Good Things Are Coming
Tony got back to his apartment after saying his goodbyes to Abby, Tim and Ellie. He paused outside of his door and smiled at the noise he heard coming from inside. He heard the pattering of little feet across the floor and then Senior's heavier footsteps not far behind, saying, "Here comes the tickle monster!" Tali squealed with delight as Senior picked her up and started tickling her.
He opened the door and both Senior and Tali smiled at him. Senior was holding Tali on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She pointed at Tony and said, "Abba!"
"That's right Tali, Abba is home," Senior said, putting her down. She ran back into the living room and started playing with some of the toys that Senior bought for her.
"Thanks for watching her, dad," Tony said as he placed the box of his belongings from work on the counter.
"It's my pleasure, Junior," Senior replied with a smile.
Tony looked at his father and returned his smile. Since learning that he was a grandfather, Senior suddenly had the energy of a man 20 years younger. He had a twinkle in his eye that Tony had not seen since his mother was alive. When he called his father and asked him to come over so he could break the news, he dreaded his reaction. In his mind he kept seeing that disappointed look that his father always used to give him. He dreaded the lecture he would have to listen to about him being irresponsible.
When Senior arrived, however, an entirely different scene played out. Tony let him in the apartment and Tali was napping on the couch. Senior walked in and looked confused when he saw her.
"Junior, what's going on? Whose child is that?"
Tony took a deep breath, and decided to get straight to the point, "That's Tali. She's Ziva's daughter. And my daughter. Before I left Israel, Ziva and I had a… fond farewell. She got pregnant and didn't tell me. Now she's gone and I have Tali."
Tony looked up at his dad, expecting to see the disappointed look that he knew all too well from his youth. Instead, he watched as a gleam came to his eye and a grin spread slowly across his face. "Junior, this is… this is wonderful! I mean, it's unexpected and the circumstances are sad, but… You're a daddy! And I'm a grandpa!"
Tony's lip trembled and he allowed his dad a small smile as two tears slipped down his cheeks. The tears were of grief for Ziva, and relief that his father was so happy. Senior pulled him into his arms and hugged him. "This isn't a bad thing, Tony. I'm so happy. And I'll be here for you, son. Whatever you need, just ask."
"Thanks, dad," he whispered.
Tony cleared his thoughts and came back to the present. He followed Senior back into the living room, where Tali was sitting quietly and playing with the toys grandpa brought. He looked at his daughter and smiled. She looked so much like Ziva. He flashed back to the day that he found her in Israel, and the last night that they'd spent together.
When she'd finished explaining to him why she couldn't come back, his lip trembled but he understood, and he told her that.
Tony wiped away his tears and and said, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a shower and shave."
After his shower, he put on boxers and stood in front of the mirror. He covered his face in shaving foam, and as he did, Ziva quietly let herself in the bathroom, and watched as he brought the razor to his face, his hand shaking from exhaustion and sadness. Ziva put her hand on his to stop his shaking and gently took the razor from his hand. "Let, me, Tony."
She sat him down on the toilet and gently pulled the razor over his cheeks. After she was finished, she took a hand towel and wiped the remaining foam off of his face. She put down the towel and cradled his now smooth cheeks in her hands.
He stood and gently removed her hands from his face, lacing his fingers through hers, and leaned over and kissed her.
He walked backwards as he kissed her, leading her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. He fell onto the bed, pulling her on top of him. After a few minutes he rolled them over so that he was on top, broke their kiss and started undressing her slowly. He kissed and sucked every bit of her skin that he exposed. As he pushed his tongue inside her, she arched her back and cried out, clenching his hair in her fists. Finally, he kicked off his boxers and let out a low groan as he pushed into her. They made love for hours, too enraptured with each other to think about protection. When they were both exhausted, they fell asleep holding each other. They stayed in bed most of the next day, making love over and over again, until it was time for Tony to return to the US.
They stood on the tarmac, and she said to him, "Tony, you are so…"
"Handsome? Funny? What?"
"Loved."
They kissed one last time, and if Tony had known it would be the last time he ever saw her, he would have forceably carried her onto the plane instead of walking away without her.
"You alright, Junior?" His father asked, pulling him out of his head.
"Yeah, I'm OK, dad. Listen, I need some answers. I'm going to take Tali to Israel to see what I can find. Then I'm going to take her to Paris. Ziva loved Paris… I was hoping that you'd join us."
"Of course, son."
Tali came back over to them her thumb tucked in her mouth and holding her stuffed doggy. Tony picked her up and she quickly fell asleep on his shoulder. He hugged her close and rubbed her back as she slept, enjoying having her close. "I want to try and leave tomorrow," he said quietly as to not wake up his baby.
"I'll go home and pack," Senior said. He stood up, kissed Tali on the head, then surprised Tony by kissing his head as well. "I'm proud of you, son. I think Ziva would be proud of you, too."
"Thanks, dad."
"It's time for a new adventure, Junior. And I have a feeling that good things are going to happen."
Senior left and Tony kissed his sleeping baby. "Good things are coming, Tali. I love you, baby. I'll keep you safe and happy always." Tony laid back on the couch, and fell asleep with his daughter sleeping on his chest. His dreams were memories of Ziva, and the time they had together.
The End