"I didn't know how to."
"Why not?"
"How do you tell your partner that you're pregnant with their child?"
All color drains from his face. His heart skips a beat. He swallows hard.
He sputters, "Excuse me?"
"Max's birthday is August 7th."
He does the math in his head, "Nine months after..."
"We went undercover," she finishes the sentence.
"You're serious?"
"Yes."
"I have a son?"
She points to herself, and then to him, "We have a son."
"You should have told me."
"I know. I was trying to what was best for Max, I thought that..."
"I wasn't it?"
"I just thought that you weren't ready to have a child . I did not think that you would want that responsibility."
"You should have told me," he responds.
"I know. I hurt you, and I hurt Max. I kept him from you for four years. Four years that you can't get back. I understand now that I did the wrong thing."
"If I hadn't come here tonight, how long would it be before you told me?"
"I don't know," she answers candidly.
"Can I see him?"
"Yeah," she nods. She leaves the kitchen. She goes into her bedroom, where Max is watching T.V. She sits down on the bed next to him.
"Max we need to have a discussion," she begins.
"About not interrupting adult conversations?"
"I think that you have heard that one enough."
"I'm sorry," he apologizes as he stares at the T.V. She takes the remote, and flips off the T.V.
His head spins around, to face her. "Hey!" he protests.
"I need your full attention."
"Can you hurry? Justice league is on next."
"Maximilian, this is very important."
"Why did you have to give me such a long name? Couldn't you have just named me Max?"
"Focus, please."
"What?"
"Do you remember how you asked me about your dad?"
"Yes. Am I ever going to meet him? I'm starting to think that you made him up."
"I did not."
"Where is he?"
"Max I told him about you."
"He doesn't want to meet me?"
"Yes, he does."
"When can I meet him?"
"How long will it take you to get to the kitchen?"
"With my Batman cape, or without?"
"Without," she smiles.
"Still super fast, why?"
"Because he is in the kitchen."
"My dad is in the kitchen? That Tony guy is the kitchen."
"That Tony guy?"
"Your partner."
"I know."
"He's my dad?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Would I tell you that he is, if he was not?"
"No."
"Then you better go out there."
"It's past my bedtime," he points to the clock.
"We can make an exception, this once."
He slides past her onto the floor. "Max, wait."
He turns around, and plants a kiss on her cheek, "Thanks mommy." He runs out of her bedroom. He sees Tony standing in the kitchen as he enters the living room. He zooms into the kitchen. He stops in front of Tony. He just stares up at him.
"You're taller than I expected," Max admits.
"Hi, buddy."
"Don't call my buddy. My name is Max."
"Sorry Max."
"So you're the guy?"
"I'm the guy," Tony nods.
"You're really my dad?"
"Would you like to trade me in for a newer model?"
"No, you'll do," Max answers, sizing him up.
Tony smiles. The boy has big brown eyes. He has a mop of brown wavy, hair. He wears a Batman pajama top, Spiderman pajama bottoms, and Incredible Hulk slippers.
"What's with the pajamas?"
"I like to wear as many superheroes as possible. My underoos have Iron man on them."
"Your mom lets you dress yourself?"
"Not if we're going to leave the house," he sulks.
"Bummer."
"She doesn't let me wear my cape outside."
"She's pretty cool, huh?"
"I guess," he shrugs.
"So is there anything you'd like to know about me?"
"Will you let me play video games?"
Ziva chimes in, "No he will not."
"We'll talk," Tony whispers.
"So since I don't have to go to bed right now, can we watch a movie?"
"Max, we are not watching Nightmare on Elm Street."
"Mom!" he protests.
"I think that Iron Man is on T.V. tonight," Tony offers.
"I've seen it, three times."
"Oh."
"We could watch How The West Was Won," Max offers.
Ziva rolls her eyes. "Again?"
"Again?" Tony questions.
"When Max is not channeling his inner superhero, he moonlights as a cowboy. His latest obsession is How The West Was Won. I have been trying to explain to him that John Wayne only played a cowboy."
"That's who I wanted to be for Halloween, she wouldn't let me. I had to be Batman instead."