Chapter 33, The Family is Growing: 2041 – 2045

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The holidays in 2041 were subdued and filled with memories. John and Rivka stayed in Atlanta due to work commitments. Tali, Chaim and their children were spending the holidays in Israel with the elder Rubins. LJ came in on Christmas Eve from Savannah. Charles and Beth came in on 23 December. All three stayed at the DiNozzo house.

Leon and Abby had flown to be with Kayla and her family and then to see Jared and Tori and family. Ziva, Delilah and Breena planned and cooked the meal for the family who were in DC. Anthony, Katie and their three children arrived about 1000 on Christmas day. Three year old Anthony tore wrapping paper and opened gifts for himself, and his sisters. Like his Saba, he loved to make people laugh and his antics kept the family laughing.

Tim had set up the video cameras as usual, and also the computers for Skype calls with out-of-town family. Jimmy helped with the meal preparations and setting the table. Tony and Tim got on the floor with Kelly and Shannon and had the two little girls laughing and smiling at their Grandpa and Saba. LJ gave a tribute to Gibbs and presented his parents with a portrait of them and Gibbs that he had spent most of the fall completing. Delilah and Tim, and Jimmy and Breena received smaller versions of Gibbs' portrait.

Ziva and Tony were in tears and thanked LJ with many hugs. Tony and Tim hung the portrait in the living room. When they were finished, the two men paused and remembered their father of the heart. Tony wiped his eyes and looked at Tim, who was doing the same. The brothers hugged and patted each other's backs. Ziva and Delilah entered the room to check on the progress and found the two hugging and crying. Ziva took Delilah's hand and squeezed it. The two women also had tears in their eyes as they went to their husbands. The four shared a group hug in silence.

~TIVA~

By New Years' Eve, Tony and Ziva were alone in the house. "It's too quiet here," Ziva missed the noise and activity of children in the house. Tony nodded his agreement and pulled Ziva into a hug.

"So we get to do our usual New Years' and anniversary celebration…" He kissed her and caressed her face with his hand. "Zi, I love you so much and even though this has been an awful year, I believe we have grown even closer. You are the one who will be with me until my last breath. The last twenty five years having you as my wife and the thirty six plus years I have known you have been the best years of my life." He kissed her again and held her close.

Ziva nodded, "Tony, you are my better half. We will be together for eternity. We will have another twenty five years, yes?" Tony took her hand and led her to their room, kissing her with each step.

Later as they lay together, Tony's arm around Ziva and her head over his heart, they reminisced about Gibbs and the family he had made, glad that he had chosen each of them to be his child of the heart.

"Thank you, Abba." Ziva whispered.

"Thank you, Dad." Tony said softly.

~TIVA~

2042 passed in a whirlwind. Charles and Beth graduated from Gannon with a Masters' degree in mortuary science and a Bachelors' degree in business respectively. They moved back to DC and began transitioning to being responsible for the day to day operations of Slater's Funeral Home. In August, Charles asked Beth to be his wife and the family celebrated the occasion.

Rivka completed her Bachelors' degree at Georgia Tech and started in a Masters' program in Computer Science. John started on his dissertation for his Doctorate in Computer Engineering. They bought a house in the Atlanta suburbs and announced their engagement on Labor Day.

LJ applied for a scholarship to spend a year in Paris, studying architecture. He received his award letter the day before Ziva's birthday. He would be spending the calendar year 2043 in Paris and would live at the family's flat. He flew to Paris the day after Christmas.

Anthony and Katie settled into a routine with the three children. In July, Anthony was promoted to a management position in graphic design and imaging at the television station. Ziva and Tony kept the children on Mondays and Thursdays while their parents were at work.

Tali and Chaim announced in February that their family would be expanding by two in August. On 4 August 2042, Noah Anthony and Elisheva Rivka entered the world at 1327 and 1352 respectively. Ziva and Tony helped with the babies and also kept Elijah on Mondays and Thursdays. Levi started kindergarten in September.

Kayla's husband retired from the Navy in San Diego and they decided to stay in the area. Jared and Tori and their three children moved to New Mexico when Jared was assigned to Cannon Air Force Base. Leon and Abby were happy to have them stateside again and decided to move closer to their grandchildren, settling in a retirement community in Albuquerque.

~TIVA~

Charles and Beth and John and Rivka decided to have a joint wedding on 30 April 2044. Jimmy officiated. At the reception, John and Rivka announced their upcoming addition to the family.

On 12 September 2044, Adam John McGee was born at 0817 in Atlanta.

At the party for Tim's retirement from NCIS on 31 December 2044, LJ fell head over heels for eighteen year old Savannah Reeves.

~TIVA~

2045 was another year that flew by. Tony and Ziva spent four months overseas, visiting all of their properties in Europe and Israel.

On 16 May 2045, Rebecca Caitlyn Palmer made her appearance at 1753 in DC.

LJ and Savannah were engaged in June.

By the start of the school year 2045 – 46, all of Tali's children were in school as were all of Anthony and Katie's kids. Tali's two youngest went to half-day preschool and Tony and Ziva picked them up after lunch and watched them until one or both of their parents came to pick them up after work.

The Gibbs "kids" kept their tradition of weekly family dinners, rotating among houses and all of the couples bringing food to share. Each week, they raised a toast to Gibbs and shared memories. The three couples would often talk into the wee hours of the morning.

They all remained in excellent health and remembered to give thanks for being healthy when they counted their blessings. As 2045 drew to a close, their world was about to change drastically.