"I've got it!" Tim called out, a preemptory response to Delilah asking him to answer the door. He yawned briefly before pulling the front door open.
"Joyeux Nuit, mon amis!" Tony enthused, grinning broadly and throwing one arm out in a gesture of excitement.
"Tony!" Tim exclaimed, his stunned expression morphing into a bright smile.
"He means Joyeux Noel," Ziva shook her head fondly. "So much time in Paris and still his French is only passable. Hello, Tim," she added as an addendum.
"Oh man, I'm so happy to see you," McGee stepped back, gesturing for them to step into the house. "All of you," he said, wrapping Ziva in a crushing hug. She responded in kind, relaxing into the embrace of a man she had always thought of as a brother.
"You look good, Tim," Ziva said, pulling back from the hug. She smiled, "fatherhood suits you."
"Motherhood suits you," he laughed. His gaze caught on Tali, hiding behind her father's leg. Tim squatted down and held out his hand to the toddler. "Hi Tali, I'm not sure if you remember -"
"Uncle Tim!" Tali whispered, eyes going a little wide. Tim grinned at the fact that she recognized him - he was even Uncle Tim! - and nodded.
"Yeah, that's me. You've gotten bigger since I last saw you."
Tali, still gripping Tony's pant leg, smiled shyly and buried her face into Tony's leg.
Both her parents laughed as Tim stood up.
"She is surprisingly shy," Ziva explained, "Considering that half of her genes are Tony's."
Tony shrugged. "Kid'll sit through any Bond movie though."
He bent down and swooped Tali onto his hip, causing her to let out a little giggle. She buried her face into the junction of his neck and shoulder, her little arms locking her securely.
"Who is it - oh!" Delilah rolled up to the front door. "Tony! I'm glad you came." She turned a sunny, but tired smile on Ziva. "And you must be Ziva. It's so nice to finally meet you."
"You too," Ziva extended her hand to Delilah and the two women shook. "I have heard quite a bit about you."
"All good, I hope?" Delilah quipped, shooting her husband a small smirk.
"Of course," Ziva replied easily. "I hope it is okay that we came."
"Follow me," Delilah waved and Ziva fell into step next to the other woman, leaving the men behind. "Don't be silly, Ziva. I had Tim text Tony for a reason!"
"I am sorry that the reply was so short notice," Ziva said quietly. "Tony and I were not sure what we would be doing for the holidays."
"Oh that's fine," Delilah waved her hand again, "I made sure to order tons of extra food so Tim and I wouldn't have to cook for a few days." She laughed, "Month old twins don't leave much time for anything else."
Ziva shared a conspiratorial smile with Delilah, "I understand that. Sometimes Tony is like having another toddler."
"I resent that, Ziva," Tony chimed in from behind them. "Just because I guy sings a few bars from a Disney movie -"
"You sang nearly the entirety of The Hunchback of Notre Dame soundtrack when we toured the cathedral," Ziva retorted dryly. Tim and Delilah grinned. Tony shrugged.
"It's a good movie."
"Didn't think Disney was in your repertoire, Tony," Tim teased.
Tony jiggled Tali in his arms, eliciting a giggle. "Just you wait, McDad. You'll soon learn the wonders of the Mouse."
Tali tugged on Tony's collar and whispered something in his ear. Tony nudged her side with his knuckles. "Ask Uncle Tim yourself, kiddo."
Ziva and Delilah headed off into the kitchen, leaving the men with Tali.
"Uncle Tim?" Tali whispered, sucking her lower lip into her mouth.
"Yep," Tim smiled encouragingly.
"D'ya bathroom?" she asked, clutching close to Tony. Her father laughed a little.
"Sure do, Tali. Wanna follow me?" he asked, holding out his hand.
Still being held by Tony, Tali tentatively reached out and grabbed onto Tim's fingers. Tim led the strange parade down the hallway to the bathroom. Tony dropped Tali to the floor and nudged her into the bathroom.
"Go ahead, T. I'll be right outside if you need me," he grinned encouragingly and pulled the door closed behind his daughter.
"Potty training," Tony told Tim. "That was one of the more interesting trans-Atlantic flights I've ever had."
"I can imagine," Tim laughed. "So, how's it been going? The two of you - three of you - back together?"
"It's..." Tony paused, a slow smile forming subconsciously. "I missed her so damn much, Tim. It's not easy, but when was anything ever easy for us, huh?"
"Abba!" Tali shrieked from inside the bathroom. Tony stumbled and yanked open the door.
"What's the matter? Are you okay?" he kneeled down, a wild look in his eyes.
Tali was standing there innocently. She raised her hands and said, "Can't reach! I needa wash 'em."
"Jesus," Tony muttered under his breath, heartbeat finally steadying. He stood up and lifted Tali into the air so she could wash her hands. She smiled happily and pressed a smacking kiss to Tony's cheek. "Toda, Abba!" she said sweetly, before wiggling out of his arms and running off in search of Ziva.
"Need a drink?" McGee laughed at Tony's shaken expression.
"Yes," Tony agreed vehemently. "That's her new thing. The shrieking. Scares the bejesus out of me every time."
Tony and Ziva hadn't told anyone that they were coming out to DC for the holiday, so there were plenty of excited greetings as the rest of the team shows up.
Abby screamed when Tony answered the door, prompting Tim and Ziva to run out of the kitchen in alarm. The only one in danger was Tony, as he had Abby's arms clamped in a vise-like grip around his neck.
"You sneaks! You didn't say you'd be coming!" she berated him, releasing Tony when she saw Ziva. She beelined for the former agent and wrapped her in a similarly tight hug. "It's *so* good to see you, Ziva! We've missed you."
Ziva hugged Abby back, "It is good to see you too, Abby."
Delilah rolled into the living room, Tali sitting on her lap and playing with one of her necklaces. The little girl was shy, but once she warmed up, she was affectionate as hell. "Hey, Abby," Delilah greeted.
"Oh my god, you guys," Abby clapped her hands over her mouth. "She's so big and absolutely gorgeous."
Tali tucked herself closer to Delilah as Abby kneeled down and waved.
"She is a little shy, Abby," Ziva explained gently, offering the three and a half year old an encouraging smile.
"Oh that's fine," Abby grinned. "We'll be best friends by the end of the night. Now, Delilah, where should I put these pies?"
"There might be some room in the fridge?" Delilah answered, a frown on her face. "But I'm not sure."
"I'll find room," Abby declared, hurrying into the kitchen.
Ziva, sipping at a glass of wine, murmured to Tim, "Why is it that you and Delilah are hosting Christmas Eve when she has just had the twins?"
"Jimmy and Breena offered, but it was just easier to have everyone come to us instead of getting the twins all packed up and moved," Tim explained, heading for the front door to answer the knock.
"Hiya Uncle Tim!" little Victoria Palmer squealed from her perch on Jimmy's hip.
"VP!" Tim laughed, smoothly taking Victoria into his arms and hugging her. Jimmy and Breena streamed into the house followed closely behind by Ducky.
"Ziva!" Jimmy exclaimed, finally seeing her after shrugging off his coat and dropping the two large bags he was carrying. "I didn't know you were coming!"
He shuffled awkwardly, unsure if he should attempt a hug, but Ziva took pity on him and hugged him. She hugged Breena in turn. "Tony and I were not sure that we would be here either. But I am glad that we did."
"Ziva, my dear," Ducky smiled warmly. "It is very good to see you. I presume little Tali is around as well?"
Tony had been fastidious about sending pictures of Tali back home while they were in Paris. After all, he had explained, the team was family and he wanted them to see her hit each milestone. Ducky in particular loved seeing the pictures of the little girl. He loved Victoria like a granddaughter and was only too happy to add more 'grandchildren' to love.
"She is," Ziva chuckled. "I think she is with Delilah, Tony and Abby in the kitchen."
"Wonderful," Ducky beamed, "I'll go say hello now."
He headed off for the kitchen, leaving Ziva, Tim, and the Palmers in the front hallway.
"Are we the last ones here?" Breena asked, helping Victoria out of her jacket before shooing her daughter off into the kitchen. Victoria toddled away happily, familiar with the McGee home.
"Nah," Tim said. "Waiting on Bishop and Gibbs."
"Oh! I will get to meet Bishop too?" Ziva smiled, a little mischievously. "I have wanted to meet her."
"Be nice," Tony warned, coming up behind Ziva and wrapping an arm around her shoulders before kissing her temple. "Jimmy, Breena good to see you guys!"
He shook hands with Jimmy and gave Breena a brief hug. The Palmers started asking Tony and Ziva about Paris, the conversation flowing easily. It was almost like Tony and Ziva hadn't left, they were caught up with current Naval Yard happenings so quickly.
Ziva had missed DC and the people she had left behind. When Tony and Tali had found her, seeing him again had opened up the wounds that were almost healed and being with him for the past year had helped her heal even more. But being home, hearing Tali's giggles as Ducky told stories, it showed her that she had been missing a piece of herself by staying away for so long. She leaned closer to Tony and made a mental note to discuss a move back home when they had a chance to sit and talk quietly.
Tali and Victoria, fast friends and only six months apart in age, giggled as Breena, Ziva, and Ellie helped them decorate cookies.
"It must be amazing to live in Paris," Ellie sighed, holding a handful of sprinkles for the girls to decorate their cookies with.
Ziva laughed. "It is a beautiful city, yes. But living there is no different than living in Washington. It loses some of its mystery after a while."
"Doubt it," Breena teased good-naturedly. She guided Victoria's hand so the icing lined the cookie's edge. "The Eiffel Towel, Norte Dame, all those pastries and cheese."
"Cheese?" Tali lifted her head and looked around excitedly.
"No cheese, tateleh," Ziva kissed the crown of her head. "Go back to your cookie." Turning to the other women, she smiled, "Tony, before we met up, turned this little mouse onto the fancy cheese. It was one of a handful of words he actually knew."
"Of course," Ellie rolled her eyes affectionately. "Food would be the one thing Tony could find in any country."
"That's rude, Bish," Tony said, breezing into the kitchen with little John McGee tucked into the crook of his arm. He snatched a cookie off of the counter and munched happily.
"It's the truth," the young blonde shot back, laughing.
"Baby!" Tali looked up and was immediately curious at the sight of John. Victoria, hearing her new friend's excitement, looked up too and gasped dramatically, as only a three-year-old could. The adults in the room laughed and Tony took a seat at the counter in between Tali and Victoria so the girls could get a better look at the baby.
"Be gentle," Ziva and Breena cautioned at the same time. Tali reached a careful hand out and patted the baby's tiny foot. Her eyes were wide with wonder. Victoria looked up at Breena and exclaimed, "Momma! Baby!"
"You look good with a baby, Tony," Ellie quipped, icing a cookie. She didn't notice the soft, but pained look Tony shot Ziva or the way Ziva's eyes grew a little sad at the sight of Tony and the infant cradled in his arms.
The front door opening broke the moment. Ziva let out a breath and gave Tony a shaky smile.
"Boss! You finally made it," they all heard McGee greet Gibbs. Ziva shifted her weight, suddenly hesitant. Tony was the one who kept in contact with the team. Ziva hadn't spoken to Gibbs since her last phone call to him years ago.
Tony caught sight of the look on Ziva's face and slid off of the stool, John cradled securely in his arms, before coming over to kiss her cheek and whisper, "It's just Gibbs. He loves you."
"I know," she murmured back. She reached a hand out to Tali, "Come, baby. Let us reintroduce you to Gibbs."
Gibbs had accepted a beer from Jimmy and had said his hellos to the rest of the team by the time Ziva had cleaned Tali's hands off and made her way into the living room. With Tali on her hip as a sort of shield, she smiled hesitantly and said, "Hello, Gibbs."
"Ziver," the old nickname came easily and Gibbs' blue eyes sparkled a little at the sight of Ziva with her daughter.
"Gibbs," Ziva returned the greeting and bounced Tali on her hip. She smiled as she whispered to the little girl, "This is Gibbs. He was Ima and Abba's boss. Can you say hello?"
Tony watched from the kitchen as Tali chewed at her lower lip before waving shyly and saying, "Hi, Gibbs."
Gibbs blew a breath of air out of his nose and smiled, "Hi, Tali. Good to meet you again."
Tali smiled shyly again, and whispered to Ziva. "Yes," Ziva replied on a laugh, letting Tali slip to the floor, "You may go finish the cookies with Victoria and Aunt Breena."
Tali scrambled off, leaving Ziva and Gibbs alone in the hallway.
Both stubborn, it was silent for a few moments. Ziva broke first.
"It is good to see you, Gibbs," she said hesitantly.
"Aw, c'mere," he shook his head, opening his arms for a hug.
Ziva stepped into his embrace, a genuine grin on her face. She pressed her nose to his shoulder, inhaling the scent of sawdust and bourbon. Tears sprung to her eyes and she tightened her arms around his back involuntarily.
"Welcome home, Ziver," Gibbs mumbled, kissing the crown of her head.
"Aw, Boss, I never got a welcome home like that," Tony joked, lightening the mood for Ziva.
"Never left long enough for me ta miss ya, DiNozzo," Gibbs shot back, smirking. His arm was still around Ziva's shoulder and she shot Tony a small smile. He returned it, glad it had gone well. Ziva had been nervous about seeing everyone again, especially Gibbs because of the way she had left things. But Christmas was the perfect time to make amends with family.
A/N: A little NCIS and Tiva holiday surprise! I've been poking at this for a bit and while my Tiva writing skills are a little rusty, I liked how this came out.
I hope every one has a wonderful holiday season and a fabulous New Year! Drop me a review - I'll consider it a Christmas present ;)