Chapter 49, Inseparable: November – December 2066
As Tali and Anthony said their good nights to their parents at 0145, Tali received a text from Chaim with a picture, "Noah Anthony, Junior. 11/13/2066. 0122. 7 lbs. 3 oz. 20.5 in" Tali shared the picture with her Ima, Abba and brother.
Tali sent a text back to Chaim to come pick her and Anthony up and she would update him on the ride home. Anthony sent a text to Katie letting her know that Tali and Chaim would be bringing him home shortly. Katie sent a message back that she had gotten her father settled and given him his pain meds and he was out for the night.
~TIVA~
After Tali and Anthony left, Tony shifted over onto the bed with Ziva. He was careful not to tangle his oxygen line or Ziva's. Both had been switched from the mask to a cannula, which made moving about a little easier. He put his arm over her as she snuggled into his side. Because of her arm wound, she had to be careful of her position, but they found one facing each other, just slightly on their sides, that was comfortable and didn't tangle oxygen lines. Ziva wrapped her arm with the bandage over Tony as he wrapped his around her torso so that her arm was over his and she had a place to rest it comfortably. They turned their heads so that their eyes met and locked in gazes on the other.
"Ani ohevet otach." "Ani ohev otcha." They whispered to each other.
~TIVA~
One of the nurses checked on the sleeping couple around 0530. Both were sleeping peacefully and she watched fascinated at how they appeared to be one. She quietly backed out of the room and continued her rounds, touched by what she had witnessed. There was definitely something special about those two.
~TIVA~
When Tony's pulmonologist made rounds about 0700, both Tony and Ziva were breathing much better. He looked at both sets of x-rays and ordered a second set for each of them first thing the next morning, If there were no areas of concern, they would be discharged that afternoon, provided there would be someone to stay with them for forty eight hours as a precaution.
Breakfast came at 0820; scrambled eggs, turkey bacon and toast, with orange juice and coffee. Ziva's injured arm, her right arm, made it difficult for her to use any pressure or repeated motion with her right hand. As they sat side by side on one of the beds, with their breakfast trays on the moveable table, Tony cut up Ziva's bacon and eggs, and buttered her toast and then did the same with his own plate. He put the straw into her orange juice. He put all of the food on one plate, and alternated holding the forkful of food to Ziva and taking bites himself.
The nurse bringing their morning meds stopped in the doorway, unseen by the couple, and watched as Tony very carefully helped Ziva eat and drink. He also kissed her between bites, and the two were talking quietly. She backed out of the doorway, taking the meds to the other rooms before bringing in those for Ziva and Tony. She had been amazed at the devotion and love that radiated from the couple and felt that she was intruding on a private moment between the two.
When she returned, they were sitting side by side on the bed, with the back raised, his arm around her carefully to avoid her injured arm. Her head was resting on his shoulder and then his head rested against hers. Both had their eyes closed, but she was certain they were communicating without words. Her first impression was that they were truly one.
"Mr. and Mrs. DiNozzo, I have your morning medications." Both opened their eyes, and she handed each one the small paper cups with the meds. "Sorry, I have to stay while you take them."
Tony put his paper cup down and helped Ziva take her meds. He held the cup of water with its straw so that she could take a sip. She met his gaze and he turned and took his own meds. They turned and looked at the nurse and she nodded and left the room.
~TIVA~
Word spread that the "Soul Mates" couple were in room 1117 and more than one member of the hospital staff found a reason to pass by the room. Everyone was talking about how they seemed to be one entity and how the love that radiated from them was noticeable. When Anthony stopped by around 1100, several of the nurses and aides commented to him that they understood why he had to tell his parents' story.
Anthony stepped into the room, and watched his parents for a few minutes. More and more, he was realizing just how special their relationship was. He was one of five of the luckiest and most blessed people on Earth. He took a picture of Ima and Abba, and sent it to Tali, Beth, Rivka and LJ. "We have been blessed to have them as parents." He wiped a tear from each eye and then knocked on the door.
"Good morning, Ima and Abba." Ziva and Tony opened their eyes and greeted Anthony. He hugged both of them as best he could. He sat down in the chair by the bed and just watched them.
Finally, he spoke, "Uncle Tim had a restful night. Once Katie gave him the pain med, he was out for the count. He was moving around pretty well this morning for a guy with a messed up ankle.
"Your neighbor is going to be okay. She has a concussion and smoke inhalation symptoms, but is expected to make a full recovery. She was cooking her dinner on the stove and went to get her casserole dish from the dining room hutch. She tripped over her shoe lace and hit her head on the table, knocking herself unconscious. You two and Uncle Tim saved her life. When the media found out the people who saved her were the 'Soul Mates' couple, my phone lines lit up like a Christmas tree.
"I think I have managed to avert a media storm, but I may have to promise some video clips to keep them at bay. Just want to give you a heads' up on the attention you two are getting." Anthony was not sure how his Ima and Abba would react, so he let them mull over his words before expecting a response.
He watched them look at each other, their gazes seeing only the other. They held the gaze for a few minutes and then turned as one to him. "We will do an interview with you and Anthony only. How you distribute it is up to you. And, Uncle Tim must be part of the interview." Anthony nodded; he wanted Uncle Tim in the interview as well. From what the first responders and firefighters said, the three of them had acted as one to save the neighbor.
~TIVA~
New sets of x-rays did not show any cause for concern and Tony and Ziva were released into Tali's care on 14 November. Tony did have a portable oxygen unit for use if needed and also had a stronger maintenance medication prescribed for his residual breathing issues from the plague so many years ago. Ziva was sent home with a rescue inhaler and low dose maintenance medications to help keep her airways clear.
Noah and Deanna brought baby Noah to meet his Saba Raba and Savta Raba on 16 November. They did not stay long as both Tony and Ziva were still tiring easily as they recovered.
Both Tony and Ziva had talked to Tim every day since they had been released. Anthony arranged to have a camera crew go to his parents' house for the interview on 19 November. Katie brought Tim over about an hour before the filming. Anthony (IV) was setting up the family room as a make shift studio, using the family tree hanging as a backdrop. Margaret would be the one asking the questions. Anthony had given a preview set to his parents and Uncle Tim.
The whole process lasted about three hours. The final edited media clip was about two and one half minutes long, but Anthony was confident they would be able to get many feeds to other networks and stations around the country and maybe around the world. Anthony (IV) was hoping to do a follow up show to "Soul Mates" with the footage they had shot and the unused footage already in their archives.
~TIVA~
Tony and Ziva didn't care one way or the other about the footage, only that Anthony (III) and Anthony (IV) had gotten what they needed. They were visiting with Tim at their house a week after the video shoot when Tony received a text from grandson Anthony, "Channel 5 news now. You and Savta and Grandpa are on."
Tony changed the channel on the TV to channel 5 and the three watched the clip. "The 'Soul Mates' couple and the Sherlock and Watson author are heroes for saving a woman from a fire. Tony DiNozzo, 98, his wife, Ziva, 87, and their brother, Tim McGee, 89, used their federal agent training to act as a team to pull an injured woman from a burning house. EMTs credit their quick thinking for saving the woman." The clip from the interview showcased the three talking about their NCIS days and working as a team, and about Gibbs' family of the heart. "Obviously that training and team work paid off, even years later."
Three days later, a follow up clip, which included interviews with the hospital staff and doctors aired. Each of them discussed what they had seen and felt how Ziva and Tony were truly one and how special their relationship was. Anthony (IV) was hoping the follow up story would generate interest in a follow up to the documentary.
~TIVA~
As the holiday season approached, Tony and Ziva had their attorney complete and file the paperwork for the transfer of the properties across the world to their five children. After the fire and hospitalization, both had significantly slowed down. They knew that they would no longer be able to travel, and the day had arrived to transfer ownership of the various properties. Each of their children met with the attorney and signed the necessary documents to own one of the properties. They also signed documents making them co-owners of the Tel Aviv farmhouse, the Virginia house, and the apartment in Georgetown. With the apartment, the stipulation was that Tim could live there rent free as long as he was alive.
Thanksgiving and Christmas were both low key. The only Christmas decorations that both Tony and Ziva insisted must be put out were the family Christmas stockings, adding the new stockings for the two newest great-grandchildren.
Both Tony and Ziva were still able to cook and care for themselves and the house. They just moved slower than they used to. One or more of their children or grandchildren would stop by daily. Tim moved back to his apartment the week before Christmas.
Christmas day was at the DiNozzo house. All five children and their spouses, all fifteen grandchildren and respective spouses for those married, and all eleven great-grandchildren were in the house, along with Tim, making a total of forty six people. Little ones tore wrapping paper and squealed in delight at gifts from their wish lists. Tim had passed the "video recording of the holidays" baton to father and son Anthony (III) and Anthony (IV).
After all the good nights were said and just Tony and Ziva were left in the house, they cuddled on the love seat and watched videos from Christmases past. Nostalgia reigned for the next three hours. When they both started nodding off, Tony shut off the video player and he and Ziva went to their room. They lay together in the middle of the bed, with Tony on his back, arm around Ziva, and her head on his chest, over his heart. They turned towards each other, fusing their lips in kisses.
"Ani ohet otach, Ziva."
"Ani ohevet otcha, Tony."
They fell asleep as they had for almost all the time they had been together; wrapped in each other's arms, one curling into the other so that they appeared as one.