May 7
Friendship is like two clocks keeping time. – Anonymous
Ziva stood in the doorway, content to watch Ducky work. He was up to his elbows in a cadaver, chatting away about the beautiful weather he had woken up to.
She did not wish to disturb him. He seemed perfectly happy, even though he was on his own in a room with a dead body. He was in his element, except she did not know what the term actually meant. Tony used it often enough so she was confident she was using it correctly.
As though he knew she was observing him, Ducky turned around and smiled at her. It was a little disconcerting, mainly because his gloved hands were delving into someone's abdomen. But she smiled back before stepping into Autopsy.
Ducky removed the gloves from his hands and promptly set about making her a mug of tea. She knew better than to resist; he had placed her tea on her desk in the past, drawing a smirk from Gibbs. Instead, she settled on a chair he provided for her, placing the small box she had been guarding on the floor.
She waiting until she had finished drinking her tea before touching the box again. She pulled it onto her lap, opened it up carefully, and removed the gift within.
It was a beautifully hand-crafted wooden clock. It looked old and yet was in perfect condition.
"I saw this," she told him. "And I knew it would look perfect in your hallway."
The smile on his face told her that she was right. She was not sure what had compelled her to walk down that unfamiliar street, but the results were worth it.