Lockers and Love

Chapter Sixteen

Gibbs called that dinner was ready and everybody made their way over to the large picnic table that was on the patio. Tony walked over and pulled Ziva's chair out for her. She smiled up at him and sat down. He moved beside her and sat down in his chair as well. Everybody was seated when Ducky stood up from his seat with a glass in his hand. He looked around and raised it. Everyone followed the action.

"I spoke to Jethro and I asked if I could make a toast with you all. We would like to welcome our new friends to the party." He looked over at Ziva and Rivka.

"Good friends can go a long way. I have known Jethro and Jenny for more than 20 years now and they still are the best of friends that I could ever ask for. They welcomed Jimmy with open arms when I took him in a few years ago. I have no doubt they will welcome you, my dear." He was looking Ziva straight in the eye. She smiled and nodded.

Ducky kept talking until Gibbs put a hand on his shoulder, a signal for him to wrap things up. Ducky nodded at him.

"To Family." He ended. Everyone around repeated after him and clinked their glasses together. The adults were either drinking beer or wine while the teens were drinking whatever soda was in the cooler. Everyone passed around the food and added whatever they wanted to their plates and passed it on. Everybody was just eating and enjoying each other's company. Everybody asked Ziva and Rivka questions and everyone got to know each other a little better. Tony had been looking at her throughout the entirety of the dinner. She would catch his eye and he would just smile at her. She would return it and go back to her meal.

After everyone was finished, Gibbs, Ducky, Tony, Tim, and Jimmy packed all the food and took it inside. Ziva stood up to go help but Abby lightly grabbed her arm again and pulled her down to her chair.

"It's a tradition that when the women cook, the men clean the dishes." Ziva's eyebrows raised.

Wow, this was different.

"Gibbs made food tonight though." Abby nodded.

"Yeah. He cooked last night too and Jenny cleaned up so he's doing it tonight." Ziva's mouth formed an "O" shape and she nodded. Abby stood up and motioned for Ziva to follow her. She led her back over to the firepit as she had done earlier. They saw down in the lawn chairs just as Tony came back out of the house. Abby caught his eye and told him to give them a minute. He pouted but complied.

Abby turned to look at her.

"So. Tell me." Ziva looked at her weirdly.

"Tell you what?" Abby smiled.

"About you and Tony." Ziva looked at the fire in the pit and smiled at the memory of their first kiss.

"There is nothing to tell, Abby." Abby gave a "yeah right" look.

"You two have been inseparable since you met. I know there's something going on between the two of you and I will figure it out. I may not be a forensic scientist yet, but I will one day." Ziva smiled at her enthusiasm.

"We kissed." Abby let out a squeal. Most of the people outside turned to look their way. Ziva put her hands on Abby's shoulders.

"Shh, Abby. I do not want the entire neighborhood to know." Abby nodded and calmed down.

"You don't want anyone to know?" Ziva shook her head.

"Not yet. It is still so fresh. I just want to stop and smell the lilies." Abby let out a snort.

"I think you mean stop and smell the roses, but I get it what you meant." Ziva nodded and cataloged the phrase in the back of her mind for later. Tony would have corrected her too. She smiled at the thought. Abby noticed it and lowered her voice.