Chapter 55
"I have to admit that it's been a long time since I had tea with anyone," Levi said.
Ducky smiled and lifted his teacup. "All the more reason to try it. I'll admit that I was surprised you had a tea set."
"My wife has a tea set. Considerably less floral than I expected, quite frankly," Levi said.
Ducky chuckled. "My mother's was pink with flowers, as I recall. My current set is a traditional white with blue, although I don't get it out very often. Not worth the effort to use a tea set just for myself. I appreciate the opportunity to have tea with someone who appreciates it."
Levi smiled in return. "It's been a month. I'm surprised you're keeping this up, Don."
"I haven't been disappointed. I'm retired, and I have plenty of time on my hands." Ducky paused. "Are you aware that Timothy is moving today?"
"Yes. Tamara and I will be visiting after everyone has helped and then left. ...not everyone is as accepting as you are."
"Perhaps you shouldn't wait. This may be the time to make some inroads."
"Were you always known as a peacemaker?"
"Only in my old age," Ducky said. "Not as a youth."
Levi chuckled. "Well, while I appreciate what you're trying to do, the day Tim moves into his new house and is trying to get settled is not the time to make inroads with people who would sooner see me dead than alive." Then, he actually looked a little mischievous. "And I can't rely on helping move a couch to show my worth."
"Nor can I."
"You don't have to. I would. Let them get into a more stable situation before we throw more than they think can handle at them again. Periods of calm are vital to full recovery, this was a traumatic event that needs more than a few months."
Ducky leaned forward a little.
"Are you speaking from personal experience?"
"Yes. Frequent personal experience."
"Any that you could actually talk about?"
Levi leaned back, holding his teacup in his hand as he thought about it. Ducky could see that he was taking the question seriously and considering whether or not he could legitimately talk about his experience.
"Over thirty years ago. It was my first true time participating in an operation. We were supposed to be tracking down a scientist who had gone missing. What we found instead was a graduate student. Our orders were to find the scientist and so the leader of the team decided that it was more important to find the scientist than to save an innocent man. I wouldn't let him do that. But I knew that, if we saved this innocent man, we'd be changing the dynamics of the situation so drastically that we'd probably lose him. I made the choice to insist on saving the innocent man, knowing that I should look at the bigger picture. I convinced everyone to follow my demand. When we got back to the States, I took some time off just to regroup. I couldn't let anyone know just how afraid I was that I'd potentially put the country at risk to save a man who didn't matter."
"Were you right?"
Levi's smile changed. "In a way. I spent the next thirty years making up for it...and I did... eventually."
"How?"
"I killed the man who got away," Levi said. He paused, clearly waiting to see what effect that had on Ducky.
Ducky smiled. "You're not the only person I know who has killed both in the course of his work and outside of it."
"I'm probably the only person you know who was remorseless in doing so. I killed because I deemed it necessary, and even now, I have zero regrets about the people I killed in the course of my work."
"Remorseless? Perhaps, but you're far from indiscriminate. All that I've seen of you shows a man who is willing to go as far as is necessary. You don't seem to be someone who kills when there is no need."
Levi took another sip of his tea.
"I will admit that it's possible I could have done something other than kill, but I've never bothered to go back and reevaluate that kind of choice. There are other things I regret, but not the people I killed."
"I find it rather admirable that you're bothering to consider those things."
"I'd be lying if I did otherwise."
"Why does that matter so much to you?" Ducky asked. "It's seems to be a defining characteristic."
"Do you know the CIA motto?"
"'And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.'"
"Very good. That's one reason why I joined the CIA. Childish and naive, perhaps, but the very motto of the organization is about the importance of the truth."
"And yet, the CIA isn't exactly known for being forthright."
"No, it's not, but it tells fewer outright lies than you might expect. And I never lied."
"But why not?"
"I'll give you an answer, Don, but no elaboration. It's not a story I tell. In fact, I've told a grand total of two people, and only one of those two was told voluntarily. I tell the truth because I grew up believing that the worst crime in the world was lying and I promised I would never lie. And now, I think you'll need to get going so you can join the others at Tim's new house."
Ducky looked at his watch and was impressed to realize that Levi was right. He wasn't wearing a watch but he was still mentally keeping track of the time.
"You're correct."
"Thanks for the tea."
"You're welcome. Feel free to join me anytime."
"Don't worry about cleaning up," Levi said. "I can manage."
Ducky stood.
"Thank you. I've thought before that you would make a formidable enemy, Levi, but I'm seeing more and more that you would also make a formidable ally."
"I try my best."
Ducky smiled and took his leave, thinking deeply about the conversations he'd had with Levi over the past few weeks. They weren't frequent but they tended to be fairly lengthy. Ducky didn't find Levi boring in the slightest. A little discomfiting, definitely, but not boring. It kept him returning, trying to understand the man who had begun as their enemy and now seemed, for Tim at least, to have morphed into a friend.
However, he did need to get to Tim's new home. He couldn't help with the heavy lifting, but he could still join in the celebration.
x.x.x.x.x.x.x
Tim looked around the house. It would be a change. He hadn't lived in a house since he'd left home after graduating from high school. It had all been apartments of varying sizes and quality. To be back in a house was different. Not bad but different. An adjustment.
"Boy, Tim. Love the wallpaper," Tony said as he brought in another box.
Tim grinned. "Wallpaper can be changed, no matter how old and flowery it is."
"Yeah, but will it?"
"It will," Zahara said as she walked in from the kitchen, holding Jonathan who was looking with interest at everything around him. "I like color, but I don't like... so many flowers on the wall."
Tony laughed. "Yeah. Well, I've heard that taking down wallpaper can be a real pain, so don't ask me to help."
"I was going to ask Ziva," Tim said, grinning. "I'm sure she's up to the task."
"I am not sure I want to be known for that," Ziva said as she and Abby brought in one of the bed frames.
"Besides, she'd probably threaten to kill the wall when she got frustrated," Abby said. "You should just hire someone to take it down for you."
"Too expensive," Tim said. "But if no one wants to help, Zahara and I will get it done. One room at a time."
"Well, if you put it that way..." Tony began.
"DiNozzo, less talk, more work!" Gibbs called from outside in the van. He was handing the boxes down to the unloaders and he had proved that his lack of patience extended to moving boxes.
Tony rolled his eyes but left to get another box.
"Couldn't you have got a newer place?" Jimmy asked as he brought in a box.
"Yeah, but we liked the feel of this one. I like the little raised level of the bedrooms. It makes it... interesting."
"Yeah, that wrought iron railing is definitely interesting," Tony said as he came back in.
"We get three levels without paying for three stories," Tim said.
"Yeah, right," Tony said. "Well, if I don't get back out there instantly, Gibbs will yell that the moving truck won't unload itself. You'd think that I was the only one pausing to chat."
"You take longer to do it," Ziva said, depositing a box and then walking right back out again.
Tim laughed. "I do appreciate it."
"I know you do. Otherwise, I wouldn't do it."
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs shouted.
Tim chuckled as Tony rolled his eyes again. Tim was trying to organize the boxes, getting them to the correct places so that unpacking would be easier.
They continued to unload. When Ducky arrived, Zahara had him hold Jonathan and distract Salma while she helped with some of the unloading. Once it got to the point of unloading the furniture, Zahara left that to the others and she went into the kitchen to get enough put away that they could start living there.
They all enjoyed pointing out the things about the house that made it unique. The almost split-level design was only the most obvious. Tim didn't say anything about the fact that this house had an attached garage which meant they wouldn't be as exposed when getting into and out of the car (a requirement of the CIA) or that it was in a neighborhood that had families in much the same stage as Tim and Zahara which meant social connections, people who would notice things not being right and say something. He didn't mention that it didn't have a real basement. Everything was above grade which would make it less likely that they could be trapped somewhere in the house and not be able to escape if necessary. He'd already made an appointment to have a home security company come in and add a system to the house. In the background of all the regular requirements for moving, there were a lot of uncommon things that he was constantly thinking about.
Tim wished that the floral wallpaper was the only thing he had to worry about.
After a moment, he tried to shake that off. Ziva came in and gave him a quizzical glance. Tim forced a smile and turned back to his task without saying anything.
In spite of the fact that they were moving from a relatively small two-bedroom apartment, it seemed like they had far too many possessions. There were boxes everywhere. Unpacking would take forever.
"Baba, this home?" Salma asked during one of the lulls.
"Yes, Salma. This is our new house and guess what's in the backyard?" Tim said, smiling.
"What?"
"Our very own sand box! Want to see it?"
Salma clapped and grabbed him by the hand. Tim let her drag him through the house to the fully-fenced backyard. Fences were very common, of course, but this one would be replaced with a stronger fence in the next few weeks (paid for by the CIA).
Jethro was already relaxing in the shade in the yard. He seemed quite happy with their choice. But then, he was going from outdoor space of a balcony to a full yard. This was heaven to the old dog.
Salma ran directly over to the sand box. Tim hadn't told Zahara, but the sand box had been one of the deciding factors for him. He would have got one installed anyway, but this one was homemade and had a cover so they could keep animals from using it as a litter box. It was perfect and he was thrilled that Salma was so excited. He was excited, too.
"Play, baba!"
"I can't right now. I have to help unpack, but once we're done, I'll play with you, okay? Can you go into the kitchen and help mama?"
Salma gave that serious consideration and then she nodded and took his hand, letting him lead her into the kitchen.
"Can you let Salma help you while we get the rest of the furniture in?" Tim asked.
Zahara smiled and nodded. She took a box that they had labeled as Salma's box, containing all her non-breakable dishes.
"Salma, this is your box. Will you find a good place to put your things?"
"Yes, mama."
Tim went back into the main room. The kitchen was kind of small and cramped. They'd need to do something about it probably sooner rather than later, but Zahara hadn't said she disliked it.
To his surprise, most of his furniture was now in the living room.
"Wow. You guys were really fast," he said.
"With Gibbs giving the orders, we didn't have any other choice," Tony said, smiling.
"So, where do you want to put everything?" Jimmy asked. "We might as well do that. It's not too late yet."
"Let's get the frames into the right bedrooms and Jonathan's crib set up. We'll need beds before we need anything else," Tim said.
"Sounds like a plan. Lead away," Jimmy said.
They began the task of organizing the furniture that would be hard for Tim and Zahara to manage on their own. Once they got Salma's things into her bedroom, they had her go in with Abby and start putting things away. Tim really wanted this to be an exciting thing for her, not something scary and strange, so he was trying to get her involved in making things as she wanted them as much as possible.
Finally, after hours of work, the house was organized to the point that they could live in it as they worked on unpacking and everyone was tired and hungry. Zahara had taken Salma and left about an hour or so before they finished, promising that she would be back soon.
"So it's traditional to feed your helpers," Tony said as they all sat and rested.
Tim smiled. "You'll be fed. That's where Zahara is right now."
"Good. I could eat a whole pizza by myself."
"This will be better than pizza, Tony," Tim said. "Ducky, are you tired of holding Jonathan yet?"
Ducky smiled as he doddled Jonathan on his lap. "Not at all. I have to admit that I've never spent so much time holding a baby before. It's a much more enjoyable task than I would have imagined."
"So how are you feeling about your decision to move?" Ziva asked. "Any regrets?"
"I probably will when it comes to winter and I have to shovel," Tim said. "But we've needed to move for a while. We talked about it after Salma was born. We talked about it when Zahara found out she was pregnant with Jonathan. It's just that we kept putting it off. So this has been coming. Part of me is worried about it, but I'm also kind of excited about being able to take this place and make into something better than it was."
"You need any help, you ask for it," Gibbs said. "I'll have the time."
There had been no explicit announcement of his pending retirement, but they all knew about it already. There was a moment of silence.
"You can say it, Boss," Tony said. "We all know."
"Not really the time."
"Sure, it is. It's a time when things are changing," he said, looking sideways at Ziva who reddened just a little bit.
Gibbs raised an eyebrow.
"So Tim just moved and we all know it. Your turn," Tony said.
Tim watched as everyone looked at Gibbs. He wouldn't have been surprised if Gibbs just stopped coming to work without ever announcing his retirement, but Tony was now pushing it.
"I'm retiring at the end of the year," Gibbs said, finally, sounding a little gruff.
"And when that happens, Ziva is going to switch over to Lovitz' team and Lara is going to switch over to our team when I take over."
"Whoa. What?" Abby said incredulously. "Why?"
"Because we're dating," Ziva said. "And we decided that it would cause more problems than we wanted for me to have to take orders from Tony."
Everyone laughed.
"How serious is it?" Ducky asked.
"Serious enough," Tony said, without committing to anything more.
Ducky chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't want to put too much of a damper on this exchange but I do have one thing that has changed for myself and I think it will run the gamut among you from a surprise to an outright shock."
"What?" Abby asked, grinning. "Are you moving back to Scotland?"
Ducky chuckled. "No. My family is here before me."
"Awww," Abby said and ran over to hug him.
"So what is it?" Jimmy asked. "Are you going to take back your position as M.E.?"
"Absolutely not," Ducky said, smiling blithely. "No, I've been spending a few of my afternoons over the last couple of months with Levi Carew, getting to know him."
The silence in the room after that declaration was nothing short of stunned. Even Tim was shocked by it. He wasn't upset, merely shocked, but he knew that for some in this room, that might be tantamount to betrayal.
"Why?" Jimmy asked, showing nothing but surprised curiosity.
"Because getting to see him and interact with him during those harrowing weeks brought a very different perception to my mind of who he was, and I found myself curious about who Levi Carew was when he was not the much-loathed director of the CIA. I wanted to see what you were able to see, Timothy."
Tim found himself smiling a little at that.
"And?" he asked.
"And I find him intriguing. Our conversations are not frequent but they are far from boring. I was honest with him about my intentions and I think he appreciated it."
"That... is definitely shocking news," Ziva said, after a moment. "And you don't regret the time spent?"
"Not a bit."
"Then, I'm glad you enjoy it," she said, although it was obviously hard for her to say.
Abby still seemed stunned into complete silence. Gibbs was smiling and was silent in his usual way. Tony was clearly trying to figure out something to say. He felt he needed to, and Tim thought he probably did need to, all things considered, but he didn't know what it was.
...and then, he was saved by Zahara's arrival. As soon as the door opened, Salma came running in, carrying a basket with khobz in it. Zahara had a large pot in her hands.
"Tim, could you get the other dishes from the car?" she asked.
"Sure."
He hurried out to the car and saw the other large pot, along with a couple of other dishes. Salma came out again.
"Cookies, baba!"
"Mama made cookies, too?"
"No. Buy at the store!"
"Oh, that makes more sense," Tim said. He handed Salma the bag of cookies. "Don't drop them."
"No, baba!"
Then, she ran back into the house, declaring that she was carrying treats. Tim followed more slowly.
"What in the world are you feeding us, Zahara?" Abby asked. "It smells amazing!"
"Breena will be so jealous that she couldn't come and help," Jimmy said. "If there's extra, maybe I could take some home to her?"
"Of course," Zahara said, smiling. "It is couscous with chicken and seven vegetables. I could have used lamb, but Tim does not like lamb, even though he says he doesn't mind it."
"I don't! Beef is just better."
Everyone chuckled.
"Well, it smells great and if the size of the pots is any indication, you've made enough," Jimmy said.
"I knew you had all worked very hard. You should not leave hungry."
"I'll bet we don't," Tony said.
They cleared space for a table and then, Zahara insisted on serving everyone. Then, she took Jonathan from Ducky and settled on a chair to feed him before feeding herself. Since that was a job no one else could do, Tim just waited until Jonathan was finished before taking him from Zahara so that she could eat more easily. Salma sat by Abby and so Abby helped her with her meal, making sure she didn't spill too much. They passed around the bread and, although there was still Ducky's revelation lingering in the air, they had a light conversation while enjoying the meal. Tim and Zahara talked about the changes they would make over time to the house and how nice it was to have all these options with the extra space.
After dinner, they all insisted on helping clean up since there was so much other work to do, but then, they all took their leave. Tim told Gibbs that he wouldn't be able to work on his box for a little while. Ziva hugged Tim and Zahara and told them she would help with anything they needed. Abby gave Salma a high five and then told Tim that he'd picked a great house. Jimmy was able to take some leftovers home for Breena who had stayed home with Victoria who wasn't feeling well.
Ducky waved to Jonathan and then walked over to Tim.
"I hope you don't mind the gauntlet I gently set down," he said.
Tim laughed. "No, but I was surprised. Levi mentioned something about you, but I didn't realize what he meant. I'm glad you're doing it."
"As am I. He said he planned on visiting you tonight."
Tim nodded. "I thought he might. He'd said he would...and he's always honest."
"Yes. I hope that one day, he'll tell me the story of why."
"I only know a few pieces of it. I think his wife is the only one who really knows."
"That wouldn't surprise me. Well, I'm not any good for heavy lifting, but you may call on me for simple things...like holding your baby while you work."
Tim grinned. "Thanks, Ducky. You can just come over if you want to come. No need for an excuse."
"Of course not. Enjoy your first night."
"Thanks."
Then, he left and Tim noticed that Tony was kind of awkwardly lingering behind.
"Hey, Tony. You can take leftovers, too, if you want."
Tony did smile. "No, thanks. Sorry if I dragged things down a little bit. I was trying to think of something to say."
"It's okay. Really, Tony, I know you guys don't like Levi. I've never thought that you had to. Ducky took me by surprise, too."
"Well... I don't know if you really know all the details, but Carew did a lot to help find you and I can't pretend he didn't. I can't pretend that I don't know that he really was devoted to finding you, maybe even more than the rest of us. I'm still working on that stuff."
"I know. It's fine, Tony. I only felt that you needed to work on things with Levi because of what it showed you felt about yourself. If you're feeling better about yourself, I don't really care how you feel about Levi...as long as you don't try to change how I feel about him."
"How did you do it?"
"I don't know," Tim said. "But the more I knew about him, the more I learned, even before he wanted me to, the more I realized that he has a lot of really good qualities. It's just that they're mostly hidden under all the things he uses to keep people at arm's length. Once he stopped doing that so much with me, it got easier."
"Well, I'm not at that point...and I don't know if I ever will be, but I wanted you to know that I'm not letting myself just mindlessly hate him. I'm thinking and I'm trying to get over myself a little bit."
"Just a little?" Tim asked, with a smile.
Tony chuckled. "Yeah. Just a little. Enjoy your new house... and I will help with the wallpaper if you need it."
"I know you will. Thanks."
Tony nodded and then left.
Alone in the living room for a moment, Tim walked over to the couch and flopped down on it. He was still getting better and there was a heavier load he was carrying right now than he hoped he would later on, but today had been a full day...even if it was a good one.
"Tim?"
He looked over and saw Zahara standing in the doorway to the kitchen.
"Yeah?"
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah. Just thinking. Where's Salma?"
"Reorganizing her dishes. Jonathan is sleeping."
Tim laughed and held out his hand. Zahara walked over and took it. Tim pulled her down to the couch and held her tightly.
"I love you. Are you happy?"
"Yes, I am. I am happy with this house. I am happy with you. And perhaps, once we get things unpacked, we can invite Ahmed or Fatima to come and see it."
"I'm okay with that. Anytime they want to come."
"Good. Will Levi be coming?"
"I think so, but I don't know when."
"Then, I will go and start unpacking our bedroom things. You should take Jethro for a walk and see what there is in our neighborhood. I will call you if Levi comes early."
Tim felt a little rush of anxiety which he knew showed on his face. Zahara squeezed his hand.
"It is good for you."
"I know." He took a breath and kissed her on the cheek.
Then, he got up and walked out back.
"Jethro, ready to go for a walk?"
Jethro jumped up willingly enough and Tim clipped on his leash. Then, he led him out onto the sidewalk.
"Well, Jethro, which way?" Tim asked. "Left or right?"
Jethro stood for a moment and then pulled Tim to the left. Tim walked that direction taking note of his guards that were around him.
Keeping me safe.
Tim took a breath and couldn't help but wonder if his new neighbors would notice the people who were always around the neighborhood now that he'd moved in. But also, he knew that there was a house near his that was a CIA-owned property, which was another reason why this house had been on the list of possible properties. Keeping an eye on him would be easier and more subtle. He waved at a couple of people as he walked. He and Zahara had already met some of their neighbors.
After a slow walk around the new neighborhood, he and Jethro headed to their new home. As he got closer, he saw a car in the driveway. He paused, tried not to get worried, and then kept walking when Jethro nudged him. When he was a few feet away, he suddenly recognized the car and he smiled and increased his pace. He took Jethro around to the backyard and then went inside.
"Levi, Tamara, I should have known you'd show up as soon as I left," he said.
Levi and Tamara looked up from the couch where Tamara was holding Jonathan, who was awake again but looking droopy, and looking at him adoringly.
"Your son is beautiful, Tim," Tamara said. "I was just telling Zahara that you two have great genes."
"Thanks," Tim said. "Well, we still have more boxes than anything, but would you like the tour?"
"Levi will," Tamara said. "I'll stay here and hold Jonathan for a little while and talk to Zahara and Salma."
Levi stood up and followed Tim up to the bedrooms.
"So I hear that you're hanging out with Ducky."
"In a limited fashion, yes," Levi said. "He's very interesting."
"He feels the same about you."
"I'm sure he does, for now."
"This is the master bedroom. It's actually a little smaller than our bedroom in the apartment, but it's still plenty big. The bathroom is definitely smaller, but we have what we need."
"I assume you're planning on renovating gradually?"
"Yeah. We'll probably start with the kitchen. It's really small and I know Zahara would like it to be more open."
"Lots of stairs in here. What about your father?"
"There's one bedroom on this main floor and our couch is a pullout. So there are options if we need it. How are you doing?"
"Pretty much back to normal," Levi said. "And yourself?"
"I still get nervous when I have to go outside, but it's getting easier. I'm not seeing Dr. Hicks every single day now, but he wants to see me more frequently for a few more months."
"And work?" Levi asked as they looked at Salma's room and all her toys that she had started to organize.
"I'm back out in the field, but I still feel a little anxiety there, too. I'm working on it."
"Good. What have you found out about your captors?" Levi asked as they looked at the dated bathroom.
"Who says I've found anything?" Tim asked.
Levi smiled. "I did. You wouldn't leave it to chance and if no one volunteered the information, you wouldn't sit back and hope they did."
"The man who was guarding me is still alive and in prison," Tim said, feeling a rush of anger. "He surrendered when the CIA moved in. I wish he was dead. In fact, I still wish that I'd been able to kill him myself. Two of the main captors are dead. The third is in prison. They've found some other bases around the country, but that seemed to be their headquarters, so they probably managed to break up something that could have been really bad."
"I'm glad."
Tim led Levi down the stairs and back to the sunroom.
"I am, too. ...most of the time."
"You'll have to work on the anger for a while," Levi said. "You need to be aware that when anger has been allowed to fester for a while, it's hard to get rid of, but you can hope for it to get better if you work on it...and I can see you are."
"I am, even if sometimes, it doesn't feel worth it."
"I'm sure."
Then, out to the backyard, and Jethro ambled over to sniff at Levi.
"How much longer will he last?"
"A few more months, maybe a year. Not much more than that. He's an old dog, but he's lived as good a life as I could give him, and he seems pretty content," Tim said, petting Jethro lightly.
"Will you get another dog?"
"Probably. Eventually. I've got used to it."
They walked back in, and Tim let Jethro follow. While he'd be out in the yard most of the time, he was used to sleeping indoors and they were going to keep that up.
As they headed to the front room, Levi stopped Tim for a moment. He looked unaccountably serious.
"What is it?" Tim asked.
"Tim, thank you."
"What for?"
"For somehow, against all logic, against all odds, and against what I myself would ever have expected, becoming a friend. I know we don't say it because it's awkward to think about, but as Don pointed out to me, if it's not a friendship we have, I don't know what else to call it. Friendship is thin on the ground for me because of the life I led. Thank you."
At first, Tim wanted to say that it wasn't really a friendship, but the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. It was a strange friendship, and Levi was right that it didn't make sense from the outside, but it felt pretty natural, for all the weirdness of it.
"You're welcome," he said, finally. "Anytime."
Levi laughed a little and they went back into the front room. Tamara gave Jonathan back to Zahara and stood up.
"We'll come by again when you're unpacked," she said. "I don't want to take up all your time on your first night here. Thank you for inviting us to come."
"You're welcome," Tim said again, although with a different feeling.
The Carews took their leave and then, it was just the McGees in the house.
"I was glad to see them," Zahara said.
"Same. Well, what do you say we get ready for bed in our new house?"
"No!" Salma pouted.
"Yes, Salma. It's past your bedtime anyway," Zahara said. "Tim, you take Jonathan."
Tim took his son and then watched as Zahara ushered Salma into her bedroom. He walked into the room that was now the nursery and sat down in the rocking chair, rocking Jonathan as his eyes got heavy-lidded. Tim smiled at him and then kissed him on the head.
"You don't have pouty lips to me," Tim whispered. "But you're wonderful as you are. Just start sleeping through the night and you'll be even better."
Jonathan got limp and relaxed and his eyes closed. After a few more minutes, Tim got up and carefully lay his son in the crib. Then, he turned on the baby monitor and left the room. He kissed Salma good night and then he and Zahara got ready for bed themselves.
"We have a lot to do," Zahara whispered as she curled up beside him in bed.
"Yes, we do."
"But I am glad you are here and I am with you. That's all that matters," she said.
"I love you, Zahara. Always."
"I love you."
Zahara covered the hamza on his chest and then shifted around so that Tim could hold her as he fell asleep.
No matter what else changed, this was still exactly what he wanted.
They fell asleep together.