AN: First, 2 Chapters going up tonight so look for the second later!
Many many many thanks for such amazing reviews and from so many of you that I had not heard from before! I am so thankful and appreciative! I want to make a note here that we are in fact on the downward slope of this story, meaning the end is coming sooner then later now. The positive change is finally upon us and hopefully their silver lining. I purposefully split this book off from the first in order to take it in my own direction, my own alternate universe which I warned from the beginning. The characters may follow canon now, but the story is my own and original and I like it that way in Book Two. I know some of you do not, but nonetheless, have stuck out this journey. I encourage you to keep doing so as things are going to get a little crazy!
This story is supposed to be entertaining. It's not supposed to be anything other then an escape of fun for a few minutes every day where you can shelve your real life, and disbelief and enter another world where anything is possible. As Tony told Ziva about his mother in the episode "Shell Shock," she liked going to the movies because of the escape. So I encourage you all now to do the same as we move forward. Shelve your disbelief for awhile, and just enjoy the ride! Consider this story like watching Batman or the Avengers or Avatar or even Harry Potter and the Bourne Series. You don't keep saying, 'oh this is so unbelievable and crazy' the entire time, you just strap in and enjoy the ride So, kids, strap in and enjoy the ride! I can't please all of you all the time with everything you each want from this story, (some want more Liat/Malachi, others more Tiva, others more fluff, others less fluff, some want babies, others want them dead. Some want more sex, others say no more sex, some love the crazy elements of the story, others hate it, etc.) but I hope that I have pleased you all, at least a little and that's all I can really do! - Wild
They waited anxiously for the rest of the day without word and only received a brief phone call from Katherine in the evening to check in. No word at all about The Phoenix or what happened with the children. The second day in and they were trying to calm their anxious nerves from waiting by attempting to enjoy the beautiful weather sitting outside near the gorgeous pool behind their cabin and soaking in some sun. Everyone was still pondering the strange events already surrounding this situation. First the man who mysteriously appeared undetected in Ziva's house in Israel and now the children of The Phoenix who went scrambling back into the woods having been scolded in a way that no one but them could hear.
"I get the distinct impression we are in a holding pen of sorts and being watched." E.J. finally spoke up as she lay on a lounge chair next to Ziva at the pool. Tony was lying in the one directly beside Ziva and Gibbs beside him. Asa, Malachi and McGee were in the pool but resting with their arms on the edge sharing in the discussion.
"I'm getting that impression too." Asa nodded in agreement, "It's likely how she knew the children were in the cabin."
"Yeah, I agree but how did they hear her scolding them but not us?" McGee asked with brow furrowed, having thought about that for some time.
"Maybe they wear ear pieces so she can be in contact with them at all times?" E.J. suggested thinking about the complex security situation this family presented. "It's quite clever if you think about it for keeping tabs on her children in such a massive space."
"Charming little monkies, though weren't they?" Asa smiled at E.J. thinking about the children. "I can't believe they would sneak into the house and wait for us, braving the wrath of The Phoenix who just happens to be their Mama." He smiled remember the conversation with the children. "What gave them away?" He asked Ziva and Tony wondering how these children were discovered.
"We were discussing the beauty of this place reminding me of Legends of the Fall. Ziva said Brad Pitt had a nice butt in that movie and we heard immediate tiny giggles and shooshing." Tony smiled over at Ziva and the others laughed.
"Four year olds giggling because an adult said butt sounds about right." E.J. smiled shaking her head. "They were so cute though."
"Not at all what I imagine when thinking about the children of such a legend." Malachi shook his head with a small smile, "They seemed so…normal."
"And funny." McGee smiled, "That little girl is a ball of fire." He laughed softly, "She certainly doesn't take any flak from her big brother." He looked directly at Ziva, "Kind of reminds me of some one else I know." And they all chuckled.
"I wonder if they are the three seat holders Director Vance mentioned." Ziva smiled curiously in turn. "With a name like Kristoff, I would certainly think he could fit with the Northern Europe Division, given the Scandinavian countries influence there."
"And Rurik and Lara both sound like Russian names." E.J. added thinking this out as well.
"Kevin said that Operation Sunshine was against a Russian fortified fortress." McGee began thinking as well, "That would make sense if she was trying to get her kids back from the Eastern European and Russian Division."
"But there are two of them, and only one seat for each Division." Tony furrowed his brows, "And they're twins. So how would that work? And what about North America? Didn't you say one of her children held that seat as well?"
"Maybe its not one of those three. Maybe it's the other child they mentioned, Lena." Gibbs added quietly with arms folded over his chest leaning back in his chair.
They all smiled over at him just hearing him speak and contribute given how quiet he'd been of late.
"They certainly have different looks about them, don't they? Each very similar in some ways and then very different in others. Like the little girl, she definitely has a darker skin tone then the boys." E.J. smiled thinking about the darling little girl who was so enchanting. Her big dark eyes and dark curly hair that fell long around her shoulders in big ringlets.
"Yeah, but that's what is so strange. She has a Russian name and said she's Middle Eastern like Ziva." McGee pondered this information as well.
"Vance had said they'd taken her children as part of the Genetics Program." Gibbs reminded them quietly, "Maybe that has something to do with it." Given what they'd already learned about the very calculated aspects of the breeding program he wouldn't be surprised if these children had a role in that as well.
"I feel like we're in an elaborate game of Clue right now." McGee smiled finding all of this too intriguing in trying to solve all these mysteries. "And how does former Secretary of State Katherine Thorne figure into all this, is what I want to know?"
"Well," Ziva pondered for a moment, "According to Director Vance, all of the changes that went down within The Council happened in the last several years. Given that Secretary Thorne was still the sitting Secretary of State at the time, I'm sure she became rather involved in some way if The Phoenix was property to the North American Division." She spoke quietly and pondered that statement. They all did. It was as if they were discussing this person like a slave, being owned and property.
"I'm sure we'll find out soon enough." Gibbs added quietly.
"We've already been waiting nearly two full days. My patience is severely thin right now." Tony grumbled shifting in his seat. "What is the point of bringing us all the way here and then leaving us sit? Forbidden from going anywhere in the middle of nowhere!"
"I agree with Barrett." Gibbs spoke up again having thought about this as well, "I think they're watching us."
"Well, I think it's incredibly rude to keep us waiting this long. No matter who she thinks she is!" Tony grumbled again flipping his sunglasses down.
"Your pain medication makes you irritable. I do not like this version of you, Tony." Ziva stare at him with a slanted brow, he had been grumpy nonstop for nearly the past two days.
"It's not the pain medication making me irritable." Tony grumbled again shifting in his seat and making a move to stand, "It's you and your sunkissed skin in that bikini that's making me irritable!" He waved in her general direcion and then hastely went inside the house while the others remained with either mouths open in shock that he'd say such a thing in front of Gibbs, or chuckling at what he'd actually said. Basically, saying out loud that he was sexually frustrated at not being able to be with Ziva the way he'd become accustomed to before getting shot.
"Excuse me." Ziva stared after him in disbelief, refusing to look at Gibbs and then stood quickly to follow Tony into the house.
"Tony, have you lost your mind! Saying something like that in front of Gibbs?" She asked following him into the kitchen where he was getting a bottle of water. "You have been saying the most insane things all week! First, insulting Secretary Thorne, then insulting The Phoenix to her and now this! I am honestly getting very concerned about you!" Ziva sighed crossing her arms over her chest and feeling a slight chill run through her, now standing in the air-conditioned house in just her suit. "Are you okay?" She was deeply concerned about the lasting effects of the coma psychosis that had him acting irrationally, saying whatever was on his mind.
"No, I'm not okay!" Tony bit back angrily and then grunted in frustration, running his hands rapidly back and forth through his hair, "None of this is okay! Being kept waiting like this is not okay! Getting shot in the chest is not okay! Having your sister and unborn baby abducted by a madman is not okay! Not being able to make love to you is not okay! And having the life of our baby in jeopardy because of some other madmen abusing you so badly that they permanently damaged you is not okay!" He spit out in rapid fire unable to censor himself and saw the immediate look of defeat on her face and in her posture. He took several deep breaths trying to calm himself and walked slowly towards her as she said nothing. "I'm sorry, Ziva." He apologized, "I shouldn't have said that…but I can't seem to stop saying anything these days! Damn it!" He cursed when he saw the tears well in her eyes and she tried to hold them back. "I don't want to take this out on you! I am frustrated at not being able to do more to help you! And I feel like an asshole for wanting you so badly right now, knowing we can't be together because of the situation with the baby, but My God… do you have to be so beautiful?" He smiled at her softly through his apologetic rant, reaching up to cup her face softly and brushing her long hair over her shoulder, dropping a hot kiss to her bare shoulder, "I can't help wanting to touch every inch of you with my lips and worship the beautifulness that is you." Tony spoke quietly and then kissed her lips. "I'm sorry."
"Do you want me to go put more clothes on?" She asked honestly remembering his comment about seeing her sunkissed skin in the bikini, feeling badly for the entire situation as well. Both frustrated at not being able to do what they wanted.
"No," Tony smiled softly shaking his head and then promptly lifting her by her hips and setting her on the large kitchen island in front of him, pulling her close to him and laying his head on her chest for a change. Sighing deeply as he listened to the loud pounding of her heart, "You could wear a potato sack to cover yourself and I'd still know how incredibly gorgeous you are beneath." He turned his face against the skin of her chest and placed a sweet kiss to the scar on her sternum. "It is a beautiful suit, on a beautiful woman, to be worn on a beautiful day. Whoever picked this out, had good taste." He smiled eyeing the off white fabric that brought out Ziva's dark tan and features beautifully. The gold buckle in the middle of her binkini top and the golden loops just over her hips made it all the more sexy to Tony.
"Another strange and curious oddity of our stay here. That appropriate clothing for such a destination, in all of our sizes, was waiting in each room, before we even knew what rooms we'd be staying. Someone knows us better then we know ourselves it seems." Ziva looked at him with a curious smile, playing with the hair on the back of his neck at this new and close position of her now taller then Tony sitting on the counter. "Must be quite the dossiers they have on us all." Her fingers trailed down the bare skin of his back following his own unique scar line now that ran across his side. "You should keep this covered for a while longer. It will burn in the sun." She advised him knowing from her own personal experiences with fresh scars in the hot sunlight.
"Are you trying to cover me up, Ziva David?" Tony gave her his famous cockeyed smile and grin, trailing his fingertip down the scar on her chest.
"Only because I worry about you." She brushed her fingers over his cheeks with a soft smile. "We are quite the matching pair now, aren't we?" She smiled, "You are now a Humpity Dumpity Egg too."
Tony laughed deeply at her saying, "Close, Ziva. You're getting better! It's Humpty Dumpty and yes, we are a matching pair now." He smiled pulling her in for another kiss, trailing them down her throat, then scar and smiled pulling back when Ziva leaned back on her hands on the counter and Tony kissed her lower abdomen for the first time gently, "You have a beautiful Mama, my little ninja princess." He gently ran his fingertips over Ziva's smooth skin, "Behave yourself in there." He scolded with a slight smile and then kissed her belly again.
Ziva had tears of joy in hers' this time to see Tony speaking to the baby in her belly for the first time. "You will be a great father, Tony." She smiled softly running her hand over his ear and twisting his hair at the nape of his neck.
"And you are already, a great mother." Tony smiled standing and pulling her back in close again to his chest, pressed heart to heart with faces mere inches apart. "We will get through this. One day at a time." He spoke softly and kissed her again lightly. "Ani ohev otach, Ziva David."
"I love you too." She smiled rubbing her nose with his and then kissing him lightly.
Gibbs was the first to waken in the morning and as he made his way toward the staircase could see the light on already downstairs in the kitchen. Ziva had been waking up early as well with what she vividly described as the most urgent need to pee every morning of her life. The thought made him chuckle as he rememebered Shannon complaining of the same thing.
He paused mid-step at the top of the stairs when the door to Tony and Ziva's room slowly creeked open and Ziva stepped out, surprised to see Gibbs staring back at her. "I thought you were already awake and downstairs." He smiled softly at her, "Good morning."
"Good morning." She smiled back at him joining him on the way down, "I just woke. Someone else must be up already." Ziva had taken note of the light on downstairs as well and the smell of coffee now drifting up the staircase.
They both stopped short rounding the corner of the kitchen to see the profile of a woman in their kitchen with her back to them. At first glance, they thought it may be E.J. but the height and hair and build were all wrong under further scrutiny. This woman had golden blonde hair pulled back in loose ponytail and was wearing all black. Running clothes from the looks of it as she stare out the window and then slowly turned to face them holding a cup of coffee in her hand.
"Hello." She smiled softly greeting their wide-eyed expressions the minute they could see her face.
Ziva felt her heart skip a beat to realize they were now face to face with the woman in the photos Kevin had shown them. The Phoenix had made her appearance. "Hello." She finally managed to make her mouth work as the woman made her way slowly towards them.
"Please excuse my unannounced arrival so early in the morning." She smiled softly coming to a stop just in front of Gibbs and handing him the cup of coffee. "I try to get my runs in before the children wake."
"You…are The Phoenix?" Ziva asked quietly for clarification sizing up the tiny woman before her. This was not at all what she was expecting in so many ways. The woman was incredibly beautiful as her legend held. Even slightly sweaty from her run with messy curls hanging from a loose ponytail, wearing form fitting running attire of a black zippered jacket, pants and running shoes. She looked like she just came from the gym and she certainly didn't look like she'd just given birth to twins three weeks ago given the shape of her body. Well defined muscle clearly scene through her clothes even with just enough sensual curves in all the right places but a flat abdomen that just seemed impossible given what they'd learned about the babies. Her hair was golden blonde and very long with natural curls and big dark eyes that were brown but more golden in the centers like fire around her pupils.
"I am." The woman smiled softly extending her hand to Ziva, "But you can call me Julia."
Ziva's hand trembled slightly when she accepted the gesture and felt the slight shock of electricity she wasn't sure was real or imagined that went up her arm with the contact. "Ziva." She swallowed hard giving the woman her name.
"A pleasure, Ziva." Julia acknowledged her, "Agent Gibbs." She turned her attention towards the man standing slightly protectively in front of Ziva. "A pleasure as well. I have heard many good things about you."
Gibbs accepted her hand and swore he felt the same slight jolt of electric shock at the contact as well, though he said nothing. "Julia." He paused, "Do you have a last name? Or is it, Phoenix?" He asked with a curious eyebrow.
"Julia Taylor." Julia smiled slightly at Gibbs immediate search for answers. "I do not have a lot of time to speak this morning. I must be getting back as there is much to do today… but I wanted to make sure I spoke with you first, Ziva." She turned her sole focus directly on Ziva moving closer with intent eyes. "I know how difficult waiting for answers can be." She spoke quietly and stopped moving when she stood a mere foot in front of Ziva. Slowly, Julia lifted her hand and placed it against the side of Ziva's cheek.
Ziva swallowed hard staring back into this woman's eyes that she could swear were flickering more gold the more intently she looked into Ziva's as if searching deep inside her soul and felt the flesh of her face beneath this woman's touch start tingling and heat up. She had no idea what Julia was doing and was too afraid to ask.
"I will help you, Ziva." Julia finally spoke giving Ziva a small smile, still cupping the side of Ziva's face gently. "The vehicles will come to collect you before Noon to bring you to the Main House. We can discuss things further there." She slowly let her hand fall away and then stepped back, "I need to be going now. It is a long run back and my children will be waking soon." She gave them both a small smile and swiftly moved around them and was out the door before either of them could react.
Gibbs looked down to the coffee still steaming in the mug in his hands. Dark black. Just the way he liked it and she had known without asking and handed it directly to him. Slowly he turned around to face Ziva who was slightly behind him and staring out the window at the woman now running away from the house in the early light of dawn towards the tree line. Her golden hair the only thing really setting her apart from her surroundings as her dark clothing blended into the dawn.
"Ziver," Gibbs addressed her trying to gain her attention and gasped softly when she turned to face him fully. He slowly set his coffee cup aside on the counter and moved closer with eyes never leaving her face. Gently he reached up and ran his fingers lightly over her cheek.
"What?" Ziva asked seeing the look in his eyes as one she'd never seen before and the slight tremble of his fingers.
"Your scar." Gibbs answered her in a whispered gently stroking down her cheek where the bullet had grazed her face, "It's gone."
"It's what?" She asked immediately with eyes widening and reaching up with hand closing over Gibbs. He moved his fingers aside and she traced down her skin, feeling for the tiny ridge that had recently been there and could no longer be felt. She gasped and spun quickly on her heel racing towards the closest mirror and inhaling a long gasping breath coming face to face with herself. Her hand trembling as she reached up to touch the flawless skin on her cheek once more with Gibbs slowly coming up behind her.
"It's gone." Ziva spoke in a whisper with near tears in her eyes of disbelief, relief and fear at how this could actually be possible. "The scar is… really gone." She gasped and ran her fingertips lightly over the skin that was still slightly tingly. Her mind flashing back to just minutes ago with Julia's palm over her cheek and the intense look in her eyes; the sensations of her skin warming and tingling beneath her touch. "How?" She turned immediately to Gibbs looking for answers and wondering if she were crazy. If he really saw her skin too. "How is this possible?"
"I have no idea." Gibbs eyes were still wide and in shock as well. He'd seen a lot of unexplained things in his life, and most of them had been solved eventually with investigation. But this event had happened right before his eyes. So quicky and subtly they hadn't know what was happening until it was over in a flash and the mystery woman was gone. There were no explanations that he could come up with that made any sense as to how Ziva's scar could be on her face in one moment and gone in the next. Without surgery, just vanished. A deep chill ran down his spine as he reached up to touch Ziva's skin and felt the warmth still radiating there.
"Hey, what's going on down here." Tony smiled sleepily coming down the stairs and seeing Ziva and Gibbs standing in front of the mirror in log cabin's foyer.
"Tony," Ziva wheeled around with shock all over her face, "Look at me."
"I am looking at you." He smiled coming towards her with a curious gaze, "You are still as beautiful as the last time I sa-…" His words stopped abruptly as she came to stand before her. His eyes locked onto her cheek when Ziva trailed her finger gently down it, drawing his attention. Their eyes holding intently before he looked back again and stepped closer. Closign the distance completely he reached up and grazed her face with the backs of his fingers. "Where…what happened to your scar?" He asked in barely above a whisper, unable to even form coherent thoughts as he looked at her once again flawless face. The bullet graze that had burned bright pink was now completely gone.
"She was here, Tony." Ziva answered swallowing hard with pounding heart trying to explain the unexplainable. "When we came downstairs not long ago, she was here. In the kitchen."
"The Phoenix?" Tony guessed from the way Ziva was speaking and watched her nod.
"She…is not at all like I was expecting…though I really did not know what to expect, honestly," Ziva shook her head softly in confusion, "So…human and real but…"
"But what?" Tony asked still unable to tear his eyes or touch away from Ziva's face and cheek.
"She introduced herself. Said her name is Julia Taylor…that we should call her Julia. She spoke quickly and said she had been out running but needed to return to the house before the children woke." Ziva rambled quietly in a daze, "She said she would help me, Tony…and then she touched my face, like this." Ziva demonstrated by cupping the side of Tony's face gently with palm to his cheek. "She looked intently into my eyes with her own and this warm tingling sensation slowly spread beneath her touch. It was only a moment. Just a moment, right?" She looked quickly to Gibbs for confirmation that she hadn't hallucinated that part, "And then she pulled away, said that we were to meet her at the Main House around Noon and she was gone. Running back into the woods." She motioned towards the window where they'd watched her disappear. "Gibbs noticed it first…my face." Ziva added quietly touching her skin once more, "It was just gone, Tony." She felt the same chill running up and down her spine and heart pounding thinking about the intensity in Julia's stare and the liquid pools of gold that seemed to shimmer in her eyes as she looked at Ziva.
Tony didn't know what to think or say or do. He was certain he was in shock. He wanted to deny these events to be true, rationalize them in some way but staring at Ziva's face right now, void of any evidence a bullet had ever grazed her…there was no explanation. At all. "I have to sit down." He finally spoke feeling light headed and moved to the nearest possible seat, which was a leather armchair near them and put his head in his hands, taking slow and deep breaths. He wasn't sure what he was expecting of this person either, but this was something he had never imagined and it terrified him to no end there was no explanation of how.
"She was here?" McGee asked with paling face as the others joined them for breakfast, staring in disbelief as a collective group at Ziva's face. The story had been repeated several times now and none of them could comprehend it. "She was here and I missed it?" He kept asking over and over in disbelief shaking his head slowly.
Tony had remained absolutely silent all morning as had Gibbs, both too astonished and unsure of anything at the moment to speak. Ziva had been the one recanting the story to the others.
"So the legends are true…" Malachi gasped shaking his head slowly and reaching out to touch Ziva's healed cheek as well. "She is like…no other." He was thinking about all of the stories he had heard regarding The Phoenix that had once seemed completely absurd and now wondering if they were true as well.
"And she looked just like us?" McGee asked still fascinated beyond belief to hear the details over and over.
"What were you expecting, McGee?" Tony finally spoke, unsure of it himself.
"I thought you were expecting a 20-foot giant, Tony." McGee answered, surprised to hear Tony finally speak.
"I wasn't expecting anything, honestly." Tony answered quietly, "I don't know what I was expecting…a woman with a large story built up around her mostly. A façade of some kind that was created purposefully to intimidate others with the stories maybe, but…I honestly never expected anything like this." He spoke quietly looking up again at Ziva's cheek.
"Well she certainly was not, a 20-foot tall giant." Ziva shook her head slowly not knowing what to really say about it either, just trying to process and go over repeatedly what she knew. "She was 5'8 or 5'9 at the most…tiny, petite person who certainly didn't look like she just had twins 3 weeks ago…or to be running like she was." She pondered that mystery as well, considering most new mothers were told not to engage in physical activity for at least 6 weeks after birth. "The only thing really…odd or rather…I cannot find a word honestly, that was different about her, were here eyes." Ziva shook her head slowly thinking about those eyes.
"They were made of fire like I suggested?" Tony asked slowly starting to come around as he processed and returned to what felt more normal when he was nervous and out of control in his environment, making jokes.
"No," Ziva shook her head in a daze, "They were intensely dark brown with these flecks of gold in them that the closer she came and the longer she looked into my eyes… I swear to you, the gold became more intense, consuming and was almost fluid…like fire." She nodded slowly realizing that actually was an accurate description, "Like flickering flames…I cannot describe them. You would never believe me…you, it…you will see for yourself."
"So did you see these flickering flame eyes too, Boss?" Tony asked Gibbs deciding his best recourse for handling this situation that could not be explained was one of disbelief and mockery. To contemplate anything else right now was too much.
"I wasn't staring into her eyes, DiNozzo." Gibbs answered quietly sharing a look with Ziva as the only two to have experienced the surreal moment together, not realizing what had even happened until after. "There is definitely something different about this woman." He finally admitted going with his gut instincts that tingled in her presence.
"And what does your gut say about her, Boss?" Tony asked trusting Gibbs instincts after all these years, "Do we trust her? Or are these some sort of elaborate parlor tricks?"
"I have no idea what this is." Gibbs nodded softly towards Ziva, unable to quantify it into words, "But my gut says, approach with caution." He added softly thinking about it. "I do not think she has any ill will towards, Ziva…or any of us…but there is something about her that says be cautious…we don't want to be on her bad side."
"So insulting her over lunch would likely be a very bad idea, Tony." McGee gave him a pointed look with raised eyebrows.
They all stood on the porch very anxiously as noon approached, waiting for their ride and were surprised that it was a single truck this time instead of two jeeps. The once fierce looking fellow who had been their driver in dropping them off, wearing black tactical style clothing then; now stepped out looking every bit the part of rugged cowboy. He smiled and tipped his hat to the two ladies present and looked at what they were wearing in contrast to his t-shirt, boots, jeans and chaps and shook his head softly.
"I feel like we are entirely overdressed." E.J. whispered to Ziva as they both stood in summer dresses while the men wore dress casual beside them preparing for this meeting.
"Good afternoon. My name is Cody." The goodlooking cowboy greeted them with a smile, "My apologies but you may wish to change. "There has been a slight change in plan. Lady Julia is still working the herd with us and will need a bit more time. You are welcome to come now, though your meeting will be delayed at least another hour or two." He shifted his weight digging one hand into his pocket. "You should have suitable clothing in your rooms should you care to join us now. You won't be working, of course, but you will get dirty from all the dust if you plan to watch."
"Working the herd?" Tony asked if he heard that correctly, amazed to hear the woman was doing such and called Lady all the while.
"Yes, sir. We're weaning the Fall born calves and cutting them from the herd. We've been working on it for the last few days and nearly done." Cody answered politely.
"And Lady Julia, helps with this?" McGee asked with widening curious eyes to imagine such a thing as well, knowing that for her to be addressed as Lady meant that she was of nobility somehow as well and they just didn't do things like work cattle on ranches.
"Of course, sir. She always helps. This is her ranch." Cody looked at him slightly surprised they would even ask. "Lady Julia is very much a part of the day to day operations." He smiled, "If you don't mind, we really need to get moving. I should be there to help."
"Okay," McGee answered quickly for the whole group, entirely in and excited for the adventure went quickly back into the house to change into more appropriate clothing.
When they met back downstairs less then ten minutes later, none could stop the smiles as they took in each others appearances. They weren't dressed in over the top comical cowboy attire seen on television but western wear that real ranch hands wore and all looked incredibly good as they sized each other up.
"You look incredibly sexy in jeans and cowboy boots." Tony whispered into Ziva's ear as they walked down the steps together. "You pull off this exotic cowgirl thing very well."
"Very sexy yourself, Tony." Ziva smacked his butt playfully earning a smile and jump from Tony.
"You pull off this suave western cowboy thing pretty well, Boss." Tony smiled at Gibbs as they all made their way down the porch steps towards the truck. "Do you feel like you're in a John Wayne western yet?" He turned his attention to Asa knowing how the man felt about western films as well, "Cuz I do." He smiled widely looking around at the beautiful landscape.
Gibbs only smiled shaking his head. He had to admit, the feel of the atmosphere was serene and much more laid back then being in the city. He could definitely get used to living in a place like this all the time and could see why, if The Phoenix was going to live in seclusion, this was the place to be.
"I can't get over how incredibly beautiful it is here." Ziva shook her head with a smile.
"That's why they call this God's Country, ma'am." Cowboy Cody smiled and winked at her softly popping the end gate to the truck. "Ladies, you are welcome to ride up front with me if you choose or in the back. That's up to you. Not everyone will fit inside and besides, I thought some of you might enjoy riding in the back to see the sights."
"So we must be somewhere in Montana?" Gibbs guessed quietly looking at Cody with a smile at his reference, knowing that was the slogan most often used to describe the state of surreal beauty.
"You'd be correct, sir." Cody smiled, "But the ranch also extends into Idaho. It would take you days to cross." He held his hand out for E.J. to accept as she climbed up into the back with the others. "Ma'am." He smiled at her once she let go.
"I better ride up front." Ziva smiled softly realizing that the bouncing around in the back would not be good for the baby given her delicate condition. "You go ahead." She smiled at Tony with a head nod, "Ride in the back with them." She could see the little boy like joy in his eyes at a boyhood dream of sorts coming true. Playing cowboy in the rustic mountains was too good to pass up.
Tony smiled and kissed her, thanking her for knowing him so well and climbed in the back with everyone else, leaving Ziva to sit up front with Cody by herself.
"Hold on." Cody called to them out the truck window with a smile as he put the truck into gear.
"I swear, this feels like we have entered Heaven." Malachi marveled as they drove along the path cutting through the vast green fields of grass and wild flowers with the mountains and their dark purple peaks reaching high into the sky. The gloriously glacial blue colored waters rushing past them in the river and tall pine trees was simply out of a dream. He couldn't help but think that Liat would love this place. She had always enjoyed the mountains whenever they would visit the Alps in Europe or the Urals in Russia. Never before had he or she seen the gloriously beautiful peaks of the North American Rockies.
"So Cody, how long have you worked for The Phoenix?" Ziva asked with a soft smile as they rolled along through the beautiful countryside.
"A few years, ma'am." He smiled, "Lady Julia and I worked together on a few missions prior to my joining the ranch. I grew up on a ranch in Wyoming so this is very much like home to me."
"So you were also a trained field operative?" She asked, still digging for information about how this place worked.
"Yes, ma'am." Cody smiled again at her inquisitivness, "All ranch personel, even the livestock wranglers are all combat ready."
"That's very interesting." Ziva smiled looking out the window thinking about 'tactical cowboys.' "So you were all cowboys first, I assume?"
"No, ma'am." He shook his head slightly, "Not all of us." He chuckled, "A few had a rather steep learning curve when it came to riding a horse even, let alone wrangling cattle and horses. It was sure fun watching Lady Julia give them lessons though. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life as watching her trying to teach some of them cut cattle." He chuckled again thinking about those memories. "Some looked at her horrified when she said that was the day's lesson not realizing that cutting cattle meant sorting. They all had their knives out looking sickly at the baby calves before them thinking they were expected somehow to butcher calves instead of merely sorting them. City Slickers, we call 'em."
"And Lady Julia, I take it, is not a City Slicker?" Ziva asked with a curious smile and eyebrow laughing softly with him as well to hear the confusion of the men, having the same thoughts when first hearing cutting cattle.
"No, ma'am. She was born and raised on a ranch. Even if she's an elegant noble Lady and all now, she's one helluva cowgirl." He smiled, "Sorry ma'am. Forget sometimes I'm in the company of a lady. We don't get a lot of visitors around here."
"It's okay." Ziva smiled at the charming young man she guessed was around twenty-five years old. "And she runs most of the operation around here?"
"Yes, ma'am." He answered again with a small smile, "Whenever she's in country that is. Tries to be here for the big round ups and drives each year back and forth between the winter and summer pasture grounds. Some of us pack up with her and head to Europe for the Social Seasons for her royal duties but, this is home to us all now. We can't wait to get back. There's freedom here, you know?" He looked over at her with a smile climbing over the next hill and switching gears as the truck surged forward. "I think she's a lot more comfortable in boots and jeans on the back of a horse then in heels and a dress exchanging pleasantries with Kings."
"I think I would be too." Ziva sighed with a softy smile, intrigued by these little details the man was giving to her.
"Lady Julia must really like you. You're only the second set of guests she's ever let come to the Main House. Even the other guests are secluded to the outer cabins." Cody smiled as they approached another hillcrest.
"Really?" Ziva asked with growing curiosity and hope that this was indeed a good sign. "Who were the other guests she let come to the Main House if I may ask? Secretary Thorne?" She asked guessing, given the status of the woman.
"Shoot, no!" Cody shook his head with a smile and a laugh, "She's here all the time! Has always stayed in the Main House. The only other guests Lady Julia allowed in the Main House were the President, First Lady and their children. They were just here a couple of weeks ago for Kristoff's birthday party and to meet the babies."
Ziva's eyes were wide with all this new information. First, that Secretary Thorne was such a regular, she stayed in the Main House and second, the President and First Lady who were here for the boy's birthday party and to greet the new babies.
"And they visit often, do they?" She asked swallowing hard.
"No, not often. Only been here twice actually. Schedules are too busy but they do enjoy riding when they can." He smiled. "And here we are." Cody nodded towards where they were now coming over a massive hill down into a valley where small clouds of dust could be seen clustered around large groups of cattle inside a massive wooden corral.
The entire structure for cattle sorting was impressive with large pens made of perfect wooden poles that were young evergreen trees stripped clean of branches. Real... authentic of the American West. Dozens of cowboys in jeans and chaps lined the edges of the corral helping sort the calves off and everyone seemingly having a job and working like a well oiled machine.
"Oh my God." Tony gasped in awe as the descended into the valley and upon the scene. "Cue the music from Dances With Wolves." He smiled widely, "I suddenly feel like Kevin Costner going along on the buffalo hunt." He looked around, "I wonder if they have any those around here."
"I wouldn't be surprised." McGee spoke slowly as the truck came to a stop gawking along with everyone else at the scene before them, feeling very much as if they were transported through time in this moment and in a movie at the scene before them.
Slowly they all climbed out of the back of the truck and walked closer as a group with Cody leading the way.
"Just stay outside the corral. Keep your arms tucked in." He smiled with instructions, "Wouldn't want them to accidentally get torn off." He winked with a chuckle watching Malachi and Tony instantly pull their arms back inside the corrals fence and look down the row to see all the other cowboys with arms folded over the posts as to not get their limbs torn off by wild cattle. "I need to get back to work. Lady Julia will find you when we're finished." He tipped his hand again and reached for the rope securing a horse to a pole behind them. He quickly jumped into the saddle and slid into the open gate when another cowboy opened it to let two cows out back towards the open pasture.
The sounds of baby calves bellowing for their mama's and the mom's bellowing back for their babies created quite the atmosphere along with cattle calls of 'hey and ho' as they worked to sort them out and the occasional slap of rope on leather.
"And there she is." Ziva spoke quietly, the first to spot Julia on horseback emerging from a cloud of dust inside the corral and calling out commands to the others on horses beside her, separating a group of calves. The tiny girl, they now knew as Lara was perched directly in front of her on the saddle, wearing similar clothing to her mother. Both had on boots and leather chaps over their jeans and while Julia dorned the dark aviator sunglasses they had seen in the surveillance photos from Kevin, her hair blowing around wildly with strands escaping her pony tail around her face, Lara's hair was now braided into two Indian braids on the sides of her head, wearing matching tiny aviator glasses that were similar to her mothers.'
"This was not at all what I was expecting The Phoenix to look like." Malachi marveled slowly with wide eyes at the image before him. She looked more badass sexy cowgirl then badass combat queen.
They couldn't help but smile hearing Lara call out the same commands right after her mother, mimicking every move she made, right down to slapping the lariat rope against her thigh creating a slapping sound against the leather chaps they wore to move the cattle.
"This is the person who is supposed to help save us with her badass skills?" Tony asked looking back and forth between the woman on the horse and their group gathered at the fence. "She looks more Annie Oakley to me then Lara Croft." He marveled like the others at the image before him, "Don't get me wrong…she's still incredibly impressive here. I am definitely impressed." He gulped watching as she shot her arm out swung the rope and caught the back leg of a calf in one fell swoop, so her men could tackle it to the ground and brand and vaccinate it. The calf immediately got up and ran by them with a new brand blazoning across its flesh. "Of course." Tony smiled shaking his head when he saw that the ranch brand on every horse and cow was indeed a phoenix.
"Annie Oakley was one of the most impressive gun fighters and shooters of all time, Tony." McGee countered with a smile, impressed all the way around with his new mythical super hero coming to life before his eyes. "Cowgirl Ninja." He smiled already thinking up new story plots for his next book.
The two little boys they had also met spotted them across the corral and waved excitedly from their own positions upon horses, dressed very similar to everyone else and looking too entirely adorable with their own cowboy hats and chaps.
"I think we're about to have company." Ziva smiled seeing the little one, Rurik, moving his horse to come towards them around the corral.
"Hello stranger Lady Ziva." Rurik greeted her with an adorable smile looking down at her from his gorgeous painted horse that really did look like it came straight from western film.
His name for her had them all smiling and chuckling softly. "Hello Rurik." Ziva answered back reaching up to stroke the horses neck softly. "You look pretty good up there, cowboy."
"Thanks." He smiled proudly, "I've been riding a long time. Half my life I guess." He pondered and made them snicker again given he was only four years old, "This is Joe." He patted his horse. "He likes to eat grass but Mama says I can't let him when he's supposed to be working."
Ziva smiled at his whisper of the last part, "Well I am glad to see you didn't get into too much trouble for visiting us the other day."
"Oh we did. Lots and lots of trouble." Rurik shook his head with big eyes, "We have to muck the horse stalls every morning now before breakfast and before dinner and we can't go exploring for two whole weeks. That is a very very long time when we normally go exploring every day!" He shook his head with a deep sigh, "My tummy gets awfully hungry by the time we finally get to eat now. It takes the three of us two hours each time to do all the horse stalls!" His eyes widened at how long that was to consider. "But I am getting big muscles like Daddy now from all the hard work. See?" He tried flexing his biceps and made them all chuckle again with his grunts.
"Oh yes, big muscles indeed." Ziva nodded exaggeratedly with a smile as did the others to show they were impressed and actually were. The tiny little fellow was actually quite solidly built with muscle tone already for his age. "Rurik, I have a question for you. How did you hear your Mama calling for you in my room the other day?" She dared asking but after this morning's events, she was too curious not too. "We couldn't hear her speaking at all."
"That's because she can do magic." Rurik whispered with a slow head nod and wide-eyes smiling. "Uh-oh." He sighed again instantly with his head whipping towards the corral and his mother on the far side, now staring at the group as the last calves ran from the pen and into freedom. "I'm not supposed to talk about that." His shoulders fell, "I have to be quiet now." He looked away towards the ground as Julia approached on her horse.
The others were once again incredibly intrigued by this silent communication and even moreso with Rurik's comment and enthusiastic eyes that she could do magic. Given what they'd seen this morning on Ziva's face, they were all the more curious about what exactly that meant.
"Hello everyone." Julia smiled softly behind her dark glasses and stopped her horse just before them. Sliding out of the saddle and handing the reigns to Lara, "Take Jovi back to the stables with Roo and Toff. Cody will help you cool them down." She instructed the tiny dark haired cutie still sitting in the saddle, "You did a great job helping, Mama." She smiled up at Lara who leaned over and planted a big kiss to her mother's lips. "Thank you."
Julia turned and said the same to Rurik who also gave her a big kiss, still sitting in the saddle and they heard him ask, "Am I in trouble again?" quietly. Julia shook her head no once softly and then kissed his cheek telling them both to 'go.'
When both children began to ride off towards Kristoff and the man who had picked them up, Julia turned her attention back to the group. She was covered in sweat and dust with wild hairs flying madly around her head in the breeze and all the young men in the group couldn't help but gulp at the sexy image before them. It was the first time for them all, of seeing a real live working cowgirl in such away standing before them. A dream come to life and they were having trouble concentrating watching the sweat soaked strand of hair, bouncing against the pulse point in her neck, speckled with dirt and calling to their inner fantasties.
Their gazes and transfixed nature were broken when Julia seemed to sense the stares and used her leather-gloved hand to wipe down her neck and remove the offending hair before removing the glove and extending her hand to greet them. "Julia Taylor." She offered to Tony first with a soft smile, "Pleasure to meet you, Agent DiNozzo."
"Likewise mystery woman." He answered with a small smile making hers' grow.