AN: I know it's after Christmas, but we've had a nasty storm that knocked out power and internet. If anyone who reads this is offended by my views of Christmas, keep in mind, this isn't to be taken too seriously.

"Yay, caroling!" Abby squealed with delight, "Are we gonna go around the neighborhood, door to door, you know, like the good old days?"

Ducky placed a hand on her shoulder, "No, I should think not. First of all, considering it's twenty degrees outside, none of us should be going out, much less those of us who are ill. Secondly, I think all of us would much rather stay inside and eat, drink and be merry and warm than sing for strangers."

Gibbs searched through his old file cabinets, finding his old copies of Christmas carols. He blew off the fine layer of dust. These hadn't been touched in over fifteen years, but taking them out again warmed a layer of his heart he didn't even know was cold. "Okay, everyone grab a copy."

"Ziva, since you've got a sore throat, would you like to accompany us?" Jen asked, indicating the piano in the corner.

She shrugged, "I could give it a try. However, I have never played Christmas carols before, so I will be learning as I go." as she sat down, adjusting the bench for her height, Tony took a seat beside her, "Tony, I did not know that you could play?"

"I can't really," he admitted, "But I can do this!" he repeatedly began to hit the same key to the rhythm of "Jingle Bells" before Ziva slapped his hand away, "Ow!"

"Just...behave?" she sighed with frustration.

"Yeah, good luck with that Ziva," McGee told her sincerely.

Ziva took a breath and gave it a shot. It wasn't perfect by any means, but neither was the singing. After a few verses of "Joy to the World", McGee was officially banned for life from caroling. Abby even taped his mouth shut, placing a bow over his sealed lips, and put a tag on him reading "Do not open until long after Christmas!"

About half-way through "Jingle Bells", Ziva stopped playing. "I am sorry, but I am confused. What does Batman have to do with Christmas? Is he one of the reindeer?"

"I'm sorry?" Ducky asked, completely lost.

"Batman. Tony keeps singing about Batman. Jingle bells, Batman smells, and a robin laid an egg. The batmobile lost a wheel and a joker got away, yes?" she looked at the others in confusion.

"It's a parody Ziva," Jen explained, "Tony thinks he's being funny." she Gibbs-slapped Tony on the back of the head.

"Hey, Santa's watching!" Tony protested.

"He already came, Tony!" Abby reminded him.

"He's still watching. He's always watching..."

"Dinner is served!" Ducky proudly announced. Forgoing the more traditional Christmas dinner, the group settled for a more laid back meal, lounging in the living room, watching the snow fall.

"This goose is good, Duck," Gibbs mumbled, his mouth stuffed with food.

"Thank you Jethro, but the recipe is actually one that Ziva gave to me," he handed Gibbs a napkin, shaking his head. "Manners are more of guidelines anyway I suppose..."

From the other room, a sneeze, a crash, then a shout echoed through the house, practically shaking the rafters. Everyone exchanged glances, put down their plates, and ran into the study to find out what all the commotion was about.

Abby sat brooding in the corner while McGee cleaned up the wooden tiles on the floor, his lips still taped shut. "We got it to like four feet! He sneezed while I was making a move, that doesn't count!"

"What is this?" Ziva picked up one of the tiles, "What is 'Jenga'?"

Tony helped McGee reset then pulled out the first tile, setting it on the top. "It's a game, Ziva. You know, something that people do for fun? You try to get it as high as you can, pulling out the little bricks until someone knocks it over." he looked over at McGee, pulling the tape and bow off of his lips, "I thought loser rests the game?"

"Heh, good luck with that." he looked over at Abby, still glaring daggers at him.

"I see." Ziva reached over, sliding one of the bricks out. The tower wobbled precariously, leaning off to the side. Everyone watched in amazement as the tower still stood, "Your turn, McGee."

Nervously eying the tower, McGee gulped loudly. He tried to look for a safe move, but when the tower was already slanted, but somehow still standing, there really wasn't one. "I'm screwed."

"Yep." Tony agreed. "Well, get it over with!"

Reluctantly, he pulled out a tile. Miraculously, it corrected the slant, and the tower still stood. "Ha!" he placed it on the top next to Ziva's tile, "Your turn, Tony!"

"Hm..." Tony began tapping each brick, trying to find a good loose one. After about ten minutes of this, Ziva threw her shoe at the tower, toppling it. "Hey!"

"I lose." she announced. "I do not care either, I just want to go eat."

The others followed Ziva back, where everyone else was still eating, talking, and laughing. "Well?" Jen asked, "Who won?"

"Ziva lost." Tony told her, "Threw her shoe at it."

"Might I ask why?" Ducky chuckled.

"No."

After their meal, everyone lay practically comatose on the couches. All feuding was forgotten and no one seemed to feel like doing much of anything. Ducky offered to go and slice up the pumpkin pie, but he had no takers. "Ugh, I'm not eating again until New Year's." McGee groaned.

"Yeah, good luck with that McMuffin-top." Tony teased. Ziva, who lay half-way on top of him hit him. Rather than slapping his head, she hit his stomach, knowing his cryptonite. "Ziva, you hit my gut again, and I'll puke on you."

"You would not dare." she challenged.

"Now, now." Ducky admonished gently, "It's Christmas. A time for peace on Earth, good will to all men."

"But I can kill him in ten minutes, yes?" she looked at the clock, ten minutes to midnight.

"I suppose..." Ducky shook his head, "My boy, if I were you I'd start running now."

"Eh, I'd rather die full and lazy than running from a crazy little ninja chick until I pass out and die." off Ziva's look, he explained, "I'm tired, okay? Hey, if Jesus is the 'king of the Jews' why don't you guys celebrate Christmas?"

Before Ziva could answer, Gibbs cut her off, "No! This is Christmas. We are not having a religious debate!"

"But, Christmas is about as P.C. as you can get!" Abby argued, "It's Christian theology and traditions, pagan customs, celebrating the birth of the king of the Jews and a Muslim prophet!"

"I...never thought of it that way." McGee said, taking it all in, "Merry Christmas everyone."

AN: Merry Christmas all! Finally, it's done!