This chapter is a little better on the emotional side to the previous. So keep your chin up guys, it's gonna be ok.

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

He spends the following day moping around his Aunt and Uncle's home, and tries to find a positive in his situation, and the only few he can think of is, he has two daughters on the way, a beautiful wife, his extended family and his team. He knows all that should be enough, but the thought that he actually may have wanted to try and gain a relationship with his father, is still swirling around in his mind, and he's always tended to live in the negativity.

"Sweetheart, are you alright?" He thinks the voice is a distant reminder at first, because he's so stuck in his messed up head, that he hasn't realised the voice belongs to his Aunt Sophie, who has followed him out on the balcony.

It's not until she asks again, and politely taps his shoulder, that he truly registers her presence. "Sorry, Aunt Sophie... I'm ok."

Her silence confirms his thoughts. She doesn't believe him, but is trying not to push him too much. "I made a decision last night, regarding Dad." She nods in encouragement, and rubs his arm softly. She knows what's coming next. "I'm not, gonna see him anymore. I can't."

"I understand, Anthony... Would you like a cup of coffee?"

"Uh, have any jasmine tea?"

She nodded, and steered him gently towards the kitchen, and sat him down by the island. "Why the change, sweetheart?"

"Huh?"

"The tea; you never drank this before."

He scratched over the back of his neck; "My uh, wife, drinks it."

She smiled softly at him, whilst dipping the tea bag into the mug of steaming hot water. "I can see that you are missing her Tony, so go and call her."

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his tired face. "I do miss her, Aunt Sophie. But I don't know if she'll want to talk to me."

"Did you two fight?"

"Yeah... I didn't think it would turn into a fight, but it did. It was pretty one-sided on her part, and I didn't know what to do."

"You listen to someone who knows, dear. You go, and you call her. I don't care what you talk about, as long as you talk. Tell her the truth; tell her you miss her, and you love her; and if you can, open up to her, about your father, once you return home tomorrow."

He's still fiddling with his cell phone in his lap a few hours later up in the spare room, tossing and turning it consistently. He knows he's just stalling, but he can't seem to find the courage to call his wife.

The almighty shrill of his cell makes him jump so hard, he drops his cell. He notices the caller ID, its Ziva. He takes a large breath and picks up the cell. "Hi."

"Hi... How are you?"

"I'm umm, ok. How are you?"

"Exhausted. Gibbs has, kept McGee and I busy, since you left."

"You're supposed to be resting. You're seven and a half months pregnant."

"Tell that to Gibbs, not to me. I am aware of how pregnant I am."

"Sorry... Listen, about the other night-"

"Tony. It does not matter now. Besides, I am, sorry, for biting at you. I should not have."

"Snapping, not biting. But, I accept your apology; and, I'm sorry too."

There's a long pause on her side of the phone, and Tony does his best to patiently wait it out. "You have, nothing, to apologise for, Tony... I should, be with you."

"You can't fly now anyway, Ziva."

"Please, stop making excuses for my behaviour. I know, I was mad, but I, cannot, forgive myself for not being there for you now."

Tony sighed and clenched the phone tighter to his ear. He really didn't want to go through all this now. He knows the talk has to happen at some point, but at the very least, not over the phone. "I'm, not, mad with you, Ziva. I love you, and I miss you; and I... I just want things to go back to normal. Everything was good before my father came back in my life, and I, miss the happier times."

He heard her sigh over the phone, and knew she was choosing her words carefully. "I love you too. I hope that I, do not, ever, put you in a situation, that would make you doubt my love."

"I don't doubt your love, Ziva... I never have, and I never will."

"Are you coming home tomorrow?"

"Flight's due to leave at 9.30. Be home before lunchtime."

"I will be at work. Will you come, and uh, see me?"

"You never had to ask, Sweetcheeks."

"You getting back to work, David?"

Ziva silently placed her cell phone back in her pocket, and followed her Boss back to the bullpen with a sharp nod. She hadn't even sat down before Gibbs softly pulled her towards the elevator, her waddling behind.

"With me." She didn't bother to say a word until he hit the emergency button, and turned to face her. "You fixed it with DiNozzo yet?"

"I hope I have." She saw no point in lying to him; he'd seen how miserable she was the past few days anyway. She rubbed her stomach when she felt a twinge, and took a deep breath. "I never meant to hurt him... But I did, and I am, not sure if he forgives me yet."

"He loves you."

"I know he does. And I love him." She felt another twinge, much harder than the first one, and the sharp intake of breath she did, made Gibbs place his arms forward for her to grip.

He rubbed his hands across her underarms to soothe her, until her breaths evened out. "You alright?"

"Yes. I have been having them since, Tony left."

"You been to the Doctors?"

She sighed; "I had an appointment, yesterday with my midwife. She said it was, Braxton Hicks. I will be having them for a while."

"You tell DiNozzo?"

"No, I did not want to tell him over the phone. He will be home tomorrow. I will explain things then."

During dinner with his Aunt and Uncle that night, Tony expressed how he felt the normalcy between him and Ziva was slowly getting back on track. He also explained how he wanted nothing more to do with his father, and would be grateful that any information about him or his family back home did not get back to Senior in any way, despite knowing initially that they would never breathe a word, unless they felt that they needed to.

Sophie left to get an early night, so the boys could chat alone, and promised to see Tony off the following morning.

Vincenzo grabbed another two beers from the fridge and handed one to Tony when he reached the couch, sitting down beside him.

"Thanks." Tony took a large swig from the bottle, and winced when the strong taste of the liquid hit the back of his throat.

"I admire what you did yesterday."

"Basically telling my father that I never wanted to see him again? I can see why you admire that Uncle Vin."

"Cut the crap Tony... I admire, how you stood up for yourself. You let him know, how you felt all those years ago, and that you wouldn't stick around for it anymore."

"I just want to live a happy life; and I can't do that, with him around."

"Then go and get some sleep, because you have a wonderful wife to get home to in the morning."

He nodded, and stood from the couch. "Promise you'll visit?"

"Of course, son. I want to meet my great-nieces soon."

"Me too."

Tony will be back in DC before you know it people, and he's going to talk to someone about his Daddy issues, who none of you may expect, at least on first try.