Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS
Ziva looked down at the baby she was cradling in her arms. He was fast asleep, enjoying being rocked. His mother, Callie, sat on the sofa enjoying a large mug of tea and a slice of cake. Ziva had been back on US soil for a week now.
Ziva and Callie had been friends for eight years, since Ziva had first moved to the US. They had met at an art gallery that was exhibiting art inspired by the Middle East. At the time Callie was doing her masters in Art History. Callie had literally back into the Ziva as they were both admiring the same piece of artwork. Later, they bonded over being hit on by some rather drunk college boys. The two women discovered that they had a lot in common. Callie now worked at The Smithsonian.
'You said you wanted to ask me something' said Ziva, sitting down next to Callie, the bay still asleep in her arms. Callie smiled.
'Yes. Andrew and I wanted to know if you would consider being one of Arthur's godparents, in a non-religious, more secular legal-guardian way?'
Ziva looked at her friend in amazement. Godparent/ legal-guardian?
'Ziva?' asked Callie, waving a hand in front of her face, checking to see that Ziva was alright. Ziva hadn't moved or said anything in a few minutes.
'Are… are you sure?' asked Ziva, dumbfounded and almost speechless. Callie nodded.
'Yes. Andrew and I talked about who we want to be Arthur's godparents at length.'
'Who are the others?'
'Andrew's brother and sister-in-law.'
'What about your sister and brother?'
'We did think about them, and I spoke to both Tom and Sally, but Andrew and I want you to be Arthur's godmother.'
'In a purely non-religious, more secular legal-guardian way?'
'Yes.'
'Why? Why me?' she asked. Callie smiled.
'Ziva, you are my best friend, practically another sister to me. We've been friends for almost a decade, longer than I've known my own husband. Our families are not local. Mine live in Seattle and Andrew's brother lives in Maine. We want Arthur to have someone nearby, someone who will be there for him, who will have his back and always support him. We want him to have family nearby. You are family Ziva.'
Ziva did not know what to think or say. She never thought anyone would ever consider her to be 'godmother' material. Over the years Callie had become an incredibly important friend to Ziva, especially after Somalia. Callie was the only person outside the NCIS team who knew what had happened to Ziva during those months.
Ziva had only been back for two days when Callie turned up at Ziva's temporary accommodation (having squeezed the location out of Tony), with a care package filled with everything Callie thought Ziva might need, ranging from Ziva's favourite shampoo to an entire tea set with her favourite tea. On Ziva's third night back she had a particularly vicious nightmare, and the only person Ziva wanted to talk to was Callie, who appeared at Ziva's door with twenty minutes of the call.
Over the next few days, Ziva told Callie everything that happened to her. Callie held onto a sobbing Ziva, as she cried her own tears. With Callie not working in law enforcement, and wasn't a man, Ziva felt that she could open up to Callie, that she could trust her darkest and most painful memories. Now, Callie was trusting Ziva with her most prized possession.
Baby Arthur started to wake up. It appeared he was hungry. Ziva passed him over to Callie who started to nurse. Ziva smiled at the sight of mother and baby, taking a quick photo with her phone. Ziva had been so excited when her friend told her that she was pregnant.
'So, what do you say? Will you be Arthur's godmother?' asked Callie, optimism in her voice.
'Yes' confirmed Ziva, nodding her head and smiling.
Authors note: I took a bit of a gamble on this chapter. Hoped you like it.
With regards to the role of 'godparent' I don't have either children or godchildren. I realise that for many the religious aspect of the role is incredibly important, and it is potentially a different role within Judaism. I did research, but I am not Jewish myself and I think I would have struggled to write it properly.