#number fun

One (and two) - Holiday WIP

With that issue out of the way, Ziva seemed to relax, and Tony discovered she would be an entertaining date for real; holding her own in playful banter, including a few good-natured teases about his eating habits. She also ensured he never felt swamped by a group of people he didn’t know but still gave him enough space to hold his own. The gathering was smaller and far more domestic than his preferred party style, but Ziva’s neighbours seemed to be friendly people, who were genuinely happy to have someone else to celebrate with and chat with. Between Ziva’s tension and Simon’s persistence, the first part of the party had felt like work, but as one more hour became two, he found that he was having fun, and Ziva seemed to be as well. 

Two (a double whammy at that!) - Stakeout WIP

He pretended to regard it with great surprise. "Oh hey, when did you get this? I tell you, your ninja moves are getting sharper by the day. Didn't even notice you get out of the car... although that explains why no one punched me for almost two minutes." He gave another laugh and sipped it, wincing at the heat.  Ziva sighed but didn’t take the bait, turning her eyes back to their target, still sitting on the fire escape. If it weren’t for the pack of playing cards he was shuffling almost obsessively, they would have assumed he was asleep, which really, he should have been, given that midnight had been and gone at least two hours earlier. Still, she supposed the frigid February wind blowing outside would have shocked anyone into a state of alertness. As though he had read her mind, Tony who was still talking, reached for the knob and adjusted the car heater up a notch.

Three (I was trying to stick to WIPs, then remembered this conversation happened in Tangled. It had to make an appearance!)

"I'm going to be driving a minivan aren't I?" He groaned playfully. "There goes my image." "Neither of us will. One child does not necessitate a minivan Tony, just a safer sedan - something with 4 doors." She paused and thought for a moment. "When there are three or four children to think about, then we will look at minivans." "Let's start with this one huh?" He gave a slightly anxious laugh. "Wait, do I even want you driving when it's my kid in the backseat?" "Hey!" She reached and thumped his shoulder. "You know perfectly well that I can drive carefully when I have to - and I have not ruined so many cars as you have." "Yeah, but at least I don't make people throw up in the work van!" They both laughed at the memory, the first case they had ever worked as a team, and Tony sobered again. "Four kids, really, Zi?" "Oh no, that is just when we would need to look at a bigger car. I was thinking we would have six, perhaps seven. I have always wanted a big family." She fixed her eyes on him earnestly, enjoying his wide-eyed stare and look of panic. "You know how important family is to me Tony, and I have a very long list of baby names that we need to use." "Whoa... that's getting kind of out of hand Ninja." He could actually feel beads of perspiration on his forehead, and he wiped his brow with the back of his hand. "I know I always say I have your back, but I don't know if I can agree to that." Ziva lasted about three more seconds with a deadly serious expression before cracking up with laughter.

Four - Holiday WIP

McGee and Ziva shared a long-suffering eye roll and ignored him completely. “What I don’t get is why he’s still asking if you said no.”  “That is because you were raised to respect women, McGee. Oh please, Tony, it was not that funny!” Another chortle rose from the desk opposite hers. “What’s not that funny?” Gibbs made his entrance silently but promptly, coffee in hand.  “Oh, hey Gibbs.” Tony gulped for air. “Did you know Ziva had a poodle for four months?”  Gibbs nodded, opening his drawer for this weapon. “Prague wasn’t it? Good thing Jenny showed up to bail you out when you killed that guy. Grab your gear.” 

Five - No Strings (this one was hard, one of my writing learning curves was using five instead of 5 when appropriate. Turns out I haven't really used it in a WIP.)