Scene following the last one in the Season 6, Episode 11, 'Silent Night'
Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs walked into the bullpen, a fresh cup of coffee from the break room in hand. Of course the coffee shop wasn't open, it was Christmas night, and maybe, just maybe, it was the 26th already. He glanced at the clock. Twenty minutes to midnight. Not quite yet.
He expected the bullpen to be clear, free of all agents, partly why he came back to HQ instead of sitting in his basement. He wanted to build his boat, he really did, but he just didn't feel up to it tonight. Shocking, he knew, but he just wasn't feeling it. However, when he walked into the bullpen, he was shocked to see an Israeli sitting at her desk, typing on her computer.
"Ziva?" Gibbs asked, shocked as he stood in front of her desk, staring down at her. She just glanced up at him.
"Good evening, Gibbs." She nodded and then stared back at her computer screen. Gibbs studied her and noticed that her eyes were squinted at the screen, and she was obviously trying to keep them awake. He looked down at her desk and noticed just three presents, one, from Abby, he was certain, that made him smile a little. Cotton balls? He wondered who the other two were from… "Abby, McGee, and Ducky." She said, as if reading his mind.
"You haven't opened them yet." Gibbs commented, picking up a small, red packaged box, shaking it a little and determining that it was probably jewelry. McGee or Ducky?
"From Ducky." She said, reading his mind again, "And I do not believe that Holidays of any type require material gifts to feel loved. Just to know that the people that you are around love you is all that matters to me." She looked up at him, "To know that they'd die for you."
"Like Tony." Gibbs heard himself saying, and he was going to take it back, but he didn't. He couldn't. He was too late. She shook her head, which shocked the boss, but of course, he wouldn't show that.
"No. I do not believe he cares much for me." She said, "Wasted three years of my life." She stared at his desk, and then, as if magic, she snapped back to Gibbs. She seemed lost in her own little world, and Gibbs tilted his head to the side, staring at her. Something happened between them. And not caring much for each other? He almost laughed. They were so obvious that they cared for each other, it wasn't even funny. And what was this 'wasting three years of my life'? She..she didn't. She couldn't. She didn't fall in love with him, did she? He almost felt the urge slap her upside the head, but that wouldn't be probably. Besides, it was only a matter of time before it happened...he wasn't dumb.
"Tony cares for you. You're partners."
"But just because I would take a bullet for him does not mean that he would take one for me. Put his life in so much danger just to protect me?" She almost laughed, "I do not think so! That is not Tony. And I know Tony." And she was right, she did know Tony. Perhaps she knew him better than Gibbs did, and he'd been working with him longer.
"Don't be too hard on, DiNozzo, all right? Seems to me like you two have problems."
She scoffed, "We do not have problems! Tony has the problems! He's the one that refuses…" She stopped and waved her hand, "Never mind. I have to finish this report, Gibbs."
She reached for her keyboard when it was suddenly yanked from her by Gibbs. She reached up like a little kid wanting the candy on the top shelf, "Gibbs!"
"Go home, Ziva. It's Christmas. Go home."
"I told you, I do not believe in the material version of holidays!"
"Go home!" He demanded.
"I cannot, Gibbs! You do not understand!"
He let the keyboard falter a little, but he still kept it out of her reach as he stared down at her. She looked like she was going to break the tough Mossad skin around her any second, "What don't I understand?"
She fell back in her seat and pinched the bridge of her nose. She closed her eyes and whispered, "I cannot stand to be alone."
"You're not alone, Ziva."
"Yes I am Gibbs." She opened her eyes and looked up at him, "I am alone in this world."
"You've got me, Duck, McGee, Abby, DiNozzo."
She scoffed, "Tony." She changed her tone to a questioning one, "Tony?" She laughed, "Tony."
Gibbs wondered what was going through her mind, and then he just watched as she stared out, through the window, the snow falling down and sometimes hitting the glass plates. The ninja Mossad assassin actually seemed serene and vulnerable. He sighed, "I understand what it's like to be alone." He said, softly, and she snapped her head up to him.
"Celebrate the holidays with me?" She asked, almost pleading. His mind went back to two years ago when he was still in Mexico, drinking beer and building a teak hot tub… 'Save me?' Her voice was pleading then, and it was pleading now.
"Ziver, I don't think…"
"Gibbs, please." She said, standing up and staring into his piercing, ice blue eyes. The elevator doors dinged, bringing her out of her thoughts as she quickly turned her head to see Tony walking cautiously into the bullpen, a brightly wrapped package in his hand. She furrowed her eyebrows together as he froze in the entrance to the bullpen, "Tony?" She asked, moving her attention from Gibbs to her partner, "What are you doing here?" She asked, pointing to the box, "And what's that?"
He looked between her and Gibbs before breaking out into his famous DiNozzo smile and standing up straight, "Ziva David." He said, walking towards her, "Must you know everything about everyone?"
"I thought it was Christmas."
"It is." He said, "Congratulations, Sherlock." He shook the box, "And this is for you." As he handed her the box. Gibbs gave Tony a look, knowing that Ziva didn't accept material presents.
"DiNozzo." Gibbs suddenly said as he registered the disappointment in Ziva's face as she stared down at the box, smiling, trying not to cry. It was obvious. Tony's eyes snapped up his boss'.
"Yeah, boss?"
He just motioned for him to follow him, and they walked around to the other side of the steps, "Why'd you buy her anything?"
"What, am I not allowed to? Is that like a rule I don't know about?" Tony asked, and Gibbs shook his head.
"She doesn't accept material gifts!"
"Well how was I supposed to know that?" He demanded, "What does she want for Hanukkah then?"
"She just wants to know that you'll take a bullet for her, and that you love her."
Gibbs could have sworn he saw all of the color drain from his senior field agent's face, "What? How did you find out boss?" He demanded, shock evident in his voice as Gibbs realized that may have been the wrong wording to that question. I knew it. He said as his hand collided with the back of Tony's head.
"Tell her what she needs to hear, Tony." Gibbs said, and he nodded before starting back towards the bullpen. Gibbs stayed behind, he didn't wanna see his agents break rule twelve. Not yet. He closed his eyes and then opened them back up as he realized that Tony wasn't moving, "What?" He demanded.
Tony's arms were suddenly around him, patting his back, "Merry Christmas, Boss."
"Merry Christmas, Tony." He said, patting him back as he let go of him before he started towards the bullpen. He stayed behind and thought about what he had done.
Well at least Ziva would have a Hanukkah with someone.
She wouldn't be alone in life anymore.
As he walked back into the bullpen, he watched as Tony led Ziva out of the bullpen. Ziva stopped him and he nodded as he started towards the elevator. Ziva stood in front of Gibbs desk, "Gibbs." She said, waiting for him to look up.
"Ziva?"
"Thank you." She smiled, "And sorry for back there-"
"Don't apologize…"
"Sign of weakness, yes. Thank you, Gibbs. And Merry Christmas, "She said, walking around and bending down to hug him, lightly. He stood up and hugged her back, squeezing her close to him as he whispered into her ear.
"Happy Hanukkah, Ziver." He said, using his pet nickname for her.
"Goodnight, Gibbs." She said as she let go of him. He watched her run out of the bullpen and join Tony in the elevator, who had been holding it open for her. He nodded at him as Tony smiled back just as the doors sealed shut. He sat down and opened up his desk drawer, pulling out the canteen and rubbing his finger over 'Shannon' and then 'Kelly'.
He gave a small smile as he said, softly, barely audible even to his own ears, "Merry Christmas, you two." He bit back the tear that was threatening to fall.
For Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Christmas would never be the same.
Not without them.
