Chapter 10

"You two, get to work." Gibbs said as he eyed us. "What the hell are you doing in here any way?"

"I swore I locked that door." I said as Ziva pulled out of our embrace and looked at Gibbs.

"Get outta here." He demanded as he held the door open for us and we both left in a hurry before he could slap us.

"Hey." I said as I grabbed her arm before she could run away. "I'm going to go have a talk with the director."

"Not today." She said softly as she placed her hand on my bicep. "I may have said some not so nice things. Let her cool down, maybe she will not tell him."

"Fine, I will wait 'till tomorrow." I said as I pushed her back up against the ugly orange wall. "And we can finish our talk from this morning tonight."

"Can we just work now?" she pleaded dropping her hand from my arm. I studied her for a moment and nodded.

"Yeah, sure." I said and let her slip past me.

"You two, what the hell?" Gibbs asked as we walked back into the squad room and he was already back at his desk.

"What do you mean, Boss?" I smirked and Gibbs threw a pen at me.

"Will not happen again Gibbs." Ziva said as she glared at me.

"What?" I laughed and she threw her pen at me. "That's not nice Ninja."

"Shut up Tony." Ziva hissed and picked up another pen and pointed at me as if it were a knife.

"Yo." Gibbs barked. "Shut up." He said as he settled his blue glare on her, then me and McGee snickered.

"Shut up McGirlScout and go get me some cookies, Thin Mints and Carmel Delights to be exact."

"For the millionth time I am not a Girl Scout my next door neighbor's daughter is one, I got them from her!" McGee screeched as his face turned red.

"What are you talking about?" Gibbs asked confused and I glanced at Ziva who also had a confused look on her face.

"Nothing, Boss." McGee said as he hung his head to look at his keyboard as he typed.

"DiNozzo, my office." Gibbs roared as he stood from his desk and headed towards the elevator. "Now."

"Haha." McGee said as I threw Gibbs and Ziva's pens at him.

"Suck it up Tony." Ziva smirked as she watched me walk to the elevator.

"Oh hush, David." I said as I meant Gibbs at the elevator and he pushed me in before stepping in himself.

"What's up?" I asked and he just glared at me.

"What is wrong with you today?" he asked.

"Nothing, I'm good." I said as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Oh really?" he asked obviously not believing me. "You know I hate office romances."

"Yeah, but that's not the problem here." I said not sure how much I should tell Gibbs without pissing Ziva off.

"Then what is the problem? 'Cause you better fix it." Gibbs said as he took a threatening step closer to me. "Have you and Ziva been fighting?"

"Not at all." I smiled brightly as I unfolded my arms.

"You know what? I don't care. So why don't you just get it over with and tell me what's going on." He said and I sighed.

"Director David doesn't know about Avery." I grumbled as I avoided looking at Gibbs. "But he will soon and that has Ziva and I on edge a little."

"Then why is Ziva telling him?"

"She's not." I said and I watched it click for Gibbs as he released the brake. "Boss wait." I said before he could run away to the director's office.

"What?"

"She doesn't want us to talk to her today." I said as I stepped out of the elevator. "And I have dibbs."

"You have dibbs?" he laughed and I scowled at him.

"Yeah Gibbs, I have dibbs." I smiled as he just shook his head and walked away.

"Okay DiNozzo." He said as he glanced up at the catwalk before sitting at him desk.

I sat back at my desk and finally decided I should start the shit load of paperwork sitting in my in-bin. I glanced at Ziva who was watching me. She was curious, I could tell by the look in her eyes. I grinned at her and picked up my own pen and started writing up my reports. I could feel her eyes on me for a moment or so longer until she started her work. I stole glances all day and my heart leapt every time I got to see her sitting across from me again.

"Gibbs, I have to pick Avery up." She said almost nervously as she glanced at the clock on her computer. "The day-care closes at six." I watched Gibbs as he eyed the paperwork on her desk. Why Ziva had so much paperwork on her first day back I had no idea. It was probably some type of punishment from the director. "I can bring him back here, he will not be a problem."

"Okay." Gibbs said simply with a slight smile as Ziva grabbed her stuff.

"Can I go?" I asked hopefully and they both just looked at me.

"No." Gibbs said. "I think Ziva is capable of picking up Avery and bringing him back here by herself."

"Fine." I pouted.

"You are such a child." Ziva laughed as she slipped her jacket on and headed for the elevators.

"Hey, where's Ziva?" Abby asked about 15 minutes later.

"She went to pick up Avery." I smiled as I heard the elevator ding and Ziva stepped out, the baby carrier at her side.

"Perfect timing." Abby squealed as she ran to Ziva and took the carrier from her hand. "Hi Avery." Abby cooed as she set the carrier on Ziva's desk and unbuckled Avery from his carrier. I smiled as I noticed him wearing the Ohio State onesie I had gotten from him before he was born. "Hi cutie!"

"I like the outfit." I said with a smirk as I looked to Ziva who was coming around to sit at her desk.

"Aw Tony, he knows your voice." Abby said as she looked at Avery who had turned his head in my direction when I spoke.

"He's supposed to Abby." I smiled proudly as I stood from my desk and went to take Avery but Abby stepped away from me not allowing me to hold my son. "Hey." I pouted as I intentionally stuck my lower lip out.

"It's my turn. I haven't seen him in forever." Abby said as she rocked Avery gently as he started to fuss.

"But he's mine." I whined as Ziva stood from her desk and placed his OSU pacifier in his mouth and he settled as Ziva stroked the black fluff on his head that was no longer spiky. "Hey, what happened to his spikes?"

"They fell down, Tony, you only spiked it with water." She laughed as she sat at her desk. "Last night."

"He's just so cute." Abby said ignoring our conversation as she stroked Avery's cheek and he gave her a gummy smile.

"He loves women." Ziva laughed as looked at me then Abby. "Always smiling."

"Wonder where you get that from." Abby laughed as she looked at Avery then at me.

"No idea what you're talking about." I smirked as I stepped closer to Avery and he squealed as I kissed his ear. He wiggled in Abby's arms as he tried to turn his little body to face me but couldn't.

"Tony, you're making him fussy." Abby complained.

"Sit at your desk and work, DiNozzo. Let Abby play with Avery for a little while." Gibbs ordered as he entered the squad room with a smile in Avery's direction.

"But-." I started to complain but Gibbs shut me up with a look. "Fine." I sulked and walked back to my desk.

"Thank you." Abby smiled as Avery dropped his pacifier to scream and I tried to fight the triumphant smile, barely succeeding. "You always do this to me, Tony." Abby said as she tried to soothe Avery. I watched as he stiffened his little body and continued to cry.

"Sorry, Abby." Ziva said as she also watched Abby try to quiet Avery. "He likes to spend his nights with Tony."

"Are you sure he wants Tony? Maybe he just wants to be fed." Abby said as she gently rocked him.

"I know his cries." Ziva smiled from her desk as she removed the carrier and set it on the ground next to her. "He wants Tony."

"Give him to Tony, Abby." Gibbs said with a soft smile towards her.

"Fine but I'm giving him to Tony because I don't want him to cry. Not because I like Tony." She said as she walked towards me and placed Avery in my arms.

"I love you too Abs." I smiled as I settled Avery against my chest and looked up at her, giving her my best smile as my three month old nuzzled into my neck.

"It's that easy?" Abby asked as she looked over at Ziva. "Just give him to Tony and he stops?"

"When he tenses like that and cries, yes." Ziva said with a soft smile, obviously doing her best not to upset Abby. "Don't be upset Abby, he has spent every night with Tony."

"What about you?" Abby asked as she crossed her arms.

"Mornings are mine. I take him with me on my run, we eat breakfast and then nap." Ziva smiled as she looked away from Abby to Avery and I. I smiled at her as I stroked Avery's back.

"Aw, that's so cute." Abby squealed as she looked over to me without looking like she wanted to hit me.

"Ah goo." Avery complained as he looked up at me. I smiled and arranged him so I could be able to make eye contact.

"What?" I asked as I held him up in front of my face and kissed his nose. He laughed and reached for my hair. I watched his face as it scrunched and he dropped his hand obviously not liking the gel. "Did Mommy feed you?" I asked and he grinned wildly at the mention of his mother. God, I loved that grin. He cooed back at me. "Is that a yes?" I asked as I watched his green eyes move to my lips and he pinched them. "Zee-vah? Did you feed my son?" I teased as I pulled his hand from my lip.

"Of course." She said in a tight voice. I settled Avery back against my chest and looked at her confused by her tone. Her and Gibbs were both looking up to the catwalk and Abby was watching me.

"What is it?" I asked as I turned my chair to look. The director was standing up there watching us. I felt my body tense, which made Avery tense as he started to whimper and I forced myself to relax.

"You two go home." Gibbs said as he pointed to Ziva and I and started towards the stairs. "I'm serious."

"Okay." I said as I stood from my desk and Ziva put Avery's carrier back on her desk so I could buckle him in, which made him upset again but he quieted himself by sucking on his fingers. "Come on Zeev."

"Okay." She said as she slipped her coat on and picked up Avery's pacifier, which still lay in the middle of the squad room.

"Bye Avery." Abby said as she kissed his forehead. "See you guys tomorrow."

"Bye Abby, McGee." Both of us said as I took Avery's carrier off the desk and placed my hand on the small of her back as we walked towards the elevator.

"They're so cute." I heard Abby say to McGee. I smiled as we stepped into the elevator and Ziva remained close to my side.

"Stay the night?" she asked quietly as we both looked down at Avery who stopped sucking his fingers to look up at us and give us one of his brightest smiles then returned to sucking his fingers.

"Anything you want." I said flashing back to the time she said that to me as she tried to get me to lie for her.

"I never told you." She started as we stepped off the elevator and headed towards her car.

"Told me what?" I asked confused, yet hopeful.

"Remember when we were discussing Avery's last name?" she smiled as she unlocked her car and I secured Avery in the back before turning to her. "Then you gave me the blanket."

"Yeah." I said realizing how sad it was I didn't know my son's last name.

"You signed the birth certificate before I put his last name down." She said with a slight smile. "But you never asked what name I chose."

"I guess not." I said as I looked down into the car at Avery who was still happily sucking on his fingers.

"DiNozzo. I chose DiNozzo." She said as she stepped closer to me and placed a gentle kiss to my cheek. I smiled and wrapped my arm around her shoulders and hugged her tight. This thing with the director and her father really had shaken her up. "You are a great father, Tony."

"You're an amazing mom, Ziva." I whispered against her hair as she wrapped her arms around my middle. "Lets go home." I told her after awhile. She nodded against my chest and pulled away. I looked back at Avery and saw him watching us curiously. "I'll drive." I told her and due to her current behavior I was not surprised when she easily handed over the keys.

"Okay." She said and walked around to the passenger side and I closed Avery's door.

"Hey Ziva?" I asked and she opened the door looking over the roof at me. "Thank you."

"For what?" she asked confused.

"Giving our son my name." I said with a shy smile. Pride settled in my chest as I looked through the window at Avery Matteo DiNozzo who gave me his rare crooked grin as he dropped his fingers from his mouth and kicked his arms and legs happily. She smiled at me and climbed in the car.