Reverse Psychology - NCIS Story

Learning to Survive

Chapter 24 - Learning to Survive

Gibbs couldn't believe it. Rolling over and looking at the clock, he checked it twice. 9.15am! He couldn't even remember the last time he had slept this late. But there it was, clear as day, a quarter past nine. Then, in true parent fashion, he panicked. Why hadn't the children woken up, well especially Ziva. Tony had been known to sleep late but Ziva? Never! Sleeping in for her was seven thirty. Albeit, it had been a late night so maybe she was just extra tired.

He tiptoed down the hall. Peeking into Tony's room, he could see the boy was fast asleep, his legs hanging out the side of the bed. No wonder he woke up with cold feet. Sneaking in, he pulled the blankets up and gently slid his leg in under them. Tony murmured and rolled over but remained asleep.

Arriving at Ziva's room, he saw that she too was fast asleep. Curled up tightly under the blankets, her steady breathing was the only sound in the room. He smiled and crept out again.

Well, as unusual as it was, they were just sleeping in, Gibbs thought. As he headed down the stairs and into the kitchen, he found himself with time on his hands. Turning on the coffee machine, he sat at the table and looked around expectantly. Four weeks ago, this would have been the norm, but now? Now he was used to the sounds of bickering children, Tony's smart alec responses and Ziva's constant chattering, or arguing as the case more often was. He found this unfamiliar silence disconcerting and actually hoped the children would wake soon so that there was a little more noise and life in the house. He smiled to himself. How things had changed.

As he poured a cup of steaming coffee, he thought back to last night. Jenny's suggestion of hot fudge sundaes and chocolate milkshakes had been just what they needed after the horror stories of the autopsy room. They had found a lovely little ice-creamery near one of the movie theatres. Being a Tuesday night, it was very quiet but the giggles and jokes from Tony and Ziva as they clambered into the cafe soon lifted the atmosphere. The owners, a large Italian man and his equally large wife were both friendly and generous. They immediately took and instant liking to Tony and Ziva, and were keen to ensure the children were well fed and happy. Tony's banana split with cream, two scoops of vanilla ice-cream, hot caramel fudge and nuts, soon became a triple scoop, double fudge, extra nut volcano with a banana hidden somewhere at the bottom. The look on Tony's face when the treat arrived was priceless. Even he wondered if he would be able to manage the whole thing.

Ziva's dessert was by no means lacking either. The Italian man's heart melted as he watched her smile and politely ask if she could 'please have a berry ice-cream cone with raspberry sauce drizzled over the top'. And, when her dessert arrived, it had suddenly transformed into a bowl consisting of 3 large scoops of berry ice-cream, smothered in a raspberry jus, a handful of actual mixed berries added in and, because there was no other place to put it, a cone balanced on top looking like a witch's hat. Gibbs, embarrassed by the extra large serves had offered the man more money but he would have none of it.

"It is just so lovely to see a family sharing in each other's love," he said, speaking in a heavy Italian accent. "I am happy to do this for you, please enjoy."

Gibbs and Jenny had both expressed their thanks and, having ordered coffees for themselves they made their way over to one of the red booths. Realising that they were probably going to end up finishing Tony and Ziva's desserts, they had refrained from ordering any of their own. Although, Gibbs had to admit, he was impressed with the effort both children made in order to finish their treats and, had they not had milkshakes to get through as well, he felt sure they would have been quite successful in cleaning both their plates!

About ten minutes into the evening, the Italian owner came to their tables and refilled Gibbs and Jenny's coffee, insisting that they not pay for the refill. Seeing that Tony's dessert was a little lacking in cream, he returned and squirted another stream of it onto the ice-cream.