Tony and Tali were sitting on the couch, eating pizza and watching Ted when Tali got a text from Ari.

"We won. 77-3. And Kennedy should leave you alone now."

"Congrats and thanks," Tali texted back.

"You're running with me & TJ tomorrow. No buts."

"Fine." Tali put her phone down and a small smile crossed her face.

"What was that about?" Tony asked.

"Ari said he solved my bully problem," Tali replied. "And the Bulls won."

"What was the final?"

"77-3."

"Ouch. So you gonna run with Ari and TJ tomorrow?"

Before Tali could answer, the sound of squealing tires in the driveway announced Ziva and Ari's arrival. Ziva was inside first, and she grabbed a slice of pizza off of Tony's plate.

"How was the game?" Tony asked, giving his wife a quick kiss on the lips.

"One-sided," Ari said, rubbing his shoulder. "99.9 percent total QBR; I was sacked on the first play from scrimmage. Ran for 175 and a TD; threw 9 straight in the second half. Defense was on fire. Tali, heads up."

"Hmm?" Tali looked up just in time to catch the game ball that Ari tossed her. "Toda."

"I figured you could use some cheering up, and that's why you're running with me and TJ tomorrow."

"What time?"

"0500, rain or shine."

Tali nodded. "What about you-know-who?"

"He even thinks about messing with you again, he'll wish he was never born."

"Thanks, Ari." Tali stood up from the couch and went upstairs. "Laila tov."

0430, the next morning.

Tali was woken up to Reveille playing right in her ear.

"Ari, I am going to kill you," she growled.

"Do I sound like Ari?" TJ joked, causing Tali to jump.

"What are you doing in my room, McCriminal?"

"Ari let me in. Now get up."

"After I kill Ari. And I thought we ran at 0500?"

"Calisthenics first," Ari said, appearing in the doorway. Tali threw one of her shoes at him, but it missed wildly, bouncing off of Tony and Ziva's door.

"Crap." Tali scrambled, kicking Ari and TJ out of her room so she could get dressed.

"She seems pissed," TJ said.

"You think, McGee?" Ari replied.

"Working on your Gibbs, I see. Why?"

"Joining the Corps when I turn 17, remember?"

"Oh, yeah."

"And I'm dragging you with me."

TJ gulped, then changed the subject. "Ari, can I, uh-?"

"You want to ask Tali out, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm cool with it, but you need to get the old man's permission first. Good luck."

"Old man?" Tony's voice made TJ and Ari jump a mile. "What do you mean, 'old man'?"

"Well," Ari said, "Erm..."

"You're not exactly a Spring Chicken," Tali said, coming out of her room.

"And your Mom thinks that you don't have my sense of humor," Tony joked. "Go on, get out of here. And don't forget your knives," he added to Tali and Ari.

"Got 'em," they answered. TJ checked his watch, then motioned to Tali and Ari. The three of them thundered down the stairs, and Tony stood in his bedroom doorway, shaking his head and laughing to himself.

Review? The next chapter will get pretty dark, so this is fair warning. Toda.