A/N: Hey everybody! So sorry I wasn't able to update last week. There has been a lot of drama going on lately at school and it just didn't put me in the right mood for writing. Hope you all can forgive me for the delay and most importantly enjoy this next chapter!

P.S. – Italicized portion is a flashback.

Chapter Four

Ziva found herself once again sitting at the kitchen table staring intently at her teenage daughter as she pushed her food around her plate and her husband made small talk, completely oblivious to what was going on. It had been like this every night at dinner for the past two weeks. Starting the night after her second day of school Tali had become distant, dejected, and distracted. At dinner she only talked when Ziva or Tony directly asked her a question and when the meal was over she retreated to her room, always using homework as her excuse when she didn't come back down the rest of the night.

Tonight Ziva had tried a different tactic, instead of asking Tali about her day right off the bat she instead talked about hers and prompted Tony to do the same. They focused mostly on the doctor's appointment the two had gone to during lunch that afternoon. She allowed herself a small smile as she thought back to the look on Tony's face when the picture of their child had appeared on the ultrasound machine.

"And that is your baby."

Ziva blinked back the tears that had appeared in the corners of her eyes as the whooshing sound of the baby's heart beat filled her ears and her eyes stayed glued to the picture to her left. Part of her had thought that Tony would end up being the more emotional one because he had missed this with Tali, but she should have expected that it would be her. Every doctor's appointment she had gone to when she was pregnant with Tali had always filled her with the same feeling and caused her usually controlled emotions to act of their own accord. She always thought it was because Tony had not been there, but now that the same feeling of amazement filled her whole mind and body, she knew that it had always been the fact that she, that they had made something this precious that brought tears to her eyes.

Tony squeezed her hand lightly and for the first time since the machine had been turned on Ziva remembered she was not alone. She turned her head to the right to look at him and tried to hide her surprise at the wetness that glistened in his green eyes.

"I thought DiNozzo men did not cry." She commented wryly, smiling lovingly at him.

He chuckled, but it barely got passed the lump in his throat. "Technically, the tears are still in my eyes."

The rest of the appointment had passed by in a blur, but they had made sure to get several copies of the ultrasound pictures one of which was currently resting on the table between Ziva and Tali. When she had shown her daughter the picture her face had lit up and the only thing she could talk about was how small the baby was. This reaction had surprised her, but it seemed even at fifteen her daughter was still a child at heart.

Ziva had taken this good mood Tali seemed to be in and used it to her own advantage by making a casual segway into school. It worked, she talked about Izzy and different classes and it seemed like Ziva was finally getting somewhere…until they got to lunch. As soon as she questioned her daughter about that period she shut down. The ultrasound photo that she had been holding protectively was put on the table, and her now empty hand took up her fork and began pushing around the remnants of her dinner.

This brought them back to the present, where Ziva was sitting still trying to get Tali to meet her gaze with no success. She felt like sighing out of frustration, but knew it would only be taking two steps back rather than one forward, so she kept quiet. She needed to get Tali alone so she could get the truth out of her, but how could she do it without making it seem so obvious?

The dishes.

Ziva smiled at the plan that began to formulate in her head and once it was clearly formed she took the first step, "Tony, I believe it is your night to do the dishes, yes?"

As expected Tali left the table at this cue that dinner was over and headed upstairs; Ziva smiled with satisfaction.

"But Zi, I just did-" Tony whined.

She interrupted him with a fierce glare and he started clearing the table and taking dishes into the kitchen without question. Ziva stood up and when he came back in she met his gaze with a look of apology, flicking her eyes toward the stairs, trying to communicate with him that she needed time alone with their daughter. He nodded his head and squeezed her hand encouragingly.

"Thank you." Ziva said quietly, he nodded once more and headed back into the kitchen.

She looked around on the table and found the ultrasound picture, grabbing it before making her way upstairs. Ziva approached Tali's door quietly and knocked lightly on the door.

"Tali? Can I come in?" She asked gently.

"Just a minute!" Ziva waited patiently a few seconds before Tali opened the door. "What is it Mom?"

"You forgot your pic…" She trailed off, her hand that was raised slowly lowered as she glanced down at her daughter, her eyes landing on her upper legs.

They were covered by a pair of sporty shorts that only came down about mid-thigh and when Ziva heard the water running in the shower she realized that they must've been pulled on hastily, because she knew Tali was not apt to wearing this kid of clothing. But that wasn't what had her concerned at the moment. No, it wasn't the shorts; it was what they only half covered on her daughter's thighs. On each leg it appeared there was part of a word on her skin.

"Ima?" Tali followed her mother's gaze and her eyes grew wide. "I-I was just g-gonna take a shower. Can –um, I mean d-do you think this could wait?"

"Talia Katelyn DiNozzo if those are tattoos-"

"No, no they're not I pr-promise." Ziva glanced back to her daughter's eyes and found truth there, accompanied by hurt, guilt, and tears that she was barely keeping from sliding down her face.

She softened considerably and took Tali in her arms, "I'm sorry ahava, I should not have assumed anything."

Ziva felt wetness begin to gather on her left shoulder as her daughter sobbed. She carefully led them further into the room, closing the door, and guiding them both over to the bed, the whole time making sure she did not release the hold she had on her daughter. Once they sat down she sat Tali in her lap and hugged her close, stroking her hair while whispering soothing words into her ear.

After a few minutes when her sobs had quieted down to barely audible hiccups Tali shifted off Ziva's lap, but leaned against her left side, not yet wanting to break contact completely. That sat in that position, unmoving for about five minutes before Tali reached down and began to pull up her shorts.

Ziva laid her hand over Tali's, "You do not have to show me anything."

"I need to." She looked up at her in earnest and it was all Ziva could do to nod and try to stay strong for her child.

Tali slid both sides of the material up and angled her legs so her mother could read the words. Ziva reached her hand out, but drew it back quickly, not sure how comfortable her daughter was with touch.

Tali shook her head and grabbed her mother's hand. "You can its fine."

Ziva bit back her response to the word fine, which did not at all describe this situation, but did as her daughter said. When her fingers came in contact with the scarred flesh she could see and feel Tali flinch and instantly drew away, not just for her daughter's comfort but for her own as well. Ziva would be lying if she said that she was barely holding it together at the sight of her once headstrong, stubborn, independent daughter, sitting broken beside her.

When Tali whispered the word 'Israel' her stomach plummeted to her feet. She had been hiding this from them for almost a whole year and Ziva was now questioning her ability as a parent immensely. She didn't have much time to think about that though as Tali finally began to open up about these past two weeks and a boy named Jacob. She confessed her insecurities involving the words that adorned her skin and how this boy could never like her back if he ever found out about them. When Ziva learned he was a senior she was immediately skeptical of this boy's intentions but Tali assured her that he was nothing but nice supplying a few examples. Like even though she now took her lunch to the bathroom, he still sat at the same table all by himself, waiting for her.

Ziva consoled Tali on every insecurity she expressed and eventually their conversation turned to lighter topics. They talked late into the night, both glad to no longer have any secrets between them. When it was almost eleven Ziva suggested they call it a night and deemed tomorrow a 'mother-daughter' day that would consist of shopping, food, and whatever else they could think of.

They said goodnight and when she entered the hall Ziva was extremely glad that the lights downstairs were all out and Tony seemed to have gone to bed. She padded quickly down the hall to their room and opened the door slowly, not wanting to wake him if he was asleep.

"Zi?" His arms were crossed behind his head and his bare chest was only halfway covered by the quilt on the bed.

Ziva slipped off her jeans, "Sorry, I did not mean to wake you."

"Wasn't asleep." He replied dryly.

She crawled in beside him once she had her pajamas on and curled into his side. "You did not have to wait for me."

"Wasn't waiting either, I can't sleep well without you beside me." He kissed her forehead and pulled her as close as he could. "She okay?"

"I-I do not know, Tony. I hope so, but I do not know." She paused and without looking he could tell she was trying desperately not to cry. "Does that make me a bad mother?"

His heart panged at these words, "No, it doesn't."

"Promise?" She whispered.

"Promise." Tony turned on his side, and held her to him with both arms silently communicating that if she needed to, she could cry.

And she did. Sobs wracked her body and tears ran down her face in torrents. All the time he comforted her, rubbing her back gently, stroking her hair, whispering loving words in her ear, and most of all making sure she did not slip from his grasp. Eventually the tears stopped and the sobs were no more. When she turned onto her side, he protested with a small grunt, but she pulled his arm over her waist and moved close enough so that they were sharing the same pillow.

"Hold me?" She whispered softly.

He moved so that his chin rested on her shoulder, and kissed her cheek. "Always."

Tony stayed awake until he heard her breathing even out before thinking about sleep himself. Part of him thought he should've asked her more about what had happened with Tali, especially if it had her questioning whether she was a good mother, but as he tightened his hold on her a little more he realized it wouldn't have made things any better. Tonight she needed him to hold her, tomorrow he would tackle the rest.

A/N: Sad, I know, but now that things are out in the open we can move onto happier stuff. :) Thanks for reading, reviews are welcome!