He gets off the plane, completely exhausted, and jet-lagged. He tries to navigate the airport. When he reaches baggage claim he grabs his bag, and moves towards the car. He feels like a clown, dragging a suitcase along behind him, with a diaper bag over his shoulder, and a sleeping baby in his arms. A carseat leans against the handle of the suitcase that he's dragging.
He reaches the garage, and puts the bags in the backseat. He fastens the carseat, and then puts the sleeping little girl in it. He fastens the belt around her, and carefully puts a blanket around her. He kisses her cheek, and closes the door. He gets into the driver's seat, and pulls out his cellphone. He dials a familiar number. After four rings the party on the other end answers.
"Do you know what time it is?" is how she answers.
"I don't know," he admits.
"It's three o'clock in the morning. Why are you calling me? Are you drunk?"
"No. Why would you think that?"
"Why else would you be calling me? Do you have a death wish?"
"I'll be at your apartment in fifteen minutes."
"What?"
"See you then," he hangs up, and turns his phone on silent.
Sixteen minutes later he finds himself banging on her door. She pulls the door open, in her pajamas. She crosses her arms across her chest, and looks at him, in irritation.
"I thought you were on vacation."
"I was."
"Why are you here? You better have a good reason."
"I had to bring you your souvenir, from my trip."
"It couldn't wait until tomorrow?"
"It is tomorrow."
"I meant after sunrise."
"No, it couldn't."
"What did you bring me?"
He smiles. He steps back, and looks at something leaning against the wall, outside her door. "Come on," he tells her, reaching down for her. She reaches out for him. He lifts her off the ground. He moves back towards the door. Ziva stares at him, in confusion.
"What is going on? Why do you have a baby? Did you kidnap a child? Tony that is not the kind of souvenir..."
He waves his hand, for her to stop. She does. He kisses the sheepish, baby's warm cheek. "Do you know who this is?" he asks.
The little girl looks at him, with a pacifier in her mouth. Her eyes light up.
"Can I have your pacifier?" he questions.
She hands it to him. She smiles, "Hi," she waves at Ziva.
"Where did you get her? Why..."
He cuts her off, "Who is that?" he questions the little girl.
"Mommy," she says quietly.
Ziva just looks at the little girl, then to Tony.
"I don't understand. Is this some kind of sick joke?"
"No," he shakes his head.
The little girl reaches for her.
After his phone call from Abby he jumps into the shower. He grabs his things, and heads out. It takes him nearly an hour to arrive at his destination. He steps into the orphanage. The girl from the other day looks up at him, from a desk. He walks past her, into the next room. He finds Elise waking some of the children up. She hears him come into the room.
"Good morning," she greets him.
"Where is she?" he questions.
She points to a crib, towards the center of the wall, behind them.
"Over there."
"How long will it be, for me to get to take her home?" he questions.
"I assume you got your test results back?"
"Yes, my friend faxed them to the hotel this morning."
"All you need to do is sign some paperwork, and then you can take her home."
"Won't I need to get her a passport?"
"She already has a passport."
"Why is she here, with you?"
"I wasn't going to leave her in Somalia. She wouldn't have been safe there."
"This isn't exactly, safe, either."
"No, but it was the best I could do."
"So..."
"Why don't you go wake her up? I'll get a bag ready, for her."
"Ok," he agrees.
He turns around, and walks towards the crib that Elise had pointed out. When he reaches it he finds a sleeping little girl, inside. She lays on her side, with a pacifier in her mouth. He smiles, and snaps a picture of her, with his phone.
"Zafirah, sweetie, wake up," he says softly.
Her eyes instantly pop open. She looks up at him. She sits up, and takes the pacifier out of her mouth. She smiles at him.
"Hi," she greets him.
"Good morning."
"Home?"
"Yes, beautiful girl, I am going to take you home."
She looks over at the doll laying beside her. She looks up at him questioningly.
"Rose can go too," he promises.
She tucks the doll under her arm, and stands up in the crib. She reaches for him. He lifts her out of the crib. Elise joins them. She quickly changes the girl out of her onesie, into a clean outfit.
Hours later he finds himself on a plane, with a toddler on his lap. It was funny, that how only days earlier he hadn't even known about her. Everything had changed. He had never believed in love at first sight. Then he laid eyes on her, just the day before, and he did. She was beautiful, she reminded him of her mother.
"Daddy?"
"Yes?" he looks down at her.
"Want mommy," she announces.
"We're going to see her soon."
"Ok," she leans back. The back of her head rests against his chest. Her wild curls go in different directions, as she tries to get comfortable.
"Do you want your blanket, so you can take a nap?"
"No."
Within five minutes she's snoring. He pulls the bag out from under the seat, and carefully tucks the blanket around her.
A/N: I promise there will be more Ziva/ Zafirah moments, in the next chap.