"I was thinking laser tag, you know since you all handle guns. It could be fun." Wendy continued.
"That is a great idea, I'll run it by them when I get to work."
Tony was ecstatic. Finally, he got to spend time with all the people that were dear and close to him. And he accepted the opportunity ever so readily.
"What's up my fellow comrades?" Tony greeted with the same optimism that came along after he got together with Wendy.
It had gotten more cheerful after he got to meet her son. Adorable boy.
"Morning." Ziva and McGee greeted him too in return.
Gibbs just spared him a look.
"So umm, Wendy asked if you wanted to play laser tag! McGee? Ziva?"
"Ooh laser tag, I'm in." McGee excitedly agreed.
It had been quite some time since any of them had fun. McGee was more than ready to agree. Laser tag was his thing!
"How about you Ziva? C'mon it's gonna be fun. It's like shooting, just with fake guns that shoot light. We're gonna get to play in the dark, which would be even cooler." Tony persuaded.
At the mention of dark, Gibbs looked at Ziva. He remembered when she had asked him for help handling the dark.
Flashback
"Maybe this was a bad idea Gibbs. Forget it." She said shakily.
"You asked for help. So you're gonna get some. You have to trust me." Gibbs flipped the emergency switch yet again.
"Gibbs?" She called out, scared, not that she'd admit to being.
Her breathing got heavier. She tried to be brave, but the darkness to her was very overwhelming. Because, with the dark, she never knew what was in store for her. Not now, not in Saleem's camp, since her eyes were covered most of the time.
"It is getting hotter in here Gibbs. We need to get out." She claimed, as she felt herself being transported back into that hot and sweltering desert place.
"No it's not Ziva." Gibbs finally voiced out.
Gibbs had to make Ziva face her fears slowly. It was the only way. Ziva felt like something was choking her, as she broke into a cold sweat, the hairs on her neck and arms all standing at their ends. She felt the intense need to hide and protect herself. She back stepped into a corner and slid down the elevator wall. She ended up huddled on the floor, arms around her head and eyes squeezed shut, almost like she was preparing for a blow.
Meanwhile, Gibbs had used the light from his cell phone to check on Ziva. Seeing her in that vulnerable position, he went to sit beside her as the light of his cell phone went out when he placed it back in his pocket. Ziva had been too caught up in her self-imposed frenzy that she barely felt Gibbs beside her.
"Something is going to hit me." Ziva admitted, not realising she was giving Gibbs small clues about what had happened to her in Somalia.
Her heavy breaths turned into short ones.
"There's nobody here Ziva. Just you and me." Gibbs soothed.
"There is always somebody, Gibbs." She said it like a strangled cry.
As short breaths turned into gasps, her eyes shot open in slight alarm. She couldn't breathe properly. Gibbs slipped his hand into hers, trying to offer comfort from contact. But she jumped, gasping just as much. "It's just me Ziver." He declared softly, as her grip on his hand tightened, palms already turning clammy.
"You need to breathe. Just like me. In through the nose, out through the mouth." He instructed, doing the same as he told her in an attempt to get her to follow him.
End Of Flashback
She had told him that she would see a therapist or something, though it seemed unlikely to Gibbs. But apparently she really did go seek some help of some sort, for she agreed to Tony's laser tag invitation.
"Are you sure about it?" She was surprised too, at the sudden willingness of Wendy to spend time with them after that conversation she heard over the phone.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Never mind. I am game." She decided against rebutting Tony, since it would lead to an awkward conversation nobody really wanted to talk about.
"Great! I'll see you guys at 7pm later. I already asked Abby, but she said she was going to hang out with the nuns. So...it'll be me and Wendy versus you two." Tony pointed to McGee and Ziva.
"You're going down Tony. I've got Ziva on my team." McGee taunted.
"We'll see about that." Tony replied.
Ziva just smirked.
The laser tag session was a fun one. Wendy had gotten a babysitter for her son. Like expected, Ziva was leading with all her well-aimed shots at the colourful vests. She had fun spending time with Tony and McGee outside work. She did uncharacteristically tripped over herself a couple of times, contributing it to the lack of light in the enclosed area.
The session was finally over, and it was time to go home.
"Thanks, we had a fun time." Ziva said as she waved goodbye to Tony and Wendy.
They had parked their cars at different places and had to split up now. She and McGee were headed the same way.
"We had fun too. See you tomorrow!" Tony was elated at the turn out of the time they all spent together.
"Bye." They all bade one another and took off.
"Aw Tony, we lost!" Wendy complained.
"Don't feel bad about yourself. Ziva is good at what she does. She's the best."
Tony sighed inwardly. She was the best. Best partner, best friend. He forced away the current urge to spend time with her. He wasn't all about Wendy. He thought about Ziva many times too. He missed his ninja.
Wendy froze for a split second as she heard the compliment. Slight jealousy rose beneath her skin.
"It's not fair. We need a rematch. At something else."
"What is with you and competition?" Tony laughed.
"Is it a crime to want to win?"
"No. But it would be hard to win Ziva at anything. She's my little ninja person." Tony shook his head.
He had to be honest. Ziva was like a ninja. The 'ninja' term slipped from his mouth so comfortably. And he knew his girlfriend would never stand a chance against his ninja.
But to Wendy, it was something different. It was like he had a term of endearment for Ziva. She didn't like this. It was making her uncomfortable. She had to do something about it, and she knew just what she was going to do.
"Is that so? Fine, how about dinner? Next Friday. It wouldn't hurt to make friends with them. I don't have much friends here anyway." She suggested.
"I'll ask them."
"Hmm...Can I meet your boss?"
"What why? You have a screw loose somewhere in that head of yours."
"I just think we got off on the wrong foot, with the trespassing. I'm trying to make nice." This part, she was honest.
"I'll consider it."
"What about your dad?" Wendy added as an afterthought.
"No no no. Oh hell no, not yet. He's a big flirt. I'd rather you meet my boss." He bumped into her and pulled her close.
"We did it Ziva, we beat Tony." McGee said gleefully.
"Yes we did McGee." Ziva laughed.
"And was it me, but did Wendy seem just a little bit peeved at losing?"
"Nobody likes to lose McGee."
"Tell me about it."
They both chuckled. They walked beside each other for a distance towards the place their cars were parked, until Ziva stumbled into McGee out of the blue.
"Woah." She let out, as she lost her balance.
McGee caught her by the arm. "You alright Ziva?"
"Yes. I just lost my balance."
"On flat ground?"
"Yeah I guess?" She shrugged and continued walking.
"Okay...Hey Ziva." He called as he tried to catch up with her.
"Ziva." He raised his voice.
But she kept on walking.
"Ziva!" He shouted.
Ziva stopped in her tracks and turned around. "Did you call for me McGee?"
His mouth was open in bafflement.
TBC
Leave me a review and tell me what you thought! Thnaks (:
200th episode was an interesting one, but the promo of the next episode has got me pumped! Tony kissing not-Ziva? Shipper heart just cracked a little :(
