We have jumped forwards a bit, to mid-to-late February. Ziva is about five months pregnant here, I think. There was going to be another chapter between this one and the last one, which actually had the first section of this in it, but I had a lot of problems with that one. And although I did try and make it work, I, uh, I had a bad morning this morning, with things going wrong again in life. It seems to be on a downwards spiral at the moment. Oh, well.
To Debbie, your comment of why I do not just skip forward to the wedding. I have not wanted to because I know what chapter number I want the wedding to be. But, if things keep going wrong, I do have the wedding and the reception written up, so, depending upon how life pans out, those may or may not be up any time soon.
This is the first of the chapters that I wrote a long time ago, those pre-written chapters that have their own folders and sub folders! Yay! Although, removing one file from the main folder actually had very little effect on its size. But that means more for you to read in the future. And faster updates for those chapters. Yay!
I wanted to have DiNozzo Senior but was shocked to remember that we do not actually meet him until around one/two years after this is set. So, I am using a little artistic license and saying that we have already met him and had all of the introductions. Can we just pretend?
Please?
XLV. I Was Wise Enough To Never Grow Up, While Fooling People Into Believing I Had.
"They sure grow up fast, don't they Jethro?" Jenny said as they stood, looking over the team from the balcony. "It doesn't seem like five minutes since they were running around having rubber band wars and paper aeroplane competitions."
"That's 'cause it wasn't, Jen." He looked to his watch. "That was only 4 minutes and…36 seconds ago."
"You know what I mean." She rolled her eyes. "I still cannot believe that they're getting married in a month."
"Believe it. You're gonna have to walk down the aisle with Ducky." He smirked as she sighed.
"It's been a long time since I've been to a wedding."
"Not looking forward to it?"
"It's not that, Jethro. I guess…it's just a reminder that time slips away from us." She shrugged, watching as Tony walked over to Ziva's desk and perched on the edge, tilting her chin up to face him.
"You ever thought about getting married, Jen?" He scrutinised her face out of the corner of his eye.
"Once. A long time ago." She smiled sadly, lost in another time and place. "A very long time ago. But not recently. You?"
"Nope." He took a sip of coffee and turned away, walking along the catwalk towards the stairs.
She watched his retreating form. "Any advice?"
"Don't trip."
Gibbs growled at the piece of paper in front of him, hoping that his piercing glare would write the speech for him. Alas, the paper was unperturbed by the look that usually kicked DiNozzo into immediate action. He hated speeches. He hated weddings. He hated being stuck in a monkey suit. The last wedding he had been to had been his forth marriage. Since then he had avoided anything wedding-y. Until now. Now he was being sucked back in by a nervous, innocent look from his less than innocent Mossad liaison officer. But Ziva was more than just a liaison officer, more than just a member of his team – she was a member of his family. She had been ever since she slapped the back of his head and brought back his memory. He read his scratchy handwriting and scrunched up the paper into a ball, tossing it into the growing pile of identical paper balls. If Tony were there he and Ziva would have a field day throwing them across the bullpen to one another. He started again, hoping the words would come to him and failing. So he looked up to his thankfully quiet squad room – Tony and Ziva having gone to a doctor's appointment – and turned to their resident author and wordsmith.
"Hey, McGee."
"Yeah, Boss?" He looked up from his work.
"What's that word you and Abby are using all the time?"
The younger agent's face contorted in confusion. "Which word? You'll have to be slightly more specific."
"The one, you know, S…T…U…something or other. The one you were always saying Tony and Ziva had before they, you know, hooked up."
"Oh. UST. Unresolved Sexual Tension." McGee nodded and got back to his work before freezing in the middle of typing a word and looking up at his boss. "Gibbs, uh…why?"
"That's what they had, wasn't it?"
"Er yeah, in a way. Why?" Gibbs glowered at him and he nodded in realisation. "Oh, you're writing your Father of the Bride speech. I've already written my Best Man speech."
"Well, yeah, McGee. This is what you're good at. I…I don't use words."
"I'm sure they'll be happy with whatever you say, Boss. Trust me, I don't think they'll care if what you say is profound or simple. I think they'll only care that you tried."
"You don't think I know that, Elf Lord." He said gruffly, turning back to the piece of paper on his desk and balling it up, throwing it in the trash and starting over.
Again.
"Tony, what is wrong?" Ziva asked as her fiancée put his phone down. His face had fallen.
"My father's in town." He cringed, wishing he had picked up his phone when it rang and not left it to go to voicemail.
"Oh, he has not visited in so long." She smiled.
"It's not a good thing."
"Have you asked him about coming to the wedding?"
"He doesn't even know about us yet. I wanted to tell him face to face." Tony covered his face with both hands and made a strange moaning sound. "I hoped I would have more time."
"Tony, I am five months pregnant. We are getting married in a month. I think that time is not on your side."
"You might be right there." He muttered as his father stepped out of the elevator and looked around before spotting Tony. "Dad, you're early."
"Well, I wanted to see everyone, especially the lovely ladies you work with. I honestly don't know how you manage to control yourself." The older man said quietly. Tony the younger groaned and shuddered.
"Dad, please."
"What?" Senior asked, shaking his head at his son's cringe. "Ziva, how are you?" He grinned as he walked around the corner.
"I am very well, thank you." She smiled and stood up from her desk chair. "You look as handsome as ever."
"Whoa, Ziva, what happened?" He stared at her stomach, blatantly ignoring the compliment.
"I believe I am pregnant." She looked down and smiled, placing her hand on top of her bump.
"Congratulations." Her oblivious soon to be father-in-law smiled and kissed her cheek.
"Thank you." She nodded and returned back to her seat. Her eyes flicked to Tony and narrowed slightly. He shook his head slightly, unnoticeable unless someone was watching for it.
"When's the due date?"
"June." Tony stated, quickly changing the subject. "Not that I'm not happy to see you or anything, but what are you doing here Dad?"
"Well, I was passing through on business and I thought, whilst I'm here I might as well check in with you."
"Great. How long you gonna stay?" He sat at his desk and ran his hands through his hair.
"Well, that all depends on how well the business goes."
"Minimum, then." Tony crinkled his brow.
"A day or two." The original DiNozzo shrugged and grinned. "So how've you been, Junior?"
"Just peachy." Junior sighed, sending a glare across to Ziva as she chuckled. A thunder of heavy booted footfalls came towards them accompanied by Abby's excited giggle. Both Tony and Ziva jumped up and ran to stop her.
"TONYYYYYY! I bet you're so excited for mumph glumph meeph…" Ziva clamped her hand over Abby's mouth, reaching her just in time.
"He doesn't know yet." Tony hissed in her ear before turning back to his frowning father. Ziva released Abby.
"Well, I don't quite know what I'm supposed to be excited about, but I'm sure when I find out I will be." He chuckled.
"I'm certain you will be." The Goth grinned and both Tony and Ziva glared at her.
"There something I should know?"
"No." All three NCIS employees said in unison. Ziva and Tony returned to their desks.
"Uh, Dad, join me for dinner tonight." Tony said after Ziva and Abby both raised their eyebrows at him.
"Well, I did have plans…"
"It's important, Dad." Tony looked at his father, his expression sombre and serious.
"Well, if it is as important as you say then I am sure I can change my plans." He frowned at his son, wondering what could be so urgent.
"Thank you. I'll send you the address for the restaurant later."
"I have a, uh, business appointment that I have to get to." Senior raised his eyebrows and clapped his hands together, grinning the obligatory DiNozzo grin.
"Sure, Dad." Tony nodded and stood up.
"Well, it's been great to see you all, Abby, Ziva. Congratulations." He nodded to the pregnant woman before walking back to the elevator and walking in, not before smiling at another agent and beginning to flirt with her.
"One day he's gonna get me fired." Tony let out a low moan as he let his head fall onto the desk.
"Well, look on the bright side, Tony." Ziva looked up from the paper work on her desk.
"What bright side?" He sighed, curious as to what possible reason there was to be happy about any of it.
"Well, I do not know, but there must be a bright side for a dark side to exist, yes Abby?" Both agents turned to the scientist as she stood in the centre of the room.
"Her logic's sound." Abby shrugged. "It would just be a side if there was nothing to compare it to, and that's not very metaphoric of how you're feeling right now."
"You are sure you want me here?" Ziva said, placing her hand over his.
"How am I going to tell my father that I got you pregnant and we're getting married without you here?"
"I just want to make it easier for you." She smiled.
"If you weren't here to prompt me, I probably wouldn't even tell him." He laughed. "Thank you."
"Good choice on the restaurant." She smiled, nodding to their surroundings.
"Thank you, I spent a long time thinking about where to go." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. He retracted his hand as he saw his father talking to the waiter. "Gagh. My father, your five o'clock." She turned around and smiled as Tony's father walked over.
"Junior, I didn't know we were having company for dinner." He smiled. "No, Ziva, you do not have to stand." He stopped her as she began to stand up in order to hug him.
"Thank you, although I do not mind." She shrugged.
"Your partner doesn't mind that you're out for dinner tonight with us?" DiNozzo senior asked, raising his eyebrows and pointing to her bump.
"He is not the boss of me." She flicked her eyes to her fiancé before looking back at his father. "I do not think it will be a problem." She smiled slightly and sipped at her glass of water.
"Dad, we, I, we need to talk to you." Tony looked at his father, furrowed his brow and then averted his eyes again, trying to work out how to broach the subject that he had spent the whole day worrying about. He glanced around the restaurant he had chosen, the one belonging to the hotel he and Ziva had stayed at when posing as assassins.
"This sounds serious. I hope I'm not in trouble." He laughed. "You're not ill are you?" He stared at the younger man opposite him, worry spreading across his face.
"No, no, nothing like that." Tony said quietly and shook his head slowly, a perplexed expression on his face.
"Then what is it, Junior?" Anthony's expression growing more and more worried every minute that Tony sat in silence. Ziva covered his hand with hers, stroking it slightly and smiling when he looked up at her.
"What are you doing next month, 21st?" Tony asked, the smile from Ziva giving him the confidence to continue.
"Next week I'm going to Milan, I don't know when I'll be getting back. Why are you asking?" He looked down at the couple's entwined hands and narrowed his eyes. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
"Well, er… I guess so." Somehow, Tony DiNozzo, Junior, master of words, really sucked at using words, or at least he did when he was talking to his father. "You see, Ziva and I…me and…we…there is a…well…we're gonna have a baby." He smiled.
"Two." Ziva laughed.
"Yes. Two. Twins." Tony grinned, a classic DiNozzo grin. His father smiled.
"Congratulations, Junior. This is why you want to know what I'm doing on the 21st?"
"Yeah. The wedding." He bit his lip. His father sighed.
"Junior, I'm going to Milan in a week. I don't know when I'll be back. I'm sorry."
"Yeah, you know, it doesn't matter, I should have asked you earlier – not left it so late." Tony shook his head and rubbed his forehead. "It's my fault."
"I'm sorry, son." Senior finished his martini. "Look, I don't want to intrude, ruin your evening any more." He looked apologetically between the couple. Leaving money on the table, he stood up and looked at his son.
"Dad, you don't need to…"
"Junior, you don't need me around, getting in the way. I wasn't the best father in the world, and you don't need me ruining everything. You need any more," he tapped the money on the table, "you just call."
"Dad, no…"
"Tony, son. You'll be a good father. I'm proud of you." He smiled and patted the younger man's shoulder. "Take care of her." Tony stood up and hugged him. DiNozzo senior turned to Ziva, smiling. "Look after my son, Ziva." He hugged her. "Don't let him boss you around."
"There is no fear of that." She chuckled. "Are you sure you will not stay?"
"No, you two don't need me around."
"Dad…" Tony stood up as his father walked away before sinking back into his chair, grinning at Ziva and trying to hide the pain in his eyes.
"I am sorry, Tony."
"No, it's…what was I expecting, hey?" He shrugged, gritting his teeth.
"That does not mean that you should like the result." She placed her hand comfortingly on his back, rubbing it soothingly.
"Can we…can we just have dinner and go home and just forget this all happened? Please?" His expression was so pitiful that Ziva could do nothing but smile and nod, not all that shocked that he wanted nothing more than to curl up and hide from the world. "Thank you." The rest of dinner progressed in a sombre silence, both partakers finding comfort in the simple looks between one another, no need for idle chitchat. They communicated fine without vocalising anything.
Tony drove home, his hand only moving from where it was gently massaging Ziva's thigh when he needed to change gears. As he parked the car in their parking place and they both got out, he looked to her over the canvas top and laughed. "You know, I don't know what I'm complaining about. At least he treats me like a person. Your dad, he…"
"Tony, there is no excuse. For either of our fathers' actions." She walked around to him and reached up, placing a soft, gentle kiss to his lips and taking his hands in her own. She led him up the steps of their brownstone, keeping his hand firmly in hers the whole time. "I have a surprise for you." She grinned as she slipped her shoes off, walking towards the kitchen to grab a glass of water.
"Oh, yeah? And what would that be?"
"Well, you will have to be patient of course…"
"I can be patient. What's my surprise?" His mood seemed to pick up slightly.
"Come here and I will show you." He obliged, walking over to where she was stood by the sink. She took his hands and pressed her lips to his, smiling into the kiss when his hands moved, of their own volition, from her hands to the sides of her bump, his thumbs drawing invisible patterns through the cotton of her dress.
And then he jumped back, his face a picture of shock and confusion as he stared down at his left hand and the air filled with peels of Ziva's laughter. As soon as he realised what had happened, he moved back to her, pressing two kisses to her swollen stomach and rubbing his hand over the spot where one of the twins had kicked. "Did'ya feel that? Did'ya feel my little baby in there?" He grinned at her in the dark kitchen, the moonlight being the only illumination they needed for their private family moment.
"Yes, I did." She smiled as he pulled her into one of the biggest hugs he had ever given her, not before turning his attention back to her stomach and the small tap he had felt.
"It's amazing…" He whispered quietly, staring in awe.
"I felt them move about a month ago." She said and he looked up at her, hurt flickering across his face again.
"And you didn't tell me?"
"I did not tell you because you would not have been able to feel them too. I did not want you to feel left out. This evening, when you were talking to your father, I felt a proper kick for the first time, and I knew you would need something to make you smile." She said softly.
"And you kept quiet about feeling them for a month?" He looked incredulously at her as she nodded.
"I wanted to tell you, I really did, but I wanted you to be able to feel them too." She murmured, looking down. "Maybe it was the wrong thing to do."
"No! No. I like that you thought like that." He smiled, pulling her to him again. "I love it. And you're amazing, you know that?"
"For what am I amazing, Tony?" She sighed.
"For being able to keep something so exciting a secret for so long, just to make me happy."
"I love you, Tony." She looked at him like he was stupid. "I would do anything for you."
Does it feel unfinished. I think it does. I liked the ending when I originally wrote it, but now I am not so sure…
I do not know what is happening in the next chapter. It might be the wedding. Or the night before the wedding. That one will be fun. Well, they both will. And so will the reception.
Or the next one might be something completely different. How about another case? I know how much you all loved the Jello case…
