The trees were changing, the weather was getting cooler, and everything was being spookified for Halloween.

It was the weekend before Halloween. Ziva always stayed at the Gibbs' household on Friday, and Saturday nights, and Sunday until five.

Friday nights was game night. It was Abby's turn to choose. In which she had chosen Monopoly.

The family sat around the kitchen table. Jethro was the horse, Jenny the thimble, Tony- sack of money, Kate-battleship, Tim-the car, Abby- the dog, and Ziva was the iron piece.

Tony was making a little scene after rolling the dice on doubles for the third time, sending him to jail.

"What did you do, Tony?" Kate joked.

"I killed Tim in his sleep, and Dad arrested me when he found out." He joked back.

They all laughed.


Come the thirty-first, Kate, and Abby were walking home from school.

"So, do you think Dad will let you out of the house tonight in your costume?" Abby asked Kate.

"He better. Mom approved. He'll be like, 'Caitlin Elizabeth!'" She started, making her voice deeper. "'That is not acceptable for a fifteen year old to be wearing! Get upstairs, and change!'"

"Unless he doesn't see your real costume."

"What do you have in mind, Abs?"

"What if you wear something else over your real costume, and say you're being something completely different."

"That could work, but he'll find out eventually. I'm just gonna ask him what he thinks."

"I'll make sure to get you extra candy." Abby told her, and walked ahead of her, and went inside.

Kate watched as her father pulled into the driveway, in his truck. Kate walked up to the truck.

"Hey, Dad."

"Hey, Kate." Jethro greeted his eldest daughter.

"I have to ask you something."

"Okay. Shoot." He said, and got out of the truck.

"Well, when Abby, Mom, and I went costume shopping, Mom let me buy this costume, but I wanted to know your opinion of it."

"Alright. Go put it on."

"Okay." Kate went inside, and up to her room, changing into her costume.

Jethro walked inside, and waited for Kate to come back downstairs.

Abby walked downstairs first. "Hi, Dad."

"Hey, Abs. How was school?"

"Okay." She walked toward the kitchen.

"No junk."

"Got it."

Kate walked downstairs. She wore a white dress that barely covers her. There was a gold strip that crossed into an X and under straight across her torso. Her hair was put up like the girls from Jerseylicious- even though it doesn't exist yet- with a gold band around her forehead. Her shoes were gold, and went up just below her knees, with five gold strips across her legs. The heels were three inches. She also wore a gold band right above her elbow.

"Mom, let you but that?"

"Yea." She said, biting the inside of her lip.

"Well, I'm not gonna say I approve of it 100%, but I will allow you to wear it. As long as you get rid of it after tonight."

"Alright. Thanks, Dad." Kate said, and hugged him.

"You're welcome, Caitlin."

"Wait. You approve that?" Abby asked, confused.

"Yes."

"So, if I were to wear that, you'd approve?"

"No."

"What?"

"You're only twelve. She's fifteen. You are too young to wear something like that. Maybe when you are fifteen."


Later that night, everybody was out trick-or-treating. Tony was Freddy Krueger. He attempted to hold hands with Ziva. Who was dressed as none other than an ninja. It was very uncomfortable for Ziva, because of the claws.

Abby was Wednesday Addams, while Tim was a scrabble board. (HAHA!)


The Gibbs Family had planned a mini party for Ziva since her father really did not care. It was the whole family including Jackson Gibbs, Donald Mallard, and the Palmer's.

It was Monday, November 12, Ziva's seventeenth birthday. Ziva did not know about the party even though she was there every single day.

Tony opened the front door for Ziva.

"Toda." She spoke with her accent sticking out.

"Prego." He replied, shutting the door behind them.

They walked toward the kitchen for dinner. Ziva had not seen anybody in there from a distance, until she was actually in the doorway.

"Surprise! Happy Birthday, Ziva!" They all shouted.

"Wow. Thank you. You didn't have to do this."

"Ziva. You are practically family now. You deserve to celebrate your birthday with the people who love you." Jenny told her.

Ziva smiled. "Thank you."

"Let's eat. I'm starving." Tony said.

"That I am not surprised about." Ziva stated.


They all sat around the table eating their pizza. They were all catching up on each other's lives.

Jethro was speaking with his father-in-law, which everybody calls 'Ducky'-even his grandchildren- about the case they were working on.

His father was speaking with his grandchildren, and Ziva. "You all need to stop getting older."

"Sorry, Grandpa." All of the kids said.

"Grandpa, you should move to DC." Kate told him.

"Yea. There's a house down the street for sale." Tim said.

"That would be so cool to have you live near us." Abby continued.

"You'd get to see us everyday." Tony added.

"Watch us grow." Ziva chipped in.

"Always be able to come to all of their events." Jimmy said.

"Kids. I would love to, but I would need to think about it." Jack told them.


After eating dinner, Jenny took Ziva's birthday out of the refrigerator. She placed it on the counter. She took the package of candles, placing eighteen candles on it.

When she was done she picked up the matches, and lit them. She picked the cake up, and placed it in front of Ziva.

Jethro shut the lights off. "One, two, three." He cued everyone to sing.

"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday, Dear Ziva. Happy Birthday to you." They all sang.

The boys all added in. "Cha cha cha!"

Ziva blew out all the candles in one shot after choosing what her wish was to be.

Jethro turned the lights back on. Jenny handed the knife to Ziva.

She cut the cake into enough pieces for everybody to have.

There was a slight knock on the front door, before someone opened it. The visitor walked into the kitchen, carrying a box wrapped in 'Happy Birthday' wrapping paper. "Happy Birthday, Ziva." They spoke, making their presence known.

"Uncle Mike!" All the kids exclaimed.

Ziva stood up from her seat, and hugged her 'uncle' Mike Franks.

Mike Franks works with Jethro at NCIS. He had hired Jethro after his tour in Desert Storm. All the children grew up around him for the past five years.

He started doning the name 'Uncle Mike' when seven year old Abby felt her father and he acted liked brothers.

The others ended up calling him by uncle as well.


Later in the month, the family was at the Mallard residence. Jennifer's father and grandmother hosted Thanksgiving every year.

They always felt the need to invite Ziva, and her father every year. It was really no use to invite Eli David. He was always working, or in his birth country of Israel.

Ziva came though. Victoria Mallard adored her like all of the family.

Jackson was invited as well, and loved spending time with the in-laws.

The whole family sat in the den, waiting for dinner to be done.

They spoke mostly about how the year has flown by, upcoming events, and a whole lot of other random stuff.

Victoria stood up. "Caitlin, Abigail, will you come help me in the kitchen?"

"Sure, Great Grandma." The two girls said, standing up, and following Victoria.

Victoria was strict on what she called the children. She always uses their full name. She called Jethro, Leroy as it was his first name.


Later in the night, the family sat around the dining room table.

"Samantha, can you pass down the cranberry sauce, please?" Ducky called down the table to his oldest daughter.

Samantha picked up the bowl, and passed it down the table.

"Thank you." He said, taking the bowl, and spooning some onto his plate.

Kate sat at the far end of the table. She sat quietly, not engaging in as much conversation as she normally would.

Tim noticed her quietness. He nudged her left elbow. When she looked at him, he whispered to her. "What's wrong?"

"Don't feel well." She whispered back.

"Want me to tell Mom?"

"I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

They both knew it was a lie. It was a proven lie ten minutes later.

Kate had run to the bathroom without excusing herself first. Proving there was something really wrong.

Everybody watched as she ran off. Jenny shot up after her. She knocked on the bathroom door.

"Kate, you okay, sweetheart?"

There was no response. Just sobs. Jenny opened the door, and shut it after her.

"Hey, baby." She said, as she sat next to her. "It's alright."

Out at the table, everybody sat there in silence.

When neither returned for twenty minutes, Jethro excused himself, and walked in the direction his wife, and daughter had gone.

He however came back five minutes later. "We're gonna take her to the hospital. She just started coughing up blood." He told them.