Recap: Plays directly after last chapter ends...

~ Aftermath ~

It was shortly before 10 am when McGee pulled up in front of a large building. Killing the engine off he got out of the black NCIS Charger, locked it up and made his way into the building. Once inside he was assaulted by a mix of very different noises. Singing, screaming, laughter and many other different sounds.

Out of the corner of his eyes he noticed a security attorney immediately looking at him as he passed the threshold and after a moment approaching him. A frown on the face. "Hello Mister, can I help you?"

"Uhm yeah..." McGee stumbled a bit, not used to be spoken to immediately after entering a building. But he guessed that it was all about keeping the children save from strangers.

"My name is Special Agent McGee. I'm here for Ziva David." While he said that he also showed his badge.

The attorney slightly turned, "Please come with me. I need to check your identity and ..."

McGee was about to response when Ms. McCully, one of Ziva's teachers, appeared. "It's okay, Karl. I know Agent McGee."

The security guard still frowned at McGee, "Alright, if you are sure."

"I am," Ms. McCully sweetly replied.

"Well then, just sign here," Karl held a clipboard to McGee onto which the agent signed.

After Karl left them alone, the teacher turned to McGee, "Sorry about that, but when it's not the normal time for parents to bring or get their children he's a bit stressed with strangers walking in, who have no children with them."

"I noticed. Though, I thought the preschool would have a more secure system than a lonely security guard."

"Oh we lock the doors or rather the gate to the preschool around 10 am. Normally all children are here by then. And those who come later need to buzz. Most of them are well known by Karl."

"Ah.."

"Should we go to Ziva now?" Ms. McCully kindly offered.

McGee nodded, "Of course."

As they walked down a few corridors, Ms. McCully told McGee a few more details about Ziva. "She was fine when she got here. Talking a mile a minute," upon McGee's frown she elaborated, "In Hebrew, about her breakfast at a dinner with Gibbs."

The continued their way, rounding a few corners. "But around 9 she sort of crashed. Got quiet and didn't rushed to get a toy like the rest of the group. The kids are given the opportunity to play by themselves with a chosen toy for an hour every morning. During this hour the last of the kids come in and afterward we define the day till lunch time."

They stopped in front of a door which said 'Infirmary'.

"After a bit of encouragement, Ziva told me that she felt sick, so I brought her here and called NCIS," Ms. McCully explained as she opened the door.

"M'Gee!" the agent heard a small but sort of enthusiastic cry, coming from the left side of the room. There Mini-Ziva lay sleepily on a black gurney, with a green fluffy blanket spread upon her and a stuffed rabbit tucked into the crock of her left arm, a courtesy of Daniyel, who saw Ziva being led to the infirmary.

The agent smiled as he walked up to the gurney, "Hey Ziva, heard ya don't feel good."

"Nu'huh" The little girls eyes welled up with tears.

"Hey, it's okay." McGee soothed, "I'll bring you to Gibbs and then you both can go home and relax some, okay?"

"Where's 'ibbs?" Mini-Ziva sniffed, slowly sitting up with McGee's hand on her back in order to support the small girl, who at the moment just looked miserable.

"He doesn't feel so good, too."

Mini's eyes got wide, "He sick?"

"No no no," McGee quickly retracted his words, "I think he just needs some sleep."

Ziva frowned at him, "O'tay."

McGee smiled down at the small girl and then turned back to the teacher.

Without him saying a word, Ms. McCully just smiled and handed him Ziva's backpack and other stuff.

"Ms.M'Cully," Mini Ziva's voice got the teacher's attention.

"Yes, Ziva?" she smiled at her preschooler.

The little girl held out the rabbit, "You gif' back to Dan'yel?" after a small pause she added, "Please?"

"Of course." took the soft toy, while Ziv slowly slid from the gurney with McGee's help.

"T'ank you." Ziva smiled sweetly and, before leaving the room with McGee, run to the preschool nurse, who was tending to another child on the other side of the room in order to say goodbye.

"Crap!..."

Minis eyes got wide, "MahGee!"

The agents face contorted in pain, "Sorry... shouldn't have said that."

Mini laid her head to the side, "Why you said?"

McGee sighed and pulled his phone out, "'Cause I forgot something very important."

The little girl furrowed her brows, "What?"

"Your car seat," deadpanned McGee and concentrated on the other person at the end of the line.

Mini's eyes got wide again, "Why do you fo'got, " She wanted to know, pulling slightly on his leg pants as the agent had turned away from her and was leaning on the car, one of his arms laying on the roof of it.

McGee sighed as he ended the phone call. "'Cause I wanted to get you as soon as I could. I'm so used to the car having a car seat that I didn't noticed I took one without a booster seat for you."

"Maybe there is ohn' in back of tuh car?" Ziva offered hopefully. She didn't want to wait on the street, while McGee drove off to get one.

The agent smiled and crouched down in front of her, "Sadly, there is none."

"You did not e'fen look!" exclaimed Ziva, slightly leaning on the agent as the energy boost from having McGee getting her started to leave her again.

"'Cause there's only two NCIS Charger, who have one stored in the trunk or in the backseat and I got none of them." McGee calmly explained as he hugged the now sleepy girl to him. "We'll have to wait for Jimmy to bring us one."

"You no leaf' me here?" Mini asked yawning.

McGee looked shocked for a second, "Why would I leave you here, Ziva?"

"You have no seat for me," Mini-Ziva stated matter-of-factly, looking right at him with a 'doh' expression on her face.

McGee quietly shook his head and stood up with Ziva in his arms, "I would NEVER leave you, Ziva." He emphasized as he opened the backdoor of the car. They might as well wait in the relative warm car instead of outside.

"Rweally?" Ziva yawned widely as the agent laid her down on the backseat of the car.

"Positive," McGee grinned as he saw her getting comfortable, snuggling into the cushion and his jacket, which he had draped over her. "O'tay..."

~ Labby 10:45 am ~

"Boss?"

Gibbs groaned slightly but forced his eyes to open nonetheless, "What.." As he saw Mini-Ziva leaning on his agents shoulder, fast asleep, he immediately set up, "What happened, McGee?"

The acting senior field agent carefully laid Mini-Ziva down, right next to Gibbs, "Preschool called and said she wasn't feeling well and that someone should come and get her. I didn't wanted to wake you, so I went there."

Gibbs frowned and placed a hand on Ziva's forehead. "Thanks Tim. Was hoping preschool would keep her awake till midday." As he went to smooth the girls unruly curls the small girl slowly woke up.

"'ibbs?" First looking confused, Ziva soon had a worried look on her face. "'ibbs, you feel-Ing sick, too?"

Gibbs slightly grinned, "Nah, kid. I'm just a bit tired."

Upon hearing that, Mini-Ziva snuggled a bit closer to the agent, "Me too. We sleep mor'?"

Gibbs and McGee suppressed a laugh at her actions.

"Best idea I heard today, Ziv. But only till lunch." The team leader laid back down and pulled Mini-Ziva a bit closer, so she was comfortably resting next to him.

"I'll make sure to wake you, boss." said McGee and slowly walked out of Abby's lab. He had just reached the door when Gibbs called him back.

"Ya, boss?"

"You got back here okay?"

"Yeah, no problem, boss." Replied McGee, silently vowing not to tell Gibbs that he had forgotten the booster seat for Ziva on his way to preschool. Though, Mini-Ziva beat him to it.

"M'Gee fo'got my seat," Ziva giggled sleepily from her spot next to Gibbs.

The team leader looked at his agent and raised an eyebrow, "That true, McGee?"

"Uhm," McGee spluttered, "I.. uhm.."

Gibbs grinned and closed his eyes once more, "Happens to the best of us, Tim."

McGee blinked. Mini-Ziva was looking at him so innocently for a moment that he could have sworn the little girl knew exactly that her comment would get him into some sort of trouble or make him stumble. With a shake of his head he once more looked at the now sleeping pair before going back to work. At least someone had to get some work done today.

~ Fin ~