I got this headcanon from talking everything out with my mom in the car. We're huge fans and have been for 13 out of 14 seasons and are hoping for something great to happen in season 15, since 14 is very meh. This is a one-shot based on my opinion of what should happen. ;)
Tony sat across from Tali at the small French café. She was entertaining herself with a few plastic animals he'd brought along in the go bag. He had plans to take her to an old carnival site today with the English tour. He'd stopped for coffee at the small café for a brief reminder of why they were there.
Ziva.
It was the last café they'd been to before flying back to the United States.
"Are you ready to see some rides?" Tony asked. He'd heard there was some interactions with the vintage carnival and hoped that was enough to entertain Tali for the tour.
Tali smiled up at him and crashed two figurines together.
"I'll take that as a yes, then," he chuckled. He gazed carefully at his daughter. Her soft brunette hair reflected his own, but it was Ziva's dark brown eyes that stared back at him.
Tony wondered if he'd said something about Ziva aloud when Tali exclaimed, "Eema!" Then she quickly slapped both hands over her mouth, eyes wide.
He gave her a sad smile, "Tali, what are you-"
"Hello, Tony."
Tony froze, unable to comprehend what was happening. Was he imagining things? He took a deep breath before turning around, taking in Ziva's full frame.
"Ziva," he breathed.
She gave him a small smile before going over and picking up her daughter. "I surprised Abba, didn't I? You're a good secret keeper."
"Shhhh," Tali said, holding up one finger to her mouth. "Surprise."
Ziva kissed the top of her daughter's head before placing her back down onto her chair.
Tony finally woke up from his reverie and asked, "how did you know where to find us?"
Without a word, she crouched down and reached into the go bag and pulled out the picture of the two of them in Paris from almost eight years ago. "Because I told you to come here, Tony." She handed him the picture.
Tony stared down at the picture and smiled. Then, looking up at Ziva he asked, "where have you been the past six months?"
"Here and there. It does not matter anymore," she told him, taking a seat between the two.
"We thought you were dead," Tony said.
"Yes. My sources told me that Trent Kort was responsible. I had no idea at the time if I was the target so I decided to leave Tali somewhere I knew she'd be found. I knew they would bring her to you and she'd be safe until I knew that I was no longer be a danger to her," Ziva explained.
"Kort is dead," Tony told her. "I made sure of it."
There was a tense silent for a few moments as the two switched between looking at each other and looking at Tali playing with her figurines.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Tony asked quietly.
"How could I, Tony? You were going back to a place I needed to get away from and I couldn't ask you to leave your entire life behind," she said. "When I found out that I was pregnant I thought about calling you, but I know you Tony. You'd have dropped everything. I didn't want you to sacrifice everything you'd worked for."
"You and Tali are more important," Tony said, reaching for her hand.
"I was also scared," Ziva admitted. "When Tali turned one, I dialed your number before deciding not to go through with it."
"Eema?" Tali cooed, looking up at Ziva. "We going to a carnival!" Ziva and Tony both chuckled, as she pronounced it 'canvil'.
"Are you now?" Ziva asked. "Would it be alright if I tagged along?"
Tali clapped her hands together and reached for Ziva. It was obvious that Tali had missed her. Ziva stood and lifted Tali into her arms. Tony paid the bill and studied Ziva, holding Tali. She was such a natural at it. Of course she'd had two years with Tali all alone, but Tony was witnessing the interaction for the first time. He couldn't help but smile.
"Shalom!" Tali squealed at a passerby.
The woman smiled— Tali had the DiNozzo charm. "Bonjour, petite fille."
"Bonne journée, madame," Ziva greeted.
"Vous avez une fille mignonne," the woman told her.
"Merci beaucoup," Ziva replied.
"Votre mari et vous avez de la chance," she told her, glancing at Tony.
Ziva followed her gaze, "Oui nous sommes. Très chanceux."
The woman gave a small wave to Tali and walked off.
"It's amazing the kind of attention you gain with a cutie like Tali," Tony said, sidling up next to them. "What was that about?"
"She was complimenting my family," Ziva told him. She hooked her free arm into his and leaned onto his shoulder.
Tony leaned his forehead onto the top of her head. "Are we going to talk about this?"
"We will, I promise," Ziva told him.
"And everyone else?" He asked, referring to those back in D.C.
"Can't it just be us for awhile?" She asked him.
"I do believe that can be arranged," Tony agreed, pulling back to look at his family. "Besides, don't we have a carnival to visit?"
Let me know what you think! (also please point out any typos. Don't let me disgrace myself lol).
The carnival I'm referring to is real. It's more of a museum, but it's called "Musée des Arts Forains". I've been and it's really cool.
Translations (they're from google translate, so if there are mistakes here please let me know):
Bonjour, petite fille. - Hello, little girl.
Bonne journée, madame. - Good day, madam.
Vous avez une fille mignonne. - You have a cute daughter.
Merci beaucoup. - Thank you very much.
votre mari et vous avez de la chance. - You and your husband are lucky. (Thanks to RenardeDePapier for pointing out my previous error!)
Oui nous sommes. Très chanceux. - Yes we are. Very lucky.