"Alright kids. Now we're gonna go meet daddy's friend, Abby, ok?" Tony was explaining to his children in the elevator.
"Ok, daddy." they said in unison once again, snuggling in the crook of his neck as the elevator dinged.
"Ok, we're here, guys." He said, setting Elly and Zak down on the ground and holding their hands as he walked into Abigail Sciuto's lab. "Hey Abs, can I ask you a favor?"
"Tony, I will not let you lend Bert again. I'm scared that you're going to run his farts out." Abby said, facing her computer and answering Tony without looking at him.
"Yeah, but can you say no to this?" he said, squatting to be at his kids' level to look at Abby with puppy-dog eyes.
"Aw! Tony, whose kids are these?" Abby said, getting off of her chair to see the twins better.
"Actually, they're mine, Abby." Tony said, returning Elly back to his hip while Zak just stood and held onto his dad's pant leg. Abby stood there, mouth open for about thirty seconds, just staring at Tony and the children next to him. Tony put his knuckle underneath Abby's chin and closed her mouth.
Then as if Abby had come out of a trance, she started smacking Tony.
"Why (smack) didn't (smack) you (smack) tell me (smack, smack)!" she said.
Abby was surprised when the little boy who was standing smacked Abby back.
"Don't hurt my daddy!" he shouted, and returned to the spot next to his father.
"Now Zakary, it's not nice to hit." Said Tony, glaring at Abby. "Abby, I just found out myself." He said, smiling at her.
"Do you swear?" Abby said, staring at him with a look that would've scared even Ziva.
"I swear on Gibbs' life that I just found out like ten minutes ago when the director told me." Tony said, glaring at Abby right back.
"Fine." She said, beginning to smile. "So…I have a couple questions. What's their names, whose their mom, how old are they, when's their birthday, what's their favorite color…" but she was interrupted by Tony putting his finger to her lips.
"Abby. Did you forget that I just met them like ten minutes ago?" he said quietly. "This," he said, pointing to Zak and then Elynor, "Is Zakary Thomas DiNozzo and this is Elynor Rose DiNozzo. Their mom was Kelly Monusko, no you don't know her, and they're three years old."
"Free and a half!" yelled Elly, sitting up in her father's arms. "Daddy, is this your friend, Abby-gail?" Elly asked, suddenly not becoming so shy.
"Oh, aren't you just precious!" squealed Abby, taking Elly from her father's arms. "You can just call me Aunt Abby, sweetie." Elly began to squirm in her arms so Abby set the young child down to explore the lab with her brother. "So what was that favor, Tony?" she said, making sure Elly and Zak didn't touch anything.
"Oh, right. I was wondering if you could baby-sit them down here. We've got a case, and I'm not about to take my daughter and son to see a dead body or interrogate suspects." He was surprised to see Abby jump up and down and hug him. Then she let go and went to grab Bert for the twins.
Tony walked over to where his daughter and son were sitting in a chair spinning each other around. He stopped it and sat Zak down next to his sister and looked them both in the eyes.
"Now kids, are you gonna be good for Aunt Abby while Daddy's working?" he asked them.
The twin's reply was immediately starting to cry and jumped onto their dad and hold on tightly.
"Daddy, what if you don't come back like mommy?" Elly said between sobs. Tony's heart broke. He felt so bad that these little kids had to lose their mommy and now was worrying that their daddy was leaving them also.
"I'll come and visit you, I promise." He said, gripping Elly and Zak tightly. Just then, Abby returned with Bert.
"Hey guys," said Abby, showing them the farting hippo, "Why don't you give Bert a squeeze and see what happens?" she said, holding Bert out to Elly.
Elly reluctantly let go of her father and squeezed the hippo. When it farted, she let out the cutest giggle Tony or Abby had ever heard.
"Daddy, he farted!" she squealed.
"Aunt Abby, can we pway wif him?" Zak asked.
"Of course you can, sweetheart." Abby replied.
"Alright, I'll leave you three alone. Abs, I'll be coming down a lot to check on 'em, ok?" Tony said. He had just been informed that he had two kids but now he had to go work.
"Tony, you know that they'll be fine with me." She said. "Now give those kids a hug and kiss good-bye and get outta here!" she said, laughing.
"Alright." Tony said, walking back to where his children were fighting over who got to squeeze Bert next. "Can I have a hug good-bye?" he asked, holding out his arms as he once again squatted to their level.
The twins forgot that there was such a thing as a hippo as they ran to their father to give him a hug. After a prolonged hug, they both gave him a kiss on his cheek at the same time.
"Bye, Daddy!" they said as they went back to Bert.
"Buh-bye, kiddos." Tony said, reluctantly leaving the lab.
