Tony unlocked the door to his small home and crept in. He was being as quiet as possible so he didn't wake his sleeping son and wife. Ziva was not sleeping, though. She never went to bed before he got home because she did not want to be startled and accidently shoot him. Only in a marriage like theirs would that be any issue. She was sitting on the couch with a cup of her favorite tea and a book.

"Hey, Sweetcheeks" Tony whispered as he walked over to her and pecked her on the cheek.

"Hey. Jacob just drifted off so you can go in and give him a kiss goodnight." Ziva replied sleepily

"Just drifted off! It's almost 10:00!" Tony was surprised that he was up almost two hours after his usual bedtime of 8:15

"He missed you; he was crying for you and couldn't sleep." Ziva said looking into Tony's large blue-green eyes. She saw the edges of his lips creep up as he said this.

"Alright, I'll go say goodnight. You, my ninja, should go to bed! You look exhausted!" He said as he walked towards his son's room.

Tony slowly and noiselessly opened Jake's door and walked in. He looked around at the light green walls. They brought back a flood of memories. Gibbs and him had painted these walls when Ziva was almost eight months pregnant with Jacob. Wow, he thought, Jake is already three! Where does time go?

"Hey, Buddy" Tony said softly as he sat down on Jacob's bed

"Dadda! Where were you, Papa?" Jacob blurted out at the sight of his beloved Daddy and hero.

"Working. You know how Gibbs is, baby boy; he likes to get the job done!" Tony guiltily confessed to his innocent three year old. Tony always felt bad about working late because he knew that Jake needed more of his time. He just didn't have the guts to tell Gibbs he needed some time off.

Jacob nodded sadly. "I wish you were home more Papa; I wuv 'pending time wif you!" Jacob let out.

"I know J.J." Tony said, "Time for sleep, little man! I love you more than the stars and the sun and even movies!"

Jacob giggled. "I wuv you too, Daddy. More than Batman; and dat's a lot!"

Ziva felt the mattress sink as Tony climbed in. She turned to see his handsome face. That was the face she at turned to whenever she needed help for so long. Before Jake, before their wedding, even before they had admitted their love for each other in Paris so many years ago. She kissed his lips lovingly.

"I love you," they both said in sync.