The Idiom: Once in a Blue Moon

Ziva slipped into the elevator outside of Abby's lab with a yawn, her coat thrown over her arm. She was off to say goodnight to Jenny before finally leaving after a ruthless case. Abby had been glad to see her before they all finally left to go home, and now Ziva planned on trying to persuade Jenny to leave as well.

The doors closed and she leaned against the wall, closing her eyes briefly to sleep. The doors dinged open and she startled, stepping aside so the other person could enter. Leroy Jethro Gibbs paused and looked at her suspiciously before entering without a word. He glanced at the buttons and didn't press one.

Sleepily, Ziva smirked at him. His destination was the same as hers. He turned his head slightly and glared darkly at her, sensing the smirk. She wiped it off of her face and stood silently. As the doors opened to the catwalk and both of them tried to step out, Gibbs' foot came squashing down on hers and she let out a hiss of pain involuntarily.

Quickly, he removed his foot and stepped aside, holding the elevator.

"Sorry, Ziva," he grunted instantly, letting her off first.

Ziva nodded and was half-way to Jenny's office before she heard the elevator doors slide shut and suddenly realized that Gibbs had just apologized. She stopped in her tracks and stared at the entrance to Cynthia's office. Then, before Gibbs could catch up with her, she leapt forward and barged in, glad Cynthia's office was empty and the door to Jenny's was opened invitingly.

"JENNY!" Ziva yelled, dashing through the doorway.

Jenny looked up from her computer; her glasses perched delicately on her nose, and lifted an eyebrow at the outburst.

Ziva gave her redheaded friend a serious look.

"Do you know what just happened to me in the elevator?" she asked ominously.

Jenny's eyes took on a wary look.

"Is this story work-appropriate?" she asked drily.

Ziva nodded curtly. Jenny nodded to indicate she should go on.

"Gibbs apologized to me!"

Jenny pursed her lips in surprise. That was a cause for chaos, indeed. The United Nations should probably be called and informed.

"I'm flabbergasted," Jenny announced with a small smile.

"As am I," Ziva responded, looking solemn and awed. "The moon must be blue."

Jenny's brow furrowed just slightly.

"The moon? Blue?" she asked.

Ziva nodded emphatically.

"Or is it purple? I do not remember. Regardless, Gibbs has only ever apologized once in a blue—or possibly purple—moon, though I would say blue is more common than purple as it's a primary color—"

"Ziva," Jenny interrupted with a laugh, "you've spent too much time with Abby."

Ziva closed her mouth in the middle of her ramble and made a face. Her friend was right. She usually never went on so fast.

"I was simply attempting to get it right," she defended.

"You have the idea," Jenny encouraged, "It's 'Once in a Blue Moon', but it doesn't mean the moon is actually blue," she explained.

Ziva nodded, much more amicable to Jenny correcting her.

"If the moon ever did turn blue, though, it would have something to do with Gibbs," she joked conspiratorially, right as the man in question breezed through the door with his characteristic omnipotent glare.

H stopped in his tracks and looked at them both carefully, as if weighing his options.

"Jen," he greeted casually. Ziva turned to look at him triumphantly.

"I accept your apology," she informed him primly.

He glared. Jenny leaned back in her seat and swept her glasses off her face, sticking one of the corners between her lips with smirk.

"What did you apologize for, Agent Gibbs?" she asked teasingly.

"I stepped on her foot," he answered grimly.

"Ah," a look of realization dawned on Jenny's face and she gave him a knowing look before flicking her eyes back to her Israeli friend, the look on her face saying that his explanation certainly explained the apology.

"Jethro's had a bit of a traumatic experience with stepping on women's toes."