Chapter 25: Meanwhile, back in DC

You are my husband
My feet shall run because of you
My feet dance because of you
My heart shall beat because of you
My eyes see because of you
My mind thinks because of you
And I shall love because of you.

Washington DC
Navy Yard
Sunday Morning

Ziva entered the NCIS bullpen bobbing her head to the rhythm of K-maro, a French rapper; she had found some very catchy tunes. She glanced to Tony and smiled, as he grinned at her.

She squinted at him, as his mouth moved and she couldn't hear him due to the beat in her ears.

"What?"

Tony rolled his eyes and stood up, went towards her desk and unplugged her headphones.

"Hello Ziver, Good Morning."

"Good Morning."

"You are awfully happy for someone who is on call for the entire weekend."

"Ah, but I'll have the next one off and I'm planning a little romantic getaway."

"Really?" Tony almost purred, smiling down at her.

Their relationship was still proceeding with baby steps, neither of them willing to dive headfirst into something too soon. Both had been badly burned, so they were taking things as slowly as possible.

"That's... good to know."

"Uhm..." She grinned as she sat down and booted her computer up.

Gibbs entered the bullpen with his usual lava mud coffee in his hand, barking at DiNozzo as soon as he saw him.

"Have you finished my reports, DiNozzo?"

DiNozzo ran to his desk, looking for something in the mess of folders in front of him.

"I have them right here, Boss."

A loud strangled gasp makes both men turned to look at Ziva who was looking with a surprised face to her computer screen, her huge eyes reflecting something moving on it.

"Ziva, what's wrong?" Gibbs immediately went to her side and leaned over her shoulder, trying to read what was on her screen.

In a scroll-like background a small text was displayed as follows:

"Because you have shared in our lives with your Friendship and Love,
you are cordially invited to participate in the
ceremony to celebrate the Love between
Joy Buchanan and Timothy McGee
on Saturday
at eleven in the morning,
at the Glasgow Evangelical Church,
Located at 152, Abeerdeen, Glasgow, Montana."

Please RSVP ASAP in order to give us enough time to prepare the accommodations and transport to the place.

P.S. Ziva dear, will you be one of my bridesmaids? The dresses are going to be green.

"McGee, you horny dog. He's going to elope!" Tony grinned as he read over Ziva's shoulder.

"I thought you would only elope if you have gotten married without warning anyone." Ziva said, looking at Tony who ran to his own desk eager to check his computer for a similar message.

"Well, it is like that but they are not here, they are getting married in a rush... that's eloping in my book." Tony's grin became bigger as he looked in his inbox. "Here it is, the invitation and... haha!"

Tony stood up and punched the air in victory. "Yes!"

"What?" Ziva looked at him, who had a proud smile on his face. He rested his open palm on his chest, leaning his torso in a mocking bow.

"You are looking at the Best Man. You know what that means?"

"No?" Ziva was frowning at the wicked smile on Tony's face, which became even brighter.

"I get to plan the Bachelor Party!"

Tony made a small victory dance, making both Gibbs and Ziva grin at him.

Gibbs silently went to his own computer and booted up, checking his email and finding his own personalized invitation in his inbox.

"Because you have shaped us into the purest steel,
polishing us to become the finest weapons
in order to Honor, Serve and Protect,
you are cordially invited to participate in the
ceremony to celebrate the Love between
Joy Buchanan and Timothy McGee
next Saturday
at eleven in the morning,
at the Glasgow Evangelical Church,
Located at 152, Abeerdeen, Glasgow, Montana."

Joy's P.S.: Hey boss, I know it's on short notice, but could you talk to Vance to finally let you use all that unrequested leave you have for a long weekend of good music, companionship and celebration in the most traditional country way? We're going to arrange accommodations for those who are coming, so don't worry, you will have a roof over your head. Dad is waiting anxiously for your arrival.

Tim's P.S.: Hi Boss, this is McGee. I'm sure that I should do this personally, but so many things happened in the last few days that I would probably blunder my way through it … I'm babbling right now. Anyway, would you do me the honor of standing up with me as the father of the groom? On my family side there will be only Sarah but I would be very honored if you did that for me and for Joy as well. Joy said that she would gladly have you standing as the father of the bride, but her dad would disinherit her if she took that honor away from him.

We both hope you guys can make it as soon as you can, we'll sort out things when you get here.

Yours truly,

Tim and Joy.

Gibbs grinned at the ceiling, imagining both agents fighting for the keyboard to write their own little note for him. He checked the timestamp, the invitation had been sent a little after two am. Have those two ever heard of something called sleeping?

He looked at Ziva and Tony, who were gleefully looking at their computer screens, Tony telling of the amazing pranks he could pull on McGee at his bachelor party while Ziva had already opened a gown website, checking green dresses.

He stood up and finished his coffee, throwing the empty cup in the garbage as he left his desk and headed towards the stairs.

"Where are you going, Boss?"

"Finish all your paperwork, DiNozzo. I'm going to talk to the Director. When I'm back, I want all your desks cleaned off so we all can go home and pack."

DiNozzo couldn't hold back his maniac grin as he tackled the papers. "On it, Boss."

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

"Are you out of your mind, Gibbs? You want me to give MCRT the whole week off?"

Gibbs only grinned, before pointing to Vance's computer which was still in sleep mode.

"Have you checked your e-mail yet?"

"What do my e-mails have to do with it?"

Gibbs smirked wider, making Vance grudgingly turn to the computer and check his e-mail.

"I really wanna know what this is about."

"Just look for an e-mail from McGee."

Vance quickly glanced to Gibbs before clicking on McGee's email. A tiny scroll jumped on the screen, unfolding like a papyrus with the age old edges burnt a little, showing a text in the middle of it.

Vance's eyebrows slowly rose as he read the words, his face becoming a rolling tempest of fury.

"They were supposed to be resting and on therapy."

"Oh, they are. But apparently they are feeling better and are willing to …" Gibbs stopped as he looked for an appropriate word to piss off Vance. "... put a better use to their off time using it as their honeymoon."

"I'll call their therapist and..." Vance's hand went to the phone, just to be stopped by Gibbs' hand on top of his phone, blocking it.

"Agent Gibbs." There was a warning on Vance's voice, which Gibbs promptly ignored.

"Come on, Leon. They've almost died. They've literally survived just thanks their sheer stubbornness. They deserve a little happiness."

"So I should just let them get away with that? Do you have any idea of how many rules they are breaking in their little escapade?"

"Yeah, rule 12 of my rules. Never date a coworker. But there's nothing written in the NCIS rulebook saying that agents working together can't get married. What is coded is that unbecoming behavior should be avoided and if caught, it would be punished appropriately. We've never had any complaints of them on this regard. Hell, we weren't even sure they were together for months as they've never even given any hint of what was happening and we wouldn't have found out if she hadn't had her little health problem in the bullpen."

"So what do you suggest?"

"They've written personal messages on each invitation. What's on yours?"

Vance turned to his computer and Gibbs noticed the corners of his mouth going up slightly, trying hard not to smile.

It would be unbecoming for a Director to start laughing out loud.

"They've invited Jackie and the kids too, with the promise of nice home cooked meals Montana style."

"What's Montana style?"

"Huge and abundant."

Gibbs stood up, looking at Vance with a knowing glint on his eyes.

"The team deserves a few days off. Joseph would welcome all of us with open arms. Between the number of FBI, NCIS and the Marines in the house, there will be no place safer in the whole state."

Vance grinned lightly at that, "Make it the whole Midwest. Is she inviting all her siblings?"

"I'm sure she will."

"That's a party I'm not willing to miss."