A/N This is a very, very short chapter. Work hasn't left me any time for writing this week. Maybe someday I'll win the lottery and be able to stay home and write full time. Thanks to everyone who keeps reading and reviewing.

Disclaimer No, NCIS doesn't belong to me and I'm still not making any money off of this story.

Ziva stretched out on the chase lounge in her backyard. She laid her book on the grass and closed her eyes. The late summer sun warmed her skin and she relaxed into the soft cushion. A gentle breeze kept her from growing too hot. It wasn't long before she was lulled into a deep sleep.

The sound of the yappy little dog next door brought Ziva to a stated of semi-wakefulness. It was the soft "Hey," that had her opening her eyes.

"Good morning, Gibbs." Ziva smiled as she sat up.

"More like good afternoon, Ziver," Jethro replied as he took a seat in one of her lawn chairs. He picked up the cover-up she had discarded and tossed to her. "Put that on."

"Why? This is a perfectly nice bathing suit," she protested.

"It's a couple of Kleenex held together with dental floss," Jethro growled.

"It is the latest fashion in Europe. Everyone wears them," Ziva complained as she drew the cover-up over her head.

"Yeah, well, we aren't in Europe. And, there are some things I would prefer not to see." Jethro knew how old fashioned he sounded. He didn't care. Seeing his daughter in what passed for a bikini these days was something he could live without.

"Do we have a case?" Ziva sat cross legged tried to shake off disorientation left by her nap.

"No. Just thought I would come over and see what you have planned for this evening." Jethro picked up her book and read the title.

"I have nothing planned. Why?" Ziva was curious. Jethro now seemed uncertain and hesitant.

Jethro laid the book back down. "Thought you might want to go out to dinner."

Ziva began to understand. "Who will be there, Gibbs?"

"Liz. You. Me." Jethro paused. "You can bring DiNozzo if you want."

"I will call and see if he is free." Ziva smiled. "I would like to spend more time with Liz. She seems very nice."

"She is." Jethro sat forward and studied the ground for a several seconds. He finally looked at Ziva. "Liz is what she seems to be, Ziver. She doesn't have some hidden agenda. She likes me for who I am, not who she thinks she can turn me into."

"And, she makes you happy." It was a statement, not a question.

Jethro answered anyway. "Yeah, she does."

Ziva was surprised to see that her hard-as-nails dad almost looked sheepish as he made the admission. She smiled at his lopsided grin. Happiness looked good on him. Ziva thought Jethro was absolutely adorable as he sat there blushing faintly.

"Then I am happy for you. It is about time you found someone who recognizes what a wonderful person you are." Ziva couldn't suppress a giggle. "Of course, it does not hurt that she thinks you are a hunk."

Jethro snorted and rolled his eyes. "You're delusional, Ziver."

Tony picked Ziva up and they met Gibbs and Liz at the DiCarlos. It was a quiet, upscale Italian restaurant that Jethro had taken Ziva to for her birthday. The hostess quickly had the two couples seated at a table.

Ziva and Liz talked about the school year that had just started and the demands of Liz's job as a principal. They compared the differences between education in America and in Israel. Everyone at the table was shocked when Ziva admitted she had long ago thought she would like to be a teacher.

"What?" she demanded as Jethro and Tony stared at her as if she had just admitted she was from another planet.

"It's just…" Jethro fumbled to a stop unable to tactfully say what he was thinking.

Tony wasn't as diplomatic. "You don't even like children, Ziva."

"Who says I do not like children?" she demanded. "I like children. I just have not had much opportunity to spend time with any."

Liz quickly diffused the tension. "Then you could help me out. If you are willing, that is."

Ziva turned her attention to Liz and effectively shut out the men. "What could I help you with?"

Liz took a sip of her wine and thought about her latest project. "My school isn't in the best part of the city. It's a pretty rough neighborhood. I would like to offer self defense courses to the older girls. I've been thinking about it for a while. Ziva, you would be the perfect person to teach the classes. We could hold them in the evenings in the school gym."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. Every young woman should know how to defend herself. We could even invite the mothers and older sisters to attend." Ziva's face lit up and she became more animated as she and Liz discussed the project.

Jethro and Tony shared a look that spoke volumes. Both men knew they had just dodged a bullet. An angry Ziva David was dangerous. An offended Ziva David was lethal.

Conversation flowed as the meal continued. They discussed the self defense classes, the baseball game, and a movie that, miraculously, even Jethro had seen. Ziva and Liz listened and laughed as the men debated the merits of Gibbs' antique Charger versus DiNozzo's latest classic Mustang.

Ziva leaned back in her chair and smiled as the conversation swirled around her. A year ago, Ziva would never have dreamed that she would be in such a place in her life. She was finally content and at peace.