Tali's family
Tony gets a text message on his phone. He takes out his phone and signs annoyed.
"him again?" Ziva asks. He clearly is aware of who it is. Tony nods.
"who?" McGee asks.
"none of your business McSnoopy," Tony says.
"Sr," Gibbs states knowingly. The moment Gibbs mentions Tony's father, Gibbs notice Tali jumps down from Tony's lap and walks into the house.
"yes. how did you know?" Tony asks, confused. "please don't tell me he called you?"
"nope." Gibbs takes a sip of his beer. "he stopped by yesterday." Gibbs informs with a smile while he is turning a steak over on the grill. "Tali had told him you guys were coming here, so he was asking if there was room for one more," Gibbs informs.
"you told him no?" Tony asks, a bit confused. Tony doesn't remember Gibbs ever saying no to Sr.
"nope. I told Sr who was coming, and then it seemed like he changed his mind. I don't know." Gibbs says casually.
"strange," Tony says.
"I would have loved Sr. to be here." Ellie says. "he is so sweet."
"I have actually never really meet him," Kasie says.
"he is so nice and kind to everyone."
"yeah, especially women." Tony says, a little irritated about his father's playboy behavior. "he just can't behave himself towards women."
"not in a gross way. He is just really sweet and a bit flirty." Ziva explains to a confused Kasie.
"not to me," Jack says, a little confused, and everyone looks over at Jack.
"really?" Tony asks and looks to Ziva. He looks questioning at her, and it seems like she is answering him without actually saying a word.
"something you want to say, DiNozzo," Gibbs asks.
"no. it is just unusual for my father not to be flirty with everyone women he meets and especially blonde women."
"well, no one wants to stand on the wrong end of a USMC Sniper rifle," Nick says with a smocking smile to Jack, who is well aware of what he is talking about.
"just shot it, Nick. I am sure it has nothing to do with your stupid theory."
"I am sure 'it' does," Nick says with a very confident smile, and both Bishop, McGee, and Ziva has a knowing smile on their faces.
"don't take it personally, Jack," Ziva says. "I am sure Sr. doesn't mean anything personal with it. he just respects Gibbs enough to know when to back off."
"my father fears Gibbs enough to know when to back off," Tony adds and takes a sip of his beer. That explanation does not make the smock smile on Nick's face go away, and it annoys Jack.
"I am not afraid of Gibbsi," Tali says as she comes out from the house. She walks over to Gibbs and gives him a hug before she steps to the lawn to play with Morgan and Victoria.
"Jacki Jacki." Little Johnny says and points towards his sister playing on the lawn. He wants Jack to come with him and play. Jack is more than happy to get out of this conversation and happily walks with Johnny to play with the girls.
The casual conversation about Sr and the different team members' experience with Sr continues for about 15 minutes until Victoria comes back and takes a seat on her dad's lap. Tali also comes and takes a seat on Tony's lap.
"are you going to visit Grandpa Sr over the summer Tali?" McGee asks, but when she hears Sr mentioned, she jumps down from his lap again and walks away without answering McGee.
"Sr. calls almost every week to ask about Tali," Tony responds to McGee and looks after Tali, who has sat down alone on the ground.
"what is up with her?" Gibbs asks, looking over at Tali. She has sat down on the ground and is fingering with some dirt.
"I don't know," Tony says, a little concerned.
"it is every time Sr is mentioned, she walks away quietly," Gibbs observes.
"Yeah. Something happened between Tali and Sr about a week ago." Ziva joins in on the conversation.
"she was on a video call with Sr in the living room. I left for about 5 minutes, and when I came back, Tali had left the computer and walked to her room. Sr was still on the call. He seemed a bit shaken up. When I went to Tali's room, she was crying. She wouldn't tell me why. She only said that she didn't want to visit Sr over the summer." Ziva explains to Gibbs, Tony, and McGee's bewildered.
"what could Sr. possibly have said that would make Tali so upset?" McGee questions.
"I don't know." Tony says, concerned, and looks over at his little girl. "whatever it is. She won't tell us."
Gibbs gets up from his chair and walks over to Tali. He sits down on the ground next to. Not really seem to care that he is sitting right on the cold tiles that will be rough on his jeans.
"Hey, kiddo." Gibbs says and brushes his hand over Tali's brown curls. "why don't you come over to the rest of us?" Gibbs asks.
"no," Tali says, determined and continues to play with the pile of dirt.
"why not?" Gibbs asks.
"I am mad," Tali says, and it is obvious in her voice that she is starting to cry.
"Come here, kiddo," Gibbs says and takes the little girl in his arms. She isn't even fighting against it. He struggles a bit to get up while he is holding Tali. He used to do it quite smoothly with Kelly, but that was about 30 years ago. Gibbs manages to get up with Tali in his arms and carry her over the table. He sits down with Tali on his lap. Tali hides her face in Gibbs's sweatshirt while she is crying. Gibbs is gently brushing his hand down her back.
"Tali, what is going on, baby?" Ziva asks.
"nothing," Tali says into Gibbs's sweatshirt. She sounds angry, and she is crying at the same time. "I am mad," Tali says and briefly looks furious at Ziva and Tony before she turns her head back into Gibbs's sweater.
"what are you mad about?" Tony asks. "was it because we were talking about grandpa sr?" Tony asks.
"he is not my grandpa," Tali says, angry and once again briefly look at Tony before again hiding her face in Gibbs's sweat. The conversation between the remaining parts of the party has stopped observing what is going on with Tali.
"why would you say that?" Gibbs asks and places a kiss on Tali's head.
"he lied to me," Tali says with wet eyes and tears falling down her face.
"about what?" Gibbs asks.
"he said you and Ima lied to me." Tali finally admits.
"What did he say we lied about Tali?" Ziva asks. She has stood up and walked around the table. She is now kneeling next to Gibbs's chair, on the side where Tali is facing.
"he said I lied because I said I have 2 grandpas." Tali cries. "and then he said I do have two grandpas, but he said one is dead, and that is not true." Tali breaks into tears again. Ziva reaches out and lifts Tali from Gibbs and into her arms. Tali doesn't resist, and she wraps her arms around Ziva's neck for comfort. Gibbs stands up to let Ziva sit in his chair.
"What else did Granpa Sr say that made you upset Tali?" Tony asks. He has now over and is kneeling next to the chair where Ziva is now sitting with Tali.
"he said that it is not true what Gibbsi says that my family is the people I love and who loves me. He says I only have 3 people in my family. So, he said, Gibbsi lied to me."
"sweetie, a family is all the people you love and all the people who love you," Ziva explains to Tali.
"but grandpa said that is not true." Tali cries.
"Well, Grandpa is wrong about that," Tony says to his little girl.
"you have a big family Tali," Ziva says and places a kiss on Tali's head.
"yeah, but Grandpa said that I can't decide who my grandpa is, and I am not doing that," Tali argues to her mom. She has slowly stopped crying now.
"I know you are not, sweetie," Ziva says.
"who is your second grandpa, Tali?" Bishop asks. Bishop looks a little hesitant over at Tony to see if she overstepped a line by getting involved in the family conversation, but the approving nod from Tony reassures her.
"Gibbsi." Tali says with a big smile. "he is my grandpa." Everyone looks up at Gibbs. He has taken a step back to let Tony and Ziva handle the situation with Tali. Gibbs has been standing against the wall and just observed and listen to the conversation, but now everyone's attention is on him, and he looks a bit surprised. But once Tali's big brown eyes meet his, he can't help but smile. Then Tali returns to answer Bishop's question, but she seems much happier now and seems to be speaking to everyone willing to listen.
"Gibbsi is my grandpa because Ima says Gibbsi is like her Abba because Ima never had her Abba like I have mine. And it was Gibbsi who made sure Ima came home to me and Abba. I love Gibbsi because Ima and Abba say he protects Ima all the time. And Ima and Abba also say I have my uncle Tim and uncle Nick. Ima says they are always going to protect me if I get in trouble."
"they are going to have a full-time job," Tony mumbles, but Tali doesn't seem to hear what he said.
"But I never get in trouble," Tali says with a confident smile and giggles. All the adults smile at Tali's confidence and Tony's comment.
"you will always have a big family who loves you and will protect you, Tali," McGee says. Tali jumps down from Ziva, runs around the table, and gives her uncle Tim and gib a hug. Johnny, who is snuggled up on Jack's lap, doesn't seem very pleased with the older girl hugging his dad.
"Uncle Tim," Tali says and begins to climb onto McGee's lap. McGee assists her on the last climb.
"yes, Tali," McGee says.
"am I going to have more cousins?" Tali asks. McGee looks over at Tony with a killing look, but all he receives back is Tony's smock smile.
"no, Tali, I don't think so. Not from Delilah and me. Maybe from your uncle Nick."
"wow, no. Hey, keep me out of this." Nick immediately protests, and everyone starts laughing at Nicks immediately freaked out response. Ziva notices that Gibbs has remained very quiet and has snug away unnoticed. Ziva gets up and walks inside.
Ziva slowly walks into the kitchen when she notices Gibbs is standing there near the kitchen counter. It seems like he is lost in his thoughts while he is looking out the window. Ziva isn't sure if she should interrupt him or not. She knows he likes his privacy.
"need something, Ziva?" Gibbs asks. Now that he has let her know he knows it is her, she begins to walk closer to him.
"I didn't know if you wanted to be alone," Ziva says as she crosses the floor and stops next to where Gibbs is standing. She notices what Gibbs is looking at. A plate Kelly made for him. he doesn't speak or even look at her. he is just standing with the plate in his hand.
"Gibbs, I didn't know Tali would put so much into it. I am sorry if it is too much for you that she wants you to be her grandfather."
"it isn't," Gibbs says and interrupts Ziva without looking at her. "I am honored that she will see it that way, but what means just as much to me is what she said about you," Gibbs says. He turns around and looks over at the fridge. There is an old photo taken over 10 years ago of the team. It has Ducky, Gibbs, Jimmy, Abby, Tony, McGee, and Ziva in it. Ziva and Gibbs stand next to each other, and Gibbs has an arm wrapped around her shoulders.
"Gibbs, I had thought a lot about what I said to you when I told you I went to South America to look for you and McGee." Gibbs just looks at her while she speaks. "about that, you never did anything for me. that sentence is the worst thing I have ever said to anyone and especially to you."
"hey," Gibbs says and takes her in for a hug. "Kids say things to their parents all the time that they regret afterward." Ziva pulls back from the hug and looks at Gibbs. Her sad face lights up into a big smile. With that big loving smile on her face, Gibbs can truly see how much Tali looks like Ziva.
"IIIIIMMMAAAA…" Tali's voice is heard all over the house. "GIIIIIBBBBSSSS," Tali screams.
"in here, Tali," Ziva yells back. Ziva's head is close to Gibbs's head, and Gibbs quickly pulls back. Gibbs looks at Ziva with a look that says, "really?"
"where do you think she gets it from?" Ziva asks with a proud smile.
"you are turning into a DiNozzo," Gibbs says.
"Please don't say that," Ziva begs, but they both chuckle.
"Ima? Gibbsi?" Tali asks in a normal leveled voice when she steps into the kitchen.
"Abba, uncle Tim, Uncle Nick and me are going to play football. You want to play with us?" Tali asks and looks at both Gibbs and Ziva with her big brown pleading eyes.
"Sure, kiddo," Gibbs says.
"you too, Ima?" Tali asks. Ziva looks at Gibbs. He gives her a nudge with his shoulder while he has an arm around her.
"sure," Ziva says. They walk outside with Tali.
"Abba," Tali says once she steps outside with Ziva and Gibbs.
"yeah, Tali," Tony says and looks back at his daughter, who is standing next to Ziva, holding Ziva's hand. Gibbs is standing on the other side of Ziva, and he has his arm around her. It makes Tony smile.
"maybe I do want to go visit grandpa. Would that be okay? I don't want to make grandpa sad." Tali says.
"Yeah. I think grandpa sr. would love that." Tony says with a smile at Ziva. The loving smile between the two doesn't go unnoticed by the rest of the group, just quietly observing. The moment is interrupted by Tali, who has picked up the football.
"We are going to play football, now Abba," Tali says and pulls Tony's hand to get him up from the chair. Tali doesn't have time for romance between her parents when she wants to play football.
Note: I am currently working on a chapter with Tony being "McSnoopy" about Jack and Gibbs. I mean, can we imagine Tony coming back and not asking questions about Gibbs's love life or a scenario where Ziva did not tell Tony about Jac and Gibbs? Nah… so stay tuned.