Tali woke up around four on a Saturday morning, it was a little over a week before her eighth birthday, and her mind was too busy to pay attention to the early hour. One of her favorite things in the whole world was her dog, Zara. She was a vanilla lab and golden retriever mix, her golden coat made her think of the sunlight on the day of her fifth birthday, hence her name. Ziva bought her immediately after she got off work; she thought it was about time she had an excuse to own a dog and give it to her daughter. Tony only talked to Ziva about it once or twice and it was no secret he was apprehensive, but after seeing Tali hold Zara for the first time, his mindset changed. This dog was loving, gentle, and protective of Tali and she was everything to her.

She crept out of bed to grab a book off of her desk, she noticed her dog was outside her door and called to her in a volume a few levels above a whisper, "Zar-Zar".

The dog's ears went back and after a few calls she blinked awake; Tali calls so she must come. The dog sat and waited by Tali's feet until she decided to do some exploring around the house while her parents were asleep. Tali looked around the corner and down the hall, the bedroom door was closed and the only activity noticed were the noises of snoring from both her father and mother seeping out from the bottom of the door. In her mind she checked off make sure parents are asleep. Zara was a smart dog so when Tali looked back to her with a finger over her mouth and said "shh-shhh", they both slowly tip-toed down the stairs.

Tali's father told her not to go into one particular part of the house without his supervision and that was his office. She doesn't fully understand what her father does but he told her if she's ever asked what her parents do, to just say:

"Tali, if you are ever asked what your parents do for a living just say your mother is a teacher and your father, uh, he…he..hey Ziva?"

"Tony, she's five, she can say something ridiculous and people at school will take it with a grain of pepper."

"Salt… Alright, Tali, say that your dad gets bad guys."

She did not dare turn on any lights, so she brought a flashlight with her. She learned very young that her mother has very keen senses plus an incredible memory. She knew her mother had a past in law enforcement before she became a teacher, but her parents never brought anything more than that up.

Once she laid down on the couch, Zara made room for herself, stretching parallel with her owner. Tali read by flashlight while using Zara as a book holder. She finished the book but wanted to read something else or do something else. She then thought of her dad's office; thinking how perfect the opportunity presented itself, she had to take it. She reached the end of the hall and stood before glass double doors with white sheers hanging from the inside, right when she placed her hands on the knob to turn it, it clicked but didn't budge. It was locked. She (disappointedly) turned around along with her dog, and headed to the kitchen. Opening the jar of dog treats, she heard a voice coming a few feet behind her, the kitchen lights came on and it was her mother.

"Tali, bo he-na."

"Mom! I told you sneaking up on me, especially when my back is turned, scares me."

"I am aware." Ziva took the dog treat from her daughter's little hand and gave it to Zara. She then walks her daughter to the bar stools, "ma ka-ra?"

Her daughter sighs, "Ani lo yoda-at".

Ziva gets up to fill a kettle with water and quietly places it on the stove. "Ein be-ah-ya." She stands where her daughter sits, "Ma hasha-a?"

"I don't know, maybe five or six o'clock..."

"Then what are you doing up, Tali?"

"I told you I don't know, I just am." Ziva turns the kettle off and pours two cups of tea, she hands one to her daughter, "Todah, Imma".

"Bevakasha, Tali."

Her kindness is something Tali hopes to mirror, knowing Ziva won't simply go away and leave Tali alone in the kitchen, she tells her mother, "Ani lo me-vinah…ya' know…"

"What do you not get?"

"You and dad, it's like the past is secret from me."

"Is that why you tried to get into his office?" She said with a raised eyebrow, her daughter was not as sly as she thought she was.

"How did you know I-" Her mother was a ninja (so her dad said) and nothing gets by her, "you were watching me?"

"Mm mhm, I was watching you. I must say you are getting better at this sneaking around. Although, next time, you must know reading in the dark is bad for your eyes, motek"

Tali finishes her tea and pushes the cup aside, "I wanted to know what abba really does in there. That's all. I promise".

"Well, Tali, he catches bad guys." She looks to her daughter, that answer wasn't enough anymore, "Okay, he-"

"Kills people?" Tali was showing a trace of excitement.

Surprised by her daughter's question, she quickly responds, "No…well not anymore…"

"My dad killed people? How many? Did I know 'em?"

Ziva sighs knowing she was digging hole that needed to be covered as soon as it could, "it was before you were born".

"Did you kill people, too? Did you?"

"Tali! Enough!"

"Sorry…I just wanted to know more than what you were telling me."

Ziva was frustrated and frankly she was saddened by this conversation, "Please, I ask you, this… my past… it hurt me for a long time, Tali."

"I didn't know it hurt you, imma." Tali wrapped her arms around her mother, "I promise I won't bring it up again".

Ziva smiled at her girl, "No. I believe when you're older your father and I will tell you anything you want to know." She sees hope in her daughter's eyes, "but right now, all you have to worry about is your birthday and who you need to invite over." She gets up to put the cups in the sink, "do we have a deal?"

Tali smiled and got up from the chair, "We have a deal…I guess I wouldn't get all of it anyways, dad says I'm too young." She sighs, "What a pity youth is, my mind is only a seedling in this garden of life!"

Ziva rolls her eyes, "Oh, stop being so dramatic!"

"Never!" Tali laughs in a villainous tone, too overly-dramatic to take seriously.

"What have you been reading…?" She turns off the lights and heads back upstairs with her daughter, "Hey, Tali, Laila tov".

As she turns to go back to her room, Tali responds to her mother, "ani ohevet otach, imma!"

Ziva blows her a kiss, "Ani ohevet otach harbeh yoter mimeni".

Tali blows a kiss back and heads to her room with her best friend, Zara.

When Ziva climbs back in bed, she feels his arm around her waist pulling her towards his chest, "Tali wake you up?"

"Yes. She is one curious little girl." She turns to face Tony and they stare back at each other for a moment, "So dramatic…she's like you"

He chuckles, "nun-uh, dramatics is your area of expertise, Zee-vah".

"Ha-ha, whatever." She says, closing her eyes.

He closes his eyes to then say, "Mi ohev otach yoter mimeni?"

She blindly finds his cheek, "Ahuvi, mm, only you Tony, only you".

Note: transliteration was difficult for me, but I tried my best to translate the sounds into English text. Ahui=handsome guy, "Mi ohev yoter mimeni"=asking a female who loves her more than me, "Ani ohevet otach harbeh yoter mimeni" =telling a female from a female: I love you more than myself, Ma ka-ra= the equivalent of "what's wrong?", Ani lo yoda-at=I don't know, Ani lo me vinah="I don't understand"/ "I don't get it", Ein be-a-ya= "no problemo", "Ma hasha-a"="What's the time"/"What time is it"