Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS. This chapter features the 2020 pandemic.

'Tali are you ready for your class video?' asked Ziva. Tali was sitting at one end of the dining table. 'Good' said Ziva.

She looked around for Tilly. Tilly was hovering around Tali, wanting to join in with her sister's class.

'Tilly, come here' said Ziva, taking her daughter's hand and leading Tilly to the other end of the dining table. Tony was downstairs in the basement, video editing.

'Ima, I wanna stay' said Tilly.

'No, Tilly. You and I are going to do something down here.'

Tilly reluctantly climber onto the dining with her booster seat. Ziva sat down and pulled out some letter tiles. Tilly was learning her letter sounds, also known as phonics, and she was getting the hang of them quite quickly.

It had three weeks since home school had started. Their set up was as followed. Tali had online class Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings. Tilly had online class Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Neither of the classes did much of work, of any kind. It was more the teacher checking in, reading a story, and for Tilly, singing some songs. Ziva made sure that the sisters didn't interrupt or join in with the other's class. If there was no pandemic, they would have separate classes anyway. Ziva also didn't want Tilly to disappear under her sister and shadow.

Both schools also provided work, especially Tali's as she was in Kindergarten. Parents were provided with goals that their children should be able to do by the end of the academic year (June). Teachers stressed though, that one of the best ways for children of Tali and Tilly's ages to learn was through play. Ziva did specific school work with both girls in the morning. After lunch it was essentially playtime.

Tony spent most of the day downstairs, in the basement, editing. Video editing was Tony's side of the business, as photography was Ziva's. Ziva didn't have the skill or knowledge that Tony had learned over the past year or two. Over the past few weeks, Ziva had found herself gazing towards the door to the basement, wishing she had some work to do. Ziva loved her daughters more than life itself, but there was more to her that just being a mother and a housewife, even if she enjoyed cooking.

Ziva walked up the path to her front door. She had gone on a long run after a difficult day. The morning had gone well, but the afternoon had not. Tali and Tilly were at each other's throats for what felt like hours. Ziva had stopped more fights between the two of them in one day than she had done all year. At least that was what it felt like.

At one point in the day, Ziva had enough and went downstairs, to find Tony watching a YouTube video. It was tutorial about how to do a specific special effect, but that didn't matter to Ziva.

'You are watching YouTube videos, whilst I am looking after your children' Ziva had said, rather loudly.

'Zi, that's not it' said Tony, getting up. 'It's for work.'

'Really, DiNozzo? Work? That is your excuse?'

'Hey' said Tony, becoming defensive. 'We've got more video editing clients now. It's no longer just photography and at least we have some money coming in.'

Ziva was furious. This was not the first argument she and Tony had during the lockdown. She turned and went upstairs. Five minutes later, she came downstairs wearing her running gear and stormed out of the house.

'Where's Ima going?' asked Tilly.

'For a run, sweetie' said Tony, knowing that Ziva needed some time alone. 'Why don't the three of us go and tidy up the play corner?'

When Ziva unlocked her front door, she was greeted with the sight that made her question if she was in the right house.

'Tony?' she called out.

'Hey.' Tony came out of the kitchen. 'I'm glad you're back. How are you feeling?' He pulled her into a hug.

'Much better' replied Ziva. 'It was nice to get out of the house and have some time on my own.'

'Then we need to make sure you have that time everyday' said Tony, gently stroking her cheek with his knuckles.

'I am sorry I shouted at you' said Ziva.

'It's alright. You've been kinda lumped with the childcare, and had no break. Plus, it's home schooling as well as everything else. It's a lot to take on so quickly. I think we need to come up with a new schedule' he added.

Ziva nodded in agreement. She went into the family room, to find it tidy and empty of children.

'Where are the girls?' asked Ziva. Tony smiled slightly.

'Upstairs in the spare room. They're having a little picnic.'

Curious, Ziva went upstairs. Tony had made a sort of den, draping a blanket over some chairs and holding it down with heavy books. Tali and Tilly were camped under with their picnic and Tony's laptop playing Hotel Transylvania.

'Are you two, having fun?' asked Ziva. Tali and Tilly nodded.

'Yes Ima' said Tali. Ziva chuckled and went left them to it.

'Love you Ima' called Tilly as Ziva walked downstairs, making Ziva laugh.

'What do you think?' asked Tony. 'Am I the best Dad, or what?' Ziva chuckled and kissed Tony. 'With those two camped upstairs, we can have dinner together, without the kiddos. What do you say?'

'It sounds perfect Tony' said Ziva.

'Excellent. You go shower, and I'll get dinner ready.'

Ziva came down twenty minutes later. If motherhood had taught her anything, it was to shower quickly. Tony had mad Mac & Cheese, but had done the cheese sauce from scratch. They sat on the sofa, half watching an episode of a sitcom they both liked, and half talking, whilst eating Mac & Cheese and drinking wine. It was the exact thing that Ziva needed.

After a while, Tony and Ziva to see what Tali and Tilly were up to. It was rather quiet upstairs. The movie was finished and the girls asleep in their den. Ziva got another blanket and draped it over them.

'They look so angelic' said Tony.

'If only they had been angelic earlier today' said Ziva.

'Hey' said Tony, giving Ziva's shoulder a squeeze. 'We all have bad days. I doubt it won't be an isolated incident.'

'I guess not' said Ziva.

'Come on' said Tony. 'Let's go and relax in our room.'

Ziva smiled as she followed her husband into their bedroom.

Ziva came out from the basement and found her husband and daughters playing in the family room. Tony smiled over at Ziva, as she went into the kitchen to get dinner started.

A couple of weeks had passed and they had a new routine and schedule for childcare. On Mondays and Wednesdays, Ziva would look after the girls in the morning, helping them with specific education tasks whilst Tony worked. In the afternoon on Mondays and Wednesdays, they would switch, Tony looking after the girls, and Ziva working. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Tony and Ziva switched when they would look after the girls (Tony in the morning and Ziva in the afternoon) and both Tony and Ziva took Fridays off, using it to catch up on household things, and Ziva would also use it to go grocery shopping.

During her working hours, Ziva used her time to tidy up and declutter the digital files of Bean and Bug Photography. It was one of those things she meant to do, but never go around to it.

Until there was a global pandemic.

Ziva also did some research in other areas of photography. She was looking into stock photography and whilst it wouldn't bring in millions of dollars, over time it would bring in a little bit more. She also created a profile on the same website Tony used to get video editing work, though for photo editing. Ziva had also started taking online lessons, learning new photography skills such as special effects, or just practicing again. It reminded Ziva of her early days of photography. When she was a newbie and Tali just a baby.

When there was no pandemic and all her loved ones were safe.

'Here you go Ima' said Tali. She held up a piece of paper. Ziva smiled and took it. It was a card that Tali had created.

To Ima. You're the best Ima in the world. Love Tali

It was written in Tali's handwriting. Large, uneven letters. Ziva knew Tony must have written it out for Tali to copy.

'Thank you Tali. It is wonderful. I love you too.'

Tali skipped back over to the play corner.

'How you this afternoon?' asked Tony.

'I am good' replied Ziva. 'You?'

'Alright. We had the train set out this afternoon.'

'I can see that' said Ziva. 'Any arguments?'

'More squabbles over toys. That's all.' Tony reached over and picked up a piece of yellow pepper Ziva was cutting up.

'Hey' she said, slapping his hand. 'That is for dinner.'

Tony grinned and left Ziva to make dinner.

It had been a tricky few weeks and it was only the end of April. The lockdown was supposed to last another two months, minimum. It could be extended further if things didn't get under control. Ziva felt her anxiety and stress levels rise when she thought of that, but she and Tony had put things in place to help the whole family's mental health.

Tonight, just before the girls went to bed, they would be skyping with Senior and Maggie, something that everyone loved doing, especially Tali and Tilly. Ziva knew it helped father and son see each other as well. Senior had not been in Tony's life when he had the plague, and didn't know the extent of the damage it had caused to Tony's lungs. It had been a shock to the old man.

'Ok, girls. Time to tidy up before dinner' Ziva heard Tony say. She stood in the kitchen, absentmindedly stirring food around the pan.

Life was difficult at the moment, but Ziva reminded herself that it was harder for others who didn't have the same financial security as they did, and that Ziva herself had gone through harder periods in her life. Like those times, she had Tony, watching her six. If she could get through those, she could get through this.

Thanks for reading and review. I hope you liked it.

The next chapter will be more from Tony's POV of the lockdown.

Stay safe and seen you soon :)