The Family
Chapter I
Jenny and Jethro watched from the back deck of their house as their children, Tony, Kate, and Abby, played in the yard with Tony's girlfriend Ziva David and Abby's best friend Timmy McGee.
Neither Jethro nor Jenny had any idea where Abby's black hair had come from. Jethro had always secretly wondered if Jenny had cheated on him but he didn't think that any more. And Tony and Ziva... well, that wasn't a complete surprise considering Jethro's taste in women.
The kids sat in a circle waiting for Tony to start counting for hide and go seek. Abby with her black hair in pigtails, was wearing a black skirt and a bright red top. Her nails were painted bright red, which Ziva had done while they were watching Wall-e. Jenny didn't really approve of red nail polish on an eleven year old, but what could she do? Abby was always happy and full of energy and the favorite little girl.
Next to Abby sat Timmy in a button down shirt--which was already stained with grass--and jeans. He and Abby had been best friends since he had moved to their town 4 years ago. He laughed as Abby said something about her farting hippo, Bert.
Next to Timmy sat Ziva, dressed in jeans and a blue polo, her hands wrapped in bandages that Jenny had replaced that morning. The cuts were from combat classes with her father, Eli David, the head of Mossad, and her brother, Ari. Her father was here on a mission and Ziva hadn't seen him in two years. She had been living in the states since she was nine with her grandmother and brother. Since she never meet her mother and barely saw her father she now thought of Jenny and Jethro as her parents, and anyways, she spent most of her time at their house.
Next to Ziva sat Kate, with her head in Ziva's lap. She was wearing jeans and a Secret service t–shirt. Kate was the middle child but had always been the most responsible and was usually in charge when Ziva wasn't there. Most of the family agreed Tony was very irresponsible.
Next to her stood Tony, in jeans and a green crew t-shirt. He and Ziva had been dating for two years. Jethro had been all for it even if Jenny had not been at first. Jethro had always thought of Ziva as his daughter and he had been all for a reason why he could continue to think of her as being in the family. He could see what Tony saw in Ziva: she was exactly the kind of girl he would have gone for in his youth; she was like Jenny, except for her hair.
Jenny thought of all the children as her own. Ziva had spent most of the last two and a half years at their house. Both Jenny and Jethro had thought nothing of there friendship until they had walked in on them making out. Usually Ziva was at their house not because Tony had invited her over, but just to help out and hang out with Abby and Kate, usually before Tony had even gotten up. Like yesterday, when Tony had gotten up at 11:30 and Ziva had gotten there at 8:00 to watch Abby and Kate because Jenny and Jethro had had to go to work. She had done both of the girl's hair in French braids before teaching them how to do it, and had also joined them in a game of Risk (a family favorite). The whole family was used to Ziva being there early in the morning and staying for dinner unless her grandmother made her and her brother come home. Timmy came over almost every day too. The family had begun to think that if Ziva and Tim were not over, something had to be wrong.