A sequel of sorts to my happy ending of 'Intoxicated' – read that first, else this will not make any sense. Well…I guess you could probably work some of it out, but I do recommend reading 'Intoxicated' first anyway. It is a good story; I promise you will not be wasting your time.
I think Mike might just be my favourite character in the whole of NCIS. Really. Truly.
What you have to understand is that this is supposed to be a short one-shot. Or at least it was. I have given up promising that my one-shots will stay one-shots now. They never do. They never seem to stay short either. I do not know what happens. I guess I get slightly carried away. Just slightly.
It was the speech that started it all. I had a dream about a white dress and a handsome prince and a proud father.
Fairytale
Gibbs,
He asked me!
He asked me to marry him like you said he would and I said yes like you told me to.
I wish you had been there, everyone else was – it was beautiful.
Do you remember your promise? You promised to give me away. I know that you may not want to, or you may not be able to get here or whatever, but I sent an invite – just in case. Do not worry if you cannot – Ducky has offered in that situation. Nobody but Ducky and I know that I have asked you, so you will not let anyone down if you do not turn up. I know I did send it late. I am sorry, I just had to find a way to send it without Tony realising. I did not want to give him any false hope.
I do not even know if you will receive this letter in time, if you receive it at all. I have sent other letters too, one a week for the past seven months since you left for the second time. Did you receive them? You never reply to any of them if you do. None of the others know that I write, so do not worry that you upset any of them.
I think I might be going insane – writing unanswered letters.
Or maybe that is just DiNozzo – he is really quite difficult to live with sometimes. Do you know how many movies he knows off by heart – I do not think I shall ever be able to catch up enough to follow half the conversations we have – the things he mentions in the squad-room barely scrapes the surface. I really do love him though, Gibbs. He is the best thing that ever happened to me. And I have you to thank for that. You brought me home from Israel. Thank you.
Anyway, everyone is well. Ducky seems lonely, McGee is taking over Tony's role of NCIS playboy, Abby's music gets louder every day, Tony and I are – well, more in love (and intense) than ever, the director is always looking for reasons to bring you back home. But we are well, I promise. McGee still looks out for Abby, like you made him promise, and Tony has never once hurt me, unless you count one time when we fell out of bed together whilst doing something other than sleeping. Sorry, you probably did not want to here about that.
You promised you would wear a tux if you came, Gibbs, but I do not think that any of us would mind if you came in a t-shirt and jeans if you want. Bring Mike Franks along if you want too. It would probably be good for him to get away from Mexico for a bit.
We all miss you, Abba.
Know you are loved,
Ziva.
Dear Leroy Jethro Gibbs
You are invited to the wedding of
Ziva David & Anthony DiNozzo
On the 16th January 2007
He smiled as he traced the embossed lettering with his finger before placing the invite, along with the letter, in his box of letters from Ziva. "Hey, Probie, you want a beer?"
"You gotta suit, Mike?"
"What?"
"Tux." Gibbs said, taking the bottle from his mentor's hand.
"Oh, hell, Probie, whatta you dragged me into now?" Franks groaned, closing his eyes and lying back in his hammock.
"We've gotta wedding to go to." Gibbs shrugged and walked inside. "Hurry up, we gotta catch a plane."
"When is this wedding?" He asked sceptically, cracking one eye open when a dinner jacket and white shirt were dropped on his chest.
"Tomorrow. Letter got held up in the post. Again."
"Oh, it's Miss Ziva's wedding, huh? I presume it's to DiNozzo?"
"Yeah, you can shave on the way to the airport."
"Shave?!" He sat up. "Why do I let you treat me like this? I'm lettin' you stay here, for free might I remind you!"
"Ah, cut it out, Mike. It'll do ya some good." Gibbs grinned.
"What d'ya mean 'do me some good'?" He grumbled but followed Gibbs to the truck.
The lace clung to her arms as she rested one hand on her forehead and one on her flat stomach. She took a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. She opened her eyes and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair fell down her back in loose waves. She turned her head and smiled. "Can you…?"
"Sure." Abby smiled, walking over and shifting Ziva's dark curls out of the way and fastening each of the small buttons running up her spine to the nape of her neck. "You look beautiful." She moved the hair back and smoothed the fabric on Ziva's lace-clad shoulders. She nodded, unable to speak. "You're gonna have to find some words in half an hour." Abby chuckled and went back to getting dressed.
"She'll do fine. You're told all the words you need. Except your vows, and you've got those written down." Jenny smiled, zipping up the side of Abby's red dress and turning for Abby to do the back of hers. "Remember, just walk slowly. Follow Ducky's lead, he knows what he's doing."
"Speaking of the devil." Abby said as there was a knock on the door and the ME poked his head inside the hotel room.
"How is everything going in here?" He straightened his red bowtie.
"We're good." Abby grinned.
"Ducky, did…?"
"Not yet, my dear. Sorry." He walked over and put a hand on her arm. "You tried."
"I know, I guess maybe he did not receive the invite or he could not…" She trailed off.
"Who's butt do I have to kick for not turning up?" Abby asked, frowning. She thought that everyone who had been sent an invite had replied.
"Nobody. It does not matter, Abby." She shook her head.
"I'll leave you to finish getting ready. I shall see you in a few minutes." He smiled and walked out.
"This has gotta be the right place." Gibbs said as he walked into the hotel lobby. "We're looking for the David-DiNozzo wedding."
"Sir, can you show us some identification, the invite maybe?"
"No, I don't got any with me." He shook his head and the hotel porter raised his eyebrows. "Look, I'm supposed to be giving Ziva away."
"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
"No, you don't understand. I promised her. I promised that I would give her away. Call Doctor Mallard, he'll tell you."
"Sir, I have to call security if you won't leave."
"You need me to handle this, Probie?" Mike stepped up to the desk and pulled his SIG out.
"No, I just need to get in there. Put the gun away, Mike. Look, at least let me talk to her." Gibbs growled at the porter. "Please."
"D'you just say 'please', Probie?"
"I need to see her, Mike. I need to keep my promise to her."
"I'll see if I can get hold of Doctor Mallard." The porter nodded; unnerved by the two ragged looking men stood at the desk, and dialled a number. And then another number. And then one final number. "Ah, Doctor Mallard, I have someone here who wants to talk to Miss David. He says he's supposed to be giving her away…well, I was following the security protocols set…I'll send him through now…yes, sorry…right." He put the phone down and blushed from embarrassment. "Apparently you are expected. Down the hall and to the left." He pointed and Gibbs left, letting Mike hurry after him.
"Jethro, you are late." Ducky hissed.
"Sorry, Duck. Didn't get the invite until yesterday evening. By then I had to call in a couple of favours."
"You're in your funeral suit."
"It's all I had in Mexico." Gibbs shrugged.
"You had your funeral suit in Mexico? What, you expected me to die?"
"Mike."
"Whatever, Probie."
"I'm not too late, am I? She's alright?"
"Jethro, put my tie on." Ducky slid it off and handed it over.
"It's red."
"I see you haven't lost your investigating touch, Jethro."
"Duck." He handed his black tie over and struggled with the red bowtie. "She's okay?"
"Ask me yourself." Her voice was shaky as she stepped cautiously out of the hotel room. "You came. You are really here."
"Wouldn't have missed it for the world." He held his arms out and she walked into them. "There's no need to cry. You look too beautiful to cry."
"But you really came."
"I promised. I don't break a promise." He brushed her tears away with his thumbs. "I got all your letters."
"That means that I was not going insane." She smiled.
"Hey, Ducky, we're…Ducky, where's your tie?" Abby's voice floated through the doorway.
"I won't be needing it."
"But Ducky, everyone's wearing red!"
"Abigail, everything is fine. Calm down."
"Is that Ziva crying? Why is Ziva crying?" She ran out into the corridor. "Gibbs! You're home! Whoa, that's amazing, you knew Ziva and Tony were getting married, even when you were in Mexico!"
"No, Abs. Ziva sent me an invite." He smiled.
"What's going…Jethro?"
"Hey, Jen."
"I hate to hurry the reunions, but we really do need to get going." Ducky said urgently.
"I think we're ready." Abby smiled and Ziva nodded, a grin spreading from ear to ear, tears trickling down her cheeks.
"Okay, how's it going out here? Gibbs." McGee walked out of the hall and nodded, then turned back. "Gibbs?"
"McGee."
"Er, hey, Boss." He frowned and shook his head. Gibbs, huh. It was inevitable for him to come home. "Okay, are we ready?"
"Yep." Abby looped her arm through his. Ducky held his arm out for the Director, which she accepted, and Gibbs held his hand out for Ziva to take. She smiled, kissed his cheek and accepted it.
"Thank you, Abba." She whispered, her arm held securely in his as she heard the music of a piano.
"You look beautiful." He breathed as they walked through the doors into a room mostly filled with federal agents. He could see a corner of men about the same age as DiNozzo who were definitely not federal agents – some with dates, a couple with kids – and guessed that they were Tony's college friends. He could see Fornell and Mrs Mallard with Palmer stood awkwardly next to her. Agent Lee was stood on the other side of Palmer. There was also a small group of people – three, to be exact – with a similar skin tone and features to Ziva. Her family, he presumed. Tony had his back to them, staring intently at the ceiling until he turned his head and grinned at her. Full on DiNozzo. One of the biggest, if not the biggest smile in the history of smiling – and smiling has been going on for many years now. He looked happier than Gibbs had ever seen him, his eyes sparkling. He'd missed seeing them. He'd missed seeing the transformation from DiNozzo, a care-free NCIS agent who spent just a little too much time with young, attractive women and not enough time thinking about commitment – or work, for that matter – to the happiest man in the world, about to marry the love of his life. He wanted to have been there for it, and yet he had a feeling that if he had been there things may not have happened as they had. If he had stayed his rules would have gotten in the way, or they wouldn't have had the motivation.
She was beautiful. Her brown eyes shone and twinkled, her smile was wide and cheerful. She was everything. She was everything he needed, wanted and loved. And he did love her. Because every day since Gibbs had brought them home from Israel he had woken up next to her and sworn that he would never, ever let her leave him again, because she was his life, and without her he was empty. And yes because she was beautiful and exotic and unbelievable good in bed, but most of all because he loved her. He loved her more and more each day, with every secret they shared with one another, every moment their skin made contact, every time he made her laugh and she made him smile. He loved her. Pure and simple. Good, old-fashion, true love. Like in the fairytales. Because that's what he was living – his own, real-life fairytale, with the best princess he could ever imagine by his side until the end of time.
And then he noticed. He noticed that the man escorting his soon-to-be wife down the aisle was not short, not Scottish and wearing a bowtie. Well, Ducky was supposed to be wearing a bowtie, but this was not Ducky and Ducky was not wearing a bowtie. He'd come home. He'd come home for their wedding. He didn't care how Gibbs knew, but somehow he did, and he was grateful for whatever strange, mystical, telepathic superpower Gibbs had. His smile, if at all possible, widened at the sight of Gibbs. His day was perfect before, but with this – what was beyond perfect? Whatever it was, that was what his day was.
"Hey, Boss, what you doing here?" He asked as they joined him at the alter.
"Keeping a promise." He kissed Ziva's cheek and passed her hand to Tony. "And checking you all kept yours. Know, DiNozzo, that if you ever so much as think about laying a hand on her I will chase you to the end of the universe and I will not stop until I am certain you have suffered a fate worse than death."
"I know." He nodded and watched as Gibbs moved back to stand next to McGee, grinning like a fool the whole time.
"…So, in conclusion, Tony is a great man, and a great brother and Ziva couldn't ask for better. I wish them all the happiness and all the love in the world, because they were designed for one another. They are my family and I don't want to see a world without either of them, and I know that wherever I go they will always be covering my back in the same way that I hope they know that wherever they go I will always have their back." McGee raised his glass. "To love, joy, happiness and everything else that comes with married life, except all the things that Gibbs will tell you about marriages." He finished, making everyone laugh and Gibbs hit the back of his head. "Sorry, Boss, I forgot you were here." McGee sat down and everyone's eyes turned to Gibbs, sat the other side of Ziva and Tony. Gibbs stood up and the room fell silent.
"I haven't prepared anything to say." He glared at Fornell and Mike when they sniggered. "But then I only got the invite yesterday evening and as soon as I received it I caught a cargo flight out here. The postal service in Mexico can be a little unreliable at times." He breathed and paused, thinking about what to say. He was a man of few words, and now he was being made to use all the words in his repertoire of good words. "I really don't know where to start. Well, lets start with marriage." He heard Tony groan slightly, Jenny choke on the sip of wine she was taking and Ducky mutter under his breath 'Oh, Jethro…' "They all think I'm gonna tell you all about my dislike for marriage. I've been married four times, and I have warned DiNozzo about getting married for every day that I've seen him. I thought maybe he'd listened to what I'd said, and then I saw him and Ziva apart and I saw how much they were hurting and then I saw them together and I thought, maybe I was wrong. Maybe rule twelve is wrong. Maybe everything I knew is wrong. And I saw something and I cast my mind back to my first marriage. The first time I spoke to her was the day I left to join the Marines. We sat on the train together. Her name was Shannon, and she was the best thing that ever happened to me. I have loved her from the moment I saw her. And there was something in her eyes. Every time I looked at her, there it would be. And I see it in DiNozzo's eyes, and I see it in Ziva's eyes. It's love. And it's not the pink, frilly stuff from DiNozzo's movies, it's the real stuff, the stuff that has seen hardship and the stuff that has really had to be fought for, and it's the stuff that lasts.
"Me and Shannon, we had a daughter – her name was Kelly – and when they died I lost all hope of ever seeing a child of mine get married, have children of their own. I never thought I'd get grandkids. I never thought I'd have the chance to walk my daughter down the aisle. But, for some reason, life gave me a second chance. Tony and Ziva are my children. I would do anything for them, and they know it. I realised not long ago that blood and DNA don't make a family, moments do. Just little moments of peace, or anger, or laughter. Ours was a family forged from fire. I have witnessed Tony and Ziva lurch from one bad situation to another, the only thing saving each of them being the other. Neither have had particularly easy lives, I don't think anyone really does, but they've both had it rough at times and I guess this is life's way of giving them a second chance, because that's what life's about. Here's to second chances." A chorus of 'Second Chances' filled the room as glasses were raised and Gibbs sat down, smiling at Ziva as tears slipped down her cheeks.
"You kept your promise." She rested her head on his shoulder as they swayed steadily to the music.
"And you kept all but one." He kissed the top of her head. She looked up and smiled.
"I kept all of my promises to you."
"But one was that…oh. Congratulations." He looked at her smile. "Who else knows?"
"Everyone. Abby was there when I took the test. A bulletin was posted and sent through all American government agencies within fifteen minutes." She placed her hands on his chest and lay her head back on his shoulder. "You are not staying, are you?" She sighed.
"No." He shook his head. "If I had stayed in DC, not gone to America, I don't think you would have gone to Israel. I don't think you and Tony would have ever gotten together. We wouldn't be here today; you wouldn't be having a baby. I belong in Mexico now."
"When do you leave?" She sounded like a child. Like Kelly had. And it broke his heart.
"Plane's in two hours. I'll stay as long as possible."
"Ani ohevet otcha, Abba."
"I know, Ziva." He kissed the top of her head, letting a silent tear run down his cheek as she began sobbing into his shirt.
"Shh, we're gonna be quite. Can you do that for Papà?"
"Carry me?"
"Of course, princess." He lifted the little girl in his arms, turning back to his wife to make sure she was alright. "You okay?"
"Perfect." She smiled, looking into the car seat in her hands and at the sleeping child. "He is out of it."
"Well, it means he won't give our position away." He pressed his lips to hers.
"Eww, Papà!"
"Sorry, Baby Girl." He chuckled and they turned back to their original course, smiling as they crested the last of the sand dunes and halted, staring at the ramshackle house and deserted beach for a moment.
"Papà, why are we here?"
"We want you to meet someone." He held his daughter in his arms.
"Is it Santa?"
"No, Baby. Santa lives at the North Pole." He kissed her forehead. "But he is kinda like Santa if you think about it." He muttered as they started, barefoot in the sand, towards their end goal, the last leg of their long trek. "You think this is really where he's hiding out? I mean, can you imagine him putting up with such poor woodwork?"
"Trust me. He is here."
"Gut?"
"No, the boat sitting behind the house." She nodded to a finished boat, sat in the sand.
"How do we know that Franks doesn't build boats?"
"Can you really see Mike Franks building a boat?"
"No, you're right." He shook his head. "He's here."
"Gut?"
"No, the guy waving at us." Tony grinned and waved back. He picked the bag he had dropped up and took the back from his wife's hand too so she was just carrying their son. Gibbs started to jog over to them.
"I would say that I'm hallucinating, 'cept I don't think I would be able to imagine up such a beautiful little girl. And so big already!"
"Tahlia Olivia David-DiNozzo, meet your Grandpa Gibbs." Tony grinned.
"Shalom." She held her hand out and he accepted it. She smiled, a smile somewhere between Ziva's and Tony's smile. "You're the Grandpa Gibbs from all the stories! You're the superhero, aren't you?"
"I wouldn't say I was a superhero, but I'm definitely Grandpa Gibbs." He smiled. "How old are you now?" Tahlia held up four fingers. "Four! I haven't seen any pictures of you since you were two."
"I'm a big girl now! Ima says so."
"Does she?" Gibbs looked to Ziva. "How are you?"
"We are good. We have missed you."
"I've missed your letters."
"We've been slightly busy." Tony nodded to the stirring infant. "He's a boy. Seven months." Gibbs walked over and smiled at the boy.
"May I?"
"He's your grandson." Tony watched as Gibbs scooped the now awake child up and held him in his arms. "Caleb Adonias David-DiNozzo."
"What are you doing here?"
"We wanted the kids to meet Grandpa Gibbs, instead of just hearing about him in stories." Tony shrugged and placed his little girl on the sand.
"How'd you get here?"
"Plane to the closest airport, then took a bus to the cantina. We walked the rest of the way."
"You walked? We usually take the truck." He laughed.
"Yes, well, nobody would drive us." Ziva smiled. "Anyway, it did us good. I do not think Tahlia will ever want to walk any distance again, but I think it did us some good."
"Come on, where are you staying?" Gibbs turned, taking the two backpacks and baby bag and heading back down to the beach.
"Er, the hotel next to the cantina."
"The one that burnt down yesterday? Only you, DiNozzo. Only You. You can stay in the boat." He nodded. "There's more than enough room."
"We miss you, Gibbs. Abby misses you. McGee misses you. Ducky misses you. The Director misses you. The kids need their Grandpa Gibbs." Tony looked to the older man sat with Caleb on his lap and a beer in his hand. He turned back to watching Ziva and Tahlia playing in the sand. "And with the third on the way…"
"Third? You mean you're having another?" Gibbs looked at him and then down at his grandson, sat on his lap happily chewing on the ear of a stuffed rabbit.
"Yeah, she's two months and two weeks along. But don't tell Tahlia, 'cause we haven't told her yet." Tony smiled as his wife looked up and waved.
"You two don't waste time, do you?" Gibbs laughed.
"Life's too short, Boss. You taught me that." He shrugged. "I have everything I could want – two, soon to be three, beautiful children, a very beautiful wife who after two pregnancies still fits in to a bikini and looks amazing, a good house, a pool, a great job, wonderful friends who are very good babysitters. But we both worry about you. Aren't you bored out here, Gibbs?"
"I miss you lot. But I'm good here. I've got wood. Thinking 'bout making a hot tub."
"Yeah, I thought that was what you would say. Well, at least now I can tell her that I tried." He shrugged.
"Tony, you don't need me. You're doing good. I really am proud of you, son." Gibbs smiled and patted his the younger man's shoulder. "Anyway, I've got Mike to keep me company. And I read Ziva's letters every week."
"Yeah, I can't believe I hadn't noticed her writing them."
"Nor can I." He watched as Ziva picked Tahlia up and walked over.
"Where is Mike?"
"He saw you coming and ran." Gibbs deadpanned. "No, when he saw you lot he headed off for the cantina, staying on Camila's sofa. He didn't want to get in our way." He smiled at Tahlia as she sat on the end of his deck chair.
"Ima, ani ayefa." The child yawned and Gibbs raised his eyebrows.
"I know, baby." Ziva smiled and sat on the edge of the deck chair Tony was sat on.
"She speaks Hebrew?"
"And Italian, don't you Baby?" Tony reached his arms out so she could curl up in them.
"Sì, Papà." She snuggled her head onto his chest.
"She really is a little Ziva." Gibbs chuckled. The little girl nestled further into the crook of Tony's arm, her chocolate eyes closing as she yawned again. Her dark hair was a mess of curls.
"She snores like Ziva too." Tony muttered, accepting a kiss from his wife as she leaned down.
"You snore as well, my Little Hairy Butt." She murmured. "She needs to get some sleep, she was awake for the whole flight."
"Bottom bunk pulls out into a double, top is just a single." Gibbs nodded towards the boat. "There's also a travel cot in there."
"Thanks, Boss." Tony smiled and carefully lifted his daughter up, making sure not to jostle her.
"Lilah tov, my little girl. Chalomot paz." Ziva smoothed Tahlia's hair back and kissed her forehead as Tony carried her towards Gibbs' boat. "Thank you, Gibbs."
"Don't mention it. Anything for family." He smiled and stroked the little boy's hair. "I hear congratulations are in order." He nodded to her stomach and grinned. He seemed to do a lot of smiling and grinning in Mexico. Maybe he spent too much time in the sun.
"Number three." She sighed and laid back on the chair Tony had vacated, resting her hand on her flat stomach.
"Send pictures this time. I want to see my daughter pregnant."
"Oh, trust me, you do not." She laughed and shook her head.
"I do."
"Then come back home." She looked at him as Caleb started laughing at a bird that flew past.
"Ziva…"
"What is it that you are trying to accomplish by being out here, Gibbs?"
"I'm retired."
"Then be retired at home. You can still fish and build boats and drink beer and lay in the sun in America. Please, Gibbs?" She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the chair so she was facing him.
"No." He shook his head. "Was this whole trip out here to try and get me to go back?"
"No. Not all of it. We wanted the kids to meet their grandfather." She looked down at her feet. "Sorry, Gibbs…"
"No apologising. Rule 6." He placed a comforting hand on her knee. "I told you why I can't come back when we were dancing."
"You said that we would not be where we are now if you were not there, but you were wrong." She looked up at him. "If you had not brought me home, I would have stayed in Israel. I would not have my children, or my husband. I might even be dead right now if you had not brought me home. You belong with your family, Gibbs." She watched him as he turned back to the ocean. Caleb started to fuss and she reached over for him. "He is tired, it has been a long day. I should put him to bed." She cradled her son in her arms and turned her head so Gibbs wouldn't see her cry. "Thank you Gibbs, for everything." Her voice cracked slightly as she walked away.
"Ima, I want to speak to Auntie Abby!" Tahlia wailed and pushed her bowl of sliced bananas and strawberries.
"Baby, we are going to be going home tomorrow, you can see Auntie Abby then." Ziva sighed and wished she had volunteered to take their son for a walk along the beach instead of getting their daughter through the morning routine that had been messed up. She and Tony were not perfect parents, there was no such thing, and they still got it wrong on occasion, yelling when everything went wrong or forgetting someone's lunch or ending up having to take the kids into work (a common occurrence when one of the children was playing up or the babysitter was ill or one of the kids were ill or when they had just finished a case so horrific that neither of them could bear to hand their children over to another person), but they did have routines that were followed whenever possible. Either Ziva would take Caleb in the pram, or Tony would join them with Tahlia on his shoulders for a morning run at half six until seven. Dressed and breakfasted by half seven. If the children weren't going into NCIS then phone calls to Abby, McGee, Ducky and Jenny to say good morning. Then leave for work. It was rehearsed. Everyone knew how to make it efficient, like on a ship, and everything ran smoothly. It was a routine they had devised when they had moved in together, though without the kids added into the mix. It avoided fights, temper tantrums and being late. There were of course days when someone would be in a bad mood, or things wouldn't quite go to plan, but they worked it out together, as a family. On the weekends waking up would be later, everyone would always go for a run as a family, breakfast would be slower and phone calls would be held off until later, unless the they had organised to meet the team outside of work, when the phone calls were not necessary. But being away from home was neither workday or weekend. It was something altogether different and there wasn't a routine that fit it. They had never been away together as a family, due to no other reason than that they were happy without the need for a holiday. In fact, if Ziva could remember correctly, Tahlia had never once asked for something except to talk to or see the rest of the family without being prompted. And Tony had never even suggested going away. They enjoyed life the way it worked. Weekends were for family time and relaxing, weekdays were for small moments, dinners round the table and stories sat together in Tahlia's bedroom.
"No Ima! I want to talk to Auntie Abby and Auntie Jenny!" The four-year-old cried, her tears loud. The crying had started as soon as she had woken up, unused to her surroundings and missing her blue and white bedroom decorated with anchors, boats and fish. It was the was she insisted on having her room decorated, she wanted to be like all the men her Ima and Papà saved. They had told her that they saved women to, but she had also insisted that she didn't want to be forced to wear a skirt like all the women seemed to be. Tony had insisted that she was definitely Ziva's daughter, and no-one could disagree.
"Baby, if you eat all of your bananas and strawberries, I will see about trying to phone Auntie Abby and Auntie Jenny."
"You're lying!" She threw her hands over her eyes as she cried some more, her sobs becoming uncontrollable.
"No, Baby, I am not lying. It is not nice to accuse people of lying."
"But you are! You looked to that way!" She pointed down and to Ziva's left. "Papà says that is a sure fried way to see that someone is lying!"
"No, Baby, I said that is a sure fire way to see that someone is lying." Tony walked up onto the deck and kissed the top of his daughter's head, holding Caleb on one hip. "Now, what's the problem?"
"Ima won't let me talk to Auntie Abby and Auntie Jenny and Uncle Ducky and Uncle Probie!"
"I'm sure that's not the full story, Tahlia. Why don't I phone them now and see if they're awake whilst you finish your breakfast? How about that?" The little girl nodded and pulled her bowl closer to her from where she pushed it across the table.
"I tried that and she would not listen." Ziva murmured into her husband's ear as she hugged him, smiling at her baby boy and playing with his hand.
"She's just tired. She normally listens to you."
"Yes, and she has you wrapped around her little foot."
"Finger." He kissed her cheek and grinned.
"Ah, like mother, like daughter." Gibbs walked up behind them.
"Good morning Gibbs." Tahlia waved with her spoon.
"Good morning. How are you?"
"I want to talk to Auntie Abby and Auntie Jenny and Uncle Ducky and Uncle Probie and Uncle Palmer."
"Baby, that list keeps getting longer and longer." Tony sighed as he started dialling Abby's mobile number. "Abs, it's me…"
"Who's me?"
"Abby, you know who me is."
"I do not, where did you get this number? I work for federal agents you know, so I suggest you hang up and never call this number again!"
"Abby, it's Tony. Don't you check your caller ID?"
"Oh, I sorta forgot. Hi, Tony! Did you find him? Is he there? Can I talk to him?"
"Actually there's a little girl who wants to talk to you first, you think you could spare her some of your very precious time?" He asked, loud enough for his daughter to hear him.
"Of course! Anything for my favourite niece!"
"Abs, she's your only niece." He muttered before handing the phone over to his daughter, who grinned and started babbling away immediately.
"Tinok." Caleb kept repeating as he sat on Ziva's lap, patting her stomach. "Beten."
"What's he saying, Ziva?" McGee asked from where he sat at his desk.
"Baby and Stomach." She smiled proudly as her thirteen-month-old pressed his ear to her bump and jumped when the baby kicked. She chuckled at his shocked expressing that dissolved into giggles when he did it again.
"We bring tidings of joy and food!" Tony called, Tahlia on his shoulders and a shopping bag in his hand as he walked out of the elevator. "For the lady, peanut butter ice-cream and carrot sticks." He placed the tub of dessert and the pot of carrots on Ziva's desk. "For the McGourmet, a smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich on wholegrain bread and a side of olives and feta." He placed McGee's lunch down. "For the Probie-slash-Hall-Monitor, a salad." He turned back to Ziva's desk. "For the gentleman with the beautiful smile, a banana that your very beautiful mother will have to peel, and for me and my very special little girl, we have jam sandwiches and doughnuts!" He grinned and the little girl on his shoulders started laughing uncontrollably. He swung her down and sat her on his chair, handing her the sandwich box. "How is our little baby doing?" He kissed Ziva's cheek.
"I am fed up of your little baby kicking me." She pouted, growling when he laughed and Caleb joined in.
"It's only a couple more weeks. Then we can have our little baby in our arms." He leant on her desk. Even when she was meant to be on maternity leave, she still came in every day and sat at her desk, bringing the children in with her.
"Is he here yet?! Is he here yet?! Is he here yet?!" Abby ran into the bullpen, grinning from ear to ear.
"Abby, the baby is a girl and she is not due for another two weeks." Ziva groaned, holding Caleb's banana for him to take a bite of.
"No, not the baby! Gibbs!" Five pairs of eyes all turned to her, one pair of eyes still intently studying the yellow fruit in front of him.
"Grandpa Gibbs!" Tahlia placed her sandwich back in the box and started jumping up and down. "Is Grandpa Gibbs coming?"
"Sure he is, Honey. He phoned me this morning." Abby picked her favourite niece up and spun her around.
"Abs, she's just eaten. Please, no spinning." Tony watched as his daughter pouted. Tony watched as Abby pouted. He sighed. Turned his team-leader brain off. "Just be careful. I don't think Auntie Jenny was happy the last time she had to buy a new desk lamp.
"No, Agent DiNozzo, She wasn't." Jenny supressed a smile from where she stood watching on the balcony before walking down and joining them. "Abby's correct. Gibbs' plane landed half an hour ago. He should be getting here any minute." As she said that the elevator dinged and out walked the one person they all prayed would come home every night and never did.
"Giiiiibbbbbbbbbssssss!" Abby and Tahlia squealed in unison and ran over to him, both crashing into his arms and squeezing their eyes shut in the hope that it wasn't just a dream. He chuckled and indulged them, before pulling back and looking at the two of them. He picked Tahlia up and kissed Abby's cheek.
"Hey, Boss, what'cha doin' here?" Tony beamed. Could he finally relinquish his position as team-leader? It wasn't that he didn't want to be team-leader, but he had a growing family, and he didn't want to have to worry about the team like he had found himself doing increasingly more often. But he couldn't let it just go to any old guy of the street. This team was his family, and it was either him or Gibbs who he would allow to sit in the chair at the top, not that he had much of a choice in the matter, but he liked to tell himself that was the way it was.
"I came to see my family, DiNozzo."
"You staying? For good?" McGee looked hopeful and Gibbs could only laugh.
"I am staying in DC. I am not returning to NCIS. I retired."
"But Gibbs…?" The whole team but Lee pleaded.
"No. I'm getting old."
"You could never get old, Gibbs."
"Ziva's right. You're Gibbs. You should look old age in the eye and tell it to…"
"Abby! There are young children in the room!" McGee yelled as she became slightly too enthusiastic.
"Sorry." She murmured before wrapping her arms around Gibbs neck again. "So you're staying?"
"Yeah."
"Why?" Ziva asked. "Why so suddenly?"
"I missed the coffee." He shrugged and placed Tahlia down, picking Caleb up from Ziva's lap. "And I missed seeing your kids."
"We missed you!" Tahlia grinned and hugged his legs.
"Yeah? You been good for your parents?" He ruffled her hair. It had grown longer since he had seen the family, six months ago. She had grown taller too.
"Sì. C'è un bambino nel pancia di di Mama." She grinned and ran over to her mother.
"Yeah, I can see." He chuckled and walked over, standing in front of Ziva. "By my calculations you are due in around two weeks. Why are you here, Officer DiNozzo?"
"Agent David." Jenny corrected. "For work it's still David."
"Two Agent DiNozzos would be too confusing." Lee spoke up, turning back to her paperwork as she noticed everyone's stares.
"Agent?"
"I resigned from Mossad. About half a second before Director David could fire me." She shrugged. "And then he disowned me and severed all ties."
"And we are better without him." Tony had moved to stand behind her and was kneading her shoulders.
"For once you are correct, Mon Petit Pois." She kissed his hand.
"You didn't answer my question."
"I find maternity leave…boring. I prefer to be here."
"And, it means I can keep an eye on her." Her husband smiled, taking a doughnut from the box that Tahlia was digging through. "So, where are you staying? We have a spare room if you ne…"
"DiNozzo, I never sold my house. But thanks for the offer." He smiled, frowning as Ziva's brow furrowed and a flash of pain crossed across her face. "Ziva?"
"Code Babygrow." She muttered under her breath and Tony snapped into action immediately.
"Okay, Kiddo!" He picked Tahlia up. "Remember what that means?"
"It means we get to stay with Auntie Jenny for the weekend!" She grinned. "Is Caleb coming as well this time?"
"Well, last time, he didn't come because he was the one being born, so yeah, Caleb's going with you this time, is that okay?"
"Yeah! Can we have chocolate milk for breakfast?"
"No." Ziva shook her head as she stood up. Jenny winked and nodded subtly when she was certain Ziva wouldn't notice.
"Okay, Baby Girl. I'll see you soon." He kissed her cheek. "Give Ima a kiss."
"Mwa!" Tahlia pressed her lips to Ziva's forehead and giggled. Tony pressed a kiss to the top of his son's head as he wriggled in Gibbs' arms.
"Be good, Little Man. Take care of them for us, Jen. We'll give you a call…"
"Tony!" Ziva snapped.
"Gotta go!" He backed away. "Bag's in the car, Sweetcheeks. I'll jump every red light if you want me to…" His voice trailed off as they stepped into the elevator.
"Code Babygrow?"
"Something Tony came up with when Caleb was born so Tahlia knew what was happening. It kinda stuck." Abby grinned.
"The kids got spare clothes?"
"The kids have spare clothes at all of our houses. And they have their own locker here."
"We keep our sleeping bags and hammocks here for when Ima and Papà have to work late!" The little girl laughed, climbing up and sitting in her father's chair. "Agent DiNozzo, how can I help you?" She imitated Tony's voice as she picked up his phone and fell into fits of laughter.
"Hammocks?" Gibbs raised his eyebrows. There was so much that he had missed.
"She has a hammock that Tony strings up between the two dividing walls." Jenny pointed to the gap behind Tony and Michelle's desks. "It's still hard for them to leave on cases away from home, but it's easier when the children are more comfortable with staying with one of us. They stay with one of us once a month, so when Tony and Ziva have to leave there's no fussing."
"Ziva still calls every half an hour though." Tim chuckled. "They're good parents."
"I can see." Gibbs smiled as Caleb yawned.
"They learnt from the best." Jenny whispered.
"It's time for his nap. I'll take him downstairs." Abby took the young boy from Gibbs arms. He looked a lot like Tony, bright green eyes and sandy hair, but he had Ziva's tanned skin, like his sister. He wrapped his chubby arms around her neck and settled his head on her shoulder, yawning again. He started babbling incoherently as his eyes fluttered closed.
"It's chaotic, life with the DiNozzos." Jenny murmured to Gibbs as Tahlia ran across the bullpen and sat on McGee's lap, watching as he typed a case report up. "But I don't think I could imagine life without them."
"I've missed so much, Jen."
"And now you have a whole lot of time to catch up. It's overwhelming at first, but you get used to it." She sighed. "We've missed you, Jethro."
"I know. Missed you lot too."
"You did brilliantly." Tony brushed the sweat plastered hair from his wife's forehead.
"You are only saying that because you did nothing." She kept her eyes fixed on the tiny infant in her arms. "Flavia Lauretta David-DiNozzo." She smiled. "I like it."
"You chose it." Tony laughed.
"You chose Caleb's name." She shrugged.
"But you didn't have to give her Italian names. I like the Hebrew names."
"And I like the Italian names." He kissed her cheek. "Like I like my Italian husband."
"She's perfect."
"Just like her siblings."
"And her mother."
"No, Tony, on that you are wrong. They are much better than I am. They are innocent, they know nothing of violence. They are perfect." A tear trickled down her cheek.
"I love you, Ziva."
"I love you too, My Little Hairy Butt." She pressed her lips to his, just as the door crashed open and a little tornado came careening into the hospital room, accompanied by loud giggles.
"Eww, Ima! Papà!" Tahlia laughed, flinging herself into Tony's arms.
"I'm sorry, Baby." He started tickling her, Ziva just glaring at him as he woke the child in her arms. "You wanna meet Baby?"
"Sì, sì." She nodded vigorously. Tony looked up as the rest of the family joined them. He lifted her onto his lap and she peered over at the child swaddled in pink blankets. "Why is she in pink, Papà?"
"Because she's a girl."
"But I am a girl and I don't wear pink!"
"I know you don't, baby, but you did. When you were born you were wrapped in a pink blanket."
"I was not." She pouted and stuck her nose up, eliciting laughs from the adults in the room.
"You were, and Uncle Probie has the photos to prove it."
"It isn't true! Is it, Uncle Probie?"
"Afraid it is, Sweetie." McGee shrugged and looked sympathetically at her. "So, how's your baby sister?"
"She has blue eyes. Do I have blue eyes?"
"You have brown eyes like your Ima." Tony kissed the top of her head. "And they are very beautiful. But your eyes were blue when you were born too." She lapsed into silence as she stared at the child in her mother's arms, narrowing her eyes and leaning closer every time her baby sister moved or cooed.
"Papà?" She looked up at him after a while.
"Sì, mio bambina?"
"What's her name?"
"Flavia Lauretta." He smiled and she leaned closer again.
"Hello, Flavia." She whispered. "I'm your big sister. You can call me Tahlia. And over there Grandpa Gibbs is holding Caleb, and he's your brother. He's my brother too, because we all have the same Ima and Papà, because that's what Papà says makes a brother and sister, but Ima says that it is more than that because Auntie Abby and Uncle Probie are like brother and sister to them, but they don't share blood, and Ima says that sometimes blood is not even true family, but I don't really understand what she means by that. We also call Auntie Jenny Auntie Jenny, but that's only because she says she's too young to be called Grandma Jenny." Flavia just stared back, blue eyes wide at the face that was hovering over her. "Grandpa Ducky's over there too. He tells funny stories and interesting stories and stories that Ima says we are not old enough to hear and stories about Ima and Papà from when they first met. They're my favourite stories. I bet they'll be your favourite stories too." Ziva grinned proudly as her eldest crawled off of Tony's lap and onto the corner of the bed so she could kneel up to bring her closer to the infant. Tahlia continued to chatter away as everyone moved closer, smiling and making comments about how beautiful the new addition to the family was. She was content. No. She was more than content. Life was complete. She had a brave, handsome husband, the love of her life, she had three beautiful, perfect little children, a great family, and her Gibbs was home again. What more could she wish for. She had her fairytale.
My Italian is a little rusty. Sorry about that. I apologise to anybody who speaks better Italian than I do, mine is rudimentary at best.
I am not sure if you noticed, I did not until I had already written this, but Tahlia's initials spell out Todd, as in Kate Todd. I promise it was purely coincidental.
For my reference: 21st NCIS fic.