Ziva had brought a full multi course dinner for everyone to share while visiting the new baby. After taking her turn to snuggle the little bundle she headed to the kitchen to get everything ready almost running Lucas over in the process as he was still standing in the opening between the two rooms. "You want to help me make some supper?" Ziva asked as she headed towards the sink to wash her hands.
"Sure" he said sounding somewhat dejected.
Ziva ignored the attitude and smiled lovingly. "Come on my little friend let us make some food" she said using her eyes and head to signal where she wanted her young chef to stand. Food prep went well and passed quietly, Lucas occasionally turning to look out at the crew in the living room. When he seemed to be doing more staring than preparing Ziva would gently elbow him to bring his attention back to the task at hand giving him a smile and once she even kissed the top of his head.
Lucas was very small for his age both in height and weight and had always been self conscience about it. He was headed into grade one in September but resembled a kindergartener and so needed to stand on a stool to easily reach the counter. So when Tony came into the kitchen having had his turn to oogle the new addition to the McGee family and mentioned he thought Lucas had grown a lot since the last time he'd seen him, Lucas snapped at him.
Ziva stared at Tony suggesting with her gaze that he knock it off. Tony straightened before approaching the cooks and applying a good dose of tickles on the smaller of the two. Luc tried hard to stay mad and not laugh but he wasn't ever able to when his Uncle Tony was involved.
The family all sat around the kitchen table, squished together as the McGee table wasn't really built for that many people. Everyone was laughing and visiting and didn't notice when the youngest and smallest member excused himself from the table and head to the living room where the basinet with the sleeping baby lay.
Very gently and very carefully Lucas unwrapped the sleeping bundle and took the small blanket and pulled the pacifier for good measure. The baby wiggled and began to make tiny noises. Lucas moved quickly stuffing the stolen items under the sofa cushion. Then like a ghost he floated noiselessly to his room quickly busying himself with his lego set listening for the inevitable wail that would soon come.