A New Day Dawns

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

At long last here is the third chapter. Thank you for everyone who's following this story.

Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Kate watched with a gentle smile playing on her lips as Tony laid Adam carefully – though with the awkwardness of someone who didn't have much experience with children – on the couch then sat down besides him and kept watching the sleeping boy.

"I'm sorry," Kate spoke up finally, taking a seat in one of the armchairs. Tony turned to look at her and his startled expression prompted Kate to explain, "For turning your life upside down."

"Oh, you'd done that a long time ago," Tony chuckled and Kate let herself relax a little.

"I'm not asking for anything." Somehow she felt compelled to make that clear.

"Why are you saying that?"

"Because I know you, Tony. That's not the life you want."

"And what kind of life do I want?"

"Something with less commitment," she replied. "Look, Tony. When we started our relationship, I knew what I'd signed up for. Let's face it you were not the family guy. I hoped it'd lead somewhere, though. And it might have… but it was a long time ago. Many things have changed… we have changed," she shrugged with a sad expression averting her eyes from his then, with a heavy sigh, she looked back at him. "You should know, though, that your son loves you."

"My son, huh?" Tony said still not really believing that the little boy sleeping right next to him was his son. He knew about him. He thought about him. But seeing him as a real flesh and blood boy made his mind reel.

Kate waited patiently as Tony regarded their son with an expression that told her Tony was still trying to process the happenings of the day… and trying to decide how to feel.

"You're right," he finally turned back to her. "Everything has changed. I've changed… I've changed," he repeated contemplatively as a proud smile appeared on his face. And Kate knew that he'd made up his mind. "I'm ready, Kate. I've got no idea how I'll do this," he indicated among them," but I want to do this."

"I want it, too."

"But we don't have to rush, right? I mean I feel a little bit confused here… and quite freaked out," he added with a nervous chuckle.

His eyes followed Kate as she stood up and went to sit on the armrest of the couch.

"It's been five years, Tony." And as if emphasizing that, she looked down at their sleeping son. "Nobody expects you to continue where we'd left off." She turned back to him before adding, "Especially me."

"I kinda loved where we left off," Tony quipped as a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. Kate couldn't help but smile because that was the old Tony shining through… the Tony, who wouldn't pass up an opportunity to make some inappropriate comment.

"We've got to get to know each other again… and it takes time."

"So, we start getting to know the new 'us'?" Kate nodded. "All right, but I have to warn you that this new, improved version of Tony DiNozzo comes with some serious software improvement and well, let's be honest, the hardware - though not the newest model by any means - is still quite astonishing, too. I'd say impressive." Kate laughed out and a frown appeared on Tony's face. "Eww, that sounded just like McGeek."

"I missed you, Tony," Kate declared, cupping his face.

"I missed you, too, Katie," Tony answered with a serious expression as he pulled her closer to rest his forehead against hers. They stayed like that for a little longer just savoring the moment when Tony broke it at last, "Can I kiss you now?" Kate laughed out merrily but didn't protest.

When they pulled apart, Kate was taken aback by the expression Tony was giving her. He was smiling but it wasn't a smile she'd been so used to see. It wasn't cocky or mocking: the smile he usually used to give himself the illusion of self-confidence and mask his true feelings. It was open and affectionate… it was sincere.

Lost for words, she averted her eyes and they fell on a photo album. She reached for it and, before carefully opening it she looked at Tony asking for permission. He nodded then watched her looking at the pictures of Adam.

"You've always sent pictures of him…" he pointed out as Kate kept turning the pages, "...but never of you. I know that you couldn't really… but you could have smuggled one in there."

"I wasn't sure you wanted me to…"

"Why would you think that?"

"Tony, you're not the easiest person to read. I wasn't even sure you wanted to know about Adam." The hurt look on his face broke her heart. She put down the album and crouched in front of the man, taking his hands into hers. "I'm sorry, Tony. But you have to understand that it wasn't easy for me, either."

"I love my son," Tony told her, his tone bordering on being harsh. "I loved him ever since I saw that first sonogram picture. And I wanted to know about you… I wanted to see you. Sometimes it was difficult to believe that you were indeed alive. And it scared me."

"Tony…"

"It's all right," he stopped her from apologizing and this time his voice was gentle. He reached out to caress her cheek and Kate leant into his touch. "You're here now. And I won't let you pull a stunt like that again."

"Well, Anthony DiNozzo, if I hadn't known you better, I'd think you just threatened me with your permanent presence in my life."

"Damn right I did."

"You've changed a lot, Tony."

"We've already established that."

"Yeah… Now I just hope that I'm still the woman you…"

"Love?" Tony finished for her when she seemed hesitant to do so. Kate raised her head and looked at him expectantly. Tony cupped her cheek. "Would you run away screaming if I told you that you'd always been that woman?"

"Wow. What about taking it slow?"

"We're taking it slow" he reassured her. "You don't even have to say anything. I just thought you should know… now that we're talking about it. Just, please, don't go away."

"We've just got home."

"We'll stay with daddy?" A sleepy voice asked from below.

"Of course you will," Tony scooped up the little boy and sat him in his lap. "We are a family; we're supposed to be together." For a moment, Tony looked genuinely stunned as if not really believing that he had just said that and with such ease nonetheless.

"That's what you wanted, sweetheart, right?" rising to take the spot on the couch that had been previously occupied by Adam, Kate asked her son, who nodded enthusiastically.

"Now they will believe that I have a daddy."

"They didn't believe that you had a daddy?" Tony looked at her son disbelievingly.

"No. Andy Banks always says that I'm a liar."

"That's really mean of him," Tony said, exchanging a look with Kate. "But you know what? He was wrong."

"I know," Adam stated matter-of-factly. "I told him he's dumb."

While Kate sighed, really not impressed with this move of her son, Tony laughed out bemused.

"That he is," he agreed and while Adam grinned at him, Kate gave him a death glare. Tony gulped.

"Who's up for some early dinner?" he inquired eager to move on. "I'm starving."

"Me too," Adam was quick to agree.

Kate sighed. She really had her job cut out for her with those two.

"What about pizza?" Tony suggested and Adam's eyes lit up.

"Pizza? Really, DiNozzo?"

"I like pizza," Adam quipped and Kate couldn't help but roll her eyes while Tony grinned at his son.

"That's my boy," he said tousling his hair and while Kate wanted to be annoyed with him for already trying to spoil the child, the ease with which he told that made her warm inside. "Wanna choose?" While Adam was nodding enthusiastically, Tony put him on the floor and together, they started towards the phone.

"You spoil him, you deal with him," Kate called after Tony with her sternest voice but a smile crept on her face nonetheless.

While the boys were good-humoredly arguing about pizza toppings and whether olive really tasted gross, Kate leant back in the couch and closed her eyes. She could physically feel the exhaustion crawl on her as her limbs began to feel heavy and she became aware of a dull throbbing behind her eyes.

"So CIA, huh?" It wasn't long before Tony plopped down next to her and though her eyes were closed, she could just imagine the teasing look he was no doubt wearing. She shrugged nonchalantly without opening her eyes.

"What should I say? That was my dream."

"Don't worry, Katie, everybody makes mistakes."

"Very funny, Tony."

"I was serious," he deadpanned. "It's worse than FBI. Though Secret Service is not that bad."

"Well, my carrier wasn't that long there," Kate remarked dryly then opened her eyes as if something had just occurred to her. "Where's Adam?"

"Don't worry, I didn't lose him. He found my Playboy magazines behind the cookie jar and he's currently thumbing through the September issue. Boy's got good taste, I have to tell you. That cute blonde with the huge…"

"I'll kill you, DiNozzo," Kate told him scandalized. She was halfway up from her seat when Tony pulled her back with a laugh.

"Come on, Kate, chill a little. I know how to occupy a kid. He's got glued to my laptop and is busy drawing nondescript figures. Obviously, he didn't inherit your artistic talent. And obviously his mommy doesn't let him sit by the computer all that much."

"Of course she doesn't," Kate agreed. "And I think we have to talk about parenting methods before he starts worshipping you and I become the bad one."

"We will talk about it," he readily agreed. "But not today. As far as I'm concerned, he can ask me to head slap Gibbs and I'd do it."

"Now, that's something I'm willing to test," Kate gave him a daring look and Tony's expression turned genuinely scared.

"Don't you dare, you hear me? Don't you dare!"

"Then don't give me ideas." Kate laughed merrily as she scooted closer to Tony and snuggled into his side. Tony relaxed as he pulled her closer.


Gibbs stood in his basement leaning against his workbench and staring at a spot on the floor. The once dark stain was hardly visible now; the years made it fade away gradually… but not the memories.

He remembered the night clearly when an unbreakable bond had been formed between him and his young Israeli agent. With the fading contour of the stain, his relationship with her became more and more definite… stronger.

It was just fitting that the fifth anniversary of Kate's death would prompt him to address their undefined relationship and give a name to it. Love. He was in love with Ziva David and he suspected that the feeling was mutual.

In the silence of the basement, he let out a rueful chuckle.

It sounded like a bad romance novel.

Where he stood right now, though, it felt more like a bad joke. He had to lose an agent to meet the woman he could really love… he had to grieve for his friend to finally realize that life had to be lived not remembered. Then came the punch line.

Kate wasn't dead… and Ziva didn't return his feelings.

To say that he hadn't been surprised to see Kate walk into the squad room would be a lie but he knew enough about undercover ops and witness protection to understand the reasons behind her disappearance. Apart from feeling annoyed because of his inability to help her, he was glad to have Kate back. Not even that immense guilt he'd been carrying with himself over the years could make him feel anger towards her.

Plus, if it hadn't been for her "death", he would probably have never met Ziva…

He closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh. He should really stop acting like a lovesick teenager.

Yes, he opened his eyes and pushed himself away from the workbench. It was time to think with his head and not with his overly emotional heart.

He realized that there weren't many things talked about between him and Ziva. Truth was, he hadn't done more than stepping up to her and informing her – in an admittedly brisk manner – that he had feelings for her. I want you, he recalled telling her and he had to groan. Way to scare a girl, Jethro. The next thing he knew was Ziva apologizing and practically running away. Yes, there were definitely issues left unaddressed.

With sudden determination, Gibbs stated towards the stairs and, taking two at a time, he was by the front door in a couple of seconds. Hardly did he open the door, though, when he came face to face with the woman he had planned to visit.

"Ziva," he breathed surprised and watched as the woman blinked up at him obviously stunned by his sudden appearance. "I was on my way to your place," he offered when Ziva remained silent.

"I was on my way to Tony's," she gave him a stuttered answer. She looked confused.

"That's not DiNozzo's place," he stated the obvious, he himself being at a loss seeing her strange behavior.

"Right." Ziva straightened and for the first time since she arrived, she seemed completely aware of her surroundings. "I am sorry. I'll just go." With downcast eyes, she turned to leave.

"Wait," Gibbs reached out to get hold of her wrist, trying to stop her. However, when she tilted her head to look at him, he hastily let it go. "Why are you here?"

"I told you," she whispered. "I wanted to go and check on Kate and Adam."

He sighed. "Then why did you come here?"

Ziva started to talk but didn't get further than opening her mouth before she closed it again. "I don't know," she finally admitted.

"Come on," he reached for her once again. "Let's go inside." Gently he nudged her to start moving and, though reluctantly, Ziva stepped into the house.

Gibbs went to the kitchen and produced two glasses from one of the cupboards then opened another one and got a glass of bourbon out of it. As he broke the seal and poured, he smiled wryly. It was a rare occasion when he drank from an actual glass. Usually he only drank while working down in his basement and he'd never really bothered taking down some glasses.

"Here," he offered a glass to Ziva, who was sitting on the couch in the living room. She accepted it with a small, hesitant smile then quickly downed its content. Gibbs raised an eyebrow but followed suit.

Putting down his glass, he sat down next to her and waited a couple of seconds before speaking up.

"I'm sorry," he told her and Ziva's head snapped to look at him.

"For what?"

"For making you feel uncomfortable."

"Why would you say that?" she frowned.

"Because obviously you're uncomfortable around me," he pointed out.

"That's not true," Ziva protested, however her posture told otherwise.

"Don't have to lie to me. I can see it." He sighed troubled. "All I want to say is... I don't want you to feel that way. It's never been my intention. Whatever happened… I won't hold it against you. I understand you…"

"Do you?" Ziva asked and Gibbs could practically feel his heart break seeing the hope in her eyes. Maybe there was nothing more to talk about. He'd apologize, suggest they should forget about his declaration and move on.

He nodded.

"And you are not angry at me? Are you not disappointed?" She regarded him suspiciously and with a great amount of uncertainty.

"I'm not angry at you and don't really see why should be disappointed in you."

"Because I lied to you."

"What are you talking about?"

"About Kate..." she told him but then understanding downed on her. "But that is not what you were talking about."

"No," he shook his head with a ghost of an affectionate smile. Maybe there was hope after all. "No, it's not." When Ziva's expression turned blank, he continued, "You didn't lie," he shrugged, deciding to dissipate Ziva's worries first. "You simply didn't tell me everything. You were protecting Kate… and I'll be always grateful for that," he finished with that same little smile he had started but then his face became more somber as he sighed. "What I was talking abou…"

He didn't get to finish his sentence as Ziva's lips on his effectively cut him off. Her kiss was fierce as she pulled his head closer to hers with a firm grip on the back of his neck. When they pulled apart an excited grin was playing on her lips. Gibbs was flabbergasted. He cleared his throat then returned her grin with his own lopsided one.

"Guess you're not really interested in that, huh?"

"In that? No," Ziva chuckled shaking her head. Gibbs would surely have been amazed by the quick change in her demeanor if he hadn't been so stunned by the turn of events. "In you?" she raised a questioning eyebrow, already closing the distance between them. "Yes," she breathed then kissed him gently. "But you did not think so," she observed when they pulled apart. It seemed that she was catching up with him.

"Not my fault," he deflated thoroughly embarrassed by his lack of self-confidence. There weren't many people who could make him question himself in a way Ziva had done. "Running out on me doesn't really scream 'interested' to me."

"I am sorry."

"Don't be. I didn't really go easy on you." When Ziva didn't seem to get his meaning, he continued, "I was rather blunt."

A smile formed on her lips when she understood. "Blunt works for me," she told him.

"Good." Gibbs nodded with a satisfied smile.

"Good." Ziva returned his smile. "I want you, too."

"Blunt sure works for me, too," he murmured with a grin just before he pulled Ziva into a deep kiss.

To Gibbs' utmost amazement they spent the greater part of an hour making out on his couch like two teenagers. He wasn't one to argue, though. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Ziva even more so when it involved kissing and touching and those oh-so-sexy moans that escaped her lips now and then.

"Stay the night?" he husked into her ear as he once again sneaked his hand under her shirt to run his fingers along her side.

"I would love to…" Ziva gasped, closing her eyes. "God, I'd really love to…" She took a deep shaky breath before opening her eyes and looking into Gibbs' "…but I'm worried about Kate. After what happened in Boston…"

"Oh, yes," Gibbs answered with his lips pressed against her throat, his hands not stopping. "You were on your way to DiNozzo's."

"What?" Ziva asked momentarily distracted then nodded when she could make sense of his words. "Yes. I was."

"You do know that there're uniforms watching the building?"

"Because that works so well all the time," Ziva actually managed to cock an eyebrow as Gibbs' hand stopped and his lips left her skin. He rose and looked at her.

"Point taken," he relented then, with a final kiss on her lips, he moved to stand up. A cocky smile turned his lips upward when he noted Ziva's disappointed look. "Let's go then." He offered her a hand and pulled her to her feet when she took it.

On their way to the front door, Gibbs sneaked his arms around Ziva's waist and pulled her against him so that her back was flash against his front as they made a couple of steps together. "We'll continue this later," he murmured into her ear and Ziva pressed against him even more.

"You can count on it," she answered and gave him a beautiful smile when he loosened his hold on her.

They'd definitely continue later.

TBC

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