Rekindling the Flame

Redefining The Road Trip

"Yeah, it's the 'and stuff' bit I'm wondering about," replied Jenny. "I thought Daddy helped you pack this last night," she added, opening the bag to have a look, curious as to what Gibbs would have packed that was so heavy.

"Well, I might have added a couple of small things to it," said Ziva as Jenny moved aside the pyjamas that had been stuffed on the top.

Spying the problem, Jenny said, "Ziva, did Daddy really say you could take Herman?" she asked.

Herman was Ziva pet rock, although rock really wasn't an adequate description. Pet boulder would have been closer to the truth. Having seen a show on TV recently where the children had carried around small pet rocks with Jiggly eyes, Ziva had wanted the same. Between her and Tony they had made quite a collection but it was only when Ziva spied the large stone in the backyard that Herman had come into existence. Deciding he was going to be the 'Daddy' of all the rocks, Ziva had searched high and low in various craft stores to find jiggly eyes big enough to suit the large stone head. Sitting 12 inches long, 4 inches wide and 6 inches high, Herman weighed in at a hefty twenty-five pounds.

"I did ask him," she said innocently.

"And what did he say?" asked Jenny, gently removing Herman so as to not drop him unceremoniously on the floor.

When Ziva didn't answer, Jenny turned around to look at her.

"Honey, Herman needs to stay here," said Jenny looking into the big brown eyes. "Besides, who is going to look after all his children if he's with us?" she added lightly, trying to think of a way to convince Ziva.

"Mommy, they're rocks," said Ziva scornfully. "They don't need looking after."

"Exactly," said Jenny, re-zipping Ziva's bag now that Herman had been extracted. "Which is why Herman doesn't need to come either. He'll be perfectly happy staying home and...doing....doing rock stuff," she added, trying to think of something a rock would do.

Shaking her head at the ridiculousness of the conversation, Jenny stood, lifting Ziva's bag which was now considerably lighter.

"Come on Missy," she said taking Ziva's hand. "Let's go and put this in the car."

Sighing, Ziva allowed herself to be led out.

"Bye Herman," she said looking back at the rock which was staring at her from the bedroom floor. "Be good while I'm gone."

Forty-five minutes later, having helped re-pack Tony's bag, Gibbs was putting the final pieces of luggage in the car, when Jenny came out the front door.

"Jethro, have you seen Ziva's DS system? We can't find it anywhere?" she asked as Gibbs looked up to see what she needed.

"Have you checked the tree house?" he suggested closing the trunk and walking back to the house.

"Ah, no. I don't think we have," she said as Gibbs came up to her and put his arm around her waist.

"I forgot how much longer it takes to get organised with kids," said Gibbs as the pair of them walked into the house. "I was hoping to be on the road by nine."

"There's no rush," said Jenny casually. "We've got all day. Besides," she added as she left him to go into the kitchen, "I think we're nearly ready. I've just got to find this game of Ziva's and we're right to go."

"Found it!" yelled Ziva running in from the backyard. "It was in the tree house," she said triumphantly.

"Ok," said Gibbs as Tony came running in after Ziva. "Checklist. Have you got water for the car?"

"Check," said Tony, going to fridge and taking out the cooler bag with the bottles in it.

"Snacks?" asked Gibbs.