This is a drabble-y one, Ziva point of view, with some DiNozzo brood lovin'! :)
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Over the years, Ziva's opinion of Tony had gone through rapid changes.
At the beginning, on surface level, on first impressions, he'd be a womanizing, filthy minded, slacker with too much arrogance and a love of himself that exceeded everything else.
Of course, he was still a womanizing, filthy minded, slacker with too much arrogance, and he did love himself. On that last part, however, she had been completely, utterly wrong (something she did not often admit to).
Tony loved her. Far more than himself.
At first, it had been a tentative, nervous kind of love. Looking back now, Ziva understood. All the hurt he'd ever received had been because of love; his mother, his father, Jeanne, particularly the latter. He'd been careful, it was never mentioned at work, he was somewhat jumpy when they were alone, it took several months for an 'I love you'. Once that had been said, however, there was a change in her partner. He was far more relaxed, seemingly more comfortable with the boyfriend title and role, and things suddenly went into a 'honeymoon' stage.
There were many late nights, both in and out of bed. As time passed, the two fell into a natural pattern, and their relationship was second learnt to know each other better than they knew themselves. And only when that happened did Ziva get a real window into Tony's mind.
He was gentle with her, loving, romantic; he spoilt her, and Ziva lapped it up with abandon. It was nice, for once, to let herself relax, to forget Mossad, NCIS, her father, her training, everything, and just be the little girl that had found her Prince Charming, blushing, giggling, and very much in love. Of course, only at home behind closed doors. After McGee and Abby had followed them to a dinner date, they were far more careful about their choice of venue, and PDAs. Gibbs had never really let them live it down, right after his dressing down of Tony for breaking Rule Twelve.
But through it all, they stuck with it; Ziva got to know him until she could finish his sentences before he began them, and he learnt quickly how to read her in an instant. After they were married, Ziva thought she'd finally snagged him, that he loved her more than anything. Boy, how wrong she was.
When she'd first found out she was pregnant, she'd panicked; they'd never quite discussed having children just yet, they both had their career. On a personal note, Ziva wasn't all too sure she was ready to be a mother, she had so many demons from her past, and doubts in her mind. But Abby had been so supportive (of course she'd gone to Abby for the test, out of sheer panic), and she'd finally swallowed her fear and told him. His reaction had been a surprise; he'd stared at her for what seemed like hours, before bursting into the largest grin she'd ever seen him wear. From there on, he'd been somewhat fixated on the idea of being a father.
They spent many a night curled up on the sofa, Tony relying the happenings of the movie to the small bump on his wife's abdomen (he insisted it would give the kid a head start in being a movie buff), and he barely ever grumbled at being sent out for craving food at ridiculous hours of the night. He spent hours getting Gibbs to show him how to build a crib (in the end, it was more of a 'joint project'), and the nursery was his own handiwork. And when Tony was finally born, Ziva knew instantly that she'd never again be number one, much to her delight.
Tony was a natural father, something Ziva had known he would be for years. His own fears and nerves at suddenly being in charge of this small child melted away after several weeks of late nights, early mornings, puke, diapers and crying. Their son brought out the best in her husband; the gentle, loving, good man that he was, the one behind the flirtatious jokester, and now he had a baby in his arms rather than a woman, Tony was allowed to drop the charade a little more. He often took their son into work on 'desk-job' days, simply to show him off. In Tony's defense, he was a beautiful baby; a large pair of his father's eyes, a light brown fuzz that quickly grew to a full head of silky hair, and as soon as he could manage it, his father's wide, cheeky, grin, that somehow managed to look innocent on his chubby cheeks. He rarely cried, making him all the more adorable, and Tony quite happily shipped him around the office for a chorus of coos and aws.
Ziva knew, somewhere inside her, that most of what Tony did was for the baby. He was devoted to say the least, and she had never felt safer, more settled, in her entire life. Then Abigail came along, and Ziva met a new level of Tony; with his daughter, he was practically a slave. He was far gentler, softer, so un-Tony like that Ziva did worry for a while, before giving in that it was just the baby girl's effect on him. Abigail was beautiful too, his eyes (again), but her mother's face, darker skin than her brother, and dark brown hair from day one. Tony adored her, and Ziva loved him all the more for it. She would silently watch him play with Abi, and Tony, and admire how easily Tony went from agent to daddy in a matter of seconds.
Of course, with two young children, it was impossible for both of them to work full time (Tony refused to leave them with a nanny, flat out) and Ziva became a stay at home mum, with a tendency to 'accidentally' acquire case files. Tony upped his hours, pushing papers well into the night, and Ziva couldn't help but feel guilty; she'd left him to shoulder the financial side, at least, that was how it felt. Tony, however, assured her over and over that he had no issues with it, far happier that she was getting time with their children than trying to simply 'fit them in'. Secretly, Ziva loved it. She could relax, be a mother, enjoy the young children that now filled most of her life, and she knew, somehow, someway, that Tony knew that all too well. It was a happy family life, something she'd never known, and something she loved Tony for giving her, albeit if she never said it.
By the time Timmy was born, they were old hands at the parent game. Their second son hadn't been planned, both were content with their two, but never the less,was loved utterly and completely (although, they'd agreed that this was the last time they left the children with Gibbs and went out for a night on the town with McGee and Abby, at least to nightclubs). Timmy was so different from either Abi or Tony that both parents agreed that they still had a lot to learn. His little face was often found frowning, or simply staring around him. It wasn't that he was an unhappy baby (when he laughed, the whole room lit up), it was just that he was far more observant, and almost mature, than either of his siblings. Ziva was 'over the sun' (moon, as Tony pointed out, receiving an elbow for it) that at least one of their children had inherited her dark eyes, as well as the tight, dark curls on his head.
Ziva, however, itched to return to work. She loved the children, but nearly 3 years of being (somewhat) 'part-time' left her with a desire to be back in the field. They brokered a deal, Ziva back part time, with Tony at home the times she was in, and a sitter on standby, to fill in when they were both needed. It worked for the two of them; Ziva loved being back at work, and it would've been a massive understatement to say how much Tony enjoyed staying at home with the kids. Ziva would often come home to all three children engrossed in a movie, usually one of Tony's favourites, and her husband in the kitchen. One thing Ziva did admire was his ability in the kitchen; the man could damn well cook. Of course, she rarely said this, as it then entailed the Italian accent appearing, then Italian speaking, and that damned proud grin, which she was (horribly) hopeless to resist.
She'd been warned by so many when she first announced they were dating, that he would hurt her, play her, use her. She'd persisted, arguing that he may not be perfect, but was pretty damn close to it in her eyes. It had convinced few, namely those that knew him, and by the time she was engaged to him, she was still being warned.
A perfect wedding, 3 children and a loving husband later, Ziva felt she was still right.