Mourn
Scanned, torn and handed back. The boarding passes were done and now the two NCIS agents were walking down the corridor towards the plane. Tony was reading a brochure about Israel and Ziva was twitching and fiddling, feeling unconfutable without her weapons.
He looked at her and grinned at her reliability on her guns and knives.
Soon they were walking down the aisle in between the seats on the plane. They reached business class and found their seats and sat down. Ziva was reading the safety manual now which Tony found disconcerting.
"Hey you know in first class not you can get a whole little room to yourself." He stated, Ziva looked at him and smiled.
"That would be very claustrophobic." She said putting away her safety manual and looking around. "Business class has certainly improved."
Tony nodded and showed her all his seats adjustments and how far he could lean back and the small screen he could pull in between them for privacy.
This thoroughly entertained them until they were told it was time for take-off. Tony was thrilled to receive his hot towel but disappointed when the steward told him to sit upright during take-off.
Soon they were in the air and Ziva was yawning. Tony looked over at her as she un-wrapped her plastic covered blanket and pillow and laid down. He put down his inflight magazine.
"Are you going to sleep now?" He asked her
"Yeah, don't wake me up for dinner it's usually rubbish on planes." She said and closed her eyes. He smiled down at her and returned to his magazine. When her looked back she was snoring gently, sound asleep.
"Night my ninja" He said quietly and she sighed and muttered
"Night my little hairy-butt"
He scowled down at her and decided to also get some sleep.
When he awoke he found Ziva fresh and ready next to him. Her hair was in a sleek plait and her eyes were bright. He sat up and ruffled his hair, yawning.
"Morning Tony, you might want to freshen up. We are landing in an hour." He nodded and stood up, then looked around for a nearby bathroom. Ziva watched him stumble off and smiled to herself. He had looked so peaceful when he was sleeping. It was a shame he had woken up and he would now start being the same old Tony. She sighed. She liked the same old Tony though. Sleeping Tony was just that less annoying.
While her brain was blabbering the plane was flying over the desert toward the incoming city of Tel-Aviv. Tony was brushing his teeth vigorously, trying to get the taste of aeroplane out of his mouth.
Tony soon returned to his seat yawning.
"Sleep well?" Ziva asked him
"As well as you can on an aeroplane," He said "I don't know why people always complain. It's not that bad."
"Ladies and gentlemen please fasten your seatbelts as we are about to make our decent. Cabin crew prepare the cabin for landing."
They thudded to land seconds later. They both hoped it would result better than their previous trip here together. Tony was feeling slightly optimistic about being Ziva's protection detail.
They got out of the plane after a good 20 minutes of lining up with everyone else and in to customs still yawning.
Ziva was happy to be reunited with her weapons at the customs and she began to put them on.
"So do we need to get a taxi or…?" Tony asked from behind her as she put her boot knife in.
"My father's house has sent a car and escort." She replied then turned to him. "Ready?"
He nodded and smiled at her nervously. They walked out of customs with their bags and in to arrival.
Ziva glanced around until she spotted her name being held up by a small dark haired girl of about 9 or 10 years of age. She was wearing light khaki pants and a black t-shirt. This child reminded Tony a lot of Ziva.
"That is my second cousin Taylah. She only speaks Hebrew," Ziva explained quietly as they approached the waving girl who was accompanied by a Chinese man in a suit. "She lives with my father because her mother went rogue last year and hasn't turned up since."
"Poor kid" Sighed Tony
The girl was looking impatient she said something to the man with her and he nodded. She ducked under the rope and ran towards them.
"Ziva!" The little girl cried with glee "Shalom!" Ziva and Taylah embraced
"Shalom Taylah." Ziva smiled and kissed the top of the girls head.
The child then turned to Tony.
"Hello, you must be agent Tony DiNozzo. You're here to protect Ziva." She said in perfect English
He grinned at her and Ziva look flabbergasted
"Taylah, your English is perfect!" Ziva said with a huge smile.
"Yes, I learn at school. I also know French and Arabic now. Uncle Eli says these are important languages." Taylah stated smugly "Oh I almost forgot, that is Lee," She pointed at the man "He is my protection detail! He has taken a vow not to talk so I do the talking for him."
They approached the man.
"Shalom." Tony and Ziva said and the man nodded at them. He then took their bags and led them outside. Taylah was looking intently around them for any signs of danger and Ziva watched her sadly.
"What's up?" Tony asked her in a hushed voice
"She reminds me of me as a child. Too grown up, it was a mistake making her live with Eli." Ziva whispered back. Then she reached towards the girls' waist band and pulled out a small knife.
"Ziva, Don't!" The girl cried reaching for the knife. They all stopped to watch.
"Taylah you are only 9. Too young to be carrying a knife, allow your protection to do the protecting." Ziva advised and handed the knife to Lee who pocketed it and then took the girls arm and pulled her along.
They reached a black car and Lee opened the passenger door for the others.
"Ziva is driving." Taylah said simply and Lee threw Ziva the keys. So Ziva got in to the driver's seat and Lee took the passenger while Tony and Ziva took the back.
The narrow streets and busy cars made the trip hard but Ziva knew these roads well and she took every back alley possible.
Taylah was keeping a running commentary of their surroundings.
"That's my favourite bakery and there is my school. Ziva used to go there at one point before she got kicked out for fighting." This made Ziva laugh
"I got kicked out of a lot of schools for fighting. I hope you'll never do it." She said from the driver's seat.
Tony grinned at the girl and she grinned back.
"Are you Ziva's friend?" She asked
Tony laughed and looked at Ziva who was looking back at him through the wind mirror.
"Yeah we're friends."
"Not all the time DiNozzo. Not when you annoy me."
"I never mean to annoy you Ziva!"
She laughed
"Are you Ziva's boyfriend?" Taylah asked
This was answered by an awkward silence.
Sorry about the briefness. I am tired and I hate writing about plane trips. I am going to try and draw Taylah for you because I have a good idea in my brain how I want her to look. So please review and keep reading. Next chapter will be out A.S.A.P
(P.s I didn't spell Taylah wrong. It is just another way of spelling it)