"Well…it was memorable, was it not?"
Tim gave Ziva a weary smile. "Not quite the way I'd planned."
Jimmy's punch ended the spot and the production staff, uncertain what else to do, cut to commercial while Tony, Abby, and Jimmy were ushered off. Tony was brought to a back room to be tended to by on-hand medic and Abby and Jimmy were escorted out to the lobby along with Abby's parents and Mayor Vance.
And that had been that.
"One punch," Tim muttered. "Who knew the kid even had it in him?"
Ziva rested her head on his shoulder. "I guess this won't do much for the song."
It was true; the song would forever be associated with Tony being knocked out by a kid half his size in muscle. That kid had very possibly brought Tony's heartthrob status to an end. Without Tony, Tim's song was nothing.
"Ah, well," he said as he pulled her closer against him. "I'm done with the music business anyway. I've got you and I've got my Chemistry degree. Who needs anything more?"
She nuzzled his neck. "I must admit, I am quite pleased with the way things turned out. Not only for us, but for Abby and Jimmy as well."
The teens had reconciled after Jimmy's punch. Abby had immediately embraced him, claiming she'd been hypnotized by Tony's swaying hips. She thanked him for rescuing her, as though she'd been a poor damsel in distress locked in a tower with Tony as the fire-breathing dragon guarding her. She didn't seem at all broken up about not being kissed on TV.
"Yeah," Tim agreed. "Maybe it was better that it happened this way. Those two kids deserve each other and I'd hate to think I was responsible for breaking them up."
"What do you think will happen to Tony?"
He shrugged. "Hard to tell."
"Timothy!"
The voice rang out clearly in the empty theater, startling the comfortable couple. Soon, Mama Mallard was running down the aisle toward them with an energy they'd never before seen in her. "Oh, Timothy, you poor baby! I just heard the news! Isn't it just awful?"
"Oh, it's not so bad, Mama."
"Not so bad? Your song is ruined! No one will want a song sung by some guy with a glass jaw! Now, baby, will you finally listen to Mama and get out of the music business? You've got that degree in Chemistry that's just wasting away!"
The comment stunned both Tim and Ziva. They exchanged perturbed glances, wondering if they'd heard correctly. "Mama, you told me—"
"I hear the high school needs a Chemistry teacher!" she continued on. "You could get that! A nice, comfy job; one that doesn't have unpleasant surprises."
Tim shrugged, not wanting to argue. "Sure, Mama, I'll look into it."
"And would you and Ziva finally settle down and give me some grandchildren?"
If the woman's first comment had stunned the couple, this one left them completely speechless. Was this the same Mama McGee that had been trying to keep them apart for the past seven years? "Mrs. McGee…are you serious?" Ziva asked.
"Of course, I'm serious Ziva! You're a lovely girl and Timothy is a dolt for not having asked you sooner! And please, call me Maureen."
"Mama! What's gotten into you?" Tim asked. "I've never seen you like this!"
The woman beamed. "Oh, Timmy, I guess I should tell you now."
"Tell me what?"
"You remember that nice Mr. Yost from last night? Well, one thing led to another and we decided to get married!"
Tim's eyes bulged. "M-m-married?"
"We eloped last night," she said with a grin. "Oh, I wish you could have been there! But I knew you were busy planning all of this and I didn't want to worry you."
Ziva did something she'd never thought she would ever do; she hugged Maureen McGee. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you, dear! Now you two had better hurry! Mr. Yost doesn't have any children and I'm sure he'd love a grandchild or two."
"Maureen!"
Mr. Yost was at the door of the theater, beckoning to his new wife. Tim gave the man a nervous wave. "That's great, Mama, honest it is."
"Well, I'd better go! Ernie and I are taking a little vacation together." She pushed herself up and kissed her soon upon his cheek. "Remember, Timothy! Chemistry is the best career for you!" she called out as she waddled off to her new husband.
Tim sat dumbfounded as his mother walked off with the man. The exchange between the three of them had only lasted minutes, but it felt like it had lasted hours. "Well…I'll be darned!"
"It seems the best medicine for your mother was one of the simplest," Ziva commented. "She only needed what all warm-blooded women needed."
"Is it what you need?"
"Would I be here with you like this if it wasn't?" she asked in a teasing tone.
He leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips. "Where now, the future Mrs. McGee?"
Ziva wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down for a longer kiss. When she pulled away, his eyes were glazed over. "Now, Mr. McGee, I think it is time to move on to the next chapter in our life."
Unbeknownst to them, another happy couple was watching them from the shadows of the theatre. Jimmy and Abby were sitting together in the last row, snuggled together in joyous reconciliation. "Do you think we'll ever be as happy as they are?" Abby whispered to him. She found the entire thing so romantic, like something out of a movie.
Jimmy responded by slinging his arm around her and pulling her closer. "I hope so, Abby…I hope so."
The torrent of Tony DiNozzo had come and gone, leaving in its wake two very happy couples.
AN: And that's my story! Thanks for reading :)