Ziva was trying to be patient, she really was. It was just not in her nature to be still whenever she was not trying to track someone or sneak up on them. It was hard for her when she was not in either of those situations. But she was going to have to be because she had very little choice in the matter. No choice, actually.
"You know, my dear, I feel like jumping off a bridge into cold water in October was a rather bad idea on your part," Ducky scolded her.
"Ith not lah ah hab ah toice," Ziva said, trying to talk around the thermometer in her mouth.
Annoyed, she tried to take it out only for Ducky to stop her and push it right back in. The admonishing look he gave her was more than enough to make her keep her hands away.
She could, however, sigh in annoyance and impatience at this whole rigmarole. This was completely unnecessary, everyone was being dramatic. She was fine. Ducky was also not very pleased with her doing that either.
She was out of her damp clothes, like Ducky had insisted - she would have done so anyway, who liked sitting around in wet clothes? Not her. They were in a sad pile in the corner of the morgue. How she was supposed to get them dry when the work day, she wasn't sure. There were also an inordinate amount of towels surrounding her which she had been bundled up in at Ducky's insistence, after showering and vigorously drying herself, of course. Her hair was evidence to how vigorously she had done so, she could feel it getting puffy. Fantastic. Because she didn't have any other problems to deal with.
There was also half a cup of tea that Ducky had forced intoher hands in an effort to warm her up from the inside. In fact, this was her second cup because she had still been shivering after the first. At least Ducky made a fantastic cup of tea. The rest of which she was unable to enjoy because of this thermometer in her mouth!
She was pretty sure that he had left the thermometer in her mouth for longer than was necessary but she was in no position to argue. Nor did she want to because Ducky was known for informing Gibbs that they needed longer to recover or rest if they gave him too much trouble and she definitely did not want that.
"Okay, now you may speak," he said, finally taking the thermometer from her and inspecting the results. "Hmm."
"I did not plan to jump from the bridge, Ducky."
He gave her a disapproving look.
"If reports are to be believed, you jumped off it to cut off a suspect."
She squirmed on her perch on the autopsy slab. Why did Ducky always manage to make her feel like a misbehaving child?
"Well-"
"Ziva."
"Yes," she admitted. "But I did not intend for it to happen. It is not my fault that our suspect turned around and tried to run across the river."
"But you decided to go in after him."
"Of course," she replied, not seeing his point. "I had to catch him."
For some reason this made Ducky pause and take a deep breath. He then briefly pinched the bridge of his nose before returning his attention to her.
"Did you manage to do that."
Now that was something Ziva could smile about. She nodded.
"Yes, I caught him," she said proudly. "Even though I was water logged."
"Should I be expecting him as a patient next then?"
She shook her head.
"He just ran through it, getting his feet and up to his knees wet. I -"
"Dived in without any thought to your health," Ducky finished sternly.
"I had to catch him."
"By running through a river. A freezing cold river, at that."
"Yes?"
It was the correct answer but Ducky did not seem to think that. Yes, she had to run through a river to catch their suspect. Yes, the river was cold because it was October. Everything was cold in October. The river was no exception.
He tutted at her disapprovingly and she squirmed again.
"I am okay," she tried.
Because she was. A bit damp and cold but she okay.
"I will be the judge of that," he said sternly.
She huffed but allowed him to bustle around her again, checking who knows what. Surely she should be trusted to know her own body? She attempted to point this out but all that got her was yet another disapproving look from Ducky and head shaking.
"You, Jethro and Anthony really will be the death of me, one of these days."
"I am not as bad as Gibbs," she said, offended.
"Ziva, my dear girl, you and Jethro are cut from the exact same cloth."
Was that an insult or a compliment? Gibbs wasn't exactly known for looking after himself. She looked after herself better than him! Most of the time.
"I did not do it on purpose," she reiterated instead.
Ducky sighed. "You three never do." He shook his head and then gave her a stern look. "I want you down here at the end of the day to check your temperature again and make sure you keep yourself hydrated and warm."
She nodded obediently. It was the only thing she really could do right now.
"Am I free to go?" She asked hopefully.
As much as she loved Ducky she did not like to be poked and prodded at.
"Please try to refrain from making yourself ill, Ziva," he told her.
She nodded vigorously. She certainly did not want to be ill. She hated it. And it was best just to agree with Ducky when he was in this sort of mood. He was the one who had the ability to bench her for medical reasons, after all. Something she definitely did not want.
"I will."
"And no more rivers, if you please. At least until the weather warms. Summer, preferably."
"I promise, Ducky."
He hummed at her but did not look like he believed her, for some reason.
