"I will stay here again tonight." Ziva said looking over at Daniela who was quietly reading a book Jimmy bought for her.
"Are you sure? I can stay here if you want." Tony replied, running his thumb over the back of Ziva's hand. "You don't have to do this alone."
Ziva turned and gave him a soft smile. "I know, but you should go back with Jacob."
"Do you want me to bring you a change of clothes? Some pyjamas?"
"That would be nice." Ziva leaned her head against Tony's shoulder. "Tony, what's going to happen?"
"Zee...let's just take it a day at a time. We'll worry about tomorrow...and then the next day. And then the day after that. We have to take it one step at a time." Tony whispered into her thick hair. "I'll talk to the director, see what she can do."
"And if she can't do anything?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Tony brushed her hair to the side and placed a soft kiss on her temple.
"Tony, do you ever worry about not being fit to be a parent?" Ziva didn't lift her head, avoiding eye contact with Tony.
Tony gently pulled Ziva's head off his shoulder so he could look her in the eyes. "Ziva, are you questioning your ability to parent Daniela and Jacob?"
She nodded slowly. "Tony, I have not had the best role models when it comes to parenting. My father had children just to add to Mossad's ranks. We were tools, not children..."
"Ziva, that was your father, not you." He said running his hands through her hair. "You're a wonderful mother to Jacob and Daniela."
She sat silently, watching the young girl read. Memories of her own childhood with her mother and her sisters in a small apartment in Tel Aviv...Her sisters dying ...Her training in Mossad...
"Zee..."
Tony's voice broke her reverie and she gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I was...daythinking."
"Day dreaming." He corrected with a soft look. "What about?"
"Life." Ziva shook her head. "Tony, I am not sure I am mother material." She said softly. "I...I am not sure I can be a mother."
Tony pressed his lips against her temple. "Ziva, I'm not sure if you know this, but you're already a mother. It might not be your flesh and blood...but you're a mother to those kids. They love you and you love them."
"What if..."
"Ziva, no what if's. Like I said, we'll take it one day at a time. Just today. Then we'll focus on tomorrow..." He got up and ran his hand through her hair. "I'll swing by the house and pick up your pyjamas and some clothes for tomorrow. I'll throw in some shampoo and stuff."
"Okay." She smiled up at him. "I'll talk to the doctor and see if we can leave the hospital for a little bit, maybe go out to eat? Or see if they will let us eat outside."
"Sounds good." Tony walked over to Daniela and perched on the side of her bed. "I'm gonna head out for a bit sweetie. Is there anything you want from the house at all?"
Daniela shook her head. "No thank you." She went back to reading the book as Tony left the room.
#
"Abby, McGee, can you watch Jacob and Daniela for a moment?" Ziva pulled her hair back in a ponytail and shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans.
"Sure!" Abby smiled at Jacob who was playing with some action figures. Move to Daniela's room.
Jacob nodded and tore off for the hospital room. McGee sighed and picked up the now forgotten toys.
"Are you okay Ziva?" He asked watching her intently.
Ziva nodded. "I am McGee."
He draped his arm over her, giving her an awkward hug. "Good." He smiled gently. "Those kids owe everything to you and Tony."
She nodded absently as she made her way over to the desk. "Excuse me..."
A doctor, a young Asian man, looked up. "Yes?"
"My daughter is in room 8. Her father and I were wondering if it was possible to go out for dinner, or at least outside."
The doctor looked through the file. "Daniela Della Roevere? Hmmm...I will have to check her vitals, but I would think that she could go outside." He followed Ziva into the room where Abby, McGee, Jacob and Daniela sat. Abby was signing with Jacob, obviously reading the story that was laid out on the bed while McGee and Daniela worked on a crossword puzzle.
"Daniela...this doctor is going to check to make sure you are healing well. And if you are, perhaps we can all go and eat outside." Ziva said as she stepped around to the other side of the bed.
The girl's eyes went wide and she tensed, drawing herself to the side of the bed. Her eyes searched the room frantically, her fear evident. "Mummy..." She whispered, pulling her knees up to her chest. "Please no. Don't let him touch me."
The doctor nodded towards Ziva. "I'll go get a nurse." He said sympathetically and quickly left the room. McGee looked over at Ziva, inching towards the door.
"Do you want me to leave Daniela?"
She shook her head. "No! Please stay with me McGee. Please stay. Please keep me safe from the bad men." She lunged for him. "You and Mummy carry guns...right?" She whispered.
He nodded mutely.
"Can you shoot the bad men?"
Tears were streaming down her face, her body shook with sobs of terror and pain.
McGee shot a look at Ziva who was standing silently beside the bed. Abby clutched Jacob to her chest, leaning her chin on the top of his head. Ziva sat down and gathered the girl in her arms. "We will keep you safe Daniela. That doctor, he was only here to help."
The girl buried her head in Ziva's shoulder until the nurse came in the room. Ziva pulled herself away from Daniela.
"I...am going to go outside for some air." She muttered. Jacob grabbed her leg, his dark eyes pleading with her. "Correction, Jacob and I are going to go out and grab some air. Daniela, will you be okay with Abby and McGee?" She didn't wait for an answer before leaving the room, the toddler close beside her. The plastic chair creaked menacingly as she threw herself down with Jacob right next to her. She buried her face in her arms, closing her eyes and trying to block out her surroundings. The sound of someone sitting next to her forced her head up.
"Is he yours?"
The Asian doctor gave her a smile as he pulled Jacob onto his lap.
"Yes." She said softly. "I am sorry, I never got your name."
"Dr. Keith Hsu." He shook her hand and moved Jacob to his other knee. "Was he born deaf?"
Ziva nodded.
"Have you thought of trying hearing aids?"
"They do not work. He is profoundly deaf." Ziva brushed the boy's hair off his face.
"Have you heard of cochlear implants?" Dr. Hsu asked tickling the little boy. "For someone his age, it could help greatly in having him achieve most, if not all hearing."
Ziva looked at Jacob who was grinning and wiggling on the doctor's lap. "We have not heard about it, but we will keep that in mind."
"Please do." Doctor Hsu said, moving the boy over to the empty chair beside him. "My wife is an otologist, Renée Hsu at County General. I will tell her about your case and if you decide to call her, she can tell you about the steps to take."
"Thanks doctor." Ziva gave him a smile and looked towards the door as the nurse stepped out and passed Daniela's charts to the Doctor.
" Anytime." He ruffled the boy's hair and passed him over to Ziva. He glanced at the charts. "I can't see how taking Daniela outside would hurt at all. In fact, I'm going to talk to Dr. Benoit about allowing her to go home tomorrow." He gave Ziva a pat on the arm. "She will be okay. Doctor Parker is one of the best child psychologists there are."
#
Tony threw in a pair of green satin pyjamas, a pair of khakis, a black button down shirt, some underwear, a bottle of shampoo and conditioner and some deodorant into a backpack. He looked around the house and grabbed a change of clothes for Daniela, just in case. He stood in her room, a set of clothes still on the floor, her new basketball shoes in the corner...His little girl. Had you told him that six months ago he would he would be spending his days in the hospital with a little girl, he would have laughed. Had you told him that he was head over heels in love with three people, including Ziva, he would have hyperventilated with laughter. He was a different man. Girls no longer mattered to him, well only two of them, and they were in the hospital right now. Sitting down on her bed with the yellow comforter that she was so proud of, he closed his eyes and put his head in his hands. He had told Ziva to just worry about today, but he was worried. He was worried about today, tomorrow, next week and the rest of their lives. He was worried that Jenny would say that the mission was over and pull them apart. He was worried that Ziva was going to leave him. He was worried what was going to happen to the kids...and them. He was worried. About everything.
Looking around the room, he sighed and grabbed the backpack. Pulling out of the driveway he turned on the radio, turning it up out of force of habit.
"Good night my angel time to close your eyes
And save these questions for another day
I think I know what you've been asking me
I think you know what I've been trying to say
I promised I would never leave you
And you should always know
Where ever you may go
No matter where you are
I never will be far away"
He reached over and shut off the music, swallowing the ever growing lump in his throat.
#
Jenny swirled the amber solace in her glass, staring at the wall in her darkened office. The door opened, and without looking up she knew who it was. She knew him better than anyone else, the sound of his walk, the sound of his breathing, the scent of sawdust, sweat and Old Spice. She knew him. He poured himself a glass of bourbon and sat down next to her. They sat in comfortable silence until Gibbs sighed.
"Guess you've got some calls to make."
She glared at him but didn't argue.
"They're a family now."
"I know." She sighed and took another swallow of her drink. "Guess you've got some calls to make too."
He raised an eyebrow and took a long swallow. "Not calls. Just some talking."
"They really are a family, aren't they?"
"Yeah." He looked at his cellphone that was blinking madly at him. "It's Ziva."
"You should answer it."
Flipping it open, he grunted a greeting into the phone. A few monosyllabic grunts later, he closed the phone and looked back at Jenny.
"They're really a family."
#
Jacob no running. Ziva chastised as the small boy pushed the wheelchair at full speed. He looked up apologetically and slowed down to a walk abandoning the chair and clutching Ziva's hand. They walked to the courtyard in silence, Tony checking every corner, his arm attached to the wheelchair. Ziva's eyes flitting in every direction to ensure safety, permanently attached to the young boy. Jacob pulled on Ziva's arm, stretching and trying to get free. Daniela sat quietly in the wheelchair, just happy to be outside.
"What are we eating Papa?"
Tony smiled and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Contraband."
"What is that?"
"It means we're eating something that you shouldn't have." He said with a smile.
Ziva lost her grip on Jacob who ran to face his sister. PIZZA
"Awesome." The girl breathed as they found a bench in the corner of the courtyard. She chewed on the piece of vegetarian pizza slowly, savouring the taste.
"Did you know that the doctor said that you can go home tomorrow?" Ziva said between mouthfuls.
"Home?"
Tony nodded. "Yes, back home." He looked at the girl who put her piece of pizza down. "Are you happy?"
"...are we a family?"
"Of course we are Dani. Why do you ask?" Ziva shot Tony a concerned look before looking back at Daniela.
"Just thinking." She gave a small smile. "I am happy we are going home. I cannot wait to sleep in my bed again."
"We can't wait to have you home either." Tony said kissing the girl on her cheek.
"Where are Jenny and Gibbs?" She asked looking around. "Did you not invite everyone?"
"Oh Daniela, they had to go back to work. Everyone did."
"Will YOU have to go back to work?" Daniela looked up at them sadly.
"Yes we will." Ziva replied, moving Jacob to her other knee.
"Who will protect me and Jacob at home?"
"You guys will be in school." Tony said swallowing his pizza.
A look of panic crossed the small girl's face. "No. No no no no no no no."
"Dani...you have to go to school."
"No...that is where they got me. They are going to be waiting! They are going to take me...take Jacob and kill you!" She spat out. "They said they were going to kill you. I do not want them to kill you."
Tony sighed and wrapped his arms around Daniela and stole a look at Ziva from over her shoulder. She shook her head and pulled Jacob close to her. To any outsider they looked like a perfect family. They were perfectly imperfect.
.