Title: My Heart Cries for you
Author: Trista Groulx aka dustytiger
ating: T (same as the show)
Disclaimer: I am remain poor and don't own NCIS it belongs to it's creator, network, writers, actors and actresses who bring it to life weekly.
Summary: Senior visits how will things go now that Tony's better?

Tony had been home about a week. He was happy to be in his own bed, happier to have Ziva next to him in that bed. He was already feeling restless because he wasn't working but he knew the doctors weren't going to let him return any time soon. His father was still in the area and he decided that they should have dinner with him before he headed back to New York. Since he had been able to get there his father had been very supportive and the two men were closer than they had ever been. He was even going to miss his father after he went home, which was a new feeling for him; usually by the time his father boarded the plane home Tony was exasperated and glad to see him go.

"Tony, are you sure you do not want help?" Ziva asked, looking up from the book she was curled up on the couch reading.

"I'm good Zi!" he assured her, starting to set the table.

He decided to make roast beef with potatoes and carrots, he remembered that his mother had always made it for his father's birthday and wanted to show that he remembered the good times they had had. As much as he hated that it had taken something so serious he was glad he was finally getting the chance to have this with his father. Both men knew the reason behind why they were finally connecting was negative but they both wanted to see it positively.

He looked at the table, checked on the food then looked around the apartment to make sure it was clean. As much as he knew his father probably didn't care what his apartment looked like he wanted everything to be perfect. He heard the buzzer go off and he let his father in. When he let him in Senior was holding a bottle of wine.

"You kids must be happy you don't need to see hospital rooms anymore," he said as a greeting.

"We certainly are Mister DiNozzo," Ziva assured him.

"That's so stuffy my dear, I know you can't call me Tony, since I am not your Tony, but perhaps if it's not too much to ask, you might start to call me Dad now that you are my daughter."

She smiled. "I think I can do that Si- Dad."

"It may take some time. Something smells amazing, was that your doing my dear?"

She shook her head. "I worked all day, this was all Tony."

"I sometimes forget his mom showed him how to get around a kitchen. She embroidered him his very own apron," he laughed at the memory. "Do you remember that, son?"

"No, not really, I remember her showing me how to make a few things, and how she would let me knead bread and stuff."

"She loved having you by her side when she could, his little blue apron read 'Junior cook Junior,' I may have a picture of it somewhere. I put a lot of things like that are in storage but I think is far past due to take out and share those memories again."

"I'd really like that, Dad," Tony told him.

"I'll make sure to bring them when I next visit."

"Or we could come visit you while I'm off."

Senior was surprised to hear his son say that, Junior didn't come home often, and he had certainly never been home with someone else before. He would sometimes come home for Christmas but even that had been rare. He hated that it took something so dramatic for them to get their relationship where it was and they both knew Ziva had a lot to do with what happened between them although she would deny it. He wanted Ziva to see where he'd grown up to see Senior when he was home where he wanted to be.

"I'd like that, I don't think you've ever brought a woman to see me," Senior told him.

"Ziva isn't just any woman," he reminded him.

"You're right about that Junior, this beautiful creature is a keeper."

Ziva's cheeks turned slightly pink when she heard that. "Stop I am the lucky one."

"I think you kids are fifty fifty," Senior told them. "You both give each other what the other needs, just like I did when I had Tony's mother."

"Dad," he sighed. "What Ziva and I have is nothing like what you had with Mom."

"That's where you're wrong son, you might not see it but I do. I'm happy you kids have something great and I know you'll always fight to keep what you've got."

The two of them nodded, both smiling at each other. Tony pulled her closer to him without even realising it. Senior smiled seeing that. It's what he wanted for his son for a long time, but never taught him how to find. It took him almost losing his son too to realise how lucky he was to still have him in his life at all. Now all Senior wanted to do was build his relationship with his son and daughter and law, and hopefully when the time was right get to enjoy being a grandfather, and teach any children they might have how to learn to love. He knew he would keep moving forward with his son and he could tell he wanted that too for the first time in a long time.

Notes: Hope you liked it there will be another part with Senior a little while later. The kitchen stuff is inspired by cooking with my nephew, who proudly told his mom that he beat up bread when I let him knead some bread for me lol... anyway let me know what you think. Always love to hear from 'ya.