AN: Enjoy more FLUFF!
Ziva couldn't contain the smile on her face in the morning when her eyes had finally opened. The sight before her was too adorable for words.
Lara had wedged herself around Tony's head, sleeping on the pillow with her arm over his eyes. Lena was upside on his chest with one foot in his face while her head hung off to the side of his hip and Rurik was draped across Tony's legs sideways with head hanging off the bed while Tony had simultaneous hands wrapped around Rurik's ankle and one of Lara's. Every one of them had wild and crazy hair from a restless night.
The moment was too good to pass up and Ziva quietly reached for her phone to take a picture as she giggled. She could hear the babies starting to fuss through the monitor and pulled on her robe quickly wanting to get them before they started wailing and woke the others.
"Hello beautiful babies." She cooed at them coming to stand before the crib they shared now in the nursery. "Good morning." She beamed at their alert eyes and flailing fists. Carefully she slid her arms around both of them at the same time and lifted them up against her chest, pleased with herself at being able to carry both of them in the way that Julia had done the day before.
As she neared the edge of the stairs, the door to Liat's room opened and her sister stepped out with wild hair of her own and a soft smile.
"Good morning." Ziva smiled, not wanting to assume that Liat's wild mane of hair this morning was because of any thing to do with Malachi last evening. It could have easily just come from a restless night of sleep from bad dreams, given what she'd been through. "Sleep well?" She asked instead as Liat came up beside her and peeled Rafe out of Ziva's arms as the nearest baby to her.
"I did actually." Liat yawned widely with a soft smile. "And you?" She asked with the same smile as the two made their way down the stairs with a baby each.
"I slept wonderfully." Ziva smiled and then chuckled softly, "Tony, on the other hand, I think…did not."
"Why?" Liat asked with a curious smile of her own to see Ziva's chuckling at the thought.
"Because after Rurik and Lara asked if they could sleep with you and were told we were having a slumber party," Ziva slanted her eyebrow at Liat with a stern teasing tone, "Guess who actually showed up in our bed?"
"Oh no…" Liat gasped and then laughed softly. "Was it bad?"
"I think it was entirely adorable to wake up to this morning with Tony covered in small children all bent at variously strange angles around him, but he did not look as though he slept well at all." Ziva laughed shaking her head, "You may owe him for that one."
"I did not tell them to go to your room." Liat shook her head with eyebrow raised and a smile.
"Yes, we know. It was Uncle Mal." Ziva emphasized the new name with a smile, "Rurik mentioned something about…kissing." She added quietly with a soft smile and sideways glance to see Liat's reaction.
Liat froze for a moment and felt her heart pick up speed as they entered the kitchen together. "Yes, we were kissing when Rurik walked in." She paused and swallowed hard, "But that was it. Only kissing. We are the babysitters after all."
"Oh, it's okay. No explanation needed here. Tony and I obviously kissed a great deal last night. No harm in kissing." Ziva shrugged with a smile seeing the walls going up slightly with Liat. "Does this kissing have any meaning?" She asked carefully setting Jillian down in a bouncy chair on the kitchen island so she could make their bottles. "Or was it just kissing?"
Liat sat on the breakfast stool watching Ziva start warming the babies' bottles and cuddling Rafe against her chest, kissing his soft head over and over, taking comfort in his tiny presence. "I asked him to kiss me last night." Liat swallowed hard feeling like she wanted to share this with Ziva seeking her advice and reaction but not having the chance to until now. "And the night before."
"Oh…" Ziva listened intently with a sway in her tone that she was intrigued. "And how did that go?"
"Well, I guess. I asked him to make love to me right after." Liat answered her and Ziva dropped the bottle in her hand to the floor with wide-eyes not expecting to hear that.
Ziva looked at her unblinking for a few seconds and then picked up the bottle from the floor, thankful it was plastic and still had its' cap on to cover the nipple. "You…made love with Malachi the other night?" She asked quietly in barely above a whisper, worried for Liat and what this meant.
"We did." Liat answered in the same quiet tone, "I did not plan it when I left the party. It just happened."
"Did he…push you into it?" Ziva asked trying not to jump to conclusions about the situation and holding back from killing Malachi immediately should that be the case.
"No," Liat immediately shook her head, "If anything, I was the one pushing him into it. He held back from touching me or kissing me at all without my permission and then when I did ask him if he would make love to me, with no promises in the morning about what it meant, he asked repeatedly if I was sure. That he didn't want to hurt me." She finished with voice fading as she stare at the counter in front of her, brushing her face gently back and forth over Rafe's soft hair sticking up and thinking about making love to Malachi that night.
"And did he… hurt you?" Ziva had to ask seeing the far off look in Liat's eyes.
"No," Liat answered with eyes flashing up to Ziva's immediately. "If it were possible, he was more sweet…and gentle and loving than even the first time we made love." She paused with tears forming in her eyes and a smile slowly coming to her lips, "I felt like he was fixing what was broken inside again…do you know what I mean?" She asked her sister knowing that Ziva had been through the hell of rape as a form of torture before too.
"I do." Ziva sighed deeply, nodding softly and feeling her own tears welling with a soft smile at Liat for taking this step. "So what does this mean now?"
"I don't know." Liat shook her head softly, "I don't know."
"But you asked him to kiss you again last night?" Ziva asked wandering what prompted that kiss.
"He was saying goodnight in my doorway and told me how good it was to see me smile again, hear my laugh…that he knew from watching me with the children, I will be a great mother." Liat answered with a soft smile and once again brushed her lips against Rafe's tiny head. "I told him that I felt the same in watching him with the children. That he would be a good father." She paused and swallowed hard, "I could see his pride in his eyes that I would say that, followed quickly by a flash of sadness and then he couldn't look at me. As if he were scared that he wasn't going to get to be Eden's father. My heart took over in the moment and I just had to kiss him. So I did." A single tear rolled down her cheek as she gasped shaking her head, "I love him. I want a life with him but I'm scared, Ziva."
"Scared of what?" Ziva asked coming closer and taking hold of one of Liat's hands. She could see the battle waging inside of Liat between head and heart.
"That he will end up hurting me again or worse, hurting Eden." She cried softly shaking her head laying her cheek against the top of Rafe's sweet baby head, "I'm terrified that he will become like…our father." She nearly whispered the last part staring straight into Ziva's eyes. "Eli wasn't always a monster, he became that way. What if Malachi does too?"
Malachi had come down the stairs not long after them and stopped short jus before entering the room when he heard Liat describing what happened with their kiss last night to Ziva. He didn't meant to eavesdrop but he was stuck between entering at a bad moment or alerting them to the fact he was there by suddenly turning around. What Liat had said held him fast to where he stood and Ziva's question to her had him eager to hear Liat's answer as well. What was she most scared of in being with him? Her answer felt like his heart was being ripped out. That Liat's greatest fear was that Malachi would become her father as Director over time and hurt both she and their baby as Eli David had done to his own wife and children.
"Hi Uncle Mal!" Rurik yelled from the top of the stairs looking down at Malachi with a smile as Lara ran up behind him and then a dazed looking Tony, carrying Lena appeared behind them. "Good morning!" Lara and Rurik both chimed together at him racing down the stairs.
Malachi internally sighed and cringed simultaneously that the innocence of children had just given away the fact that he was already downstairs to Liat and Ziva. "Good morning." He answered the children back with a smile, deciding to play it cool. "Did you guys enjoy your slumber party?" He asked with a chuckle at the glare Tony was shooting his way.
"It was so much fun!" Lara giggled launching herself at Malachi and he scooped her up into his arms for a morning hug. "That was a good idea, Uncle Mal!"
"Yes, a great idea, Uncle Mal." Tony gave him a massive sarcastic smile, "Next time we babysit, you guys get to have a slumber party with Uncle Mal! How does that sound?" He asked the children animatedly to which they all cheered with smiles.
"Uncle Tony is going to make us breakfast! Yummy!" Rurik bounced excitedly beside Tony with a raging smile. "Are you going to help, too?"
"I can help, yes." Malachi answered with a smile and small laugh, "Though, I am not very good. See all the burn blisters on my fingers." He held his hand in front of Rurik to get a closer look, "This is what happened when I tried to make Aunt Liat breakfast yesterday. I kept burning my fingers."
"How did you burn your fingers?" Rurik looked slightly horrified and scared and yet intrigued all at the same time.
"I was turning the pancakes and they were hot!" Malachi answered with a smile and small laugh.
"That's what the spatula is for, Uncle Mal. You're not supposed to use your fingers, because the pancakes are hot… and burn you!" Tony smiled and scolded him laughing all at the same time as they all walked into the kitchen together.
"I told you, I am not good at it." Malachi shook his head with a soft smile, looking down and obviously embarrassed.
"I think it turned out rather well." Liat spoke quietly still blinking back the unshed tears in her eyes and staring intently at him. "Good morning everyone." She turned her gaze away from Malachi and to the children and Tony. "Where is Kristoff?" She asked wondering where the last of the six children, was at.
"He sleeps later then us. Mama says we're always up at the crack of dawn but Toffee is older now and likes to sleep more." Rurik smiled climbing up into the tall breakfast stool next to Liat. "Good morning, Future Wife." He smiled at her and then winked causing Liat's mouth to fall open and Tony, Malachi, and Ziva to roar in instant laughter.
"Future wife?" Liat gasped with wide and amused eyes looking at the little boy sitting next to her who was obviously flirting with his smile, wink and batting of his long dark lashes.
"Oh goody!" Lara clasped her hands in glee with a raging smile of her own, "That means I get to marry Prince Charming." She giggled and then leaned in to kiss Malachi's cheek as he held her in his arms. Liat, Ziva and Tony all 'awed' and then laughed at her sweetness and hilariousness at being excited that Malachi was back on the market if Liat was going to marry Rurik.
"Good morning." Ziva smiled at the image of Tony standing before her with a tiny dark haired angel in his arms, both yawning, and rubbing the sleep from their eyes. She kissed his lips and Lena's cheek, running her fingertips lightly along the side of Tony's head and laughing at his crazy hairdo. "I love it when your hair looks like a pork-u-swine." She winked at him with a small laugh and tease, remembering the first time she had commented on his hair in such a state and tried to say porcupine that instead came out, pork-u-swine.
"I think you mean a porcupine, right Aunty Ziva?" Lara asked with an amused grin looking between the two.
"Yes, that's right." Ziva laughed returning to the counter to retrieve the two bottles for Rafe and Jillian. She passed one to Liat and kept the other, gently lifting the baby out of the bouncy seat. "I have an idea. How about I make breakfast for everyone and Uncle Malachi feeds Jillian, so that he doesn't burn his fingers anymore?" She teased with a soft laugh walking towards Malachi who looked slightly panicked having never fed the baby before. Carefully he set Lara down beside him and held his arms out for the baby. "Don't look so scared." Ziva whispered and then winked at him handing him the bottle. "Wiggle it against her lips lightly and let her know it's there and…wha-la!" She smiled having talked him through the first step, "She's eating."
Malachi couldn't help but smile at the baby in his arms and seeing her eating so happily and hungrily from the bottle he was giving her. "This is the first baby I have ever given a bottle to." He admitted with a sheepish grin.
"Well, it's about time you learn!" Tony slapped him softly on the back with a smile.
"And tell me, Tony, who was the first baby that you ever gave a bottle to?" Ziva asked with a coy smile and batting her long dark lashes already knowing the answer.
"Okay, it was Jillian, too." Tony sighed with a smile scrubbing his hand through his hair and then chuckling. "But I've fed two different babies now that I've also fed Rafe." He beamed looking down at the baby in Liat's arms, eating happily as well.
"Good morning." Kristoff smiled sleepily walking into the kitchen moments later, scrubbing his hand over his eyes as well.
"Good morning, Buddy. Sleep well?" Tony asked ruffling his hair that was already wild as well. "Apparently, Ziva is the only one who wakes with tame hair in this house." He laughed pressing on the curly poof of hair at the top of Kristoff's head and then feeling his own while looking around at everyone else's wild hair except Ziva. "She wakes up like Sleeping Beauty."
"Oooh, I love Princess Aurora!" Lara giggled climbing onto the stool next to Rurik as Kristoff took the one next to her, and Lena was place in her booster beside him with Tony finding a seat at the end.
"I'm sure you do." Tony smiled at the darling little wild child of a girl with crazy dark curly mane of her own that reminded him of Ziva's when she just let her hair dry naturally. He could only hope that their baby turned out to be anything like Lara or Lena with their adorable cuteness factors. "Say Miss Lara…why is it that Uncle Mal gets to be Prince Charming but I'm the Beast?" He asked her with a slanted eyebrow and teasing grin while Ziva started making breakfast.
Lara giggled deeply with tiny fists coming up by her mouth to stifle them looking at Tony. "Cuz look at you, Uncle Tony!" She waved at him with his wild crazy hair on top of his head, his bare and hairy chest wearing only pajama pants and the muscles clearly visible in his chest and arms, "You are the Beast! Rrraaaawr!" She growled at him making claw hands and sent the adults in a wave of roaring laughter, only growing louder when Lena joined in mimicking her sister and growling and clawing at the air in Tony's direction.
"Well, you, Lena and Jillian are going to be quite the beautiful princesses someday." Tony smiled at her softly when the laughter died down and then to Lena and Jillian in Malachi's arms. "Breaking some poor princes' hearts, I'm sure."
"Thank you, Uncle Tony," Lara beamed with a wide smile and then shook her head, "But I'm not a princess, I'm a Grand Duchess which is like a princess in Russia, but none of my movies call princesses Grand Duchesses, except Anastasia." She leaned in whispering using her hand to block her voice that only made the adults smiles wider, "So I just say I'm a princess instead." She smiled and then giggled, "Jillian is the only real Princess in our family with Prince Henry as her daddy, even if she hasn't been claimed by Uncle Henry yet. Some day she will be!" She giggled again with pride looking at her baby sister, "Kristoff is both a Prince and a Grand Duke," She beamed at her big brother who looked away with embarrassment at her fascination with princesses and princes, "And Rurik is the Tsarevich, which means Crown Prince in Russia."
"I a princess, too!" Lena's eyes narrowed significantly upset that Lara had left her out.
"You'll always be Daddy's Princess, Lena Bug, but not a really-real princess like Jilly-Bean or me. You are going to be President of the United States of America! And that's even better!" Lara hugged Lena and they both giggled.
"I going to be Pwesident of 'da United States of Amewica!" Lena repeated holding her tiny fist into the air.
"Oh, you are, are you?" Tony asked with raised eyebrows and smiling widely looking at the tiny beautiful toddler before him.
"She is!" Rurik answered with a big smile nodding along with Lara and Lena. "The Angel Gabriel said so!"
Every adult in the room froze with widening eyes all looking at Rurik then Lena and then at each other.
"I'm sorry, but did you just say that the Angel Gabriel said that Lena was going to be President of the United States someday?" Malachi asked with his mouth going dry. His eyes flashed to Ziva whom he vividly remembered being told by a doctor Gabriel that she was expecting a baby on Christmas and that Tony's last name was derived from the 'annunciation' of the coming birth to Mary in the Bible.
"Yes." Rurik nodded again as if everyone knew this. "Before Lena was even in Mama's tummy the Angel Gabriel visited Toffee and I many times but we didn't know who he was. He said he was there with Michael and Raphael to make sure we were okay until Mama found us. And then he told us that Mama would have another baby soon and that her name would be Lena, which means 'the light' like our Nana Lena, and that she would someday be very, very important to the world like we were going to be, and help change it back to good again. He said that Lena would be the youngest President of the United States ever being elected at thirty-four years old and sworn into office just after her thirty-fifth birthday!"
The adults remained frozen and staring at Rurik and then glancing over to Lena who just smiled.
"And," Tony swallowed hard trying to process this information, "Did your mother know about this?" He asked quietly.
"Gabriel told us it was a secret that we weren't supposed to tell Mama or Jack until after Mama was pregnant. And then he would tell her or she would be too scared about having more babies. He only told us because he was telling stories to us so that we weren't scared when the bad guys kept killing people around us and we were scared Mama would die, too." Rurik answered him somberly and then smiled, "But he said Mama still had lots more important work to do on Earth and that she was meant to be our Mama for a reason! That she would be the best Mama in the whole world to raise us to be good leaders because she knew what really bad ones were capable of."
Tony's eyes flashed to Kristoff for confirmation of this story, as he'd been included in it by Rurik as having spoken to 'angels' during their ordeal.
"It's true." Kristoff agreed softly with a slight head nod, "They first appeared to us right after the others were killed in Russia. I was little then and I just thought they were people who had special powers like Mama to talk to us inside our heads or hide themselves from people as she could or tell us about things before they happened, like Mama. I didn't know they were angels. We never talk about this. No one would ever believe it."
"After what I've seen of your mother, I believe it." Tony answered quietly with a smile and soft head nod and the other three adults did as well. They couldn't argue how illogical all of this sounded when they'd seen what they had with Julia's abilities.
"Gabriel told us that he was there when Mama was born and each one of us." Rurik smiled widely with pride.
"And it was Raphael who stayed with Mama when Ulric was doing bad things to her with torture, so that Mama wouldn't die. He was with her when she became The Phoenix." Kristoff added quietly.
Rurik, Lara and Lena all nodded along with Kristoff that was the truth of what they'd been told.
"He's always with her when she's hurt." Lara added with a smile of her own, "Making sure she gets better and gets to be our Mama for a long, long time as its very important she helps us grow up and make good decisions."
"Mama and Jack named Rafe after her Guardian Angel Raphael." Rurik giggled stroking his baby brother's foot. "Because he always makes sure that Mama comes home to us. Our Rafe is going to be a very good doctor someday and save lots of people with medicine. He's going to be a healer, like Mama."
Everyone was quiet again looking at tiny dark haired baby who had the name of the archangel of healing, and realizing yet again, how important names really were when they carried such meaning.
"So when did your mother find out about the angels talking to you guys and telling you these things?" Ziva asked quietly wanting to know more about Julia's encounters with them given her own experience with the doctor named Gabriel Angelo whom treated her in Israel, told her she was pregnant and then disappeared from the hospital registry as 'transferred' on the same day she and Tony were dismissed to be taken care of at her home, never to be seen again.
"Mama sort of went crazy as The Phoenix awakened inside her after she found our siblings and Nana's in Russia." Kristoff answered quietly looking at Tony who nodded in understanding while the other three adults looked at him and then each other, clearly having missed something that Tony knew.
"They were all executed in a shallow pit grave in a Russian forest… left for Julia to find." Tony spoke quietly filling the three adults in on the details they'd missed from last night's conversation with Kristoff.
Ziva, Liat and Malachi's eyes went wide and flushed with immediate tears as they quickly looked from Tony to the six children in front of them and couldn't imagine coming upon scene so horrific, as all of them being executed and dumped in a pile as Julia had seen.
"Grandma said she was in a blinding rage of pain and taking out lots and lots and lots of bad guys in big ways. Raphael told us it was because Mama was so hurt inside she couldn't hold back her grief that came out in rage against those who had done so much evil and harmed the innocent. An order was put out to…" Kristoff's eyes flashed to his younger brothers and sisters that he didn't want to say and saw the adults nodding in understanding.
"Grandma couldn't let them hurt Mama like that, so Mama was 'contained' and they did another procedure on her brain to control her protocol. While she was recovering Gabriel visited her in the place where she waits for her body to be healed and talked with her about the future. He told her then not to give up because she was going to win this battle of good versus evil and that now she would have more help." Kristoff answered quietly, "Mama says that when she woke she thought it was just a dream, but the same man kept visiting her in her dreams when it got really tough with her heart missing so many pieces now, telling her to keep going, that she was born for this and had so much good to do she could not quit or what we were born for would never happen either without her."
"So she kept fighting until she found us all and beat the bad guys!" Lara pumped her fist into the air with a cheer and Rurik and Lena did the same causing the adults to smile once more.
"And then Gabriel told Mama in another dream, she would have Lena in nine months time, around Christmas, and who Lena would be one day and why it was important. And then, he was there too, when she was born, as the doctor who delivered her in the Oval Office." Kristoff smiled looking at his little sister, "Then we moved into the White House for a few days while Mama recovered and our house was finished."
Ziva's breath caught in hearing that Gabriel had told Julia that Lena was to be born around Christmas as well, just like her own daughter was due.
"You moved into the White House?" Tony asked with widening eyes, remembering the details of Lena's birth being explained briefly with Julia breaking not only Katherine's hand in the process but also the President's.
"Yep," Rurik nodded with a big smile, "We got to eat lots of ice cream in the kitchen and it was so yummy! It was peppermint for Christmas!"
"With the best hot cocoa to drink ever! Lots of little marshmallows that Grandma said were Aunt Kelsi's favorite when they lived there." Lara added excitedly.
"It was the only safe place at the time and Lena was born early. She needed medical care that we didn't have living in the bunker." Kristoff explained.
"You lived in a bunker?" Ziva asked with wide eyes of her own at hearing this story.
"Yes," Lara answered and frowns appeared on all of the children's faces. "We were only supposed to be there a little while and we were there almost a year."
"You lived in a bunker for almost a year?" Tony asked with astonishment and all children nodded, "Who lived in this bunker?"
"Us, Mama, Jack and Aunty Anni. But sometimes Grandma would visit us and near the end, Grandpa too." Rurik answered, "But we didn't know that Grandma was our real Grandma when she was first visiting. She just came to work with Mama on setting us free."
"Where was this bunker you were hidden in?" Ziva asked with equal astonishment and realization now, as to why it was that Julia and Jack formed their bond and relationship if they'd been contained in a bunker for that long.
"Really deep beneath the Pentagon, in the super secret sublevels that no one but Grandma and the President had access to." Kristoff answered with a smile, "But Grandma wouldn't even tell the President where Mama was until he was nice again and promised not to use Mama as a weapon anymore, but set her free."
"Wow… just when I think my mind cannot be anymore blown by this story of your mother and all of you." Tony shook his head with a soft smile, "Fascinating. All of it…and all the more shocking as to how in the world she would ever than trust me, trust us…to watch over you for the last fourteen hours." His eyes flashed to the other adults swallowing the lump in his throat that Julia had put her faith and trust in them with her children given all that they had been through.
"I will be a good Pwesident!" Lena lay her hand over her heart with a smile and giggle having heard Kristoff just say the word again so she latched onto it, remembering that she may not get to be a princess but she would be the President and right now, that was just as good even if she didn't understand it. "Just like Grandma!" She giggled again.
"Just like Grandma?" Tony asked the tiny girl beside him with widening eyes. "Do you mean, Grandpa?" He asked thinking of the former President William Thorne who was in fact Lena's beloved Grandpa.
"No, Grandma!" Lena shook her head and then smiled.
"She's right." Rurik smiled again with a nod, "Grandma will be the next President in a few years and then there won't be another girl President until Lena who will be all grown up then and old at thirty-five."
The adults all choked on their laughter again that Rurik thought the age of thirty-five was old.
"Your Grandma Katherine is going to be the next President?" Tony asked with widening eyes as his comment about her retiring and playing Scrabble in her underwear with William out of boredom, flashed through his mind.
"Yes, Gabriel said Grandma still has lots and lots of important things left to do. She had to be Secretary of State to help save Mama and us and set things in motion for the future… and now she will be President next, like Grandpa." Lara smiled widely and then whispered, "But that's a secret from Grandma. Shhhh! Gabriel said we aren't supposed to tell her. He is still trying to convince her in her dreams to run for President because right now, she doesn't want to." She shook her head giggling.
"She wants to just be a Grandma to us and a Mama to our Mama and Aunt Kelsi now." Rurik added in the same loud whispers and then giggled, "Gabriel said that Grandma is stubborn like Mama and it takes awhile to convince her."
This comment had all of the adults roaring with laughter again that even the Messenger Angel from above had difficulties convincing the very strong-willed Katherine Thorne to do anything she didn't want to.
"He said that is good, though!" Lara added with bright eyes, "Because Grandma doesn't back down now for what it right even when it is not easy. And Gabriel said it was a good thing that Grandma loves her family so much she would rather be with them than helping save the world from the bad guys."
"Just like Mama." Rurik nodded with a smile and Lara and Lena nodded again too.
"So you still talk to the angels?" Ziva asked having finished making a mountain of pancakes while listening intently to this story and breakfast was now ready.
"They come in our dreams now as they said it gets harder to talk to us when we grow up as our minds get too distracted to see and hear them well when awake, unless they are in human form." Rurik answered with a smile as Ziva placed a plate of pancakes in front of him and he reached for the syrup. "Gabriel said that our Sixth Sense starts to go away if we don't practice with it and that is how they talked to us when we were little. They still talk with Lena though. She plays with them all the time."
"We have tea pawties!" Lena giggled with a smile, "I see them."
The idea of angels as 'imaginary friends' at a tea party brought smiles to all of the adult's faces in imagining such a thing with the tiny girl before them.
"Mama can see them, too and talk to them, even when they aren't in human form now that she is free of her protocol, because she is always, The Phoenix now. But they still talk to her mostly in her dreams, as they say her mind is too busy on too many other things during the day to have her full attention." Kristoff added with a soft smile, pouring orange juice in his small glass. "But she said that when her body was recovering this last time from getting so hurt on your mission," He swallowed hard looking around at the adults faces and seeing the instant sadness there that Julia was hurt so badly, "Mama waited with the angels again and they had lots of long talks about things." He paused and his eyes flashed up sweeping around to all of the adults, "She said they talked with her about you."
"About us?" Ziva asked with a cracked voice trying to blink back the tears in her eyes that were there already from hearing that while Julia was recovering from her near fatal wounds, she waited with angels who kept her company and it all seemed very fitting for such a woman who they'd come to believe was an angel herself.
Kristoff nodded, "They talked about lots of other things but Mama said that they also talked about you and Tony and your baby, and Liat and Malachi and baby Eden. Mama also knows the name of your baby, Lady Ziva, but she's not supposed to say because you do not even know yet." He smiled and watched Ziva and Tony's eyes flash to each other's. "You and your babies have important things to do in the future, too."
"Like us!" Rurik smiled before taking another bite of pancake and then trying to stab a rolling purple grape on his plate. "Mama is going to help you on your journey when you need it; because that is just what Mama does!" He smiled with pride, "She helps people who need it, saves the good people and gets rid of the bad guys!"
"She's Su-per Mama!" Lara pumped her fist into the air again as if leading a charge with her raging smile and own pride in her mother that brought smiles to all of the hearts.
"Indeed." Liat agreed quietly with unshed tears in her eyes to hear such things and not knowing what else to say. If she hadn't seen Julia already do all the things she'd already done, she may never have believed it. But given what they knew of her already… she believed that wherever Julia was concerned, anything was possible.
"I have a question," Ziva asked with a curious smile looking from Lena back to the other children. "If Lena is to inherit the North American seat on the new Council, how will she be President, too? Or is that allowed now? I thought that you couldn't be both at the same time." She was wanting to find more out about the change to The Council if she and her child were supposed to be the heirs of the Middle Eastern seat and couldn't believe she was asking a nine year old and two four and a half year olds how this worked.
"Aunty Kelsi is the Council Liaison to Mama right now, as Mama really holds the seat for North America until Lena is old enough. But when Lena becomes President, Aunty Kelsi's baby girl, Ava who will be born any day now!" He smiled excitedly for the birth of his new cousin, "Will be Lena's Liaison and hold the seat while Lena is President. Then, after eight years, Lena will take over again and Ava will still be her Number Two, like Kelsi is Mama's Number Two right now. They are very, very important. You have to be able to trust them with your life." Kristoff nodded with wide eyes, "That's why Mama has Kelsi has her Number Two right now in North America because Mama doesn't trust just anyone with her life or ours. But she trusts her sisters!"
"Aunty Anni is Mama's Number Two for Northern Europe." Lara added still nodding along with Kristoff and agreeing that their mother did trust her sisters. "She was born in Sweden and grew up in The Council and business and is very, very, very smart." All the children nodded in agreement with wide eyes at that state of Annika's intelligence.
"She and Mama trade back and forth so that one of them is always with us if the other is doing Council work." Kristoff added.
"Being with us helps heal Aunty Anni's broken heart." Lara added quietly, "She gets sad sometimes about missing Alexa so much."
The adults all remembered hearing about 'cousin Alexa' who was eight when she was killed, and seeing her beautiful portraits on the Wall of Remembrance.
"She was killed with the others in Russia?" Tony asked Kristoff softly.
Kristoff nodded, "Yes. Aunty Anni was in a hospital at the time because she had a Mental Breakdown when she found out that her dad, Ulric, did so many bad, bad things she never knew about… and that her whole life had been manipulated by him… and that he stole her sisters in Mama and Aunty Casey, even killed her own Mama."
Ziva gasped quietly with tears in her eyes that this sounded so much like her own realizations about her father and the evil that he'd done. Her eyes flashed with Liat's knowing she was thinking the same thing.
Malachi watched them both with a heavy heart at seeing their reactions to what Kristoff was saying and knew they were both thinking about Eli David and what he'd done as well. Liat's eyes flashed to his briefly and then looked away and for a moment, he saw the residual fear she had that he would turn into this same kind of monster as these men with similar power and positions had.
"Aunty Anni didn't grow up like Mama, so she couldn't handle the stress of what was happening. She'd grown up a spoiled Princess…that is what Aunty Anni says about herself!" Kristoff looked at them with wide-eyes, "And she said it didn't prepare her at all for real life behind the curtain."
"That's a Wizard of Oz analogy. Aunty Anni likes that movie." Lara added with a soft smile nodding.
"So does Mama!" Rurik added with a smile, "She sings that song all the time."
"Mama had to put her in a Mental Hospital for awhile to keep her safe as she was very sick then. Aunty Anni refused to eat or drink or talk anymore; she just shutdown completely. So Nana Marna and Nana Lena and Mama were taking care of Alexa. And when they were taking care of all of us is when the bad Russians found and killed them." Kristoff added quietly and then smiled. "Alexa was my first and best friend." He paused, "And then Aunty Anni got better and she came with us to the bunker and helped Mama take care of us and take care of Mama. She's good at that as Mama's big sister."
"Mama has all big sisters. She is the youngest out of them all!" Lara smiled widely.
"But they all say that Mama is like their big sister instead, because she is so wise. That she helps them with advice in life more than they help her." Kristoff added with a smile.
Tony couldn't help but agree with this statement about Julia. She was younger than him and yet he found himself looking up to her as a big sister with all that she had done in advising and guiding him, looking out for him in the last several weeks. Even this babysitting adventure was Julia's idea of helping him heal, and she'd done so in a sly way as a big sister would, without him realizing it until after the fact.
"Grandpa says Mama is an old soul." Lara smiled nodding, "That means she is very wise for being very young."
"He said that we are old souls too!" Rurik added with a giggle before popping another piece of fruit into his mouth.
"That you are." Malachi nodded with a smile thinking about his conversation with Rurik last night about relationships and breaking hearts.
Ziva sighed heavily shaking her head softly with new tears unshed in her eyes, "Wow." She gasped in a near whisper thinking about all they'd learned from the children just over breakfast. "You guys are a wealth of information."
"Mama says we're chatterboxes." Lara smiled and giggled again, "That means we talk a lot."
"You do. But at least you have important things to say." Ziva smiled and tapped the end of Lara's nose, "And you make me smile and laugh, so chat on all you want to."
"Hello!" Katherine's voice called to them with a smile from the front door.
"Grandma!" The kids all squealed with delight and leapt from their breakfast stools to race towards the door and greet her.
The adults all flashed their eyes to one another taking in each other's appearances of wild crazy bed head still in their pajamas and froze realizing they didn't have enough to do anything about it before Katherine walked around the corner and saw them.
"Good morning." She smiled at them genuinely taking in their ruffled appearances with Lena in her arms and Rurik and Lara hugging each leg while Kristoff smiled happily standing beside her and in front of Grandpa William.
Katherine, of course, looked immaculate and beautiful even in her casual clothes for the day as did her husband who laughed softly eyeing all the wild hair.
"Good morning." The four babysitters smiled back sheepishly.
"Did everyone make it okay through the night?" Katherine asked trying to keep a straight smile and not laugh seeing the exhaustion on Tony's face and their crazy hairdos as well.
"We made it." Tony smiled with pride looking at all the children before him still smiling.
"Sorry for our unannounced arrival. We expected Julia to be home by now and to have informed of you we were coming. I will be speaking with you today about The Council along with Julia as I have more history with it than she does." Katherine informed them politely. "The children are going to Frying Pan Park this morning with Grandpa and their Daddy and then this afternoon…we're all going to see the Nationals play the Dodgers in an afternoon baseball game."
No sooner had the words left her mouth than the children were screaming and jumping with joy in excitement.
"We are big baseball fans in this house." William smiled laughing softly.
"Even Grandma played baseball! Not softball when she was little, but baseball!" Kristoff smiled with a proud giggle and obviously in awe of this fact.
"I did." Katherine nodded with a smile, "Are you finished with your breakfast?" She asked them looking at the table filled with plates and remnants of food.
"Yes." They all chimed in together.
"Okay, then I need you to do your morning chores quickly and then we'll help you get ready for your big day." Katherine smiled kissing the side of Lena's head as she held her in her arms. She set her down on the ground and then swatted her butt lightly with a smile, "Scoot." She shooed them away to get moving on their chores.
Quicker than lightning, the children began clearing plates, sweeping and wiping things down around the adults and then each tugged on Ziva to give her a hug and kiss thanking her again for making them such a delicious pancake breakfast.
"Now let's get dressed and ready for the day." Katherine smiled at the children who all went running and screaming off in joy again up the steps at the fun day ahead of them.
"I've got this. Stay and chat." William smiled at Katherine and the rest of them as he followed the four older children up the steps.
Katherine smiled once more at the frazzled but happy looking foursome in front of her and poured herself a cup of coffee. "Would anyone like another cup?" She asked with a smile, "Tony? You look like you had a rough night." She finally chuckled at him.
"Actually, yes. I'd love another cup. Thank you." Tony held his coffee cup out to her to fill and smiled.
"The children seem to have had a wonderful time with you." Katherine smiled sitting down with them at the table. "Thank you for taking care of them. I will be honest in telling you that I was completely astounded when Julia told me of this plan for her to leave the children alone over night with the four of you given her history." She looked at each of them. "This was an incredibly big step for her."
"We're starting to understand that hearing more about that history." Tony added quietly, swallowing the lump in his throat and thinking about Julia's children and family members being massacred when she left them alone and in the care of others. It was no wonder she never wanted to leave the children she had left with anyone else ever again.
Katherine looked at them all speaking softly, "Julia must see something very special in you for her to do this. The level of trust she has given you," She shook her head softly looking down the steaming cup of coffee in her hands, "Is unprecedented given how short of time it is that she has really known you. These children are her life."
"They are wonderful children." Ziva smiled with unshed tears hearing Katherine speak of the magnitude of meaning behind last night's babysitting adventure for Julia and the level of trust she was giving them.
"They were a pleasure to watch." Liat added with a smile. "I haven't laughed that much in a very long time." She added quietly and Katherine smiled in earnest at her, knowing what Liat had been through recently and happy to hear such a thing.
"I've never met such charming, well-behaved, polite and helpful children in all my life." Tony smiled adding his own thoughts and the others nodded as well with smiles, agreeing with him.
"They weren't always this way." Katherine smiled softly stroking the handle on her coffee cup with the edge of her thumb clearly thinking back to another time. "They were quite the spoiled princess and princes as you can imagine from the lives they were living before with such wealth and privilege. Julia had her work cut out for her when she got them back and breaking bad habits." She sighed shaking her head remembering how tough those times were. "Especially with Lara and Kristoff. Rurik she was still raising in a way from the beginning, given her abilities once she could keep an eye on them and have mental contact, but Kristoff and Lara." She shook her head again softly, "They had a really tough adjusting. They were used to getting whatever they wanted, when they wanted it and never being told 'no' about anything; never having to do anything for themselves or others but expecting everyone to do it for them. Breaking royal habits was difficult but she did it. And the way she's raising them now is why Julia is the perfect mother do to this, to raise these future world leaders." Katherine smiled with pride.
"She has taught them that they are first and foremost human beings, members of a family and take care of each other and others. They are made to understand that they are no better than others just because of their titles and certainly not above doing chores or the other things they were forbidden before from doing as it was 'beneath their status.' Julia learned to loathe that 'status' tag and as such, will not allow her children to feel as though they are superior because of it."
Katherine smiled softly with raised eyebrows and sat back a little, "They are good, because Julia has given them pieces of her beautiful heart and is teaching them now how to use it. That their love and compassion for others is their greatest strength and that it gives them courage in the face of evil, to know they are on the right side when the line is drawn." She paused with a soft sigh and smile, "She taught me the same lesson during our time together, when she was fighting for her freedom and that of the children. She inspired me, to do what was right, even when it is not easy." She paused again a moment, "And it is not an easy thing to do, when the repercussions are sometimes so drastic. I am very proud that my daughter has always known this inside of her. That Julia had the innate courage and inner strength to stand against seemingly insurmountable odds of evil. She inspires me every day." She smiled up at them as she set her coffee cup aside and reached for baby Rafe who began fussing in the bouncing seat next to them. "We can learn a lot from our children."
"You have an incredible family." Ziva smiled at her softly wiping a stray fallen tear, "You have every ride to be proud of them."
"Thank you." Katherine acknowledged her compliment with a soft smile.
"Hello…" Julia's voice called out softly before she and Jack appeared around the corner with smiles on their faces. "Good morning, everyone." She took in their appearances with a raging smile and small chuckle seeing the disheveled hair and still in their pajamas.
"Good morning." They all answered her with bright smiles to see her looking so beautiful and happy already this morning.
Jack was smiling widely behind her that clearly, their evening had gone well and he was grateful for the group of babysitters. "Good morning." He smiled at them and they answered with the same.
Julia immediately walked forward and kissed Katherine's cheek with a smile and scooped her baby boy out of her arms, clearly missing him as she placed several small kisses all over his face and head. "So things went well?" She asked looking at them all.
"I think they went very well." Tony smiled softly back at her with a slight head nod of pride and acknowledgement for what she had done for him with this adventure. "We had a great time. You have truly extraordinary children and we love them all."
"We haven't laughed that much in a long time." Ziva added with a raging smile, "Thank you."
"Yes, thank you." Liat nodded with appreciation for the laughs and smiles as well.
"Yes, thank you." Malachi repeated in agreement with the same smile, "Your children are hilarious and charming."
"Thank you." Julia beamed with pride, "And thank you, for taking such good care of them. I can't tell you how much I have missed them." She kissed Rafe's head again and then Jillian's tiny forehead as she slept in the bouncer beside her on the counter. "Where are, the other four?" She asked with a smile.
"With Grandpa, getting ready for the day." Katherine smiled seeing Julia so at ease and with a smile on her face. "They are very excited about their trip to the park this morning and the baseball game this afternoon."
"Ah," Julia smiled and laughed softly, "Our first game of the season. The four of you are more then welcome to join us if you'd like. We can call the others as well and have them meet us there. Make a day of it." She smiled more radiantly at the idea of doing something fun again with Team Gibbs.
Tony, Ziva, Liat and Malachi all exchanged glances and smiles having a silent conversation and then all nodded. "We'd love to join you." Tony answered for them. "I will call Gibbs and he can round up the crew."
"Mama!" Rurik squealed with joy running at her legs with full speed when she saw her standing in the kitchen with Kristoff not far behind. Both boys were wearing shorts and Nationals baseball jerseys with their names on the back.
Julia carefully passed Rafe over to Jack and knelt to swoop Rurik up in her arms, hugging him tightly as he did her. She smiled and kissed him repeatedly with unshed tears in her eyes. "I missed you guys! Did you have a good time?" She asked setting him down and then engulfing Kristoff in the same massive hug.
"We had a great time!" Rurik bounced excitedly and then hugged and kissed Jack. "Did you have a great time?" He asked with raised eyebrows and a smile.
"We had a great time too." Julia answered quietly with a smile, sharing an intense gaze with Jack that clearly held meaning and then looked back at the boys in front of her. "I can't wait to hear all about your fun night and morning!"
"Mama!" Lara screeched loudly seeing Julia and came running at her as well, launching into the air knowing Julia would catch her. "Oooh! I missed you!" Lara didn't give Julia the chance to kiss her as she was covering Julia's face with kisses instead.
"I missed you, too, Sweetheart." Julia smiled holding her in her arms, "You look so pretty! I love your hair!" She smiled at Lara's hair, now beautifully pulled back into a ponytail and tamed somewhat with her curls smoothed once more into long ringlets and waves. A fancy hair ribbon of red, white and gold with sparkles and beads was tied around the ponytail.
"Grandpa did my hair and Lena's to match!" Lara giggled with a smile as William appeared with Lena in his arms, dressed and looking exactly the same as Lara with their hair back in ponytails with ribbons and wearing the same kinds of jersey's as the boys.
"Wow…I am thoroughly impressed, Mr. President." Tony smiled with awe at seeing that he was responsible for the beautiful hairdos on the little girls.
"I've had a lot of practice in my day, Tony." William chuckled shaking his head. "Kelsi had the most insane curly out of control hair when she was little. Even more so then these two." He looked between Lena and Lara. "I got very good at controlling the curls along time ago, especially in the humidity of the South."
Everyone chuckled at his comment and could easily remembering the images of Kelsi's curly long hair as a child.
"Kate, thankfully had the experience with curls and was a good teacher and I was a fast learner." William laughed again.
"So they get their curls from you?" Tony asked with a soft smile looking at Katherine and then to Julia and the little girls.
"Yes," She smiled softly with pride, "Though, Julia's and the children's curls are bigger and loser then Kelsi's tight curls. They have relaxed more thankfully as she's gotten older." Katherine chuckled, "Even my hair when I was little was never as curly as Kelsi's."
"I love the curls." Tony smiled over at Ziva, "I hope our little girl with have her mothers curls as well."
"She will." Julia smiled with a knowing glance at them both, causing them to smile as well.
"We had the most fun Mama!" Lara smiled turning Julia's face back to look at her, "We ate your yummy, yummy dinner and then bathed and played cards and-"
"Had a dance party!" Rurik added excitedly bouncing next to Julia.
"And ate popcown!" Lena added as well with raging smiles.
"And we had a sleepover with Aunt Ziva and Uncle Tony!" Lara added with another squeal of excitement.
"Oh, wow!" Julia laughed with them and eyed Tony and Ziva, "That must have been something. All three of you in bed with them!" She laughed again passing Lara to Tony as she reached for him standing beside them, "Is that why Uncle Tony looks like a wild animal this morning?"
Everyone immediately laughed staring at Tony who was still wearing only his pajama pants with his crazy hair and sleepy eyes.
"It's because he is the furry Beast, Mama! Like in Beauty and the Beast!" Lara smiled petting Tony's chest hair from her perch in his arms, and then snarled in growling and clawing at Tony again causing another roaring wave of laughter.
Tony sighed with a big smile and then kissed the little girls neck causing another peel of giggles to erupt from her that he couldn't get enough of now. "I just don't think its fair that Uncle Mal gets to be Prince Charming and somehow I'm the Beast?" He laughed again as did everyone else.
"Hey, don't take it too hard. She calls me Hawaiian Prince David from Lilo and Stitch, just because I'm Polynesian," Jack added laughing causing everyone else to laugh as well.
"That's because when we go swimming and you wear your board shorts you look just like him Daddy!" Lara giggled innocently and everyone laughed again with Jack shaking his head an amused smile. "Well, you are much taller and have much, much bigger muscles!" She added with another giggle making everyone laugh again.
"Oh my," Julia laughed shaking her head, "It sounds like you had a lot of fun last night with everyone even getting assigned a look alike prince. She only does that with those she really fancies." She winked at both Jack and Malachi who both blushed instantly with Julia's smile and wink.
"And I taught Uncle Tony and Uncle Mal the slow roll, Mama at our dance party!" Rurik immediately started dancing demonstrating his technique that resembled slow-motion belly dancing which made everyone laugh. "They are pretty good but not as good as Grandma. She's got the best slow roll around!" He flashed a smile over at Katherine who immediately blushed, looking down with a smile and covered her eyes, leaning into her hand with elbow resting on the table while a thunderous roar of laughter emerged at that little tidbit of information.
"Come on! Show them, Grandma!" Rurik tried to get her dance with him and the others just kept laughing at imagining Katherine Thorne doing the slow roll belly dance and being so good at it, Rurik declared her the best.
"Another time perhaps, Sweetheart." Katherine laughed softly and kissed Rurik's cheek, clearly not willing to show off her dance moves to anyone but four year olds. "You better get moving to the park so you have plenty of time to play before we leave for the baseball game." She immediately changed topics casting the attention away from herself and onto other things.
"Aww, but Mama just got here!" Rurik stuck his big lip out with an exaggerated pout and clung to Julia's leg. "I don't want to leave yet."
"I have an idea. How about we let your very gracious babysitters get ready for the day and you can spend some time with me before my meeting with them? Then you can leave for the park with Daddy and Grandpa?" Julia asked the children with a smile and they all cheered.
"Good plan." Katherine added smiling as well and knowing that Julia wasn't ready to part with the children either right now given the look in her eyes at being away from them all evening. "And besides, I think it's an excellent idea to let the babysitters freshen up. I do not think I could possibly take anything you say seriously right now, Tony with you looking like the Beast." She leveled her eyes and smile on Tony's disheveled appearance and crazy hair while everyone laughed again.
Tony only smiled more widely and ran his hand through his wild hair again, loving the smiles and laughter on everyone's faces and feeling proud of himself for not letting Julia down this time on what may have been his most important mission ever…taking care of her children.
"I will gladly take that offer up." He smiled reaching for Ziva's hand as Liat and Malachi moved to stand as well and head upstairs to shower and get ready for the day.
"Really, I can't thank you all enough again for last night. It means a great deal." Julia smiled at them all thanking them quietly, "Thank you for taking such good care of the pieces of my heart." She added softly looking down at all her sweet children's smiling faces.
"It was an honor." Tony answered her quietly with a soft smile, "And very much our pleasure. They are fantastic."
"They really are." Ziva added wrapping her arm around Tony's waist looking at the small faces, "You have done an amazing job raising them. We can only hope to be a sliver as good at this as you are."
"Thank you." Julia smiled with pride and spoke softly, "I saw enough last night to know that you will be great parents. All of you." She looked at each of their faces with a nod of encouragement. Thank you for a lovely evening."
"What did you and Daddy do last night, Mama?" Rurik asked wanting to know the details of his mother's evening out now that she knew theirs.'
"Oooh… lot's of things." Julia chuckled with bright eyes and a blushing smile shaking her head and looking over at Jack, clearly unable to share most of those details. "Daddy and I had a nice quiet dinner together and we danced." She winked at Jack and laughed softly while he blushed shaking his head and looked away clearly understanding exactly what kind of dancing she was referring to. "We did a lot of dancing."
When they were freshly showered, changed and ready for the day, Ziva, Tony, Malachi and Liat met Julia and Katherine downstairs for their meeting while Jack and William took the four older children to the park and the babies stayed at home with them.
Julia was in the middle of nursing Jillian when they found she and Katherine downstairs waiting for them in the family room sitting together on one of the comfy love seat sofas, smiling and chatting about Kelsi whose baby was due to arrive at any time.
"Much better, Tony." Katherine smiled at him sitting down in front of her on the opposite sofa facing them. Tony's hair was combed and he was wearing clothes this time and she couldn't help but tease him given all the grief and teasing he'd given her when they first met. "The spell has been broken, I see." She snickered softly thinking of the curse in Beauty and the Beast.
"No more a beast." Tony laughed softly shaking his head and reaching for Ziva's hand.
Julia smiled and sighed, shifting the baby in her arms slightly before she spoke, "We will go through everything we can about The Council, past, present and where we want it to go in the future with all of you, but are there any questions or things you'd like to say before we begin?" She asked reaching for her glass of water on the coffee table where a small array of refreshments and snacks had been set out for them.
"I would." Malachi spoke up from his place in a lone chair sitting to the left of Julia and directly across the coffee table from Liat. His voice was slightly choked as his eyes flashed from Liat back to Julia and Katherine. "I want to resign as the Director of Mossad."
AN: There will likely be another chapter going up later today/tonight!