The following opinion presented is not held by me (British person) but is held by British people according to Michelle (who is fictional). Please don't be offended AC xx
Ziva immediately slackened and told her body to stop struggling, fighting hard against her natural instincts. Her captor instinctively loosened in response to her movements before Ziva lashed out with a foot back into a more delicate part of his body and a sharp elbow up in his face.
"Damnit Ziva!" cursed Gibbs. "It's me!" He flicked on the light switch while holding a tissue up to his nose, red slowly blossoming over the papery folds.
"I'm sorry Gibbs," replied Ziva, and she meant it. "What was I supposed to do?! And what are you doing in Duty Free? Dont you have to taking off soon? " He shrugged as if to say 'Touché' as well as 'I'll tell you later but just listen to me first' before tossing the soiled tissue paper into a basket in the corner of the room.
"Something's up. This might seem like an easy and simple enough operation. Go in, meet some British government officials, have a dinner at the American embassy, do some sightseeing and then come back. The director feels that there is more; that's the reason why you and Tony were nominated for this. You two can take care of yourselves while looking out for us at the same time. You more so than Tony." Ziva smiled quickly before asking another question.
"Are you here just to tell me that?" Gibbs' eyes hesitated, as if he was almost stopping himself from saying anything further. It was quite unlike him, Ziva thought.
"Enjoy your trip Ziva. I trust you'll make the most of it." After pressing a swift kiss on her cheek, he exited the store cupboard, leaving her to shut it behind her a few moments later.
Tony and Michelle were no where to be seen and Ziva was pleasantly surprised to find that she felt neither upset nor angry. True, the niggling feeling that SHE should be the one on Tony's arm would never really go but this was a good start.
"Zeevs!" Tony waved from the entrance to the lounge. "Where have you been? Michelle and I have been waiting for you." Michelle looked peevily disgruntled but a wide smile was almost plastered on her face when Tony turned her way. Ziva rushed up and walked up beside them. After the smiling receptionist with the British accent, only the first of many, waved them through did Ziva truly relax. True, she had flown business before but Ziva had never been able to enjoy it, always on tenterhooks with a free hand ready to pull and ready a gun at any moment.
"I see you're feeling the same way Ziva." Tony smiled knowingly as he snuggled into the chair next to hers. "Finally relishing the meal, not just sitting at the table armed with the fork and knife, all the while staring at the food." She laughed and Tony looked at her with an odd feeling in his eyes, causing her to stop.
"Good way of putting it. Am I right in saying that you're hungry?" Her words started to slip over the growing saliva in her mouth; the whole thing brought a smile to Tony's face.
"As right as saying that you are too." They walked together to the buffet spread, completely unaware of Michelle's assessing gaze.
"You want some of this?" Ziva took the prong in her hands and picked up a golden coloured pastry looking thing. Tony cocked his head, rather like a dog would've don, obviously confused. "It says it's called 'toad in the hole'" She brought it closer for further inspection. "No toad," concluded Ziva.
Tony moved on to another dish and it promptly elicited another chuckle from him.
"This one's called shepherd's pie. And it's not even sheep, it's beef." They laughed in unison, enjoying their camaraderie. Unbeknownst to both of them, the other had sorely missed their familair banter.
"I hope you'll be serious in London." Michelle came up to them, her hands on her hips. "If you are seen to be amusing yourself at their expense...us Americans are already seen as having brash, unruly, self-important personalities. We musn't give them any more reason to think that." She gave both of them lingering glares but rested on Ziva longer than she did Tony.
A silence passed as Michelle went back to her seat and immediately carried on texting.
"Shall we carry on?" asked Ziva tentatively. She didn't know how attached ( or willing to be 'whipped' as Tony would put it) her partner was.
"Sure," he answered. "I see no reason not to."