Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS

'Guess what I found out today at work' said Tony to Ziva. They were sitting on the sofa, watching TV. Dinner had been finished and Tali was in bed, falling asleep.

'What?'

'Jake is having an affair.'

'What!' Ziva was shocked. 'How do you know?'

'Ellie told us. Me, Gibbs and McGee.'

'How did Ellie find out?'

'Jake confessed.'

'Wow.'

'Yeah, I know.'

'But, after Dubai, and they went on that trip. I thought things were getting better.'

'Maybe, I don't know. Ellie didn't tell us details, just that Jake had cheated on her. She's gone to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving.' Ziva didn't blame Ellie for wanting to get away, and be with her family. There had been times where Ziva had wanted to escape.

'Do you think she is OK?' asked Ziva.

'Zi, what do you think?'

'Silly question really.' Tony nodded in agreement. When Ellie had told them about Jake's affair, Tony was in shock. He switched the radio on in the car when they drove to Baltimore, and when they returned. He knew what it was like to not want to discuss something. At that moment, Ellie was still digesting what had happened.

When Jake had the audacity to turn up at NCIS, Tony wondered what had possessed the man to cheat on his wife. He knew that Jake and Ellie were having problems. Everyone knew. They had been since she made the jump from NSA to NCIS. But that did not give Jake the right or excuse to sleep with another woman. As far as it came to Ellie and Jake, Team Gibbs were on Ellie's side.

'Perhaps I will call, or email her' said Ziva, thoughtfully. 'Let Ellie know she is not alone.' Tony smiled kindly and kissed the top of Ziva's head. There were times where he forgot just how compassionate and kind Ziva could be.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Ellie was in her childhood bedroom. It had been a strange forty-eight hours. First Jake's confession and now her mom was probing her for answers as to why Ellie had turned up at home, out of the blue. Her phone buzzed. She picked it up and saw that Ziva was calling.

'Hello Ziva' said Ellie, defeatedly.

'Hi Ellie.

'I take Tony told you about what happened?'

'Yes, he did.'

'It's OK. I'm sure I will be gossip topic number one for a while.' Ziva paused.

'I know what that is like, though for different reasons.' Reasons usually involving Tony and their relationship. 'Silly question but, how are you?'

'As good as can be expected, I guess. I don't really know. How is one supposed to feel after being betrayed by someone you love?' It was supposed to be a rhetorical question. Ellie never actually thought Ziva would know.

'I know what that feels like as well.'

'What? How?'

'Before Tony and I got together, I was in a relationship with someone, for over a year. He was the first serious relationship I had had in sometime.'

'What happened?'

He was CIA and was given a mission. It failed and he covered up his mistake by killing an innocent woman. I recognised his number in her call log. I arrested him for murder.'

'Oh, Ziva.' Ellie had not been expecting that.

'I know it is not the same. I was not in love, though I did care for him. You and Jake have been together a lot longer, but it sucks and it hurts when someone who says they love you betrays that trust and love.' Ellie found herself nodding in agreement. No one else had come close to explaining how she felt. Not that Ellie had told many people.

'If you want to talk or have someone listen, call' said Ziva.

'Will do Ziva' said Ellie, just before she hung up. Perhaps she would chop some wood, take her anger out on the pile of unchopped wood behind her parent's house.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Thanksgiving at Ducky's was always a grand affair. Big spread and good company. The number of guests grew each year, especially with people getting married and having children. This year there were three more guests; Delilah, who had been in Dubai last year, Tori Palmer, who hadn't been born, and Senior, who had been in Europe. Tori was wearing the onesie that Tony had bought Tali the previous year; The one that said 'Baby's first Thanksgiving.' It was a little on the small side for Tori, who was nine months, whereas Tali had only been five months. Seventeen-month-old Tali now sat in a highchair next to Ziva.

And whilst there was a large group at Ducky's this thanksgiving, there were two people missing. Ellie and Gibbs were having Thanksgiving in Oklahoma.

'Remember what I said last thanksgiving?' said Tony to Ziva. Ziva raised an eyebrow. 'That I wanted us to be married before thanksgiving 2015.' Ziva laughed. They had been married eight months now, their first anniversary not the far away.

The previous week Tony and Ziva had gone to the opera and Tali had spent the night at Senior's. She had been very excited about the whole thing, as had Senior. It had been the first time Tali had spent a night not only away from home but also her parents. Tony and Ziva were a little apprehensive, and the apartment felt weird without Tali but the whole thing went smoothly. Tony and Ziva took advantage of having the apartment to themselves for the first time since Tali was born. They planned on doing it again when it was their wedding anniversary at the end of February.

'Ima' said Tali. Ziva looked around to see that Tali had finished eating, though it was difficult to see if she had eaten her dinner, or simply smeared it around her face 'Gee Ima.'

'No more Tali. You will have to wait for dessert now.' Tali stuck out her bottom lip. Tony smiled. Tali had the DiNozzo appetite.

'Sorry Bean' he said. 'You gotta do what Ima says.' Ziva hit Tony playfully.

'Thank you for making me the bad cop, Tony.' Tony smiled and gave Ziva a kiss. The night that Tali stayed with her Papa, Ziva and Tony spent some of it talking about their future; more children, different jobs. Ziva's photography was taking off, with more clients, and after his chat with Gibbs, Tony had seriously started looking at other avenues of law enforcement that would be less demanding and have regular hours more often. He had conversations with Richard Bradford at Quantico and Charles McCoy at DC Metro police training academy. Both of them found the idea of doing something new and different rather exciting.

I can't believe this chapter 40! We are getting near the end now guys.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the reads, favourites, follows and reviews!