Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS. This chapter talks about the 2020 pandemic. I do not wish to trigger anyone, so please do not feel like you have to read this chapter.

Tony felt around Ziva's side of the bed only to find it empty. Looking at his phone, Tony realised in was 6.55 am. He got out of bed and went to find his wife. He found Ziva in the garage cleaning their cars.

'Ziva? What are you doing? It's seven in the morning. Come back to bed.'

'No I need to get this done' said Ziva. She continued to pull out bits of trash. Tony walked around the car towards her. He spotted cleaning tools and disinfectant nearby.

'Zi, this can wait.' Tony went to reach for Ziva's hand or wrist.

'No!' Ziva pulled back quickly. She turned to her husband. 'I need to disinfect the cars, Tony. I just need to this.' Ziva turned back to the car she was working on. They had two; the one Tony tended to drive, and the one Ziva tended to drive.

A few days earlier, Tony had been contacted by their family doctor. He said that due to Tony's history with the plague, it was strongly advisable that Tony self-isolate in the house for at least twelve weeks, if not potentially longer. The next day, the Governor for Virginia announced a stay at home order, effective until mid-June. The girls schools were closed and dance lessons cancelled.

Maggie, Senior and Ducky had also been strongly advised to isolate at home as well. Over the past month, clients had called cancelling photoshoots. Couples called saying they were postponing their weddings until later in the year or even 2012. The business course at Education Restart had been put on hold, as had all the other services they offered in person. It was fair to say that March was not a good month.

Tony knew Ziva had been feeling the stress. She went out of longer runs, cooked more food than normal and since the doctor had spoken to them, spent more time cleaning than usual. Their two cars were just the latest in Ziva's cleaning spree.

Tony was feeling the stress of the last few weeks. Bookings of their vacation rentals in Paris and Tel Aviv had gone, photography gigs cancelled, investments slowing down.

There were a couple of upsides though. Tim and Jimmy had essentially moved out of their homes as they were still working. Delilah and Breena stayed home with their respective children. As Tony and Ziva had failed to get a new tenant in the DC apartment, Tim and Jimmy were camping out in the apartment, both insisting on paying rent. Tony and Ziva agreed, though it was heavily discounted. Tim and Jimmy had enough to worry about.

Tony was also still getting some video editing work fortunately, which also brought in a little bit, as well discussing things with their financial advisor. They were in a good situation; savings and Eli's fortune backing them up, still having some income, and able to make other changes elsewhere. Ziva cancelled their vacation to Wilmington in time to get their money back. School fees for the girls had either been cancelled, discounted or paid up until September.

Home schooling had sort of pounced on Tony and Ziva unexpected. Tali and Tilly's schools had closed, along with all the other schools in Virginia, mostly likely for the rest of the school year. Both Tali and Tilly were sad about this. Especially Tilly.

The Monday after their schools first closed, Tilly had been standing at the door, ready for school when Ziva came down the stairs.

'Tilly, what are you doing?' asked Ziva.

'Ready for school' said Tilly. Ziva smiled kindly.

'There is no school today Bug' she said. Tilly looked disappointed.

'Tomorrow?' she asked hopefully. Ziva shook her head.

'There is no school until September, Tilly.'

Tilly burst into tear at hearing this. Ziva picked her up and the two of them had cuddles on the sofa before Tony and Tali made their appearance.

Another big disappointment was that Tony and Ziva had halt their search for a separate studio space. Before the stay-at-home order was issued, they had seen once space, with other potential spaces booked for viewings. They had been cancelled too. Along with everything else. Again, the rest of 2020 looked rather dismal.

Tony went into the family room and collapsed on the sofa. Instinctively he reached for the TV remote and switched on the news. It was the same thing still. Tony sighed and began to flick through channels for something new. However, there was nothing of interest. Tony switched the TV off and chucked the remote on the coffee table.

The garage door opened and closed. Ziva came and sat down next to Tony. She looked stressed and worried. Tony draped his arm around Ziva's shoulders, pulling her closer.

'Did you finish?' he asked. Ziva shook her head. 'How you feeling?'

Ziva sniffed.

'Stressed. Worried about you, you father, money, home schooling, Nettie.'

'I'm going to be fine, Zi. So is Dad. Neither of us will be going outside for the next three months, unless in our back yards. You will be the only one who goes to the store, and Maggie's niece, Rachel will be delivering groceries to Dad and Maggie, and walking Penny daily. We'll skype with them at least once a week, if not more. The same with Nettie. She's got friends and neighbours to help her. Everything is under control Zi.'

'I know' said Ziva. 'But it does not mean I will not stop worrying. Anything could happen.' She leaned in closer to Tony. He kissed the top of her head and stroke her arm.

'Everything will be alright, Zi.'

Tim walked into the kitchen of his old apartment, heading to the fridge.

'How was it today with the twins?' he asked Delilah over the phone. Tim opened the fridge and got out two cans of Coke.

'It was alright. Johnny kept asking for Dada all day and I found Morgan waiting for you by the front door again just before dinner' said Delilah. Tim closed the fridge and leaned against the side.

It had been almost a week since he and Jimmy moved into the DC apartment. Neither of them could stop working during the pandemic, and neither of them wanted to expose their wives and children to anything they were exposed to. Tony and Ziva said they could stay at the apartment as it was empty, with both men insisting that they contribute some sort of rent as well as pay for the utilities. That being said, Tim and Jimmy had spent more time working than at the apartment.

'How are you?' asked Delilah.

'Tired' said Tim. 'You know it's only essential personnel and we've rearranged furniture again so that we can keep as far as part as possible. Ellie's disinfecting things left, right and centre, as is Kasie.'

'I am kinda glad I don't have to go anywhere for the time being' said Delilah. When the twins were born, Delilah had cut her hours down. Now that there was a pandemic, Delilah essentially stopped working. If there was another adult at home, maybe, but Delilah simply couldn't juggle the twins and working from home at the same time. They had also arranged a delivery service for all groceries. Delilah couldn't go to the store in a wheelchair with two year old twins by herself.

Jimmy was sitting in the living room, FaceTiming with Breena and Tori. Tori was telling her dad all about her day.

'And then mommy and me made cookies and I got to scoop the mixture out and put the chocolate chips in.'

'Really?' said Jimmy.

'Yeah, and I got to lick the bowl' said Tori.

'Wow' added Jimmy. Tori laughed. 'Ok, sweetie. I need to talk to Mommy.'

'Bye Daddy, love you.'

'Love you too, Cookie' said Jimmy and Tori disappeared from the screen, laughing. 'How are you doing?' asked Jimmy to Breena.

'I'm exhausted' said Breena. 'It's been a week of juggling home schooling and working from home, and I don't know how I'm going to survive until June.'

Breena and Tori were also staying home during the pandemic, Breena's parents helping with groceries. The mortuary that Ed and Breena ran naturally still had business happening, but also had to put social distancing measures in place. As a result, Breena was now to admin work from home, whilst also looking after five-year-old Tori.

'I swear, Jimmy. I really don't know how I'm going to survive. Jimmy grimaced.

'I wish I was there' he said. 'The three of us snuggled up on the couch, watching Moana.' Breena laughed. Tori loved Moana.

'I wish you were here too, Jimmy. Hopefully it was be too long before you're back.'

Jimmy hung with Breena as Tim came in. He handed Jimmy one of the cans before crashing on the couch next to him.

'How's Breena?' asked Tim.

'Stressed. Delilah?'

'Stressed too' replied Tim. Jimmy switched the TV and the men watched some random sitcom.

The DC apartment had been given a slight makeover, or readjustment at least. Not really wanting to share a bedroom for the next three months, Jimmy and Tim had put up a partition in the bedroom to separate the sleep area from the entrance to the only bathroom, and another partition separating the dining room from the rest of the apartment. That left the lounge and kitchen for communal things, but also gave both men private spaces.

The second episode of the sitcom finished, just as Tim yawned.

'I'm wiped' he said. 'I'm going to bed.'

'See you tomorrow' said Jimmy. 'Another fun day of work ahead of us.'

Tim laughed at Jimmy's comment as he pushed past the partition in the dining room. He had lost the coin toss for who got the bedroom. Not that it really mattered which area he got. Tim had spent four years living in this apartment. He just never thought he would be back in it, or even living under these current conditions. Like many people on the planet, Tim assumed that the marvels of modern science, especially medical science, could solve and cure almost any malady, and that pandemics were a thing of the past.

Apparently not.

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it. Thank you for all the reviews as well.

I have sort of caught up with real life. I've planned at least two more chapters that will feature the pandemic in someway. then to plan to move forwards and into 2021.

If you don't want to read about how the pandemic affects the characters, that's fine. Please don't feel the pressure to read. I don't want to trigger anyone and will always put a disclaimer at the top.

Stay safe and see you soon.