Thank you to all who have left reviews over the past couple days; I didn't mean to sound like I was demanding them.

I'm glad everyone is still enjoying each daily addition :o)

jae

Snow

She was suspicious earlier when their boss had dismissed them hours before the usual time of departure for a Friday evening, and as she walks out of the mall carrying an armful of bags toward the parking lot, Ziva David is stopped short by the fresh powder of snow that greets her outside the double doors, and she narrows her eyes infinitesimally, suppressing an all mighty groan. She knows it would sound like paranoia to most, but Gibbs had certainly predicted the weather, and she would bet all the bourbon in the world he was currently sitting in his basement, smirking to himself.

For she had not made it a secret that she intended to get to her Christmas shopping this weekend, and Tony had dropped casually throughout the day that he had dinner plans for the evening. Gibbs had conceded with no more grief than a grunt and smirk, and so she heaves an epic sigh at the cosmic karma, and begins her careful trek across the icy parking lot toward her mini in resignation.

It's clear by the time she makes it to the trunk of her car that the setting sun was bringing the damp snowfall to a solid, frozen sheet of ice; and from past experience, she knew her mini wasn't equipped to handle the twenty minute commute it would take to reach her home in this condition.

She shoots a quick text to her partner as she turns her engine on, returning it to her pocket as she slowly backs out and narrowly avoids an Acura that slides around the curb behind her. Her knuckles are as white as the snow that falls heavy against her windshield by the time she's coasting past the Starbucks and shopping center across from Tony's apartment complex. She turns at a pace more tame than she's ever operated a vehicle with, and sighs in relief as she approaches the second turn onto her partner's street; a five minute journey taking nearly as long as it would have on a normal day to reach her home. Tony's already scraping ice off his car when she glides into the spot next to him, and he gives her an angry glare that's not nearly as harsh as it looks.

"I told you to stay there, I was coming to get you!" He throws up his arms, the scraper still in his hand, as she carefully steps out of her car and comes over to stand before his car on the sidewalk.

"My phone was in my pocket." She shrugs. "I told you I could make it here, just not to my apartment." She suppresses a shiver, watching as he sets the scraper on top of the roof and walking over to stand before her. He leans over to brush the falling snow from her shoulders.

"Where the hell is your coat?"

Ziva looks down quickly. "I didn't expect it to be snowing when I got out of the mall, and I was not going to carry my winter coat around the entire time." She bites down on her chattering teeth, glancing back up to see him pull his long jacket from his body, freeing his arms with a shake. The streetlights blink on then, and as he comes to wrap his coat around her, she can make out the nice, button down shirt and dress pants he's in under the emanating glow.

"Your dinner," She exclaims in realization, craning her neck to see him as he moves behind her to fix the coat around her shoulders. "You are going to be late! Go, I have my key -"

"I'm not leaving you here," He scoffs, steering her by the arm over the icy ground towards his passenger door. She frowns, tightening her hand around his waist as her foot slips momentarily.

"Why not?"

Tony leans around her to pull open his door, his hand briefly settling on her waist.

"Because, that's not what a gentleman does."

He winks, grinning, and she rolls her eyes before ducking her head to settle into his passenger seat. She blinks up at him as snow falls around his head, coating his crisp, ironed shirt, and she smiles softly back at his small sacrifice as the snow slowly seeps into the fabric.

"Your chivalry is noted." She informs him warmly, more affectionate than the teasing she intended. The intimate smile she awards him brightens his face even further, and he gives her one last wink before shutting the door carefully, making his way around to the other side.

"Where are we going, exactly?" Ziva pulls his coat tighter around her, inhaling his scent as he yanks his seatbelt over his chest.

"Celia's cooking her usual Christmas dinner tonight," Tony checks the rearview mirror, glancing quickly over his shoulder to reverse out of his spot. Ziva hums in acknowledgement, familiar with both the woman and the wife of Tony's only longtime friend from college.

"Are her and Mark okay with you bringing a guest?" She glances over at him hesitantly. "I don't want to impose..."

Tony gives a shy laugh, looking both ways before turning left out of his development, slowing as they hit a small patch of ice.

"I think they'd be more excited to have you there than me." He chuckles, coming to a stop at the intersection.

Ziva frowns.

"What do you mean?" He turns to look over at her, his eyes shining with a secret joke.

"Nothing." He shrugs, and looks back toward the road. The light changes to green, and he presses forward.

"They asked me to bring you."

She watches his face as it stays carefully blank, and while she's met them several times before, though within brief, five minute periods each, she can't seem to reason why she'd been invited to their traditional Christmas Dinner.

She hugs Tony's jacket tighter around her, getting another hit of his familiar scent, and she settles comfortably back against his passenger seat, watching the snow fall across the windshield.

"That's a thoughtful invitation," She murmurs softly. She waits a breath, but he remains quiet, watching the road with careful concentration. "Any reason?"

His reaction says more than his reply, as something affectionate and adoring pulls at the corner of his lips, but she smiles just the same.

"I may have embellished your ninja skills. They're looking for proof."

She captures his hand with the one she snakes free from his jacket, brushing her thumb over the back of his hand while his eyes never leave the road.

She thinks he knows very well why they want him to bring her along.

But she'll let him win this one. He was exceptionally chivalrous today, after all.

"I think we could give them a demonstration," She smirks, and it's then his eyes leave the road, only for a moment to regard her with a warm, adoring smile.

And in the warmth of her partner's car and presence she thinks she just may like the snow after all.