Ziva slogged through paperwork, trying to keep her mind from thinking about the night before. She had told Tony that she had asked to become a citizen here in the States because she wanted to settle down, but she hadn't realized she needed the thrill so much. The excitement, the energy, the adrenaline rushing through her as she reacted and fought beside someone.

"Something bothering you, Ziva?"

She looked up sharply, startled, and gave Gibbs a small smile. "No, nothing. Just a rough night's sleep, nothing I cannot handle."

He looked at her silently, his eyes searching her face for what he sought. He didn't turn, but raised his voice just the slightest bit "What're you working on, Dinozzo?"

Tony jumped and tried to look like he hadn't been eavesdropping. "Uh... the case... Boss..."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Just clearing up the mess of papers, legal work... Stuff," he finished with an odd head roll/shake that said he had no idea what exactly he was saying.

The corner of Gibbs's mouth twitched and he winked at her before turning his face into a just-barely-angry look that was more than a little intimidating. "Just that? Take Ziva's work and make sure it's done by tomorrow. You," he said, nodding to Ziva, who watched with awe and secret glee, "go home. Go sleep. Just go out." He walked to his desk, signature coffee in hand, and sat.

"But, Boss, she only has like three pages left!" Tony looked indignant.

"...So?" Gibbs gave nothing away.

"Well, she...I mean it's..." he looked from her to Gibbs and back again. Then back at Gibbs. He held out his hand with narrowed eyes. Stifling the chuckle she knew was building in her chest, she handed the almost ten pages worth of legalities still undone and nodded to Gibbs with a smile before gathering her coat and purse as quickly as possible. She made it into the elevator, thankfully empty, before she started to laugh.

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Ziva tried to concentrate on the book she was reading, a secret romance novel she had picked up because it actually sounded wonderful. It was, really, it was very good, yet she couldn't focus on it. She had too much energy today to sit and do nothing.

Sighing heavily, she gave in to a childish temptation and tossed the book up into the air and heard it land with a satisfying plop behind her. She would chide herself later on being so cruel to an innocent book. Right now, she was going out.

To where, though?

She had no wish to go shopping, as Abby loved, no compulsion to see bad movies, and her computer seemed to only wish to start with a blue screen she was rapidly starting to hate. She'd have to have Tim take a look at it. He could fix it.

Now, how to fix her current problem? She didn't want a sweaty workout in the gym, although she did feel the need to have that energy going through her.

Ah! Her fast runs. Not her early morning jog, but a new, faster paced run she had mapped for herself. It cut through the woods along a narrow path and made her stay on her feet...no that was not right. Stay on her toes! That was it! It made her stay on her toes, because she had to watch out for roots that had been exposed. Although the trail was narrow and bow fairly dangerous, it was obvious that someone used it often enough to erode enough of the soil to wear away the earth.

Yes, this would do marvelously. And then, after that, she could finally sit and enjoy the new Sherrilyn Kenyon book!

Smiling broadly, she dressed in comfortable cutoffs that stopped at her knees and a tight tank, perfect for running because it didn't slow her down.

She parked and noticed several other cars, but paid no heed. Not many would be brave enough to risk breaking an ankle on her trail. Well, not hers, exactly, but she liked to think of it as so.

Within minutes of starting into the dense foliage she knew she'd made the right choice. The anticipation of the steep grade coming up just ahead, followed immediately by the sharp turn, was exactly what she needed right now!

Knowing her way well, she took flying steps that carried her down the slide, then caught a tree and flung herself around the corner.

She hit the hard body and sent them both tumbling, knocking the wind out of her and startling her out of her adrenaline-high enough that she moved reflexively, instantly rolling--or trying too. The arms that had caught her as the flew backwards were now locked around her body and pinned her arms to her side.

"Jesus, Ziva, you still pack a punch!"

Her head flew up, hard enough to nearly crack her skull against an equally hard jaw, and she swore harshly.

"I have no idea what you said, but I think I agree. Ow." Damon's arms let go and he helped her to stand, rubbing his jaw with his other hand. Since Ziva could find no other reaction except to either be embarrassed for nearly running him over - while swinging from a tree! - or give in and rub her own wound, which seemed to have cleaved her cranium like a rock pick, she gave in to the only reaction she could think of. Laughter.

Standing up straightly now and looking up at how his eyes danced with the same humor, she laughed and wiped off her clothes, which were now covered in dusty dirt.

"I am so sorry! I just-" she didn't know how to finish, and ended up just waving her arm at the tree and shaking her head, laughing harder.

Damon grinned. "Don't be. It's not every day someone kicks me off my feet. I'll tell you what, I saw you coming down that slope and I nearly tripped myself. I thought for sure it was impossible to go down that- " he pointed to the trail, which, now that she saw it from this angle, looked very intimidating, indeed, "at that kind of speed." He glanced at his watch. "Why are you out here, anyway? Don't you honest people have work?"

It was her turn to grin. "Gibbs sent me out, after giving Tony my entire folder of work to do."

He laughed. "Oh, I bet he loved that."

"Not as much as he would most likely like to kill me right now." They both laughed at that. Somehow they were strangely at ease, given the odd way of meeting.

A harsh sound to her left caught her attention, he same time it did his. They both jumped back silently and hid, Damon behind a very large tree, completely hidden, while Ziva jumped to a low-hanging pine tree and climbed upwards to a safe distance. She could see Damon and whoever was crashing towards the trail. She saw two large men break through the treeline, looking around before leaning against trees. She held her breath-one was leaning on the opposite side of the very one Damon was using as cover! And while the timber was massive, it was only a matter of feet if the man chose to look around it.