Any apprehension Ziva might have had following the heavy conversation they'd shared the night before fled when she opened her eyes at eight-thirty and found her husband staring at her, an undefinable tenderness in his gaze. With the contentment of a man who'd spent a satisfying night, he picked up one of her curls and moved it off her face.

"Good morning beautiful."

Ziva frowned at the clock. "I did not hear Chaya."

He shook his head. "I did her first feeding, thought we needed some daddy/daughter time since you always get her at night. Plus, I didn't figure it would kill you to sleep in for once."

She stretched, then curled around her pillow with a smile. "That was nice. Did you enjoy your visit?"

"Oh yeah," Tony grinned, "it was great. "We talked about all sorts of things - the weather, baseball, her plans for college. You know, just the basics."

Ziva chuckled and slid her fingers into his hair. "You really are an idiot."

He laughed. "Let me guess, it's a term of endearment?"

She shrugged. "I say it with love."

Tony moved closer and rested the top part of his body on hers, leaning down for a taste of her lips. Her heartrate sped up and he could see it pulsing through the vein in her neck. "Zi?"

Ziva's eyes were wide and she tried to breathe slowly to offset the reaction. "Being pinned is...not okay." He moved immediately but stayed right at her side. She felt the panic subside and looked at him. "But I would like for it to be, someday." Her response was the same when Tony repeated the action, but Ziva pulled his head down. "Make me forget I am afraid," she whispered.

So he did, distracting her with his kiss and his touch, delving into her mouth with his tongue and reluctantly coming up for air to search her eyes and read what she needed to tell him. Ziva smiled and put her hand on his chest. "I think you should do that again."

Proving how well he could follow orders, Tony did, his hand disappearing under her tank top, his fingers playing over her stomach. Ziva made a face and shook her head, still self-conscious because of the difference after she gave birth. With one hand tangled in her hair, Tony slid his other one further under her shirt, brushing the base of her breast. Ziva seemed torn between enjoying his touch and not being sure what to do with it, so Tony retreated, drawing his lips down her neck instead. She tilted her head to the side and sighed happily, causing Tony to grin against her skin. So she definitely liked that. But when Ziva felt the warmth travel to her lower abdomen, she nearly threw Tony off of her and lay there shaking.

He frowned, wanting an explanation and Ziva ran her fingers distractedly through her messy curls, wishing she didn't have to tell him. "Zi, what was that?" Tony seemed afraid to touch her, it was obvious something wasn't right.

Trembling, she sat up and yanked her tank top down, blowing out a breath. Meeting his eyes so she wouldn't have to say it out loud, Ziva knew the precise moment Tony read the minutest amount of desire in her gaze. The little bit she felt a couple days ago when they were kissing on the couch was suddenly magnified tenfold, until she was fighting more than just the memories, she was fighting against herself as well.

He closed his eyes and swallowed. "You want more?"

Ziva nodded miserably. "And that terrifies me. How can I want something that was used against me, an act that hurt me in so many ways I cannot even begin to describe them?" She blinked back tears. "Sometimes I want normal Tony, but I do not know how."

He scooted over until their feet were touching, holding out his hands. Ziva bit her lip before offering hers. "No one ever said this would be easy honey. I wish it could be, for your sake, but we'll keep trying, keep testing things, and I promise I'm not going anywhere." His hand came up to brush her cheek and Ziva leaned into his touch. "I love you."

She gave him a hint of a smile. "You always know just what to say."

Tony grinned, leaning back. "So, last official day off, what's the plan?" They needed to move to a safer topic.

Ziva flopped back onto the pillows. "I would like to say do not move, but our daughter would not like that." She rolled her head to see him. "Actually, I think we should go to Ops and warn Duke that I will be back."

Tony chuckled. "Yeah, give him a chance to hide all the paperclips."

She tossed a pillow at him and he caught it, shoving it under his head, resisting the urge to tickle her until her laughter rang freely through their room. He wanted to keep all his limbs intact, thank you very much. Ziva slid her foot over until it rested on his and Tony raised an eyebrow. He was just about to comment on her wanting to play footsies with him when right on cue the baby cried and he jumped up.

"My turn!"

Ziva watched him go, smiling in amusement at how excited he was to see Chaya. All daddies should be like him, she decided, to find joy in their children even when it was hard work or the timing was inconvenient. Tony came back a few minutes later and tossed her a couple books. "I feed her, you read. Deal?"

"You fed her last time, remember? So I believe it is my turn." Ziva held out her arms for the baby. "You can read to us instead."

He sighed. "Fine." But it was all for show. Tony didn't care what they were doing or who was doing it as long as they were doing something together. Reaching for the first story with a duck in a chef's hat on it, he smiled. "It's a good deal." Ziva settled against the headboard with Chaya and Tony stretched out beside them, and opened to the first page, unable to think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning. This was perfect.

NCIS

That afternoon while Chaya was sleeping, Tony drove Ziva back to Ops, the gym she hadn't set foot in since Duke kicked her out at thirty weeks pregnant. Under his orders, she'd stayed away nearly four months and now, finally, she was allowed to return. Pulling open the door, Ziva stepped inside, breathing in the familiar atmosphere. She was not surprised to see Duke sitting at the front desk like he'd been expecting company.

A grin spread over his face and he stood to give her a gentle hug, able to read a lot into the fact that she didn't flinch, though she did keep it quite brief. "David, look at you. Wow." Duke's eyes were immediately drawn to her rings and he raised an eyebrow. "So, the man stepped up, did he?"

She smiled and nodded. "It is Ziva DiNozzo now." Looking behind her where Tony was carrying Chaya, her expression softened. "And our daughter, Chaya."

Duke held out a hand to shake Tony's and the other man set the carseat on the counter. "Thought you should meet the reason you lost your best client."

As she'd come to expect, the big, tough man turned into mush with her daughter. Duke leaned down and rubbed his fingers over her hand. "Hello angel, look at you! Aren't you just the spitting image of your mom." He winked at Tony. "Good thing, huh?" Duke shook his head. "Daddy's gonna need a bigger gun to keep the boys away, I think."

He stood up. "Congrats, she's gorgeous." Eyeing Ziva, Duke crossed his arms. "So, back just to show off or back for real?"

Ziva's eyes lit up. "For real starting tomorrow." She shrugged. "Chaya is eight weeks, so another month before there are no restrictions, but at least I may come again."

Duke jotted something in his calendar. "After work as usual?"

She glanced at Tony and he nodded. "Yes. For as long as you will let me stay."

"Hm, we'll talk about that," her trainer decided. "Let's start with three times a week for now and go from there."

Ziva smiled. "Thank you." She slipped her hand into Tony's. "I will see you Monday."

Tony grabbed Chaya's seat and lifted his chin to Duke. "Make sure she behaves."

He shrugged. "I'll do my best, but you know how stubborn she is."

Tony laughed. "Don't I. I remember-"

Ziva put her hand over his mouth and glared at them. "That is enough, I am right here. Goodbye Duke."

The men chuckled, but wisely kept quiet and outside Tony leaned in to kiss her. "You know we're just teasing."

She rolled her eyes. "I am always out counted. I will have to start keeping Chaya with me all the time so we can stick together."

Tony snapped Chaya's seat back in the car and held the door for Ziva. "Outnumbered. Love you."

Ziva smiled. "I am not sure if that gets you out of trouble." He captured her lips again and drew the kiss out slowly, his fingers flirting with the curls at the nape of her neck. She wrinkled her nose. "Well, that is a start."

"Extra points?" Tony asked hopefully.

Ziva laughed. "Do not push your luck."

Later when they were at home after supper and Chaya was still awake following her feeding, Tony lifted the baby up and held her in front of him. But instead of curling under her like they used to, her little legs pushed up and she stood on his lap, smiling around the fingers in her mouth and looking immensely pleased with herself.

"Zi."

She turned and looked, moving to sit right beside them. "What a big girl you are yekarah." Precious. Ziva placed her finger in Chaya's hand as the little girl basked in her parents' attention. "Kol hakavod!" Good job.

Tony kissed Chaya's forehead. "I love you princess. Don't grow up too fast, okay?"

Chaya's legs gave out and Tony brought her to his chest, where she put her head down and promptly started drifting off. Tony cradled his daughter's small body against him and glanced at his wife. "Best feeling in the world."

Ziva stroked the baby's hair and sighed. "No wonder she's comfortable, that is my favourite place to fall asleep also."

He kissed her hair and leaned back with a smile he couldn't get rid of. His girls were his greatest joy.

NCIS

Celeste called Gibbs Sunday night and he could hear something different in her voice. "Jethro? I did something."

Gibbs sat down on the couch, holding the phone. "How bad?" Her usual precursor to news he might not like made him wince and he tried to prepare himself.

She hesitated. "Can you come over?"

That made him even more nervous. "On my way." Celeste met him at the door but only opened it enough to peek her head out. Gibbs almost laughed at the expression on her face. "Let's get this over with."

She glanced behind her. "You like dogs, right Jethro?"

He closed his eyes and groaned. "Les, you didn't."

Celeste stepped back to let him inside. "I only went to the rescue center to look, just to look," she protested.

Gibbs stared at her. "Celeste, you have never been able just to look at something cute and furry."

She crossed her arms. "I always said when I had my own house and my own yard, that I'd finally get the dog I've wanted all my life." Celeste sighed. "I haven't had a dog since my parents gave Gimmer away. I was twenty-two, I think I've waited long enough."

Gibbs shook his head. "Am I arguing with you?"

A memory lit her eyes. "You had a dog when you were young."

He nodded. "Boomer. He was mine for twelve years and he loved me every day of that time."

Hope grew on her face and Celeste turned towards the kitchen. He followed her out the sliding door and watched as she sank onto the swing and a medium sized, long-haired, black, brown and white dog set its head in her lap. She fondled the dog's ears and smiled. "Jethro, I'd like you to meet Lexie."

Gibbs hunkered down and held out his hand for Lexie to sniff. He looked up. "Girl dog, huh?"

She shrugged. "You have a basement and a boat, I figured us girls should stick together."

Lexie, unsure about Gibbs initially, now pushed her head into his hand, begging to be pet. He indulged her. "Good girl." The dog turned back to Celeste and she drew her fingers over Lexie's muzzle and up into the soft hair on her head.

"Just you and me, right girl?" The dog's tail slapped the ground excitedly and Celeste's face lit up. "Yeah, I love you too."

Gibbs stood. "Room for me?"

She patted the seat beside her. "Always Jethro." Celeste looked at him uncertainly. "Are you mad?"

"Nah," Gibbs waved his hand. "Just wait until she meets the grandkids."

Celeste leaned over and hugged him tight. "I love you."

Gibbs kept her close and stole a kiss. "Me too. Congrats Les, I'm glad you finally got your dream."

A smile slid slowly across her lips. "Oh Jethro, not just one." Celeste touched his face. "They're all coming true at the same time."

Folding her into his arms, Gibbs sat there in the dark and held the woman he loved, with her dog laying at their feet to make the picture complete.

NCIS

Ziva's watch went off at five am the next morning and though it put her a little short for sleep, she still felt invigorated. Sliding out of bed without waking her husband, Ziva changed into workout clothes and went for a nice long run, hoping to work off some of the anxiety she felt about returning to work. Today would be the start of a lot of changes, some Ziva looked forward to and some she dreaded.

Returning home, Ziva woke Tony with a kiss before bringing Chaya into their bedroom to nurse. She savoured those moments, stroking Chaya's cheek and holding her hand and staring into her eyes. She hated knowing that she'd miss three feedings today and Chaya wouldn't understand where Mommy was when she was hungry. Tony sat watching his wife and baby together, sensing her sadness as much as it was evident in her actions as well. Finally Chaya finished eating and Ziva kissed her head, handing her over to Tony for burping.

Propping the baby up on his shoulder, Tony rubbed her back and murmured in her ear, breathing in her sweet scent. "Te amo princesa," he whispered, scrounging up the meager amount of Spanish he knew as he took her to the nursery to get changed and dressed.

Ziva watched them go, trying to shake off the melancholy when today was supposed to be a happy day. She went into the bathroom for a shower, surprised to find Chaya still awake and laying on the bed with Tony when she came out. He had one finger held captive in his daughter's fist and looked up.

"I think she knows something is different. She didn't want to go back to sleep."

Sitting down, Ziva rubbed the baby's tummy, smiling as she kicked her legs and gurgled. "Ooh-ah," Chaya said, staring at her hands.

Ziva laughed. "Is that so? Tell Daddy he needs to take a shower, his hair looks like a porquswine."

Tony rolled his eyes and kissed her, slipping his arm around her waist. "I know you get that one wrong on purpose."

She leaned into him. "Some things will always be funny. Now go, we are running out of time."

He sighed and did as he was told. Leaving Chaya leaning up against a pillow, Ziva took her time choosing clothes to wear, wanting to make the right impression for her first day back. She was limited to nursing shirts because she would be doing one of Chaya's feedings and taking unpaid breaks to pump at the times her daughter would normally be nursing.

The breast pump she and Abby had picked out on their last Girl's Night - after looking through the research Abby and McGee had done - was small, portable, easy to clean and would fit nicely into her backpack. The extra bottles they'd purchased would be used to store the milk until she got home and could freeze it.

Finally Ziva settled on a green, long sleeved shirt and tan pants that would stand up well to field work. She debated about footwear for awhile but finally went back to her boots, though she hadn't worn them in months, deciding substance over style would be more practical. By the time Tony came out in a towel, Ziva was ready but she stopped and stared, then gathered up a now sleeping Chaya and muttered something about needing to pack the diaper bag before she fled the room.

Tony was puzzled until he looked down and realized what he'd done. He usually came out of the bathroom dressed, never in a towel, but this morning the thought never crossed his mind. Heaving a sigh, he put on a grey suit, did his hair and went downstairs to do damage control. Ziva was in the kitchen packing them lunch from the pre-made meals, the supply of which was finally dwindling, after two months of enjoying their friends' efforts. The thank you gifts they had were tucked safely in his backpack and it was sitting by hers along with Chaya in her carseat and the diaper bag. Getting out of the house now required three times the supplies of their pre-baby days.

Turning to Ziva, he tried to see into her eyes, but she just smiled vaguely and fixed his tie. Tony wasn't sure there was anything wrong with it, but it was such a wife thing to do that he couldn't help grinning. They were running a bit late once everything was packed in the car and he was relieved when Ziva reached for his hand as soon as he got in. He'd offered to let her drive, but she shook her head and it worried him until Ziva looked at him, letting Tony see that there was nothing wrong besides her anxiety over their next stop.

Less than fifteen minutes later they pulled into the NCIS parking lot and took the elevator to the second floor where the daycare was housed. Tony carried Chaya in her seat, still asleep, and they stopped at the reception window to give their names. The woman checked her list and smiled.

"Chaya DiNozzo, here she is. May I see some ID please?" Both Tony and Ziva pulled out their badges. The lady took them to make a copy and returned them a few minutes later. "We have photo ID and we'll take a picture of Chaya today with your permission, to make sure only you can collect your daughter."

Ziva handed the receptionist a list with the names of the team written down beside their badge numbers. "Any of these people may also pick her up if we are not available."

The woman took the list and read through the names, adding it to Chaya's file which lay open on her desk. She pushed a button and the door buzzed. "Welcome to LEO's."

The acronym stood for Law Enforcement Offspring and it made Tony chuckle when he read the sign. Holding the door for Ziva, he followed her in and was met at the end of a very short hall by a young woman with bright blue eyes and a short pixie haircut.

"Mr. and Mrs. DiNozzo?" They nodded and she smiled, holding out her hand. "I'm Aria, I'll be one of Chaya's primary caregivers." Ziva nicely corrected her pronunciation and the girl blushed. "Sorry, I'm too literal. I just assume everything is said the way it sounds." She turned and waved her hand. "If you'll follow me I'll show you to the baby room."

Tony and Ziva took a moment to appreciate the brightly lit, colourful, gated toddler room that the entrance opened up into before going in the direction Aria had. Down another short hall was a very peaceful feeling room with soft music playing and four cribs set up against the walls. Toys perfect for the developmental level of infant to six months were on shelves in the corner and the floor was covered in soft rubbery mats. Ziva liked it instantly.

Aria pointed to another young woman in a rocking chair, holding a bottle for a baby who looked to be about Claire's age, four months. "This is Bethany. Infant care is on a 2:1 ratio here, two babies for each caregiver. We're one week on, one week off when we rotate to a different room, but it will always be the same people with your daughter so we can get to know her and gain her trust." She gestured to a row of pictures near the door. "Next week Jasmine will be with Chaya and I'll return the following week.

"If you have any concerns, please let us know or mention it to Ms. Amy, our supervisor. Kennedy Morrow runs LEO's and yes, she is former Director Morrow's daughter. It was his wife who first suggested a place to care for the agents' children when both parents worked and we've been running successfully for almost twenty years now." Aria opened a couple folding chairs and invited them to sit. "So, what do I need to know about Chaya?"

Ziva retrieved the baby notebook she'd been keeping all her information in and turned to the pages she'd worked on yesterday, summarizing Chaya's routine, likes and dislikes etc. "This is the schedule she's on right now," Ziva explained. "She is usually awake fifteen minutes at the most after a feeding and sleeps the rest of the time. I will be coming at one pm to feed her and there are bottles in her bag for the other times. Leave her in her seat for now, but after her next feeding, try a crib." Ziva bit her lip. "It may take awhile for her to get used to this new routine. She has had one of us around constantly since she was born."

Aria sympathized. "It's always hard leaving them the first time, especially when they're so little like Chaya. But I promise I will take good care of her. Here's a LEO pager and my daycare cell number. If you need to get ahold of me it's always on and if we have any problems, we'll page you. The first door before the toddler room is the Mommy and Me room - it's a quiet and private place for our nursing moms to feed their babies." She checked her watch. "Do you have questions for me?" They couldn't think of anything at that moment and she shrugged. "You can always ask later, I know you're probably due to start work anytime."

Reluctantly the parents stood and Tony moved Chaya's carseat to beside Aria. "We're leaving you our greatest treasure," he said, swallowing. "Take care of her."

"I will," Aria promised, looking at Ziva. The woman knelt down by her sleeping baby.

"Lehitraot tatelah. Daddy v'ani ohev atach."

The girl looked surprised and Tony smiled. "Hebrew." He put his arm around Ziva. "She's teaching both of us."

Aria gave them a reassuring smile. "Have a good day."

The couple joined hands and hurried away, signing Chaya in as they left. They got to the elevator before Ziva looked back and Tony squeezed her hand, knowing nothing about this day would be easy. He could only hope it was worth the sacrifice she was making.