Oh. My. God. My head is still pounding and my arm is still throbbing but at least it warm and dry…warm and dry? I'm…I'm in a hospital? I'm actually alive? How the fuck am I gonna explain this? I try to sit up but I still feel a little woozy so I lie back down.
"Bethany?" Ahh! Too loud, my head. The sound ripples through my head.
I open my eyes and see the face of my father. We look at each other for a while before we fly into each others arms. He's squeezing me so tight the pain is becoming unbearable but it's worth it to be in the arms of my father.
"I thought you were dead!" he says sobbing. I close my eyes because I can't bear to see him crying anymore.
"So did I" I whisper. Suddenly I realise what I said I was going to do.
"I'm sorry" I begin. He looks at me in confusion.
"What for? If anyone's apologising it should be me!" he says but I give him no room to argue with me.
"I've been a nightmare with my behaviour and everything, I just needed to tell you I'm sorry and I don't hate you, I didn't mean all the horrible things I told Ziva" I said, crying…where's all this emotion coming from. He wipes my tears with his thumbs.
"I've been the worst father, after your mother died, I wasn't there for you, I tried to act as if you weren't there because I thought it would make it easier for me. It didn't and I've been such a fool. You're my daughter Bethany and I love you. You've grown up to be a beautiful young women and I've had my head buried in the sand for most of that which I regret every minute of" He finishes. Suddenly, the last 8 years seem to dissolve and I don't want to hold any of it against him.
I just want to start again.
***
I'm am going bazzurk! Having my arm in plaster is bad enough but I am so totally bored out of my mind. The whole abduction thing hasn't been spoken of since I left hospital and I think I can say that things are returning to normal, slowly but surely. Jeanne and her father slipped out of the traces of the FBI. They had insisted that the case had to be taken out of the hands of NCIS. Gibbs was fuming that they had let them slip away.
You know when you can tell that someone is different but you can't figure out what it is about them? Well, that's all I can say regards to my father. It's almost like he's trying to everything to make me happy but he's trying too hard and it's freaking me out a little.
I wake up this morning and I hear the most unusual thing I wonder if I'm dreaming. I climb out of bed with difficulty and this chunky sling on my arm is nothing but a nusence. I'm amazed to see my father, sitting at the piano playing some smooth jazz. I creep into the lounge, trying not to disturb him but he hears me and stops. He looks up waiting for me to say something.
"You never told me you could play!" I say trying to remember if I've ever heard him play before, I heard him play bass guitar but never the piano.
"I can" he says getting up. "But I chose to stop" he says, I don't need to ask him why.
"How's your arm?" he asks changing the subject and I let him.
"It's fine. Abby keeps asking me if she can sign my cast" I say, he laughs. He's doing that more and more. Things are changing for the better so quickly I sometimes think that I've woken up in a parallel universe.
"What did you say?" he asks.
"I said…that maybe you would take me down there today so I could say hi to everyone" I say trying to persuade him to let me out the house. Seeing as I still don't have a car (damn insurance) and, even if I did have a car I wouldn't be able to drive it.
"Are you sure you're up to it?" he says. I'm bouncing off the bloody walls, I need to go out! I nod.
"Fine, but Ziva's picking me up" he says. I frown, not in a bad way, in an intriuged way. She picked him up yesterday, and the day before that. If something's going on I think I should know about it. I don't question him now. I'm merely going to wait till the car jouney and observe.
There is a knock at the door. That must be her. I rush to answer it.
"Hey, Ziva!" I say, I think it sounded strangely exited. She looks as pretty as ever. She smiles as soon as I open the door.
"Hey, Bethany. How's the arm?" she asks.
"Fractured…in two places" I say.
"I know that, I meant, how are you?" she asks. I shrug.
"I'm fine." I say. I'm sorry but the whole incident has not turned me into a nervous wreck. Maybe it should have, but in a way, those people turned my life around. If I hadn't have been abducted, things would have just carried on as they were.
"I've got some news, Tobias Fornell caught Jeanne and her father trying to board a flight to Paris at the JFK Airport in New York," she said, I smile to myself.
My father puts down his coffee mug and strides over to her, a would-be grin on his face and if I hadn't been there he'd have probably hugged her.
"Bethany's gonna pop into the office for a little while to say hi to the guys, is it ok if she comes with us?" he asks. Ziva nods her head.
"Sure" she says.
The journey is silent. I was expecting more action than this. I know Ziva's a fast driver but she seems to drive more cautiously around me, especially with my arm. I manage to get out of the car un-aided but my father helps me slip on a coat because it's starting to rain.
"Bethy D, long time no see" Gibbs sing songs his riddle as he sees us enter the squad room. His uncharacteristic antics attract the attention of McGee and Abby who also come out to say hi. Ziva and my father manage to disappear during this.
"Can I sign your cast?" McGee asks, like a kid in a candy shop.
"Sure, if you find a pen" I say, he digs deep into his coat pocket. He finds one and I lift my arm out of the sling so he can write on it.
"Please don't write anything rude on it, I have a hospital appointment tomorrow" I say sternly.
"Sure thing, m'lady" he says concentrating hard. Abby pats me on the other shoulder.
"So, how's things?" she asks me.
"Fine, things are good, I'm going back to school next week" I say.
"When can you start playing again?" Jenny asks, suddenly appearing from her office. Come to think of it, I don't actually know. I know she still blames herself for what happened but I don't. People are not understanding that the abduction actually changed my life for the better. Come to think of it, I don't actually know.
"I'm not sure, I'll ask tomorrow" I say looking around to see where my father went. What is going on here? Gibbs brings me out of my trance. He takes the pen from McGee and starts writing on my cast too.
"So, what's the deal between Ziva and your dad?" he asks coyly. I know how he feels about rule 12.
"You guys need to get some new stories" I say pushing him away lightly, he's finished writing on my cast. I lift it up to inspect it.
Hey, Bethy D! Thanx 4 letting me write on ur cast! Gibbs x Very original Gibbs, I think. Though it's something I'd expect from Abby, not him.
"Come on? Surely you'd know. They've been getting rides to work with each other. Tell us the office romance of the year is gonna happen" Abby pleads. I shake my head. I know my father and Ziva, both as stubborn as each other. I don't want to get the guys hopes up, nor mine.
"I'm not really sure, you know I would tell you, honestly…" I say slowly "I've got my suspicions" I say smiling, the team smiles back.
As if on cue, my father comes round the corner. We didn't mean to make it so obvious we'd been talking about him but we did.
"What?" he says observing our grins.
"Nothing" I say, trying to think of an excuse.
"I was just saying that…" I say, god I need to think of something quick.
"Ziva gave us a lift today" that was pretty good I thought, it wasn't a lie, I was telling the truth, sort of. He raises his eye brows, the way he does when he knows people are keeping secrets from him. If anyone's keeping secrets from anyone around here…it's him. I do get my sneaky jean from Anthony DiNozzo.
When I look around the rest of the team has dispersed. Great, leaving me to handle him.
"Where's Ziva?" I ask. He suddenly takes me by my non-plastered arm into a corner and whispers.
"I was thinking about inviting Ziva over for dinner tonight, you know, you ay thankyou for everything she's done with your accident, you know" he's stumbling, and it's the cutest thing ever imaginable. He's using me as an excuse to invite her over for dinner but really he just wants to spend more time with her.
"Sure, you've got my blessing" I say skipping off before he can question what I've said.
My cell phone vibrates in my pocket, it's Dan, my stomch flip flops.
"Hey!" I say, trying to sound casual.
"Hey" comes his reply, "How are you?" he asks.
"Fine, I'm fine" I say.
"Look, I know you can't do any playing but there's a fab jazz pianist playing at the jazz club tonight, if you're up to it maybe we could go. I got given two tickets and I don't wanna go by myself, I immediately thought of you" he says. My heart melts. I can't say no. Maybe dad can have Ziva all to himself after all.
"Sure, that would be great!" I say,
"I'll pick you up a 7. Is that ok?" he asks. I nod, realising I'm on a phone.
"Yes, great. See you then!" I say snapping my cell phone shut. 7pm? It's 10:30am, I've only got 8 and a half hours to get ready! I rush home, there's so much to be done!
I briefly step into the squad room.
"Erm, change of plans, I'm going to the Jazz club with Dan tonight, so it will just be you and Ziva, is that ok?" I ask, he certainly doesn't look dissapointed. He gets what he wants, I get what I want, we're both happy. I wait for the realisation to cut across his face. With the worry and realisation that his postion as most important man in my life is under threat.
"Who's Dan?"
"Oh, he's just some guy I know" I say trying to wind him up…it's seriously working.
"Some guy? How old is he? How long have you known him? What's his surname?" Ha, as if he think's I would tell him that! I know exactly what he'd do.
"He goes to my school, he's in my choir, he's 3 months older than me I've known him since I joined the choir and I'm not telling you his surname because you'll only put his name throught the data base-I'm not stupid. I'm not a baby dad, I know what I'm doing, ok?" I lecture him. He backs down, knowing that I'm not gonna change my mind.
"Where are you going now?" he asks,
"To buy a new outfit" I say.
"With one arm?" he asks. That never stops a woman from doing what they do best…he has so much to learn.
"It is possible to shop with one arm…I'll see you later, what time will you be home?" I ask.
He looks at his watch, as if that's gonna give him the answer!
"About 5.30" I can't answer, he's NEVER home before 9 o clock.
"Wow, you've got your heart set on this!" I say, very impressed. He looks mock hurt.
"I just want to show Ziva how much I…" he was gonna say, I know he was, "care" he finishes. So close! Well, he's got himself over the first hurdle so that's a start…and to think I thought I might have to help him!
I smile, noticing him blush, it's the most sweetest thing I've ever seen him do…under all that agent-ness and detectivenss-ness. He's the biggest softie anyone could ever imagine.
"I'll see you later" I say, heading out of the lab.
Dead on 5:30, he walks in the door. I'm in my room trying to curl my hair when I hear the door open, curling hair with one arm is impossible to I give up and just leave it as it is, giving it a quick brush. I slip into my silk turqouise dress that I bought earlier. It comes just above the knee and has thin straps. I also bought some matching turqouise satin sandels.
"Hey!" I hear him say.
"How do I look?" I say, I think I scrub up quiet well, having done it all one handed. It's just a shame the ugly cast ruins it all.
"You look gorgeous"
"What time is Ziva coming over?" I ask.
"6:30" he says putting down his keys.
"You've got an hour to get ready" I tell him, the flustered look on his face tells me he knows this.
"I know, I'm just gonna get changed then I'll put the dinner on" he says rushing off to his bedroom.
"What are you having?" I call into his room.
"Lasagne…do you think it will be alright?" he asks. Aww, he's nervous!
"Sounds nice, what else are you gonna do?" I ask completely innocent.
"Bethany!" he says sternly.
"Alright, alright!" I say laughing.
"Be home by 10:30" he says, my jaw drops. He's got to be joking.
"11.30" I argue.
"11" He says back, emerging from the room with a clean shirt and tie on. Nah, the tie won't do, he's always wearing a tie.
"Done" I say. "Take the tie off, you look better without it" I say reaching for it and giving it a tug, I can't take it off myself but he gets the hint.
6:30 on the dot and she's here, and he's more flustered than ever, I would offer to help him but I can't, I answer the door for him instead.
"Hey" I say…she looks stunning. I let her him and watch for my father's reaction. I need a camera, the look is pricless.
My father can't seem to speak and an awquard silence falls. This can't do.
"If you want, you can watch a movie…he has plenty of them!" I pipe up. My father wonders over to the DVD rack.
"What do you fancy?" he asks, she turns to me.
"What do you recommend?" she asks, I think for a second.
"Stigmata is a good film" I say.
"Is it scary?" she asks me. I laugh, shaking my head.
"Nah" I say. My father snorts.
"Don't ask her that. She doesn't find any horror film scary" he says.
"The only thing I find scary is you're cooking!" I laugh, hearing the smoke alarm go off as the poor meal ends before it even begins. He races over to the oven and pulls out the charcole dish. I've never seen his face so red.
"Ziva? Do you fancy a take out instead?"
My father is a hopeless romantic.
***
Thank the lord that Dan turns up early and I make my exit. Hopefully if I leave them to there own devices they'll be able to work it out somehow. Our car journey is full of conversation and laughing. Unlike the other car journeys I've done with Ziva and my father.
"I didn't know your dad was a Special Agent until what happened" he says looking at my cast sheepishly before focusing back on the wheel.
"Really? He likes to make himself known" I laugh.
"You're arm though, does it hurt?" he asks.
"Nope, not really" I say flicking it to make my point. The hardness of the cast hurts my fingers though. I try not to show this, I'm bound to embarress myself more before the evening's out.
"I'm glad, when they said they couldn't find you…" he trails off.
"I'm fine, my friends are the toughest agents in DC. I'm covered!" I say cheerfully, this cheers him up as we talk about things of more uplifting content.
The jazz club we're going to, I've been there before. Dad played his bass guitar there once and it's quite a nice place.
The show is great, the music is good and the drinks are cheap. I make a mental note to get dad to bring Ziva here one night. At the end, everyone files out leaving chairs askue and empty glasses everywhere.
"What shall we do now?" I ask, he looks around to the grand piano on the stage. I get what he's meaning.
"Are you trying to wind me up?" I say jokingly. He laughs.
"Come on, you can just use your right arm, I'll play bass chords and you, you can improvise" he smiles, and it ha an odd effect on me. Is this how my dad makes Ziva feel?
"Oh, fine…name your key?" I say. He laughs and helps me up onto the platform. The stool is big enough for both of us to sit on and he sits at the bottom end and I sit at the top.
"A flat major" he says.
"Done" I say watching him strike the first few chords. I recognise the bass line. It's the one I always use to do blues improvisation. I always start off badly but I get better, more daring and adventurous.
We play for quite a long time and we stop when we hear a 'ahem' coming from below the stage, out in the audience. I can only assume he's the manager or something. We look at him, like deer caught in the head lights.
"No, don't stop" he says. My heart starts beating at a regular rhythem.
"We're sorry, we were just…" Dan leaps to my defence.
"No, it's ok…I thought it was great. You do a lot of improv, Honey?" he asks me. I nod, this man just smiles at me even more.
"What happened to your arm?" he says observing the cast sitting in my lap.
"I broke it" I say dumbly. I broke it? What sort of answer is that, Bethany you plank.
I hear Dan laugh a little.
"You should hear her play both hands" he says, with a hint of…pride.
"When will you get your cast of little lady?" the man asks again with a New York accent.
"Tomorrow" I say. His face lights up.
"When can you start playing again…because, we've got a slot coming up on Wednesday evenings from 7 until 11, $100 a night, you up for it when you're feeling better?" he asks, I look at Dan in shock. He gives me an encouraging nod.
"Yeah, sure, thanks" I say. I can't believe this I go on a date and come back with a job? Only I could do that.
"I'll get you a contract form you can fill in and send it back to me ASAP. Ok?" he says rushing off into the back of the club.
"Can you believe that?" I say, I'm really excited now.
"Does this mean I can come and listen to you for free?" he asks laughing.
"I'm sure we can work something out" I say nudging him in the ribs. The man comes back again with somepapers.
"There you go, Honey" he says handing me the paper.
"My name's Joe Fanning, by the way" he says hinting to know my name.
"Bethany DiNozzo" I say extending my free hand to shake.
We say goodbye and leave. The car journey is just as energetic as it was on the way over. I wonder how dad's date went….
Soon after Bethany left, Tony ordered a chinese and sat with Ziva on the couch, each with a glass of wine in hand.
"So, you decided on the movie yet?" he asks. She puts down her glass and wonders over to the wrack. It appears that Bethany's choice has been forgotten.
"Mamma Mia?" she says smiling.
"That's Bethany's. It's in her wrack" he replies sipping at his wine.
"You keep your DVD's separate?" she asks.
"We went through a phase of competing against each other to see who had the most DVD's. Her collection is on that side of the TV, and mine on the other" he says pointing to each side of the TV.
"Well, Mamma Mia is in your rack, Tony" she says laughing.
"We can watch it if you like. I haven't seen it before" he says. Ziva raises her eye brows.
"It's not the sort of film I'd have expected you to have seen" she says. He gets up and puts the DVD in the player. When it comes on sound echoes everywhere.
"Christ Tony, do you really have a home cinema system?" she says.
"Bethany won it in some composition competition, god, try saying that when your drunk. She was 15 at the time, she could have had vouchers for a music store but no, she chose this instead" he says proudly as if he was glad she chose the cinema system instead.
"Your daughter is the most talented, bright, funny, intelligent girl I've ever met" Ziva says. "Her friends are very lucky" she finishes.
"I'm lucky" Tony replies looking at the screen as the intro begins.
"I haven't been a very good father since Claire died but she hung in there and now, things are starting to get better. But neither of us would have been able to do that without you Ziva" he says, he doesn't think he's ever been this serious about anything before.
"It's ok. We're partners, that's what we do, look after each other" she says. Relaxing back into the sofa.
"yeah, but I wasn't there for you. I was too wrapped up in my own little world. I wasn't there when you needed me the most" he says, guilt washing over him.
"You just being there, around me everyday, was enough" she says, "that's all I needed" she says.
"Ziva I know we've known each other for a long time, we've been through a lot together and I…" they are disturbed by a knock at the door.
Their little conversation is buried for the time being as they eat their meal, talking about work and Bethany and Gibbs and Jenny. They turn back to watch the film and after about an hour of watching. Tony turns to her, realising she has fallen asleep on him, her head resting on his chest.
"Oh, Ziva" he says before falling asleep himself.