It had been almost a week since Anthony had seen Ziva. In that week, the house when he arrived home after filing papers and approving strategies, just didn't feel pleasantly comfortable or cozy like it did when the woman was there. He made an arrangement with his superior to get off work earlier to pick up his little girl from after-school; he had just pulled up to the front of the school.

He started chuckling to himself when he saw a 4'4" honey brown girl in one long fishtail plait came running towards his SUV. Her face, he couldn't help but notice, so bright and filled with joy, Tony knew why.

She pulled herself up into the backseat and pushed her olive colored bag to the seat next to her. "Hey sweety. How was school?" He reached over to the passenger side and grabbed a clear sandwich baggy with animal crackers and a bottle with red liquid and handed it over to Tali.

"Yes!" She grabbed the bag and drink right out of her father's hands without missing a beat."Um, it was good. Nicky said he liked me."

He started driving, "Oh? What did you say?" He looked in the rearview and noticed Tali smirk while chewing on the crackers. "You remember what I said about boys, right? They've got cooties. Your mother can vouch for that." They both snicker.

"Yeah, yeah.. I know abba… That's why I hit him and took his harmonica-"

"You what?!"

"You heard me!"She shrugged, took a sip, and continued, "Besides we made a friendship pact."

"You took his harmonica, Tali. Did you ask his permission?"

"Uh.. well, no. But after I took it, he said it was ok…so..."

He rubbed his temple and sighed. "You're giving it back on Monday". He heard the beginning of a protest coming from her, but stopped her with his command. "You got that? Now, you're mother should be getting home in the next hour. You want to pick up some flowers or chocolate for her and show her how sweet a daughter you are?"

"Oh! Imma! She's coming home today from that, uh, what was it?"

"Conference in California. Imma was assisting some really cool people with our neighbor countries get along. These people that are chosen get to talk for four days about topics they want to talk about. Topics that are important for our country." He tried his best to word it the way an 8 year old would explain it. Ziva was chosen to attend a UN subsidized conference north of Los Angeles. The UN had recently, over the past few years, been trying to dissolve Israel and the whole country. It started in 2016, when a UN vote declared Jerusalem had no historical significance to the Jews. Ziva had to do something. That's when she became interested in lobbying and championing for a continued relationship with United States and Israel. This conference could bring light to a rather bleak situation.

It was a quarter to seven when Ziva pulled into the driveway. She had barely gotten out of the car when she was met by her daughter and a bouquet of yellow roses.

"Tali! Oh baby, thank you. These are lovely." She stood up and wrapped her arms around her daughter.

"I missed you, Imma!" Tali let go of her mother and went around to the back of the car, she picked up Ziva's carry on bag. "Come on! We got food, Abba said you'd be hungry!"

Ziva picked up her luggage and shut the trunk. "Speaking of abba..Where is your father?" Tali only responded with a smile and headed inside. "Tali! I asked you a question! Where -" A pair of large hands wrapped around her waist, she jumped and dropped her bag onto the driveway.

"Oh sorry I scared you. " He turned her around and looked deep into her eyes, feeling complete.

"If I was to be scared by anyone, I'm glad it was you." She laughed and edged closer to him. "I'm so glad to be home, Tony." She began to bend down to pick up her bag but he intercepted it.

"Allow me, ma' lady."

"Oh, thank you. Such a gentleman." She gave him a slap on the behind.

They were two steps away from the front door until Tony turned around, alerting Ziva. "I forgot something."

Ziva looked back at her car to see if she had another bag to carry in. "What? I think we got everything. What did you forget?"

Tony dropped the bag inside and came back out, "This." He closed the distance between them, put his hand in the curve of her back and dipped her for the deepest kiss they had had in a long time.

She looks at him so tenderly and so wide eyed, "wow. I didn't know you still had that in you."

"I never lost it, Zee. I missed you." He brings her back up, caresses her cheek and kisses her again.

"I can tell." Flirting with his shirt, she bites her lip. "And.. tonight you can show me just how much you missed me."

He takes a moment to engrain this image of Ziva in his mind then takes up that offer. "Deal."

The three of them enjoy a family dinner of rotisserie chicken, mac n' cheese (at Tali's request), green beans, and sweet potato casserole.

"Thank you for helping with the dishes, baby. It means a lot to me." Ziva said, watching her daughter brush her teeth.

She rinsed her mouth out then wiped her face off diligently. "Al lo devar, Imma." She knew her mother loved it when she spoke in her native tongue. "Um, can we go see that movie tomorrow. You promised. Remember?"

"Be'tach, you got all of your homework done for this weekend, yes?"

"Vadai, beVadai!"

"Good." Ziva bent down to kiss Tali on the cheek and ruffled her hair. "Laila tov".

Tali looked up at her imma, blew a kiss and ran off to her room. Zara , the beloved retriever, followed her into her room. Ziva could hear Tali in bed whispering to her. Ziva chuckled and trotted to the master bedroom.

The room was dark, three lit candles adorned the dresser, two on each nightstand, and a few more were lit in the bathroom. She fell silent but her senses were on high-alert. She worried Tony was going to come up and take her by surprise. "Tony?" She said just above a whisper.

"I thought you were going to say something else,,, in french…" He was standing behind twirled around and saw Tony in a robe and cat ears…She was expecting the cliche robe, but definitely not the cat ears. He saw that it got her attention, so he explained. "Tali picked them out for me this week. I figured you'd be impressed with my lack of resilience to childish things. Looks good on me, right?"

She laughed, "Tony, don't worry. No part of me thought you couldn't be childish. You loved to pull pranks on me at NCIS. Need not worry."

"Hey! you always retaliated and got your revenge. Plus, I knew you liked it when I teased you."

Ziva took the ears of his head. "Oh! Really?" He nodded. "Well, I think these ears look better on me, you think...Tony?"

He took the ears off her head now, placed them on the dresser, and made a growl. "I think I know what'd look even better than those silly things on you…" He reached for wrists and pulled her in.

Trying to be coy, her voice light and airy, "what would that be?"

One hand lightly scanned her bare skin on her side. She closed her eyes, waiting for whatever he had next. Hot breath crawled down her neck, sending shivers down her spine. It had been about a week since she felt like this; something could only be satisfied by Anthony. This game couldn't go on for much longer; she needed him. The question was if he needed her just as much. She figured she could play this game too. Ziva took her hand and lightly, like a feather, traced all of the lines and dips in his chest. Then, after sending a group of kisses on his collarbone, he finally moved forward. Her body was pushed down on the bed, she tore her own shirt off and he took care of her jeans. He stopped to admire how her form worked so well in clothes, but dangerously irresistible without. She hopped up and dragged Tony on top of her. She pulled his shirt off and tossed in in a nearby chair, barely missing. She took one hand in his hair, pulling him down on her. The weight of his body was such a turn-on she froze to stare in his eyes for a moment.

"I love you." She said it slow and soft.

"I love you." He said it firm and fresh.

"My foot is falling asleep." He got up from the bed to stomp is foot. After a minute he was back with an apologetic look. She smirked and shrugged. As she was wearing a black bralet with white lace trim, she figured he'd be back into her in no time.

Early into their re-established relationship, they had an apprehensive and courteous way of making love. But, after they settled down, no less than one flesh, they were literally too comfortable with each other. Anthony and Ziva could read eachother's minds in a matter of speaking. Shopping seemed simple enough, when Ziva didn't like something (or someone) a simple look directed toward him could give Anthony all the commentary needed. They forgot trying to be domestic and forgot about walking on eggshells so they wouldn't fight. They fought, they sometimes couldn't stand each other. But, they always made up, they always found a need for each other, they always loved each other and always will. They forgot about the trying to be perfect because they soon realized they were perfect being so happily imperfect.

Ziva was glued to his pelvis, both out of breath, "hey we paid the water bill, right?" Tony groaned then she lightly slapped him to get his attention. "You always forget, Tony."

He sighed playfully, sat himself up, so he and Ziva were facing each other, "yes, how could I forget, you texted me about a hundred times reminding me."

"It was not a hundred times."

"Really?" His hand stroked her cheek to get a lock of hair out of her face.

"Ok, maybe like ten or fifteen...but not a hundred." She smiled and pecked him on the cheek.

"You're so cute" Tony replied.