Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Chapter 6

Things were pleasant as always at the Genii village, they had so many dealings with these people that they’d found a perfect balance between honesty and not-a-complete-lie and took most stories with a grain of salt. At least this time around, he didn’t have to use some C4 to blow up a tree stump or two, and Cowen was remarkably civil.

He had sent Ziva and Rodney out to walk around in the village and “connect” with the locals, mostly showing Ziva that there were humans in this galaxy and that they were just as ‘normal’ as the rest of them, but knowing Rodney, John knew that she’d get more information than that, and knowing her, she might actually ask people questions and not Rodney which could lead to some arguing but this was all about getting along with each other, and with the Genii.

During their walk, McKay and Ziva argued on about one ridiculous thing after another. She actually felt more comfortable in that as it was almost like being around her old team, except Tony didn’t have a large number of PhDs and degrees under his resume.

However, as pleasurable their exchange may have been, neither one noticed when Ziva’s foot caught the edge of a large stone that was not secure in the earth. It pulled out from under hear and before Rodney could grab her…

Walking back into the village when it was time to leave, she had a sour puss on her face and stayed that way even as she noticed John and Ronon holding large satchels of what she assumed was grain. The successful exchange was made more amusing as the group walked back through the stargate where Carter had been waiting for them and to hear about Ziva’s first team mission.

The NCIS agent dumped her mud covered P90, tack vest, and outter jacket and even boots until she was just in her wet socks, pants, and wet undershirt that clung to her figure. Glaring at Rodney and Ronon (who could not stop snickering) she growled. “I’m going to my room for a nice long hot bath. I’ll have my report in to you when I am done,” and shuffled her way out of the gateroom.

“Do I want to know?” Sam asked looking at the rest of the team that was still there.

He handed Carter the grain and then gathered Ziva’s dropped things and shrugged. “Even on alien planets you can fall into a big pile of mud and dung.”

Of course, Ziva just dropping her things in the middle of the gateroom wasn’t protocol but it certainly was refreshing to see someone who didn’t care about being seen by at least a hundred marines on her way back to her quarters. Or maybe she would, after she’d find out that she wasn’t alone on Atlantis and it wasn’t just one team. Either way, John had had a hard time keeping a straight face and actually feel for Ziva when Rodney and Ronon just couldn’t stop laughing and re-enacting the way she fell.

“I’ll make sure her stuff gets a cleaning and I’ll check up on her.” John said, walking towards the armory to put their P90’s away.

“Be sure you do,” Sam smiled and nodded. “I certainly would not enjoy an experience like that on my first off world mission. McKay, Ronon…enough.”

He’d clean Ziva’s gun later on the day, for now he took her be-muddled clothes to the laundry room and put it in the washer. He then made his way to her quarters, standing in front of a locked door. “Ziva?”

She came to the door wrapped a towel and dripping from the bath she just got out of. “Hey,” she said stepping back to let him in.

“Oh, sorry, I should have known you were still in the bath,” he apologized as he walked in. “Are you okay?”

“Yea, it’s just frustrating,” Ziva said. “Did I leave a big mess?” she asked worried. “I promise I’ll go clean it up.”

He shook his head. “I’ve already tossed your clothes in one of the washing machines and I’ll clean your gun later,” he smiled. “Just… next time please leave your clothes on before you march to your quarters?”

“I was dressed,” she replied. “Nothing that I wouldn’t wear any other time.”

“At least with your vest still on you, nobody else would have seen how your shirt clung to your skin and accentuating your body…” he sulked.

She looked at him knowingly. “You were jealous…”

“I think so,” he nodded.

“You think?” she repeated. “Did you not like what you saw?”

“I did, but what I saw, so did a couple dozen other marines.” He kissed the top of her head, still finding a bit of sand in her hair. “Yuck, sand.”

Sighing, she pushed away to go start the shower again. “I thought I got it all the first three times I washed my hair,” she complained. “Are things like this normal when going off world? Because if it is, I think I would prefer to do your paperwork for you…”

“Accidents happen,” John said. “When we first met Teyla and her people, I managed to fall down a slope that Teyla took with ease and grace.”

“Did you fall into a mud pit that the people also use to dump their shit in at the same time?” Ziva raised an eyebrow before dropping the towel and got back into the shower.

“Nah,” he grinned. “But like I said, accidents happen.”

She didn’t respond as she had already began scrubbing her hair with shampoo again. At the rate she was going, she’d be lucky to have any skin or hair left because she just felt that dirty. Her grumbles and frustration as she try to clean up again echoed in the small washroom to the entertainment of John.

He was not going to be that much of an idiot and offer her to help her out. No, bad John he scolded himself. “Sand is usually a pain to get rid of, give it a few days, it’ll be fine,” he said encouragingly.

“I know! I grew up in a desert,” she said as she turned off the water. Getting out she went to the dresser to pull out clothes to dress herself. Sitting on the edge of the bed while doing so, she looked at John. “Do we have anything else to do today besides the mission reports?”

“Yup.” he said quickly, Ziva was driving him crazy with her gorgeous body and the way she moved while doing every day tasks like getting dressed again.

She grinned. “Why the red face? You’ve seen me naked before. It’s just skin.”

“Yeah well… I’m really trying hard not to do anything right now…” he swallowed, hard. “Anyway, tonight, I’m going to fuck your brains out.” he nodded, feeling as if he was a teenager in high school and high on drugs at the same time.

“Is that a promise?” Ziva purred as she finished tying her sneakers and stood. “I am hungry.” Way to go to completely change the subject and not even blink.

He blinked as she walked passed him and exited her quarters. Shaking his head, he went to Carter’s office to debrief. “You’ve got your grain,” John said. “We didn’t see anything else that was worth mentioning, they’re being their usual self, and they saythat they’re currently not developing any kind of weapon.”

“That’s good to hear I guess,” she said as she was in the middle of reading some reports. “Do you think Agent David will fit well with a team?”

“Sure,” John nodded. “She’s social enough to do so, and more than capable to take care of herself, although I would feel sorry for the rest of the team.”

Sam turned to look at him carefully. “I’m glad you said that because after you returned I got four requests to have her on other teams and the proposals are pretty sound.”

“Let me guess…” he ran a hand through his hair. “The requests were made by horny, single marines.”

She shrugged. “One of them…The other three were Air Force.”

“Yeah, not going to happen,” John shook his head. “They just want her on their team because she looks good in anything and less than anything.”

Chuckling Carter looked at her friend. “Perhaps, but we do need to place her somewhere. While there are no rules about having only four people to a team, Teyla is still yours however I get the feeling that she is considering stepping back a bit to focus on Torren now that Ziva is here. I am only unsure of where your relationship stands at this moment. Are you looking to pursue something or what? And are you capable of separating your feelings for her for the job?”

“Look, I didn’t say that she shouldn’t go on a different team. She’d be great and a great asset in the field. However, those requests you just received were because of men who don’t have a hot ass girl on their team,” he said. “Yes, I do have Teyla and sure, it’d be a loss if she’d step back a little because of Torren, which is understandable.”

Sam passed John the folder with the requests she received. “Look at them. They did manage to not speak with their hormones while putting it together and if the IOA heard about today’s events…”

“Ramsey… he thinks with his manly organ,” he checked the name. “Then there’s Stackhouse, he’s a little lost. And Smith has been complaining about not having a woman on his team ever since he got here,” he said. “Burke looks promising, he’s actually a good guy, but I don’t think Ziva would like to be on a science team and she’d have Burke for lunch and spit him back out.” He tossed the file back on to Sam’s desk. “And I don’t want Ziva on my team for longer than is necessary. I’m perfectly capable of being professional and separate my feelings towards her, but I don’t want the rest of the personnel think that she gets a special treatment or anything by keeping her on my team. And even though I know myself well enough that I’m able to treat her the same way as I treat Teyla, I could slip in a hostile situation and we’d be screwed.”

She figured that he would respond like that which is why she was glad she had been prepared. Sam reached over and passed him another folder. In it were strong recommendations from NCIS Director Vance and Special Agent Gibbs that she be placed with Sheppard and his people because of her work ethics, skills, and past experiences having been on their team regardless of the known fact that they were or potentially to be romantically involved.

“Yeah well, I know that she is more than capable of…” he sighed and saw the look on Carter’s face. “Fine.”

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit John. This could be great for the two of you and at least she could help keep McKay in line and still be entertained by him – in some freaky manner,” she replied confused. “I have never seen anyone pretend to be interested in what he said for as long as she put up with him last week.”

“Well, that’s why I sent her and Rodney off together today, he could tell her things and she could ask the right questions that would have him think for a moment.” John said. “Ziva also has experience with the NCIS class clown as a partner, she knows what she’s doing.”

Sam nodded with a smile as she looked at him. She didn’t say anything but she also did not believe that Rodney was the class clown of the group as much as him. “I’m sure she does.”

“Was there anything else you wanted to tell me?”

She pretended to think for a moment then shook her head. “Nope. I just wanted to see you sweat a little about working with your girlfriend.”

“It’s on you if I screw up,” John shrugged.

“You’ll be fine. Now go, deal with your team and reports. I don’t want to have to see Ronon try to crack jokes in his report again,” Carter said, dismissing him.
cv-line-divider-hi back next

Leave a Reply