Chapter Ten
Tim drove Tony to the airport where he was taking an El Al Plane to Tel Aviv where Mossad would be picking him up. Tony quietly sipped the coffee that Tim brought for him. Glancing to his right Tim checked the mood of his friend.
"Okay, what's wrong?" he asked.
Tony smiled. Ziva had told Gibbs about Matan but no one else. He decided it was time to let others know.
"Ziva," he said.
Tim smiled.
"I should have guessed," he said. "She's in Israel now and you are headed there."
"It's more than that, Tim. Ziva has a son. His name is Matan and, wait for the drum roll, he's mine," said Tony.
Tim took in the information then quickly assimilated it before he allowed himself to speak.
"How long have you known you had a son?" he asked.
"Not long at all. She told me when I visited Gibbs in the hospital," said Tony.
"Jeeze," sighed Tim. "What are you going to do?"
"Eventually, I'm going to talk to Ziva and finally see my son, but first I'm going to deal with Faisal," he explained.
"I take it that you and Ziva aren't on the best of terms," remarked Tim.
"No, not really," replied Tony.
"I'm not going to give you advice because I've got my own problems, but I just want to say one thing," started Tim. "I know you both and you're both stubborn, so don't let stubbornness ruin any chance you got at happiness."
"Ziva is stubborn; I am not stubborn," remarked Tony.
Tim looked over at him and rolled his eyes.
"Keep your eyes on the road, Probie, I don't want to be on Jimmy's table being craved up before I get a chance to see my son," growled Tony.
"Yes, boss," smirked Tim.
"I liked you better when you weren't a smart ass," said Tony.
"You trained me, Tony," retorted Tim.
NCIS
The plane landed in Tel Aviv, the white city. With the help of Mossad, Tony breezed through security collecting his luggage and avoiding most of the hassles of a regular tourist. Malachi Ben-Gidon was the lead office, who picked him up. He shook Tony's hand, took his passport from him and had one of his men take care of the rest, while they waited in an air conditioned armored SUV.
"It has been a long time," said Malachi.
"No offense but I never thought I'd be here again after the last time I was in Israel," said Tony.
"Yes, you were looking for Ziva. It appears that you found her," smirked Malachi.
"You knew she had my son, but I didn't. I should have realized that. Who is my son's uncle? Adam?" growled Tony.
"Adam stays away from Ziva these days. For reasons I do not want to know she kicked his ass in training one day and threatened him with his life," Malachi said. "I must say that it got the attention of recruits and those who do not know Ziva."
"I wish I could have seen that," smiled Tony.
"I have it on video tape. I play it for myself when I need a laugh," admitted Malachi.
"Oh, please, please, pretty please show to me," begged Tony.
"We shall see," smiled Malachi.
For a few moments they fell into a silence. Tony wanted to change the subject away from Ziva. He closed his eyes and refocused himself.
"Have you guys been tracking Donald Faisal with the intel we provided?" asked Tony.
"We have a Kidon unit in Beirut," said Malachi. "We believe he is hiding there under the protection of Fadi Arslan. It is being investigated."
"And if he is there?" asked Tony.
"The unit is pulled and a new one will train and enter Lebanon and remove the threat then exit," said Malachi.
"I look for to speaking to Director Elbaz," he said.
"You want to be part of the time," chuckled Malachi.
"Maybe?"
"I hope she says no," said Malachi.
"Why?" Tony asked him.
"Because I like you," answered Malachi.
"I didn't know you cared," smirked Tony.
"I do have a heart," smiled Malachi.
"Sure you do," Tony said as he closed his eyes and put his head back to rest.
NCIS
Standing in the gym in Tel Aviv where Mossad officers either learned or re-trained in hand to hand combat, Ziva stood in her sweat gear looking at five new recruits. Matan was in Haifa with Hannah and Nettie along with a Mossad officer acting as protection. Ziva stared at one of the young men, who appeared smug and waved him to join her. The young man got up and walked over to her.
"What are you capable of?" she asked.
"I'm a black in Wing Chun," he smiled.
"Show me," said Ziva.
"With pleasure," he said.
Striking a pose he attacked Ziva. It didn't take long Ziva long to dismantle and embarrass the recruit. Within thirty seconds he was rolling around on a mat squirming in pain with Ziva looking down on him a big smile. She ignored the injured recruit and looked at the rest of them.
"Arrogance can get you killed," she said. "You are not trained and you are not the best. You might become the best, but you are not yet. Now, stand up. We are going to get started."
From an observation room, Orli Elbaz watched Ziva with pride. Although, she wasn't her daughter, her affection for Eli made her think of Ziva as family. The door behind her opened and Tony and Malachi walked into the room. Tony could see through the protective glass, Ziva with the recruits. He stood back so he couldn't be seen through the glass.
"Agent DiNozzo," she said without looking behind her, "good to see you again."
"Director," he responded.
"We should have word on Faisal's location in four or five days verified. Take some time to get acclimated then you will take some training with the team that will get deal with him," said Elbaz.
"Do you think he is being kept by Arslan?" asked Tony.
"More than likely," said Elbaz then she sighed. "Malachi, show him where he is staying and take Agent DiNozzo to dinner on Mossad."
"Yes, Ma'am," Malachi replied.
NCIS
Malachi chose a Chinese restaurant for dinner. For the better part of they talked shop leaving out the personal then Malachi decided that didn't needed some more life
"Have you met your son yet?" he asked Tony.
The chopsticks, which had chicken lo mein to his mouth, stopped before delivering the food to his mouth. So far the food was delicious and the company not too difficult to take, but the subject turning to Ziva and his son ruined what was left of his appetite. He put the chopsticks down.
"No, I haven't. Have you?" he asked.
"Yes," nodded Malachi. "He is adorable. His smile likes you and he loves movies. I watched several movies with him."
"What kind of movies?" Tony asked.
"Animated mostly. Ziva won't let him watch very much more than that," said Malachi.
"I have a few days to get acclimated, right?" said Tony.
"Right."
"Can you do me a favor? Can you take me to a video store and tomorrow or the next day take me to wherever he is, so I can visit with him?" asked Tony.
"Ziva has to be told," said Malachi.
"Yeah, sure," said Tony.
"I'll arrange a visit. Tomorrow I'll bring you shopping and the next day we'll go visit your son," said Malachi.
"Okay," beamed Tony, "I'd like that."
NCIS
Ziva was nervous. Tony was coming to see Matan. She had told him the day before and Matan spent the whole night asking if his av was there yet. Finally, she sang him to sleep. Unfortunately, he was up with the son and running around the house waiting for his av.
Ziva noticed that Nettie didn't say anything to her today. She was stubbornly silent, which she was semi-glad of because she had tired of hearing how she should have told him long before. Ziva looked at the clock. It was ten o'clock. He would be there any minute. Suddenly, the doorbell rang and Ziva almost jumped through her skin.
Matan went running to the door with Ziva in pursuit. She opened the door to see Malachi and Tony standing there. Tony looked Ziva and nodded then down at Matan. The black hair and green eyes spoke to who his parents were. He smiled at Matan and Matan smiled back.
"I'm your father," he said.
"Av," said Matan.
"I heard your name is Matan," he said.
Ziva watched the two of them in silence with her heart thudding away.
"Matan Anthony David-DiNozzo," Matan said his name.
"That's your whole name?" he asked.
"Yup," said Matan.
Tony looked at Ziva and smiled. He never had bothered asking what Matan's full name was.
"Please, come in," said Ziva. "Matan has been really looking forward to this."
"And you?" asked Tony.
"I have been nervous," she smiled apprehensively.
"Well, I come with gifts," said Tony.
He handed Ziva a bottle of red wine and then he handed Matan a bag with several wrapped presents in it. Matan carried the package into the living room with Malachi, Ziva, and Tony following him. He sat down on the floor and took out the first present and unwrapped it. It was the DVD Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He looked at Tony.
"I thought we could watch that movie together later," he said.
Matan nodded his head in the affirmative then he unwrapped his next two presents, which were the DVD Captain America: The First Avenger and a Captain America action figure. With wide eyes he looked up at Tony.
"Well, I thought we needed more than one movie to watch and Captain America was always one of my favorite heroes," said Tony.
"Watch now," said Matan.
"Open your final gift then maybe we can watch," he said.
Matan opened his final gift. It was an NCIS sweat shirt for his size. Ziva laughed at this.
"What's this?" Matan asked.
"It is a shirt from where your av and I met and worked together," said Ziva. "We were partners."
"Oh," smiled Matan. "Thank you, av."
"You're welcome, Matan."
"We watch movies now," he asked excitedly holding on to the two DVDs and action figure.
Tony looked at Ziva and with puppy dog eyes. She smiled at him and nodded yes.
"I'll set you two up in the study where you can watch the movies. I'll even bring you lunch in there when it is ready," said Ziva.
"What's for lunch?" asked Tony.
"I am making pizza for you. Matan loves homemade pizza," said Ziva.
"Av, come with me," said Matan, as he walked up to Tony.
"Okay, I'm coming," he said then he looked at Ziva for a moment.
Suddenly, he didn't want to be parted from his son and all his arguments and hard feelings with Ziva seemed lessened. They still had a great deal to work out, but he knew he was going to be in Matan's life one way or another.
NCIS
Ziva checked in on Tony and Matan. She opened the study door to see Tony sitting on the floor leaning with his back against the couch with Matan in his lap asleep. Matan held on to his Captain America action figure and on the coffee table was the remains of their shared pizza. Tony happily watched Captain America movie, while holding his son. The sight brought tears to her eyes. She shut the door and gave them their time together.
"How are they?" Nettie asked.
Ziva turned to see Nettie standing there waiting for an answer.
"Matan is asleep on his lap," she said.
"They belong together. Did you see how easily Matan got along with him? He shares many characteristics with his father and you know how I feel a boy needs his father," said Nettie.
"All I can do is hope for the best," said Ziva.
"Bull," said Nettie "I saw how he looked at you, Ziva; it can't be mistaken. He is still in love with you. If you give him some attention, make him feel that there is some hope for you and him; he will do whatever needs to be done for you to be a family. Do you want to be a family?"
Ziva looked at her. Did she? Did she want them to be a family?
"Do you want your son to have a father?" Nettie asked.
"Yes, I do," Ziva answered.
"Do you want to be a family?"
"Yes, I do," answered Ziva.
"Do you love me?" Tony asked her.
He was standing in the doorway. Ziva turned and looked at him. He stood there waiting for an answer. Ziva took a deep breath and then she answered.
"Yes, I do."
