Chapter Thirteen

"What does it say?" I asked nervously.

"That Michael Rivkin is Avery David's father." Ziva said and threw the paper back towards her father.

"What?" I roared. "Who the hell is Michael Rivkin?"

"Ziva's partner." Eli said and I clenched my fists harder, I could feel my nails digging into my palms.

"No, he is not. He was my partner years ago." Ziva hissed. "Tony is my partner. Tony is my son's father!"

"Ziva, calm down." Eli said with a slight smile.

"You just gave me fake paternity papers that say Rivkin is Avery's father, I will not calm down." Ziva glared.

"Why do you want this Rivkin to be my son's father?" I growled and Eli settled his hard eyes on me.

"That is none of your concern Agent DiNozzo." He said coolly with his thick accent.

"None of my concern?" I laughed. "You're challenging MY son's paternity, damn right it's my concern."

"Agent DiNozzo." Director Sheppard warned.

"What exactly are you trying to do, Director?" Ziva seethed. "Why are you presenting me with paperwork stating Rivkin fathered Avery. Whose last name is DiNozzo, not David."

"Your liaison position is up with NCIS soon, Ziva." Eli stated and my stomach dropped at the confidence in his eyes.

"And what does that have to do with Tony being Avery's father?" Ziva asked doing her best to hide the fear that I knew was running threw her. "He was born in Washington D.C. so regardless of who you forge as his father, he is an American citizen."

"Maybe, but when you return to Israel you will not leave my grandson here." Eli said. "He will be raised in Israel."

"He will not. He will not even know you." Ziva yelled.

"And he'll be raised here, in the states." I chimed in and Ziva nodded.

"Not if Rivkin petitions for custody." Eli grinned and my heart sunk.

"HE IS NOT HIS FATHER." Ziva yelled as she took a step closer to the desk and I knew she was ready to attack so I took her hand and gently pulled her back towards me.

"What is so bad about raising your child in Israel, Ziva?"

"You!" Ziva said and I gently ran my thumb over her knuckles and smiled inwardly when she squeezed my hand. "I want Avery to grow up in America with his father, TONY, and myself."

"You need to stop raising your voice at me, Ziva." Eli said, his jaw set in frustration now.

"They're getting married." Gibbs said and the four of us gaped at him.

"What?" Jenny and Eli asked while Ziva and I exchanged a look.

"What?" I whispered as I leaned closer to Gibbs and gave him a confused look.

"Is this true? Are you marrying him?" Eli asked disgusted as he pointed to me.

"Yes." Ziva said and squeezed my hand again.

"It is illegal to get married just to gain citizenship." Jenny said with a shake in her voice.

"We have a baby together, we love each other." I said looking between the directors. "That's why we're getting married."

"Officer David?" Cynthia asked with a soft knock and a scared voice.

"Yes Cynthia?" Ziva asked sweetly.

"Agent McGee wanted me to tell you that Avery woke up and is not calming down." Cynthia said with a quick glance to everyone in the room.

"Okay, thank you." Ziva nodded and Cynthia left.

"Bring him up here." Eli instructed and Ziva tensed.

"No." I said quickly and Eli laughed.

"Do it." Gibbs said.

"Fine." Ziva said after her and Gibbs competed in a staring contest.

"You're really this bitter?" I growled at Jen as soon as the door closed behind Ziva.

"Not yet, DiNozzo." Gibbs said throwing his empty cup in the trash.

"This is Avery?" Eli asked as Ziva came back into the office with Avery cradled in her arms feeding from a bottle.

"This is Avery." Ziva confirmed her voice much softer as she looked up from our son to her father.

"He looks like you did when you were a baby." Eli offered softy as Ziva finished feeding Avery and set the bottle down on the table behind us as she handed Avery to me to burp him.

"He looks like Tony." Ziva said as she stood closer to me.

"You are not seriously considering marrying him are you?" Eli asked as I settled Avery so he could lean his head against my shoulder as he shoved his fingers in his mouth.

"No." Ziva said and my heart stopped. "I am marrying him, nothing is under consideration."

"I am guessing you learned your sarcasm from him." Eli glared and I laughed slightly, hiding it by nuzzling Avery's hair.

"So when is the wedding?" Jen asked as she stared at Gibbs.

"Soon." Gibbs said confidently. "Don't worry about it."

"Agent Gibbs, what exactly are you doing here?" Eli asked as his glare was met by Gibbs'.

"Protecting my people." Gibbs shrugged.

"There is nothing threatening to them."

"You just tried to steal my son." I said trying to keep my voice even so I didn't disturb Avery. "And you're still trying to force Ziva back to Tel Aviv."

"Ziva, if you marry this man you will be terminated from Mossad and will no longer have a job here at NCIS." Eli started. "What will you do then? Live off Agent DiNozzo's small salary? That is not enough to raise a child on."

"Tony, Avery, and I will be fine." Ziva said and Avery wrapped his wet fingers around my tie.

"That was clean you know." I whispered against his ear and he gave me a slightly higher pitched laugh.

"Something funny?" Eli questioned.

"He's four months old, everything is funny." I said as I tickled his side quickly and he squealed with delight. "See."

"I think that is enough for today, I have things I need to tend to." Eli said as he straightened his tie. "Ziva, if I do not see you again today I will see you tomorrow. We can finish our discussion then." He nodded and left.

"You two, back to work." Gibbs instructed.

"It is okay Avery stays with us for the day, yes?" Ziva asked as she leaned into me and stroked Avery's back.

"No." Jen said.

"She wasn't asking you." I cut in with the urge to pummel her, this was all her fault.

"Agent DiNozzo, you are way out of line."

"Out of line?" I asked as I handed Avery off to his mother and took a step closer to the desk, the only object separating me from Jen. "You think I'm out of line? Because I bailed on the undercover op, which was strictly for your own personal benefit at my expense, you're not only trying to destroy my life but my son's and Ziva's? And you think I'm out of line?"

"Tony." Ziva said and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Let's just go back to the squad room."

"Fine." I said as I stepped back and placed my hand on Ziva's lower back leading her to the door.

A/N: I know it's short and maybe out of character, but it's something.