*Changed a few things, thanks for the info wareagle!*


Ziva lifted the toddler, grunting through a smile, kissing him multiple times in quick succession on his forehead.

The toddler smiled back at Ziva, "Gummy!" He exclaimed with a smile of his own.

Tony rub at the back of the toddler's head and kissed him on the temple, "Hey, little man."

"I picked up your mail on the way in." A redheaded woman called out.

Tony stepped past Ziva and walked into the house, getting a hug from the woman, "Hey, Mr. D." She smiled up at him.

"Hey, Stephie." Tony kissed her on the top of the head and took the stack of mail from her, "You got another package from 3, Z." He let it be known.

"Put it with the rest." Ziva continued smiling at the toddler, bouncing him everso softly in her arms.

"You got something too, Zena." Tony told his daughter.

Zena ran into the house and collected a large manila envelope from her father, she immediately read the label, "It's from Tony!" She quickly opened it and pulled out a post card that read "Beautiful GUAM." Also inside was small wooden doll. She then flipped over the postcard and read outloud: "Hey, Sis...saw a guy carving these things and I had him do one for you. Love, T. " She looked up from the postcard, happy as can be, "Where's Guam, Daddy?"

"South Pacific, far west of Hawaii, near the Phillippines, there's a Naval base there." Tony answered, "I'm sure it's beautiful there, you should Google it."

"Thanks!" Zena clutched her new wooden doll tightly, "I will."

Tony turned and made his way to Anthony's bedroom and opened the door, setting the package his son sent to his Mother down on the dresser next to several large stacks of other unopened packages.

"How are you doing today, Mrs. DiNozzo?" Steph asked.

"Better now." Ziva replied with a huge smile, "And how many times have I told you, call me Ziva, please."

Steph nervously laughed, "I don't think I can do that."

Ziva stepped over to Steph and put her arm around her, warmly embracing her, "You and I have things in common, for one, we have both pushed a DiNozzo out of our vagina."

Steph snorted out a laugh.

Ziva smirked, "So, please, call me Ziva."

"Okay." Steph nodded, "I will try."

"Good." Ziva smiled, "And now, back to 4." She raised her free hand up rather quickly, "Uhhhh, do NOT tell Tony I said that, that was a mistake."

Steph snorted again and shook her head, grinning the whole time, "My lips are sealed."


The door of a helicopter opened and Anthony was crouched in the doorway.

A man in a flight suit ran over to the helicopter and escorted Anthony and his team off of the aircraft carrier's deck and inside the massive ship, they were covered in mud and blood, "Welcome to the Obama." He stated, "Sorry to hear about your Lieutenant."

"We're just re-supplying and getting back out there." Anthony remarked.

"You've gotten new orders, Petty Officer." The man said, "Please, follow me."


Anthony was laying in a bunk, his arm across his face, blocking out the light.

"DiNozzo." A man spoke up.

Anthony jumped out of bed and snapped his heels together, "Captain."

"At ease, son."

"I'm sorry about Lieutenant Ripley, he was a good officer, I served with his father."

Anthony puts his arms behind his back and relaxed his shoulders.

"There's no good time to do this, but after talking to the men, I'm promoting you to Chief Petty Officer, the SEAL team is now yours."

"Sir, permission to speak freely."

"Go on."

"I don't want it, I'm out in 4 months, it doesn't seem right to give me this knowing I'm leaving." Anthony pleaded.

"I'm well aware of your plans and when the time comes, a new leader will be assigned, but until then, you are my man, do you get me?"

"I get you, Sir." Anthony snapped his heels together again, "Thank you for the oppurtunity."

The Captain placed his hand on Anthony's shoulder, "Just lead them right and show the new members the way and all will be right as rain when you leave, son, I promise you that...and now I'll let you get back to getting some rest."


Ziva was in Anthony's room, straightening up all of the packages on his dresser.

"When are you going to open them?" Tony asked from the hallway.

"Not until my baby is home."

"Ziva..."

"NO, not until he is home, standing next to me." Ziva reinterated her stance. She swallowed hard, "Do you need something? With little Anthony?"

"No, no, he's good, sleeping like a baby." Tony took a step inside the room, "Zena, too."

"Good, good." Ziva turned and looked up at her husband smiling down at her, "What?" She asked as they began to stare into each other's eyes. She softly chuckled, "Okay, but you got to be quick, I still have to make Zena's lunch before I go to bed."

"Heh." Tony tilted his head slighty, kissing his wife sweetly on the lips, "Me thinks she'll be buying her lunch tomorrow."


AN- Ziva totally caved in one regard, but not the other.

AN2- I wrote the mission where Anthony's Lt. died, but I hated it, so I deleted it, just wanted to give him a command for future use.