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Only a couple more chapters to go. Enjoy xx
Chapter 26 - Horses for Courses
Jenny stirred and slowly opened her eyes. Early morning light filtered through the drapes bringing with it a promise of another beautiful day. She turned to look at the bedside clock and saw it was only ten past six. The sound of deep, steady breathing told her Gibbs was still sound asleep and, judging by the silence elsewhere, so was everyone else.
Unable to go back to sleep, Jenny pulled back the covers and eased herself out of bed. Feeling the early morning chill, she put on some warmer clothes and left the room, closing the door silently behind her. The sun streamed in through the cracks around the front door and dust motes hung in the air like flecks of glitter. The scene was so inviting, Jenny couldn't resist the urge to head outside and enjoy the warmth of the early morning rays.
When she opened the door, however, she was met with the figure of a small girl sitting on the porch step.
"Hey, Sweetheart," said Jenny softly, approaching Ziva and sitting next to her on the step. "What are you doing out here so early?"
Ziva looked up and smiled and Jenny noticed she was cuddling a fluffy kitten.
"Hi Mommy," greeted Ziva. "I could hear the kitten crying outside my bedroom window so I came out and found her wandering around."
Ziva lifted the kitten for Jenny to see.
"This is Hermione," she said. "Madi showed me the kittens yesterday and I remember them all."
Jenny smiled and petted the small head.
"Good morning Hermione. It must be the day to be up early," she said to the kitten.
Bringing the kitten back onto her lap, Ziva smiled as the small feline began to play with her fingers.
"She likes to chew my fingers," explained Ziva, as the kitten took Ziva's finger in both her front paws and brought it to her mouth. "She has sharp teeth!"
"I bet she does," laughed Jenny.
"It's doesn't really hurt though," continued Ziva, tickling the kitten's tummy to distract her from biting.
The pair sat quietly for a few minutes; Jenny, enjoying the sun's rays as it bathed her in its warmth and Ziva, content to continue petting the kitten.
It wasn't long before the kitten settled herself in Ziva's lap and closed her eyes. Following its lead, Jenny closed her own eyes and felt herself begin to drift.
"Mommy?"
Ziva's voice, although quiet, penetrated the stillness of the morning and startled Jenny awake.
"Yes, Honey?" she replied, rubbing at her eyes and trying to focus.
"Am I weird?"
Fully alert, Jenny frowned at Ziva's question.
"Why do you ask that?"
"Well," began Ziva hesitantly. "Last night, after dinner, Madi and I played this game called Memory. It's the one that starts with all the cards turned upside down and you have to turn them over and try to make pairs."
"Yes, I know the one," said Jenny. "You're very good at that game."
"I know," replied Ziva, but there was no hint of conceit in her voice. "I have a good memory."
"Yes, you do," agreed Jenny. "So, what happened during the game?"
"I won," said Ziva. "Then, we played again and I won again. When we played the third time, Madi started to get mad and asked why I kept winning. I told her I have a good memory and Tony said I'm like that at home as well. He said no one will play Memory with me because I always win. He wasn't being mean or anything," clarified Ziva, not wanting to see Tony in trouble. "He was laughing and kind of sounded proud when he said it."
Jenny smiled warmly. Despite their constant bickering, there had always been a special bond between Tony and Ziva, even before the accident.
"Then Madi said I was weird and went to play with Tony and Jake. I had to pack the game up by myself and everything," said Ziva, appalled at the injustice of being left to tidy up.
"Some people don't like to lose, especially not all the time," said Jenny, trying to placate the little girl. "It doesn't excuse her behaviour but it might explain why she acted the way she did."
"I know," said Ziva brushing back her hair and sighing. "I don't like it when Tony beats me at stuff either. But, was she right? Am I weird?"
"No, Honey, of course not," replied Jenny sincerely.
"But, why are people always surprised at the things I can do?" asked Ziva. "Madi and Jake said I was crazy jumping from that tree. Jake said he was ten before he even thought about trying. And last night when Madi went to play with Tony and Jake, I sat by myself and read a book from the shelf. Madi said I couldn't read because I was only five. I said I could so and started to read it out loud. Then, she said, 'That just proves you're weird'."
Ziva sighed heavily. "And people are always surprised when they find out how well I can remember things. So, I must be weird."
Jenny took Ziva's chin and stared into the deep brown eyes.
"You're not weird," she said firmly. "Everyone is different. There are things Tony is good at, there are things Daddy and I are good at and," she paused to make sure she had Ziva's full attention. "There are things you are good at. It doesn't make you weird. It makes you, you."
"But I don't want to be me if it means people don't like me," protested Ziva.
"Honey, what people think of you, is their problem, not yours. All you can do is be the best Ziva Gibbs there is. And only you can know what Ziva Gibbs is capable of. You can't spend your life worrying about whether people will like you."
"Can I do School of the Air when we get home?" Ziva suddenly asked.
Surprised by the change of subject, Jenny took a minute to gather her thoughts.
"You don't need to do School of the Air. Madi and Jake do that because there are no schools around here. When we get home, there are many schools you can go to. Some of them you may even be able to walk to or ride your bike."
"But can't I just choose to do school on the computer or maybe you could teach me at home?" suggested Ziva.
"But, wouldn't you rather go to school with other kids?" asked Jenny. "You love the company of other people. You'll be in your own special class with kids your own age. You can play team sports, share ideas, make friends and even play with them after school or on weekends. Madi and Jake don't get to do that. I bet it gets lonely living here sometimes."
Ziva shrugged and petted the kitten absentmindedly.
Jenny suddenly noticed a tear trickling down her daughter's face.
"Hey," she said softly, reaching out and cupping Ziva's cheek. "What's the matter?"
Without warning, Ziva suddenly dissolved into tears. Shuffling awkwardly, she somehow managed to crawl into Jenny's lap with the kitten still in tow.
"I don't want to go to school if the kids are going to think I'm weird," wailed Ziva.
Jenny now understood the reason behind the line of questioning.
"Oh, baby-girl," she cooed, stroking Ziva hair and giving her daughter some much needed comfort. When the crying started to subside, Jenny kissed Ziva's head and used her thumb to wipe away the stray tears.
"Now listen to me, Ziva Gibbs," she began in mock sternness. "There are all kinds of people in this world. Some people will never like you, some people will be jealous of the things you can do, some people will even be mean to you but, and this is the important part, there will be people who will love you just the way you are. They will love your kindness, your braveness, your sense of humour, your cleverness. Those are the ones who will be your friends. They will be the people who matter and the people who will make your days at school fun."
"But what if I don't find anyone like that?" asked Ziva, her brown eyes swimming in tears.
"I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure you will. And not just one or two, but many people," assured Jenny. "Ziva, you are a wonderfully kind and caring little girl. Who's not going to like that? And, the thing about school," continued Jenny, "is, you may even find other kids who can do things like you. There may be another person in your class who has a good memory like you or can climb things like you. There may even be kids in the class who can climb better than you," said Jenny.
Ziva suddenly straightened.
"No one can climb as good as me," she said sincerely.
Jenny laughed. "You're probably right on that point. But there will be kids who can do some things better than you and that's when you make the most of it and learn from them. Just as kids can learn from you, you can learn new things from them."
"Maybe they'll be someone who can teach me how to dance?" said Ziva, looking at Jenny.
"Maybe," replied Jenny. "And, maybe, Daddy and I can organise for you to go to dance classes."
"Oh really?" exclaimed Ziva, jumping up and sending the kitten leaping to the ground.
Startled by its rude awakening, the kitten gave her front leg a cursory lick before turning around and stalking off with its tail in the air.
"That would be so much fun, Mommy," cried Ziva, throwing her arms around Jenny's neck. "I just know I'll make lots of friends at dance class. We can all learn together."
"That's exactly right," agreed Jenny. "And you may find there will be some girls or boys that will be much better than you because dancing may be their special talent."
"And I can learn from them!" concluded Ziva.
Jenny smiled.
"Well, it looks like that kitten of yours has gone to have her breakfast," she said, rubbing Ziva's back. "How about we do the same? I don't know about you but I'm starving."
"Me too," agreed Ziva. "I'm going to have some toast with Vegemite. Mommy, do you think we could bring some Vegemite home with us?"
Jenny winced. "I'm sure we could arrange to bring back a couple of jars. You really like that stuff, hey?" she asked, her stomach churning at the thought.
"I love it!" exclaimed Ziva.
Hesitating before she spoke but, deciding Ziva needed to hear the word in an affectionate context, Jenny leaned down and tickled Ziva's ribs. "You're weird!" she said and smiled as Ziva's loud giggles echoed in the morning air.
****NCIS****
"Can you believe we fly back home in less than two days," said Abby, as she fixed herself a plate of cold meat and salad.
"We've crammed so much into this trip and yet we've only seen a small section of Australia," said Tim. "We didn't even get close to the north. Not even Uluru."
"What's Uluru?" asked Tony, as he took a bite of his sandwich.
"It's a huge monolith, or rock, in the centre of Australia," replied Tim. "It used to be called Ayres Rock but it was changed back to the original Aboriginal name, Uluru."
"That whole area is amazing," said Tracy. "Alice Springs, Darwin, The Kimberleys. So much to still explore."
"Well, we need to leave some surprises for our next trip," said Gibbs.
"Are we coming back, Dad?" asked Tony.
"We might, one day," replied Gibbs.
"Well, if you do," said Tracy. "You're more than welcome to stay with us again. We've really loved having you." Turning to Tim she added, "Especially you, Tim. It's been way too long. Maybe next time Sarah might come with you?"
"More likely to be Grandma Penny," replied Tim, laughing. "She's still as lively as ever, trying to rid the world of social injustices."
"Is that my great grandmother?" asked Jake,
"Sure is," said Tracy. "Although you wouldn't know it to look at her. I think she has more energy than Dad and I combined."
"How come we've never met her?" asked Madi.
"Because she lives in America," replied Tracy. "Hopefully one day I'll get to show you where I was born and you can meet her and the rest of my family that live over there."
"Like Tim," said Jake.
"Yep, like Tim," affirmed Tracy.
She watched as Jake and Madi reached for another piece of caramel slice. "Make that your last," she said. "We need to head back so you can finish off the lessons you missed yesterday.
Both children, groaning simultaneously, stood up and pushed in their chairs. As Tracy ushered them out into the hall, she turned to Gibbs.
"I've saddled up the horses and put them in the top paddock just past the bike shed" she explained. "If you have any issues, just call me on the mobile. You should be right, though.
Gibbs nodded. "Thanks Tracy," he said. "And thanks for letting us take them out this afternoon."
"No worries," said Tracy smiling. "And don't worry, Tony. You'll be fine on Mickey. He's as gentle as a kitten."
Tony gave a half smile in return as Tracy turned to leave.
"Mickey, as in Mouse?" asked Tim, remembering how the girls' horses had been named after famous actresses.
"As in Rooney," replied Tracy calling over her shoulder as she exited into the hallway.
The family had decided that morning to spend the early afternoon going for a ride. Tracy had suggested they ride the Creek Track which followed alongside one of the many smaller creeks that flowed from the main river they had seen yesterday. Although not thrilled with the idea, Tony had finally agreed when Gibbs promised he could spend an hour on the dirt bike when they returned later that afternoon.
Understanding the boy's reluctance, Tracy had saddled up Mickey, a gentle beginner's horse especially trained to cope with inexperienced riders. The girls would ride the same horses they had ridden two days earlier and Gibbs and Tim were teamed up with Rita and Judy, named for Rita Hayworth and Judy Garland.
Approaching the horses, thirty minutes later, Gibbs led Tony to a brown gelding he assumed would be Mickey. This was confirmed when he saw the horse's name printed into the leather saddle.
Tony looked into the gentle brown eyes and held out a tentative hand to pat the horse's nose. As Mickey leaned in to nuzzle Tony, the boy quickly pulled away.
"Here, try this," suggested Gibbs.
Walking to the trough, Gibbs picked up a handful of horse feed and returned to Mickey. Giving Tony half the feed, he held the rest out to the horse.
"Hold your hand out flat and allow the horse to use his lips to scrape up the food."
As Tony watched, he tentatively did the same.
"His lips are so soft!" exclaimed Tony as Mickey leaned down and happily took the food. "It tickles!"
After giving the horse another couple of handfuls of food, Tony felt more confident to pat the horse and stroke its neck.
"You ready to get on?" asked Gibbs.
Tony looked at the horse and nodded nervously. Securing one of the helmets on Tony's head, Gibbs went on to explain the best way to mount the horse and, with a little assistance, Tony was soon sitting upright in the saddle.
"It's so high!" he said, his voice wavering slightly. "What if I fall off?"
"You get up and straight back on again," replied Gibbs. "But you shouldn't fall off. We'll take it steady. Just hold onto the reins. The horse will do the rest."
"But how will it know where to go?" asked Tony.
"This is a special beginner's horse," explained Gibbs. "Tracy said, it's specifically trained to follow Judy, my horse. So, as long as you stick with me, you'll be fine."
Gibbs clicked softly to the horse and it took a couple of steps.
"Whoa!" cried Tony. "It's moving!"
"Of course it's moving," said Gibbs with a laugh. "What did you think it was going to do?"
"Um…I don't know," said Tony.
As the horse gently strolled along, following Gibbs, Tony frantically grabbed at the reins.
"Where's the brake?" he yelled, looking down at his feet, hoping to see a lever of some kind.
Pulling back on the halter, Gibbs waited for the horse to stop.
"How do you drive this thing!" screamed Tony.
"Tony, calm down," said Gibbs, trying not laugh. "For someone who was happy to race around on a dirt bike, I'm surprised you're finding this so scary."
"A dirt-bike doesn't think for itself," retorted Tony. "I don't know what this thing is going to do."
"OK, well, for a start, this 'thing' has a name. And, Mickey, is very clever and will not lead you astray," placated Gibbs. "I promise you, we'll not start galloping over the mountains."
"There are no mountains," said Tony sulkily.
"You know what I mean," replied Gibbs. "Now, listen up and I'll take you through Horse Riding 101."
"What's that?" asked Tony, screwing up his nose.
"Never mind, just listen," sighed Gibbs.
Over the next few minutes, Gibbs supplied Tony with all the basic information he would need in order to get Mickey from point A to point B. When he'd finished explaining, he had Tony demonstrate the basics.
"Good boy, Tony," praised Gibbs as the boy successfully walked Mickey forward, turned left and right before pulling the horse to a stop.
"I did it!" exclaimed Tony excitedly.
"Yep, you did!" confirmed Gibbs. "You ready to take these horses for a real workout?"
"Sure," said Tony. "So long as we stay walking."
Gibbs smiled as he mounted his own horse. With a gentle tap on the reins, Judy stepped forward with Mickey dutifully following behind. Within a few minutes, Tony began to relax and even started to enjoy the experience.
"This isn't as bad as i thought," he called out to Gibbs.
As the group made their way down a dusty track to one of the creeks, Tim and Abby brought up the rear.
"It's so beautiful out here," remarked Abby, as a lone bird called out above their heads.
"It is," agreed Tim. "I can see why Tracy loves it so much. When we first heard she was marrying a cattle farmer, most of the family didn't give the marriage more than a couple of years. But, seeing how she is out here, I can't imagine her anywhere else."
"As much as I love it, I couldn't live out here forever, though," said Abby. "I'd miss people, shopping, even work."
"Yeah, me too," said Tim.
"Can you believe we'll be back at work in less than two weeks?" said Abby. "It's going to feel strange without Tony and Ziva. I mean, the old Tony and Ziva."
"Yeah, I know what you mean," agreed Tim. "I wonder who will join the team. We can't just be a team of two."
"Hey, just think, you'll be the Senior Field Agent," said Abby excitedly.
"Maybe," contemplated Tim. "I've only had three years' experience on Gibbs' team. It depends who he hires or, more precisely, who Director Shepard hires."
Abby frowned. "Director Shepard. Hmmm… gonna have to get used to that again."
"Gonna have to get used to a lot of things," replied Tim.
"You will stay with Gibbs' team though, won't you?" asked Abby, suddenly aware that Tim might have other plans.
"Sure," said Tim. "Assuming there's still going to be a 'Gibbs' Team'. Gibbs might decide to retire, he's done it before."
"No way," said Abby confidently. "He loves the adrenaline rush too much."
"Yeah, but that was before he had two children and a partner. Tony and Ziva probably give him enough of an adrenaline rush as it is."
Abby laughed.
"True," she said, nodding her head.
"Come on you two," called Jenny. "We're nearly at the creek."
Snapping the reins gently, Abby and Tim shifted into a trot and were soon caught up with the rest of the family.
"Can I go faster, Daddy?" called Ziva from about four yards ahead.
"How fast did you go the other day with Tracy?" asked Gibbs.
"Real fast, Daddy. I was flying," said Ziva enthusiastically.
Gibbs looked to Jenny who shrugged but said, "She went pretty fast."
Gibbs rolled his eyes.
"How fast is pretty fast?" he asked "Trot, canter, gallop."
Jenny levelled him with a look.
"You're asking me?" she replied incredulously. "I'm lucky if I know the head from the tail."
Gibbs laughed. Then, turning back to Ziva he said, "Go as fast as Tracy showed you the other day."
"OK, Daddy," she called back.
Watching her carefully, Gibbs saw her kick the stirrups which told Marilyn to move into a trot and then into a canter.
"Watch her, Jethro!" called Jenny anxiously.
"She's fine, Jen," he called back.
Suddenly hit with a memory of Kelly doing the same thing and Shannon also questioning his decision, Gibbs felt a stab in his chest. He allowed the feeling to linger for a few seconds and realised, instead of making him angry, sad or even resentful, the memory made him smile. Smile for what it had been and smile for what he had now.
"Did you see me, Daddy," cried Ziva as she pulled in next to him, her cheeks flushed red with sweat and excitement.
"I sure did."
"Can I try that?" asked Tony, who's horse, as it was trained, had diligently followed Judy and was now standing calmly next to her.
"If you feel ready, yes," replied Gibbs.
With a little encouragement, Gibbs moved Judy into a trot and, within seconds, Mickey was following suit.
"Augh!" yelled Tony, as Mickey surged forward. "Slow down! Slow down!"
"Pull on the reins like I showed you," called Gibbs.
Tony did so and the horse came to stop.
"Oh, my butt!" exclaimed Tony. "That hurt!"
Gibbs laughed.
"Trotting can be rough," he said. "You have to get in sync with the horse."
"It's easier to run," said Ziva, coming up to Tony. "Why don't you try that? You can come with me."
Tony looked uncertain.
"How do I make it run?" he asked his Dad.
"It's called cantering," corrected Gibbs. "And you just push on the stirrups to move from trot to canter."
"Is it easier?" asked Tony, doubtfully.
Gibbs shrugged slightly. "It's easier because you're not bouncing as much but it is faster."
As Tony deliberated, Gibbs said, "It's up to you, Tony. No one's going to make you do anything you don't want to."
Taking in a deep breath, Tony said, "I want to give it a try."
"OK, then," said Gibbs and before Tony could change his mind, he encouraged Judy into a trot followed by a canter knowing, full well, Mickey would follow suit.
With adrenaline racing, Tony felt his stomach lurch as Mickey began cantering along the track. It didn't take long though before Tony found his rhythm and felt his heart rate settle as his body relaxed into the new position. Within a couple of minutes, he even began to enjoy the feel of the wind rushing past his face.
"This is fun!" he yelled out, as Mickey kept in pace with Judy and Marilyn.
"Told you it was easier," called Ziva. "I love horse riding."
"I think I prefer the dirt bike but this is pretty good too," yelled Tony but his words were taken by the wind.
"What?" yelled Ziva
"Doesn't matter," called Tony and, for the next five minutes, the three of them rode in silence.
****NCIS****
"How did you go?" asked Tracy as the Gibbs' family made their way across the yard to the main homestead.
"I got to gallop!" said Ziva excitedly. "I didn't mean to go faster but I was having so much fun I accidentally kicked Marilyn and she started galloping."
"Wow!" exclaimed Tracy. "Did you enjoy galloping?
"Yep!" said Ziva, her face a picture of pleasure.
"How about you Tony," asked Tracy. "Did you have fun too."
Tony nodded. "I had a go at cantering. It was good but I still prefer the dirt bikes." He looked around the yard. "Is Jake coming out to ride with me?"
"He's just emailing some work and should be out in a few minutes. Come inside and have a drink."
As the family headed into the kitchen, they were greeted by a table full of afternoon tea.
"Oh, this is lovely," said Jenny as she took a seat. "You didn't have to do all this."
"I know," replied Tracy. "But, seeing as it's your last day, we wanted to make the afternoon special. Madi and Jake have been busy making you some special afternoon-tea treats."
"Not just Madi and Jake," said Gibbs, eyeing off the array of goodies. "It looks like you've been preparing this all day."
Tracy smiled, slightly embarrassed. "Well, some of it was already baked. I just had to take it out of the freezer but the sandwiches are fresh as are the sausage rolls."
"Oh, I love these," said Ziva, pointing to the lamingtons. "We had some of these before."
"What are these?" asked Tony, pointing to what looked like mini apple pies.
"They're party pies," said Tracy. "Mini meat pies. I'm afraid they're not home-made but just as yummy."
As the family gathered around the table, Jake and Madi appeared through the side door.
"All done?" asked Tracy as the children took a seat.
"Yep," replied Jake, his mouth already full of food. "I sent of both mine and Madi's."
"What did you have to send off?" asked Tony, taking a bite of a sausage roll.
"Our homework for the week. We send it off every Friday. Here, try a Tim-Tam," said Jake, picking up a plate of chocolate covered biscuits and offering one to Tony."
"What are they?" asked Tony.
"Here, I'll show you."
Taking a biscuit from the plate, Jake bit off half and showed Tony the piece that was still in his fingers.
"Oh, it's like a chocolate cookie," said Tony, taking one from the plate and biting into it.
"It's not a cookie," said Madi scornfully. "It's a biscuit. Cookies are round and squishy and have chocolate chips in them."
"Not always," replied Ziva. "Some cookies are square, some are frosted, some are-"
"Frosted?" queried Madi, frowning. "Do you keep them in the freezer?"
Tracy laughed. "Frosted means they have icing on them. Like our Tic Toc biscuits."
"Why do they call things by the wrong name?" asked Madi earnestly, looking at her Mum.
"We don't call them by the wrong name," said Ziva indignantly. "You do!"
"Ziva," admonished Jenny. "That's no way to speak to our hosts."
"Well, she shouldn't speak to her guests that way," argued Ziva. "And yesterday she called me weird."
Tracy looked at Madi.
"What's that about?" she asked.
"I wasn't being mean," said Madi, shocked at Ziva's response. "We were playing a game and Ziva knew where all the cards were. I just meant she's really clever. I don't know any five year olds as clever as she is. Heck, I don't know any nine year olds as clever as she is. She's much smarter than me. "
Ziva looked at Madi curiously. Did this girl really think she was clever or was she just saying that to get out of trouble.
"Honest Ziva," said Madi sincerely as if reading Ziva's mind. "I wasn't being mean. Maybe I was a little mad because you kept winning but I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Sorry if I did."
On hearing the apology, Ziva softened.
"That's OK," she said quietly.
"And?" prompted Jenny gently after a short pause.
"And what?" asked Ziva, confusion etched on her face.
Jenny rolled her eyes and gave an embarrassed laugh.
"What do you say to Madi for the way you just spoke to her?"
"But she – "
"Ziva," warned Jenny levelling her daughter with a stern glare.
Ziva sighed.
"I'm sorry I was rude to you," she said begrudgingly. "You can't help it if you say the wrong words."
As Madi frowned and opened her mouth to speak, Tracy interjected quickly.
"Neither of you is wrong," she said. "Different countries have different names for the same thing. Just because we both speak English, doesn't mean that all words will be the same. Instead of arguing about the differences, why don't you turn it into a learning experience. See it as something positive."
Ziva and Madi, both as stubborn as each other, gave a non-committal shrug.
"Well, I don't care what you call them," said Tony, finishing off his second Tim Tam. "I think they're delicious."