A/N: Ziva's potential job is based on real security consulting firm based in Texas. I read an article about them a couple of years ago that included an interview with one of their Israeli employees.
Tuesday afternoon, August 5, 2014…
"Get out of the car. NOW. Get out," Ziva demanded harnessing her growing fury.
It took every ounce of self-control Ziva had to reign in her temper and not yell mercilessly at Jamison. Standing next to the passenger side of her car, Ziva stared angrily at the girl. The child refused to budge from where she sat in the back seat of Ziva's Camaro.
"I don't want to get out," Jamison told her with a haughty shrug.
"Fine. I will remove you from the car and carry you into the building," Ziva announced in a hard voice reaching inside the vehicle for Jamison.
"Ziva!" the child protested momentarily shocked by the woman's strong reaction.
"If you do not wish to be embarrassed, then get out and walk," Ziva commanded in a hard voice.
"I hate you!" Jamison declared with a glare before slowly exiting the car.
Ziva mumbled in Hebrew as she locked her vehicle and ushered Jamison and Kori toward the entrance of the NCIS building. Despite getting to bed so late Sunday night, Jamsion had been unbelievably compliant all day Monday. Today had been a different story, however. It did not help that Ziva was feeling nervous about her meeting with Director Vance and his friend, Herman Finch.
Jamison was a predator capitalizing on the fear of her chosen prey. The child had been absolutely determined to make them late. Irina had been forced to cancel at the last minute after previously agreeing to babysit and Jamison had been deliberately uncooperative about the change of plans.
"I know you're saying jar words. I'm telling Dad," Jamison threatened as the trio boarded the elevator.
"I doubt your father will be surprised that your behavior has driven me to curse," Ziva responded pettily matching Jamison's threat to tattle to Tony.
"You're going to have to pay a dollar for every word you said. I counted ten. Ben zona, harah…," Jamison announced saucily before Ziva interrupted.
Reaching into her purse, Ziva angrily retrieved two twenty dollar bills. Holding them up, she let loose a string of curse words in multiple languages until the elevator stopped. Kori's eyes grew wide but Jamison merely tossed her head victoriously.
"Where is Tony?" Ziva growled angrily when she finally entered the squad room with Jamison and Kori in tow and found their father absent.
Ellie looked up in surprise. Ziva's conservative, professional attire was a stark contrast to her emotional, agitated demeanor. This was the passionate side of Ziva David that Ellie had been warned existed but the young agent had not yet personally witnessed.
"Got a problem, Ziver?" Gibbs asked nonchalantly unfazed by Ziva's display of temper.
"I have a meeting with Director Vance, Irina is sick, and Jamison is in need of a discussion with her father. Tony told me to bring them," Ziva bit out barely controlling her frustration.
"I sent him with McGee to check out a lead…," Gibbs began.
"GIBBS! Did Tony not explain? Is no one going to cooperate today? This meeting is important…," Ziva exploded before her former boss cut her off.
"I told DiNozzo the girls could wait with us. Go," Gibbs instructed firmly not hesitating to issue an order despite no longer officially being Ziva's boss.
Turning to Jamison next, Gibb's crooked his finger at the child and motioned her over to him.
"Are you giving Ziva a hard time today?" Gibbs asked sternly staring hard at the young girl.
With wide eyes Jamison gulped but remained silent. Her expression clearly revealed her guilt. Ziva turned reluctantly and headed toward the stairs. Now that her temper had subsided, Ziva regretted engaging Gibbs in Jamison's need for discipline. The child looked absolutely miserable.
"It stops now," Gibbs ordered Jamison a bit more gently when he could see that the child had grown remorseful.
"Sit," he commanded pointing to the floor space between his desk and Ellie's.
"Wow," Ellie mumbled turning back to her computer screen.
The young agent had only been working a few minutes when she heard a distinct sniff. Looking down Ellie saw tears making a trek from Jamison's eyes. The agent looked over at her boss but he deliberately ignored both her and Jamison as he helped Kori set up her dolls by Tony's desk. As much as Ellie had disliked Jamison at times, the young agent found it impossible to remain indifferent to the girl's crying.
Swinging her chair around slightly, Ellie reached out a booted foot and lightly tapped Jamison's tennis shoe. The child looked up in surprise.
With a glance at Gibbs to make sure he wasn't watching, Ellie mouthed silently to Jamison, "Want candy?"
Jamison nodded and Ellie announced, "I'm going to the restroom. Do you need to go, Jamison? What about you, Kori?"
Kori barely looked up from her fairy dolls and shook her head negatively. Jamison silently got up and followed Ellie after Gibbs gave them a nod of permission.
"What sounds good? Chocolate chip cookies? M&Ms?" Ellie offered her tag along friend as the two stood in front of the vending machine.
"Powdered donuts?" Jamison pleaded hopefully pointing to the sugar coated treat.
"Don't mind if I do," Ellie wisecracked as she dropped coins into the slot and pushed the button for Jamison's chosen treat.
Once they were seated at a table with an open tray of the white, sugary donuts between them, Ellie tried to encourage Jamison, "Don't feel bad. Gibbs gets on everyone's case."
"That's not why I'm sad."
"Oh, okay. Well, whatever it is, I hope sugar makes you feel better. It always helps me," Ellie told her nonchalantly.
"So what did you guys do this morning? Was it library day?" Ellie tried changing the subject.
"Ziva took us to this place where you get to paint stuff. I think it's called ceramics. I made a cool peace sign. We have to go back and pick it up after they put it in an oven. Ziva said she'd help me hang mine in my bedroom," Jamison shared.
"Ziva sounds like a really fun babysitter."
"Ziva is the best nanny I ever had. I'm going to miss her a lot," Jamison admitted sadly.
"You mean when school starts?" Ellie asked with a puzzled expression.
"She's getting a different job. That's why she had to go talk to Director Vance. I think it's going to be some place faraway like when she had to live in Israel. I like talking to Ziva for real and not on the computer," Jamison explained on the verge of tears again.
"Um, honey, I think you might have that wrong," Ellie attempted to corrected the child's misconception.
"No, I don't! I heard her talking about it," Jamison argued growing angry.
"Okay, I just thought your dad said something else, that's all," Ellie quickly backed down having learned from her previous experience with Jamison's temper.
After eating in silence for a few moments, Jamison asked curiously, "What did you think Dad said?"
"Well…I heard him tell Director Vance that Ziva didn't want another job until September and it had to be one where she didn't have to travel. I think she wants to stay close to you guys. You know, maybe you could ask your dad or Ziva about it. I'm sure they'd tell you if you asked," Ellie suggested.
"Maybe," Jamison agreed thoughtfully.
After several moments of contemplative silence, Jamison spoke again.
"Good talk, Ellie. Thanks for the donuts," she said sounding and looking remarkably like her father and causing his partner to hastily swallow a laugh.
Tony had been back at his desk for thirty minutes attempting to entertain his daughters while watching Abby impatiently pace the bullpen. The prospect of Ziva finding permanent employment in Washington was the only thing that kept Gibbs from exploding over the lack of work being done on their current case.
"They've been in there almost two hours. That means she has to be interested, right? This is Ziva. There's no way Ziva would keep talking just to be polite," Abby asked anyone who would listen.
"What's wrong with Auntie Abby?" Kori whispered to her sister.
"She's agi-gated," Jamison whispered back mispronouncing agitated.
"Oh," Kori nodded solemnly pretending she understood.
Finally, much to both Gibbs's and Tony's relief, Vance, Ziva, and Herman Finch emerged from the director's office and descended the stairs. It was obvious by Ziva's body language that she was excited. The meeting must have gone very well.
"This is Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo," Vance said by way of introduction as the trio surrounded Tony's desk.
"Herman Finch. I'm the managing partner at Guardian Consulting. I've heard a lot of good things about you this afternoon," the man said shaking Tony's hand before turning to the girls.
Recently retired from a successful career as a senior executive for a retail chain, Herman Finch was polished, distinguished, and outgoing while still appearing sincere. Tony had a good feeling about him.
"Now, who's Kori and who's Jamison?" Finch asked enthusiastically.
Tony answered for the girls pointing to each as he named them.
"I have a granddaughter your age, Jamison. I can see why you're reluctant to commit to anything full-time before school starts with these two beautiful young ladies at home. You have a lovely family," Finch told Ziva.
"I told you so," Ellie mouthed to Jamison with a grin after catching the young girl's eye.
"Let me know if you're able to work things out for dinner tomorrow evening," Finch announced before departing with Vance.
"Oh, yay! You're excited," Abby concluded once Finch and Vance were out of earshot.
"It's an intriguing opportunity," Ziva agreed keeping her voice neutral.
"So what does Guardian do exactly?" Tim wondered curious to know what type of civilian job would interest Ziva.
"Security and violence prevention programs for schools, day cares, and churches. Herman's granddaughter attends school in Connecticut. She's the inspiration behind his new endeavor. He came out of retirement to start the company," Vance interjected as he returned from walking Finch to the elevator.
Vance's pointed look at the girls and slight emphasis on the word Connecticut caused Tim to wonder if Finch's granddaughter might have been a student at Sandy Hook Elementary. School shootings were certainly not a topic for young ears, though, so he refrained from asking.
"My knowledge of Israeli security procedures and techniques would be beneficial to Guardian's mission. My background would also provide the organization with a marketing tool. I could do most of my work remotely from home," Ziva explained.
"Double told you so," Ellie teased Jamison prompting the young girl to stick out her tongue.
"Herman wants to take us to dinner tomorrow night. I told him I was not certain about childcare. I don't think Irina will be well enough," Ziva informed Tony.
"He invited both of us?" Tony questioned with surprise.
"I asked to bring you," Ziva admitted softly conscious that the others were listening.
It was clear Ziva had told Herman Finch enough about Tony and the girls that the older gentleman considered them her family. That fact combined with the invitation to dinner left Tony astounded. If he had doubted the changes in Ziva before today, he was convinced now.
When Tony's face lit up with a pleased smile, Ziva grew more bold and stated loud enough for the others to hear, "Herman's wife will be there as well. I want you to hear his vision in his own words."
Tony turned to Abby with a questioning expression but the forensic scientist looked troubled.
"I have a date. I'd reschedule but he stood in line for like days to get these tickets…," Abby informed them regretfully.
"It's okay, Abby. We will find an alternative," Ziva reassured her friend quickly while masking her own disappointment.
Ziva started to turn toward Gibbs to make a plea but was interrupted by Ellie.
"Hey, I have an idea! You guys could hang out with me. Do you like Chuck E. Cheese?" Ellie offered enticingly to the two young girls hoping to help Tony and Ziva.
"Chuck E. Cheese doesn't come to Washington, Ellie. Daddy said he doesn't like the other 'litical rats," Kori corrected sadly as Tony gestured wildly above the girls' heads.
"Yeah, Dad checked on the internet and everything and the closest Chuck E. Cheese is like four whole hours away," Jamison added.
"I pass the one in Silver Spring on my way to work every day, DiNozzo," Ellie argued incredulously.
"Well, how about that, guys? Looks like they finally built a Chuck E. Cheese in Washington," Tony told his daughters with false enthusiasm.
"It's been there the whole time I've lived here. I take my niece every time she's in town," Ellie corrected.
"Did you lie to your kids about Chuck E. Cheese, Tony?" McGee questioned accusingly while Abby joined Jamison and Kori as they glared at Tony.
"Thanks for ratting me out, McCheese. Listen, guys, it's just that Daddy really doesn't like rats. Especially when they sing and dance," Tony apologized to his angry daughters.
"Chuck E. Cheese is not a rat, Daddy! He's a mouse," Kori corrected him with her hands on her hips and an unhappy scowl on her face.
"Seriously, Dad, it's just a guy in a suit. It can't hurt you or anything," Jamison reassured her father having discerned that Tony had a genuine dislike of rodents.
"It's just wrong. Big giant happy rat walking around hugging innocent kids…," Tony muttered continuing his rant even as Ellie interrupted.
"Do you have a rat phobia, DiNozzo?" Ellie demanded to know.
"You had to ask," McGee muttered fully expecting a long diatribe about Tony's brush with the plague.
Ziva gave Tony a very stern glare with a side-eyed look toward the girls. They certainly did not need to hear about any incident where their father had come close to death.
"Creepy little rodents have germs and diseases and they stare at you with their little whiskers twitching…" Tony mumbled as he imitated a rat using his fingers for whiskers.
"The only germs at Chuck E. Cheese are from the kids, DiNozzo. We'll use anti-bacterial wipes," Ellie promised Ziva who was not concerned.
"What do you think? Would you like to go Chuck E. Cheese with Ellie while your father and I have a boring dinner with grownups?" Ziva asked the girls ignoring Tony.
"Sure," Jamison agreed enthusiastically.
"Will you be home to say good night to me?" Kori asked nervously.
"Probably not, Monkey, but we could call you on the phone," Tony suggested.
Now that the girls knew there was a Chuck E. Cheese in Washington, Tony decided he should encourage the idea of Ellie taking them in hopes he could escape a trip himself.
"I'll stay with you while you fall asleep. Come on, it's Chuck E. Cheese! Say yes and I'll share my tickets with you," Jamison offered persuasively.
"Okay," Kori agreed trusting her big sister's enthusiasm.
Ziva turned toward Ellie with a relieved smile and noticed a small bouquet of flowers on the young agent's desk. The arrangement was understated but exquisite and definitely not inexpensive. Catching Ellie's eye, Ziva nodded toward the vase with a questioning expression.
"From my husband," Ellie explained with a joyful smile.
"Anniversary? 'Cause I know it's not your birthday," Tony queried nosily.
The flowers had arrived an hour earlier and with the girls present, Tony had not yet had the opportunity to grill his partner about them.
"No special occasion. He just wanted to say I love you," Ellie shrugged her casual tone disguising the importance of her husband's gesture.
"Your husband is a romantic," Ziva congratulated her knowing the flowers meant the couple's relationship was improving.
Tony listened to the exchange with a frown. Guilt plagued him as he thought about the past two months. He had allowed Ziva to move into his home, care for his children, manage his household, and sleep in his bed all while giving her almost nothing in return. They had not been on a single date nor spent more than a brief couple of hours on Sunday mornings truly alone. Ziva would dismiss his concern and say it had been necessary for the girls' sake but Tony wanted to do better for the woman he loved.
I love her, Tony thought. His actions had provided evidence of it time and again but Abby was right. It was time to say the words. That would mean more to Ziva than flowers or any other romantic gesture.
"I got the scoop from the child whisperer. Jamison told Ellie she thought you were taking a job far away. No idea where that came from," Tony told Ziva that night when they were alone in the kitchen.
"It certainly explains her behavior the past two days. I should have realized something was bothering her but I was so focused on the job, I did not think. I was very angry and impatient with her," Ziva lamented overcome with guilt.
"She pushed your buttons. It's her specialty. I gave up on being the perfect parent with her a long time ago," Tony commiserated.
"We should talk with her at bedtime," Ziva suggested as she rinsed the dinner dishes.
"So, about the job," Tony prompted accepting the plate she handed him and putting it in the dishwasher.
"It is more than a job, Tony. Herman offered to make me a partner in the firm if I want to invest. That is why I wish for you to be at dinner with us," Ziva replied enthusiastically.
"Investing is a big commitment," Tony noted.
Tony was pleasantly surprised Ziva was including him in her decision. He was also thrilled with the idea that she was considering a financial commitment to something long-term in Washington.
"It may be the perfect opportunity. I could wait until September to start working and the schedule is flexible so I would still be available to the girls after school. It would involve a few evenings each month but Irina could help with that if you have a case. If the customer base expands beyond the immediate area, Herman said he would hire someone else to travel," Ziva continued hoping Tony would take the hint and discuss their future.
"Just tell Jamison she won't have to carpool to soccer practice this year. She'll love that," Tony encouraged.
"But do you love it, Tony? You have not said if you want our living arrangement to continue after the summer ends," Ziva wondered taking a more direct approach.
Tony moved behind Ziva slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her back against him.
"If you're asking me if I want to start doing the laundry again, the answer is no," Tony teased kissing her neck.
When Ziva stiffened in his arms, he gently turned her to face him.
"I want you here, Ziva. You make our lives better, all three of us. I love…our living arrangement," Tony told her.
Tony watched with secret amusement as Ziva tried and failed to mask her disappointment when he ended the sentence differently than she had expected.
"I love…that you've organized the hell out of us and this house runs like a well-oiled machine. I love…not sleeping alone. I love…all the home cooked meals I'm eating."
Tony openly laughed as Ziva's disappointment turned to glaring anger when she realized he was deliberately baiting her. She pulled out of his arms in a huff.
"You have not changed at all. You are just as immature as…" Ziva began to rant.
"I love…that annoying you never stops being fun," Tony joked dipping his fingers in the dishwater and flicking it toward her face.
"Careful, Tony, my skills have not changed," Ziva warned menacingly.
"I love…that you can still kick my ass," Tony smirked causing Ziva to roll her eyes and attempt to hide a smile.
Pulling her back into his embrace, he told her, "I love the way you challenge me to be better. I love that you believed in me enough as a father to buy me a condo. I love that you're the strongest person I know. I love watching you with Jamison and Kori."
"Enough, Tony, stop," Ziva ordered before kissing him.
"Just one more," Tony pleaded when the kiss ended.
"What?" Ziva sighed impatiently.
"I love…that I'm in love with you," Tony declared proudly.
It was clear he expected her to be impressed that he had finally said the words.
"I know," Ziva told him haughtily with an indifferent shrug.
"Oh, that's it? That's all you're going to say after all my work up to a big reveal?" Tony pretended to pout.
"My answer did not satisfy you, Tony? Fine," Ziva sighed with feigned irritation.
Changing her tone to one of tenderness she told him, "I know you are the reason I came home. I know you are the one who always finds me when I am lost. I know you are my best friend. I know that I am the happiest I have ever been when I am making life better for you and your daughters. I know that I am in love with you."
"Well, that only took us nine years. Maybe we're not so romantically dysfunctional after all," Tony quipped with his eyes filled with joy and love for the woman in his arms.
"Eww, that's gross," Jamison protested when she interrupted Tony and Ziva still kissing in the kitchen several minutes later.
"Note to self. Make out with the nanny after the kids are in bed," Tony joked in response.
"I'm sorry I almost made you late, Ziva," Jamison said regretfully.
"You do not need to apologize, mamileh. We are talking off the record. You are not in trouble. I only wish to understand what was bothering you," Ziva reminded the child gently while appealing to Tony for help with her eyes.
No amount of reassurance from Ziva had succeeded in getting Jamison to reveal the true reason behind her poor behavior earlier in the day.
"Come on, kid. This is one of those I can't help if you don't tell me what's wrong things. If you had a bad day, I want to make it better," Tony urged gently.
The three sat on the living room sofa talking after Jamison's shower. Tony and Ziva were hoping the child would volunteer her concerns about Ziva's potential job. They did not want to admit that Ellie had shared her conversation with the girl.
"I think I did something I wasn't supposed to," Jamison surprised Tony and Ziva with her response.
"Tell me now while it's still off the record," Tony teased doubting Jamison had done anything that merited concern.
As further reassurance, Tony reached over to where Jamison sat next to him on the sofa and pulled the child into his arms. She now faced Ziva with her back against his chest.
"I listened to grownups talking because I was nosy," Jamison admitted quietly.
"Another family trait you share?" Ziva teased Tony and Jamison.
"Because ninjas never covertly gather intel so it's impossible she learned this from hanging out with you all summer," Tony shot back sarcastically.
"Were you hiding so you could hear the grownup conversation?" Ziva asked Jamison in an amused voice.
"Did you use your iPod as a listening device?" Tony queried with mock seriousness.
"I don't even know what that is, Dad," Jamison giggled realizing she was not in trouble if Tony and Ziva were joking about it.
"Will you tell us what you heard, mamileh? Was it something upsetting?" Ziva wondered.
"At the party, when you talked to Director Leon about a new job. I heard him say he needed your help to travel all over the world and I was sad because I don't want you to leave but then Ellie bought me donuts and she said you want to stay here with us so now I feel better," Jamison explained summarizing the important points from a ten year olds' perspective.
"Alrightee, then, our work here is done. She ate donuts and she feels better," Tony joked.
"Perhaps someone should educate Ellie about nutrition," Ziva said with a frown recalling how little of Jamison's dinner had been eaten earlier.
"No, Dad, please don't say anything! Ellie was just being nice. I don't want to get her in trouble," Jamison begged.
"She's kidding, Shortcake, it's okay," Tony told his daughter with a stern look at Ziva over the child's head.
"It was very kind of Ellie to help you feel better," Ziva agreed with a grin reassuring Tony and Jamison that the criticism had been in jest.
"Oh, good," Jamison sighed with relief.
"You can buy Laffy Taffy with your tickets at Chuck E. Cheese and I'm going to get a lot but not if you tell Ellie no treats," Jamison added revealing her motives for defending Tony's partner were entirely self-serving.
"How do you know so much about that rat palace anyway?" Tony demanded to know.
"We've been there for birthday parties," Jamison explained causing Ziva to grin slyly at Tony.
"NO! No, no, no, no. You stick with that glamour girly tea party idea you had. You will NOT tell her Chuck E. Cheese is a possibility."
Ziva and Tony had been discussing how to best celebrate Kori's upcoming seventh birthday. Ziva had researched and found a tea room offering a children's party package that included styling the girls' hair with tiaras, giving them make-up and nail polish, and dressing them in princess costumes. The girls then had a fashion show followed by a special father and daughter dance for the birthday girl. The party ended with cake and punch served tea party style before the birthday girl sat in a replica of a horse drawn carriage to open her presents.
"I think you should allow Kori to choose the venue for her birthday party, Tony," Ziva asserted.
"I'm not going anywhere near that rodent casino, Ziva!"
"You would miss your child's birthday party just to avoid a man dressed in a mouse costume?" Ziva demanded to know.
Jamison, who had observed the exchange with great interest, now interjected, "Sometimes it's really a girl inside the Chuck E. Cheese suit, Dad."
"There you go. Think of the woman beneath the suit and you will be fine, Tony," Ziva told him.
"Maybe if you were in there na-"
Tony remembered his young audience just in time, or so he thought. Jamison quickly disillusioned him.
"Were you going to say naked, Dad?" the child asked quizzically.
"He was concerned I would become too warm inside the costume," Ziva attempted to give a benign explanation.
"I bet it is pretty hot in there but it's not okay to be naked at Chuck E. Cheese, Dad. I think Ziva should wear a swim suit," Jamison decided.
"Good idea," Tony agreed quickly.
"Mamileh, did Ellie explain that the job I am considering will be here in Washington? I do not want to leave you when the summer ends," Ziva told Jamison returning to the original reason for the conversation with the child.
Jamison nodded before asking, "Will you take care of us after school?"
"We will see. There may be some days when I am working but I will pick you up early as often as possible. And your father says I will be in charge of taking you to soccer practice," Ziva teased.
"Yay! No more carpooling with meanie Lauren," Jamison cheered with a wide grin.
"Told you she'd love that," Tony added.
"I am quite anxious to meet your coach," Ziva told Jamison with a smirk.
It's a good you thing you gave up killing, Tony thought silently as he pictured Ziva's reaction if the soccer coach resumed flirting aggressively with him in the fall. His smile drew a shrewd look from Ziva as Tony pictured a good, old-fashioned cat fight between the former assassin and the soccer coach.
"Not funny, Ziva. Not funny at all," Tony declared staring at her as she exited the bathroom to join him in bed later that night.
She was completely naked except for the paper Chuck E. Cheese mask she had downloaded from the company's website.