She steps into the bedroom. She finds a pair of dark eyes staring up at her.

"I need Rose."

"Are you going to go back to sleep?" Ziva inquires.

"Rose," she answers.

Ziva nods, "I'll go get her." She quickly leaves the room, and grabs Rose off the coffee table. She returns to the bedroom, and tucks the doll into bed, next to Zafirah. She smiles at the sleepy little girl.

"Go back to sleep."

"K," she smiles. Ziva bends down, and kisses her on the forehead. When she finally reaches the living room she finds that Gibbs is waiting on her.

"I don't know where to even start."

"At the beginning," he suggests.

"How? I don't even know where that is."

"You'll figure it out, you always do."

"This is different."

"Yeah, but you still have to figure it out."

"How? I don't have any idea how to be someone's parent. There are days that I am doing well, just to take care of myself. Now, all of a sudden, I am responsible for someone else. I..."

"You're still in shock."

"Yes. Yesterday I woke up, as an NCIS agent. Today, I woke up, as someone's mother."

"You've always been her mother."

"No. I didn't know. I had no idea that she was out there. How could I have not known? Why didn't I feel that there was something wrong? Why did I just accept what I was told?"

"Sometimes letting go, is easier than holding on. And just because she wasn't here, with you, doesn't mean you weren't her mother. You were just a mother, without a child."

"I always choose the wrong thing. I always pick the wrong times to let go, and hold on."

"You had no reason to believe that she was alive. Without medical treatment, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

"I was wrong. I was wrong, and she's spent her whole life, without parents. She has spent nearly her entire life, in an orphanage, and..."

"It's not your fault."

"Someone is to blame. If not me, then who?"

"If you spend your energy trying to figure out who to blame, you'll miss out on what is important."

"And what is that?"

He points to her bedroom, "That little girl."

"I don't know what she's seen, or what she's been through."

"You have the rest of her life, to figure that out."

"I think she knew."

He furrows his brow. "Who? Knew, what?"

"Zafirah, I think that she knew we were out in the world, somewhere. She knew that one day we would come for her."

"Why do you say that?"

"She's nineteen months old, and she hadn't said a single word, until the other day."

"What, are you talking about?"

"She had never said anything, until Elise introduced her to Tony. She has talked non-stop since then. In English. It's like she was just waiting, for us to show up, and bring her home. What if we had never found out? She never would have said anything."

"Ziva..."

"It's crazy, I know."

"Hi," a little voice greets.

Jethro turns around. He finds a sheepish toddler standing in the doorway of Ziva's bedroom. He smiles widely, "Hi. Zafirah, my name is Jethro," he points to Ziva, "Can you tell me who she is, in Arabic?" he tests her.

"Umm," she answers.

Ziva looks at the little girl, wondering if Jethro is on to something. "Can you tell me your favorite color?"

"Purple."

Ziva shakes her head. Zafirah walks over. She stops between Ziva, and gives. She smiles and responds, "Urjuwani."

Across town Tony is attempting to pick up take out, for lunch. He finally gets the food, and returns to his car. He carefully puts the bag of takeout in the passenger's seat, and climbs into the car. His phone rings before he can put the key in the ignition.

"Hello?" he answers.

"Where are you?"

"I'm getting lunch," he answers.

"You're on vacation, and you're biggest concern is getting lunch? Where are you, any way?"

"Why so many questions, E.J.?"

"I was just curious."

"My vacation plans got changed a little bit."

"You haven't left yet?"

"I've already left."

"So you're there now, wherever there is?"

"No."

"No? Your flight got canceled, and you have a layover?"

"No."

"No?"

"I've already been there, and now I'm back."

"You're back? When did you get back?"

"Last night."

"Oh. So does that mean I get to see you today?"

"Probably not."

"Why not?"

"I've got some things I have to do."

"Some things, what things?"

"I'll explain it later."

"What's going on? Are you with someone?"

"Like who?"

"I don't know, Ziva?"

"Not right now," he answers too quickly.

"What do you mean not right now? She isn't here today. Are you with her?"

"I was getting ready to take her lunch."

"Why? What is going on between the two of you?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? So why are you taking her lunch?"

"She's my partner. I am allowed to do that, if I want."

"Why did she take the day off."

"She had something that she needed to take care of."

"She had something to take care of today, and so did you. Are you taking care of something together?"

"Yes."

"Yes? I can't believe you."

"It's not what you think."

"Really? You're not sleeping with her?"

"No. I'm not."

"Have you ever slept with her?"

"Why are you so threatened by my relationship with Ziva?"

"Because I see the way you look at her."

"The way I look at her? What the Hell is that supposed to mean?"