Hey, this is my very first NCIS fanfic, I unfortunately do not own any of the NCIS characters (although I would love to!) they all belong to CBS and Donald Bellisario. I hope you enjoy, but I'm not overly delighted with it myself.
September 2000
Jenny Shepherd flopped onto her bed and squeezed her eyes closed. Finally Friday was over, another case solved, all she wanted was sleep. She was just drifting off when the doorbell sounded from below.
"Uh, who comes over at this time of night?" Throwing herself out of bed she dashed down the stairs. She switched on the porch light and opened the door.
"Good evening Agent Shepherd," Jenny jumped slightly, at the familiarity of the voice. It was heavily accented and she didn't have to guess which Israeli it belonged to.
"Deputy Director David, what brings you to DC and at this time of night?" She stood aside, "Please come in." He stepped into the hall, the light showed off an impressive scar running down the length of his face. He was holding a bundle of blankets tightly against his chest.
"I am not staying for long, I only came to see you."
"You came all the way from Israel just to see me?"
"Well, it was of great importance, I have a favour to ask of you." He held the bundle tighter. Jenny took a breath.
"If it involves anything illegal then I'm not doing it."
"Why would you assume such a thing? I may be Mossad but I would not do that to you. No, I need you to look after something - someone rather - for my daughter."
"Ziva? What do I need to look after?" She looked more closely at the bundle, it was moving.
"It is extremely important, I need -she needs you to look after this," he handed the bundle to Jenny, she looked inside.
"A baby? Ziva's baby?"
"Yes, Ziva's baby, an American baby." Jenny's head snapped up.
"The father is American?"
"Unfortunately so, a man named Anthony DiNozzo, he is a Baltimore cop, he and my daughter had a short love affair before I decided to end her mission and bring her back."
"Does Ziva know your doing this?"
"Of course not, but Ziva is a good agent and a good daughter, she will understand that this is for the best." Jenny frowned, deep in thought.
"What did you tell her?" The man in front if her sighed,
"Do we need to go into this?" He looked at her and sighed once more, "I told her the baby died, that it wasn't strong enough to live, she was upset, but she will get over it. And besides Mossad is no place for a child."
"You told your daughter that her baby was dead?! How could you? Your suppose to be her father!"
"Please Ms Shepherd do not shout, I am doing what is best, please respect my wishes and one day you will reunite mother and child and I will not stand in your way, one day when it is safe for you to do so but not for many years."
"Many years? Ziva could die next week when you send her on another mission!"
"Please Jenny, please look after my granddaughter." Jenny looked at the bundle in her arms properly. It was a baby girl, dressed in a pink snowsuit, she was very small with thick dark curls on her head she lay peaceful, sleeping in Jenny's arms.
"How early was she?"
"8 weeks, she was born on July fourth, American Independence Day, no?"
"Yes, it is, How did you manage to keep her a secret for so long?"
"Quite easy, when you are in Mossad you don't ask twice. Thank you for understanding Jenny, I will check up on her later." Without time for Jenny to reply he swept from the house closing the door behind him.
Jenny stood rooted to the spot. The little girl in her arms began to stir, she looked up at her new carer with sparkling green eyes. Jenny smiled gently at her, coming back to reality.
"I think we'll call you Antonia Ziva, what do you think?" The now wide awake and alert baby gurgled in reply. Jenny continued to talk to the bundle, "I'm going to called my friend Dr Mallard and we'll have you checked over and back to sleep soon enough my angel." Jenny reached for her cell in her robe pocket and hit speed dial 4.
"Jennifer, what has you calling me at this hour?" The tired Scotsman asked rather irritated at being woken up.
"I have a situation here Ducky, you see I've just been given a baby to look after and I have to idea how healthy she is." The line went quiet.
"A baby? From who?"
"An old friend, she is unable to look after her. Could you come and check this little angel over for me?"
"Yes of course, I'll stop by Wal-Mart on my way and buy some necessities. I won't be long." He hung up the phone and Jenny moved into her study. She didn't know what to do, she pulled out her cell again and hit speed dial 2. She took a deep breath and listened for an answer,
"Yeah, Gibbs," she let her breath go, her partner had answered.
"Jethro, it's Jen, I have a situation and I think I need your advice." She heard a chuckle from the other end of the phone.
"At this time at night? Jen it's almost two a.m., are you still at work?"
"No, no, this is personal stuff, I know you have experience in the area and you could be a lot of help." Another deep intake of breath as she waited for an answer.
"Jen what's up? Tell me."
"My friend has given me her baby daughter, I called Ducky and asked him to come and check her over but I need your help." She could almost hear the cogs working in his mind as her thought, her stomach churned as she waited for him to answer him, she had never been so anxious.
"I'll be there in five." He hung up and she smiled. The baby in her arms wriggled as if to demand more attention.
"Hey, don't think for a minute I forgot about you." She stroked the baby's little cheeks, "You are your mother's daughter Antonia, but those eyes, you must get them from your dad, your just perfect." She began to unwrap the girl from her blankets when the door bell rang,
"Come in!" She heard stumbling in the hall as Ducky ambled in the room weighed down with bags filled with, diapers, wipes, baby powder, milk formula and everything a baby might possibly need. They smiled at each other and Ducky sat down beside her.
"May I see her?" Jenny gently handed Antonia over to Ducky and he began to examine her. Gently checking her all over. "Does she have a name yet?"
"Antonia, after her dad and Ziva after her mum." Ducky smiled at the little girl in his arms.
"Well Antonia Ziva, you are perfect and have been very well looked after but I think you need fed, you look pretty hungry." He looked to Jenny, "You get her changed into a new baby-grow and I'll go and make some formula up. There are some nice pink ones in the bag on the right." They were suddenly interrupted by the door opening and a voice calling,
"Jen? Where are you?" Ducky looked at her and smiled.
"You called Jethro as well, I knew you would." Jenny smiled as she began to dress Antonia in her new suit.
"In here Jethro." Ducky got up and went to make up the formula in the kitchen as Gibbs came in. He saw Jenny dressing the baby and chuckled.
"You look like such a natural. Never thought you were the type. What's her name?"
"Antonia Ziva DiNozzo. Her father is called Anthony DiNozzo, a Baltimore cop and her mother is Israeli Mossad, Ziva David." She picked the baby up from the sofa and cradled her gently in her arms. Gibbs sat down beside them and looked at the little girl who sat so contentedly in her new mother's arms.
"I'm not even gonna ask why you have to look after her but I will help you, I'm not going anywhere." He pulled her protectively into a hug. She relaxed into him.
"Thank you so much, I don't know what I'd do without you." Gibbs took Antonia from Jenny and looked at her closely.
"She's a very pretty baby, look at all her dark curls," He smiled and looked at Jenny, "You'll make a great mom." He turned her head and kissed her lightly on the lips as Ducky came bustling back into the room with the baby milk.
"It should be okay to give her just now, I let it cool for a bit." He gave the bottle to Jenny as she gently took Antonia away from Gibbs. "I'm going to return home now, you seem to be in capable hands now and Antonia is fine, I'll come back Sunday to see her. Goodnight."
"Goodnight Ducky," Gibbs and Jenny said together. Ducky left silently as Antonia began guzzling the milk quickly.
"Someone's hungry." Jenny commented. "Jethro, could you do something for me?" Gibbs smiled,
"Anything Jen." She took a breath and looked him straight in the eyes.
"Will you be Antonia's dad?" Gibbs smiled broadened.
"Of course, I'd love to be her dad." He took the little girl from Jenny's arms and rocked her gently to sleep.
He joined Jen on the couch, the perfect family.
The end of life as they knew it and the beginning of an adventure.
Soooo ... what did you think? Please R&R if you want me to continue, I have already written a second part so let me know if you want to read it ;) xx