"Mom." Tali spoke up, she pulled out a stool and sat down at the kitchen island.

Ziva turned from the sink, "Yes?"

"My necklace broke again." Tali stated, showing off the broken chain hanging from her hand.

Ziva reached back, turning off the faucet before stepping over to the island. She extended her arm outward and Tali handed her the necklace, "We really need to get you a new chain."

"No." Tali shook her head.

Ziva looked at her daughter's face, clearly defiant, "Okay." She opened up a drawer under the island, pulling out a pair of pliers.

"Sorry, I don't know why I'm so..."

"Because you got it from your Daddy." Ziva smiled.

"Yeah." Tali nodded with a smile of her own, "Uhh, can I ask you a question?"

Ziva looked up from the chain as she clamped down on it with the pliers, "Sure."

"It was yours, right? Daddy told me you use to wear one all the time, but I've never seen you wear one."

Ziva sat the pliers and necklace down on the island, her hands pressed against them, "Uhhh."

"Mom?"

"It is a long story, Tali." Ziva replied.

"Go ahead, I got nothing else to do."

Ziva let out a forced chuckle.

"Come on, Mom, tell me." Tali pushed the issue.

Ziva sighed, "Before you were born, we were not..."

"You weren't what?"

"Together." Ziva answered, "Your father and I were not together, he came to Israel to find me, to bring me back to the America, but I refused and he will not admit it, but I broke his heart."

"Why didn't you go back with him?" Tali asked.

"I was lost, sad, confused, angry about my father's death, but your father changed that, but still... I just could not go back with him." Ziva made it be known.

"Why?"

"I tried to leave that part of my life behind, it was complicated, Tali."

"And what changed it?" Tali asked.

Ziva smiled, "I was pregnant with you...and uhh, when I found out, he was back in America and I did not want to break his heart again, I guess. Then something bad happened and I did what I thought was best and that was sending you to him in America."

"And that's when we found you in Paris, right?" Tali wondered.

"Mmmhmm." Ziva nodded with a smile and held out the now fixed necklace.

Tali took her necklace back, "You still haven't answered the necklace question, Mom."

"It was closest thing to my heart that I could give to him, which in turn, two years later, he gave to you." Ziva answered with tears in her eyes, turning away from her daughter, trying to hide her tears.

Tali opened her hand and looked at the Star of David necklace, "So, this was a piece of your heart? And you gave your heart to Daddy?"

Ziva wiped away her tears, "You could say that, yes."

Tali slid off the stool and made her way around the kitchen island, "Would you like a hug, Mom?"

Ziva snorted through her tears and turned, talking Tali into her arms, hugging her tightly.


Tony was sitting on the edge of the couch. Zena was asleep next to him, her hand was draped over a snoring Kalev.

"I'm all in, Dad." Anthony said, pushing all of his M&Ms into the middle of the coffee table. Tony looked at the cards in his hands, they were both Jacks, he then looked at the cards on the coffee table, there were two 2's showing. He had two pairs, "I'll call." He stated.

Anthony laid down his cards, "Three 2's." He grinned.

"Ugh, the river got me again." Tony groaned, tossing his cards on the coffee table, "I've taught you too well." He eased himself back, making himself more comfortable on the couch.

Ziva walked into the room and immediately climbed into Tony's lap, cuddling up next to him, laying her head on his chest.

"Everything okay?" Tony asked, he slipped his arm around her and slowly began caressing along her back.

"Uh huh." Ziva smiled at Tony, giving him a quick peck on the lips, "Perfect."

Tony raised his hand to his wife's face and wiped away some of her newly formed tears, before she placed her head back on his chest, rubbing it gently.


AN - Ahhh, emotions, they are a bitch.