Mon UniversEstLe Votre

"It's 4am! Why is there knocking?" Tony DiNozzo mumbled as he threw his arm over his girlfriend. The knocking only grew louder as time passed. "If I ignore it will they go away?"

"I do not know! Go answer it…" She ordered as she rolled out from under him.

"Fine." He threw on his pants and stumbled through the apartment, running his hands through his already mussed hair.
"Alright, alright! I'm coming." As he opened the door, he was shocked by the sight before him….

"Ziva… What are you doing here? Gibbs said you weren't coming back!"

"Hello, Tony! You look good… Where's your wedding ring?" Did he forget about our marriage?

"Wedding ring? Ziva, what the hell are you talking about?" She's gone for 3 years and as soon as she comes back, she starts talking nonsense.

"You don't remember my last night here?" The tremble in her voice not going unnoticed by Tony.

"Are you okay? Do you wanna come in?" Tony, for the first time, noticed the small child hiding behind Ziva's legs. "Who's the kid?"

"You really don't remember? Tony, we got married that night and had sex… She's your daughter." Seeing, the look on Tony's face, she realized he remembered none of this. "I think it's best if I leave."

"Zi, wait!" The look in both their eyes was so heartbreaking that they couldn't tear their eyes away.

Just like old times.

"Tony, who is it?" Jeanne called from the bedroom as she made her way to the front door.

"It's Ziva. She's back… Look, Jeanne, I'm sorry. This isn't going to work between us."

"You love her again?" Why does this always happen to me?

"I never stopped, Jeanne… And apparently, Ziva and I are married." And have the cutest little girl in the whole world.

"Mommy, who are these people?" For the first time, Tony heard his little girl speak. She's so cute. Definitely her mother's child.

"This is your daddy, sweetheart… and Jeanne." After a few awkward moments, Ziva finally decided to speak. "Really, Tony, I should go."

"No, stay… It's okay. I'll come get my stuff this afternoon." Jeanne stated with a sad smile to everyone.

"Are you sure? I mean, we can find somewhere for you and…" I don't even know my own daughter's name.

"Carmelina Athalia." Ziva supplied with an encouraging smile. "Athalia means God is exalted."

"It's a beautiful name, Zi." Tony snuck a glance at Carmelina and gave her a small, reassuring smile… "Carmelina, do you wanna sit down? You can watch TV if you want?"

"Thank you, daddy!" Carmelina giggled as she ran and jumped onto the worn out sofa.

"I should be going… Congratulations to you both. She's so beautiful." Jeanne called as she carefully shut the door behind them.

As soon as the door shut, Tony let out a breath he didn't know he was even holding and practically jumped into Ziva's arms.

"I missed you so much… God, you're more beautiful than I remember!"

"I missed you too, Tony" Ziva laughed… "You should talk to Carmel, she was excited to meet you, you know?"

"Really?" Tony asked, surprised. "What shall I say?"

"Just go and be yourself, Tony. She's a lot like you… She'll probably do all of the talking for you anyway. She's only two though, so keep it PG. I know what you're like."

"When's her birthday?" I don't want to miss anymore of them. Two is way too many.

"February 10th, 2010."

Tony took Ziva's hand and stared into her eyes. "I'm glad you're back, Ziva."

"Me too. Now, go talk to your daughter!" She said as she squeezed his hand.

"Our daughter, Zi. Our's!" He whispered as he walked across the room until he reached the sofa.

"Hi, cutie pie!"

"Daddy! Come sit with me." She yelled excitedly.

"Alright" he laughed. "What are we watching?"

Ziva smiled at the sight in front of her. When she thought of returning to Washington, she never thought Tony would be so happy to see her. Every scenario in her head always ended with Tony being so mad at her for leaving and yelling at her, telling her to go back to Miami, to Ray. Truthfully, that's the reason she bought Carmelina with her… As a way to calm Tony down for a while. But he seemed blinded by the fact that she was just back home where she belonged. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts; she didn't realize Tony had walked up to her holding Carmelina.

"Lina's tired so I'm going to put her in my bed… That okay?" Tony asked with a hopefully glint in his eye… He wants me to stay… He wants us to stay.

"That's perfect, Tony. It will give me a chance to talk to you and maybe look online for a place for me and Carmel to stay." Please say no... I want to stay.

"A place to stay? Zi, you and Lina are staying here! We're married. I can legally make you! I just got you back; you're not leaving me again!" Ziva sensed the panic in his voice and was quick to reassure him.

"Tony, I'm not leaving you. Ever. Again. I promise." She grabbed his hand as a way to prove her words to him. When Tony looked into her eyes, all he saw was the truth and love. It made him so unbelievably happy that he just had to pull her closer and wrap his arms around her small frame.

"I meant it, you know? I never stopped loving you… I love you so much, Ziva."

"I love you too, Tony" she sighed. "And I think Carmel does too... She doesn't normally warm to people as quickly as she did with you"

"That's because she's my daughter… And I'm her daddy and I'm going to spoil her every day, starting today. I'm gonna turn my spare room into the perfect room for Lina."

"You keep calling her Lina… I thought you'd call her Carm or something."

"Yeah? Why'd you think that?"

"I named her after your mother, Tony!"

Tony just stared at her in shock… Then suddenly started laughing. "Zi, my mother's name was Elisabeth."

"I know that, Tony. I meant her middle name. Carmella."

"Oh. Well, why didn't you just call her Elisabeth then? It would have been much more obvious!" Ziva just had to roll her eyes at this. How could she possibly love a man this ridiculous?

"Because, from what you've told me, your mother was an amazing person. And I thought calling her Elisabeth would make her think she had to live up to her name, you know? Be as great as her namesake. She shouldn't have to live with the pressure of that… and also, Carmelina is a unique name for a unique little girl."

"A beautiful little girl, Zi. I'm proud of you…." He slowly leaned in a pressed a feather-light kiss to her lips. "Mmmm. Now I need to ring the team and let them know you're back. As much as I want to keep you and Lina to myself, Abby will go mad if I don't tell her and Gibbs will head slap me so hard that I'll most likely forget about you both."

With one more kiss and another "I love you", he ran off to find his phone.