A couple more chapters left, this one sets up a plot or two coming up. Enjoy and tell me what you think :o)

jae

Sixteen

Ziva is up long before Tony's alarm goes off, only experiencing a few hours of restless sleep through out the night. Although she's been experiencing anxiety since her decision the previous day, she feels nothing but calm as she lays there in a cocoon of pillows, down comforter, and her slumbering little girl snuggled in between her and Tony. She had made an appearance late in the night and had wormed herself into bed once again without either of them waking. Ziva had woken to the little girl curled into her body, Piper's head resting in the crook of her neck and her tiny thumb still in her mouth.

Piper only stirs briefly as the radio alarm fills the room for a handful of seconds until Tony's hand silences it indefinitely. Groaning, he kicks off the blankets and warmth that entices him, raising himself to a sitting position. Ziva looks over and smiles softly while he rubs his face blearily. Her soft chuckle catches his attention and he looks over, smiling wide at the sight.

"Morning," she whispers softly.

"Morning," he returns, "I see we have a visitor this morning," he reaches down and gently tugs her thumb out her mouth. Ziva laughs as her thumb immediately goes back to her mouth, never waking.

"Yes, she was here when I woke up."

"Hmm..." he murmurs, "She usually only does that if she's sick or has a bad dream. Or if one of us works late."

"Maybe she just knew you were going back to work," Ziva says, smiling playfully.

Tony grins, then leans over to kiss them both on the forehead.

"Speaking of which, I'm going to be late," he says while getting up. He rummages around the room, gathering clothes, and Ziva observes him silently. Heading towards their bathroom door, he pauses, turning around and coming to Ziva's side of the bed. She looks at him questioningly, and he takes her hand to rub softly.

"You sure you're gonna be okay today?"

Ziva's eyes roam around the room as she searches for an answer.

"Yes," she begins hesitantly, "I am sure we will be fine. I think I am just ... nervous," she finishes quietly.

Tony gives her hand a squeeze and captures her lips with a kiss.

"You call me if you need anything. I'll be here within ten minutes."

Ziva smiled up at him, hand snaking up his neck to his cheek.

"Todah," she murmurs, before pulling him down to kiss him once more.

oOo

Piper still hadn't woken over an hour after Tony had walked out the door, and Ziva hadn't known her to sleep this late uninterrupted. Finishing her tea and placing her mug in the sink, Ziva ventured down toward her bedroom to investigate.

Opening the door wider, she walked quietly over to the bed, where Piper was tangled in the sheets and her hair was fanned out across the pillow. Ziva sat down on the bed, and Piper's eyes fluttered open.

"Boker Tov, tatehleh," Ziva murmured sweetly as she brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. Piper mumbled something over the still present thumb in her mouth and rubbed her face deeper into her pillow, trying to escape the the light.

Ziva chuckled and began untwisting her legs from the sheets as her feet struggled to kick them away.

"You are very sleepy this morning, and a little cranky, yes?"

The little girl only kicked her feet more and mumbled something about daddy into the pillow.

"Where's your father? He went back to work today, tatehleh." She soothed, brushing her hand along the little girl's back in a comforting gesture. It seemed to calm her down. Still hiding her face, she reached her free hand across until it found Ziva's other hand and held it.

A lump formed in her throat, and she cleared her voice.

"Would it make you happy to go visit him for lunch time?"

Piper's fist tightened around her finger, and her little head bobbed up and down as she mumbled again.

Ziva laughed out loud.

"Okay, then, let us get ready."

oOo

"So are you guys still going to go?"

McGee's voice is the first thing she hears as the elevator dings and opens to the floor of the squad room. She shifts Piper on her hip and steps off, following the sound of the voice and to the cluster of desks that stirs something in her head. She approaches the bullpen as Tony is responding. McGee looks at her in surprise and Ziva smiles at him in greeting. With his back to her, leaning against the filing cabinet, Tony continues talking.

"I don't know, McRSVP, I haven't really brought it up with Ziva yet-" Tony trails off as he registers the look of surprise on McGee's face. He turns around just as Ziva offers a warm, "Shalom."

"Ziva," he says, surprised, walking over to her.

"We decided to come visit for lunch." Ziva stoked her daughter's head as Piper snuggled her face into the crook of her neck more. "Tatehleh, want to say hello to your father and Uncle Tim?" She murmured into her hair before untangling her body from hers and setting her down on the ground. Piper rubbed her eyes softly before going over to her uncle's desk. Tony looked at her Ziva questioningly.

Your daughter has been a little flustered this morning," she elaborated, answering the unspoken question.

"Fussy," he corrected automatically, reaching out to take the bag that occupied Ziva's shoulder. She scrunched her face at him, but he knew she was committing that one to memory. Setting the bag on his desk, he looked up at her.

"Thanks, sweetcheeks."

"It was no problem," she waved him off. "So what were you and McGee talking about?" She looked over to the agent in question. Her investigator face fell as a smile formed at the sight of Piper snuggled in her favorite uncle's lap. McGee returned the smile and shrugged.

Looking back at Tony, he nodded and started talking.

"An...agent... our team has, well, collaborated with before is having an engagement party we were all invited to," he explained carefully. Ziva nodded in an understanding, and he continued, " It's the day after tomorrow. McCurious was just wondering if we were still going, but we don-"

"Then we will be going," Ziva told him seriously.

Tony eyed her suspiciously. Ziva sighed and started again.

"Tony, I am nervous but we talked about this. We need to start adjusting."

Seeing nothing but finality on her face, he nodded, giving in.

"Fine, you're right. I'm just worried about some of the people we might run into..."

Ziva looked at him, confused, "What do you-"

"Hey guys," McGee interrupted, and the two partners swung their heads to look at him. "I think I know what the problem is," he continued, nodding down at the little girl sleeping in his lap. "She feels warm. I think she's sick."

Tony groaned as Ziva rushed over to McGee's desk. He handed her over carefully, putting his hand across her forehead.

Ziva adjusted her more on her hip and looked at Tony, guilty. He could see the hysteria forming on her face, and he walked over to calm her down.

"Ziva," he soothed, "We'll make an appointment tomorrow and I'll go with you guys. She'll be fine." he rubbed her arm and Ziva relaxed and nodded at his touch as McGee laughed at what he said.

"Tony, have you ever been with them to her doctor?"

Ziva looked at him oddly and Tony rolled his eyes.

"You always insist on taking her and not having the two of us miss work." He explained.

"That sounds reasonable," she nodded. Tony mumbled and leaned down to kiss Piper's head. Straightening up, he turned to Ziva.

"I'm gonna go see if Ducky's got something for her down in autopsy."

"I'll go with you," Ziva replied, and he nodded.

"Here, I'll take her while you guys go down," McGee offered, knowing they didn't like having her down in autopsy. He smiled as he took Piper into his arms, and walked back toward his desk. The duo shared a smile, then turned to walk back to the elevator. Reaching out to press the button, Tony turned to her.

"Hey - how did you get here without directions?"

Ziva blinked and stared blankly at him.

"I do not... I just started driving. I did not even think about it."

Tony grinned widely at her and Ziva looked at him in mild disbelief.

The doors dinged and Tony grabbed her free hand, pulling her with him into the elevator.

"Looks like you've still got a few surprises left, sweetcheeks." he mumbled against her cheek before he pressed his lips against her.