Chapter 8 - Delusions and Deflections
Ziva, Ducky and Jimmy stood outside interrogation, engaged in casual and playful banter. Their words were obscured from a distance, by casual laughter and feminine giggling from Ziva. Ducky stood gazing at Ziva in the paternal way he had with her and the others, and Jimmy grinned at her warmly with his familiar bright smile and sparkling green eyes.
Mrs. Younger glared in their direction, suddenly noticing the trio and their playful interactions.
Tony barely made out what she said when she muttered, "Franky. You bastard." He was caught totally off guard when she suddenly broke free from his gentle but clearly not quite firm enough grip on her arm, lunging towards Ziva.
"You shameful little whore!" the old woman screamed, just as Ziva had finished smiling playfully up at Jimmy and chucking him under the chin. Ducky had his hand on her back, giving it a friendly pat as he was about to turn to leave and return to business as usual in autopsy.
"First my husband, and now my son too, at the same time, no less! Tramp! Joseph RyanYounger, you should be ashamed of yourself!" she screamed at Jimmy.
The three shocked NCIS personnel barely managed to dodge out of the way of the charging elderly woman, as she came at Ziva swinging.
Tony drew his weapon instinctively, even as his second thoughts told him that this was an elderly woman and definitely was overkill. And anyway, if ever he'd known a woman who could defend herself, it was Ziva David.
Ducky managed to dodge out of the way while Jimmy made a protective lunge in Ziva's direction, catching Mrs. Younger by the arm. Ziva muffled a scream of surprise as her instincts took over and she quickly and easily deflected her attempted blows, while giving Tony enough time to arrive at their side.
"I'm sorry Ma'am, but I'm afraid that little display will necessitate my using the pretty silver bracelets on you," Tony said, as Jimmy and Ziva struggled briefly to secure their grip on the old woman. "Ziva, are you okay?" he asked, concerned.
Ziva straightened her outfit, shook her head slightly to set her hair to rights again, and nodded. "Of course Tony. I'm fine."
"Jimmy, what about you?" Tony asked, as he clicked the handcuffs closed around Mrs. Younger's wrists.
Jimmy took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm okay, Tony. No harm, no foul. I'm stronger than I look."
Ducky chuckled at this, knowing from watching his young assistant move bodies around in autopsy, that he wasn't just whistling Dixie with that statement. His blue eyes sparkled slightly as he gave Jimmy a subtle visual once-over, just to make sure that he really was okay – and not just whistling Dixie about that, either.
"This way, Ma'am," Tony said, his voice sounding tight. "I'll talk to you guys when I get back," he said over his shoulder as he and his elderly charge vanished around the corner.