A/N: For those who asked, yes there will be a Snapshot of Chaya's wedding, sometime in the late 30s. Always glad to hear you guys are still enjoying this, thanks so much for sticking around! :) ~Aliyah
November 2009 (2 months after SMH. Chaya = 7 months, Haven = 1 ½ months)
November twelfth came very quietly, without Ziva realizing it. Tony woke her up with a kiss and she blinked slowly. "Good morning."
He grinned. "Happy Birthday Zi."
Her eyes widened and she looked at the clock as if that would tell her that date. "That is today?"
Tony chuckled. "As long as you haven't changed your birthday to next week, then yeah, it's today."
She took a moment to absorb the change and remember how old thirty had seemed when she was a young girl in training. Now it felt like her life had just begun, and there was still so much left to do. Ziva pulled Tony down again to brush her lips over his, but he was too excited to indulge in the kiss, and rolled over, getting something out of the nightstand drawer. Ziva smiled when he handed her a small, present covered in colourful paper, and pushed herself up a bit to slowly undo the ribbon. Lifting the lid, she found a pair of heart shaped diamond earrings. They were studs, because wearing anything dangly in their line of work was not wise, and unique, with one side of the heart done in gold scrollwork and the other side glistening with sparkling stones. She held them up and smiled.
"Like them?" Tony asked, pretty pleased with himself.
Ziva leaned over and kissed him slowly. "They are beautiful Tony, thank you."
Gently he tucked her hair behind one ear, pressed his lips to her earlobe, and released the first earring from the backing, then slid it carefully into the pierced hole. He did the same with the other side and moved back to take a look. "I knew they'd look great on you."
Tony framed her face with his hands and angled his head, pushing his lips between and over hers. The give and take of the kiss was dragging them both under when suddenly the baby monitor came alive and they broke apart to laugh at their daughter's loud announcement of being awake. He gave her a look promising they'd come back to this moment before leaving to get Chaya. It took longer than Ziva thought it should, but she understood when they returned holding a fresh rhubarb muffin with a lit candle stuck in the center that Tony was trying to keep Chaya's fascinated fingers away from.
"Make a wish Zi," he grinned, taking in their daughter's wide brown eyes as she babbled non-words in her sweet voice.
Ziva shrugged. "What on earth could I wish for? I was never even supposed to get this." She blew out the flame and Tony laid Chaya on the floor with Bunny. The seven month old rolled from side to side, squirming around as she tried to get her sleeper covered feet into her mouth.
He sat down beside his wife, flipping some hair over her shoulder. "What do you mean?"
Ziva sighed. "In Mossad operatives rarely live to see thirty. I never planned my future because there was not going to be one. That I am alive and have a family is a miracle."
Tony bent his head and kissed her softly, pulling her into his arms and burying his face in her neck. "I would be so lost without you."
She sat back, feathering her fingers over his face. "And I would have missed so much, not being her mother or your wife. Thank you ahava, for giving me this birthday. Last summer it did not seem possible."
Their lips met again and the couple only parted when Chaya squealed. Ziva chuckled and Tony retrieved their daughter, bringing her back to her mother. "Were you feeling left out princess? Sorry. Mommy is very distracting."
Ziva raised one eyebrow and smirked at him, then lifted Chaya into her arms. "Boker tov tatelah. Did you sleep well?" Chaya grinned and clapped her hands against Ziva's cheeks. Ziva nuzzled her neck, breathing in her baby's scent. "You are so precious," she murmured, "will you ever know that you are my greatest gift?"
"Hey," Tony protested, "what about me?"
She laughed. "Can you not both bear that title? I would not be able to choose between you."
He rubbed his fingers up and down Chaya's back lightly. "Yeah, I guess I can share with the munchkin. I'd pick her too if I were you."
Ziva swallowed and hugged Chaya close, then invited Tony to join them. He scooted over to her side and wrapped his arms around both girls, kissing Chaya's head and capturing his wife's lips. "I love you."
"And I you." She sighed and felt a contentment she'd never known before. Today she just wanted to remember what a blessing it was to be alive.