A/N Sorry I haven't updated in a few weeks, but I've been very sick and haven't felt like writing. I thank you for your patience and hope you enjoy!

Previously on Ages & Stages - Seemingly on cue her cell phone vibrated in her pocket causing her heart to race and palms become sweaty. She didn't need to look at the caller ID to know who was calling. Swallowing past the lump in her throat she pressed the button to answer and stuttered, "G... G... Gibbs? Is everything all right?"

And now...

Gibbs could tell something was wrong by the tone in Ziva's voice when she answered the phone. Normally she was a confident person even if she had done something wrong, but she sounded flustered and that worried him. Tony and Abby were usually the ones who would stutter their way through a conversation if they knew he wasn't going to like what they had to say.

"Nothing's wrong, Ziva. I came down to the cafeteria to take a little break and wanted to check and see how Timmy was doing. Has he given you any trouble?"

A million thoughts raced through Ziva's mind as she decided whether to tell Gibbs what had happened or wait until he arrived home. There were pros and cons to each side of the argument. Gibbs would likely be more upset if she waited until after he got home, but she also didn't want him to feel like she couldn't take care of Timmy and insist on coming home early.

"Uh, Timmy has certainly been having lots of fun." She glanced over at the toddler who was piling bubbles on top of his head and continued, "Both of us took a two hour nap and now Tim isgettingabath."

He hadn't heard every word that tumbled out of her mouth, but he did happen to hear the last word – bath. There could be multiple reasons why his son was in the tub and he was positive there was a story to go along with it. Huffing, he responded, "What happened?"

"I am so sorry, Gibbs. Timmy and I fell asleep on the couch after we arrived home and he woke up before I did. Apparently he was looking for cookies and managed to get down from the couch and crawl into the kitchen. I was eventually awakened by a large crash and found Tim sitting on the kitchen floor covered in flour."

Gibbs took a deep breath to calm down and think about what he wanted to say to his agent. After his argument with Ducky he'd decided to try and take a new approach when issues arose rather than jump to conclusions. It was obvious Ziva was already beating herself up over the situation and that she'd learned a valuable lesson.

Ziva nervously chewed on her bottom lip while she waited for some type of response from Gibbs. The silence was killing her and she realized maybe the older man wanted to make her sweat before stating his disappointment. After what seemed like several minutes of silence but in reality was more like twenty seconds, she couldn't handle the mounting pressure any longer and blurted out, "Please, say something Gibbs!"

The older man cleared his throat and spoke softly, "It's hard taking care of a curious one year old, isn't it? I would be a fool to admit that I'm not upset that my son was left unattended, but I also know it was a long night for you. I suppose I'm partly to blame for not installing locks on the cabinets and that will change in the next few days. I'm grateful Timmy wasn't seriously injured and that the only harm done was that he made a giant mess. I can tell you feel bad enough about what happened, but I do have a few questions for you."

The younger woman exhaled deeply and slumped back against the tub. "I appreciate that Gibbs. You are right, I feel terrible that I did not hear Tim when he needed me and was left unattended." Ziva groaned suddenly as Timmy splashed water out of the tub and onto her pants. Gibbs chuckled, "Let me guess, you were just given an unwelcome shower?"

"That is correct. You really know your son." She paused and added, "What were the questions you had for me?"

"I've had plenty of practice, Ziver. My first question is if you had any problems getting Timmy in the bath? He's been on this modesty kick lately and when I mentioned at the hospital that you might have to change his diaper he was upset. My second question is did you happen to snap any photos of Tim covered in flour?"

Ziva snickered and replied, "I am sorry, Gibbs, but I did not take any pictures. As you can imagine I had other things on my mind. I have not cleaned up all of the mess yet so I will at least snap one on my phone so you can see. As far as getting Timmy in the bath, this is going to sound terrible, but I bribed him with cookies and a bottle. He was literally covered from head to toe in flour and his diaper was soaked. I told him that if he cooperated then he could have a special treat. As far as his modesty, at least with me, that appears to be nonexistent now. Timmy has quite a rash on his bottom and he asked me to kiss it to make it feel better. I told him I could not, but that is what daddies are for."

Gibbs let out a giant belly laugh at the thought of his little guy asking Ziva to kiss his boo-boo. He took it as a good sign that he had accepted Ziva as one of his caregivers. It had taken more than a few hours for Tim to allow even Tony to change his diaper. Catching his breath, he responded, "Leave it to Timmy. I think I'm going to have my hands full with this kid. As far as his rash is concerned there's some medicated ointment in his diaper bag. He's had one over the past few days and it looked like it was getting better this morning, but I'll keep an eye on it. You might want to distract him with something before you try to put in on though. It's not a very pleasant feeling and he'll probably whine a bit, but reassure him it's for his own good."

"I imagine all children go through stages in their lives when they challenge their parents. Do not worry, Gibbs, you are a good father. Tim is lucky to have you as are the rest of us." Ziva glanced down and noticed Tim's fingers were pruning and it was time to get him shampooed and out of the bath. Clucking her tongue, she continued, "I must go now, Gibbs. It is time to get Timothy cleaned up and out of the bath. Enjoy the rest of your time with Ducky; it will all be here waiting for you when you get back."

"Could you put the phone on speaker for a moment? I want to say hi to Tim."

"Of course, hang on one second." Pressing the button for the speaker, she added, "He should be able to hear you now."

"Hey kiddo! Daddy wanted to say hi before he has to go back and sit with Grandpa Ducky." Tim dropped the toys he was playing with and smiled widely upon hearing Gibbs' voice.

"DADA!" He shrieked, excitedly splashing his hands in the water.

"Yep, it's me sweetie. Are you being a good boy for Ziva?"

"Yesh!" Tim nodded affirmatively as if Gibbs could see him.

"Good, I'm very proud of you. Now you go have fun with Ziva and I'll see you in a few hours."

"Kay Dada. Mish u n lub u!"

Gibbs heart melted and he wished he could be there to scoop Tim up in his arms and smother him with kisses. Swallowing hard, he replied, "I miss and love you too, son. Give him a kiss for me, Ziva. I have my phone on vibrate if you need anything, but I trust that you'll be fine."

"Will do." She motioned to Tim, "Say bye-bye to your daddy."

The toddler's lip stuck out in a pout and he folded his arms across his chest. Tears began to well up in his eyes and he wailed loudly, "WAN MUH DADA!"

Ziva's heart broke for the little guy, it was evident he didn't understand why he couldn't see Gibbs right now. Taking the phone off speaker she said, "Do not worry, Gibbs. I will do my best to calm him down." Suddenly the connection went dead and Gibbs threw his phone down on the table with remorse. He felt helpless as he listened to his son cry and plead for him to come home. Running his fingers through his hair he collapsed back in the chair and took a sip of coffee. Not being able to comfort his kid when he needed him was by far the toughest parenting challenge he'd dealt with yet.

Calmly slipping her phone back in her pocket, Ziva picked up a handful of bubbles and gently stroked Tim's back in an attempt to calm him down. She didn't have much experience with toddlers and decided to try some of the techniques she'd seen Gibbs use before. "Shh…Shh…my dear Timothy. I promise that your daddy will be home tonight before you go to sleep." The mere mention of the word daddy caused the youngster to flay his arms and legs in the water, splashing a majority of it on Ziva's pants and the bathroom floor. Tim was in full on tantrum mode and she could feel her patience running thin. Then she remembered an old Jewish lullaby that she would sing to her sister Tali that always calmed her down and decided to sing it for Tim. If it didn't get the reaction she was hoping for then there was no harm done and she would move on to a different method. She started off slowly, hoping she would remember the words.

"Numi, numi yaldati,

Numi, numi, nim.

Numi, numi k'tanati,

Numi, numi, nim."

Tim stopped thrashing and the loud wails emanating from his mouth turned to intermittent hiccups as she sang the first verse of the lullaby. She was relieved that it had piqued the little guy's interest and took a deep breath before starting the second verse.

"Halach, halach Aba.
Yashuv im tzeit halevana -
Yavi lach matana!"

Placing his thumb in his mouth, Tim closed his eyes and listened as Ziva squirted shampoo into his hair and began gently massaging his skull.

"Numi, numi...

Aba halach el hakramim -
Halach, halach Aba.
Yashuv im tzeit ha cochavim -
Yavi lach anavim!"

After working up a thick lather Ziva stopped singing and tapped Tim on the nose, "Tilt your head back, sweetie so I can rinse all of the soap out of your hair." The little guy shook his head and squealed, "Mor mor Zeba!"

Ziva smiled, titled the toddler's head back and proceeded to rinse all the soap from his hair. Tim giggled as some of the water and bubbles cascaded down his face and into the awaiting water. Once she was certain his hair was clean she grabbed a washcloth and cleansed the rest of his body while she finished the song.

"Numi, numi..."

Aba halach el hapardes -
Halach, halach Aba.
Yashuv ba'erev im haruach -
Yavi, yavi tapuach!

Numi, numi...

Aba halach el hasadeh -
Halach, halach Aba.
Yashuv ba'erev im tz'lalim -
Yavi lach shibolim!"

Tim squealed and clapped his hands in amusement as Ziva rinsed the remaining soap from his body. "All right, kid, it is time to get you out of the water and dried off. I suspect Abby will be coming by with dinner and your dog very soon." Grabbing a clean towel from the linen closet she laid it over her shoulder, scooped Tim up in her arms and wrapped him in the soft, fluffy cotton. When she felt as though the towel had soaked up a majority of the water she headed into the bedroom and laid Tim down on the bed. The toddler squirmed inside the cocoon of thick fabric, desperately trying to free his little arms and legs. Ziva gently patted his tummy and chuckled, "Looks like I have found another way to restrain you." Raising her eyebrows slightly she continued, "I might have to share my new trick with Gibbs." Timmy's eyes widened and realizing he'd been defeated he lay calmly while Ziva rummaged through the dresser looking for clean clothes. Once she picked out an outfit she returned to the bed and began unraveling the little guy from the layers of towel. "Is that better?" She questioned, as the youngster appeared relieved that he could move all his appendages again.

"Yesh." Tim mumbled as he attempted to roll over only to be stopped dead in his tracks. "Ah…ah…I must finish drying you before you can go anywhere Mr. Wiggles." Carefully drying between the skin folds on his thighs, arms and tummy she realized it left her in a vulnerable position. She might be inexperienced at taking care of a toddler, but she was well aware that boys in particular were known for inadvertently spraying their caretakers with their fire hoses. Tim, seemingly knowing what she was thinking began unloading a stream that sprinkled her shirt before she could cover his crotch with the towel to catch the remaining urine. Taking a step back she looked down at her shirt and wanted to scream, but knew it would only scare him and that he had no control over his bodily functions. Fetching a clean towel and some baby wipes she waited until Tim was done before surveying the damage. The towel had caught most of the urine and she quickly swapped out the dirty towel for a clean one.

"I should not have taken so long getting you dried off. I guess I have been initiated into the club now." Tim blushed and covered his face with his hands as Ziva used the wipes to clean the remaining urine off his skin. Grabbing a diaper she unfolded it, slipped it under his hips and loosely pulled the front up over his crotch. She found the medicated ointment in the diaper bag and unscrewed the cap, "This might hurt a little bit Timmy, but it will make you feel a lot better too." Applying a hearty dollop to her fingertip she lifted Tim's legs and massaged the ointment into his raw skin. Tim occasionally flinched and whimpered, but Ziva moved fast and before he knew it she was fastening the diaper around his hips.

"Good boy, Timmy." Ziva cooed, patting the front of his diaper. Tim gurgled around his thumb and shivered slightly. "Time to get your clothes on, sweetie. We do not want you to catch a cold like your Uncle Tony, do we?"

Tim shook his head and allowed the young woman to dress him without a fight. Between Ziva's ministrations and the warm bath he fought to stay awake. "It is okay to take a nap, Tim. I will be here when you wake up." Ziva encouraged the toddler, gently stroking her thumb across his brow until he was snoring softly. Taking a deep breath she collected the dirty towels, threw them in a laundry basket nearby and looked down at her own shirt. It was covered with the remnants of urine and flour and she didn't want to wear it for the rest of the night. Remembering her overnight bag was in her car at the hospital she stepped into Gibbs' closet looking for an old sweatshirt. There were numerous Marine hoodies that she'd seen him wear before and pulled one off the hanger. Slipping out of the dirty shirt she pulled the hoodie on over her head and laughed as it practically swallowed her whole.

Reemerging from the closet she threw her shirt in with the towels and with one last check to make sure Tim was still asleep, ran downstairs with the dirty laundry. Dropping the basket at the bottom of the stairs she sprinted back up and gathered Tim in her arms. She couldn't help but smile when the little guy buried his face against her neck and sighed contently. Taking care of a toddler wasn't easy, but moments like this made it all worth it. Once Tim was sleeping peacefully on the couch she took the opportunity to clean up the remainder of the mess in the kitchen. Abby arrived with dinner as she was finishing and the two women had a good laugh over Timmy's antics and determination. The rest of the evening was uneventful and after dinner they all huddled on the couch to watch a movie together. When Gibbs arrived home he couldn't help but smile at the sight of his kids - with the exception of Tony – gathered on one side of the couch while Jethro the dog was sprawled out on the other side. It was the first time since he'd been awakened that morning with the devastating news that he felt everything would be all right and that they would always take care of one another.

Five Days Later…

Happily ensconced in his Daddy's arms, Tim clutched Hero tightly against his chest as Gibbs maneuvered his way through the halls of Bethesda. The past five days had been a whirlwind as the NCIS team rotated shifts so that someone was always at the hospital with their beloved friend. Ducky had exceeded everyone's expectations and was healing well enough to be moved out of the ICU and into a regular room. Tim had repeatedly asked about the older man and with an approval from the doctors, today would be the first time he'd get to see him since the shooting. Glancing at each room number as he breezed by, Gibbs stopped when he noticed the name Mallard on the outside of a door. Quickly checking the room number against the information he'd received from Abby he softly knocked on the door. A moment later Jimmy opened the door and motioned for them to enter, "Dr. Mallard you have a very special visitor here to see you." He squeezed Tim's thigh and smiled, "I'm going to take a break and allow the three of you some alone time together."

Gibbs stepped further into the room allowing Tim and Ducky to catch a glimpse of each other. "Gwapa Duck!" The toddler shrieked in excitement, although his enthusiasm was short lived when he managed to get a really good look at the older man. His face crumpled when he realized that the man lying in the hospital bed looked different than the cheerful grandpa he was used to seeing. Ducky sighed sadly when he recognized the toddler's confusion; "I look different than I normally do, don't I dear?" Tim twisted his lips and strengthened his grip around Gibbs as he took a seat in the chair next to Ducky's bed. "He's the same Grandpa that you've always loved, Timmy, but he's got a big boo-boo and looks a little different right now." The little guy continued staring at the older man, curiously checking out all the different tubes and wires that were connected to his body. Ducky tentatively reached out his hand and laid it on Tim's knee, "Your daddy is right, kiddo. I'm the same old guy I've always been and I'm excited to see you today." Tim's eyes darted between the hand on his knee and the warm yet haggard eyes of his beloved grandpa. Finally, after some positive reassurance from Gibbs, the toddler reached down and laid his hand on top of the older man's.

"Attaboy." Gibbs whispered in his ear as he felt the tension release from his son's body. "He's been asking about you non-stop, Duck. I should have prepared him better for what he was about to see, but it didn't cross my mind that he might be afraid."

"Not to worry, Jethro. He's a year old and it's perfectly acceptable for him to be confused and afraid."

Nodding, Gibbs responded, "How are you feeling today? What about your pain levels? I know the past few days they've had you doped up, but today I'm starting to see the real Doctor Mallard shine through."

Ducky looked over at the various IV bags hanging next to his bed and sighed, "I'm starting to feel more like my normal self. I hate being high as a kite, but it was the only way to control my pain. I can't wait to get back to my normal routine again."

Gibbs chuckled and patted the older man's leg. In many ways Ducky was more stubborn than any of the rest of the NCIS team. "Give yourself a break, Duck. It's only been five days since you were shot and had massive surgery." He swallowed hard and whispered, "We almost lost you."

There was silence as Gibbs' words sunk in and it wasn't until Tim tried to climb up on the bed with Ducky that either man spoke.

"No Tim!"

"Timothy!"

Tim's eyes widened and he froze in his tracks wondering what he'd done wrong. All he wanted to do was to be closer to his grandpa now that he felt more comfortable around him. He struggled against Gibbs as the older man plopped him back down in his lap and kissed the top of his head. Tim shrieked and reached out for Ducky, "Wanna Gwapa Duck!"

"I know you do sweetie, but you can't sit with him right now."

The youngster continued to squirm and kick his legs in disappointment. Why couldn't his daddy understand that he wanted to be close to Ducky? Gibbs was happy that Tim's fear had disappeared, but it wasn't ideal for him to be in the bed alongside Ducky. "I'm sorry, Timmy, but you can't be in the bed right now."

Ducky watched as his friend tried to reason with a one year old who didn't quite understand why he was being told no. He didn't want to overstep his boundaries, but he didn't see any reason why Tim couldn't sit next to him on the bed. Clearing his throat he patted the open space next to him, "I don't mean to step on your toes, Jethro and I'll understand if you wish to stay firm, but it might do this old man some good if you allow the lad to sit with me." Gibbs huffed and raised his eyebrows slightly; he was torn between being a parent and standing his ground and the opportunity to brighten his friend's day. "Okay…okay…" He sighed and turned Tim to face him, "Your Grandpa wins this round, son. I'm going to put you on the bed, but you have to sit still and be a very good boy. If you start getting rowdy then you'll have to come back and sit with me." Tim flashed that adorable smile that always melted Gibbs' heart and motioned toward the bed. "You ready for him, Duck?" The older man grimaced as he shifted slightly and patted the bed, "Put him right..."

Alarmed, Gibbs gently patted Ducky's hand as he breathed through the pain. "Take it easy, Duck. Just breathe…in and out…in and out…" Once the pain subsided Ducky opened his eyes and patted the bed once more, "I'm ready now." Gibbs exhaled loudly and hesitantly lifted Tim off his lap and onto the bed. The youngster giggled as he sunk into the cushion and practically melted as a comforting hand rubbed small circles on his back. "You are certainly a breath of fresh air, Timothy. I'm so happy I get to be your grandpa."

"Lub u Gwapa." Tim responded, inching himself a bit closer to the older man.

"I love you too, Timothy." Ducky cooed, ruffling the toddler's curls.

Gibbs watched the two interact with a twinkle in his eye. He thought back to what the nurses had said - the more support Ducky had, the quicker and easier his recovery would be. Tim was a beacon of light and a breath of fresh air for all of them during this difficult time and it was obvious the little guy would be the best medicine to help Ducky through all the pain and hardships that lay ahead. Even though Ducky was happy to see Tim, Gibbs felt a bit of awkwardness between him and the older man. The last conversation they'd had ended up turning into an argument with Gibbs regretting the way it ended. He felt guilty that he hadn't apologized to him with the exception of when he was unconscious and it was starting to weigh heavily on him.

"Penny for your thoughts, Jethro?"

Clearing his throat, Gibbs leaned forward in the chair and grabbed Ducky's hand, "I need to apologize for the way I reacted when you and I spoke on the phone. I jumped to conclusions and I should have listened to what you had to say. When I got the call that you had been shot…" He paused, took a deep breath and continued, "I realized I'd never be able to live with myself if I didn't get the chance to say I'm sorry."

Ducky lightly squeezed Gibbs' hand, "I feel as though you've already apologized, Jethro. I don't know if it's all the pain medication pumping through my veins, but part of me thought you'd already said I'm sorry." The corner of Gibbs' lip curled up when he realized that Ducky had indeed heard him that night. There was no explanation for how the older man had known, but he was going to suspend disbelief and be grateful he'd been given the chance.

Swallowing a yawn the older man continued, "By the way, you are not the only one who needs to apologize, my dear. I should have been more sensitive to what you were going through with your father. Have you heard from him?"

Gibbs shook his head, "He said some pretty hurtful things, Duck. I don't know if I'll ever be able to forgive him."

"I understand, Jethro, but if there's one thing we've all learned over the past few days is that your life can change in a split second. It's too short to hold a grudge for too long, especially with your father."

"I know but I feel like I haven't even had time to process what happened between us. I have a lot of anger to work through before I even attempt to have a conversation with Jack."

The older man stifled another yawn and Gibbs could tell he desperately needed to rest. "As much as we would love to stay and visit, Duck, you need to get some sleep."

"I think you're right, Jethro. Be a dear and convince Jimmy to go get some rest as well. He's been such a blessing the past few days, but I'm afraid he'll become ill if he doesn't start thinking about his own needs too."

Gibbs nodded and gathered Tim in his arms, "Let's go big boy. Grandpa Ducky is sleepy and needs his rest. Can you give him a kiss?" Tim nodded as Gibbs crouched down near the older man's head. Ducky melted as Tim leaned forward and gave him a tender kiss on the cheek. "Thank you my dear. You are so sweet."

"Now some kisses for you!" Gibbs chuckled as he peppered the toddler's face with paternal kisses. Patting Ducky's leg he added, "Get some rest and I'll call you later. Don't forget we'll be with you every step of your recovery."

"I'm lucky to have such a supportive family who loves and cares about me."

"You're very lovable, Duck. All right we're really going to leave now." Adjusting Tim in his arms he continued, "Tell Grandpa Ducky bye-bye."

Clutching Hero under one arm, Tim used his free hand to wave, "Buh bye Gwapa Duck. Lub u."

"Love you too, Timmy. Be a good boy for your daddy."

As they reached the door Tim tapped Gibbs on the shoulder and motioned toward Ducky. Perplexed, Gibbs walked back toward the older man and asked, "What is it Timmy?"

"Mor…mor…" The youngster huffed, wanting his daddy to move closer to the bed. Once they were beside it, Tim leaned over, placed Hero in Ducky's lap and insisted, "Hewo stay Gwapa Duck."

"Aww Timothy that's so sweet, but Hero belongs with you my dear."

Timmy shook his head and pointed to the stuffed dog, "Hewo fewl bettah with u."

Gibbs was bursting with pride at the enormously sweet gesture his son had just made. Tim was only a year old but his empathy toward others spanned well beyond anything he'd ever seen before. "I think he's already made up his mind, Duck." He winked and continued, "You'd hurt his feelings if you didn't let Hero help you feel better."

"Well I wouldn't want to do that now would I?" Placing the dog beside him on the bed he smiled, "I'll take good care of him, kiddo. When you want him back you just let me know, okay?"

The toddler nodded, laid his head on Gibbs' shoulder and stuck his thumb in his mouth. Gibbs held Tim close to his chest and leaned down to kiss the top of his head, "I think it's naptime for the both of you. Get some sleep and I'll find Palmer and encourage him to go home for a while."

"Thanks Jethro and thank you Timothy."

"We'll check in with you tomorrow, Duck."

The pair exited to find Jimmy pacing outside the room. "Palmer, go home and get some sleep. The doctor insists that you take just as good care of yourself as you are of him."

Jimmy smiled wearily and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I am a little tired, but what if Doctor Mallard needs me? I don't want to leave him here by himself."

The older man squeezed his shoulder, "I know Ducky appreciates all that you've done for him the past few days, but you need to give yourself a break. There are excellent doctors and nurses here to take care of him. They have your phone number if anything changes."

"But…"

Gibbs glared at the younger man and motioned toward the door, "Go in and say goodbye and go home. That's an order, Palmer."

Not one to argue with Gibbs, Jimmy swallowed hard and replied, "Yes sir."

"Good man. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a little boy who is in desperate need of a nap. We'll see you tomorrow."

Jimmy nodded, quietly opened the door and watched as father and son headed toward the elevator.

The Hebrew lullaby that Ziva sang to Tim is called Numi Numi and translates into Sleep Sleep. If you want more information regarding the song there are plenty of hits on google when you search.