Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS. I am not a parent.
Ziva heard the bedroom door open. She had a feeling that Tali was about to climb into bed with her and Tony.
'Tony' breathed Ziva. No response. 'Tony?' asked Ziva, a little louder.
'Wake up Ima' cried Tali. She flung herself on top of Ziva.
'Tali, what are you doing?' asked Ziva, sleepily. She opened her eyes and saw Tali on top of her and Tony standing next to the bed.
'Don't you know what day it is?' asked Tali, putting her hands on her hips. Tony and Ziva laughed, Tony perching on the edge of the bed.
'What day is it?' asked Ziva. She did know but was playing along with Tali.
'It's Mother's Day!' cried Tali. She produced a card and present. Ziva opened her card. Tali had designed it.
To Ima. Happy Mother's Day. Love Tali.
Ziva smiled and draped an arm around Tali and kissed the top of her head. Tali handed Ziva her present. Ziva unwrapped it. It was a portrait of Ziva by Tali. She had even signed it at the bottom. T J DiNozzo.
'Oh, Tali. I love it' said Ziva, kissing Tali's head again.
'Really?'
'Yes, motek. It is perfect. Just like you.' Tali giggled.
'You both ready for pancakes?' asked Tony. Ziva and Tali nodded their eagerly. Tony couldn't help but notice how similar they both were at that very moment.
They ate their pancakes in front of the TV, watching cartoons. It had become a weekly thing, Sunday breakfast with cartoons. Whilst Ziva was concerned about the amount of screen time Tali had, she had to admit that she enjoyed Sunday mornings.
They had been back from Montpellier a week now. Tali had cried all the way to the train station, not wanting to go home. However, on the way home, Tony suggested that they start to plan their own family vacation during the summer break. They had been brainstorming ideas since and at the top of the list were anywhere that had a beach or anywhere that had elephants.
Ziva watched Tali eat her breakfast, fascinated by the cartoon on the TV. This was their very first Mother's Day for all three of them. Before the bombing, they hadn't celebrated Mother's Day. It seemed odd given how young Tali was and that Ziva was on her own. It had been practically impossible when Ziva was on the run. When Tali realised what Mother's Day was about, Tony had done his best. He told the three-year-old girl stories about her Ima and showed her photos. Little Tali had loved it.
Tony looked over at Ziva. Her eyes were glassy.
'Hey, you OK?' he asked, nudging Ziva's shoulders. She smiled.
'Yes. Just happy.'
Tony and Ziva stood in the playground waiting for Tali. She ran over to them
'Daddy, what are you doing here?'
'Can't I come and see my favourite person under the age of thirty-seven.'
'Thirty-seven?' asked Tali, no idea what was going on. Ziva laughed and took Tali's hand.
'Ignore your father, motek' said Ziva, ignoring Tony's silent protests. 'We have an important task and we would like you to come with us.'
'Really?' asked Tali.
'Yes.'
'What is it?'
'You will see.'
They walked out of the school gates and made their way to the metro station. Tony walked behind Ziva and Tali, who were holding hands. Ziva had talked about how going on the metro with Tali made her anxiety poke its head out of its hole in the ground. It was the mixture of crowds and the worry that she would get separated from Tali. Leroux suggested that this could be something they practiced, going on the metro, but also an ample opportunity to teach Tali how to navigate around a large city, like Paris, on her own.
They figured out which stop they wanted on the metro map and got on the next train. Ziva held onto Tali's hand tightly. The first time they used the metro together, Tali didn't like holding Ziva's hand and complained. Later, however, Ziva explained why she had held Tali's hand so tightly and that seemed to help both of them.
Off the metro train and out of the station. They hadn't gone very far into the city but were closer than the apartment. Ziva led the way as they walked to a small park. Along a path they walked until Ziva suddenly came to a stop by a bench. She sat down, Tony sitting down next to her. Tali stood in front of them, confused.
'Daddy, what are we doing here?' she asked quietly.
'We wanted to show you this' said Tony. Tali noticed how the tone of his voice had changed. He didn't sound jolly anymore. She followed where Tony was pointing and saw a small gold plaque on the bench.
'Do you know what it says?' asked Tony. Tali shook her head.
'Adam Heschel' said Ziva, pointing to the words. '1982 – 2019. The greatest friend I ever had.' Tali still looked confused.
'I don't understand' she said.
'Adam was my friend, Tali' said Ziva. 'He helped me when I was away and he helped Daddy too, yes?' Tony nodded.
'Where is he?' asked Tali.
'Adam died, Tali' said Tony.
'Died?' Tony and Ziva nodded.
This was not the first time Tony and Tali talked about death. When Tali was in pre-k, the class pet, a rabbit called Buttons passed away. Tony, with help from Clara and Tali's teachers, had talked about how Buttons the rabbit had gone to heaven and was happy with everything he wanted and needed. This had helped four-year-old Tali.
'Is Adam in heaven?' asked five year old Tali, slowly, as if she was unsure about talking. Tony and Ziva smiled sadly.
'Yes, motek. Adam is in heaven.'
Tali thought about what her parents had told her. Slowly, she stepped forward, pressed a kiss on two of her fingers and then pressed her fingers on Adam's name.
'Thank you for helping my Ima.' Ziva and Tony chuckled quietly and Ziva placed a kiss on Tali's head.
'OK, T. You and I are going home. Ima's going to stay here for a bit' said Tony, taking Tali's hand.
'Bye Ima' said Tali, hugging her mother.
'I will be home soon. I promise' added Ziva.
She waved at Tony and Tali walking down the hill and through the gate. The memorial bench for Adam had been several months in the process. When Adam died, his body was returned back to Israel where he was laid to rest. However, Ziva wanted to do something more to honour the memory of her friend and colleague. Adam had helped keep Tali safe and if it wasn't for him, Ziva would have never learned Sahar's name or that she was going to attack Gibbs.
It had taken a lot of research to find out how to place a memorial bench in Paris. In a strange way, Ziva had enjoyed the whole process and when she was told of the bench's final placement, she was thrilled. High up on a hill, in a small park, with a view of the Eiffel Tower and the Parisian skyline. Ziva hoped to visit the bench regularly and pay her respects to a friend that she loved and had cared for so much.
The apartment was full of noise and mess. Ziva was in the kitchen, waiting for the popcorn to finish popping. Laughter came wafting through from the living room. Today, Friday, was Tali's sixth birthday party. Tali's actual birthday was on Sunday. Ziva couldn't believe that her daughter was going to be six! Neither could Tony. He kept telling stories about Tali as a toddler. Ziva loved hearing them, even though they made her sad.
Tony poked his head into the kitchen.
'Hey, we've got some demanding little monsters out here. When's the popcorn coming?' As if by chance, the microwave beeped.
'It will be there in a minute' replied Ziva. Tony smiled and went to inform the little monsters. Tali had decided that she wanted a sleepover with her two best friends, Ottie and Maddy, and to go to Disneyland Paris with Ima and Daddy. Disneyland was still a few weeks away, but the sleepover was in full swing.
With help from Clara and some research on the internet, Tony built a blanket fort in the living room and the girls were going to camp in that night. They fell in love with the fort when they came home from school and had spent the rest of the day in it, setting up their sleeping bags.
'OK' said Ziva, carrying three boxes filled with popcorn. 'Here you go, girls.' Tali, Ottie, and Maddy happily took a box each.
'You three ready for the movie?' asked Tony. All three nodded, mouths full of popcorn. 'Ok, then.' Tony pressed play and Paddington 2 started to play. Tony and Ziva snuggled up in Ziva's favourite armchair, also eating popcorn. 'You Ok?' asked Tony.
'Very OK' replied Ziva.
104 minutes later, the movie finished. Ziva looked over at the entrance to the blanket fort. She smiled and nudged Tony. He chuckled. Tali, Ottie, and Maddy were fast asleep, Tali softly snoring.
'She's perfect' whispered Tony.
'Completely and utterly perfect' added Ziva.
Hope you enjoyed this.
I wanted to have Ziva create a memorial for Adam. I have no idea how to actually set up a memorial bench in Paris, and the park I created probably doesn't exist. I am also not a parent and never had to explain the concept of death or heaven and hell to a child.
Senior and Abby will be the next chapter.
Thanks for reading. See you soon :)
