Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS

August 2018

Anthony DiNozzo Senior sat down on the bench and stretched out his legs, enjoying the glorious August sunshine. A stroller sat next him, with eighteen-month-old Matilda DiNozzo sitting in it, snaking on some gold fish crackers. Senior was babysitting his two granddaughters for the day. Tony and Ziva were in Maryland, photographing a wedding. It was an all-day event, that required two shooters, and so Senior was asked to babysit Tali and Tilly.

Senior had spent the night, as he came on Friday for their weekly family dinner. There, he listened to Tali chatting away about her week at pre-school, her dance class and everything else she did during the week. Ziva had signed Tali up to local ballet classes as soon as Tali confirmed that she was interested. As much as Ziva wanted her girls to have ballet lessons, she was not going to force them to it. Tilly was still too young to go but had started to try and copy Tali who practiced endlessly.

Once Tali had stopped talking and was asleep in bed, Tony ran through with Senior what was going happen on Saturday; the hours they were working, emergency contact numbers just in case. Things like that. Normally, Senior went back to his place after dinner but this time it was easier if he stayed the night.

In the morning after Ziva and Tony had left, Tali and Tilly played in the playroom, nicely. 98% of the time the two girls got on very well. That remaining 2% though, tended to be Tali getting upset with Tilly for ruining the game. Tony and Ziva were constantly reminding Tali that Tilly was only eighteen-months and didn't necessarily understand the rules of the game. Then, just after lunch, the three of them decided to venture out to the local play park. They had their own climbing frame but Senior thought the trip away from home would do the girls some good.

'Watch me climb to the top, Papa' called four-year-old Tali from the bottom of the climbing frame.

'I can see you Tali' he called back. 'Be careful.' Tilly had already gone on the swings for a bit, before wanting to have a snack. Unlike Tali, who crawled at nine months and walked at 13 months, Tilly had only recently started walking. At eighteen months she still preferred to crawl, and Senior didn't think that crawling on the dirty playground floor was a good idea.

'Papa, look' said Tilly, holding up a cracker and making it swim. Senior laughed and ruffled Tilly's brown curls.

'Papa?' Senior looked up and saw a woman standing nearby, a dalmatian by her feet. It took a few seconds for Senior to recognised her.

'Maggie York?'

'Hello Tony.' Senior stood up, not quite believing his eyes. He hadn't seen Maggie York since Labour Day, 1960.

'What are you doing here?' he asked.

'I just moved to the area, from Tokyo.' Senior chuckled slightly. Her voice was exactly the same. 'What about you, Papa?' Senior laughed.

'I'm with my granddaughters.'

'Papa' called Tilly. 'Hun-gee.' She had finished eating her crackers. Senior sat back down.

'I'm sorry, Bug' he said, stroking her brown curls. 'I don't have anything else.' Tilly shrugged her shoulders and went back to playing with Bunny. Appearance wise, Tilly was the spitting image of Tail; a younger version of Ziva, with the DiNozzo smile, laugh and appetite.

'Bug?' asked Maggie, as she sat down next to Senior.

'It's a nickname. When my daughter-in-law, Ziva was pregnant, she and my son didn't find out the sex before the girls were born, so they gave them nicknames. Tilly is Bug and Tali.' Senior scanned the climbing frame and spotted Tali. He pointed over to her. 'Tali is-'

'Bean!' cried Tilly happily, waving her arms in the air.

'Yes, that's right' said Senior to Tilly.

'Bean and Bug?' laughed Maggie. Senior nodded. 'You have a son?' Her voice was more serious now. Senior nodded again.

'Yes, I do. Tony. Anthony Junior.' Senior pulled out his phone and showed the photo on the screen. It was of Tony, Ziva and the girls; Ziva holding Tilly and Tony holding Tali. The photo had been taken at Tali's fourth birthday, just over a month ago.

'You named your son after you? That doesn't sound like the Tony I knew.'

'That was a long time ago, Mags' replied Senior. 'A lot has changed in sixty years.'

'It has been a while since someone called that.' They stared at each other, memories coming back, clearer than ever before. Just then Tali came running over to them. She was wearing a pink t-shirt with a sequin unicorn on it, denim shorts and sandals. Her brown curls pulled into pigtails by Ziva.

'Papa, can we get ice cream?' she asked. An ice cream truck had just driven past.

'No. Sorry, Bean. Ima said you can have ice cream after dinner, not before.'

'But-'

'No buts Tali. I'm following Ima's orders.' Tali looked sad, and tried to quiver her bottom lip.

'That won't work Tali' said Senior, laughing slightly.

'Why not?' asked Tali. It usually worked, especially with Daddy.

'Because I don't want to get told off by Ima.' That definitely did work and Tali surrendered. She didn't like getting told off by Ima either. Maggie's dog came up and sniffed at Tali's hand. Tali loved dogs and started stroking it.

'Tali' began Senior. 'This is my friend, Maggie.'

'Hello Tali' said Maggie.

'Hi. Is he your doggy?' Maggie smiled.

'Yes, she is.' Tali laughed.

'What's her name?'

'Penny.' Penny the Dalmatian started playing with Tali, licking her face. Tali laughed more. 'Do you like dogs, Tali?' asked Maggie. Tali nodded her head vigorously.

'You do, don't you' said Senior. 'Where is Doggy?' he asked, looking around for the stuffed toy.

'Bug's looking after him.' Tilly thrusted Doggy and Bunny outwards over the stroller as to say 'Ta da'. Senior laughed. His granddaughters were so funny sometimes.

Maggie looked at her watch.

'I have to go, I'm afraid' she said quietly. Tali and Penny were having fun playing together.

'No.' Tali had heard though. Keen hearing, just like her Ima.

'Tali,' began Senior. 'Maggie has to go, therefore so does Penny.'

'But'

'No buts Bean.' Senior heard Maggie laugh quietly. 'What?'

'Nothing. It's just strange to see you so… parental.' Senior was the one who chuckled this time.

'Trust me. It hasn't always been the case.' Penny barked at Tali who giggled, along with Tilly.

'Thank you for playing with Penny, Tali. It was nice to meet you.' Maggie held out her hand and shook Tali's, then waved at Tilly, who waved back. She stood up and turned to Senior. 'I assume you live in the area?'

'In DC.' Maggie reached into her bag and pulled out a business card. She handed it to Senior.

'Perhaps you should call me.' With that, Maggie York walked away from Anthony DiNozzo, history seemingly repeating itself.

It's unclear how old Senior is, so I'm assuming he was born in the 40s, along with where he grew up and went to college.

Hope you enjoyed reading