Chapter Eight
Standing in the middle of the practice floor in his gi, Tony listened to the room, the creaks on the floor, a disturbance in the air, even the breathing of those who were readying to attack him. Buck, Ziva and Gibbs watched in a corner, as three of Buck's sighted students prepared to attack Tony. Tony held in his right hand the fiberglass cane that Buck gave him. After five weeks of training it was now more than a blind man's cane but a weapon.
He listened as the attacker behind him finally made his move. Tony dropped to one knee and turned and swiped the cane taking the man's legs out then he stood swung the cane catching the next attacker lightly on the head and the man stopped. The third man got up behind Tony. He knew he was there and about to pounce, so Tony did a forward roll making him miss then came and blocked his next attack with his cane. With the palm of his hand he struck out and hit the third attacker in the chest knocking him down.
Buck, who listened to the whole thing, asked Gibbs: "He get all three?"
"Yup. All three," he answered.
Buck started to applaud and Gibbs and Ziva joined in with him. Tony stood up and received the congratulations of the three attackers then Buck, Ziva, and Gibbs joined them.
"DiNozzo, I'm impressed," Gibbs said.
"I am not the only ninja in our apartment now," Ziva added.
"I want you to continue as my student, Tony, just not eight hours a day," said Buck.
"Of course, sensei," said Tony.
"What have I told you with that sensei shit, DiNozzo?" growled Buck. "I'm a damned marine. Call me Buck."
"Come on, Buck, I'm still waiting for you to do wax on and wax off," smiled Tony.
"Was he always such a pain in the ass?" asked Buck to Gibbs.
"Always," said Gibbs.
"Will you be coming to Thanksgiving dinner, Buck?" asked Ziva.
"Sorry, family obligations," he said.
"Buck has dinner here with his students and teachers who have nowhere to go," said Tony.
"It's a good time," he said.
"Gibbs is coming, right, boss?" said Tony.
Ziva moved over to him and put her arm around his waist and drew close to Tony's body.
"I'll be there with Ducky," he smiled.
"And Abby," Tony added. "She decided not to go to New Orleans. She called me this morning to tell me."
"I'll talk to her about that," said Gibbs. "We can all take one car."
"Come on, Ahuvi, I have to start cooking for tomorrow," Ziva and pulled him towards the showers and dressing rooms.
Ziva pulled Tony along towards the dressing rooms.
"Well, they sound like a cute couple," said Buck.
"They've been through more than most couples. Did I ever tell you how we had to pull her out of a terrorist hellhole which her father sent her to?" asked Gibbs.
"Sounds like a tale to tell," said Buck.
"DiNozzo was the heart and soul behind the op," he said. "Someday over bourbon I'll tell you the story."
NCIS
When Tony woke in the morning smelling a fusion of odors from Ziva's cooking. If he tried he could discern the apple pie from the turkey and hint of the dressing with maple and sausage and cranberries. He grabbed the wrist watch that the Vance's gave him and checked the time.
"9:02 Am," the watch sounded off.
He smiled. Besides learning from Buck, he had been taking classes in braille, yet he preferred this watch over a braille one and preferred a laptop which responded to voice commands and talked back to him. He didn't mind braille, it just reminded him of the fact he was blind and he didn't need to be reminded.
Getting out of bed he walked with a cane to the bathroom and ran a shower. After he shaved with an electric razor, a concession he made because he kept cutting his face with his old razor, and brushed his teeth, he got in the shower and allowed the warm water to loosen his lower back muscles. Once that was done it was time to towel off then back into the bedroom to dress.
To make his life easier his wardrobe had been simplified. Dress shirts were now either white, blue, or black; his pants were black jeans, blue jeans, and chinos; and his suits were down to black suits, grey and a summer tan suit. He grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt, it turned out to be blue jeans and a black shirt, and then slipped on loafers. Once he was dressed he joined Ziva. He found his way into the kitchen with a cane, since he now had the layout of the apartment down pat.
"Morning, beautiful," he said.
Ziva who was in Capri pants, a blue shirt and an apron with her pulled back mumbled a greeting as she peeled potatoes.
"I'd help you, sweet cheeks, but I'd probably lose a finger peeling potatoes," he said.
"I am always amazed how much food must be made in America for holidays. I am making smashed potatoes…," she said.
"Mashed potatoes," he corrected her.
"No, smashed," she said. "That is what the recipe calls them. They have garlic, milk, and cheese. Then there are sweet potatoes. Plus a dressing, green beans, creamed baby onions, a turkey, and rolls. And for dessert I made an apple pie and a pecan pie. It is too much."
"That's why people end up eating seconds and bring home food. Trust me you are making the perfect amount," Tony assured her.
With those words she turned from her preparations and gave him a kiss.
"I love you," she said.
"And I love you more and more every day," he replied.
"Go and listen to music or play the piano for me," she said.
"What do you want me to play for you?" he asked.
"Something for the holiday," she said.
With the use of muscle memory and memory, he went to the piano stool sat down, lifted the lid and started to tickle the ivories.
"What are you playing?" she called to him.
"I'm starting with a little jazz," he said as he played a jazz version Every Move She Makes.
"Abby is going to be here soon. She convinced Gibbs to let her take her own car. She told me she wanted to stay over in our guest bedroom if that is alright. I said yes," Ziva told him as she entered the room.
"Abby is always welcomed. She can help you in the kitchen," he said.
"She is a guest. I can handle the kitchen," Ziva said.
"Yes, my love," he continued to play but now he switched to Baby, It's Cold Outside.
He had not playing this much piano since his early days with Wendy. She loved his playing and encouraged it, as well as encouraged his romantic tendencies. When she left him the night before their wedding, he left piano playing and being a romantic behind. He became a player, a man in search of the perfect one night stand that occasionally turned into something more. But he killed that more when it got too serious until Jeanne.
His falling in love with Jeanne made sense now in hindsight. He wasn't himself. He was Tony DiNardo not Tony DiNozzo. DiNardo could be romantic and fall in love. DiNozzo was leading a woman along for the sake of some misbegotten op.
Someone buzzed their apartment. Ziva hustled out of the kitchen.
"I have it," she said.
She buzzed their guests in. It was Abby. Tony continued to play, as he heard Abby excitedly hug Ziva. For a moment he was wistful. He wondered how Abby dressed. Was the sexy Goth Catholic school girl, a favorite look of his, or had she chosen something more appropriate to the holiday? He could ask her to describe what she was wearing, but that seemed like a sad reminder to him that he was blind.
"Hey, Abs," he called from the piano.
He felt her warm, strong hug from behind him as he played.
"Tony, I am amazed how well you play the piano. Why didn't you share this before?" she asked.
"Because I had put it in my past. It was a different me who played the piano, but now that old me has a reason to make a comeback," he said.
"And what was that old you like?" she asked.
"A hopeless romantic," he said.
"Oh, Tony, you've always been that," she said then whispered in his ear. "Only a hopeless romantic goes to Somalia then steps aside and lets her find love with someone else."
"And a fool," he added.
"Yeah, and a fool," she said.
"Abby," Ziva interrupted them, "can I get you some coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or a Red Bull?"
"I'll have a hot chocolate. I'll save the Red Bull for later when I start getting caffeine craving headaches," she said. "When will Ducky and Giblet be here?"
"Soon. I told them to come early and be prepared to stay as long as they wish," Ziva said.
"In Gibbs case that means ten minutes top," said Tony.
"Gibb loves you two," Abby defended him.
"I know, Abs. He just doesn't like too much company. I've stayed at his place for extended period of times in the past when I've been recovering from concussion. He actually made me miss the hospital a couple of times and you know how much I like hospitals," Tony said.
The buzzer interrupted them. Ziva let Gibbs and Ducky in. Tony heard Ducky and Gibbs enter the apartment. He smiled as he knew from the slight clearing of the throat that Ducky was going to make a statement.
"Slainte mhor agus a h-uile beannachd duibh," he said in Scots Gaelic. "Translated it means: Good health and every good blessing to you!"
"Thank you, Ducky," said Ziva.
"Ah, I am glad to be sharing this festive holiday with you and Anthony, as well as Jethro and Abigail," he said.
"And we are glad to be sharing it with you," she gave him a hug.
"I hope there is a enough food," Gibbs said avoiding sentimentality.
"There is too much food," said Ziva. "And I have to keep preparing it."
"Oh, oh, oh, I'll help," Abby cried excitedly.
"Come on," Ziva took her in the kitchen.
Tony stopped playing the piano and turned on the stool so he was facing them. He knew it made people more comfortable if he was facing them when he spoke to them. It didn't make a difference to him. Buck had opened up his other senses, so he know got a sense of a person through them.
He sensed Gibbs presence and detected the hints of coffee and varnish. He had been working early this morning varnishing something.
"So you finished one of your projects, boss," he said to him.
"How do you know, DiNozzo," Gibbs asked.
Tony could hear the surprise buried in his voice.
"I smell a hint of varnish on you," he said.
"I'm finishing a rocking chair," Gibbs said.
"Ah a rocking chair. A good rocking chair has great utility. From pacifying a child to alleviating a strain on the lower lumbar region," said Ducky.
"I could use that. The older I get the crankier my lower back gets," said Tony.
"Good, the rocking chair is for you and Ziva," said Gibbs. "It's a house warming gift of sorts."
"Boss, you shouldn't have," said Tony.
"Cut the shit, DiNozzo. You know I do what I want to do," he said.
"Yeah, boss, I know," he smiled.
"And you do, too, Anthony, which is one of the reasons I've always said you two were alike," added Ducky.
NCIS
Dinner went with compliments and full stomachs. Gibbs, mainly because Ducky was enjoying himself so much, lingered after dessert. When it was time for Gibbs and Ducky to leave Ziva made them plates of food to take with them and off they went. Abby settled in her PJs along with Ziva and Tony changed into his OSU sweatpants and tee shirt.
"How about a movie?" suggested Abby.
"Not one of the visual impaired copies," said Tony. "Watch what you want. If I need a description I'll ask for one."
"I told you, Ahuvi, I refuse to describe love scenes to you," Ziva purred.
"I'll describe," said Abby, "but strictly from a scientific point of view."
"Okay, okay, then put on something you two can agree on," he said.
Abby and Ziva chose a Frank Capra film that neither one of the them had scene A Pocketful of Miracles. Tony gave them a brief lecture on the film that it starred Glen Ford and Betty Davis and was Capra's remake of one of his earlier films called Lady for a Day that was made in 1933. Once the film started playing Tony allowed his mind to wander.
He was due to meet with Vance and Gibbs next Wednesday about his disability package and a job offer. He was fairly sure the offer would have to be as an analyst, which didn't really excite him. Maybe they had something more imaginative to offer him, but he was fairly sure that he didn't want to be an office gremlin at NCIS. For field agents he'd be a reminder of what can happen to them and for those who loved being office gremlins he'd be the disabled field agent who they liked enough to keep around. He wanted something different, though he wasn't sure what that was.
As the movie progress Ziva cuddled up closer and closer to him until she was all but sitting in his lap. He listened as Abby giggled at certain parts of the movie and oh during other parts of the movie. Tony had forgotten how much he enjoyed Peter Faulk's performance. When it was over, Abby looked over at Ziva and Tony.
"You two are a beautiful couple, do you know that?" she said.
"Thank you, Abby," said Ziva.
"When are you getting married because I think you'd be the perfect married couple?" she asked.
"We haven't talked about marriage," Ziva said.
"Don't worry, Abby, you will be the first to know when I propose and she turns me down," joked Tony.
"Ahuvi, trust me, if you propose, I will not turn you down," Ziva said.
Tony was touched how at seriously Ziva told him that she would say yes to a marriage proposal. He was half tempted to ask except he didn't have a ring and he still wasn't sure what he was going to do with his life. Before he could ask Ziva to marry him, he needed to know what he was going to do with the rest of his life because it couldn't just be Mr. Ziva David. He needed to have something which made him feel like a whole person.
"I expect to hear something soon," said Abby.
Ziva nuzzled him with those words by Abby. Her body was warm and inviting and he felt himself reacting to it. Ziva must have noticed his reaction because she put a pillow in his lap and then placed her head on it.
"Another movie?" asked Abby hopefully.
"How about John Ford's The Searchers?" said Tony. "Now that is a great, almost perfect, movie."
"I was thinking Fight Club," said Abby.
"Ah, David Fincher. He's no John Ford for artistry but you have got to love his movies. Ziva what do you think?" Tony asked, as he ran his hand through her hair.
"I do not care. I am very content right now," she said.
"Fight Club it is," said Abby. "The first rule of Fight Club is?"
"You do not talk about the fight club," answered Tony.
"That's right, Tony," Abby cooed.