A/N: So this is my new story. It shouldn't be too long, just a couple chapters.
Chapter One
"Mommy, let's go to the park." The little boy exclaimed as he saw the colorful plastic and swings off in the distance.
"Okay, sweetheart, but let us get some water first." Ziva laughed at her son's excitement. "It's hot and we do not want to get dehydrated."
"But it just rained this morning." He said as he followed his mother to a concession stand.
"Yes, so the ground is hydrated." Ziva smiled. "Not you."
"Okay Mommy." He forfeited as he took his mother's hand and waited as she purchased the water bottle.
"Can I go play now?" he asked as they sat on a bench across from the playground and shared the water bottle.
"Take a couple more sips." Ziva smiled as she watched his eyes follow all the other children running around.
"Is one gulp the same?" He grinned and Ziva nodded as he took a gulp.
"Thanks, Mom." He said as he handed the water bottle back to her and ran off towards the swings.
Ziva couldn't help but smile as she watched her son happily climb on a swing and push off the ground trying to get as high as he could. His smile was dazzling as he giggled and competed with the boy next to him to see who could swing higher. She saw a man with a little girl walk down the path towards her but didn't bother to really look at them, her attention was focused on her boy. She knew he would try some trick off the swing, whether it be a back flip or jumping as far he could, he would try a stunt.
"Ziva?" the man gasped as he and the girl came to a stop next to her on the bench.
"Ziva." The girl repeated as she looked Ziva up and down. "That's a cool name."
"Thank you." Ziva smiled at the child then looked up to the man. "What's your name?"
"Lauren," she sighed. "Original, I know."
"I still think it's pretty." Ziva smiled as the man swallowed hard and took a seat next to her on the bench.
"Thank you." She smiled with a slight blush.
"What are you doing here, Ziva?" he asked and she finally looked at him. "On a bench, watching children?"
"I'm here with my-." Ziva started but was interrupted.
"Mommy!" the little boy called from the swing. "Watch this!"
"Thomas Zane, do not jump-." But before she could get the words out Thomas flew from the swing.
"Did you see how far I went?" He beamed proudly as he ran over to his mother.
"Thomas, how many times have I told you not to jump from the swings?" Ziva asked unamused as she handed him the water bottle.
"17?" Thomas grinned and Ziva could feel Tony tense next to her.
"Tony, Lauren." Ziva said ignoring Thomas' sarcasm. "This is my son Thomas."
"How old are you?" Lauren asked as her dark blue eyes examined Thomas.
"I'll be 7 in 2 days." Thomas said as he backed himself between his mother's legs and leaned his back against her chest.
"I'm Lauren." Lauren introduced herself then pointed to Tony. "He's Tony. He's not my dad, he's my mom's boyfriend."
"Hi." Thomas said as he looked to Tony who continued to stare at him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, sorry." Tony said as he looked between mother and son.
"Can I go play again?" Thomas asked shyly as he looked back at his mother.
"Stay away from those swings." Ziva warned as she kissed his cheek and ruffled his dark hair.
"Okay." He nodded as he started to run away than looked back to Lauren. "Do you wanna come?"
"Sure." Lauren said as she followed Thomas to the playground.
"He has my eyes." Tony said as they watched the children run off.
"Your smile too." Ziva sighed as she glanced at Tony, his eyes still on Thomas.
"You're not even gonna try and deny it?" Tony asked as he looked at her with his eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar.
"He just told you his 7th birthday is in two days, meaning he was conceived in October 2012. He has your eyes, smile, and love to try and get a rise out of me." Ziva laughed as she settled her eyes on Tony. "It would be a waste of time to deny it."
"His eyes are green, but they are rimmed in a dark brown." Tony said glancing back to the kids. "Like yours."
"I know." Ziva laughed. "I think they're beautiful."
"They are." Tony said. "Especially with those long curly black eyelashes."
"He is a handsome boy." Ziva smiled proudly, but her smile soon faded as she saw the anguish on Tony's face.
"What are you doing here, Ziva?" Tony asked knowing full well she wasn't in D.C. to tell him about Thomas.
"I know you said if you never saw my face again, it would be too soon." Ziva nodded and Tony sucked in a breath and looked away from both Ziva and Thomas. "But Thomas and I are here for vacation. His birthday is July 4th and he has never been to Washington. He loves history too."
"So D.C. is perfect for him." Tony sighed as he heard Thomas and Lauren laughing with the other children.
"Plus the fireworks are amazing." Ziva added.
"Where do you guys live?" Tony asked still refusing to look at her.
"Annapolis." She said. "I teach different languages the academy."
"Wow." Tony said as Thomas and Lauren came running towards them.
"Hello, love." Ziva said as she pushed hers son's sweaty hair of his forehead, spiking it slightly. "Are you ready to go?"
"Uh huh." He nodded as he finished the water bottle and walked to throw it in the trash not too far away.
"Tony, Lauren?" an attractive blonde woman asked as she approached them.
"Hi Mommy." Lauren smiled as she immediately went over to her mother and hugged her.
"Jen, this is my friend Ziva." Tony said and Ziva and Lauren exchanged a smile and a handshake.
"That's Thomas." Lauren said as Thomas reclaimed his position next to Ziva. "Thomas, this is my mom."
"Hi." Thomas grinned as he rested his head on Ziva's arm.
"Nice to meet you both." Jen smiled. "Please, have dinner with us tonight."
"No, that's okay." Ziva declined politely and with a smile. "We do not want to impose."
"Please," Jen repeated. "We only know Tony's friends from work. I insist you eat with us."
"We won't bite." Lauren laughed and Ziva looked to Thomas who was yawning.
"Excuse me." He said shyly as he noticed everyone looking at him.
"Would you like to have dinner with us, Thomas?" Jen asked sweetly as she looked at the little boy who was cuddling against his mother.
"Um." Thomas started as he looked at Tony who was still staring at him. "Mommy?"
"Whatever you would like, Thomas." Ziva said as she kissed his temple.
"It'll be fun." Lauren chimed in. "I have swings in my backyard."
"Okay." Thomas said as he looked up to Jen. "Thank you."
"No problem hunny." Jen smiled as she touched Tony's shoulder but he continued to look at Thomas and Ziva.
~Later at Dinner~
"Excuse me, I have to take this." Jen said as she answered her ringing cell phone and Ziva smiled and headed towards the back door in search of her son.
"Tony? What are you doing?" Ziva asked as she saw him standing next to the screen door.
"Listening." Tony said in a shushed voice.
"To what?" Ziva asked as she laughed at him.
"Where's your dad, Thomas?" Lauren asked as the two continued to swing. "Did he stay at home?"
"No." Thomas said softly as he looked to his legs, which were pumping him higher and higher on the swings.
"Well, where is he?" she pressed. "My mommy and daddy aren't together any more. My daddy has his own place not too far. Where does your daddy live?"
"I dunno." Thomas sighed and tears stung Ziva's eyes as she noticed her son's defeated demeanor and tone.
"What do you mean you don't know?" Lauren asked curiously. "Where'd he go?"
"I dunno." Thomas repeated glancing over at Lauren. "Away."
"Away where?" Lauren asked ignoring the tears in Thomas voice and eyes. "Like, down the street like my daddy?"
"He's just away." Thomas whimpered.
Tony glanced over to Ziva, tears were streaming freely down her face as she listened to Thomas. Tony didn't even notice the tears streaming down his own face.
"Is he coming back?"
"I dunno." Thomas shrugged as his legs hung limp below him and he lost his height.
"You don't know much." Lauren sighed as she studied her new friend. "Did he not want you? My mommy says that's how people make a baby. A man and a woman in love…did your daddy not love you and your mommy?"
"Guess not." Thomas cried as he clenched his jaw tight in order to keep his lip and chin from quivering. His swing slowly stopped but his watery green eyes remained on the ground below his feet.
"Your mommy loves you, though." Lauren offered as she patted Thomas' back.
"She does." Thomas nodded as he tried to calm his breathing and tears. "A lot."
"Damnit Ziva." Tony cursed as he looked away from his heart broken son to his heart broken ex. "What did you tell him about me?"
"Nothing." Ziva said as she wiped furiously at her face trying to remove the tears. "He has never asked and I did not know what to say! Why would I make a perfectly happy child sad by telling him his father does not even know about him? If and when he asks me about you I will be more than happy to answer his questions, honestly."
"You can have Tony." They both heard Lauren offer. "He's around a lot but I already have a dad. Since you don't, you can have him. I don't like him that much any way. I mean, he's okay, a little weird though. He says the strangest things."
"That's okay." Thomas laughed. "He keeps staring at me." And they giggled.
"Annapolis is only about 45 minutes east of here." Tony said and Ziva looked at him confused.
"And?"
"Ziva, I want him to know me." Tony sighed as he wiped the tears from his own face. "We just watched his heart break because of us, Zi."
"Do you not remember what happened the last time we saw each other?" Ziva screamed at him, fresh tears rolling down her face.