Chapter 3: If one kid gets sick, all the kids will get sick.

The day Rivka got sick at school, Tony ended up being the one who picked her up. Ziva was in an MTAC conference at the Navy Yard and Gibbs had driven to Pennsylvania to visit a childhood friend who was on twenty four seven hospice care.

When he arrived at the elementary school, his daughter was lying on a small cot in the conference room. She looked at him with glassy eyes, "Hi, Abba. My head hurts, my stomach hurts and my eyes feel like they are burning. Can I go home?"

Tony bent down and felt her forehead; the girl was definitely running a fever. "Let's go home and get you into your bed to rest." He helped Rivka get up and grabbed her book bag. He pulled her to his side, "Lean into me; I'll help you get to the truck." Once at the truck, Rivka looked at her Abba.

Tony opened the rear door on the passenger side and picked his number two ninja up and set her on the seat. "Lie down if it helps you feel better."

"Okay, Abba." In the ten minute ride home, she fell asleep. Tony picked up the sleeping child and carried her in and laid her on her bed. He took off her shoes and pulled her blanket over her sleeping form.

He sent a text to Ziva to let her know that he was at home with Rivka. No sooner had he sent the message than his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID; the elementary school was calling again. He answered the call.

"Mr. DiNozzo? I know you were just here, but LJ is now complaining of the same symptoms as Rivka. Will you be able to come get him?"

"Yes, please have Beth ready to go as well. Usually if one gets sick, they all get it. May as well save myself a trip!" Tony sighed.

Tony checked on Rivka and left a note for her in case she woke up while he was out. He brought LJ and Beth home, helping LJ into his pajamas and into bed. Beth seemed to feeling okay, so he suggested that she work on any homework in the family room or the playroom.

Ziva sent a message back to Tony that she was out of the conference and headed home. He replied that they now had two sick kids sleeping and one that seemed okay so far. She looked at his reply and dialed his phone, "Do I need to pick up any children's pain relief and fever medication? I think we used what we had last time they all got sick."

Tony walked into the twins' and LJ's bathroom and checked the medicine cabinet, "Better get at least two, if they all get sick, we will need every bit of it!" Tony's phone signaled an incoming text message. "Hang on a minute, Zi; I just had a message come in."

Tony checked his messages; Tali was coming straight home instead of getting off the bus at her piano teacher's house. She was feeling achy and feverish.

"Tali is coming straight home; she's not feeling well." Tony figured it wouldn't be long before Beth and Anthony were sick as well.

Ziva sighed, "If one gets sick, they all get sick! I will be home after I stop for medicine."

As Tony hung up from his call with Ziva, Anthony and Tali came in the front door. "Abba, tell her to stay away from me since she is sick!" Anthony teased Tali. She was in no mood for banter and put her backpack down and told her Abba that she was going to bed.

Tony hugged Tali and noticed that she felt warm, "Okay, Tals; if you need anything let me know. Ima is on her way home and she knows that you are not at piano lessons today." Tali nodded and went to her room. Anthony took his backpack to his room and started his homework.

Tony started making dinner while he waited for Ziva. He figured that it would be just four eating the meal tonight; Beth, Anthony, Ziva and himself, but whatever left over food there was could be put up for another meal. Ziva had taken out ground beef, so Tony made spaghetti and meatballs.

Ziva came in and kissed him. "My house husband," she teased as he offered her a taste of the spaghetti sauce. "Mmm, I think this is your best yet."

"You say that every time," Tony grinned at her. "Dinner is almost ready."

Ziva let Beth know it was time to set the table and went to greet Anthony. She looked in his room and he was sound asleep on the bottom bunk bed. She pulled the blanket over him and kissed his forehead. He was burning with fever. She went back to the kitchen and told Beth to set only three places in the breakfast area instead of the dining room.

The three ate dinner and as Ziva cleared the table, Tony put food in the refrigerator. Beth went back to the playroom to finish her homework. Thirty minutes later, Tony went to ask Beth if she wanted to watch a movie and found her curled up asleep on the loveseat in the playroom. He picked her up and put her in her bed, checking for a fever after he laid her down.

"Five sick," Tony said to Ziva as he entered the family room. "Are we having fun yet?"

Ziva sighed, "At least it is all at the same time and not drawn out over three weeks as it was last time!"