Fighting the Nightmares
When McGee and Tony arrived back at headquarters Ziva was sitting at her desk with Chloe on her lap and Tyler on the floor with a coloring book and crayons. Jenny was also on the floor, next to Tyler, coloring a page that looked as though it had been ripped out of Tyler's book.
"Hey," Ziva said.
"Hey," Tony replied, leaning across Ziva's desk and kissing her on the forehead. "Jenny, should you really be on the floor?" Tony asked, giving his best Gibbs stare.
"Agent DiNozzo, that look won't work on me, I was trained long before you were to speak "Gibbs". I am perfectly fine," Jenny said, shooting a Gibbs glare right back at Tony. Tony shrugged and sat down at his desk and began typing on the computer. McGee did the same. The two women looked at each other and then looked back at the boys.
"What's up?" Ziva asked.
"When we got to the house, Lisa Hollaway was lying on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood. She's still alive but she's been badly beaten," Tony began.
"Gibbs wants up to check Corporal Kierny's phone records to check for any other base wives he might be after," McGee finished. Just then, McGee's computer beeped. The other four in the room looked up. "Just got a purchase on Corporal Kierny's credit card," McGee said and Tony stood up and clipped his gun onto his belt.
"Where is he?" Tony asked.
"He's at a convenience store in Georgetown," McGee said. When he said this, Ziva stood up and deposited Chloe into Jenny's lap and clipped her gun on as well.
"Where do you think you're going?" Tony asked, staring at his wife.
"With you," Ziva said simply, glaring at him.
Tony and Ziva pulled up to the convenience store and looked around before they exited. They entered the store and approached the counter, holding up a picture of Corporal Kierny.
"Was this man just in here?" Tony asked the clerk. The clerk nodded.
"What did he purchase?" Ziva asked.
"A Pepsi, some chips, and a hunting knife," the clerk said. Tony and Ziva just looked at each other. Ziva pulled out her phone and dialed Gibbs.
Gibbs was on his way back to headquarters when his phone rang, it was Ziva.
"Yeah, Gibbs," he said into the phone.
"Kierny is now armed with a hunting knife," Ziva said.
"What?" Gibbs said.
"McGee was tracking his other phone calls when it alerted him that Kierny used his credit card at a convenience store in Georgetown. Tony and I are here and he purchased a hunting knife," Ziva said. Gibbs swore under his breath.
"Alright, you two get back to headquarters," Gibbs said. "Ziva, when you get back, I want you to take those kids home with you. Take Abby so you have extra help," Gibbs said.
"Alright," Ziva answered.
When Tony and Ziva arrived back at headquarters, Tony helped Ziva pack Tyler and Chloe up and then Ziva and Abby drove home. When they got there, Sarah McGee was holding Kelly while Chaim played with his toys on the floor Dexter was sitting in the doorway, his tail hardly moving.
"Hey, Sarah," Ziva said as she set down Chloe's diaper bag and Abby came in behind her, Tyler in tow.
"Hey Ziva, Abby," Sarah said, standing up.
"How were they?" Ziva asked.
"Perfect, you're so lucky," Sarah said. "Some of the kids I sit for are little monsters." Ziva laughed at Sarah's comment as Sarah placed Kelly into her bassinet. Ziva bent over and retrieved her wallet from her bag and handed Sarah two twenties.
"Thanks," Sarah said. "Same time tomorrow?"
"If you can," Ziva said and Sarah left.
Meanwhile, Abby was introducing Chaim to Tyler.
"Tyler, this is Chaim, he's Ziva and Tony's son. He's a little bit younger than your sister," Abby said. Tyler eyed Chaim distantly. Abby could tell that Tyler wasn't used to being around other children. Ziva tried to put Chloe down, he she clung to Ziva like her life depended on it. Ziva threw a glance at Abby, her eyes clearly showing concern.
"Tyler," Ziva said. "Why don't you go help Abby get dinner ready? We can have pizza tonight, do you like pizza?" Ziva asked. Tyler nodded his head up and down and Abby led him to the kitchen to start the dough. Ziva sat down on the couch with Chloe and ruffled Chaim's hair. He looked at her and then climbed up onto the couch beside her.
"Mommy," Chaim exclaimed as he patted her cheek.
"Hi, baby," Ziva said, smiling at her son. Just then her phone rang. The caller ID read Gibbs.
"Hello?" Ziva said, answering the phone.
"Tony is on his way home right now," Gibbs said. "How are the kids doing?"
"Tyler is in the kitchen making pizza with Abby and Chloe still won't let go of me," Ziva said.
"Well, try to make her feel safe," Gibbs said. "And Ziva?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for taking care of them," Gibbs said.
"Anytime," Ziva said smiling.
A few hours later Ziva was finishing putting the kids to bed. She had set up Kelly's pack in play up in her and Tony's room and Chloe was sleeping peacefully. Tyler was in a sleeping bag in Chaim's room and of course, Kelly was in her bassinet next to Ziva. Tony was lounging on the bed flipping through channels. He lingered for a moment of an episode of The Girls Next Door, but quickly changed the channel when shot him a glare.
"What?" he said, shrugging his shoulders. Ziva just raised an eyebrow. Tony stopped flipping channels when he found Dexter on CBS. He put the remote down and opened his arms, into which Ziva collapsed gratefully into.
"Abby did a great job with the pizza. Not a bad job for a non Italian," Tony said. Ziva ribbed him.
"Just because people aren't Italian doesn't mean that they can't cook good Italian food," Ziva said, snuggling deeper into Tony's chest.
"So, my day basically sucked," Tony said.
"Yeah, mine too," Ziva said. "I feel so bad for those kids, especially for Chloe. She wouldn't let go of me until Tyler took her from me," Ziva said.
"She must have felt safe with you," Tony said. "I mean, you are a big, bad, assassin." This comment earned him another elbow to the rib.
"Tony, what are we going to do when we wrap this case up? I mean, they obviously feel safe with us, and I don't want to rip that away from them by putting them into the foster system. They've already been through enough."
"Are you saying that you want to adopt them?" Tony asked. Ziva paused, the sounds of Dexter filling the room. Ziva was about to answer when there was a yell from Chaim's room. Ziva jumped out of bed and ran down the hallway, Tony right behind her. Tyler was writhing around in his sleeping bag, yelling.
"Stop hurting her!" he yelled. "Stop, stop, stop!" Tyler was near hysterics now. Ziva ran over to him and gently shook him awake.
"Tyler, wake up! You're just having a bad dream," Ziva said as she took the now sobbing boy into her arms. Chaim was sitting up in bed, looking quietly down at the scene. Tony picked Chaim up and took him out of his room. Tyler clung to Ziva, his body shaking.
"He was hurting her," Tyler said in a small voice, tears running down his face.
"Who's hurting who?" Ziva asked, stroking his hair.
"Daddy's hurting Chloe," Tyler sobbed. Ziva held him tightly.
"Tyler, no one is hurting anyone, Chloe is safe," Ziva said.
Ziva fell asleep, leaning against Chaim's bed, holding Tyler. Tony had taken Chaim to their room and they had fallen asleep there. Ziva knew that she would do anything to fight their nightmares.
A/N: For all of you who waited so patiently, I hope you enjoyed this! Special thanks to Cable Addict who inspired me through my writer's block and talked to me while I couldn't think! Please review, cause you all love me and want to see another chapter!
