Later that year …
One October night, Gibbs sat in his basement at his work table, an open bottle of bourbon and an empty mason jar – emptied of its very different contents not once, but twice already tonight - nearby. A chunk of olive wood sat before him. He'd ordered it to make Ziva's Hanukkah gift for this year and it had arrived today. He hadn't yet decided what to make and hoped the wood would tell him. It usually did.
Ziva. Tonight his agent was on his mind for more than one reason and deciding on her gift was not the primary one.
Over the past few years, he and Ziva had gotten close, really close. They were friends outside of work and she was usually the first person he thought of if he wanted company for something. In fact, they spent more time together away from the Navy Yard than anyone else realized.
The erotic dreams and other unexpected thoughts that had started visiting from time to time over the past year made it clear to Gibbs that some part of him wanted more than friendship. Sometimes he got the idea that she might, too … there were moments of almost-sizzling awareness and teasing flirtation that went both ways, but neither of them crossed that invisible line into overt, acknowledged attraction.
She was a damn good agent, too … his agent. And there was the rub. He might want more, but he'd created Rule 12 for a reason. He really didn't think it was a good idea for coworkers to become romantically involved. Granted, he'd created that rule after being blindsided by Jenny when she up and left him all those years ago, but still … there was a lot of room for drama and interruption of the work if things went south between two people who worked together – and none of that took into account that he was her supervisor, for God's sake.
Besides, what did a damaged, old, thrice-divorced Marine really have to offer to a young, beautiful, vibrant woman like Ziva?
But that thought brought him back full circle to the case they'd closed earlier today and the look on Ziva's face that he couldn't get out of his mind.
They'd been working a murder that involved a photographer who happened to be blind. Some of the evidence had suggested at one point that his assistant was up to her neck in what had transpired, perhaps even in the death of the Petty Officer. Ziva had interrogated the assistant and had come to the perceptive realization that the woman was in love with her boss. For a brief moment, Ziva had looked pole-axed and hadn't been able to get out of the squad room quickly enough once they had the actual murderer behind bars shortly after.
During the interrogation, Ziva had reverted back to her usual professionalism within moments and Gibbs wasn't sure that anyone else watching from the observation room had noticed, but he had … and he couldn't stop thinking about it.
As time went on, that image – and what it might imply – continued to haunt him, to nudge him.
December 1st had been a slow day full of paperwork so far and each member of Team Gibbs was at his or her desk. The only relief from the boredom involved the occasional, almost-snarky, big-brother-to-little-brother exchanges between Tony and Tim, with Ziva occasionally weighing in.
Suddenly, Abby clomped into the bullpen with her arms full of a hodgepodge of holiday items which she promptly dropped onto Gibbs' desk. He stared silently at the things, then up at his forensic scientist. Grabbing two strands of tinsel – one silver, one blue – she began draping it over the cubicle walls near Ziva and Gibbs.
"Okay, I just finished decorating my lab and I decided we weren't going another year with you guys being all 'bah hum-bug' up here with no decorations, no nothing." Abby was full of her usual cheerful enthusiasm, but her no-holds-barred tone let the others know she meant business.
Just then, Ducky and Palmer walked up.
"Reporting as requested, Abigail," the medical examiner announced.
"Oh, good - everyone's here," Abby beamed. "Allow me to be the first to wish you all a Happy Hanumas." She rocked back and forth on the high chunky soles of her boots as she looked around the room with satisfaction.
Gibbs was clearly under the impression that she'd had one too many Caf-Pows, while the others looked on in confusion.
"Hanu-mas?" Ziva repeated slowly. "I realize I sometimes make mistakes with my English, but I do not believe that is a word."
Abby turned toward the Israeli, practically bouncing. "You're right, Ziva – and wrong. Well, right that it wasn't a word, but wrong because now it is because I made it one."
Abby looked very proud of herself as she included the others in her expectant gaze.
Ziva opened her mouth again, then closed it after a moment without actually uttering a sound, clearly at a loss as to what exactly to say.
"I can't believe I'm actually agreeing with Ziva on this," Tony started, "but she's right – that's not a word, Abbs."
"It is now, Tony," Abby informed him, narrowing her eyes determinedly, "because I said so."
Silence reigned for a moment while everyone just stared at Abby trying to digest what was going on here.
Abby huffed out a sigh.
"Look, I think we all need a little Christmas –" she glanced at Ziva, "and Hanukkah in our lives this year. I refuse to leave anyone's traditions out, so we're celebrating both. Voila! Hanumas."
The confusion began to clear.
Abby hurried over to Ziva's desk and leaned over to ask in an uncharacteristically low voice, "That's not disrespectful, is it? To mash the words together? 'Cause I don't mean it to be." The Goth bit the side of her bottom lip worriedly as she waited for Ziva's answer.
Ziva's face softened and she smiled gently at her friend.
"No, Abby," she assured her quietly. "It is not disrespectful in the least."
"Oh, good," Abby gushed, clearly relieved. "Look what I found you!"
She hurried over to Gibbs' desk as fast as her boots would allow her to move, snatched something up, then rushed back to hand the item to Ziva. It was a blue Santa cap with white furry trim around the bottom and a white fuzzy ball dangling from the top.
"Blue and white," Abby pointed out excitedly, "for Israel." She nodded her head toward the small Israeli flag resting in Ziva's pencil cup.
Abby waited anxiously for her friend's response. Ziva looked up at the forensic scientist with a warm smile.
"That was very clever of you, Abby," Ziva congratulated her. "I love it." And she perched the cap jauntily on her head. Abby beamed delightedly.
Abby quickly made the rounds, handing out a red and white Santa cap to Gibbs, green elf caps to the Elflord and Palmer, and reindeer antlers on headbands for Tony and Ducky. For herself, she had made her very own Santa cap: half blue and white, half red and white.
"Oh! And look what I found on Craigslist!" Abby hurried back over to Gibbs' desk and held up the last of the things she had plopped there. "A menorah carved with eight reindeer – cool, huh?" She was clearly excited and very pleased with herself.
Then, she looked over at Ziva for approval and was relieved to see the Israeli's incredulous smile.
"And don't worry, Gibbs. I wired it to use with these light bulbs, so no open flames," she assured him – though he hadn't even yet gotten that far in his processing of all that had transpired in the last twenty minutes or so.
"Thank you, Abby," Ducky said. "I shall wear these with pride in the full spirit of Hanumas." He turned his head so the little bells attached to his antlers jingled merrily. "And now, if you all will excuse me -"
"We're not done yet, Ducky," Abby stopped him. "We still have to talk about Operation SGG." She spelled out the last word as the three letters.
Again her look was smugly triumphant and the others were the very picture of confusion.
"Operation SGG?" Tim repeated, his tone clearly communicating that he must have misunderstood.
"Yep," Abby affirmed. "See, it's like Secret Santa, but that's exclusive, you know – totally not in the spirit of Hanumas." She looked to Ziva, who acknowledged her with an appreciative nod. "So, we're calling it Secret Gift Giving."
She paused to let that sink in, then rambled on in her usual fashion.
"I know, it's kind of a mouthful and not very catchy, but I couldn't come up with anything else," she explained without taking a breath. "Operation SGG sounds way cooler, don'tcha think?" She nodded decisively.
"Soooo … we're doing Secret Santa?" Tony asked, trying to catch up.
"No, Tony," Abby looked at him reprovingly with her hands on her hips. "We're doing Secret Gift Giving."
Abby turned to the side, encompassing both Ziva and Gibbs in her gaze. She figured these two would need an explanation. "See, Secret Santa – or, in our case, Operation SGG, is where –"
"You give someone something," Gibbs broke in without looking away from the papers he could now see again on the top of his desk.
"Without them knowing who it is from," Ziva finished. "You sneak it, so it is a surprise."
Abby's mouth dropped open as she looked back and forth between the two of them.
"Yeah," she drawled in obvious amazement. "That's exactly what it is."
She stared disbelievingly at them, trying to figure how the two people on the team that had the least interaction with others knew what Secret Santa was. Gibbs gave her his characteristic half-smile, while Ziva looked on innocently. Neither revealed how they'd received their insider information – nor did they look at each other.
"Ooo-ooo," Tony gushed. "I know who I want to pick as my gift-ee."
"Nope," Abby informed him. "Doesn't work that way, Tony."
She pulled a black velvet bag from her lab coat that had "Happy Hanumas" written on it in silver glitter.
"We draw names," Abby declared firmly. "If you get your own name, draw again; otherwise, you have to keep the one you get." She narrowed her eyes at Tony. "And no cheating. I will totally know if you do."
"Well, I think this is a splendid idea, my dear," Ducky offered. "And just what we need to get into the spirit of Hanumas around here."
Abby beamed at him approvingly.
"Thank you, Ducky," she said. "For that, you may choose first."
He did, then she took the bag around to everyone, one at a time, keeping the last name for herself.
"Now – ground rules," she announced. "Most important is the S in SGG – it's a secret, so no telling anyone who you got.
"There's a $50 limit. You can choose to do one big gift, a bunch of small gifts, or anything in between – whatever you want," Abby continued. "The giving shall commence on December 10th and go for two weeks, so you have ten days to plan."
"When will we reveal whose name we drew, Abby?" Ziva asked.
"Well, since the last day of Hanukkah is Christmas Eve this year, I thought we could have the big reveal then," Abby suggested.
Ziva held up a hand and wiggled her fingers. "I am working Christmas Eve," she pointed out.
"Me, too," Gibbs spoke up succinctly.
"I know. You two always work Christmas Eve – and Christmas Day, too," Abby observed. "What's up with that, anyway? You could let those days rotate to other people and have some holiday yourselves."
"I am exactly where I want to be those days, Abby," Ziva assured her gently.
"Same here," Gibbs added quietly.
Ziva glanced over at him. He didn't look her way, but a ghost of his characteristic smile curved his lips.
Before Abby could ask more about why she wanted to work then, Ziva cleared her throat gently. "Besides, others have family and I do not celebrate Christmas."
"Well, how about you two come in a little early and we all meet up in my lab before your shift and before everyone else goes home?" Abby suggested.
"Good idea, Abby," McGee approved, while most of the others nodded.
"Excellent," Abby beamed. "My work here is done. Go forth and spread some Hanumas cheer."
With a flounce of her short skirt, everyone's favorite forensic scientist started to leave.
"Oh!" She turned back for a moment. "Stop by to see my Hanumas tree in my lab. This year I added some blue bows, a silver Star of David - um, star – on top, some peace doves and some other stuff – it totally ROCKS!"
And with that, whirlwind Abby was gone, leaving six bemused friends in her wake.
A/N: The blue and white Santa cap and the reindeer menorah are rooted in a conversation I had with my Israeli friend, IronIsraeliButterfly. Todah, chavera sheli. =) Two more chapters will take us to the end of this story. Thank you for reading!