WOOOO! 10 REVIEWS IN ONE CHAPTER! YAY! :D :D :D :D

shout out to suncursed whose for last chapter was especially amazing! cyber cookies also go to ncisXpsych12345 , Tiva4eva95, fantasygeek101 (cool, same numbers! we match :P), tivaandmcabby (who has reviewed pretty much EVERY chapter and I can't thank enough), MTGZ, Tivalover4ever, NCIS FTW , easylion, Someoneslove, Robern, and ILoveTiva (who i am also SO grateful for!)
you guys are awesome!

also, I am REALLY sorry if I have got any of the Hanukkah stuff wrong. If you find any bits that are incorrect, please tell me in a review in something!

anyways, thank for reading this far!

DISCLAIMER: i no ownnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn


Chapter 29- hit the lights!

It was the first day of Hanukah when the gifts started arriving.

The doorbell rang once on the cold winter's day. Ziva grudgingly walked down the stairs bleary eyed, as she knew that Jenny would not answer the door. Saturdays were the only day of the week that Jenny properly lay in, and there was nothing that was going to prevent her from doing just that. Nothing less than a five on the Richter scale could possibly awaken Jenny from her slumber. Ziva had learnt that a long time ago, so on that day of the week she was forced to deal with the post or any salesmen who wanted to sell them double glazing, or any other kind of useless rubbish that they did not want or need.

Opening the door she was surprised to see no-one at the door. All that stood here was a single lit candle burning as it balanced precariously on the welcome mat, and a small wrapped present. A normal person would have reached for the present, without any thought. But Ziva was more hesitant. There were a million and one people with a million and one reasons to want her dead, despite the fact that she was only 18 years old. Maybe it was a bomb, sent by someone to get to her father? Maybe it was some mysterious white powder that would give her some disease that was tailored so that she would feel maximum pain right to the end of her time of earth, sent by the family of an arms dealer she had been key in bringing down. Ziva looked around trying to find the source of the present and interrogate it. Unfortunately, the only living presence that seemed to be there was the neighbourhood stray cat who had a habit of biting her (she had never figured out what she had done to annoy it so much). Taking a final few looks around, she cautiously took a few hesitant steps outside. The candle still flickered gently, showing that the person here to deliver it would have been not long gone, if the winter winds had not blown it out yet. She picked up that and the present and made her way back inside.

She sat at the dining table, debating about whether she should open the mysterious package. The label on the side of the parcel fluttered, as if reminding her of its presence and she flicked it over.

"Happy Hanukah Zi."

And instantly all her worry and apprehension drifted away. Only one person in the world she knew called her Zi. And that person was defiantly no enemy.

Ziva secreted a knife from her body and eagerly ripped open the parcel to reveal the contents for her eyes. Inside was a small menorah, small enough to be carried and used as an ornament. A smile grew on Ziva's face as she remembered the familiar shape and its purpose in the holidays.

*Flashback*

"Can we light it! Can we light it!" a four year old Tali said jumping up and down in front of her father. A younger less weather-beaten Eli David turned to her, first trying to be annoyed at the insistent voice. But as soon as he set eyes on the youngest David child, he could no longer be aggravated. She was always the apple in his eyes, the only who could get away with murder (sometimes literally) and she would still be Daddy's little girl. Eli let out a sigh.

"Go on then," he grumbled, pretending to be going unwillingly, but secretly he was almost as excited as Tali was. Almost.

He stood up from his old study chair, with less bones clicking than at present time, as he made his way to the living room of the house. Ari and Ziva "casually" sat reading books, pretending that they were indifferent to the events that happened every year. They were more subtle in their enthusiasm, in comparison to the little bouncing Tali, but Eli could tell that they were not really reading, rather waiting for the time to come. The menorah stood there, tall and proud with the beautiful sky as the background in the evening light as it shone through the window. Ziva and Ari got up from their seats, as their mother walked into the room, bearing the first candle and the shamash. Eli smiled at her as she reached him and took the candles off her. As soon as the whole of the family had assembled, he began to recite the blessing. Ziva remember how the words combined with her father's voice made the whole experience surreal and other-worldly, like the combination of those words and her father's power could make the heavens do as he commanded. Once the candles had been lit, her father and her mother recited the prayer, saying how the candles were a commemoration of the miracles that had occurred. And then finally Ziva's favourite part of the whole process, when her mother started singing the traditional Hanukkah song. Ziva could always picture it, the sound of her mother's voice resonating through the house, as if angels had fallen and graced the house with their singing. And Tali's face, full of wonder as the candle light flickered off her face, the picture of childish innocence. Those were the days…

*End of flashback*

Hanukkah had always been about family. And apparently Ari had not forgotten this. It must have taken some scheming to successfully have a lit candle delivered to her house, without her noticing. Ziva did not even want to know how Ari knew that she was no longer living with her father, but with her godmother, and knowing which address to send the parcel to.

Ziva had been secretly dreading the holiday season, as she was no longer talking to her father, and with her mother and Tali gone there was little of her family left. But apparently Ari had other plans, and she was not going to be celebrating the season alone. Or at least, she no longer felt alone.

Ziva was so wrapped up in the past that she did not notice that Jenny had descended the stairs, all be it in a subconscious state.

"Who was at the door?" she asked drowsily, checking the temperature of the kettle water and having found it to be hot, pouring herself a cut of herbal tea.

"Delivery," Ziva said gesturing at the menorah on the table. Jenny detected that Ziva was being ambiguous with the person who had sent her the menorah for a reason, which only heightened her curiosity. However, Jenny knew that Ziva was a sensible woman, who was capable of withholding information for a reason. And Jenny did not need to know the reason, but only one thing.

"Somebody safe?" Jenny asked. All she needed to know was that Ziva knew who the delivery was from, and if it posed any risk to her. If not, then Jenny was going to allow Ziva the privacy that she wanted.

"Safe," Ziva answered with a smile on her face. Ari as the most dependable person in her family, (despite the whole dying thing), and there was nothing that Ziva would not trust him with.

Jenny was making to walk into the living room to see what was on TV, when Ziva spoke.

"Jenny?" Jenny turned, "Would it be alright if I put this in the living room window?"

Ziva was afraid that she had overstepped an invisible proverbial boundary, and that she had no right to ask such a thing of her. Maybe she should not have imposed her religion and traditions onto Jenny, who just the other week had decorated the Christmas tree with such childish enthusiasm that Ziva had joined in. But to her utter relief Jenny smiled.

"Go ahead. And maybe we could light it together tonight?"

Ziva was surprised that Jenny had agreed, and then she had actually known the tradition of lighting the candle in the evening.

"I grew up with your mother. I know a little about Jewish custom," Jenny explained with a sad smile as she thought about Ziva's mother.

"Jenny," Ziva called again, and this time knowing that there was an even greater chance that she was overstepping the boundaries, "will you tell me about my mum?"

Jenny smiled and beckoned her to the living room. Grinning, Ziva followed her to find out more about her mother.

oooOOOooo

"A pound on the envelopes!"
"Any windows door or conservatrie-"

"Strawberries, a pound a punt!

Tim and Abby walked briskly through the market place, Abby tucked neatly at Tim's side as they bustled through the cold streets of the town, weaving between people clothed in their big winter coats. Abby grinned as she listened to the calls of the stall owners, as they attempted to sell everything, from toffee and onion bhajis, to lighters and fancy dress costumes. She had always loved the market, ever since her mum used to take her every Saturday to stock up on fresh fruit and vegetables. Every stall seemed to have its own personality, and every stall owner always acted eager and happy to see them. And even as Abby grew up, the market seemed to stay the same, with the same man selling fish, and the same people selling material and clothes. It was one of the few constants in her life.

"So what was it that I needed?" Abby turned to Tim who was apparently not enjoying the situation as much. He was not seeing the personalities and the vibrant colours and smells. He was feeling people barge past him, the stench of cigarette smoke sticking to him, and the constant yelling from each owner, each trying to outdo the other was giving him a head ache.

"A diary for your mum," he replied. He felt like her walking talking shopping list. But he was going to do anything he could to get himself out of this as soon as he could, and if that involved assisting Abby, then so be it. He could not even remember why he had offered his services in the first place. But the sooner they were made redundant, the better.

Abby grinned at him and turned back to the path in front of them. She expertly weaved in between the crowds, pausing for a second to throw a few coins to the Salvation Army band that was playing Christmas carols that filled up the whole town square with Christmas joy and cheer. They reached the stall, and Abby untangled herself from Tim so she could look around.

"Well hello there," a male voice called. Timmy's head snapped up at the flirtatious tone, to see Abby being addressed by the stall keeper. He was a young man, probably in his early twenties who was fairly good looking, whose smile (that Tim would label as slightly creepy. But he was biased) was currently directed at Abby. And that made Tim's blood boil. How dare he leer at his girl. He had better not try anything…

"Hi!" Abby replied enthusiastically. But what the store holder was not aware of was that Abby was enthusiastic about everything. He ignorantly took it as a sign that his advances were successful.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

"A diary for my mum," Abby replied, and Tim was going to go over there and punch the leer of that man's face as Abby cast her eyes across the selection of notepads on display. This was when Tim decided that he was going to have to intervene, before that man did something that he regretted…

"Hey babe, you chosen one yet," Tim said casually sliding up next to her. Abby instinctively put her arms around him and pulled him closer. Tim shot the other man a look, as if to say, "yes, you see right. She is mine".

"I like this one!" Abby said picking up one of the books, and she dug into her purse to find the right amount of money. But Tim stopped her without even so much of a glance at the cover.

"I've got this," he said, and he paid the man the correct amount.

Abby sent Tim the hugest of grins, and after one final glare at the stall owner they walked off, Abby still buried in his arms.

A little further away from the stall Abby turned to Timmy. Tim could see the flash of mischief in her eyes, and she leaned closer to him, so as not to be overhear by anyone.

"For the record," she started flirtatiously, "I love when you get all territorial of me."

"You noticed?" Tim thought she was oblivious to the effect she had on men around her. Clearly not oblivious enough.

Abby nodded in response.

"Well then," Tim said, getting closer to her and pressing his forehead against hers, "you were doing that on purpose?"

Abby bit her lip smirking and nodded.

"I think someone need to be punished," Tim said, his voice low, sending shivers up and down her spine. She knew that he knew what effect he was having on her. But then again, two could play the game.

"Just to let you know," she said loudly, then her voice dropped, "I loved it when you called my babe."

Tim smirked, "You are my babe."
"I am yours," Abby admitted whole-heartily, and Tim rewarded the correct answer with a kiss on her lips. And then her neck. And then her cheeks…


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