I'm a DiNozzo

WE'RE GOIN' TO CUBA! (2)

"Of course!" I said brightly. "Any time!"

"One more thing," Tony added. "No loud rock music."

I stomped my foot on the ground annoyed. "Tony!" I complained.

"No. Loud. Rock. Music." He insisted.

"Okay fine."

Tony had me practice putting Ellie into her car seat, then we got everything in my car and I was about to leave but Tony leaned into the open car door, and kissed Ellie's forehead. "I love you," He whispered. "I'll be back soon okay? And I'll bring you something." He kissed Ellie's forehead again.

"I wuv ooh fwee" Ellie replied softly, falling back asleep.

"I'll bring you back something too." Tony promised. "Thanks again for agreeing to take care of her while I'm gone."

"I agreed to this 2 years ago Tony." I reminded him.

"I'm still grateful." Tony gave me a tight hug, and walked to his car. He left, then I left.

After I got Ellie set up in my back office, I took one of the jars of mushed... what seemed like peaches that Tony had put in the bag. I opened it, and took a whiff. "That smells weirdly good." I admitted, placing it in my fridge.

"Ab-bee?" A little voice called to me about 2 hours later.

"Yes?" I called back, turning to the emeralds I was supposed to be tracing back to their origin.

"I nee' help." She insisted.

"Okay I'm coming just a second." I took my gloves off, and walked into my back office. Ellie's reddish brown hair was stuck in the zipper of the bag Tony had given me.

"Halp," She said again, tugging.

"No no no no no no no no no no!" I insisted, running over to her and crouching down. "Don't pull."

"Sorrwy." She replied sadly, putting her arms down and allowing me to detangle her hair. Ellie sniffed as I finished puling her hair out of the zipper.

"Hey, it's okay." I insisted, wrapping my arms around her. She sniffed again, and buried her face in my chest. "Oh," I said sympathetically, rubbing my hand up and down her back.

"I'z sorrwy." She said again, as I felt something wet hit my lab coat.

"It's okay Ellie!" I insisted again. "It's okay! You just got stuck!"

After about 3 minutes of calming her down, she went back to watching an animated show about a brother and sister bunny.

She clutched a teddy bear to her tightly, and bounced along with the title sequence. "Are you hungry?" I asked, looking through the bag Tony had left me with.

"Ya huh," She agreed.

"So, what do you want to eat?"

"I no no." She said, turning her attention from the computer screen to me.

I thought for a second before remembering I had no idea what to do. "What can you even feed a 3 year old?" I asked.

Ellie seemed to shrug. "I no no." She said again.

"Should we go ask Ducky?" I asked, putting my hands on my hips and leaning towards Ellie.

"Ducky?" Ellie asked excitedly.

"Yeah Ducky." I agreed, picking her up. "Let's go ask him." Ellie giggled as we went down to the autopsy room. When the door slid open, I called into the room to make sure there wasn't... an open body sprawled out on one of the tables. Because... well... you know... 3 year old.