As you may have guessed by the title, it's Christmas time. Not a really long chapter here and it also includes some scenes from Chimera.
Disclaimer: Same as other chapters.
Chapter Twenty-Nine: O Christmas Tree
Christmas approached fast after Anthony's first birthday. Both the NCIS and BAU teams had plans to share the Holiday period with each other. JJ had gone home to Pennsylvania for the holidays with Will and Henry, and Morgan had gone back to Chicago to spend Christmas with his mother, two sisters, brother-in-law and three-month old niece. Marcel had left a week prior to visit his family in Sydney, but everyone else was present in DC on Christmas Eve. They were sharing a picnic lunch at the National Harbour to see Santa water-ski across the Potomac River as well as other Christmas festivities and, afterwards, took a late night stroll along Capitol Hill to see the large Christmas tree.
Emily and Tony were spending the night at the David condo, Emily in Kalev's room and Tony on the couch. Tony had decided that Santa Claus was coming and had wrapped several presents for everyone accordingly and, even though they had had a late night, Anthony woke everyone up early the next morning, his father first. Tony picked him up and carried him downstairs and into the lounge room, but did not let him open his presents yet. Ziva, Emily and Kalev sleepily trampled down the stairs fifteen minutes later and immediately went into the kitchen for coffee.
Anthony was overly excited and Tony had noticed this.
"Presents, guys, presents!" Tony shouted into the kitchen like a child. He was excited too, having missed Christmas morning the year before and he had to spend it with Jeanne.
"Okay, Tony, we're coming," Emily shouted back. Now that she was awake, she was also excited. She enjoyed Christmas and especially enjoyed spending it with her make-shift family.
Todd, Anthony's Canaan Dog puppy, ran into the room and tried to tear open one of the presents with his teeth. Tony grabbed him and put him on the couch, telling him to stay. Voice commands were starting to work for the pup. They sat down around the tree that Emily had asked Ziva nicely, then forced her, to put up. Well, next to it sat a Hanukkah menorah.
Tony sat Anthony down on his lap and passed him the first present. Actually, Anthony opened the first five presents. He was happy to receive more toys to add to his collection as well as a big Tonka truck from his father and a Tickle-Me-Elmo from his mother. Todd, on the other hand, who was anxious to see what all the excitement was about, had his own presents to unwrap. He got a new bowl, a very cute, and warm, light blue coat as well as a few squeaky toys.
Emily received a beautiful pink topaz heart necklace with a white gold chain from Kalev. She walked with him into the kitchen and thanked him with a passionate kiss away from the others' watchful glances, also handing him his gift of a Tag Heuer 'Carrera' watch.
Anthony was busy shoving his Elmo into the scoop of his giant Tonka truck, so Tony chose that moment to pass a small ornate box over to Ziva. "Happy Hanukkah."
Ziva smiled and undid the bow, opening up the box to reveal a gorgeous gold bracelet. Tony took it out for her and clasped it around her right wrist. The 14 ct gold Pandora bracelet fit perfectly, with one hanging gold Star of David charm attached. Tony smiled and held her hand as her gaze bore down on it.
"Tony, this must have been very expensive," Ziva whispered in a low, shocked voice.
"It was worth it," Tony replied quickly, gently caressing her hand. "This year has been difficult and you've been supportive and patient with me. This was the least I could do to say thank you."
Ziva smiled and kissed his cheek softly. "Thank you. It is beautiful." She indicated for him to follow her behind the Christmas tree, where Tony could see a very large, thin present leaning up against the wall. Ziva picked it up and passed it to him. "Merry Christmas, Tony."
He eagerly unwrapped it like a four-year old. Pulling the wrapping paper off the front, he was greeted by the six faces of James Bond. Ziva had found and bought him a framed signed montage of James Bond as depicted by Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig. He chuckled slightly, pure delight etched over the lines of his face.
"I am glad that you like it," Ziva said happily.
"Like it?" Tony asked incredulously. "I love it."
Ziva smiled widely again and then walked into the kitchen to help Emily make a traditional Christmas breakfast.
The NCIS and BAU teams were having Christmas dinner at Jenny's Georgetown townhouse. Thankfully, she had a large dining table. Anthony sat in his high chair between Tony and Ziva and was flicking peas across the table at his Uncle Probie. He was only stopped when Ziva, who in deep conversation with Jenny and Emily about the presents they received from 'their' guys, heard Tony egging him on and reprimanded them both. Five-year old Jack Hotchner was having fun at the other end of the table engaging in a Shepherd Pie eating contest with Abby. Hotch decided to stop it after four large pieces of the pie citing that Jack would get sick.
After dinner and just before dessert was to be served, Jenny stood up, raising her champagne flute and politely coughing to gain everybody's attention. "Merry Christmas!"
"Merry Christmas!"
Ziva had only become accustomed to the holiday period the year before when everybody had bought Anthony Christamas, and several Chrismukkah, presents. At first she had found it quite different to Hanukkah, which she moderately celebrated with her family in Israel, but she got used to it, agreeing that the holiday made sense for her American son.
After the table had been cleared, everybody walked into Jenny's large living area where her Christmas tree stood erect. Unlike the rest of them, Jenny had ordered a real, living (well, it was living) pine tree for Christmas and decorated it with a beautiful and expensive array of baubles and tinsel. Anthony and Jack shrieked at the thought of more presents, directly running to the tree. The teams happily spent the hour ripping open and sharing presents, but by ten thirty, Anthony was getting tired and whiny, so Ziva, Emily and Kalev were the first to leave the celebrations.
oOo
Fourteen-month old Anthony was chasing Todd, his Canaan Dog puppy, around Ziva's condo when Kalev burst in. Emily was babysitting Anthony for Ziva since the NCIS were called out urgently on to a naval ship known as the Chimera.
"I just got access to satellite images of the Chimera over the past few days," Kalev announced. "Jenny should see them. Do you want to come with me to NCIS?"
Emily, who was reading a tabloid magazine with Angelina Jolie on the cover, threw it down and looked up at Kalev. "Fine, come on Anthony."
"Bah," he shouted back and returned to playing with Todd. Kalev scooped him up and carried him screaming out the door. Emily put Todd into his kennel and filled his bowl with food before grabbing her coat and Anthony's baby bag and walking out the door.
They took Emily silver Mercedes to NCIS and rushed out and up to Jenny's office. Cynthia informed them that she was up in MTAC and ordered another agent to grant them access on orders of the Director.
"Kalev," Jenny called out, turning away from the large screen, which at the moment, only showed snow. "And Emily and Anthony, hello."
"I was sent satellite pictures of the Chimera over the past few days," Kalev announced, passing Jenny a file of printed photos and a USB drive containing a digital copy of them. Jenny passed the drive over to her techs and had them put the pictures up on the screen.
"Couldn't you get this information from the Navy?" Kalev asked, walking over next to Jenny as Emily sat with Anthony in the seats. "And what happened to the video feed from the Chimera?"
"I don't trust them to give me the correct information," Jenny explained shortly without turning eyes off the screen. "Not in this instance. And we've lost the feed."
Kalev nodded, a worried look in his eyes, and turned his eyes back to the screen. "British Intelligence has been keeping an eye on the mid-Atlantic. That is the only reason the satellite was in a good position to get footage of the ship."
"Or is that just what the British Secret Service told you?" Jenny asked with a mock grin.
"Whatever their reasoning for being there, I don't care," Kalev pointed out.
"And who do you know in MI6 that would simply give you this footage?" Emily piped up from behind them.
Kalev chuckled. "I believe the line is, 'If I told you, I would have to kill you.' Sorry."
Emily and Jenny laughed. "Can you get footage from more than the past few days?" Jenny asked.
"Possibly, I'll make the call." And Kalev walked out of the room.
"Director?" one of the techs piped up. "Commander Skinner is here."
"I will see him in my office," Jenny told them before walking out, beckoning Emily to follow. "Wait outside my office."
"Who's the kid?" Emily heard Skinner ask them as they entered Cynthia's office.
"The child you're going to orphan if you don't tell me what's on that ship," Jenny answered aggressively as she walked into her office. Skinner stalked in behind her and closed the door.
"You worried?" Cynthia asked Emily as the FBI agent sat down on the couch near the entrance to Jenny's office.
"Absolutely," Emily admitted, putting Anthony on the floor with a few of his toys.
oOo
They watched the screen intently as the NCIS crew escaped on board the Russian assault craft. Commander Skinner had returned into MTAC having just got off the phone with a higher authority at the Pentagon and was, once again, standing in the middle of the room beside Jenny. Kalev was standing on Jenny's other side and still had not been formally introduced to the commander.
"So what is it that you do for NCIS, Officer David?" Skinner asked around the back of Jenny. Kalev smirked and returned his eyes to the screen.
"Well, at least they're safe," Jenny commented, but less than a moment later, they watched a missile steam into view and collide with the Chimera. Kalev, Emily and Jenny turned in succession to stare at the commander.
"What?" Skinner questioned, his eyes narrowed. "You're people are off the ship!"
"But you did not know that, Commander," Jenny answered angrily. "You were outside."
Skinner motioned to open his mouth, but closed it again and remained silent.
"You had better make sure that your support vessel picks up my people," Jenny suggested, bravely taking a step towards him, her authoritative manner speaking for itself. "Or someone may just find out that a senior ranking Naval officer ordered a missile strike on a naval ship carrying four NCIS agents and their medical examiner."
Skinner took a step back from her, slightly dishevelled. He nodded slightly and turned around, walking up the ramp and out of MTAC.
The team returned by nightfall. Anthony was especially excited to see his parents again, running and jumping into his mother's arms.
"Mamma!" he shouted as she dropped her bag and picked him up.
Tony smiled and walked up behind Ziva. "Dadda!" Anthony shouted, seeing his father walk into view. He reached up and put one arm around his father's neck and pulling him closer. The team gathered around and laughed as Abby decided to join in the group hug.
So I saw the James Bond frame when I was Christmas shopping yesterday. Yay for Xmas shopping. It's the only thing I've been doing all week and I'm still not anywhere near done.
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Coming soon- Designated Target, Corporal Punishment, Gibbs and Jenny have a chat about Tiva and Kalev gets into the middle of an NCIS investigation.
Please review. Please..... for Xmas????
