Title: Dress You Up
Author: rekkidbraka
Rating: T
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.
Category: Romance
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.
Spoilers: None
Summary: Team DiNozzo goes trick-or-treating and McFlea confronts his biggest fear.

-------------------- Dress You Up ---------------------

"What a HAUL!" Tony said, his eyes wide as he peeped into Baby Sarah's trick-or-treat bag. "No yucky candy! Daddy LIKEY!" Sarah, dressed in a ninja outfit with tiger ears and a tiger tail, frowned at her father and took her bag back from him. "Daddy was just CHECKING to make sure the candy was all safe!" Ziva shook her head at Tony, rolling her eyes.

"Put BACK that Mr. Nutbar, Tony," she said nonchalantly. "YOU do not need any candy." Her eyes traveled down to Tony's little gut, which he quickly sucked in.

"McFlea and I ran five miles today!" Tony protested. McFlea, who wore a little red cape, looked up quizzically at his master. Tony stared back down at him. "Okay, fine. Three miles." Ziva continued looking at Tony. "Alright, alright... Two." Tony grimaced, knowing he'd been nailed. "We played in the park," he admitted. "McFlea chased squirrels. A couple of 'em ganged up on him and threw acorns at him. Did you know dogs can scream? I didn't. Before TODAY!" Tony snarled, frowning at McFlea, who hung his tongue out the side of his mouth and yawned. Baby Sarah patted Tony's chest, pointing to the next house with a jack-o-lantern glowing orange on its porch.

"Yeah, we're goin', Little Ninja Tiger," he said softly. "If a certain McCHICKEN can get over his fear of PUMPKINS! And CATS! And KIDS in COSTUMES! And, oh yeah, EVERYTHING!" McFlea whined, trembling at the sight of the grinning jack-o-lantern. "SuperDog, my furry BUTT!" Tony huffed. He and Baby Sarah strode off towards the house. "Tick-o-tee!" Sarah sang as they made their way up the street-lit sidewalk. Tony adjusted the cowboy hat he wore. Toy pistols hung on either side of his hips. His boots made a "CLONK! CLONK!" sound as he walked. What a punk of man, Ziva thought, admiring Tony's form as he moved down the street. She frowned. Or is it hunk? I forget which is correct.

Ziva, holding Tony The Tiger, who wore his red bowtie, under one arm and McFlea's leash in her other hand, started to follow them but found that McFlea wouldn't budge. She knelt down, petting his fuzzy black head.

"There is nothing to be afraid of, my little fuzzball," Ziva cooed, cuddling McFlea in her arms. "It is Halloween. They are not REAL ghosts or vampires." McFlea licked her cheek sweetly.

A pack of teenage boys strolled up to Ziva and McFlea. Loud and cocky, they wore black hoodies and hockey masks.

"Hey, lady," one said rudely to Ziva, "where's YOUR costume?" The others snickered. Ziva considered them, one by one. "Like, what're YOU supposed to be, huh?" The boy turned back to his friends, making a face.

"I am a highly-trained assassin," Ziva said, smiling primly, "trained in the art of taking down international terrorists by any means necessary. Sometimes I must kill them but now that I have become a mother, I find that I prefer less violence. It is quite an adjustment, I must admit." The boys stood gaping at her. "And you are?"

"What's THEIR problem?" Tony asked Ziva when he and Baby Sarah returned. He stared at the pack of boys running full-tilt down the street in the opposite direction. "Something scare them?" Tony grinned broadly, laughing. "They see a GHOST? Ha HAH!" Baby Sarah giggled.

"They wish," Ziva said, smirking. "Come on, Cowpunk," she joked, winking at Tony, "let's get this sleepy little Ninja Tiger home. Tony The Tiger is tired, too. And I think McFlea has had enough of Halloween."

"That dog's afraid of TUESDAY," Tony groused. "What a McWimp." He snorted, shaking his head in disappointment. McFlea sadly padded along behind Ziva, who scolded Tony for what he'd said about McFlea.

Just then, a black cat who'd been eyeing McFlea from far away skittered up to him, hissing right in his face. McFlea jumped back, surprised.

"Look at him, Ziva!" Tony said, frowning. "He's scared! Sheesh... C'mon, McFlea!" Tony reached down to pick up the puppy, but McFlea growled at him. Tony backed off, unsure of what to do.

The cat continued hissing at McFlea, its tail up in the air, claws out. McFlea stood his ground, facing the cat.

Suddenly, McFlea bared his little fangs and snarled, then barked as loud as he could. He sounded like a pack of dogs instead of just one small puppy. The cat screeched and tore off down the sidewalk as fast as it could go. McFlea stood barking, his ears pricked forward, the fur on his back standing up.

"DOGGY!" Sarah squeaked with joy, clapping her hands. McFlea looked up at her, wagging his tail and panting.

Tony and Ziva knelt down to pet their little protector, who jumped up to give Baby Sarah sloppy dog kisses. She laughed and kicked.

"Good BOY!" Tony said, giving McFlea a hug. "Who's Daddy's TOUGH guy, huh?" McFlea yapped happily. "I didn't really mean that about you bein' a McWimp, buddy," Tony said apologetically. "Daddy loves you." McFlea wagged his tail and licked Tony's cheek. "And Daddy loves YOU," Tony said to Baby Sarah, giving her a little peck on the nose, "and Daddy really loves YOU," Tony said huskily to Ziva, his lips meeting hers in a deep, sensuous kiss.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Ziva asked Tony, cocking her head to one side. Her dark brown eyes met his green eyes as they stood beneath the streetlight. Tony smiled at his wife. Nothing got by her.

"Oh, OK... Daddy loves you, TOO," Tony said, taking Tony The Tiger from Ziva so he could plant a smooch on his fuzzy orange forehead. Baby Sarah clapped with joy. Tony handed her the fuzzy stuffed toy, which she clutched to her, and, as Ziva took Tony's other arm, the family headed for home, McFlea trotting in front to guard against any black cats daring to cross their path.