Spoilers: None.
Summary: The building and breaking down of walls.
Author's Note: Okay, I meant to have this out like a month ago. Circumstances prevented me from updating like I wanted to (see author's note below), but it REALLY shouldn't be like this anymore. Fingers crossed. Anyway, read and review. I hope you like! Now… onward!
Forts
"No, no! Don't touch that; the whole thing will fall down!"
An exasperated sigh.
"Well, then, where would you like me to put it? Just standing here holding it will not solve anything."
"Look, just give it to me. I'm the professional, here."
An undignified snort.
Then a little voice piped up, "Can I do it?"
"But you don't –"
"You do realize this is for them, right? They can help if they would like to."
Two little voices exclaimed, "Yay!"
"Wow, creepy how they sound so much like their mother sometimes."
"I wonder if they will inherit her sense of fashion as well?"
"Whoa, there, buddy. Calm down. You have to place it there gently, or the whole thing will fall down."
"Sorry, Uncle Tony, I'll be more careful."
Another snort came from Ziva, followed by a giggle.
"What?"
"You are taking this much too seriously. It is just a pillow fort."
"Yeah, a really good pillow fort! It's taken us forty-five minutes just to get this far!"
"We would have been done more quickly if you were not such a perfectionist, Tony."
Tony looked over to his "niece" and "nephew" and smiled.
"It's not like this is for me, anyway. Of course it has to be perfect."
Ziva's face contorted into a look of mild disbelief and amusement.
"As soon as this is finished, you will be right in that fort along with them! Don't pretend this is no fun for you!" She finished with a laugh.
"Look, Uncle Tony, Aunt Ziva! It's done! Doesn't it look pretty?"
They looked over to the little girl who called for their attention, finding (thankfully) the fort still intact with a pink sheet draped over the top and her fluffy white kitten (dressed in a princess costume) sitting on top of that.
"Oh, it's very pretty, Lucy."
"I think it looks gross. It's not manly!"
"Todd! That was not nice! You need to apologize to your sister."
"But it's true!"
Tony grimaced. "While I agree that it's not very manly, I also agree you should apologize."
A bit of grumbling came from the small boy until he finally choked out an apology to his younger sister.
"So, the fort is done. Now what?"
"We play in it, Aunt Ziva! Duh!"
"How 'bout your Auntie and I go get you two some popcorn and some flashlights and we can tell ghost stories?"
"Yeah!"
As Tony and Ziva made their way to the kitchen Ziva whispered, "Tony, I don't know any of those stories!"
"You usually just make 'em up as you go along. I know I do. Why don't we tell them about the Chimera?"
"I would rather not. I don't think their parents would like us to, either."
A loud thud came from somewhere in the living room, followed by an angry cry.
"Look what you've done! You ruined it!"
"Apparently we didn't need to worry about ghost stories and popcorn; they found a different pastime."
"You're mean!" whack
"Hey! Don't hit me with that!"
That exclamation was punctuated by another whack and angry cry.
"Kids! Hey, guys! Don't fight. We don't need anyone getting injured here. Especially me if I have to explain to your parents what happened."
"Tony!" whack
"Ow! Hey! Et tu, Brute?"
"What?"
"Never mind. Hey, kids, really. You guys need to stop this. Or at least don't hit each other with the pillows so hard?"
Just as he closed his mouth, a throw pillow hit him square in the face.
"So glad these aren't filled with feathers," Tony grumbled.
"Oh, come on. Don't be such a daisy."
Tony didn't bother correcting her, and instead picked up a pillow of his own.
"You would not dare hit a lady."
"If I saw one here, no, I wouldn't."
Whack.
"You take that back, Uncle Tony! I'm a lady!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, Lucy. How could I forget?" he said as he picked her up off the carpet, "What do you say we get these guys? Pillows at the ready!"
He barely gave Ziva a chance to arm herself and Todd before the two started swinging.
"Take that, noodlehead!"
Ziva took Tony's momentary confusion as an opportunity to produce a retaliatory strike. There was total pandemonium in the room with pillows flying and giggles erupting when the front door opened. The four completely ignored the two figures in the doorway until a throat was cleared.
"I'm glad you offered to babysit at your place; this is not a mess I'd envy cleaning up."
Tony and Ziva stopped, looking around the room. Pillows and blankets were strewn about, and popcorn had been spilled everywhere, completely covering the living room floor.
"Aw, Mommy, is it time to go already?"
Abby picked up her daughter and smiled sympathetically. "Yeah, I'm afraid so. It's way past your bedtime, kiddo!"
"But I can stay up, right?" Todd asked his dad, chest puffed out.
"Nope. Past your bedtime, too!" McGee turned to Tony and Ziva, "Thanks for watching them; I know they can be a handful."
"You are quite welcome. They were no trouble at all."
"We'll see you guys at work tomorrow."
Tony and Ziva stood at the front door and watched them leave.
"I will help you clean up."
"Nah, leave it. Gives the place a lived-in look." Tony said as he surveyed the damage.
Ziva snorted none-too-delicately, then turned to look at him seriously.
"You ever think about having children, and what they'd be like?"
"Definitely not. McGee, Abs, Todd and Lucy are a nightmare as it is."
Whack.
"You are such a… noodlehead."
"Yeah, but you love it."
"H'mph."
Little did the aforementioned noodlehead know, she really did.
Author's Note: OKAY! I am so, so, so (to the millionth power) sorry! School started (taking 18 hours plus volunteering, etc) and I moved, so life has been a little crazy. D: But I'm back! Hopefully you guys are still here, willing to read, lol! Hopefully this one wasn't too disjointed; I wrote half of it weeks ago and just now found time to finish it. I'd appreciate any feedback you guys are willing to give. 'Til next time!