Chapter 3.

"Ziva, I don't feel so good." Whispered Tali weakly. Ducky had given them a rundown of what Tali could go through until the reaction wore off. Tali looked very pale as Ziva looked around from the front seat.

"Oh, god, Tony hurry up or pull over."

"Why?" There was the sound of vomiting.

"That's why." Ziva sighed. Tony pulled over and Ziva let Tali out of the car where she threw up in a trashcan.

"My car." Tony muttered.

Ziva rubbed Tali's back and Tony aired out the car. People were begining to stare, but Ziva warned them off with a deathglare she used in interigations. It worked, nobody dared giving them a second glance.

Once she was finished throwing up, Ziva picked Tali up and walked over to Tony. "The appartmemt is only around the corner, I'll carry her, you get the car cleaned. If you leave it it will sink in."

"OK. Did you bring your key this morning?" Ziva felt her pockets of her jeans.

"No," she sighed a little embarrassed. He held out his key.

"I'll see you later." He kissed Ziva quickly and got in the car. He threw on a pair of shades and wound all the windows down and opened the sunroof. Fully!

At the appartment, Ziva tucked Tali into bed as she had fallen asleep in her arms. She placed a glass of cold water on the nightstand, kissed her forehead and left, leaving the door open just incase.

Tony pulled into the yard of his regular car wash and machanic.

"DiNozzo, good to see ya again" called Steven.

"Steven, well, I got the car."

"God, Tony what is that smell?"

"Well, I got the car, then the little girl i'm looking after with my friend threw up in the back."

"Tha's nasty man."

"You think you can clean it?" Steven stopped laughing. "You see Ziva, my friend, says if it is left, it sinks in, the smell sticks."

"Tony, when have you ever not known me able to clean something?"

"I don't have long, how long's this gonna take?" Tony was serious.

"An hour tops." Steven shrugged.

"Get it done, then call me, I'm goin' for a coffee."

When Tony returned, the smell was gone, and the floor was clean. "Thanks Steve" He called driving out the gate.

"Y' welcome man."

When he reached the apparment, Tony was greeted by the T.V. on low and Ziva lounging on the couch, asleep. Turning it off with the remote, he sat infront of her torso. Stroking he hair he kissed her forehead, before covering her up with the blanket on the back of the couch. He then went to check on Tali. She still had a fever, but her temperature was lower.

Tony sighed when he left the room. Tali had really grown on him, and when the case was resolved and her father, (who survived being shot) was done on trial, Tali could be taken away. He didn't think he wanted that. Sure he hadn't been jumping at the chance for a daughter when Gibbs gave him fatherly responsibilites but in the two short days Tali had lived with him and Ziva, he had grown to love her like a daughter.

But he also knew, it would be Ziva who made the final decisoin on whether they kept the little girl. After Somalia, he wouldn't be surprised if she never wanted to try for kids again. But there was nothing he could do. It was out of his hands. In his own way, the thought of becoming Tali's dad, scared the hell out of him.

He went in the kitchen to make a start on dinner when he heard movement. Popping his head around the kitchen door, he saw Ziva still asleep. "Tali?" He called in a whisper. She came to the end on the little corridoor, cowering away from Tony. He sighed. "Tal, you don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you, I promise." She didn't move and he sighed. "What do you want for dinner tonight?" Asked her going back into the kitchen, she followed him to the door, keeping her distance, her left thumb now occupying her mouth. "There's not much in, I was thinking Pizza, from the place down the road?" She shrugged. Suddenly she felt herself being lifted as Ziva rested her on her hip.

"Pizza sounds good." She smiled, kissing Tony. She sat Tali on the counter, "feel better now?" She asked softly. Tali nodded.

"OK, I'll call ahead. What flavours should I get?"

"Get our usual 10 inch and Tali, what do you like?"

"I don't know, I've never had Pizza." She said in a small voice.

"I'll order a plain cheese then. OK?" He asked. She nodded weakly. He looked at Ziva, "you guys choose a film. it's gonna be like old times. You call I'll walk down."

"OK" Tony and Ziva shared a kiss. Then he kissed Tali on the forehead, ruffled her hair and left to find his jacket.

When Tony returned with the pizza, Tali and Ziva were curled up on the couch watching a disneyfilm.

"Where'd you find that?" He asked.

"On the shelf, why?"

"I didn't know I still had any of those films left, but oh well. Ok girls, tuck in."