Title: Scars Inside and Out
Fandom: NCIS
Author: Alidiabin
Words: 1,134
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Warnings/Spoilers/Rating: Post Somalia story | Set Pre – Faith | Teen
Parings: Ziva and Abby friendship
Summary: Ziva and Abby have to go shopping. Abby sees the marks Salim left her with both inside and out.

Scars Inside and Out

Abby Scutio and Ziva David walked through the aisles and isles of clothes in the store, the pair of them had been invited to the formal New Year's party that NCIS was putting on. He held the party because he believed it created unity among NCIS employees. It was the second of such parties and it seemed it would become an annual event. Abby and Tony both believed it was Jackie Vance's idea.

They reached the dress aisle; Abby scanned the black section for a suitable dress. She scanned the dresses grimacing at some of the fashion disasters on the rack. She scanned through some of the shorter dresses discarding anything with added pink or flowers. She eventually moved to the colours deciding to be adventurous. She sifted through the red dresses and found one in her size that she fell in love with.

"What about this?" Abby asked holding up a red dress with black detailing.

"Yes," Ziva replied hovering by the more coloured dresses looking at ones with thick straps and sleeves. "It will look nice," Abby smiled, proud of how quickly she had sorted out such an outfit.

"Yay," she responded, "Now we need to find you something to wear,"

"Yes," Ziva calmly offered as a response. Abby was surprised by her response, Ziva like Abby did not particularly enjoy shopping seeing it is a tedious task but she was usually more enthusiastic than she seemed to be.

"If you can't afford a new dress, I'll buy it and you can pay me back," Abby offered, since Ziva had come back she had been living pay cheque to pay cheque. Her savings from before had be donated to charity as per her will. Her father would not give her any money and she was too proud to ask.

"I can afford a dress," Ziva stated quietly. She could just afford a dress provided it was not too expensive. "I just do not know which one."

"Oh," Abby uttered, "That's what I am here for,"

She saw a black dress with long sleeves then she saw the price tag and put the dress back on the rack. Abby held up a black and pink dress with one shoulder. Ziva shook her head.

"No," Ziva replied. "I would like one with sleeves," she thought of the intricate scars on her shoulders made by one of Salim's knives.

"Vance won't care if you show a little skin," Abby said with a smile.

"Maybe I will show some different skin," Ziva joked wanting to get Abby off her back. Abby held up a rather short black lace dress with cap sleeves. Ziva looked at the length and hoped it would hit her knees. She took it and walked toward the changing room.

Ziva stood in the changing room with her back to the mirror; she smoothed the dress over her body. It fit perfectly she even felt a little sexy as she moved around in it.

"Are you done yet?" Abby called from outside. Abby had already tried on her dress, shown Ziva and decided to buy it and was growing impatient.

Ziva turned toward the mirror. She looked behind her the scars on her lower thighs. Long marks from when Salim had run his knife up her leg. The familiar scars stared back at her. She tried to pull the dress down to cover them it did not work. She bit her lip and tried to hold back tears. It did not matter that it was only a dress her self – esteem was shattered. The scars from Salim's camp were not her only scars, but other scars she could wear like tattoo's telling their tales; the one on her head from a bomb blast she narrowly escaped or the one on her ear from catching an earring on her pillow whilst having a quickie. But the scars Salim had left her with, she could not explain away, she decided then and there as she stood in the mirror she would never go swimming or have sex again.

"Ziva let me see," Abby whined. Ziva suspected her friend needed a caffeine hit and that was part of the reason for her impatience.

"It does not fit," Ziva lied her voice faltering. She bit her lip harder as tears were tempted to fall. She reminded herself it was just a stupid dress. She told herself the colour was boring. Nothing soothed her pain or made her tears retreat.

"I'm coming in," Abby told her. She knew the dress fitted and she also knew her friend was upset. She wanted to do nothing more than sooth her. Abby opened the curtain and saw Ziva standing there. At first she saw nothing wrong except the tears falling down Ziva's face. Then she saw the marks on Ziva's lower thighs. Ziva took a deep breath.

"Make up hides a multitude of sins," Abby offered as condolences. Ziva shook her head, and started to pull at the dress trying to get it off.

"No," Ziva whispered. Abby walked forward and engulfed her friend in a hug. Ziva leaned in. "It is just a dress," she told both Abby and herself.

"I know but its ok," Abby replied. "We'll find something better."

"Maybe I will just skip the party," Ziva uttered as Abby let go.

"No you won't," Abby responded, "Get changed and I will find you something to wear,"

"Abby," Ziva said trying to stop her friend.

"I'll find something," Abby promised closing the curtain.

Ziva slowly got changed doubting Abby could find something. She turned away from the mirror as she pulled up her combat pants and pulled her plain black long top (a long term loan from Abby) over her head, rolling down the long sleeves. Hiding her body.

Abby sifted through the dresses instantly disregarding anything too short or strapless. Sleeveless would be ok as long as it was a thick strap. Abby flicked through the dresses. Then she saw it. The dress was a cap sleeved, knee length and emerald colour.

Ziva stood holding her bag ready to leave the store. All she wanted to do was get in her car and drive home but Abby had insisted they take one car to save on both fuel cost and energy consumption.

Abby rushed up to Ziva holding the dress.

"You have to try this," Abby said. Ziva took the dress. She decided not to get her hopes up.

She stood in the changing room admiring the dress. It fit perfectly and covered her scars and she felt sexy as she turned around in the room.

"Let me see," Abby said. Ziva opened the curtain Abby's jaw drooped. They had found Ziva's dress. Abby was sure they were going to wow everyone at the New Year's Party.

A/N: I found this on my computer. Guess it's your lucky day readers.