Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS
Chapter 8: Are you?
Two days later
Night time was beginning to settle, yet the squad room was ablaze with lights. Ada was blinking sleepily in Ziva's lap, dozing slightly, her eyelids drooped. Ziva felt so comfortable with Ada in her lap, it was as it always should have been. Ada, her….and Tony.
Ada had gotten to know her so well over the two days they had got to know each other. The little girl trusted her, had understood that there was a deep bond between the two of them. Tony had also interacted with his daughter, and Ziva had found that Ada and Tony's personalities were very similar.
She let herself relax, her arms coiled snugly around Ada, and her eyes closed. She hummed a lulling tune.
Gibbs was about to walk into the bullpen demanding to know the information that they had all gathered on Aaron Judd, yet he caught sight of Ziva and the sleeping child. His heart panged slightly, the child was so adorable, just like his Kelly. He remembered being a father so vividly.
Ziva holding Ada was so natural, that Gibbs' deepest suspicions had been confirmed. No child who had just gotten to know a stranger in a week or so would have allowed herself to sleep on the stranger's lap.
Gibbs sighed, and walked into the bullpen.
The sleepy mood had infected Tony, his eyes were closing as he typed slowly, with one finger, on the keyboard. McGee was down at Abby's, and no one was making any noise, save the faint tune being hummed by Ziva.
"DiNozzo!" he heard a bark.
"Strawberries and cream and all things sweet……mmmmm….," he mumbled, "Boss! Um…." His eyes tried to fly open, but he remembered that they were already open anyway so there was no need.
"Done anything other than have a beauty sleep?" Gibbs asked, sarcasm evident in his tone.
Ziva had also jolted awake, and Ada was rubbing her eyes tiredly. Gibbs was about to bark once more, when Vance descended the staircase, clearly wishing to talk to Gibbs' team. Gibbs sighed, took a long swig of his coffee, ready to face the question.
"Director Vance," Gibbs drawled, glaring at the man who had a toothpick in his mouth and was chewing it.
"Special Agent Gibbs. I understand that Adiel Greene, the daughter of the deceased Aisha Greene and Lieutenant Greene is currently in our custody. I wish to know who she will be going home tonight with." Vance commanded, returning Gibbs' glare. Ada had been with Ziva (and Tony) for the past week.
"I am taking her home, Director," Ziva answered curtly. Ada was standing beside her, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Vance nodded.
"Very well, Officer David," Vance turned on his heel and left.
"David, since DiNozzo has not done anything, I wish to know what you have done," Gibbs strode to his desk.
"I…" It was one of the first times Ziva could not find a clear answer. She had looked after Ada, if that counted.
"Go home, Ziva. You too, DiNozzo," Gibbs commanded. Ziva and Tony looked at each other, slightly shocked.
"Do I need to tell you two twice?" Ziva took Ada's hand, and walked out of the bullpen, followed by Tony trailing behind them. The three of them stepped into the elevator.
Once the elevator doors closed, Ziva picked Ada up into her secure arms, absentmindedly rocking her gently.
"Hand her to me, Zee. She's too heavy for you," Tony suggested.
"She's not heavy for me. But you can carry her," Ziva placed Ada down, and Ada was picked up by Tony.
"So, your place?" Tony asked.
"Yes, Ada will…"
"Come in my car. I don't want our daughter dying because of your driving habits," Tony mocked, shifting Ada's weight. Ziva scowled at him, but consented, too tired to argue.
Ziva unlocked her door, and let Tony, Ada and herself inside.
"Put Ada on my bed, Tony, I'll ring for pizza," Ziva whispered, as she turned on the lights. Tony nodded.
Soon, the pizza (double-pepperoni and cheese) had arrived, and the two settled down on the couch, each with a slice of pizza in their hand.
"You still got the DVDs I lent to you?" Tony asked.
"Yes! They're in the drawers under the television." Tony scurried happily towards them to retrieve them. Funnily enough, he picked out "To Kill A Mockingbird" and inserted it into Ziva's DVD player. The familiar voice over of Scout began, as the black and white film panned through Maycomb County.
"Why this movie, Tony?" Tony popped a piece of pepperoni into her open mouth.
"Classics are nice sometimes, Zee-vah. We all love our old movies. To Kill A Mockingbird happens to be…." Tony began to ramble, as Ziva half-listened, resting in his warmth.
It was half-way through the movie, when Atticus had just shot the mad dog. Tony imitated the mongrel, causing Ziva to laugh heartily. Suddenly, they heard feet moving from the bedroom. Tony and Ziva raced there, to find Ada, up and moving, ready to come out to find Ziva and Tony.
"Ada, darling, how was the little sleep?" Ziva smoothed the girl's hair.
"Good," she mumbled. Ziva lifted her back onto the bed, cradling Ada head close to her chest.
"Aunty Ziva, you feel like my Mummy, and you also look like me," Ada stated, "Why is that? I've been trying to find the answer all week…."
"Ada…" Ziva began.
"Are you my Mummy? I don't know who my Mummy is now…is it you or my Mummy?" Ada began to cry. Tony sat down next to Ada on the bed, and held her close to him. Ada allowed herself to be cuddled as tears rand down her face. She looked up at Tony.
"And you, Uncle Tony. You look like me too. Your eyes look like mine, and your nose looks like mine too. Daddy never looked like me….why do you look like me? Are you my Daddy?"
Tony and Ziva looked at one another, speechless, and decided to tell her.
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