Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS

Ellie and Tony chatted as they made their way to the cars. The case had been wrapped up and it was Valentine's day. Tony's phone buzzed and he pulled it out.

'Damn it' said Tony, looking at his phone.

'What?' said Ellie

'It's from Ziva. Our babysitter's cancelled. Last minute as well.'

'Oh, that sucks.'

'Yeah, it does.' Tony and Ziva had valentine's day dinner plans at Caspian's.

'What about your dad? Can't he babysit?'

'He has his own plans. I guess Ziva and I will just have to forgo our dinner.' They had reached their cars by now.

'What if I babysat for you?' asked Ellie.

'Huh?'

'What if I watch Tali? You and Ziva could still go out to dinner.'

'Ellie, what about your plans?'

'To watch a movie and eat take out? By myself? I could do that and look after a twenty-month-old. Heck, I could do on my own, any day of the week. Tony, I used to babysit my nieces and nephew.' Tony hesitated. 'What time's your reservation?'

'7.30.'

'I'll go home, pick up my take out, and then come straight over to yours for 7.30. You and Ziva can go and have the Valentine's date you deserve.' Tony thought for a moment.

'If you're sure.'

'I am.'

'Thanks Ellie. See you in forty minutes?' Ellie nodded in agreement and they both got into their cars.

Forty minutes later, Ellie arrived at Tony and Ziva's, take out from Ginari's in her hand.

'Thanks for this Ellie' said Ziva, letting her in.

'It's Ok Ziva. You look amazing by the way.' Ziva was wearing her black dress with the long sleeves and deep V neck.

'I totally agree with you Ellie B' said Tony as he came into the living room with Tali, who was wearing pyjamas. Ziva smiled.

'Hi Tali' said Ellie, going over to see the little girl. Tali giggled and waved hello at Ellie. 'We're going to have so much fun together.' Tony put Tali down on the floor and she went over to her toys.

'Help yourself to food in the kitchen Ellie, pick a film and enjoy' said Tony. 'Bye, bye Tali.' He and Ziva gave Tali a kiss.

'Bu-bu dada. Bu-bu Ima.'

Two and half hours later, Tony and Ziva walked into their apartment. Ellie was on the sofa, watching The Fugitive. She switched it off when she saw them.

'Hi guys. How was dinner?'

'Dinner was lovely' said Ziva. 'What about you? How was Tali?'

'The perfect Valentine's night I have had in sometime. Tali was delightful.' Ziva and Tony laughed.

'You see her when she doesn't get her own way said Ziva. Ellie laughed.

'Nah, she was great. We watch the Minions movie and Tali went to bed about 8.45pm. I read her a story, and then I watched the rest of Minions and ate my food.'

'And started watch The Fugitive. I thought you were going to watch Alien' said Tony.

'I'll watch at home.' Ellie put on her coat and picked up her bag.

'Thanks again Ellie' said Ziva as she hugged Ellie.

'Anytime. What are friends for? I'll see you tomorrow Tony.' Ziva closed the door behind Ellie as she left. She saw that Tony had a massive grin on his face. She let out a chuckle.

'So, Mrs DiNozzo, why don't we finish this Valentine's night in the bedroom?'

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Sarah Porter made her way to the break room, seeking out coffee. She was in desperate need of sustenance. Back to back meetings meant that she had missed lunch. She turned the corner and saw Agent DiNozzo sitting at one of the tables, watching something on his phone.

'Agent DiNozzo.'

'Madam Secretary.'

'May I?' she gestured at one of the free chairs. Tony nodded and Porter sat down. 'What are you looking at?'

'Video of my daughter.' Tony turned the phone around and showed her. It was of Tali doing animal noises. 'She learnt Old McDonald had a farm and animal noises at day care yesterday and then spent the entire evening doing animal noises over and over again.' Porter laughed at the video.

'Does she like animals?'

'Oh yes. We have a menagerie of stuffed, wooden and plastic animals.' Porter chuckled at the video.

'She's adorable DiNozzo. How old is she?'

'Twenty months.'

'That's a good age.' Tony nodded in agreement.

'How's Megan?' asked Tony. Megan Porter was SECNAV's teenage daughter who had been kidnapped a week or so ago.

'She's good. Still has nightmares, so do I but we're both getting better.'

'And Richard?' Megan's father and SECNAV's ex husband had been injured during the investigation.

'On the mend.'

'Good. I'm glad.' It had been another case that involved children and once again, all Tony wanted to do was to see Tali and tell her how much he loved her. He had lost count how many times he had wanted that since she had been born, and now she was almost two.

'Tony' called Tim, as he came around the corner. 'Abby wants us.' Tony stood up.

'I better go.' Porter handed his phone back to him.

'It was nice talking Agent DiNozzo.'

'Yeah, and I'm glad everyone's OK.' Tony followed Tim to Abby's lab.

'What was that about? With Porter back there?' asked Tim.

'Just parent stuff McGoo.'

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Ziva rolled over, expecting to find her husband's sleeping body next to her. Except she didn't. There was nothing where Tony was supposed to be. Looking at the clock, Ziva saw that it was almost 1am. She got and went into the living room to find Tony.

'Tony?' Ziva said. She sounded sleepy. She found him sitting on the sofa, on his iPad, headphones in his ears.

'Hey' he said, taking out a headphone. 'Did I wake you?'

'No' said Ziva sitting down next to him. 'But I woke up and you were not there. Are you OK Tony?' Ziva knew that Jeanne Benoit had appeared again in Tony's life.

'Yeah. I will be.' Ziva raised an eyebrow. Tony scratch his head. 'When we came back South Sudan, we had closure, Jeanne and I. It was a good closure. I was able to tell her how sorry I was for hurting her, and we knew that we'd both moved on. Now.'

'Now?'

'Now, we still have closure but it doesn't feel as good as it did with South Sudan. I couldn't sleep and instead of tossing and turning and waking you up, I thought I'd come out here.' Ziva smiled kindly, knowing that there was nothing she could do to help Tony, that he needed to come to terms with this on his own. Ziva stood up and kissed the top of Tony's head. As she was about to go back to their bedroom, Tony grabbed her wrist.

'I love you Ziva, and Tali.' Ziva smiled. She kissed him, on the lips, this time.

'I have never doubted your love, Tony. Not once.'

Don't forget I am (attempting) to follow canon. And remember, whilst we know what happens at the end of season 13, the characters do not.

Thanks for reading, for reviewing and everything. I'm feeling much better guys.

Hope you enjoyed it.