Ziva saw Gibbs glance at the front porch of his family home, he was watching the front door with an odd look on his face. It took her only a moment to recognize it as trepidation.
"Neshama is something wrong?" She saw him flush look at her and then back at the front door.
"No…" Gibbs rolled his shoulders and watched his dad step out onto the porch.
Ziva glanced toward the door and saw Jackson Gibbs looking at their truck in surprise. "You did not tell him we were coming?" It was both a question and a statement.
Gibbs glanced at Ziva at then toward his dad. "No…"
Ziva felt a wash of uncertainty when she understood exactly what he was about to say. "You should have given him some warning Jethro, when we discussed it again last night and you called him I thought….." Ziva tried with difficulty to hide the hurt in her voice or not to feel it at all. She'd been concerned about just dropping the news on Jackson without any warning at all. Gibbs had assured her he would handle it.
Gibbs heard the catch in her voice turned to her but before he could say anything she'd shrugged into her coat and pulled on her NCIS ball cap. She was out of the truck shrugging her backpack over her shoulder before he could give any of the why's on the tip of his tongue.
Jackson watched in surprise as Ziva stepped from the truck, she looked slightly annoyed but the look faded as she fixed him with a genuine smile. "Ms. David, what a surprise. Jethro told me he was coming for a visit but he didn't mention you were coming along. The rest of the gang heading here as well?" Only once after Gibbs' first visit back had the entire team come down to visit and that had been just for a brief overnight stay to celebrate his birthday. Since then they'd kept in touch mainly by phone and email. Once McGee had stopped by on his way through town. Twice Tony had stopped in for a weekend visit something Jackson doubted he'd shared with anyone else.
Ziva didn't want to lie so she only muttered something non-committal as Gibbs reached them and managed a brief hug with his dad.
"Hey dad. How ya doing?" Gibbs was mentally head-slapping himself for not explaining himself to Ziva before they'd gotten to Stillwater.
"I'm good son. Glad you brought this pretty lady along. If I remember correctly she promised me a game of chess." He winked at Ziva, he was no fool something was bothering the young woman in front of him but he wasn't going to ask.
Ziva smiled "That I did, and I am looking forward to it. I hope you do not mind I came along. I apologize that Gibbs did not inform you he was bringing a guest. Would you mind if I went inside I could use a bathroom break?"
"Of course dear and you're always welcome." Jackson heard Gibbs curse softly.
"Ziva…" Gibbs wasn't surprised when she didn't turn around simply stepped through the door and let it shut behind her.
"Son, what did you do?" Jackson watched as his son managed to both frown and smile at the same time.
"I think I just pissed off my wife."
Jackson took a moment to let his sons words absorb and then he laughed. "Wondered how long it would take you."
Gibbs cocked his head at his dad as he unloaded their bags from the truck. "Not the first time I've heard that."
"Wasn't obvious, but I'm your father. Good or bad at that job I know you. Saw the way you tried not to look at each other."
Gibbs walked beside his father into the house wondering if Ziva would give him time to explain before attempting to skin him alive. In answer to his father's statement he simply shook his head and grinned.
"So how did you manage to make her mad?" Jackson saw his son run a hand over his face.
"Told her I'd give you a heads up about us before we came and I didn't." He watched his dad look at him with a hint of humor in his eyes.
"I'm thinking that woman in there can do more than just swing at you with a golf club." When Gibbs only nodded he laughed again and led the way inside the house.
Gibbs stepped into the kitchen guessing she was there from the scent of the tea in the air. He expected her to be stiff, angry, or waiting for him to demand answers. Instead he found her pulling out the makings for a snack. "You gonna yell at me, thinking I deserve it."
Ziva shook her head on a smile. For all his years standing there with his hands in his pockets he looked much like a young boy being called out. "What I think is that you always have a reason for everything you do. I have always trusted those reasons before, no reason to stop now. I would like you to explain and then I will decide if I'm angry." With that she grabbed a spoon and dipped into the peanut butter that she'd been craving the entire ride. "Besides I think I overreacted a little. I am worried he will think…"
Gibbs shouldn't have been surprised and yet he was. He stepped closer to her. "Think you were just another wife." He saw her look away briefly and flush with color. "He wouldn't he respects you that much I have no doubt about, and he likes you, more likely he'd kick my but if he thought I was going to hurt you. Plus I wasn't sure who was listening on our phones. We've always been careful what we say, I didn't want anyone looking to hard at my dad, see him as a threat."
Ziva felt her stomach lurch at the thought of putting Jackson Gibbs at risk. She set the spoon she'd been eating off of in the sink and looked toward the living room where the Jackson was obviously staying to give them some space. "Do you think coming here was a bad idea should we go?"
Gibbs took her hand in his. "No, it was time. Any threat to him is very small. Whatever is going on in the mind of our killer seems to be focused on the couples themselves. Besides my dad is a lot smarter than I give him credit for. He saw this coming."
Ziva looked back toward the living room. "You told him?"
"Well I wasn't going to have you stay in the guest room. I just wanted to wait until I could tell him in person."
"Then we should get out there before we are any more rude than we have already been." She started toward the living room and then paused. "Did you tell him about the baby?"
Gibbs grinned "Nope figured we could tell him together or if you ever take that coat off he might just figure it out." He fully expected the punch in the arm.
Ziva couldn't stop the rush of nerves as she walked into the living room and was instantly grasped in a tight hug from Jackson.
"Welcome to the family Ziva, glad you two finally got it together." He saw her look at him in surprise. "Hey I'm not blind yet saw the way you two looked at each other. Figured sooner or later one of you would get brave enough to do something about it."
Ziva laughed and returned the hug with genuine affection. "Thank you again for letting us stay this weekend we needed the break."
"Any time dear, now how about you take your coat off and relax a bit I imagine you're tired after the drive. Give me a minute and I'll make a snack." He watched Gibbs and Ziva glance at each other a smile on their faces though he didn't understand why.
Ziva again felt butterflies in her stomach as she faced Jackson. Trying to be casual she slipped out of her coat, knowing her condition would be immediately obvious. She'd chosen a simple red Shirt and Jeans nothing loose or remotely concealing in any way.
Jackson watched Ziva slip out of her coat and felt his breath catch. Memories of a strawberry haired girl running through leaves played across his vision. Ziva's slightly rounded belly heralded a miracle. Without realizing it he reached his hand out and rested it on the proof that his son had well and truly healed.
Gibbs glanced to Ziva hoping she wasn't bothered by his father's touch. When their eyes met he saw the mist of tears in her eyes. And then she was placing her hand atop his fathers. "Congratulations Jackson you are going to be a grandfather again."
Gibbs watched the smile that broke through his father's face and wondered how it was Ziva always knew just what a person needed.
Jackson managed to gather himself and pulled away gently turning to his son. "I think that should be my line, the congratulations anyways."
Gibbs walked over to Ziva and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Thanks dad."
Ziva snuggled into his shoulder letting the warmth of the moment surround her. It had been years since she'd felt like she was part of a family and Jackson's easy manner made it easy to believe he could really accept her. Memories of her own father reminded her of the mark on her face, the fact Jackson hadn't commented on it warmed her even further. "If you would excuse me I need to use the restroom again." She stifled a yawn behind her hand as she spoke.
"Of course dear, and you and Jethro will be in his old room. Same place he was in last time."
Gibbs brushed his thumb along her chin. "You should take a nap, I know you're tired." He'd expected her to doze off during the drive but instead they'd talked the entire trip and the previous week had been long.
Ziva was going to object but she was in fact tired and she didn't have anything she had to do. Plus if she rested it would give the two men in front of her time to talk in private. "I think I will" feeling decidedly better than when she'd walked in the door Ziva leaned up and kissed Gibbs' cheek. "Don't let me sleep to long"
Gibbs inhaled her sweet scent and couldn't help but smile back at her, the genuine joy in her eyes never failed to find his own. "Promise" He watched her walk toward his old room still smiling until he realized his father was watching with his own grin.
"She makes you happy Son." Jackson sank into a seat and waited for his son to do the same.
Gibbs sat down and faced his father. "That is an understatement. The shocker is I think I make her happy too."
"You were a great husband to Shannon. I have no doubt you make Ziva happy. She isn't the type of woman to settle for anything less." Jackson saw Gibbs grimace. "It's true."
"I want to believe that I made Shannon happy but sometimes, actually a lot of the time I wonder." Gibbs glanced at his hands seeing the years finally etched there and wondered what he'd done to deserve a second chance.
"She was happy Jethro and losing her and Kelly was a tragedy. One you punished yourself for and for too long. It happened and you can't change that and you couldn't have changed it then." Jackson spoke quietly afraid of pushing too far into a conversation his son wasn't willing to have.
"That's what she says."
Jackson chuckled softly "Is she often wrong?"
Gibbs managed a smile "No, though why she's with me I still can't figure out."
"Because women have a way of seeing us even when we wish they couldn't." Jackson took another risk. "Gotta say I never figured I'd have a chance to be a grandfather again. Damn excited about that."
"Never thought I'd be a father again." No matter how hard he tried Gibbs couldn't ignore the slight twinge as he thought of Kelly. Lately he wondered if this baby would be a boy or a girl if he would favor Ziva or himself more. Mentally shaking his head he savored the joy of this new life and touched a finger to his wedding ring. "Never thought I'd wear one of these again."
Jackson pointed at him "Don't screw it up, the others after Shannon they weren't meant to be but Ziva…."
"No worries there dad, she's for life, for always."
The absolute resolution in his son's voice silenced anything else Jackson might have said. Instead he stood up patted him on the shoulder and walked toward the kitchen to make coffee.
Ziva woke up wrapped in an old throw that had been folded at the end of the bed, it smelled faintly of wood smoke and for a moment she simply savored the comfort. From somewhere in the house she heard laughter, Gibbs' laughter. It was such a beautiful sound that she couldn't help but smile herself.
Pushing the blanket back she stretched, to her surprise she once again felt the butterflies in her stomach. Just the faintest hint of nerves brushing at her. She frowned, she couldn't' imagine why she was nervous, it was possible she'd had a nightmare in her sleep and didn't remember it. Resting her hand on her stomach she tried to think of what could be unsettling her.
Gibbs stepped into the room and found her sitting on the edge of the bed deep in thought. She looked up at him and suddenly smiled brightly. "I think I felt the baby move."
Gibbs paused and then sat on the bed next to her. "You sure, seems a little early."
"Well I cannot be sure since I have never been pregnant before but from what I have read I think so." She stared at her belly waiting to see if she would feel it again but nothing happened. "You would know more than I do. What did Shannon say it felt like? It is like butterflies or something flitting about in my stomach." she let her eyes rest on the small photo in a frame of Gibbs and his wife and daughter that sat on the dresser in the room.
Gibbs glanced on the photo and then back to Ziva. He thought for a minute, "She said it was like little bubbles. A little pop here and there. She was just a little further along than you." Despite the fact he knew he wouldn't feel anything yet he rested his hand on her stomach. " I imagine you're right Ziva." He saw her slightly dazed look and smiled then glanced at the photos again and took her hand. "I forgot my father kept pictures in here, sorry about that."
"Jethro do not apologize for remembering your family. I have told you before it does not bother me." She saw him walk over and pick up one of the photos, and then another until he had gathered them all.
"And I appreciate that but our bedroom is not the place for them. I will put them in the living room." As he walked out of the bedroom he turned back to her. "You ready for some lunch?" he watched her eyes light up at the thought of food and laughed.
"Definitely. " She rose from the bed and followed him out to the living room and watched as he placed the pictures in his hands around the room. When he came to one of Kelly and Shannon sitting in a swing he paused. She stepped up behind him and took it from his hand placing it in the middle of the mantle above the woodstove. "Looks good there. I hope this little one looks just as beautiful as she was girl or boy." She kissed him on the cheek and walked toward the kitchen.
Jackson hadn't intended to catch the moment that had just passed between them but stepping out of the kitchen to call them for lunch and he'd seen the picture of Kelly and Shannon, more than that the way his son had been looking at it. Instead of the deep sorrow that seemed to settle over him every time he remembered his child he saw a smile on his face. He stepped back into the kitchen just a moment before Ziva did the same.
"It is good that you kept so many pictures of them. I have been trying to convince him to pull more out at home but he worries." She winked at him letting him know she'd noticed him.
Jackson flushed lightly. "Not all of his wives have been able to understand. They've tried I know that but they just didn't get it." He watched pain cross over her face ever so briefly and then she was leaning against the counter looking at him.
"Sometimes it is not possible to get past the pain of loss, no matter how much we want to. Jethro will never get over losing them, he won't forget and there will be days he misses them as much as did when he first lost them. As much as he loved them I would not expect any less. Still loving them does not take away from how he feels for me. If the only thing I can do to ease that loss is give him my understanding than I will give him all that he needs." Ziva spoke softly as she looked out the window above the sink, washing her hands as she did so. "I know you think he is the lucky one but I am the one who feels blessed, you raised a good man Jackson an honorable man and that is something to be proud of."
Gibbs walked in the kitchen catching the last of her words. His father flushed and shrugged. Coming up behind Ziva he saw her look over her shoulder at him and blush lightly herself. Leaning in he rested his head on hers as he wrapped his arms around her. "You're a damn good woman Ziva David."
Ziva savored the hug snuggling into him but then pulled away and pointed at him. "You are wrong Jethro.
Gibbs glanced at his father and watched him shrug again only this time in confusion rather than embarrassment. "How so?"
Ziva took the bowl of fruit Jackson pulled out of the fridge and set it on the table. "It is no longer David, it is Gibbs and do not forget it."
Jackson looked at Ziva and laughed. "thatta girl keep him in line."
Ziva giggled and finished helping put the food on the table. "Well I have to cut him some slack we've only been married about forty eight hours so…"
Jackson looked at the two of them and understood even more the uncertainty each of them had shown as they'd arrived. "And you decided to spend your honeymoon with an old man?"
Gibbs sat at the table and looked at his dad. "No we decided to spend it with family." He saw Ziva smile and watched his dad swallow hard. It had felt slightly awkward but it felt right at exactly the same time.