Another crazy and stressful week had come and gone. Tony was the first to admit that he was not sad to see this particular week come to an end. After seven nerve wracking days, he was finally able to bring Lily home from the hospital. Lily was under strict orders to take it easy for the next couple of months. Tony dreaded having to keep the vivacious toddler calm for two months but he would do what he had to, to keep his baby girl healthy. Good old Gibbs had gone out the night before and came home with the trunk of his car filled with books and quiet toys and games. Tony nearly passed out when he saw an X-Box in the back of the trunk. He never thought that Leroy Jethro Gibbs would buy a gaming console. The shock only grew when he explained that McGee was going to show him how to play. So he could play with Lily. Something had changed in Gibbs since Tony brought the Dallas children to his door. He seemed more relaxed, happier, and maybe younger. Tony had even heard him laughing one day. Gibbs adored Jake and Katie but the bond between Lily and him was absolutely amazing. After seeing the photographs of him and Lily and Gibbs and Kelly; side by side in the evidence bag. It became clear to Tony. That Lily must be a lot like Kelly. Tony was trying his hardest not to think about his father. Senior was dead and gone, he could never harm Tony or the kids again. It came as a massive relief to Tony. That Gibbs managed to get away with only anger management and therapy. Not only did Gibbs not deserve to be locked up for that bastard but the children needed Gibbs and Gibbs needed the children. That morning Tony came downstairs and found Gibbs in his usual spot in the kitchen reading the paper.
"So how long have you been up?" Tony asked.
"Got up at four." Gibbs grunted.
"How can you get up so early?" Tony asked.
"Once a Marine. Always a Marine." Gibbs replied.
"You want to come with Jake and me to the hospital?" Tony asked.
"Is Lily still good to come home?" Gibbs asked.
"Yeah she was actually good to come home last night but the doctors felt it would be better if she came home in the morning. So I'd have the day to get situated. She just needs to get checked over one more time and then she is good to go." Tony explained.
"How's her recovery going?" Gibbs asked.
"Excellent" Tony replied.
"You think that she will like the quiet toys and games?" Gibbs asked.
"She will adore them but I still think that the X-Box was too much." Tony replied.
"Nonsense, I mean you play video games and I am sure that Jake will like it too. Will be nice when he brings his new friends over. Besides having that thing will be the best way to get McGee over if need be." Gibbs explained.
"I guess you are right but those things are expensive." Tony replied.
"Look, I never thought that I would have grand kids to spoil and your three proved me wrong. Except the gift I am giving you." Gibbs ordered.
"Yes sir" Tony replied.
Twenty minutes later, Tony and Jake hoped into Tony's car and made their way to Bethesda. Gibbs followed close behind in his car and Ziva was going to meet them when they got home. It was hard for Tony not to speed. He wanted nothing more than to have his baby girl back in his arms. It had only been a week and he had seen her every day but the house was quiet and empty feeling without her. He had Jake with him, though. So he fought off the urge and drove to the hospital at respectable speeds. At long last Tony parked in front of the pediatric building and made his way inside. Jake and him checked in at reception and then took the stairs two at a time up to Lily's room.
"Lily?" Jake called.
"Jake?" Lily asked.
"Yeah it's me." Jake replied.
"And me too." Tony added.
"Me three" Gibbs added.
"We are all here, because you get to go home today." Jake explained.
"Home?" Lily asked excitedly.
"Yeah, back to my house." Tony added.
"Play outside?" Lily asked.
"We can sit outside and play quietly but you are going to have to be careful for a while." Tony explained.
"Aww" Lily sighed.
"I know it's disappointing but Tony and I got you all kinds of fun quiet toys and games to play and some really good books to read." Gibbs explained.
"We play?" Lily asked.
"Well of course." Gibbs replied.
Unbeknownst to Tony; Vance had given the rest of the team, Abby, and Jimmy and Ducky the afternoon off. For a small welcome home party, for Lily. Everybody had been informed that Lily needed to take it easy. So the party was going to be short and quiet. Leon just felt that it would do Lily some good to come home to friends. Jimmy had invited Mark and Linda to the party but Mark couldn't get off of work and Linda and the girls would be busy with Nora's piano practice and signing Chloe up for a new activity since the softball season had ended.
Tony was nearly floored, when he turned onto his street and saw all his friends cars in the driveway. It warmed his heart to know that he had friends who cared so much for him. Ever since the children had come into his life. Tony had began opening up more to his teammates and letting them get closer to him. The fact that his co-workers and boss would do such an amazing thing proved to him that he had made the correct choices. The party was a huge success. Tony and Jake were laughing and Lily felt like a princess. She was showered with gifts and the team presented Tony with a check for five thousand dollars. That had been collected by everybody at NCIS over the past week. The check brought a tear to Tony's eyes. They had no idea how much it would help with Lily and Katie's medical bills. He still had thousands of dollars in bills for Katie's NICU care but he would do what he had to for his children. He would do what he had to for his children. After the party he put Lily down for a nap and Abby dropped Jake off at the boxing gym for a class. He was just about to go out and visit Katie for a couple of hours when the door opened and Ziva walked inside.
"I am sorry I missed Lily's homecoming. I had to go into work early." Ziva explained.
"Work?" Tony asked.
"I am working at the Honest Abe's." Ziva explained.
"The grocery store?" Tony asked.
"Yes, it is not glamorous but I went to ask for an application and they had just lost a cashier and ended up hiring me on the spot." Ziva explained.
"That's good but I told you that you could stay here until you landed on your feet. All I ask in return is that you help with the kids." Tony explained.
"I have a decent amount left in my savings but not enough to cover rent and help you out with the girls medical bills." Ziva explained.
"Ziva, you don't have to do all that." Tony gasped.
"Look I interviewed with director Vance about a job teaching languages at FLETC. He said that he really liked me and I was by far the most qualified for the job but because I resigned my post and spent the past two years in Israel. I have to go back through the hiring process. I have to get a new background check and redo some training. It could be a month or two before I can even start. Even after that it is going to be two weeks before I get a paycheck and I just want to help out." Ziva explained.
"I hope you get the FLETC job. I would love to carpool with you every morning." Tony replied.
A/N: More Tiva and family stuff soon. FLETC seemed like an ideal job for Ziva. She can still work for NCIS but not directly with Tony. Anyway new chapter will be up soon. Please review and thanks for reading.
