Six months before
It was Monday morning. Tara Rachel Dinozzo had been fighting with a cold all weekend so Tony decided to take a day and keep an eye on her. Sometimes Mondays were just paperwork days anyway so he dialed Gibbs' number while pouring himself some freshly brewed coffee. " Hey Gibbs Tara has been fighting a cold since the weekend so I am going to take a day and stay home with her while she rests."
" I'm being careful. I have my meds and my inhaler in the house if I would need them. Kate already left for work. She really likes it at the FBI. They are letting her learn more profiling which she's excited about and Fornell has a good team who watches her back."
". I was just going to make some wedding soup for Tara . She's in bed and I'm sure one of her friends will bring her homework by later. I'll let you know how she feels. Thanks boss." Then he hung up the phone and had some more of his coffee.
He heard footsteps coming down the hall and saw his daughter looking pale except for her nose which was pink and irritated looking . She had on an older hoodie of Tony's that had NCIS in blue lettering against a gray background. A rumpled tissue was in her hand and she sniffled into it.
" Still feeling lousy pumpkin?" Tony asked.
" Yeah Dad I cant breathe through my nose.", Tara replied.
" Well why don't we get you some juice and some breakfast and then I'll start a batch of wedding soup to see if that doesn't work on those sniffles okay?"
" All right , you're not working today?"
" No I wanted to help you feel better. I guess I need to call the school and report you absent today."
" Yeah. I'll get my juice and then go hang out on the couch . I'm sure Zeus will wonder why I'm home."
" Good idea you can put on a movie . If you feel better later you can let him out in the dog run for a while. Since it rained yesterday he will be ready to go."
" Okay, he's. such a good dog ."
" Yes he is."
Tara got her juice and then went to get comfortable on the big living room couch with it while Tony called her school and then started on breakfast for his daughter. She liked pancakes when she didn't feel well so he mixed up a batch with a few chocolate chips.
Zeus was a German Shepherd mix that Tony has found on the street while working a case. It had been a cold night so Tony had taken him home and then couldn't take him to the animal rescue near their home. He was good protection when Tony worked late on a case and seemed to like to curl up on Tara's bed. So the dog had become family quickly. Kate spoiled him with new toys now and then.
Tony finished Tara's pancakes and then started on the wedding soup while taking her breakfast into her on a tray. He knew Kate would be calling to check in on her later . He took a bite of a pancake that was on his own plate and cleaned his glasses off for a moment. Some days he wore them when he didn't feel like messing with contacts. Kate liked him that way. It reminded her of when they had first met.