Author's Notes: Wowie! Like 6 reviews in one or two days! Thank-you!! Thanks tivalover I'm happy to hear that you can imagine this happening and that you adore Nathan. Thanks M E Woffird glad you liked the budding relationship between the boys and Ziva's admittance. Thanks Nikki Taylor05 for your reviews. Glad you liked the story. Thanks to my two Anonymous reviewers, I'm happy to hear that you like the humor, the slow progression of feelings and relationships between the characters. Always happy to get reviews, even if i dunno who you are. And of course, thanks to Immirose!! I know you were prob busy, was just missing you! Thanks for the reviewing. I'm happy to hear that you love Nathan, I do too. And that you're sticking with this fic, no matter how long...Made me very happy about that!

So yeah, thanks everyone and as direct reponse to my awesome reviewers, here is the next chapter!!

Chapter Ten: Too attached

However long he slept for, Tony did not know. Ziva's snoring woke him once and then he woke up a second time as he felt Nathan move against him slightly in his sleep. But when the sun was finally bright enough to be considered morning, he got out of bed but was surprised to find Ziva wasn't there.

'Ziva?' he whispered, looking for her and found her in the bathroom brushing her teeth.

'Mmhm?' she mumbled, her toothbrush sticking out of her mouth as she turned to him, surprised that he was awake and hoped that there wasn't a reason for it.

Tony smirked at her early-morning state with her messy hair and ruffled nightgown. 'Just wondered where you were' he shrugged.

'Nnhm' Ziva mumbled again while nodding and resumed brushing her teeth and then spat in the sink. 'Why are you up?' she asked him. 'It is almost 5am'

'It is?' he groaned and ran a hand through his hair. 'I'm going to make breakfast' he decided, feeling he should contribute somehow as he was staying there and Ziva had been doing most of the work.

'Tony…'

'Just try and stop me' he challenged and she shrugged, not in the mood as she had woken from another nightmare and had other things on her mind. Gibbs had called last night to inform her that she had to be at NCIS by 9am to discus several matters and meet with people so she was getting ready for that and trying to anticipate what was going to happen. But then there was the fact that Nathan could not come, that she would have to part from him…even for a few hours, and it scared her.

--

Tony headed back to the bedroom and changed into some pants and a black shirt before heading down the stairs to cook some scrambled eggs. As he worked in the kitchen, his thought went back to the night before and a part of him wished that he could be a part of their family. It would be nice to have it all: a home, with his wife and child. He had to admit, Nathan was really growing on him and while the boy was clearly becoming attached, Tony feared that he was as well. And then there was Ziva, she was positively glowing when she heard her son laughing and enjoying himself. She let her guard down around her son, which probably wasn't a good thing considering their situation but then again, she wasn't very much like that when they went shopping so maybe it was just while they were at home? And last night…it just made him feel worst. That he and Ziva were on the verge of best friends and there was so much tension between them but it could not be explored or taken further. His insecurity to if she really felt the same way about him as he was realizing that he did for her, rule 12 and the stability of Nathan really put a damper on the moments that he wondered if they could be more.

While Tony was finishing breakfast and Ziva was busy putting on a pair of white, dangling earrings, Nathan rolled over but nothing stopped him from rolling completely over. He frowned and woke up, noticing that he was alone in his bed. He bolted upright but heard his mother's humming from the bathroom…and nothing else.

'Tony?' he realized and was afraid that he had left while he had been sleeping. Nathan panicked and jumped right over the side of the bed, making his feet hit the floor loudly and Ziva froze to the sound. She peaked out of the bathroom long enough to see Nathan running right past and down the stairs.

'Nathan?' she asked worriedly and followed him.

'Tony!' Nathan called out and ran right to him, hugging him roughly as he practically crashed into him.

'Oof' Tony winced as Nathan collided with him and held him tightly around the middle. He was lucky too because he had just put the last plate of eggs on the table.

'I thought you had left' Nathan looked up at him.

'Nah, just giving your mom a break with breakfast' Tony smiled and ruffled Nathan's hair before looking up to see Ziva's expression but she was staring at Nathan, looking concerned.

'Can I sit on the couch while I eat?' Nathan then asked his mother.

'Get dressed first, then you may eat where ever you like' she replied and watched him run up the stairs before approaching Tony. 'I have a meeting at NCIS before 9am, I am trusting you with the most precious thing I have' she glanced towards the stairs. 'I do not want to regret this'

'We'll be fine' Tony assured her. 'No one is going to touch him while I'm here' he nodded; his own protectiveness of Nathan started to show through.

--

While Nathan ate his breakfast in front of the TV, Tony and Ziva sat at the table and ate the scrambled eggs Tony had made. Ziva smiled at Nathan as TV was something he had never experienced before. She only actually got that TV about a month ago (of course, along with a DVD player) to shut Tony up as he constantly mentioned that she should have a TV. It had never even been turned on (okay, except maybe once or twice) until Nathan was returned to her.

'He has been through so much' she said, turning back to Tony, seeing that he had been watching Nathan as well.

'He's a brave kid, gets that from you' Tony said.

'You did not know his father, you cannot be sure' Ziva replied. 'But I fear he is becoming very attached to you' she sighed. 'No fault of yours' she added. 'Gibbs however…' she frowned slightly before continuing. 'Nathan appears to be doing very well, but I know he has a lot of recovering…is that the word?' Ziva frowned and Tony nodded. 'Yes, recovering…but I fear you will not be able to leave until he does' Ziva lowered her gaze. 'For that, I am sorry'

'It's not your fault' Tony shrugged. 'And honestly, I don't mind' he said and see looked at him in surprise. 'He's a cool kid, I'm happy to stay'

Ziva nodded and thanked him. While she was thankful she was also a bit disappointed, only slightly wishing that he wanted to stay for her as well as Nathan.

Nathan frowned as he could hardly hear the TV now and turned around, sitting up on his knees to watching the kitchen scene in amusement.

'I can wash dishes myself' Ziva was frowning loudly.

'Come on, let me do something' Tony argued back. 'I feel unappreciative and useless here'

'This is my house!' Ziva scowled, hating that he was trying to help her with everything. 'You are my guest so shut up and let me wash my own dishes!' she hissed angrily and he backed down.

'Get a room!' Nathan called out and they both froze, turning to stare at him.

'Did he just tell us to get a room?' Tony frowned, utterly shocked and confused by his own two ears as Ziva approached her son.

'What did you say?' she asked.

'Uh, that's what that guy said' Nathan pointed to the TV. 'Sally's parents were fighting and he told them to get a room…why do they need a room?'

'Okay, TV is going off' Ziva said as she did not want her son to find the answer to his question. 'And it stays off' she added when he groaned. She looked down at her watch and saw it was already after 8am. 'I have to go' she said to Tony.

'I'll wash up' he offered with a smirk.

'Go?' Nathan jumped off the couch. 'Mama, where are you going?' he panicked.

'I have to talk to my friends at NCIS for a while; there are some people that are coming to meet me. It is very important but I will only be gone for a few hours' Ziva explained calmly. 'Tony will be right here with you'

'Yeah, we'll have lots of fun. You won't even know she's gone' Tony jumped in with an enthusiastic grin but Nathan hadn't seemed to have heard him.

'Take me with you' Nathan begged, grabbing Ziva's arm.

'I cannot' she replied. Ziva did not want him to make it harder for her than it already was. She was scared to leave her son here with only one protector as she goes to her unavoidable meeting with Gibbs and several other agency officials, including her father. 'I do not think I can do this' Ziva then whispered to Tony.

'Nathan will be fine' Tony insisted, not sure if he liked the idea either but what choice did they have?'

'I am going to need my arm' she said, looking down at her son. 'Please Nathan, I promise you that you will be fine'

Nathan sniffed and looked up at Tony, needing more assurance.

'Hey' Tony said, crouching in front of him, he hating seeing tears in Nathan's eyes as his eyes were so alike Ziva's. 'I am not going anywhere, okay? I won't even leave your side. By the time your mom gets back, you'll be sick of me' he said, adding some humor in hope of lightening the mood and it did, bringing a small smile to Nathan's face.

'You promise?' Nathan looked up at Ziva, letting her arm go as he hugged her.

'Yes' Ziva hugged him back and kissed atop his head. 'I will be back in a few hours, I promise'

'Okay' Nathan sniffed and let her go.

Ziva turned before she could change her mind and left while Nathan walked backwards until he could feel Tony behind him, needing the comfort and security as he departed from his mother and it brought back those painful memories.

Tony wasn't good with words and he did not know how to comfort upset children or people in general, but Nathan had touched his heart in the same depth that Ziva had and he wanted to help Nathan feel better so he did what he had seen Ziva do when he was this upset.

'Nathan' Tony said and he turned to look at him.

'Don't worry, she'll be back' he said and placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder before realizing it wasn't enough and picked him up so he could hug his tears away. It was like some sort of weird instincts inside him had shown up whenever he saw Nathan or Ziva upset. Nathan started crying whole-heartily as he wrapped his arms around Tony's neck and buried his face in his shoulder. Feeling secure that Tony wasn't going anywhere but at the same time it hurt to watch his mother leave.

'It's okay tough guy, cry it out' Tony rubbed Nathan's back, hoping that what he was doing was enough.

Author's Notes: And there is chapter 10! Please let me know what you think, and you know how it goes: the more/longer reviews I get the faster I update cuz it's motivating and makes me happy.

-Mel