Sorry I haven't updated for a while.
Here's the next chapter.
Gibbs' POV
I watched Tony and Ziva while they ate their lunch at Tony's desk, Paine seated in Tony's lap drinking from a bottle while Ziva smiled and made funny faces at him.
"Rule Number 12 is so being broken." I heard McGee muttered almost silently as he walked by my desk.
Don't date your co-workers... The thought raced through my head over and over again as I watched Paine giggle and kick at Ziva.
"Yes, it is." I said and stuffed another piece of roast beef covered in Special Sauce into my mouth. "And I can't help but wonder what I should do about it..." I continued as Ziva stood and returned to her own desk. Tony also stood but headed for the elevator, I assumed to return Paine to the daycare. "Still haven't found a new babysitter, DiNozzo?" I asked as he turned back to set the bottle down on the desk.
"Yes and no." Tony replied, walking to stand in front of me. "I found this new place but then decided that I like having Paine here, you know, close by." Tony added even though I was nodding. "Plus, I got the woman who runs the daycare to drop the daily cost."
My eyebrows shot up.
"And how did you do that?" McGee asked suspiciously.
"I threatened to tell her husband about all the late night credit card expenses she's been racking up over online sites." Tony declared with a grin as he exited the bullpen just in time to miss the elevator. "Damn it!" I heard him shout and then gasp. "I- I mean DARN!" Tony shouted louder as he caught sight of his son peering up at him with big blue-green eyes.
"Oh, he's still got some learning to do." I said happily as I smirked and went back to my meal.
"That he does." Ziva agreed, an irritated grimace on her face.
My smirk turned into a flat out grin. Maybe I didn't need to do anything about the breaking of Rule Number 12, it seemed like Tony was getting punishment enough from Ziva as it was.
"They'll be just fine." I muttered and finished my lunch, swiping a napkin across my lips to clean them before rising and leaving the bullpen.
Ziva's POV
Work slowly dwindled to a close and finally it was time to go home, or so I thought.
"Dead Marine, grab your gear." Gibbs announced as he entered the bullpen.
My eyes flickered to Tony and I was met with a frantic look.
"Boss?" Tony's voice was quacky.
"Yeah, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, turning around, bag in hand.
"I... what am I suppose to do with Paine?" He finally asked, his eyes searching Gibbs' unmoving features.
"Leave him with Abby, she'll be here until we get back." Gibbs answered without pause, causing Tony to flee the bullpen without his gear.
I sighed and moved behind his desk, gathering everything he would need before turning to find Gibbs' frowning face.
"What is it!" I asked, slightly offset.
"DiNozzo usually gets that car... this isn't going to work." Gibbs muttered and headed for the elevator, McGee and I hot on his heels.
"What isn't going to work, boss?" McGee asked as we all reached the shiny metal box.
"Him dropping Paine off at Abby's, someone else will have to do it." Gibbs said as the doors slid shut.
"Or Abby could pick Paine up when the daycare closes for the day... If Tony has to work, that is." I added quickly. "Then Paine would be taken care of and Tony would still be able to fetch the car." I finished, appealing to Gibbs' logic.
Gibbs nodded slowly. "That would work." He said finally.
McGee let out a breath of air I'd noticed he'd been holding in.
"Something wrong, McGee?" Gibbs asked, turning on the man. When McGee only stared at Gibbs, he added. "Spit it out!"
"Nothing! Boss!" McGee said quickly, blinking rapidly as he spoke.
"Uh-huh," Gibbs grumbled as the doors opened and we were released into the lobby.
"Nice one." I whispered as I passed my colleague.
"Hey! I'm working on something!" McGee declared, only slightly offended.
"Hu-huh," I mimicked Gibbs' own words as I smirked and exited the building after Gibbs.
"Hey! Wait up!" Tony shouted from inside just before the door closed behind McGee.
Not wanted to appear any different from usual, I didn't wait.
"I'll wait for you, Tony." McGee called childishly as he stopped and indeed waited for Tony.
"Right," Tony huffed and fell into step beside me.
Tony's POV
I finally got home late that night, way after my bed time. Way, way after Paine's bed time! Paine, of course was already asleep in my arms... Ziva was saying at her place for the night since we still had to get up in the morning and head into work...
"I guess it's just you and me tonight, little man." I said and laid Paine down in his cradle and tucked him in, kiss and all, before going to check my answering machine.
The first word I heard, after that really long, annoying, automated voice message, was, "Junior!"
"Crap," Was the next word uttered in my apartment. It of course came from my lips and was not quite as strong of a word as I would have like to use. Unfortunately, Paine seemed to be having a huge effect on my vocabulary. "Paine," I whispered as my eyes found my sleeping son. "Oh boy," My words had a double meaning.
