Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any of its characters. All rights go to the producers.
Authors Note: I'm sorry to say that my updates will most likely become even more irregular; because I have returned to school and that I have lots of exams coming up. I will keep on updating, so just bare with me =)
Enjoy the chapter =)
Chapter 17
23rd December, the DiNozzo's Apartment, Tony's Perspective;
"Dad hurry up! We're going to be late!" Becky yells from the living room.
"Hold your horses, I'm ready." I reply as I walk into the living room and find Becky sitting, obviously bored, on the sofa.
"Dad your tie's crooked." She states and quickly stands up and adjusts it.
"You look beautiful sweet pea." I tell her commenting on the pink chiffon dress we bought together, and her hair which she has left to curl naturally.
"Thanks." She smiles and finishes with my tie, "Now let's go, or else we'll be really late."
The Garden Palace Ball Room:
"Come on!" Becky moans as she has to practically drag me into the room.
"You know darling I'm not feeling so well, perhaps we should go home?"
"Nuh-uh, we're not leaving now, besides don't you have to introduce me to all your superiors?" she sweetly asks, but I know that she already knows the answer.
"Fine." I sigh pulling a tired face, but inside I am on eager to see Ziva.
"Oh look Dad here's our table." Becky announces as we reach a large white circular table which seats eight people. I quickly walk around it, and sure enough on the fancy little name cards are the members of our team, with the addition of Abby, Ducky and Palmer of course, but then again they are pretty much part of the team as well. When I reach Ziva's name card I stop and immediately look for her in the crowd, but she is nowhere to be seen.
"Ziva and Abby haven't arrived yet." Becky informs me with a smirk, she must have noticed my searching.
"Oh no. I'm not." I stutter slightly, "I'm just admiring the place."
"Yeah, sure you are Dad." Becky says with obvious disbelief.
"Oh look here comes Ducky." I announce, trying to change the subject. "I'm sure he has some fascinating stories to tell you."I tease.
"You wouldn't." she says with wide eyes.
"How would you know?"
"But it's torture." She exaggerates with a huff.
"Then drop it about me and Ziva." I accidently smile when I say her name, giving Becky more ammunition to which she just simply rolls her eyes.
"But why can't you guys just get together?" she whines.
"Hey Ducky." I say and beckon him over.
"Hello Anthony. Hello young Rebecca. Isn't it a wonderful evening?" he asks.
"Indeed it is Ducky, and it is forecast to snow later so perhaps we shall have a white Christmas after all." Becky says speaking formally as she always does when she is in the presence of Ducky – or people who are high ranking such as the Director – which I presume is out of respect.
"I'm sorry to cut this conversation short, but I have been meaning to discus some new equipment with Ronald Jones, and he appears to be free." Ducky says excusing himself.
"Of course Ducky." I reply and he promptly leaves.
"That was so lucky." Becky says once he is out of ear shot.
"Yeah, it was, I was dreading him possibly telling us another story about white Christmas's." I reply.
"Yeah." She agrees.
Meanwhile in Abby's Apartment, Abby's perspective…
"Ziva hurry up or else we'll be late!"
"But aren't women supposed to be fashionably late or something?" she asks as she steps out of the bathroom still placing an ear ring in.
"Yes, but…WOW!" I stammer in amazement.
"What?" she asks obviously unaware of how stunning she looks.
"You look incredible!"
"So do you." She replies and we both grin.
"Shall we go to the ball and sweep our princes of their feet? I ask.
"Indeed we shall!" Ziva laughs and we both pick up our coats and leave my apartment.
Back at the ball…Tony's perspective…
"Come on kiddo, there are some people who can't wait to meet you." I tell her and start directing her to a small crowd of my superiors.
"Do I have to?" she groans.
"Yes." I reply with a sigh, I was dreading this as much as she was.
"Why?"
"Because thanks to them it was a lot easier to get full custody of you; so that I could bring you home."
"Fine." She sighs with defeat.
"Ah! Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo!" The Secretary of the Navy announces as he sees us approach, "How good of you to join us, and this must be your daughter." He says indicating Becky, and she nervously smiles in response. I place my hand on her shoulder for support.
"The one and only." I reply with a grin. The convocation dwindles on with Becky and I standing there awkwardly, but we answer all of the questions as politely as possible, but my mind is elsewhere, and I find myself thinking of a certain Israeli who I know has captured my heart. Out of the corner of my eye I notice her and Abby arrive. She removes her black coat to reveal her attire for the evening. The sight of her takes my breath away, there are no words which can full describe her beauty, her wild brown hair have been slightly tamed but still fall into curls, she looks like a goddess and I am pretty sure that she actually is. I have to tear my eyes from her, to try and focus my attention on the conversation going on in front of me, but more importantly to avoid getting caught. I would never hear the end of it if she saw me… but the urge is hard to contain. I steal a quick glance at her and find her deep chocolate eyes staring back at me, we smile a quick hello, but I have to look away, I have to focus on this conversation taking place in front of me but the image of her with her ruby red dress burns in my mind. The conversation rambles on and every so often I glance again at Ziva, but I make sure that I am listening for the perfect chance to excuse myself and Becky, so I can stare once again into those beautiful brown eyes.
Finally the chance came and I took it happily.
I bid a final farewell with a "Merry Christmas." And Becky and I walk swiftly away from the crowd.
"I hate you for making me go through that!" Becky moans.
"Oh come on! It wasn't that bad." I say with a chuckle.
"Excuse me! That woman over there kept on pinching my cheeks and calling me a little dumpling, I was extremely tempted to use some of those moves Ziva taught me!"
"Yeah, I would have loved to have seen you tackle her." I laugh and ruffle her hair.
"Hey, hey watch the hair!" Becky moans and tries to return her hair to its previous state. "And I bet you wouldn't have even realised anything had happened if I did, considering all of your attention was on Ziva. Oh and that reminds me... Hey Ziva." Becky calls and waves in Ziva's direction.
"Come on." I say and lead her towards Ziva and the others.
A little while later… Becky's perspective…
"Abby, you did a great job with your parts of the plan, Ziva looks fantastic!" I whisper, as we watch Dad and Ziva talk from a distance.
"Thanks, you didn't do too bad yourself."
"Now all we need to do is get them to dance or something."
"Well dinner will be served soon and there will be dancing after that." Abby tells me.
"Ok, we'll get them to dance soon, and how long do you think it will be till dinner is served, I'm starving."
"I don't know, but I'm pretty hungry too." And as if by magic an employee of the Inn announce that dinner will be served promptly and asked that we could all return to our designated tables.
"Come on." I say and lead Abby towards our table. The order in which we sit is; me, Dad, then Ziva (Abby managed to somehow get them sitting next to each other, but she still won't tell me), Palmer, Ducky, Gibbs, Abby and McGee who is next to me completing the circle. Once we all have finished eating the waiters come to clear the table and the band starts to play louder so that music fills the room, and people start to head towards the dance floor.
"Abby would you like to dance?" McGee asks and I notice Gibbs stiffen slightly but he stays silent.
"Of course." Abby replies oblivious to Gibb's reaction and takes McGee's hand and they walk towards the dance floor and start to sway, and I can tell immediately that Abby's on cloud nine.
"I'm going to find some people my own age." I announce and leave the table, not wanting to listen to any of the boring adult conversations which will soon begin. I spot a small group of kids and I decide to join them, but I remember to keep an eye on the Tiva situation.
I was going to put something more but I decided that you might as well have what I have written so far, as I don't know when I will be able to write next.
Thank you for all the reviews, hits, alerts and everything else I have received, they have all been fantastic and have made me a very happy writer.
Thanks for reading =)