"Not everything has to have a reason, Ziva!"

"I did not say that it does but your explanation was less than satisfying."

"That's not my fault!"

"Of course, it is your fault!"

It wasn't like she could explain it or else she wouldn't have asked! It couldn't be that hard to explain, it was just a little plant! Also, it appeared everywhere so surely people would know why it did so?

Neither of them was willing to back down, both of them thinking the other was in the wrong. Which she certainly wasn't. With a huff and a stomp, both of them entered the bullpen. This was really not the way she had wanted to start her day but here they were.

"What's so difficult to understand that if you're under it with someone you can't move until you kiss each other?"

Ziva noticed that McGee gave them a wide-eyed look before standing up, muttering something about going to check with Abby about something. Mot that she blamed him. She too would escape this conversation if she could but she was pretty sure Tony would just follow her if she attempted that. That and she was not going to let him win. Of course not. Especially since he was wrong and she had yet to make him see that.

"There is nothing difficult about it," she answered.

Because there really wasn't anything difficult to understand there but that hadn't been her question.

Tony threw his hands up in exasperation. "Then what is your problem?"

"I don't have a problem!"

"Obviously you do!"

She did not have a problem. With Christmas or this tradition. All she wanted was an explanation. That was it. For some reason this blew Tony's mind.

"The tradition had to come from somewhere," she insisted.

"But it doesn't matter!"

"I just want to know."

Surely there was no harm in knowing? Especially about such a strange tradition in her opinion.

"The whole point of traditions is that we've forgotten why we do them," Tony said in a grumpy tone.

See, this is why it was better if she went to Ducky for her explanations of American Holidays. He didn't think she was stupid. Or make her feel stupid. Both of which Tony was doing right now.

She decided to not disagree with Tony on the concept of traditions because one argument was really all she could take right now.

"Anyway," Tony said loudly, "Mistletoe is amazing."

"Of course, you would think that a plant that demanded you kiss whoever is under it is amazing," she teased him with an eye roll."

"Well, yes, what's so bad about getting kissed?"

"What if people don't want to kiss you?"

He gave her a mock horrified look. "Who wouldn't want to kiss the Great Tony DiNozzo."

"Lots of people."

He gave her an injured look but she just smirked at him.

"But seriously," he continued. "It doesn't have to be a kiss kiss. You can just kiss someone on the cheek or something."

Ziva nodded her understanding, less sexual harassment involved there which was always good. And it meant that they were into going to have to attend another one of those seminars. Hopefully.

"Pretty sure Ducky kisses people on the back of the hand," Tony reminisced.

She could see Ducky do that.

"Well, he is a gentleman."

"And I'm not?"

She just gave him a pointed look.

"I can be gentlemanly," he claimed.

"Something I have yet to see."

"Well, you don't exactly inspire gentlemanly behaviours, Ziva."

"Excuse me?"

What was that supposed to mean? Tony raised his hands in an attempt to placate her.

"Just that you give off the impression of being able to take care of things yourself," he said quickly. "You don't need someone to swoop in and save the day or anything."

"Hmm," she gave him a suspicious look before deciding to just let it go.

That was rather a nice compliment he just gave her, even if it was covering up something else. He actually heaved a sigh of relief when he realised, she wasn't taking it any further.

"Is mistletoe even allowed in the office?" Ziva asked.

As much of a tradition as it was, she didn't think that it was really suitable for a government building.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "You really think anyone could stop Abby?"

Ah. Well, that made sense that the goth was behind something like this. Of course, she was. No one else would dare. Even Tony wouldn't despite his apparent love of the stuff.

"She actually got the real stuff," Tony continued. "Not sure where she managed to get the amount, she did but she managed it. There had to be at least three buckets of it in her lab the other day and I'm pretty sure they're empty now."

"Speaking of Abby," Ziva said, standing up. "I need to get some forensic reports."

"I'll come with you," Tony offered.

"You just don't want to do any work yet."

He didn't disagree.

"Maybe we can retrieve McGee," he said as they made their way over to the elevator.

Ziva was about to hit the button when Tony pulled her back.

"Ah, ah, ah," he scolded, actually wagging his finger at her before pointing upwards. "Mistletoe."

Ziva looked up and sure enough, there was the plant they had just been talking about.

"Huh," Ziva said, it wasn't as interesting looking as she thought it would be.

Then she tried to walk forwards before getting pulled back yet again.

"Hey!" she complained.

"You can't just walk away from mistletoe."

"Yes, I can."

"You can't. Not without a kiss."

"No thank you."

"Seriously, Ziva, do you understand Christmas at all?"

"I understand Christmas just fine, Tony!"

"Obviously, you don't!"

"You are making everything confusing."

"You're not trying to understand!"

What was there to understand? She did not want to be kissed. That was simple enough.

"I understand, I just don't want to participate."

"But it's tradition! Come on! Just on the cheek!"

Ziva rolled her eyes. Her partner really was relentless sometimes. But over a plant was a new one. She watched him without really listening as he ranted about this silly, little plant.

Maybe she was being a bit silly. A brief kiss, a peck really, and they'd be on their way. Not stuck under this like a couple of idiots. Or, rather, an idiot and an impatient person (she was not the idiot). And Tony would sulk over it...

So, she did what she had to do and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. It was bristly, she noted as she walked off.

She could feel Tony staring at her and she let herself smile.

"Wait, Ziva!"