Rifiuto: Non Miriena

Thanks to silvermoon217 for reviewing 20 and 24; and Reader for reviewing 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24.

"I don't have a boyfriend!"

"No, you have two! Ow! Do you have to hit?"

"Don't make fun of me and I won't hit you!"

"Well stop acting like you're better than everyone else and I won't make fun of you!"

"I am better- at least better than you, brother!"

"And what makes you better?"

"Simple. I'm a lady, like Ima." Ziva chuckled softly, rolling her eyes as she listened to her two youngest argue. As long as they didn't seriously injure each other or break something, Ziva really didn't mind the arguing, and she often found that the best entertainment came from her children. She glanced down at her oldest; Asher was helping her can the fruit preserves; they'd all gone out earlier to the beach, spending the early morning walking along the sand as a family- something Ziva knew her children loved to do, even more than when they were with friends. The boy leaned into his mother's side, and Ziva reached down, wrapping her son in a hug.

"You're not a lady! You're nothing but a sister! And an annoying one! Ow! That hurt!" Ziva snorted softly; she knew that if Zipporah hadn't hit Liron in the back of the head, she'd most likely hit hard enough to bruise his shoulder. She glanced down at Asher.

"What do you think, my angel?" She whispered conspiratorially. "Should we break up the fight before they kill each other?" Asher wrinkled his nose, thinking.

"Can we watch instead, Ima? It'd be fun to watch." She chuckled, pressing a kiss to her son's head.

"Don't pull my hair!"

"Then don't hit me!"

"You aren't supposed to pull a lady's hair! It's rude!"

"You aren't a lady, Zippi, you're a sister!" Ziva and Asher stayed in the kitchen, laughing softly over the arguing taking place in the living room, over what, they didn't know.

"What is going on?" Both stopped their laughter as Tim's voice broke up the fight, and Ziva quickly set the empty jar down and rushed into the living room. Tim stood with his hands on his hips, surveying the scene before him. Liron was laying with his face pressed into the floor, with Zipporah sitting on top of him, holding his arms behind his back. Ziva covered her mouth to hid the soft laughter. Tim turned to her. "You have any idea-" She shook her head.

"Abba, get her off me, please! She's fat!"

"I'm not fat, you're just stupid!" As the two continued to argue, Tim decided that it was time to end whatever was going on and went to his two youngest, taking Zipporah's arm and yanking her to her feet before helping his youngest son to his.

"What the hell is wrong with you two?" He demanded, ending the continuing attempt to harm each other in some way. Both looked up at him, eyes wide. "Have you lost your minds?" They shook their heads.

"No, Abba."

"Then what the hell were you trying to do besides kill each other?" He replied, forcing them both into the kitchen towards the table. Once the kids were seated, Ziva and Asher returned to their work, paying close attention to the other three. Tim leaned against the back of one of the other chairs. "Explain."

Neither spoke, they just shared glances. A moment passed, before Zipporah spoke up. "Liron said I had a boyfriend. I don't have a boyfriend."

"I said you had two boyfriends, and you do!" Liron replied. Zipporah glared at him.

"I don't have a boyfriend!" Tim held up a hand, and the two instantly shut up.

"Start from the beginning. What boy?" Ziva rolled her eyes. She glanced at her oldest son, leaning close to whisper in his ear,

"And here we go." Asher giggled.

"Kevin Ó'Bradáin, Abba. And Owen Teagan. Owen dances with us and Kevin plays soccer." Tim narrowed his eyes. "They both like Zippi, and she says she doesn't like them, but she does. So she has two boyfriends to choose from. Ow!" Liron turned to his sister; she glared at him, silent. "Don't do that!"

"Stop it, both of you!" They instantly stopped, silent. Tim turned to his only daughter. "There will be no boys in this house except for your brothers, do you understand me, Zipporah?"

"That's not fair, Abba!" She cried. "Brother has a girlfriend, you let Devin come over all the time!"

"She's not my girlfriend, Zippa!" Asher snapped, turning to his sister.

"You kiss and hold hands, isn't that what girls do with boyfriends who date?" She challenged.

"We aren't dating! We're just friends!"

"Who kiss!" Tim pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing. Zipporah turned to Liron. "And you have a girlfriend!" Liron narrowed his eyes at her.

"Keavy is not my girlfriend!" He ground out, glaring at his sister.

"Ken, she is! You kiss her all the time!" Zipporah replied. Everyone stopped when Ziva dropped a jar in the sink, causing it to shatter.

"Are you okay, Ima?" Asher asked, worried. Ziva nodded, rinsing the small cut on her finger.

"Ken, I'm fine, my angel." Once she'd dried her hands, she turned to her youngest son. "Now... who is Keavy?" Everyone turned back to Liron, who sank into his seat. "Liron David, who is Keavy?" He swallowed.

"She plays curling, like Asher."

"Why didn't you introduce us to her?"

"You've met her, Ima. She's gone to the beach with us."

"And you've started dating her without asking either Abba or I for permission?" Ziva asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"We aren't dating! We just... hold hands and... and..."

"Kissing." Asher whispered; Liron nodded. Tim sighed, leaning against the back of the chair. He shook his head, not wanting to believe what he was hearing.

"My sons are in relationships and my baby girl has two boys chasing after her." He chuckled softly. "Like I need anymore gray hair." Asher gently tugged on his father's arm, needing to clarify.

"Abba, we aren't in relationships and we aren't dating."