{"id":1874,"date":"2012-09-16T03:57:43","date_gmt":"2012-09-16T03:57:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/?p=1874"},"modified":"2012-09-16T03:57:43","modified_gmt":"2012-09-16T03:57:43","slug":"fic-going-nowhere-ncis-gen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/?p=1874","title":{"rendered":"Fic: Going Nowhere (NCIS, gen)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Author’s Note:<\/strong> Written for voleuse for ncis_tinsel a couple of years ago.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

\u201cDucky?\u201d Ziva poked her head through the door of Autopsy, frowning when she didn\u2019t see anyone. \u201cDucky? Palmer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, there you are.\u201d Doctor Mallard\u2019s voice came unexpectedly from behind her.<\/p>\n

Ziva jumped, clamping down on the instinct to reach for her gun. She was going soft\u2014there was a time when no one would have been able to sneak up on her, even if they were deliberately trying. She forced a smile in response to Ducky\u2019s. \u201cYou wanted to see me?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I did. I have something for you.\u201d He stepped past her and stopped, holding the door open.<\/p>\n

Intrigued and more than a little dubious, Ziva stepped into Autopsy, then followed Ducky across the room to his desk, where he bent down to retrieve something from underneath it. When he straightened again, she stared in awed dismay at an enormous gift basket: wine, cheese, crackers, and assorted other foods all wrapped up in cellophane.<\/p>\n

\u201cHappy Chanukah, my dear,\u201d Ducky said cheerfully.<\/p>\n

\u201cI…don\u2019t know what to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

He just smiled again fondly. \u201cYou needn\u2019t say anything. I believe the contents of the basket are all kosher, however my memory may be a bit rusty–\u201d<\/p>\n

Ziva laughed. \u201cDucky, your mind is like a steel prison. Gold is more likely to rust.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s \u2018steel trap,\u2019 my dear,\u201d he corrected, but there was a conspiratorial twinkle in his eye that made her uncomfortable, as if he knew something she didn\u2019t want anyone to know.<\/p>\n

Murmuring her thanks, Ziva hefted the gigantic basket and, peering around it, picked her way carefully back out of Autopsy. Reaching the elevator, she balanced the gift on one knee and hit the call button, then stood back to wait with a sigh.<\/p>\n

She had no idea what to do with this thing, but didn\u2019t have the heart to tell him so. Well, he had been right about at least one item\u2014the wine bottle had the words \u201cKosher for Passover\u201d on it. Never mind that it wouldn’t be Passover for another four months or so.<\/p>\n

The elevator dinged, the doors slid open and Ziva stepped on, setting the basket down beside her just in case. In case of what, she wasn\u2019t sure, but if there was one thing growing up in Israel and then going into Mossad had taught her, it was to always be prepared for anything.<\/p>\n

After only one floor, the elevator stopped again, and the doors opened to reveal Abby and McGee. \u201cZiva?\u201d the latter asked, surprised.<\/p>\n

She just pointed down to the basket at her feet, and he nodded in comprehension. \u201cAh, yes. We got ours Christmas Eve.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, well, I suppose the second day of Chanukah is better than never….\u201d she rejoined in a rueful voice that strongly implied she wasn\u2019t so sure.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, Happy Chanukah, by the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cToda.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Throughout this conversation, and boarding the elevator, Abby had maintained a suspicious silence. Ziva sighed internally, wondering if she was ever going to win the other woman\u2019s friendship. \u201cSo, Abby, how was your Christmas?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI celebrate the Winter Solstice,\u201d was the short reply.<\/p>\n

Ziva grimaced. \u201cMy mistake. I thought everyone in this country celebrated Christmas. It\u2019s rather…overwhelming.\u201d<\/p>\n

McGee frowned. \u201cYou know, I hadn\u2019t really thought of that before, but I suppose it would be. What with all the stores decorated and playing Christmas music and all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPrecisely. Whereas in Jerusalem, if one wanted to avoid it, all one had to do was avoid the Christian Quarter. And the Armenian Quarter,\u201d Ziva agreed. After a pause, she admitted, \u201cNot that I ever spent much time in those anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded. \u201cSo what is December like in Israel? All decked out for Chanukah instead?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ziva chuckled. \u201cBelieve it or not, Chanukah is a fairly minor holiday, particularly compared to Holy Week.\u201d<\/p>\n

McGee looked confused. \u201cThe week before Easter?\u201d<\/p>\n

She couldn\u2019t help it; she made a face. \u201cNo, the week between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The New Year and the Day of Atonement,\u201d she explained at his blank look.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh. I guess I really don\u2019t know much about Judaism. Or Israel,\u201d McGee admitted.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m starting to notice that,\u201d she muttered under her breath.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what–\u201d he began, but was interrupted when the elevator cab suddenly lurched to a stop and all the lights died with a sharp whine.<\/p>\n

Ziva\u2019s instincts snapped into overdrive. Every muscle in her body tensed as one hand sought the security of her weapon. \u201cGet down!\u201d she hollered.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Why?\u201d Abby asked, bewildered.<\/p>\n

\u201cMcGee, I need you to give me a boost–\u201d<\/p>\n

She could hear him fumbling in the darkness. \u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to climb up into the shaft, see if I can get us out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDude, why?\u201d Abby repeated. \u201cIf the power doesn\u2019t come back on in a minute, they\u2019ll send someone to get us out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ziva frowned. \u201cIn my country, if the power goes out it\u2019s quite possibly because a bomb has exploded somewhere nearby.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, well, we\u2019re not in your country anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNeither was the World Trade Center,\u201d she snapped back, nerves still strung tight as a violin.<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, Ziva, was that really necessary?\u201d McGee pointed out quietly, and Ziva felt a sudden stab of remorse.<\/p>\n

She\u2019d forgotten what a raw wound that still was for Americans, since she\u2019d never really understood the sense of security they clung to, or that even some of her countrymen could claim. For the family of the director of Mossad, security was a weapon or an armed IDF soldier at your back, and even that sometimes wasn\u2019t enough. True, not even Hamas had ever used a plane as a bomb, but considering how tight security tended to be on El Al, she suspected it was simply easier to achieve their objectives through other means.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re right,\u201d she admitted. \u201cThat was insensitive, and I apologize.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLook,\u201d he continued. \u201cAbby\u2019s right, it\u2019s probably just a power outage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ziva forcibly uncoiled herself one muscle at a time. \u201cSo what do people in your country do when they\u2019re trapped in an elevator without power?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s always the phone,\u201d Abby suggested.<\/p>\n

Right. The emergency call box. She fumbled for it, then, \u201cDoes anyone have a lighter or a torch or something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou afraid of the dark?\u201d Abby taunted.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I just thought it might be easier to use the phone if we could see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, yeah…\u201d She heard McGee say, more fumbling, then suddenly a tiny beam of light cut through the blackness. Apparently he had a penlight on his keyring. He picked up the phone, and while he explained their situation to whoever was on the other end of the line, Ziva eased herself carefully into a sitting position beside Abby, whose face was even paler than usual in the meager light.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you afraid of the dark?\u201d Ziva carefully echoed the other girl\u2019s question, her tone quiet and sincere.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Abby shook her head. \u201cIt\u2019s just…my parents are both deaf. I was thinking…if this ever happened to them, they would have no way to call for help. No one would even know they were there, and they would have no way of knowing if anyone was trying to get them out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ziva shivered. \u201cWhen I was a little girl…a bomb went off at my mother\u2019s work, and she was buried in the rubble. For two days, we didn\u2019t know if she was alive while they searched for her, and for the others. On the third day…they were about to give up when they heard a voice, very faint, repeating the Sh\u2019ma<\/em> over and over again.\u201d She looked up and shivered. \u201cSo I guess I\u2019m not particularly fond of small, dark spaces either.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abby offered her a weak smile and Ziva smiled in return, probably the first truly genuine ones they\u2019d ever exchanged.<\/p>\n

McGee hung up the phone. \u201cOkay, apparently the whole block is out. They\u2019re working on getting the power back, but it\u2019s going to take some time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abby sighed. \u201cI knew I should\u2019ve had that burrito before I left.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, I\u2019m kind of hungry too,\u201d McGee admitted.<\/p>\n

Food<\/em>–Ziva\u2019s eyes widened. That basket might be good for something after all. She reached for it and shook the cellophane. \u201cWill this help?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt certainly can\u2019t hurt,\u201d Abby said and McGee made a sound of agreement as he settled himself onto the floor as well.<\/p>\n

Ziva untied the bow and opened the wrapping. \u201cLet\u2019s see…wine, cheese, halvah…what, no falafel?\u201d she muttered dryly.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s halvah?\u201d McGee asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cDifficult to explain,\u201d Ziva responded, opening the package and breaking off a chunk. \u201cHere.\u201d She distributed pieces to both of them, then with some help from her pocket knife, uncorked the wine.<\/p>\n

\u201cNot bad,\u201d he stated around a mouthful. \u201cMy basket was mostly bread, cheese and sausage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, well, sausage isn\u2019t exactly kosher, now is it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I guess not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOoh, bagels!\u201d Abby revealed with a grin after rummaging around in the basket a bit. \u201cWow, Ducky really went all out with the Jewish stereotypes. Is there cream cheese? And lox?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo we have a knife to spread the cream cheese if there is?\u201d McGee asked.<\/p>\n

Ziva reached down, pulled out her boot knife and handed it to him. At the stunned look on his face, she shrugged. \u201cIt\u2019s not exactly designed for eating with, but…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood enough,\u201d Abby declared. She snatched the knife out of Ziva\u2019s hand and proceeded to prepare herself a bagel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWine?\u201d Ziva asked, offering the bottle to McGee.<\/p>\n

He accepted and took a swig. \u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo,\u201d she sighed. \u201cWhat do we do to pass the time? Besides eat, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could play truth or dare,\u201d Abby suggested.<\/p>\n

\u201cTruth or dare?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a game,\u201d McGee explained. \u201cSomeone asks you to choose \u2018truth’ or ‘dare,\u2019 and depending on which you pick, you either have to answer a question truthfully or perform a stunt of that person\u2019s choosing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ziva frowned. \u201cSounds dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot if you trust the people you\u2019re playing with,\u201d Abby protested.<\/p>\n

Ziva pinned her with a look. \u201cI rest my case.\u201d The goth girl had the grace to look a little sheepish.<\/p>\n

\u201cBesides, what kind of dare could we possibly do stuck in an elevator anyway?\u201d McGee asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m sure I could think of something,\u201d Abby replied with a wicked grin. \u201cI\u2019ll go first. Ziva: truth or dare?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ziva frowned, choosing what seemed like the less risky answer. \u201cTruth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other girl\u2019s eyes lit up, and suddenly it didn\u2019t seem like such a good idea after all. \u201cOkay. Here\u2019s something I\u2019ve been wanting to know for a while: you\u2019re a spy, right? And part of spy training is how to blend in convincingly with other cultures, isn\u2019t it? So do you really not know all those expressions you keep messing up, or is it all an act?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ziva swore silently in Hebrew.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an act,\u201d she admitted with a sigh.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d McGee looked startled.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the things my father taught me when I was very young was always to keep something in reserve,\u201d she admitted. \u201cNever become predictable, only appear to be so.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019re saying that was all…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo keep you on your toes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMake us underestimate you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d She nodded. \u201cAnd if you ever breathe a word of this to Tony or Gibbs, I will break every bone in your body. One at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n

She could do it, too, and from the looks on their faces, they knew it.<\/p>\n

Abby grinned then, and this time Ziva was startled to feel included in the mischief in her eyes. \u201cOh, I wouldn\u2019t say anything to Tony anyway. It\u2019d spoil the fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that was something they could agree on. Ziva returned the smile. \u201cOkay, I think I passed that one\u2014what now?\u201d<\/p>\n

As if to answer her question, the elevator suddenly roared to life, and the three of them blinked in the sudden, bright light. A second later it began to move, and the three of them scrambled to their feet, picking up the remains of their impromptu picnic and shoving them back into the basket.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have an idea\u2014I think after all this, we deserve a little celebration,\u201d Ziva suggested. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you two come home with me? We can light the second candle, and I can teach you a little about Judaism.\u201d<\/p>\n

She waggled an eyebrow at McGee, who exchanged glances with Abby before turning back to her with a smile. \u201cThat would be nice, Ziva. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The door opened then to reveal a smirking Tony. \u201cWell, there you guys are. Have fun?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ziva glanced at her two companions: McGee, who had lost his suitcoat, tie, and top button sometime during their imprisonment, and Abby, whose hair was mussed from sitting against the elevator wall. An evil idea crept into her head and she turned a languid smile on Tony. \u201cI think so, didn\u2019t we boys and girls?\u201d<\/p>\n

Abby immediately picked up on the tone of her voice, and snaked an arm around her waist, grinning. \u201cLots of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019d venture to say it was probably the most fun I\u2019ve ever had in an elevator,\u201d McGee contributed with his usual clueless honesty, playing flawlessly into Ziva\u2019s ruse.<\/p>\n

Tony\u2019s mouth dropped open. Ziva smiled and shoved the gift basket into his astonished hands before strolling out of the elevator. \u201cNow which way are the stairs?\u201d<\/p>\n

When he pointed, dumbfounded, she linked arms with both Abby and McGee and stated in a low voice\u2014but still loud enough for Tony to hear\u2014\u201cLet\u2019s go home, shall we?\u201d<\/p>\n

When the door closed behind them, Tony was still staring.<\/p>\n

\n

Glossary (just in case anyone doesn’t know):<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

El Al – Israeli national airline
\nIDF – Israeli Defense Force
\nSh\u2019ma – a traditional Hebrew prayer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Author’s Note: Written for voleuse for ncis_tinsel a couple of years ago. \u201cDucky?\u201d Ziva poked her head through the door of Autopsy, frowning when she didn\u2019t see anyone. \u201cDucky? Palmer?\u201d \u201cAh, there you are.\u201d Doctor Mallard\u2019s voice came unexpectedly from … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[159,71],"tags":[443,626,112,655,248,446,251,447],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1874"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1874"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1874\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1875,"href":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1874\/revisions\/1875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1874"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1874"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/azar.ink-and-quill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1874"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}