Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS

Happy Birthday, Tali!

Tali felt herself wake up. She opened one eye and peered into her bedroom. Sunlight peeked through the gap in her curtains. Tali glanced at the clock next to her bed. 6.45 am. Normally Tali would have to wait until 7 am or when Ima woke her up to get out of bed. Today it didn't matter though.

Today was Tali DiNozzo's eighth birthday.

There was a gentle knock on Tali's bedroom door.

'Yes?' said Tali, excitement bubbling in her tummy. She knew what was going to happen. The door opened and Ima and Daddy came into her bedroom, big smiles on their faces.

'Happy birthday Tali' said Ima, sitting on her bed and giving Tali and a big hug.

'I'm eight!' said Tali, happily, punching her fists into the air. Ima and Daddy laughed.

'Yes you are' said Daddy. Do you want to open your presents?' he asked. Tali nodded vigorously and they laughed again.

Leaning out of the room, Daddy fetched something from just outside the door. It was a large gift bag and box. Tali's eyes went wide when she saw how big it was.

'Go on' said Daddy, handing it to her. Tali ripped off the paper on the box and squealed. It was a fluffy, blue bed rest pillow, with armrests and everything. Tali loved to sit on her bed and read or draw. She moved from where she was sitting and placed it on her bed, sitting back in it.

'Perfect' said Ima.

'I love it' said Tali. Ima smiled. She handed Tali the gift bag. Tali took them one by one, ripping off the paper. She got a knitting kit, with everything to help her make a hat, a Gravitrax set, an expandable toy campervan, another colouring book, three other books (including How to Train Your Dragon and Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls) and a piggy bank.

'Now that you are eight, you can start getting an allowance' said Daddy.

'Really?' said Tali, eyes wide. Ima nodded.

'Every week you will get 1.50€' said Ima. 'The piggy bank is for you to keep it safe.'

'When does it start?' asked Tali, eagerly. Ima and Daddy smiled again before Daddy produced 1.50€ in his hand. Tali took and put it in her new piggy bank. She shook it, the coins rattling inside.

'How about birthday pancakes for breakfast?' said Daddy.

'Yes, yes, yes' said Tali, now bouncing on her bed. Ima and Daddy laughed again.

'Let's get dressed and ready for school' said Ima. Tali, slightly glumly, got out of bed. She hated that she had to go to school on her birthday, even if it meant she got to see all her friends. She still had to do horrible things that maths.

Twenty minutes later Tali was sitting at the table, eating funfetti birthday pancakes.

'You looking forward to your party this afternoon?' asked Daddy. Tali nodded, mouth full of pancake. 'Have you decided what you're going to watch?' Tali nodded again and swallowed.

'I want to watch Descendants' she said.

'On Disney+?' asked Daddy. Tali nodded again. After school, her friends were coming over to watch a movie and eat pizza.

Ima came into the kitchen, dressed for the day. On Tuesdays, Ima stayed home to do work with Auntie Abby. Normally she would also go to the library in the afternoon and Clara would pick Tali up from school but today was special and Ima would pick Tali up from school.

Tali finished her birthday pancakes and went to play with her new presents. The Gravitrax was like a marble run but you could build different ones with multiple levels.

There was a knock at the door and Clara came into the apartment.

'Hello?' she called.

'Hi Clara' said Ima, giving her a hug. 'Tali, school.'

Tali reluctantly got up and picked up her school bag.

'Come on' said Clara. 'It won't be that bad.'

Miss May turned to her second-grade class, closing the class register. The twenty boys and girls that were sitting on the carpet, were chatting away. Usually happened after lunch.

Miss May clapped her hands and the class, copied her, falling silent.

'Good afternoon blue class' she said.

'Good afternoon Miss May' they replied.

'Now, some of you will already know this, but I hear it's someone's birthday today.' A few of the kids giggled and looked at Tali. Miss May beckoned Tali up to the front of the class. 'So, how old are you Tali?'

'Eight' said Tali, a big smile on her face.

'And I hear you're having a birthday party after school' said Miss May. Tali nodded again. 'That sounds like fun.' She turned to the class. 'So, what are we going to sing?' The kids giggled again. 'One, two, three.'

'Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to Tali. Happy Birthday to you.'

Miss May handed the class register to Tali who took it back to the receptionist, before going back to class. Fortunately, they did maths in the morning which meant they wouldn't be doing it again.

Tali sat back down with her friends, listening to Miss May talk in Spanish about going to the circus. Tali was happy. She liked learning Spanish. Ima spoke Spanish as well as French and English and helped Tali with her homework. Tali liked doing her homework with Ima.

Tali sat at her desk, Ottie next to her and they started on the worksheets Miss May had given them. It involved lots of cutting and sticking down with glue, which Tali liked. It was kind of like art.

Soon enough, the lesson was finished. They put their books away in a pile for Miss May to mark them. They got their school bags and lunch boxes. The bell rang and one by one, the kids were called out to meet their parents.

'Hi Ima' said Tali, going over to her mother.

'Hi Tali. Hi girls' she added to her daughter's friends. Ottie, Maddie, AJ and Alicia stood nearby. 'Everyone got everything?' she added. The girls nodded. 'OK. On the way home, no running off. I want to see you at all times, and please be careful when we cross any roads.'

The group of six walked through the school gates and towards Tali's home. The arrangement was that the girls would go to Tali's home after school and be picked up at 7 pm. That gave the girls just over four hours to celebrate Tali's birthday.

Ima unlocked the apartment's front door and let the girls in.

'Wow' said Maddie when she saw the living room.

'You like it T?' asked Daddy. Tali nodded.

Ima and Daddy had turned the living room into a sort of blanket fort. They had taken the coffee table out and put down blankets and cushions for the girls to sit on whilst the ate and watched the movie.

Daddy kissed the top of Tali's head.

'Dad' she said, moaning and moving her head out of the way.

'Sorry T' he added quietly.

'Right' said Ima, trying to change the subject quickly. 'We thought we would order three large pizzas. One pepperoni, one vegetable supreme and one cheese. Is that OK?' The girls nodded their heads.

'Do want to start the movie now or later?' asked Daddy. It was 3.40 pm.

Tali and her friends put their heads together and discussed it.

'We want to start the movie now' said Tali.

'OK then' said Daddy, chuckling. They went into the lounge, the girls sitting down in the blanket fort. Daddy switched the TV on and found the movie Tali wanted. She could hear Ima on the phone ordering the pizzas. 'As you wish, birthday girl. Disney's Descendants.'

The girls all squealed with excitement as the movie started. Tali couldn't wipe the smile from her face. This was one of the best birthdays ever!

Tali went into her bedroom, climbing into bed. Kelev was already there, guarding her room. He was an excellent guard dog, protecting all the other toys.

'Did you have fun today?' asked Ima.

'Yes Ima' said Tali. She picked up Kelev, giving him a small hug.

'Best birthday ever?' asked Daddy. Tali shook her head.

'Second best' she said.

'What was your best birthday then?' asked Ima.

'My sixth birthday' said Tali.

'Why six?' asked Ima.

'Because you were here Ima' said Tali. 'It was my first birthday after you came home.' Ima and Daddy smiled, before each giving Tali a kiss.

'We love you Tali' said Ima.

'Love you too' said Tali.

'Sweet dreams T' said Daddy. He switched the lamp off and closed the door too.

'Night Daddy' replied Tali.

Three hours later, Ziva looked at a tidy living room, slightly glad that her daughter only had one birthday a year. Entertaining six eight-year-old girls was exhausting.

Ziva looked around and saw Tony standing in Tali's bedroom doorway.

'Tony, what are you doing?' she asked quietly. Tony placed a finger on his lips and then beckoned Ziva over. She peered around the door and saw Tali, spread out like a starfish on her bed.

'She's so perfect' whispered Tony in Ziva's ear.

'Yes, she is' replied Ziva.

'She called me Dad today' said Tony. Ziva was confused.

'But you are her dad.'

'She called me Dad instead of Daddy' explained Tony. 'When I kissed on the head when you came back from school. First time.'

Ziva gave her husband a sympathetic look. Now she understood.

'You will always be her Daddy' she said, wrapping her arms around Tony's waist.

'I know' he said. 'I just don't want her to grow up.'

Ziva smiled and they both looked back at Tali sleeping, snoring softly.

'Neither do I' added Ziva. 'Come on, let's go to bed.'

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked it.

A shorter one but I got the idea and wanted to run with it. I've never watched Disney's Descendants so don't know if eight-year-olds would watch it.

Happy New Year everyone. Hopefully, 2021 will be better than 2020.

Stay safe friends, and see you soon :)