Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS

There was a knock at the door.

'It's open' called Gibbs. The door opened and Ziva, holding Tali, walked in.

'Who is that, Tali?' asked Ziva, pointing towards Gibbs.

'Gib' said Tali in her little voice. It was short and sounded more like Ib than Gib but it made the corners of Gibbs' mouth turn upwards into a smile.

Gibbs was sitting on the sofa, his leg up on a soft stool. Ziva sat down next to him, and put Tali on the floor so that she was standing. Ziva pulled out a small envelope and handed it to Tali. Very slowly, and rather wobbly, Tali took a couple of steps towards Gibbs. He smiled, reached over and pulled her up onto his lap. Tali waved the envelope in his face.

'Is that for me?' he asked, taking it from Tali. He opened it and pulled out the card inside. It had a photo of Tali standing in front of the little wooden play kitchen that Gibbs had made for her. The trademark DiNozzo grin across her face. On the back, clearly in Ziva's handwriting was 'Thank you', Tali's scribble across the whole card.

'She loves it Gibbs, play with it every day, especially when I am cooking.'

It was now early September, a couple of months since Tali's birthday, but Gibbs wasn't able to come to the party. He had started working on Tali's present before he was shot in Iraq, but it wasn't finished. As soon as he was able to get down to his basement and lift things that were heavy, Gibbs finished the little kitchen and delivered it a couple of weeks ago. Tali started to fidget on Gibbs' lap, wanting to get down. Gibbs placed her on the floor, standing and Tali, wobbly, took a couple of steps towards her Ima.

'When did she start walking?' asked Gibbs.

'A couple of days ago. I managed to film it, given that Tony is currently away. He is in Afghanistan. That is all I know' said Ziva, knowing fully well what Gibbs was going to ask her. Gibbs smirked slightly.

'How are you Ziver?' asked Gibbs.

'Good. I will be better when my husband is not going away at a moment's notice.' She looked tired, sounded tired. With Tony either busy with team leader duties or being sent to Afghanistan at a moment's notice, everything at home with Tali had been left to Ziva. She was juggling work, Tali and her photography all the time. The fact that Tali kept asking for Dada didn't help, nor the fact that Tony missed Tali walking for the first time. Gibbs could see in her face the strain of Tony's being away was having on her. There were occasions that Gibbs spotted a similar look on Shannon's face, especially when he was about to ship out.

'He'll be home soon Ziva' said Gibbs, quietly.

'I know. I just miss him.'

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A couple of weeks later Senior opened the door and found Ziva and Tali on the other side.

'Papa' said Tali, leaning forward to hug him. Senior caught Tali and brought her into his apartment. Ziva closed the door behind her. Senior sat down on the sofa, Tali on his lap.

'How are you my dears?' he asked.

'We are OK, yes?' Ziva asked Tali. Tali babbled a little and crawled towards the toy box that Senior kept at his place for her. Tali was getting better at walking, but she still crawled the majority of the time.

It was now the end of September. Tony had a brief reprise at home, which was good for everyone. Tali loved having Dada back. Leads for The Calling and Daniel Budd though, dried up just as quickly in Afghanistan as they did in Iraq. Now, Tony had once again gone away at a moment's notice, this time to Shanghai, with Joanna Teague finding new leads there.

Remarkably, Senior had been a godsend over the past month. He had started to pick up Tali from day care, bring her home so Ziva didn't feel like she was splitting herself to cover everything. Callie had also helped, as had Abby, but as much as Ziva loved Callie, Abby and Senior helping, she wanted Tony come home and wondered what life would be like when they had their second child. Ziva felt like she was struggling to keep her head above water with only one child. What would it be like with two?

'Ziva, what is it?' asked Senior. He sounded concerned.

'It is nothing.'

'It is not nothing. Tell me.' Ziva paused for a moment. She did not want to upset Senior. 'Ziva?'

'It is with Tony busy with work, and having leave on these missions, and Tali keeps asking for him. All I can say is that he will be back soon but I do not know when he will be back.' Ziva had stood up, pacing. Senior let her finished speaking and pulled her into a hug.

'When I think back to my childhood, my most frequent memory is my mother making excuses for my father not being there. I was always waiting for him. He rarely came home when he said he would and missed birthday parties, or musical recitals or dance concerts, and he never apologised.'

'Ziva, that is not Tony.'

'I know. I just seem to be spending my time waiting for Tony to call or for him to come home or for just simply news. And now he is in China, and I am not there, to watch his six. Yes, he had backup, but it is not me. Anything could happen and he is halfway around the world.'

Senior pulled Ziva back into a tight hug. He did not know what to say. Everything that Tony had told him about Eli David made him dislike the man, but Senior could not help but see some similarities between Eli and himself; never fully being there for their children.

'I will never know you father, Ziva, but from what I do know is that Tony is not like him. He is not like me. Tony is a better man than me, which is exactly what parents want for their children. Tony will be back soon Ziva, and when he is away, you have me, you Abby and you have friends to help. You are not alone in this.' Ziva nodded, listening to him, as she blinked away tears.

'Ima. Papa' Tali called from the toy box. She held up a toy to show them.

'What is motek?' asked Ziva. Tali pulled herself up using the toy box and took a couple of shaky steps forward before collapsing. Ziva joined Tali on the floor. Senior's words rang through her head and the memory of Tony telling her the same thing wafted into her mind.

'At lo levad.'

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Ziva was asleep when a noise in the apartment woke her up. Glancing at the clock, it read 2.35am. Ziva heard the noise again. Getting out of bed and fetching the gun she kept in a lock box in the closet, Ziva made her way to the nursery. She did not have to worry though.

'Tony?' Tony was standing by Tali's crib, watching her sleep.

'Hey Zi.' Ziva put the gun down on the changing table briefly and wrapped her arms around Tony. He immediately felt concerned as he could feel her shaky breathing. 'Zi, what's the matter?' Ziva took his hand, picked up the gun and went back into the bedroom, locking the gun away. She disliked having to use it in her home.

'Ziva what's the matter?'

'Nothing really' she said, turning to face Tony. 'I just missed you, that is all.'

'I missed you too' said Tony quietly. They were sitting on Ziva's side of the bed, Ziva by the pillows, Tony at the foot.

'Did you get him?' Tony nodded.

'Yes. We got Budd, and The Calling has been disbanded.' Ziva nodded and smiled weakly. 'What is it?' Tony asked again. Ziva rubbed her hands over her face.

'I know the job is important, and with Gibbs out of action for the past few months, someone needed to lead the team, but is has been really difficult without you. Tali asked for you several times a day, and I would spend the day checking my phone and email, hoping for some news from you or about you.' Tony pulled Ziva into a tight hug.

'It's OK Zi.'

'No, it is not Tony. Your job is important. Finding Budd and ending The Calling was important.'

'You and Tali are important.' Ziva smiled weakly. 'Go on.'

'What happens when work becomes busy again, like this, and you end up spending more time at work than at home, but instead of one child, we have two. I am scared, Tony. I do not want to become my mother.'

Tony pulled Ziva closer to him. He had felt the pressure and tension of work at his end. He missed Ziva and Tali so much when he was away. What Ziva said was true; his job was important, finding Daniel Budd was important. But his wife and daughter were important too. And now that Ziva had mentioned it, Tony was also concerned about potentially juggling both their jobs and two children. Would it work or would one of them be forced to leave one of their jobs? Then what?

'I don't have an answer Zi. Not at 3am on a Wednesday. The pressure over the past few months has been immense on both of us. Knowing that you and Tali were safe helped. It really did. I spoke to Vance before Joanna and I flew back. I need sometime off and I think you and Tali need to get away from DC. Wilmington is too far for a long weekend, but Norfolk isn't.'

'You managed to get some time off?' Tony nodded.

'This Thursday to Sunday. Gibbs is back at work now, and McGee can take the lead in the field if necessary. I have to go in to debrief and everything in the morning, but on Thursday, I'll be free and you're not working. So why not? I think we both need it.'

Ziva leant forward and kissed Tony. It felt good to have him home. Ziva always slept better when Tony was home.

'I love you Ziva.'

'I love you Tony.'

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