Note: As I have said before, I write with real-life scenarios. The killings, sniper fire, terrorists' names, and even this attack did happen.

Tony had his head in his hands, Ziva was holding onto Tali trying to console herself with the innocence of her child. Their child was ignorant in the ways of the world. Tony just sat there trying to figure out a way to move on from this.

The Sarona Market the new family had spent a great time in four days ago was now under a great deal of turmoil. Two Palestinian gun men opened fire on the unsuspecting public. It was June 8, 2016, the first sign something had had happened was when both of them heard the sirens of the police cars and multiple echoes off the buildings, Tony recognized that specific echo is precise to a semi-automatic long gun. He didn't know for sure what type of rifle it was, but he did know it was used in a shooting…with a deadly outcome.

"Get Tali, I want her to be in here with us." He ordered Ziva, who had already gotten up to reach for her gun, underneath the side table. She handed it to Tony.

Tali was crying softly, it was in the middle of her naptime, nearly ten o'clock at night. Ziva turned on her television and switched it to the local news. The reporter was standing in front of the Marketplace speaking fast Hebrew, Ziva just sighed sadly.

"Ziva, what happened? What's going on?"

"Oh, dear… Tony…" She turned to Tony who was waiting for an explanation. "There was a shooting at Sarona, two brothers started shooting," she waited till a commercial came on, "and they were killed by police"

"What's the damage?"

"Four people killed. Six wounded."

"Terrible. But they got 'em?" Tony went over to Ziva, putting the gun in safety, as he sat down.

"Yes, Tony." Ziva took the gun and got up, handing the child to Tony. "Oh, I can't take this anymore. More monsters. They think they're fighting for something! But they're not!" She put the gun back under the table. "It is constant fear. Tony, even in D.C. there is fear…"

Tony had been looking at Tali the whole time, trying to keep her calm by bouncing her on his knee. He glances to Ziva, he can tell she's getting worked up over this. He asks himself what he can do to make her happy or at least content, again.

"Fear is inevitable, Ziva."

"Oh, nothing is inevitable. We choose to take the chances. We choose to follow through or to not follow through. It is all choice. Yes or no!?"

"Well, yes, some of the problems that happen in your life are choices, others are not."

"Like what? Really. If it is not my choice, it is someone else's!"

"Are we still talking about the shooting?"

"Ugh!"

"Ziva!"

"No, I'm not. I am just…so tired. It is more than just feeling tired…it is utter exhaustion."

"I know. But you are not alone anymore."

She calmed herself down and looked over to Tali who was no longer making any sounds but just listening to her imma, Ziva began talking in a regular conversational tone.

"I am… sorry. Some things are hard to get over. And…you are not alone anymore, either."

"I know. Hey, look, remember what some choices give you." He lifts up Tali for Ziva to remember.

"Cute."

"We're gonna be leaving in a few days-"

Ziva shakes her head, "No. I want to leave now."

"Okay? How do you think I can manage getting a new flight at ten o'clock at night?"

Ziva thought for a few moments, "Well did you get flight insurance? If you did you can re-book for something sooner?"

"I'll see what I can do. I can't promise anything."

Tony put Tali back down in the other room and the searched on his laptop for flights out of Tel Aviv.

Ziva was sleeping on a makeshift bed in another room, across the hall from where Tali had been. Boxes were packed for the movers who were coming in the morning to start the shipment overseas by ship.

Tony came in through the bedroom door, "Ziva. Hey! Zee-Vah!"

"Ma ko-re?" Ziva got out of a sleep induced state and slowly began to see Tony, smiling, with a piece of paper in his hand. "Oh. Tony, what is it? Did you…" She put her face back down to the pillow, "do the thing that you were going to do".

"Yeah, uh, I did. Hey! Sleepy head!" Ziva made a noise. "Ok, bad news, the only flight back to the eastern coast of the States is the one we already booked, but! I was able to cancel it."

Ziva heard the word cancel and immediately was overcame with frustration and a little bit of anger, she wanted to leave as soon as possible. "Tony! What the hell? You canceled, then when are we going back?!" Ziva saw the chuckle coming from Tony, she felt a tad insecure knowing he was playing with her. "Tony. Just tell me whatever your sneaky little mind is thinking or …I'll stab you!"

"Oh, ow, you scare me." Tony was being sarcastic. He sat down on the bed to look at her, "We will be flying to D.C. from another city."

Ziva was curious. "Where?"

"Oh, sweet cheeks"

"Tony!"

"Alright, alright, Paris. We fly out tomorrow afternoon and the scheduled layover to D.C. is around 40 hours."

Ziva was excited. "Oh, that is wonderful! I love Paris!"

"Yeah, I know" He said confidently. "Before you called me that first time, I had told Gibbs I was going to take Tali to Paris. Mother-daughter thing. Figured she would enjoy it as much as you did."

"Oh! Thank you Tony!" Ziva hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You should get some sleep."

"Alright…hey, Ziva" Tony was standing, now, by the door.

"Yes, Tony?"

"Lai-la tov." He smiled.

Ziva smiled sleepily, "Good night."

When they got to Paris it was nearing six o' clock. They all took a taxi to a Hyatt-Regency and checked in. When they got to their room, Tali was already asleep in her stroller so they felt it would be okay to sleep off the jetlag. They crashed on their separate beds. Both of them agreed earlier, any consummation would have to be when both of them were ready. It was too soon to think of either of them as more than a really good friend. Oh, they were attracted to each other and they were in love with each other, there was no doubt about that. But, they could not manage thinking certain thoughts, this early on.

Ziva yawned then got up to check on Tali. "Taa-Li!" She roused the sleeping baby. Ziva looked through her go-bag and grabbed wipes and diapers for the little girls changing.

Tali was now fully awake and making noises. Ziva finished the changing and now quietly humming to the little girl, softly tickling her. Tony was now awake, the sound of his daughter woke him. What Ziva had not known was that he was watching Ziva and Tali play.

"What a beautiful site." Tony simply stated a fact.

Ziva was a little startled but then returned to normal, "Oh, yes, she is…She's quite something. Um, Tony, I believe it's time for her dinner, could you hand me her bag."

"Sure." Tony got up to open Tali's bag. He opened a small glass jar of puree, picked up a spoon, and got out a bottle of juice then handed it to Ziva. Ziva started feeding the girl. He went back over to the bag and noticed he still left the framed picture of his and Ziva's Paris mission.

Ziva noticed what he was holding, she smirked then returned to Tali, "Mon petit-pois".

"Yeah" He rolled his eyes. "You know Abby asked me if we ever did anything more than share a bed. Our stories didn't match up, who took the couch, who took the bed…"

"Well, that is her nature. Very nosy!" She was doing that food airplane Jimmy told Tony about.

Tony let out a sigh, "The only goth-pixie chick you'll meet whose personality is a complete shocker."

"Ha! I told her all we did was sleep in the same bed. Even McGee had his moments of curiosity."

"Did Boss know? Oh, of course he did. Gibbs knows everything."

Ziva looked down for a few moments, "That is true."

"Speaking of Gibbs, when do you want to tell him you're…" He made a gesture around the room, "You know…"

"Alive?"

"Yes."

"He already knows I am."

Tony was shocked "How?"

"He's Gibbs." When that answer did not suffice Tony, she followed with "I was in contact with him, maybe every one to two months after I left. He kept my life secret from you and everyone else. I asked him to. The only thing I never told him was about Tali. Maybe he knew already, that I am not sure. But, he knew of the attacks in Israel. He knew that what I was doing over there, were things I had to do. The last thing I told him was insuring him I would see him again. Time was just the factor."

"Wow. He really cares about you."

"Yes. As I do for him. Closest thing I have to a father even when my own was not."

"Do you want the team to know you're alive?"

"Oh, I am not very sure about that yet. I know I will allow them that information, but right now? I do not think that would be best. You understand?"

Tony looked accepting and shook his head. "I understand".

Ziva cleaned up Tali and allowed her to go play in one of the corners of the room. Changing the subject, "So tell me about this… Bishop, you mentioned. Oh! And McGee and Lilly?"

Tony grinned, "Delilah, and yes, I'll catch you up, but, uh, can we order some room service, first?