Author's Note: Thanks again guys for the reviews, I really do appreciate them. This chapter isn't anything really spectacular just some fluff. Let me know what you think.
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING.
"Mama no!" Tali whines as she buries her face in Ziva's chest, her little arms clinging to Ziva's neck. Ziva subconsciously pulls the little girl closer to her, unable to force herself not to. The woman in front of her smiles sympathetically at the display of anxiety both mother and daughter are feeling.
"Talia you'll have a lot of fun, I promise," The woman, Jackie, says as she gently touches Tali's back. Tali tenses under the woman's touch and tries to pull herself closer to Ziva.
"We will sit, I am sure she will play in a few minutes," Ziva smiles apologetically at Jackie and takes the seat on the sofa Jackie is motioning to. "Now Tateleh, look at Mommy," Ziva whispers to Tali as she adjusts Tali in her lap. Tali slowly raises her head just enough for Ziva to see her big eyes beneath a tuft of curls. "It is all right, I am not leaving you. I am going to sit right here and watch. You want to play, yes?" Ziva asks Tali as she gently brushes Tali's hair out of her eyes. Tali shakes her head adamantly then rests her head on Ziva's chest. Ziva sighs slightly at her daughter, unsure of where her shyness comes from, certainly one thing that she cannot blame on Tony and he cannot blame on her.
"Most of the kids have this reaction the first time at a play date," Jackie's warm tone helps to ease some of Ziva's worries and she smiles. Jackie offers Ziva and Tali refreshments and both decline, mother and daughter both staring off at the two children that are already in the floor playing.
Jackie is from accounting and her daughter is three months older than Tali. Ziva had been thinking about placing Tali in a play group because of her lack of socialization with other children but when Jackie had been bringing up information for the director she had stopped by Ziva's desk and asked her if she and Tali would care to join her daughter and her for their usual Saturday morning play date. Ziva had reluctantly agreed, surprising the team and especially Tony. Now as Ziva sits in a very nicely decorated living room in a richer part of D.C., her child clinging to her with a death grip, Ziva is not so sure of her decision.
There is already one woman that has arrived and Ziva is almost positive she has stepped out of one of Tony's fantasies. The woman, Nicole, is blonde and her clothing leaves very little to the imagination. Her child, Hannah, is a little social butterfly happily making rounds around the room, then happily going back to play with Jackie's daughter Jocelyn who is sitting quietly stacking blocks.
When the doorbell rings, signaling the arrival of another parent and their child Tali's head turns to the door, her curiosity peaked at the strange sounding doorbell. Ziva also watches as Jackie opens the door and welcomes another woman from accounting, Valerie Ziva thinks but isn't sure, and on the woman's hip is a little boy around the same age as Tali. The little boy also refuses to leave his mother's arms and whimpers when she tries to sit him down. Jackie directs her to the sofa and she sits down, her son in her lap.
"I see you have one too," Valerie comments as she nods towards Tali and Tali immediately hides her face again. Ziva chuckles slightly, more surprised by Tali's attitude than anything else.
"Yes, this is not normal for her; she is usually a lot like her father around people." Ziva smiles down at the little boy in the woman's arms as he looks curiously at Ziva.
"Yeah I've seen her before at the office; she's usually really….well like Tony." Valerie and Ziva share a slight laugh and Tali momentarily glances at her mother, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"Tali?" Valerie looks questioningly at Ziva and when she nods Valerie continues, "William here doesn't like new places either." Valerie motions to the little boy who is obviously rather captivated by Tali, his eyes never leaving her. Both Ziva and Valerie notice this and smile at their children.
"Tali, would you like to go play with William?" Ziva asks Tali softly. Tali looks up at Ziva, her brows furrowing in a familiar way that Tony deems 'the Ziva look'. Tali glances over at William and the little boy, for the first time since arriving, smiles at Tali.
Ziva is able to place Tali in the floor and Valerie places William beside her. The two look at each other for a moment and Tali reaches over, pulling at the pacifier that William has in his mouth.
"No no Tateleh," Ziva says gently as she takes Tali's hand away from William. William smiles at Tali and hands her the pacifier. Tali takes it and looks at it, turning it over and over in her hands. Unsure of what it is and what she is supposed to do with it she holds it up to Ziva, the same quizzical look on her face. "Give it back to William Tali," Ziva suggests. Tali turns to William and tries to place the pacifier in his mouth, missing his mouth and pressing the pacifier into his cheek. William laughs at this then takes the pacifier and places it in his mouth.
Three more mothers arrive with their children, the final count ending up at two boys and five girls. Hannah and Jocelyn stay in their little spot playing with blocks while a little boy named Hayden and a little girl named Jazmyn stay at their mother's feet in nearby chairs. Tali and William do not venture far away from Ziva and Valerie while playing with a few toys Tali dug through her diaper bag for. The youngest child, a little girl by the name of Lily, is only nine-months-old and she stays in her mother's arms watching as the other children play around her.
Jackie brings in a tray of refreshments for the mothers and a separate tray of toddler foods for the children. The children, much like the mothers, ignore the tray at first more interested in their surroundings. Jackie brings out a large tub of Lego Mega Blocks and places it in the floor; all of the children, even little Lily, all immediately go for the Legos. All of the children grab blocks leaving Lily without any to play with. Tali, who has grabbed six of the large blocks, looks at Lily as the little girl sits in the floor looking at the bright red block the little girl named Jazmyn is playing with beside her. Tali then toddles over to her and hands Lily a large green block. Ziva watches this exchange in amazement and her heart swells with pride as she witnesses the sweet exchange. She is momentarily worried though when Tali leans down to Lily and for a second she thinks Tali is about to bite the baby but instead Tali places one of her open mouth kisses on the little girl's head then goes back to her blocks.
None of the other mothers are paying attention to the children, all more interested in talking about their vacations they are taking or the new car their husbands have bought. Ziva though is thankful that she is not involved in the conversation; she would much rather watch her daughter play and share, and when Tali glances up from the Legos she is playing with she smiles at her mother, glad her mother's eyes are on her as she plays.