AN: I'm going to call this one T+ or M-. Its not graphic enough to be called M, but it does contain a bit of mature content.
It was just past sunset on a warm summer night. After a difficult case, Gibbs and his team had decided to escape the city, and all the ills within it. Having spent the week dealing with drug dealers, gang shootings, and paperwork, it was refreshing to get out into the countryside and relax a bit, if only for a day.
They'd chosen a secluded spot along the Potomac, a place where you could actually see the stars, and breathe clean air. It was perfect for a campout.
"Hey, McWeeblos!" Tony bellowed, "You got that tent up yet?"
McGee was fumbling with the tent. Though the tents they had were big enough for all of them, thanks to rule 12, there would be no co-ed tents. "Yeah, almost. How come the girls got theirs up already?"
Abby and Ziva, who were basking in the last rays of the sun, were watching them arguing, "That's because we set up ours hours ago!" Abby laughed, "You know, when there was light?"
"Almost...got it!" McGee finished pounding in the last stake, securing the tent. As soon as he straightened up, the tent collapsed again, "Oh, come on!" he groaned, fixing it for the dozenth time
"Are ya ever going to learn, McGee?" Gibbs handed him a roll of duct tape, "if those poles won't hold it up, make them!"
"Gibbs, contrary to popular belief, not all of life's problems can be solved with duct tape," Abby told him, "Just most of them."
Ziva took a strip off of the roll, "I agree. It is a very resourceful item." she crept up behind Tony, slapping a piece over his mouth, "See? It works for nearly everything."
Tony disdainfully ripped off the tape, peeling his five 'o clock shadow off with it, "Ow!"
Ducky picked up a cow bell, ringing it loudly, "Diner is ready!"
After a nice barbecue dinner, they were stuffed and tired. None of them had quit when they should have, but Ducky's chicken was legendary, so they couldn't resist. He brought another plate over to the picnic table, "Would anyone like some more?" he offered. His answer was a chorus of groans, "Perhaps a bit later."
"Better do something with it though," McGee pointed out, "There are black bears in these woods nearby."
"I've already planned for that, Timothy!" he held up a bag of the leftover chicken, and dropped it in an ice chest, "I believe you will find a nice tree about a hundred yards North of here that will suffice. Would you go and hang that up? My back is not what it used to be."
"Sure thing, Ducky."
"Oh, do we have marshmallows?" Abby asked enthusiastically, "I haven't had s'mores in like, forever!"
Ziva looked at Abby skeptically, "What are 's'mores'? It sounds obscene."
"Its a sandwich, made with graham crackers, chocolate, and toasted marshmallows." Gibbs told her, carrying an armload of the items he'd just listed. "Grab a skewer, and get on it while the coals are still hot!"
"I will pass," Ziva decided.
Abby looked at her in horror, "You've never even had one!" she grabbed her friend by the arm, "Come on, you're at least going to try it!"
"Well, what do you think?" Abby asked
Ziva was trying to keep the goo dripping from her sandwich from falling into her lap, "It is a bit messy, and too sweet for my taste."
"Fine!" Abby stole it from her, "If you don't want it...what is Tony doing?" she looked over by the river, where Tony was circling a tree
"I do not know, but I do not know if I want to know." Ziva sighed, "I have given up on trying to apply logic to what he does. He does look very determined though."
Tony jumped at the tree trunk, nearly hitting his head on it. He did this several times, each time either crying out in frustration or doing a little victory dance. It was interesting to watch, but they still had no clue as to what he was doing. "I think Tony finally lost it." McGee suggested
"Did he ever have it to begin with?" Abby laughed, "Whatever 'it' is, he hasn't had it in a long time."
Ziva continued to watch him, not sure what to think, "No, whatever he is doing, he is doing it for a reason. I do not know what that reason is, but he has one."
Tony walked up to them, grinning ear to ear, "Hey, Zi-vah!" he covered her eyes with his hand, "Guess what I have?"
"Knowing you, herpes?" she joked
"You'd better hope not," he whispered in her ear, "Open your eyes!"
There sitting on the picnic table in front of her was a plastic water bottle. It had a strange yellow glow to it. Within it, there were little lights, which moved around randomly. Some lights flickered, while others were steady. "Tony, what is this?"
"Fireflies!" Abby watched them in fascination, "We used to catch these when I was a kid!"
"They are bugs?" Ziva opened the bottle a bit, letting one fly out into her hand. Sure enough, it was a little bug, "Why are they glowing?"
"They're horny," Tony stated simply. Ziva punched his arm, "No, seriously! They use it to attract a mate."
"And you thought it would work for you?" Ziva asked
"Did it?"
"Alright!" Gibbs called, "Lights out in ten minutes!" he doused the fire, finishing up the last few chores before bed, "Here are the ground rules: 1- no boys in the girls tent, no girls in the boys tent, no exceptions! 2- If nature calls, don't announce it, just go, take a torch and TP! And last but not least 3- I had better not hear any 'campfire songs' unless you want to become a part of the campfire, are we clear?"
The others nodded enthusiastically, "Crystal boss!"
Later that night, Tony poked his head into the girls tent. He wasn't technically breaking the rules; he wasn't in the tent. Abby was already sound asleep, with Bert tucked under her arm, but Ziva was still awake, reading by flashlight. He tried to sneak up on her, and startle her for once, but she caught him first, "Tony, Gibbs is going to have your hide."
"He can have it, I'm not using it." he grinned, "What are you doing up?"
"I suppose I should be asking you the same thing," she closed her book and sat up to face him, "It is too hot to sleep."
"This coming from the desert princess?" he teased, "Come on, its not that hot. Its probably worse in Israel, right?"
"No, here it it too...sticky? Does that make sense?" she did miss her homeland at times, especially at times like this, and in mid-winter, when she longed for warm dry days and cool nights.
"Yeah, that makes sense," he grabbed her by the wrist, "Come on,. Be quiet, we don't want to wake anyone."
She resisted him at first, "Wait, what are you doing?" he held his finger to her lips, "Alright, you had better explain, Tony!"
"I thought you might want to cool off," he offered, "Or heat up, depends on your definition, I guess." he took the sash from his robe, and tied it around her eyes, "No peeking."
A short walk up the trail later, they came to a small waterfall, crashing down in the warm shallows. Several jars of Tony's captive fireflies lined the edge of the river. Above the river, the light from the full moon shone down, reflecting off the rippling water. There was a little meadow across the river, where dozens of crickets chirped and leaped with joy. Tony removed the blindfold from Ziva's eyes, "Okay, you can open your eyes now."
She gasped, taking in the natural beauty of this little escape from reality. She kicked off her sandals, and dipped her feet in the pleasantly warm water, "This is amazing. How did you find this place?"
"I used to come here on vacation with my family every summer," he told her, "I knew you'd love it. It hasn't changed much over the years." he stripped down to his shorts, and dove into the water, "Come on in, it feels great!"
A bit nervously at first, she too stripped down, wishing she'd brought something resembling a swimsuit. Instead, she dove in wearing a t-shirt and her underwear. Tony laughed a bit at her, "One of us is wearing too much clothes! Come on, take of your shirt."
She wrapped her arms around herself, preventing Tony from pulling it over her head, "No! I am not wearing a bra, Tony!"
"I know," he told her with a devlish grin, pulling the wet shirt over her head, "Not bad." he whistled admiringly at her, "Not bad at all."
"Now one of us is wearing too much clothes," grabbing her knife off of her pile of clothes, she ran the blade along Tony's waistband, dropping his shorts into the water, "There. Much better."
"Hey!" he pulled on her panties, trying to get them off, "Now one of us is again wearing too much clothes!"
An hour later, they both lay on the banks, tired and wet. Tony wrapped his arms around Ziva's middle, holding her close, "Wow." was all he could manage
"Hm?" Ziva was half asleep, her head resting on his shoulder
"Nothing," he kissed her forehead, "We should probably get back before they notice we're gone."
She groaned, not wanting to move for another week, "No, not yet. The sun isn't even up." her body still felt weak and boneless, and walking a mile or so back didn't sound like a good idea
"Sorry, Ziva," Tony sat up, leaving her laying on the banks, "You know Gibbs, he never sleeps." he grabbed his clothes, or at least the ones Ziva had left intact, and began to dress, "You coming or not?"
Reluctantly, she got up and grabbed her robe, "Fine."
He knew she was tired, and he didn't think she was up to walking all the way back, even if it was downhill most of the way. He crouched down, and picked her up, letting her cling to him, "Come on, let's go."
"Tony!" she protested at first, trying to wriggle free, but he kept her balanced securely on his shoulders, "What are you doing?"
"Well, camp is that way," he stated simply, charging downhill, slow enough to maintain control, but quick enough to make her think he was about to drop her
"Tony, I will kill you, and drop you in that river where they will not find you for another six months!"
"Yeah, but you'd miss me."
