Chapter 2: Nights 2 – 7, 2 – 7 December 2029

LJ was excited for the sixth night of Chanukah this year. It would be the first year Ima and Abba would let him light the candles by himself. He had watched Tali, Anthony, Rivka and Beth have their turns on nights two through five. The past three years, when his night had come around, Ima or Abba had helped him light the candles. He had been able to recite the blessings by himself since he was four; Ima had been so proud of him when he insisted on saying the blessings without help or prompting that year. Abba had ruffled his hair after and given him a high-five.

This year, making it even more special, Grandpa was with the family for dinner. LJ wanted to make Grandpa proud by doing a good job. He wanted to hear Grandpa say, "Good job, Probie!" He practiced getting the flame on the lighter and then lighting a candle Ima kept in the kitchen for clearing odors.

As sundown drew near, Ima called the family together in the dining room. She nodded at LJ and he lit the shammus candle. He recited the blessings flawlessly. Finally he lifted the shammus candle from the holder and began lighting the six candles for tonight, starting with the newest, leftmost candle. As he lit each candle, he spoke, telling of things for which he was thankful.

"I am thankful for my Ima and Abba," LJ lit the first candle.

Second candle lit, "I am thankful for my sisters and brother."

"I am thankful for my Grandpa," he put the flame to the third candle.

With the fourth candle, "I am thankful for Asher, Daisy, Callie, Lightning, Simba and Patches."

At the fifth candle, LJ paused, and thought a minute. "I am thankful for my extended family with all our aunts and uncles and cousins." He lit the fifth candle, grinning.

At the final candle, LJ again paused, and looked up at his parents. Abba grinned and gave him a thumbs up; Ima nodded and smiled. "I am thankful for chocolate ice cream; my favorite food!"

Everyone chuckled as the boy returned the shammus candle to its holder, and Anthony commented, "Speaking of food, is it time to eat dinner, Ima?"

The family talked about their day and shared laughter as Tony served his "secret family recipe" spaghetti. Tali made garlic bread and salad to go with her Abba's meal.

"So, Abba, how old do we have to be to get the secret recipe?" Anthony asked out of curiosity. The kids seemed to ask about the recipe a few times per year, trying to see if their Abba would change his answer. Tali and Anthony exchanged a look as they waited for their father's reply.

"Old enough to know better and young enough not to care!" Eyes rolled around the table as Tony gave his usual response. He grinned at his family and took put forkful of spaghetti in his mouth.

"Then you should not have the recipe, Tony!" Ziva couldn't help it; she blurted out the statement when it came to her. She watched as her husband nearly choked on his food, trying not to laugh with a mouthful of food.

"Good one, Ziver!" Gibbs smiled as the kids snickered.

"And which one do I fail, Mrs. DiNozzo?" Tony locked eyes with his wife, daring her to respond and not put her foot in it (big time!) He held her stare as she thought about how to reply.

"I will tell you later," Ziva stared into the green eyes that were fixed on hers.

"Nope, you started it, you finish it…"

She glared at him, pretending to be angry, and then smiled. "Well, if you insist." Tony nodded his head, his eyes still fixed on the chocolate orbs staring back at him. "You are not old, you are not young. You are between the two…"

"And?" Tony pressed, wanting to hear where she was going with the thought.

"You sometimes know better and sometimes you do not," she continued, eyes still locked with Tony. All of the kids and Gibbs were watching the couple as they continued eating dinner. They all knew when Ima and Abba locked gazes; the rest of the room was nonexistent. "And you do care; you always care…"

Tony leaned over and kissed Ziva as Tali and Anthony groaned to themselves. LJ made an "eww" sound and Gibbs cleared his throat. "Get a room," Tali muttered under her breath. Beth and Riv shared a look and a sigh; Ima and Abba were so predictable!

"Nice save, ninja," Tony joked as he broke the kiss. "Hey, let's get this meal finished so we can have dessert!"

The following night was Tony's turn to light the candles. He said the blessings and lifted the shammus candle to light the others.

"I am thankful for Tali," he lit the first candle. "And for Anthony, Rivka, Beth and LJ;" he lit the next four candles quickly. He moved slightly to light the next candle, taking a step to his right. "I am thankful no one set the tablecloth on fire this year."

All seven DiNozzos laughed at the memory from two years ago when Tony had leaned towards Ziva during his turn to light the candles to give her a kiss and had accidentally set the tablecloth on fire with the shammus candle. Thankfully, there was a pitcher of water on the table for dinner, and he had reacted quickly to dump the water on the burning fabric.

At the seventh candle, Tony drew Ziva to him as he touched the flame of the shammus candle to the wick of the unlit candle. "I am thankful for my best friend, my soul mate, my forever. Ani ohev otcha, Ziva, lenatsecha." He put the shammus candle back in its holder and fused his lips on Ziva's. He wouldn't change a thing about his life…

A/N Somehow fanfic or the editor put the Hebrew in left to right order on Chapter 1 it should be נס גדול היה שם