Chapter 16: Blessed With Grandchildren – 2052
"I think we're crazy," Tim lamented to Tony and Ziva. "But I wouldn't have it any other way!" The three grandparents had offered to keep all fifteen grandkids for the two days before Christmas to give their parents a break. Currently, the three were loading them into Ziva's minivan, Tim's minivan, and Tony's truck to go for family pictures and then lunch.
"Uncle Tim, do you have Brian's booster seat?" fifteen –year-old Levi was helping get the younger kids buckled in to Tim's van.
"It was here a minute ago," Tim looked around for the seat wondering where it had got to.
Fourteen-year-old Anthony called over to his cousin from Savta's van, "Over here, Levi, it was in the line of kid seats in the garage." He pointed to the booster seat and Levi nodded appreciatively.
"Sorry, I moved it; I was going to bring it to you, and got distracted by Robert's zipper on his coat," twelve-year-old Shannon explained to her cousin and brother. "He got it stuck on the strap for his booster seat!"
Tony smirked at Ziva, "Figures it would be a Palmer to do THAT."
Ziva swatted his arm, "Be nice; he's half DiNozzo as well…" She was cut off by five-year-old Jessica tugging at her coat. "What is it, tataleh?"
"Savta, I gotta go pee," LJ's oldest danced from one foot to the other.
"I'm on it, Savta," ten –year-old Elisheva (El) took her cousin's hand and led her back into the house.
Twenty minutes later, everyone was situated; just to be sure, Tony went through the families to make sure all kids were accounted for.
"Okay; Rubins… Levi?"
"With Savta," the teen answered from the passenger seat of Ziva's van.
"Elijah?"
The thirteen-year-old piped up from the passenger seat of Tony's truck, "Here, Saba!"
"Noah?"
"Here! And so is El," the ten-year-old answered for himself and his twin from the back seat of Tony's truck.
"DiNozzos… Anthony?"
"In Grandpa's van," the teen replied from the passenger seat of Tim's van.
"Kelly?"
"In Grandpa's van," the twelve-year-old responded. "Helping with the little ones."
"Shannon?"
She replied from the back seat of Ziva's van, "In Savta's van, helping with babies."
"McGees… Adam?"
The eight-year-old waved at his Saba from Tim's van, "Right here, Saba!"
"Brian?"
"Saba!" the three-year-old called from the rear seat of Tim's van where he was sitting next to Kelly.
"Abigail?"
"Next to Brian," Anthony replied for his two-year-old cousin.
"On to Palmers… Rebecca?"
"In Uncle Tim's van," seven-year-old Rebecca responded from her place in the rear seat in Tim's van. "Behind Brian."
"Robert?"
"I'm here, Saba," the four-year-old waved from the back seat of Ziva's van.
"And little DiNozzos… Jessica?"
"Next to Shan!" she called out.
"Jackson?"
"Behind Savta," Levi answered for the two-year-old.
"And finally, Jethro? Um, Jet." Tony forgot they were trying to use his nickname at his big sister's insistence.
"Behind me," Levi pointed to the eight-month-old in his car seat.
"Okay, then, let's roll!" Tony led the caravan of vehicles to Anthony III's photo studio. His son co-owned the business with two others, but was only occasionally in the studios as his work as programming director for a large cable network kept him busy.
Tony carried Jackson; Ziva had Jet in her arms, and Tim balanced Abigail on his left hip as the older kids each paired with a younger one to enter the building.
"You have to admit, McCrazy, that we've perfected the tag team with these kids," Tony joked to his brother of the heart as the two men walked behind the paired grandkids who were following Ziva.
The receptionist looked up as the eighteen people entered the waiting room and smiled. "Mrs. DiNozzo; how are you? We have the largest studio set up already for your session. Merry Christmas!"
"Thank you, Shelly," Ziva smiled at the woman. She was Anthony's longest tenured employee and the sister-in-law of one of his partners. "Merry Christmas!"
Tony smiled at Shelly, "One more since last year! Zi's got LJ's youngest."
"Merry Christmas, Shelly," Tim smiled. "Thanks for taking our pack today…"
"Always a pleasure, Mr. McGee. I just got your new book by the way; I love the adventures of Sherlock and Watson. Those kitties are something else!" Shelly grinned and held up her copy of Sherlock and Watson Ride the Train.
The photo session lasted over two hours; Ziva brought toys, books, and snacks for the younger kids and the older ones helped keep the little kids entertained while waiting for their turns. Ziva and Tony had shots with all fifteen; with each family; and with the boys, and then the girls. Tim had shots with his six grandchildren, each family, just the boys, and just the girls. The final set was of all three grandparents with all fifteen kids.
"Okay, listen up, everyone, time to pack up and get in the vehicles so we can go get lunch. Who's hungry?" Tony looked out at the sea of faces and grinned.
"Anthony's ALWAYS hungry," Kelly teased her brother. Shannon high-fived her twin and grinned.
"What are we going to eat?" Adam was hungry and ready to eat just like his cousins.
"Yeah, lunch!" Robert and Brian shouted. Ziva reminded the little boys to use inside voices.
"We have our own dining room at the steak house buffet place near the mall," Tim informed his grandson and anyone else listening. "I think they're also setting up a private buffet just for us."
Ziva confirmed by nodding, "Yes, I figured it would be easier with so many children to keep them all in one room." She finished buckling Jet into his car seat and checked that the others were ready to go. "See you there," she waved to Tony and Tim as she started the van and backed out of the parking space.
Back at the DiNozzo house, the under-fives were settled in for afternoon naps. Levi, Anthony, and Shannon helped get the younger ones to rest. Once the five little ones were sleeping, the older kids divided into several groups. Levi and Anthony took most of them to the family room to play video games with Uncle Tim. Shannon, Kelly, and Elisheva followed Ziva to the kitchen to make cookies. Elijah followed his Saba to the playroom and the two watched a movie.
At dinner, Tony ordered pizza for the gang; he had to assure the person taking his order on the phone that he did indeed want to order ten large pizzas for delivery. "I'm feeding an army of grandkids," he told the incredulous girl on the line. "Including three teenaged boys; plus three adults."
Getting all eight younger kids ready for bed and into beds took the three adults with help from Levi, Anthony, Shannon and Kelly. The three younger girls shared Rivka and Beth's old room while the five boys shared LJ's old room. Ziva was glad that she and Tony decided to put two sets of bunk beds in each of the four bedrooms that had been their own kid's rooms at one time.
Tali's four and Anthony's three shared their parents' old rooms with the three girls in Tali's old room and the four boys in Anthony's old room.
Tim slept on the sofa bed in the family room; he had a direct feed from the live cam for the cats to his phone and could check on them at any time. He reasoned that Tony and Ziva could also use his help with the pack of kids.
In the master suite, Ziva was mentally making lists to make sure she had everything for Christmas dinner while Tony finished in the bathroom. She lay on her back staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought.
"Penny for your thoughts," he moved next to his wife on the bed.
She turned to him, "Counting how many we are going to feed on Christmas and making sure I have everything we need for dinner." She rose up on her elbow and watched as he scooted closer to her.
"Eighteen already here; plus Tali and Chaim; Anthony and Katie; John and Riv; Beth and Charles; LJ and Savannah; Jimmy and Breena; Clay and Ellie; am I forgetting anyone?" Ziva thought aloud.
"Jason?"
"He and Carlos are going to San Antonio to visit Carlos' family this year," she shook her head. "I count thirty two people, but Jet probably won't eat lasagna."
"Never say never; LJ was about the same age when he first tried it," Tony reminded his Ninja. "The boy IS a DiNozzo… and Ellie is his grandmother on the other side…"
"True," Ziva turned to Tony and brushed her lips on his. "Do you know that I love you, Mr. DiNozzo?"
"Mm-hmm," he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. "Ani ohev otcha, Mrs. DiNozzo."
"Did you put mistletoe over the bed again?" she grinned into the next kiss and pressed herself to him.
"Yep!" He broke for air, "and in our bathroom, and in the kitchen, and the family room, and the dining room, and the living room, and in our offices, and in the laundry room, and…"
She cut him off by rolling onto him and fusing her lips to his; "Merry Christmas, my love."
"Merry Christmas, Sweetcheeks," he pulled her back down for more kisses and…
A/N For more about Delilah and why she's not here, see the mothership 'You Complete Me.'