I am back… sort of. Well, enjoy reading!
Reunion
She hated cold feet. Tony knew that. So he took his daughter to a mall to choose cozy warm slippers for Ziva. She arrived at the airport in Paris at 2 pm and originally Tony had planned to take his girls to a restaurant and after that crash on the couch for some movies and when Thali was asleep, he wanted to take Ziva to bed and never let her out of it.
It didn't work out as he planned. They met at the airport but Thali insisted to go to McDonald's rather than to an Italian restaurant. Ziva had been so very tired but he could see the love for their daughter in her eyes and when they got into the car, mother and daughter set in the backseat talking and giggling. After McDonald's Thali showed her mother the house and introduces all her dolls and stuffed animals to her. Ziva smiled and shook a stuffed pow after another, talked to the toys, and even had a tea party with all of them, including Tony.
By the time Thali fell asleep in her mother's arms, Tony could tell Ziva was also about to drop off, but she got up from the bed, tugged her daughter in, and then…
She cried for over an hour in his arms. Years of tension, longing, and fear for her family fell away from her. Tony held her, knowing her tears meant joy, not fear or sorrow. Their love-making was short but intensive. Ziva had wanted it so badly.
In the middle of the night, Tony woke to find her looking at him.
"Jet-lack?" he asked.
"Unknown surrounding." She answered.
He knew she had problems sleeping in new places. The noises of the house, a car passing by, the crack of the wooden floor all that kept her awake. And she followed his rule #1, no weapons in the bedroom, which was certainly not easy for her after those years.
He drew her close: "It's your home. I promise nothing bad will come through this door. I'll never let anything happen to our family."
"We are really a family now, yes?"
"Marry me…" it was not a question. "I have a ring for you. It is in the pocket of my coat. I wanted the big proposal at the airport you know. The movie proposal with all people cheering when you agree and old ladies crying and Thali throwing rose petals and that stuff but it did not feel right at that moment so…" he stopped realizing he was babbling. "Marry me, Ziva" he looked into her eyes.
"Yes."