Title: A Long Way Home (Chapter Fourteen)
Author: LizzieInk
A/N: Hello awesome readers! This chapter was so fun to write. It is a smidge on the short side but it is all in good fun. I thought it was needed after the previous, slightly more serious chapter. I hope you all enjoy it! :)
Disclaimer: These characters unfortunately do not belong to me.
Tony and Ziva were both leant against their desks chatting comfortably about unimportant things, as they waited for Gibbs. It wasn't long before he arrived, as if appearing out of no where. Ziva quickly filled him in on what had happened when she had interrogated Yaniv.
Although Gibbs had hoped for more, a name was still more than he had realistically expected. He turned to Tony and Ziva, a commanding look in his eyes.
"Go back to Abby's. Both of you should still be resting as much as possible. I will call you when we have something solid on Bodnar."
Gibbs then turned to McGee, who had just sat down behind his own desk. "McGee, I want you to find out everything you can about a David Renner. Seems like he is the one helping Bodnar go under the radar. Find him. We find him, we find Bodnar."
"You got it, boss!" McGee said, as he began typing extremely quickly on his keyboard, his hands becoming a blur of movement.
Tony and Ziva shot one more look at Gibbs before they both headed towards the elevator, and ultimately back to Abby's apartment. Tony cringed to himself, as an uncomfortable thought hit him.
"How mad do you think Abby will be that we left her asleep, without telling her where we went?" Dinozzo asked.
"I left a note Tony," Ziva reasoned with him calmly.
"Oh… Yeah, but this is still Abbs we're talking about here. I bet she thinks Bodnar jumped out from behind the bushes and kidnapped us…" He said with a chuckle.
Ziva snorted in disbelief, "Abby is a grown woman Tony. I am sure she is fine."
Just as Ziva and Tony were exiting the Navy Yard, Ziva's phone rang. After glancing at it, without answering, Tony piped up; "It's Abby isn't it?"
It only took one look between them before they broke out into laughter.
Tony and Ziva had arrived back at Abby's apartment in good time. Just as Tony was about to open the door using Abby's spare key, the door swung open to show a very angry Abby. She stood glaring at them, her arms folded tightly across her waist.
"Oh, hey Abbs…" Tony began.
"Don't you 'hey Abbs' me Anthony Dinozzo. Why didn't you guys answer your phones?" Her bottom lip wobbled slightly, ruining her feigned angry stance.
Realising how worried they must have made her Tony stepped forward, transferring both of his crutches to one hand before he threw his other arm around Abby, pulling her close in a big bear hug.
"Sorry Abbs. We didn't mean to make you worry. Ziva left you a note for when you woke up, and then we just kinda got caught up in the case." Tony had the good sense to look guilty, and Abby, noticing his discomfort, brightened considerably. She hugged him back extra tight before letting go. Waggling a finger threateningly under his nose, she admonished him.
"Bad Tony!" Abby grinned, bouncing back quickly to her usual cheerful self. "I woke not long after you must have left, and I went out to do some shopping. I found some awesome stuff you guys, and I had the most amazing idea."
Tony raised his eyebrows slightly as she continued; "present baskets!" Abby squealed excitedly while pushing both Tony and Ziva gently over towards the coffee table. "I made one for both of you. Some of the stuff I had already. I was gonna give them to you later but this seemed too perfect. Here!" Abby dropped a basket in each of their arms.
Tony looked down at his basket curiously. It was wrapped in cellophane and there was a random assortment of gifts inside it, ranging from the usual snacks and magazines, to a pair of mini nerf guns, and then some more random items like brightly coloured anime bobble heads that had a slight resemblance to himself and Ziva.
"Thank you Abby, you did not need to do this." As Ziva said this, Tony was already ripping into his basket throwing the cellophane wrappings over his shoulder, and deftly snagging himself a mini nerf gun. "I always wanted one of these!" He exclaimed happily, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Abby grinned delightedly at Tony's reaction, while Ziva merely rolled her eyes at Tony before she began to open her own basket.
Tony aimed the nerf gun at Ziva while she wasn't looking, and shot a foam projectile at her. His mouth gaped open in awe as her hand shot out and caught it before it made contact with the side of her head.
"How do you even do that? You weren't even looking."
Ziva just turned to smile at him mysteriously before continuing to peruse the contents of her basket. Abby had given her chocolates, bubble bath, a book, and amusingly enough some toy ninja stars. Ziva picked one of them up and grinned at Abby, while shaking her head in amusement.
Tony, still admiring his nerf gun, obliviously continued his own conversation: "We should take nerf guns on our next stake out!" He said to Ziva jokingly.
"You do and you will never see them again!" Ziva warned him.
Tony let out a sigh "…Yeah, that's for the best I guess. I might accidentally aim this at a suspect instead of my actual gun. Then we'd be in a pickle." He let out a low chuckle before placing the gun back amongst the other gifts in his basket.
"Thanks Abby," Tony said warmly.
"I'm glad you like them. I figured this way you guys will have something fun to do while I am at work. Speaking of which I should probably head back to the lab. I have other cases to work on as well as Bodnar's and I don't want to fall behind. I will see you guys later!"
Abby shuffled towards the door in her dangerously high platform shoes, grabbing her bag from a table on her way out. As the door snapped shut behind her, Tony turned to Ziva with a smile.
"I knew she wouldn't go a day without doing something crazy for us. Abby is definitely one of a kind!"
"She is an amazing friend." Ziva returned quietly with a smile.
"Although in all reality, the nerf gun Abbs got me is better in theory, because once I shoot them all, it means I would have to drag this damn cast everywhere trying to retrieve the foam darts." Tony looked a little downcast at the thought.
Ziva smiled at him consolingly. "We won't be injured forever Tony."
Tony hobbled towards Ziva on his crutches, and coming to a halt in front of her, he said: "Crutches are so annoying! I want to hug you, but then I'm like, do I put them in that hand, do I drop them?" As Tony tried to grasp both crutches in one hand, while still trying to remain in an upright position, Ziva put her arm around him, careful of her ribs, and nestled into his side.
Tony fell quiet for once, enjoying the closeness between himself and his partner.
Baby steps, he thought to himself with a smile, baby steps.
A/N: I am updating quickly because I have a job at a Ski Lodge for the winter season, so I am moving in about a month. I wanted to make sure I complete this fan-fiction before I go. I always hate it when people leave things unfinished so I am trying not to do that. There is a very real possibility that I won't get much writing done while I am there, because I plan to snowboard, and ski and hike as much as humanly possible. (I mean who wouldn't right?) I love love love writing, and the idea of leaving this unfinished breaks my heart, hence the pace.
Apologies for the insane length of this authors note, you guys are stars for sticking with me! Please take the time to leave feedback letting me know your thoughts on the story so far. :)