Chapter 25: Merry Christmas – 2024
"Ima! Wake up Ima!" LJ patted his mother's face with his hand. "Sanna Claus bringed us lots of presents!" He moved in closer to see if his Ima's eyes were open.
Ziva slowly opened an eye, "LJ? What is it motek?" She could tell that it was still dark, but there was enough ambient light that she could see the outline of her three-year-old at the side of the bed.
"It's Christmas Ima!" LJ almost shouted and jumped up and down with excitement.
Tony rolled over and groaned, "What time is it?" He peered at the bedside clock on Ziva's nightstand. "Am I seeing that right? 0343?" he whispered to his wife.
"Mm-hmm. LJ come in the bed. It is too early to be awake," she held up the covers on her side and the little boy climbed into the bed next to his mother. "We need to sleep at least until daylight."
"Okay Ima," the boy burrowed in between his parents and drifted back to sleep.
"Abba! Wake up, Abba!" Beth and Rivka tried to shake their father's shoulder.
Tony rolled towards his side of the bed, "Huh? What is it?"
"It's Christmas! Santa left a whole bunch of presents under the tree while we were sleeping. Can we open them now?" Riv tried to pry her father's eye open.
He brushed her hand away and opened an eye, "It's still dark. When everyone is awake, we can open presents in the daylight." He glanced at the clock on his nightstand; 0427. "You two need to go back to sleep for a while."
"Can we sleep here? Please?" Beth gave her best puppy eyes even in the mostly dark room.
Tony lifted the comforter, "Come on…" Both girls climbed in the bed and snuggled on either side of their Abba. Soon all three were back to sleep. Three of the cats, Lightning, Callie, and Patches soon curled up by their humans. Asher turned and sighed on the dog bed by Ziva's side of the bed, then jumped up on the foot of the bed and curled into Ziva's legs.
Ziva was aware of the dog pinning her legs to the bed as she also realized that Anthony was gently prodding her shoulder. "What is the matter?" she mumbled still half asleep.
"It's Christmas Ima; and we have lots of presents under the tree. Daisy woke me up," the boy explained. "I can't go back to sleep."
Ziva opened an eye, "What time is it?"
Anthony read the clock on Ima's bedside table, "Five oh seven."
Ziva sighed, "It is too early to get up; come in the bed with the rest of us. We can try to sleep a bit longer." She patted the empty space to her side. Anthony crawled under the covers and snuggled into his Ima. She was nice and warm. Daisy hopped up next to Anthony's feet and curled up to sleep.
Tony was aware of several small bodies around his as he drifted into consciousness. Rivka and Beth were cuddled into either side of him with their cats planted between his legs and their legs; Callie was wrapped around his head. He tried to move so he could glance at Ziva's side of the bed and was reprimanded with complaints from all three cats. He slowly turned his head; Tali and Simba were next Beth, with LJ on the other side of Tali. Ziva was on her back with the boys curled on either side of her and from the weight at his feet, he guessed that Asher was at the bottom of the bed. He couldn't see her, but he would bet money that Daisy was near Anthony's feet.
He smiled to himself; this is what it was all about. Not the brightly wrapped gifts piled under the tree that he and Ziva had spent a bit over four hours wrapping and carrying from their offices to the family room; not the holiday tree with its twinkly lights and ornaments that represented each of them and the extended family; not the four pans of lasagna that were waiting to be baked for dinner at Gibbs' house later that day. No, Christmas was about family, specifically his family.
Ten years ago, he would have never imagined himself lying in a king-sized bed that he shared with Ziva, surrounded by their children. Five DiNozzos of the next generation: ten-year-old Tali, seven-year-old Anthony, the almost five-year-old twins Rivka and Beth, and three-year-old LJ. Plus, the six fur-legged DiNozzos: Asher the greyhound, Daisy the Border Collie, Callie and Patches the calico cats, Simba the orange tabby, and Lightning the medium-haired white cat. Thirteen DiNozzos in one bed; the lucky thirteen if one were to ask Tony.
He turned carefully to glance at the clock on his night table; 0635. Soon all of the family would be awake, and the commotion of the household would be the norm; he decided to enjoy the quiet reflection time while he could.
Ziva opened her eyes to the semi-darkness of the early morning pre-dawn hours. Both boys were cuddled into her sides and she could feel the weights of the two dogs near her legs and feet. She slowly turned to look over at Tony's side of the bed; Tali and Simba were beside LJ. She could make out the twins curled into their Abba and cats piled on top of them. Callie was on Tony's pillow, curled against his head. She smiled to herself; family… her family… was what the holidays were all about. So many years of her life had been spent alone at the winter holidays; now she wouldn't trade anything for the joy of having her soulmate, her love and their five children all snuggled into one big bed.
She turned carefully so as not to wake any sleeping children or animals and glanced at her bedside clock; 0635. Soon enough the house would be filled with the sounds of children's laughter and excitement, opening gifts, and the smells of the lasagna baking and breakfast cooking.
"Zi? You awake?" Tony whispered.
"Yes; Merry Christmas, neshama," she whispered in reply.
"Merry Christmas, sweetcheeks. I'm gonna enjoy the quiet while we can." He turned in her direction and locked gazes with his better half over the sleeping children and pets. "Ani ohev otcha."
The kids and pets started waking up with the daylight. Ziva knew the cats and dogs would be begging for their breakfast soon and the kids would be ready to open gifts as soon as possible. LJ was the first one to pop up after realizing that it was Christmas morning.
"Ima, Abba, it's Christmas! Can we open presents now?" he stood up on the bed and tried to climb over his mother.
The other kids joined in his request, climbing over their parents to get off the bed and run to the family room. Animals followed children. Tony rolled towards his wife and locked lips with her.
"Merry Christmas, sweetcheeks," he pointed towards the ceiling. "Mistletoe!"
"Merry Christmas; let us get going before the children have the family room in a storm of paper," Ziva returned the kiss with a grin. "I think these animals will be waiting for their breakfast also." The adults donned their warm robes and slippers before heading out to the kitchen and family room.
Ziva reminded the children that animals needed to be fed before any presents were opened. LJ and Beth helped place the bowls of cat food on the floor for the four felines, while Anthony helped his father with the dogs' food. Rivka and Tali made sure the pets' water bowls were full.
Rivka and LJ jumped up and down with excitement as Ziva started towards the family room.
"The dogs and cats are fed; can we open presents now?" Riv tugged at her Ima's robe sleeve.
Ziva smiled at the little girl, "I think it is time…" All five children ran to the family room, stopping in front of the Christmas tree to gawk at all the gifts piled under and around it. Tony used the app on his phone to turn on the lights of the tree and start the holiday music channel on the cable tv.
"Before the paper and trims start flying," he looked at the five children. "Tali has the blue kittens paper. Anthony has the red paper with puppies. Rivka has the light blue princess wrapping paper. The pink princess paper is Beth's, and the Lion King paper is LJ's stuff. Ima's gifts are wrapped in the blue paper with snowflakes."
"And Abba's gifts are in the red and silver shiny paper," Ziva added. "Any gifts for the animals are in the Santa themed paper with the pet's name written on it. Are we ready?"
"YES!" five voices of excited kids replied with signature DiNozzo grins. Each one grabbed one of their gifts from under the tree and found a spot to sit to open it. Tony chose a wrapped gift to hand to Ziva and she handed him one of his packages.
"On three… one… two… three!" Tony could hear the sounds of paper tearing as they all eagerly unwrapped a gift. He took his phone from the pocket of his robe and snapped several pictures. Grins became wider as each discovered the contents of the gifts. Oohs and ahhs punctuated the ripping of paper.
"Just what I wanted!"
"This was on the top of my wish list!"
"Oh cool!"
"Look Ima; look what I got!"
"Abba, Santa knew exactly what I wanted!"
Paper, ribbons, bows, boxes flew everywhere; the piles of torn wrappings grew as the pile of gifts under the tree shrank. Asher and Daisy each got a stuffing-less plush toy; Asher's six-foot-long snake toy was a hit with the greyhound. Daisy trotted around with her plush squirrel toy, nudging Anthony to play tug-of-war with her. Each cat received a catnip mouse toy and some treats although Lightning and Simba were more interested in attacking the pile of torn wrapping paper.
Tony and Ziva shared a look; their family room was organized chaos, but they wouldn't have it any other way. The couple locked lips under the mistletoe.
"Merry Christmas everyone!" LJ hugged Asher as he shouted the holiday greetings to all.
A/N Merry Christmas to all! Thanks for all the favorites, follows, reviews (here and on Twitter.)