"No no no," Victoria Palmer squealed, toddling around the living room, "No Unca Tony!"
Tony DiNozzo laughed and chased her slowly, sprig of mistletoe hanging loosely from his fingers, "Aw! Vic! Not even a little tiny kiss for Uncle Tony? You're gonna hurt my feelings!"
"You have feelings now?" Tim laughed, grinning as he carried down a box of decorations from the attic.
"Ouch, Timmy," Tony clapped a hand over his heart, "That stung."
Tim rolled his eyes, "Leave the baby alone and help carry boxes."
"Okay, okay," Tony said, dropping the mistletoe on top of the cabinet, "Don't get your panties in a wad."
He trailed after Tim down the hallway and climbed up into the attic.
"Damn, Autopsy Gremlin," Tony coughed, "Dust much?"
Jimmy shrugged, "Sorry, Tony. We don't actually clean up here."
The puff of dust that flew up into the air when Jimmy moved served to punctuate his point.
Ignoring the dust and several suspicious looking balls of fluff on the floor, Tony and Tim worked together to pull down the box containing the living room Christmas tree.
Tony let out a small squeak of pain as they dropped the box to the floor.
"Back pain, my love?" Ziva smirked as she walked through the front door at the exact right moment, holding a tray of leftovers.
Tony's head shot up at the sound of her voice. He smiled slowly, "Nothing a massage won't fix."
"Oh gross," Tim grumbled catching sight of the leer on Tony's face, "I get making up for lost time, but keep it to your bedroom."
"That's what I'm trying to do, McPrude," Tony said, taking the tray from Ziva's hands and leaning down to kiss her.
She smiled up at him, patting his bicep, "If you do not stop, you will get nothing, Tony."
"Zeeeeee!" Victoria screeched, running down the hall will Breena hot on her heels.
Ziva quickly knelt down so that she could catch the little girl when she flung her little body into her honorary aunt's arms.
"Neshomeleh," Ziva beamed, hugging the toddler tightly, "I just saw you yesterday!"
"Zeeee, miss you," Victoria smiled, patting Ziva's cheeks with her chubby baby hands.
Breena smiled at the interaction. It had taken Victoria a little while to warm up to Ziva. Tony, for some reason, was her favorite of the honorary uncles, and when Ziva had come back home, the little girl was jealous of this new woman that was taking up "Unca Tony's" time.
But now, Ziva was Victoria's favorite person. And all it had taken was a few cookie related bribes.
"How about we help your mama in the kitchen?" Ziva murmured to Victoria, even as the toddler looped her arms around Ziva's neck, "I think we have some dessert to make, yes?"
"Yes, we do," Breena said, holding out a hand so Ziva could stand up while balancing Victoria in her arms, "I figured since we have so many leftovers from Thanksgiving, we could try a couple of different desserts?"
Ziva smiled gently, "I do not think I am the best baker, but I always like to try. Abby and Delilah, I think, would like to help when they get here."
"I'm always glad to have help!" Breena enthused, "I always end up making the desserts for my family party by myself. We have a lot of people coming on Sunday! I really appreciate everyone coming over and helping us."
Ziva flapped a hand in the air, "It is nothing. I think..." She paused and Breena could see that she was trying to gather her thoughts.
She finally said, "It is nice for us to have new traditions. We - Tony and myself, at least - have not had the most...fun filled years, yes?"
Breena handed Victoria a stuffed bear and nodded, "I think I understand. I'm glad Jimmy and I can be a part of adding to the new traditions."
"Ow! Tony!"
"Sorry, Abs, but in my defense, maybe you shouldn't be standing on a step ladder in those shoes?"
"How else am I supposed to hang the garland?"
"Maybe let Tim do it?"
"Delilah, you of all people know that Timmy's decorating skills leave a lot to be desired."
"Nice, Abby. Real nice."
"Okay, okay. How about a cider break?"
"Wait? Breena, you're putting ice cream in hot cider? Load me up!"
"Tony! You know what the doctor said about your sugar."
"Aw, Zee-vah! It's a *holiday*."
"Fine! But do not complain to me when the doctor yells at you."
"It'll be worth it for Breena's cider floats. Vic and I love them."
"Then it's decided! Cider floats for everyone!"
"You boys did a good job on the tree," Breena said later, curled up on the couch next to Jimmy.
"And we have the battle wounds to show for it," Tim laughed, holding up a hand covered in angry red scratches from the artificial branches. Delilah patted his hand and teased, "They're manly, Tim."
The rest of the group let out affectionate snorts of laughter. Even Gibbs and Ducky, who had shown up in time for dinner and with plenty of firewood in tow, laughed.
"I think all of the excitement of decorating's tired the little elf out," Tony said, running a knuckle over Victoria's cheek. She was passed out on Ziva's lap, one fist holding onto Ziva's shirt and her mouth hanging open.
"I'll bring her inside," Jimmy made to stand up, but Ziva shook her head.
"Leave her here? Just for a little longer?" she asked, looking down at the toddler with affection and maybe a little sadness.
Jimmy smiled and nodded, "Yeah. I'll leave her."
Ziva mouthed "thank you" at Jimmy and returned to gently stroking Victoria's downy blonde hair.
Tony's own hand was looped over Ziva's waist and stroking at her hip bone, even as he looked at his girlfriend with a slight smile on his face.
By now everyone was used to the way Tony looked at Ziva. They had been apart for so long and so much had happened to them, even Gibbs wanted to let them have their happiness.
Tony hadn't wasted any time in asking her out and making a relationship official when she had come home to D.C. just less than a year ago. They had been making up for lost time ever since.
Tonight, with the Christmas lights shining on them, Tony's heart eyes were out in full force.
One of Tony's hands was resting on the pocket of his jeans and Tim knew that a little black velvet box was resting there.
Tim was also sure that Ziva knew about Tony's plans to propose, but she hadn't said a word to anyone.
"Think it's time for a movie?" Delilah piped up.
"I think now would be the perfect time to watch "It's a Wonderful Life"," Ducky said, raising his glass of eggnog into the air a little. "That's the best Christmas movie, in my opinion. Actually, it reminds me of a time when I was young. In Scotland..."
The younger adults in the room grinned broadly as Ducky started in on one of his stories, but no one interrupted him.
They very rarely let him tell a story to completion and since they had nowhere pressing to be...
Gibbs knocked back a sip of bourbon and watched as his team laughed at Ducky's story.
It's a wonderful life, indeed.
A/N: It's been a long time since I wrote Tiva or NCIS at all, but 'tis Christmas time.
This is the first in a series of Christmas fics I'll be writing for each of my fandoms. It's a little cheesy, but it's Christmas and if you can't be cheesy at Christmas, when can you be? I hope you guys liked it! Let me know!