no immediate response. "Right!?" She said loudly.
"Right," they both said in a resigned tone.
"Good," Abby said. "Now let's get some sightseeing in before lunch," Abby told them. They wouldn't have dared to disobey Abby. She had a way of ordering things and they got done.
It was a bit surprising that McGee was walking by. "Hey," McGee was thankful to see people he knew. His mind raced when he saw them coming out of the hotel and he looked at them all with accusing eyes. "What are you doing in the hotel?" McGee asked them.
"Sightseeing," Abby glared at the other two and they quickly agreed with her. "Where you been?" Abby asked McGee.
"Just window shopping," McGee said. There was just so many sights to see.
"There is one thing I don't understand about Easter," Ziva said after they walked awhile in silence. She was thinking about some things. Even though she didn't like the holiday she was curious about it.
"Just one thing?" McGee asked with a smile.
Abby laughed. "The egg... The bunny?" Ziva said after thinking.
"Well," Tony chimed in. "Eggs represent a new life... The bunnies, part of the bible... part of the bible says go forth and multiply. Which animal is better at multiplying than a rabbit?" Tony said taking a deep breath.
"Then why does the bunny bring eggs when a bunny has nothing to do with eggs?" Ziva asked. "And why are the eggs chocolate?" She thought for a moment.
"How about we sit down over there for a moment," Tony suggested as he pointed to a gazebo in the park. "This could take a long time to explain," he smiled meekly.
"Sure thing," Abby looked him up and down. It wasn't a hot day, but Tony was acting like he was cold. But he hadn't said anything about feeling sick. So either it was nothing or it was something.
McGee checked the watch and nodded. "Well you see Ziva," he said as he sat down. "I don't even know why it's the bunny that brings the eggs. That makes zero sense. But the eggs are chocolate because have you ever known kids to hunt actual eggs?" He joked.
"Plus if the bunny throws eggs to the children... Imagine the yolky smell," Abby wrinkled her nose at disgust just thinking about it.
"What about cute little furry bunnies?" Ziva asked.
"What? And have kids biting down on cute furry bunnies? Ziva... That's sick," he laughed but abruptly stopped. The air just started to feel cold and he occasionally wiped some sweat away so nobody noticed.
"Well if eggs are suppose to represent new life then why eat them?" Ziva asked.
"Oh man," Tony said as he stood up. "I'm going to get a drink of water," he said. His mouth was feeling dry.
"I don't know," McGee threw his hands up. "If we tried to make sense of every single thing our heads would explode," he said.
"See!" Ziva exclaimed loudly as she frowned. "How can I even be here when I do not understand this Easter thing?" She asked. "I should not have come," she added.
"I'll be right back," Abby told the two as McGee continued talking about certain aspects of Easter to try and make it make sense to Ziva.
Abby approached Tony who had just finished taking a drink from the fountain and was leaning on the fountain. "Tony?" Abby asked with concern. She saw that Tony had his eyes closed as if fighting off some dizziness or nausea. "Are you alright?" She reached out and rested her hand against his forehead. Tony jumped a bit. "You're sick," Abby said grimly. "Why didn't you say something?"
"It's nothing," Tony answered. "Why'd you think I didn't want to come?" He asked.
"We're getting you back to House Gibbs," Abby said. "You think you can walk?" She asked him with concern.
"It's just a cold," Tony protested without any force.
"You don't get just a cold colds Tony," Abby admonished. "Can you walk?" She asked again. There had to be taxis somewhere.
"I can walk," Tony said. "I'm good. Don't say anything to anybody please," he begged her.
The only reason Abby ever agreed to that plead was because she had assumed that Gibbs or Ducky would see it right away. She cursed when Tony acted this way. To be so nonchalant about his health.