Chapter 16
Stepping up to the backdoor with his sidearm in hand, Steve pushed it open slightly to get a better look out onto the patio. The door creaked, startling the figure stood in the darkness.
Ziva turned her head slightly revealing the profile of her face in the little bit of light that came from the house. “Sorry for picking your lock,” she said softly. “If you want me to leave I will.”
“Ya could’ve put a few lights on, I almost blew you away,” he said before slipping his sidearm into its holster.
“I could have but I preferred the darkness,” she smiled weakly. “And if you did – it is what it is.”
“Ziva, don’t talk like that,” he said, keeping his distance. “Hurting you is the last thing I want.”
She let out a breath and turned back to staring over the dark water. She remained quiet for awhile before breathing in deep and tensing her shoulders. “I told you about Michael. What made you believe that I would not eventually tell you about Ari?” she asked, hurt and suspicion in her voice.
“Because Ari was more important to you than Michael. He was your brother Ziva, probably the one man in your life that you were ever completely honest with,” he replied honestly.
She shook her head and laughed. “No. I’d always told you everything that I could that wasn’t against the rules. Ari – Ari was and is a difficult subject. One that I have to build up to in my head. I wasn’t and still am not ready to share those details with you.”
“You shared things with me, yes. And you didn’t compromise your Governments secrets, not that I’d ever ask you to. But I warned you about Ari, more than once and you threw it back in my face and we may never have become as close as we were. I had a right to know and you know it. Not to say I told you so, but to help you through it because that’s all I ever wanted to do,” he explained.
“All I would have wanted from you is just you to be there and not say a thing. That is how you could have helped me. And now – I told you so? Steve – I came back here – I don’t know now why I did. I should leave. I knew this was a mistake.”
“You came here because you’re finally understanding what Gibbs meant when he said it was time for you to move on. Yes, you’ve dealt with your feelings about your father. But have you begun to face what happened with Ari? With Michael? With me? No,” he snapped, “You joined Gibbs’ team after saving his life, but did you ever stop to think that you joined his team because you were running away from your past? And have been doing it ever since?”
“Yes. Of course I did Steve! I’m not that naive. But all I asked of you was to just let me come to you when I was ready instead of trying to force it out of me after everything in this assignment,” Ziva argued back. “Yes I joined NCIS to get away from the Mossad, from my father. Jenny assisted in that when I asked her for the help and she set up the liaison position. Of course after she died it went to hell really fast and I admit that I was a bit lost when Michael came into the picture but you cannot hold it against me if I wanted to wait to share everything with you right away. You knew about my father. I told you about Michael. That is two of my biggest three issues with men and you – you …” She trailed off as she looked up at him as she tried to find the words but the consideration that he didn’t trust her to tell him when she was ready she found it hurt more than she realized.
“I what? You know about my mother’s accident, how my relationships with my father and sister turned to shit afterward. How my father and I never resolved our issues until it was too late. I let you in to my life back then because that’s what you wanted, because you care about me. I was even planning to tell you everything I know about my father’s murder once the Owens case was over and we had the time to talk things over,” he replied. “When I was forced to come back to the US, I gave you my contact details and you never once got in touch. So don’t you dare try to tell me that you let me into your life like I let you into mine.”
She at him and sighed. “You had my information as well. I don’t remember getting so much as an email from you,” she pointed out. “Maybe it is good that this all has happened before I go back to D.C. and before we let it go too far. It will only save us from the hurt that would be inevitable.”
“Wait right here,” Steve said as he stormed off into his room, returning with a tattered shoebox. Thrusting it into her arms, he took a step back. “Open it.”
“What is this?” Ziva asked as she slowly opened the lid.
Inside were letters, postcards and telegrams, all marked with her Israeli apartment’s address. They had been stamped, processed, sent and returned to his own address. “For months I wrote you, I thought about our time together every day, even when I left the SEAL’s and joined Naval Intel.”
Her jaw slacked as she flipped through envelope after envelope. “I never saw these. At all. Please believe that if I had, I would not have ignored you at all. This isn’t even my handwriting…” she murmured at the return to sender notes on them.
“Do you remember what I said to you, the last night we were together?” he asked her, his anger began to drain from his body. He believed her when she said she hadn’t seen them, she wouldn’t lie to him about that.
“If you need me, anytime, anywhere, I’ll come running,” she whispered, tears coming to her eyes.
“I meant it Ziva. And you know that,” he sighed as he couldn’t hold back any longer. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, his lips pressed against her forehead for a moment. “You should’ve known deep down how I felt about you. How I feelabout you. We both had our work, yes. But I almost left the Navy for you until you stopped me.”
Ziva didn’t know what to say and while she knew she believed him, they knew that their skills were much more needed around the world at the time. “I bet that my father had Michael watching my mail whenever I was on a mission,” she mumbled into his chest.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “You know the truth now. Well, not the whole truth because I’ve never actually said the words.”
“What do we do now?” she asked, pulling back reluctantly. “What do you want? Because I am willing to give this – whatever this is a try. I know it will be hard, my living across the country and all…”
“That’s the thing about being in the Navy for most of my adult life, I didn’t need a lot of money because the Navy paid for most of what I needed. I’ve got savings, I can fly you out here and I can visit you there on weekends and on vacations,” he smiled, showing that he’d given all the alternatives some thought. “All I know is that I’m not letting you go Ziva, not again. Not without one hell of a fight.”
“I can pay for my own plane ticket as well,” she smiled. “But if we work at it – it doesn’t hurt to try, right? Look, Steve, I cannot express how happy I am that we got over this hump, but I’m like ready to pass out here now and we have only one day of actual resting and relaxing before we flight back…”
Without asking, he swept her into his arms and carried her inside, with her help he closed the door and headed upstairs. “I can’t believe you picked my lock. I’m gonna have to get you a key.”
“What fun is that?” she laughed as she leaned in to kiss him. “I am sorry for everything. And please – I will tell you everything in time but I just can’t – not yet.”
“I know you will Ziva, we’ll talk soon. Right now, let’s enjoy the rest of our time together and hope we’ll get more soon,” he said as they arrived in his bedroom. Putting her down on the hardwood flooring, he began to strip out of his clothes, making sure to keep his gun close by, just like always.
“Yes. I want to try to spend some time on the beach if possible, get some sun unless you have someplace else that you might suggest. I know Gibbs will likely hang around the boats with Abby, Tony would likely check out the beach also…”
“Something wrong?” Steve asked as he pulled the bedsheets back.
“No,” she smiled tiredly. “Just looking to make do with what time we have before its time to go to the airport on Wednesday.”
“Get some sleep,” he smiled, “We’ll make the time count, I promise.”
“Yes. We will,” Ziva said as she slowly pulled her shirt up over her head and let it fall at her feet before removing her pants and crawling into the bed with him. “Just be prepared for a headache when we see the team next.”
“I’m more concerned about what Danny will say,” Steve sighed as he spooned with her, wrapping his arms around her stomach.
“Why? What would he say?” she asked as she snuggled against him.
“I told you so,” he mumbled as he began to succumb to fatigue. “He offered me some advice about us..”
“Hmmm no more tonight. Let us just sleep.”
Steve had already given in, but he instinctively snuggled closer to her.
Steve awoke to the annoyingly rude sound of his cell phone ringing. He blindly reached for it and kept an arm around Ziva who was mumbling several curse words in multiple languages.
“McGarrett,” he yawned, having finally found the phone.
“Its Gibbs, meet us at the HPD Gym in an hour,” the Marine ordered.
“You are aware that we’ve had about 5 hours sleep right?” Steve sighed as he glanced at the clock radio.
“So? McGee and DiNozzo are bringing coffee. See you in an hour,” Gibbs replied before ending the call.
“Your boss is a slave driver,” Steve groaned as he turned back over to snuggle with Ziva some more.
Ziva had rolled over and been watching him with a smile. “I believe I had warned you of that,” she said.
“He wants us to meet everyone at the HPD Gym in an hour. This better not be another one of those inter-agency training sessions we had to go in with HPD Homicide,” he yawned. “I pissed off a lot of good people that day.”
“I am sure that whatever Gibbs has planned will be fun. But uh – shower? Together would be much quicker as long as we keep our hands to ourselves,” she grinned.
“I make no promises,” he said as he reluctantly swung his legs out of the bed, stood up and stretched.
“Alright, uh – how long will it take to get to HPD from here?” Ziva asked as she sat up herself and raked her fingers through her hair tiredly.
“Twenty minutes, give or take,” he said from the bathroom, having turned on the shower.
She chuckled as she pushed herself out of bed. “Well what if I get coffee started while you shower and then we switch…does your sister have anything left here that might fit me that’s clean?”
“Yeah, check the closet in the spare room,” he replied, stepping from the bathroom with a grateful smile. “She left a bunch of stuff last time she visited.”
“Okay,” she replied as she made her way down the hall to find something to throw on. Finding a pair of sweats and a tshirt, she went back to lay them on Steve’s bed before grabbing his own shirt to toss on while she went downstairs to get their morning caffeine treatment ready. She waited for him to finish as she looked out the window at the water, smiling softly as she tried to wrap her head around everything the last few days especially the previous 24 hours.
Steve never took long to get ready, even before he joined the SEALS’s he was all about being prepared or getting prepared for anything at a moments notice. So it wasn’t long before he emerged from the bathroom and ventured downstairs with only a towel wrapped around his waist.
Hearing him behind her, Ziva turned around and found herself grinning at the sight. “I think that we may have to call Gibbs and ask for an extra hour,” she said as she made her way over to him and wrap her arms around his waist, her fingers playing with the edge of the towel.
“Do you think that would work?” he asked, pulling the shirt that she was wearing open and smiled appreciatively.
“Do you care?” she asked back with a smile as she gently pushed against him to nudge him back upstairs.
“No, but I don’t have to work with the guy back in D.C.” he replied, not having to be told twice as he headed back upstairs. “Just promise that you’ll be gentle with me.”
“Your head still is hurting?” she asked with concern, pulling the towel away from him with a smirk.
“Not really… it’s just that I know how excitable you can get sometimes,” he smirked
“And you do not believe that I cannot be gentle?” she smiled as she eyed him while she reached for her cell phone to call her boss. “Hello Gibbs. We will not be able to be there for when you demanded – No. I do not care. It has been a long night and I am not going to rush in waking up. We will be there when we get there. – Very well. We will see you then.” Hanging up, she turned the device off and threw it over her head behind her as she returned her gaze on Steve with a smile.
“Do I have to get dressed yet, or what?” he asked with a hopeful smile.
“No, not yet and even if you did, he can wait,” she replied with a shrug and ran her hands up his chest and back down to rest on his hips as she studied his body closely.
They didn’t make it to the bedroom. With the look that she was giving him, he took her by the hand and pulled her on top of him as he sat on the stairs.
Ziva didn’t hesitate as she leaned in to kiss him hard and demanding. Two sets of hands fought to get the shirt she had on off as well as the underwear she had slept in previously.
“When I get home, I am going to have to go back on birth control,” she mumbled as she shifted on him more comfortably, leaving nips along his jaw.
“Thanks for reminding me…” he sighed before kissing her neck. He was about to reach up to the handrail to pull himself up when she placed her hand on his chest firmly.
“Don’t go, we can stop at the pharmacy on the way in for the day after pill,” Ziva hummed as she pulled his face back to hers. “It is not as if we have all morning because I am confident that Gibbs would come for us if we did not show up at the new time.”
Nodding slowly he began to explore her breasts, something which he never got tired of doing, especially when paying close attention to her sensitive nipples. Taking his time, he slowly began to grind his hips against hers.
She let out a sigh as her eyes fell closed as she gave in to the feelings he gave her. “Steve,” she sighed, her hands finding their way to his neck and hair.
His hands were replaced by his mouth, lips and tongue as he lifted her slightly before impaling her waiting sex on his hard member. As he slid into her warm embrace slowly, he moaned against her breast.
Ziva grinned at him as she began to move over him slowly. She braced her hands and arms over his shoulders as she began to increase her pace, her mouth hovering a kiss over his lips. “I really did miss you greatly,” she whispered.
“So did I,” he moaned. “You’re the only girl who ever really stuck with me, y’know.”
She chuckled as she pressed her body down firmly. “I think I like being stuck with you,” she replied and began to ride him hard and fast, using the stairs for support.
“So…much…for…being…gentle…” he growled between thrusts as he gripped her hips like a vice.
“You chose the stairs,” Ziva panted, knowing that she would likely have bruises of his hands on her skin when they were finished and she was perfectly fine with that. She kissed him, catching his lip in her teeth and bit softly.
“I chose the stairs because you used that look,” he retorted as he began meeting her thrusts with his own but found a sense of impatience in himself. Wrapping his arms around her, he flipped them on the stairs and once she was situated under him, he began burying himself deeper in her.
She let her head fall back to rest on the step as she planted her feet down to keep from sliding. “Oh God,” she moaned out loudly.
Steve didn’t let up, the fact that she called out to god made him thrust faster and harder. Ideally he would have liked to have her beneath him or in front of him, but their current position felt great all the same.
Ziva’s breath caught and hitched several times as she struggled to maintain her composure but the urge to let go was too great as she could feel herself slipping and slowly reaching the cliff of a powerful climax.
Sweat coated both their bodies, Steve knew that he’d have to shower again, not that he cared. He was more focused on stimulating Ziva’s clitoris with his thumb as his thrusts gradually became uneven. “Are… you… sure…?” he asked as he struggled to breath. He’d only slept with Ziva without protection once before. It was their last night together before he returned home to the US. Although he had thought about having children, especially with her, he knew that it would likely be sometime before they were ready to broach that subject.
“Yes, yes,” she let out as she wrapped her legs around his waist to keep him close. “You, now, pharmacy, later.” She opened her eyes and looked at him hazily as she felt herself coming.
What left Steve’s mouth next was something that he never expected to admit so soon, amongst the moans, the grunts and the cries of pure unadulterated pleasure was four words, spoken clear as day. “Ziva, I love you!” Having released all his pent up emotions into that one perfect moment, he opened his eyes and just watched Ziva, softly stroking her clit as his member began to soften inside her.
Ziva’s eyes widened at the admission and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. “Wow…that was – unexpected,” she said after she had calmed down and found any words to say.
“I uh… yeah, it was,” was all Steve could say. He didn’t want to admit his feelings like this, not that making love to her wasn’t special, it was just that he’d planned on telling her how he felt over a romantic dinner or while they were walking along the beach or something.
She nodded with a smile as she settled back against the stairs. “You know I have very deep feelings for you but I – cannot say that in return, not yet,” she said softly as she brushed her fingers along his face. “There just has been too much that keeps me back…”
He’d be lying if he said that he wasn’t disappointed, but he understood. Nodding slowly he said “It’s okay Ziva, I didn’t say it just so you would say it back. If I’m honest I wouldn’t have said it at all… not until I was sure we were both ready. I’m sorry… I should have tried harder to keep my mouth shut.”
“It’s okay,” Ziva grinned. “It gives me something to work to, and look forward to in the future, yes?”
“The future… our future. I like the sound of that,” he said as he pulled her close to him and just held her for a few moments.
As they held each other, she slowly left kisses along his neck before they were interrupted by the house phone ringing, breaking their post coitus haze. “I am betting that is one of your teammates, calling based on Gibbs’ order. The timing – it’s too suspicious to be anyone else,” she groaned.
“Let the machine get it,” he groaned, unwilling to move, even though the stairs weren’t very comfortable.
“We can shower together. No doubt they know why we demanded for the extra time. I would love to stay here for a repeat performance but Tony is one that would not hesitate to come and interrupt to drag us out if he was told to do so. Gibbs has ordered that be done before,” Ziva laughed lightly.
“Steve, it’s Danny. You know Gibbs called us all to the Gym for training exercises! He’s got McGee and Kono learning Marine hand-to-hand for crying out loud. And Chin and Tony are learning disarming techniques. Get your butt over here before that crazy bastard hurts someone!” Danny said on the message.
“Williams, put the phone down and come spar with me.” they heard Gibbs say in the background before the call ended.
“Oh this I have to see,” Steve grinned as he picked her up and ran them both up the stairs toward the bathroom.
Ziva laughed as they rushed to wash up and get dressed. “Yes and keep him from hurting your friend,” she pointed out. “Let’s hurry.”
By the time that they arrived at the gym, Ziva insisted on stopping for breakfast on the way. Steve suggested Rainbow for their homemade loco moco. They were busy shoveling the delicious combinations into their mouths as they made their way inside.
“Well look who decided to finally drag themselves out of bed,” Tony grinned as he eyed the two coming in the doors.
“Steve and I have been awake since Gibbs’ original phone call,” Ziva rolled her eyes. “I am not going to apologize for wanting an easy morning after a difficult couple days.”
“She’ll make up for it when we get back to D.C. DiNozzo,” Gibbs said, stepping up behind his senior agent and clipping him upside the head. He sniffed the air for a moment then scowled at the couple. “What the hell are you eating?”
Steve grinned as he looked down into the tray he was holding. “Oh this? Loco moco. Sorry we didn’t bring you any,” he shrugged.
“Rainbow?” Chin grinned. “You’re an evil bastard, you know that?”
“Hurry up and eat, you’re up next,” Gibbs told them both before Abby ran up with a cup of coffee.
The two raised an eyebrow. “Up next for what?” Ziva questioned as she laughed at the expression on her friend’s face.
“For that,” Gibbs gestured over his shoulder at McGee and Danny, who were sparring. Surprisingly, McGee had the upper hand, having pinned Danny’s arm behind his back up against the metal fencing around the ring.
“Uncle… uncle!” Danny growled. “Who the hell taught you how to fight!”
McGee quickly let go and shrugged. “I did wrestling in high school and we trained with Boss before, grappling and all. I think the last time we really did that was uh – awhile back,” he replied glancing at Gibbs feeling sad in remembrance for a moment.
“Good job McGee,” Gibbs nodded, “Take five and then Abby can help you teach Danny some of the holds I showed you.”
“Esxcuse me, but Abby? Are you sure?” Danny asked as he rubbed his shoulder.
She smirked as she looked at him. “You don’t think that I can fight too?”
“Uh – how about you let him rest for awhile. Just give me a minute and I’ll be in the ring,” Ziva sighed as she went to put her tray on the table.
“Commander?” Gibbs prompted as he looked at the man, resting his arms on the ropes. “You up for going against your friend there?”
“Whoa, wait – you want Steve and I to spar?” Ziva asked in surprise, causing Danny to look up.
“He’ll kill her! My first day working with him and he got me shot, I can’t imagine what he’d do to her!”
“Clash of the Titans…” Tony muttered, “Aww Boss, you gotta let this happen. It’s like pitting the Karate Kid against the Next Karate Kid. Ralph Macchio versus Hilary Swank. Daredevil vs-.”
Gibbs cut him off with a second headslap. “Get in the ring before I go another round with DiNozzo here.”
“Please Ziva, for your partners sake,” Kono grinned, “He ate so much mat today, he won’t go hungry for a couple of days.”
Laughing she nodded as she quickly finished wrapping her hands with the tape left out and got in. She smirked at Steve as he seemed a little more apprehensive. “Nervous?”
A small smile formed on his lips. “Do you promise to be gentle this time?”
She pretended to think about it. “I do not know if I know how,” she admitted with a smile as Gibbs had quietly returned to the ring.
“Use these,” he said, tossing one up to Ziva and passing Steve the second of two sparring knives that initiate a mild stun when firm contact is made.
“Oooh, new toys,” Ziva grinned as she played with it in her hands to get a feel for the size and weight.
“Seriously, they’re using weapons?” Danny asked, “Where was mine when McGee was kicking my ass up and down the ring?”
Reluctantly taking the knife, McGarrett also felt the weight and the balance of it. He could tell just by looking at her that Ziva believed he had the upper hand and she was probably right because she had a taste for blades after all. He opted to try a different tactic. Tossing his knife to the side of the ring, he looked to the glaring Gibbs and confused Ziva. “Don’t worry.”
Ziva chuckled. “Very well,” she smiled. “I think I will keep mine however.”
“Be my guest,” he smirked as he began to stretch. Walking over to the side of the ring, he met Danny and Kono who were both looking apprehensive.
“Are you out of your mind?” Danny asked, “She’s got a fricken weapon, you use a fricken weapon.”
“Yeah Boss, I agree with Danny,” Kono added as she bandaged and taped his hands quickly, “Think of the team’s pride.”
“She’s second to none with knives, I’d have a better chance with both hands free,” he whispered. “Plus she’s been through enough without me shocking her with a pig sticker.”
“And yet, you’re willing to be the pig if she gets a shot in,” Danny replied skeptically.
“Aww Danno, didn’t know you cared brah,” Steve teased. “Relax, I’ve had worse.”
“Will you stop stalling already? It’s been awhile since I had a good spar,” Ziva grinned as she loosened up quickly, anxious to get started.
“I’m not stalling,” he replied as Kono finished taping up his hands. “I’m waiting to make sure people get their bets in.”
Danny immediately pulled out his wallet and Kono ran for her purse as Tony was noting down who was betting what on who.
“$10 on McGarrett getting his ass handed to him,” McGee said quickly as he
pulled out his wallet, to where Abby raised an eyebrow. “$20?”
“Not placing a bet, Gibbs?” Steve asked as he watched his team place their bets.
Gibbs shot McGarrett a look before shouting at DiNozzo. “DiNozzo, $100 on Ziva.”
The room went silent as Tony looked like a deer caught in headlights. “Uhh… boss, I don’t have the cash to cover that.”
“I thought we were betting here?” Gibbs said simply as Danny and Chin rifled through their wallets.
“Uhh… consider the bet covered,” Danny said as he and Chin pooled $50 a piece.
“You ready?” Ziva asked after she was finished laughing. Once Steve joined her in the ring, they circled each other while others gathered.
A chorus of “Come on Steve,” and “Get him Ziva,” erupted from the admittedly small crowd. Gibbs stepped away as Ziva took a few obvious swings with her knife which Steve easily sidestepped as she anticipated. She then took several focused swings aiming for his shoulders. Steve blocked her attacks, pushing her away from him when he could have hit her.
A frustrated look formed on her face. “Stop holding back,” she said before attacking him again, grazing his chest with the knife.
The mild shock it emitted coursed through his body, causing him to take several steps back. Shaking it off, he moved towards her in a defensive stance.
“Come on Steve, you’ve taken on guys 3 times her size,” Danny shouted from the side of the ring as Ziva took more swings at him, connected with the last blow.
Steve hissed and grabbed his shoulder as the shock of her attack left his body. Stepping away again, he met with her scowl.
“Fight me damn it!” She spat. She was in full fight mode now.
“You heard ‘er McGarrett, are you a SEAL or a chicken,” Gibbs goaded him from the side of the ring.
With that, Steve charged her. As she swung down to hit his shoulder, he sidestepped and took her by the forearm before locking it and the knife behind her back. Applying pressure to the back of her left knee with his foot, she dropped to the floor, allowing him the reach to pry the knife from her hand.
As he tossed it to the side of the ring, she raised her right elbow and connected with the side of his face hard.
“OOOOH!” the crowd said in unison. Ziva definitely wasn’t holding back.
Getting back to her feet, she charged Steve who was still recovering from an elbow to the face and followed up with a punch to the face and a kick to the ribs.
“OOOOH! OOOOOOOOOH!” the crowd winced. Abby’s face was buried in Ducky’s shoulder as he just shook his head, thankful that he brought his kit with him.
Beads of sweat began to form on them both as Steve recovered from her attack. Squaring off in the center of the ring once again, they both threw kicks and punches, testing each others defenses before Steve swept her legs from under her and elbowed her in the stomach.
Winded, she took a moment to compose herself, giving him the opportunity to straddle her hips and pin her arms.
“You done?” he asked, with no sign of smugness or superiority on his face.
“No!” she growled, raising her head and swiping his chin with it. Taken advantage of the look of shock on his face, she raised her knees and jammed them into the center of his back before flipping their positions.
With his hands pinned and the full weight of her body now on his chest, he wrapped his legs around her head and twisted her off him before they both sprang to their feet again.
Ziva was about to attack again when Gibbs waved his hands. “Alright. I’m going to call it a draw,” he announced. “Good job you two.”
Quickly, she made her way out of the ring and over to Tony where he was trying to count the money he was holding and snatched it all from him. “Thank you!” she grinned cheekily before going back to shove half of it into Steve’s hands.
“What? I didn’t place a bet,” he frowned as he caught his breath. “We should give everyone their money back.”
“Nope. You all chose to bet on us, you relinquish the money. Who’s next?” Ziva asked, looking around at everyone innocently.
“I think we should call it a day, don’t you Jethro?” Ducky asked with a grin. “We don’t have long before we have to fly home after all.”
Thinking on it for a minute, Gibbs looked at his team, “Go have fun, do the whole tourist thing.”
This met with a “YES!” from Tony, and Abby instantly started talking about the marinas and dolphins and visiting the gift shops.
“We better get to work,” Danny said, looking to Kono and Chin. “But this was really fun Gibbs, right up there with getting shot and Steve calling me Danno.”
“Anytime Williams, our plane doesn’t leave while 10am tomorrow,” Gibbs grinned as he pulled off his NIS sweater, “We could have another early morning session before we leave if you’d like.”
“Uhhh raincheck,” he said quickly before making a hasty retreat for the door. Stopping at the door he turned to face McGarrett. “And you, I don’t want to see you today, we’ll call you if anything major comes up.”
“Thanks Danno,” he nodded before smiling at Ziva.
“Gaaaaahd, see I hate that!” With that McGarrett’s team had left for their work day.
