"McGee, what are you doing?"
"Sorry boss. Just doing some research...nothing that I couldn't do at home though." He went to close the internet window on his computer quickly, before Gibbs grabbed his wrist.
"Research on what, Tim?"
McGee sighed. "Adoptions. Well, to be more specific, internet adoptions."
Gibbs pulled a chair close and gave his shoulder a clap. "For Tony and Ziva?"
"Yeah." McGee ran his hands through his hair. "There is so much red tape...Gibbs...I'm not sure if they'll be able to do it."
"How bad does it look?"
Shrugging, McGee pulled out a legal pad. "Ziva isn't a citizen. They're not married. They have no history of children. And children always go to blood relatives first. I've been doing some research on Marcus and Lisa Vancetti. Lisa was an only child, and her parents passed away three years ago. She has a great aunt that lives in Israel, but she's in a home with dementia, so she can't take care of the children. Marcus is a different story. He has a brother who I can't trace and a mother and father who live here in DC."
"And?"
"I have to call them boss. I have to let them know what's going on." McGee said quietly.
"I know."
"Tony and Ziva are going to hate me." McGee said quietly.
"They are not going to hate you McGee."
"Yes they are." He put his head in his hands. "If these kids get taken away...it's going to be my fault Gibbs. It's going to be my fault because I found out about this..."
"We would have found out about this anyway. At least now you can prepare them for it, and it's coming from a friend...not a lawyer." Gibbs gave his shoulder a quick squeeze and walked back to his desk. "DiNozzo and David are coming in after lunch. You should tell them."
"I know." He sighed. "I know, boss."
#
Tony swung Jacob over his shoulder as they walked into the building of NCIS. Daniela stuck close to Ziva's side, walking along quietly.
"Will Jenny be here?"
"Probably." Ziva replied quickly.
"Gibbs?"
"Yes."
"McGee."
"Yes."
"You have your guns?"
Ziva stopped and knelt down in front of Daniela. "Daniela. You are safe. Nothing will hurt you. I promise. Guns or no guns, you are safe. Do you understand?"
The girl nodded slowly.
"Okay, let's go inside." They jogged along to catch up with Tony and Jacob who were holding the elevator .
"Going up." Tony grinned, giving Ziva's hand a squeeze. The doors opened and they walked out into the bullpen, and Jacob flew into Jimmy who was sitting by McGee's desk.
"What is he saying?" Jimmy laughed as he watched the boy's hands fly every which way.
"He wants to show you what he built out of Lego." Abby translated, scooping Daniela up in a hug. "He has it in his bag."
McGee cleared his throat and looked towards Gibbs and Jenny who were standing above them. "Palmer, Abby...would you be able to watch Daniela and Jacob for a few minutes?"
"Sure!" Abby exclaimed, sitting the girl on Ziva's chair.
Jimmy nodded as Jacob dumped out his backpack in the middle of the bullpen floor.
Ziva and Tony walked up the stairs and followed Gibbs and Jenny into her office.
"Director?"
She nodded towards the two chairs in front of her desk. "Please sit."
Obediently they say in front of her, stealing worried glances to one another. "What's going on Director?" Tony asked finally, the silence driving him insane.
"We found Daniela and Jacob's grandparents." Jenny said slowly.
"You found...who?" Tony started at Jenny and then Gibbs.
"McGee was doing some research on international adoptions and he learned that Daniela and Jacob's paternal grandparents are still living, here in DC actually." Jenny explained quietly.
Ziva felt her heart drop into her stomach and a wave of nausea washed over her. Her body broke out into a cold sweat, her heart racing. She didn't flinch when she felt Tony's hand grasp hers.
"What does this mean?" Tony asked, swallowing hard.
"Children must go with blood relatives first." McGee said slowly. "It's the law. If their family can't take them they go into custody of DCFS...and then adoptions go from there."
"But why would we not be able to adopt them?" Ziva asked, her mouth dry.
"Too many hurdles." Jenny said softly. "You two aren't married, you aren't an American citizen Ziva. You two would have to pass the psychological evaluations..."
"So?" Tony gripper her hand tighter. "You don't think we could pass it?"
"That's beside the point DiNozzo. They have family." Jenny said, looking to Gibbs for support.
"They have family here too." Ziva replied standing up. "Excuse me." She rushed out of the room.
She went into the washroom on the top floor to avoid prying eyes. Hot tears streamed down her face as she collapsed against the wall. Her body wracked with semi-silent sobs, the pain something she had never felt before. She had felt physical pain, sure. She had felt mental pain...but this. This was something new. It made her sick. It made her hurt. It made weak. It made her breathless. It made her see stars. She couldn't see, she couldn't feel, she couldn't breathe. A part of her was torn away, a part of her was missing. A part of her was dead. She didn't notice when Tony slid into the small bathroom, locking the door behind him. He slid to the floor and wrapped her up in his arms. She was vulnerable. She was hurting. And there was nothing he could do for her.
"We lost them." She whispered through the tears. "Tony, we lost them."
"We'll fight for them. We'll do everything we can."
"We can't do anything." Her voice was weak. Defeated.
She pressed her face into his chest, stifling her sobs. They sat there, for longer than each of them knew until they felt strong enough to leave.
#
"You look happy Daniela."
The girl looked up at Abby and smiled. "I am. I am happy here with Mummy and Papa and you guys."
"Do you miss Israel?" Abby's fingers moved nimbly through the girl's thick curly hair.
"No. I did. I miss Abba and Ima and Isaac. But I do not miss Israel anymore." She looked over towards Jacob. "I do not think Jacob ever missed Israel. He loves it here. He loves Mummy and Papa so much."
Abby smiled. "I can tell." She finished braiding the little girl's hair into pig tail braids and spun her around on the chair. "Do you want to go down and visit my lab?"
"Yes!" Daniela nodded. "Can we play with Major Mass-spec?"
"Course you can." Abby grinned and pushed the girl on Ziva's chair into the elevator.
#
"I look horrible."
"You look beautiful." Tony wiped a smear of mascara off of her cheek and placed a kiss on her nose. "You're always beautiful. Are you ready to go back to the Director's office?"
"No, but we have no choice, do we?"
He gave her a tight hug. "We'll get through it." He unlocked the door and held it open for her. They walked back silently to the office, where Jenny, Gibbs, McGee and Ducky sat quietly.
"What are our options?" Tony asked as they sat down in the chairs. "What can we do?"
"It will take some legal prowess and a good report with DCS." Jenny replied.
"I...don't have that kind of money to hire one of those fancy lawyers." Tony said quietly.
"Nor do I." Ziva said keeping her eyes downcast.
"But I do." Jenny smiled.
"As do I." Ducky added. "We will do whatever it takes dear Anthony and Ziva to help you along. Money is no barrier."
"And DCFS?" Ziva asked, giving an apologetic smile to Ducky.
"Department of Child Services. They need to conduct interviews and make assessments...but most of the time, children go with their biological families." Ducky said softly.
"Most of the time, they don't have a family like us." Tony said standing up.
"DCFS has been called, DiNozzo. But they can't come until tomorrow." Gibbs said sternly.
"My lawyer has also been called. She will contact you tonight at home." Jenny said. "She will go over things with you." She gave Tony and Ziva a soft smile. "We're not the enemy."
Tony shrugged. "Boss..."
"Go home." Gibbs said. "Take the kids and go home."
#
"Daniela, we have to speak to you."
The girl looked up from the book she was reading and nodded. "I did not do anything."
Tony and Ziva sat down on either side of her. "We know baby." Tony said smoothing her hair. "We have a great suprise for you." Even to him it sounded forced.
"I do not like suprises." She looked at their faces, both of them with fake smiles on their faces.
"You have grandparents that live in DC." Tony said slowly, forcing his voice to be energetic.
"No, they are dead. My Ima's family is dead and so is my Abba's." She argued.
"Daniela, your Abba's parents are still alive. They live here in DC." Ziva said quietly.
The girl shrugged. "So?"
"Daniela. Because you have family here..." Ziva started before her voice caught in her throat.
"There are laws Daniela...and one of them is that if there is family...children must go and live with them." Tony finished.
Her face went pale...her eyes narrowed and angry. "NO!"
"Daniela..."
"NO! NO! NO! NO!" She shook her head, her braids whipping from side to side. "No! You are our family! YOU! Not THEM! YOU!" Tears streamed down her face. "I am NOT GOING!"
"You have to. We're sorry...but the director got a lawyer and the Department of Child and Family services are going to come..." Tony took the girl in his arms as she struggled.
"NO! They cannot take us away! I will not go! I will run away with Jacob!" She was hysterical, her breath coming in short gasps. "I WILL NOT GO WITH THEM!"
"Daniela, you have not met them yet." Ziva said smoothing her hair.
The girl didn't answer, her eyes shut tight, trying to shut out the world.
#
There was a knock on the door. Daniela had calmed down and was sitting on the armchair, her eyes glaring at everyone and everything. Jacob was sitting on the floor, oblivious to the situation, continuing to build his giant contraption with Lego.
Tony answered it, a confused look on his face when he saw Jenny standing on the front step with two women in business suits. "Director?"
"Tony, this is Devin Thomas and Jessica Marshall. I believe you've already spoken with Devin."
He nodded.
"And Jessica is from DFCS. I figured that we should get this ball rolling."
Opening the door wider, he allowed them to enter, grabbing Ziva as she made her way across the foyer.
"I will have to speak to the children." Jessica started.
"Daniela. Jacob is profoundly deaf. We took him in for an evaluation for cochlear implants. Unless you can sign." Ziva said sharply.
"And where is Daniela?"
"In the other room. I will lead you to her." Ziva said, tossing Tony a look over her shoulder.
"Director, Miss Thomas, the study?" Tony asked, leading them to the other side of the house.
Daniela stared up at the woman who sat down beside her. "Daniela, can we speak for a few minutes?"
"'Bout what?" She pulled her feet underneath her.
"About your life here with Ziva and Tony."
The girl nodded. "Okay. I can tell you everything. I want to live with them."
"Do they treat you well?"
"Yes. They love me and my brother." Daniela said looking at Ziva with a small smile. "They take care of us."
"I see that." Jessica gave her a smile and tousled the girl's hair. "I'm going to go and speak with Ziva privately."
Daniela watched as Ziva gave her a small smile and followed the other woman out of the room.
"Please, Miss David, please sit."
"I'd rather stand." Ziva crossed her arms across her chest.
"Okay then. It says here that you are an Israeli citizen."
"I am, yes."
"And you and Mister DiNozzo are not married?"
"We are not."
"And this house...it's owned by the agency. Correct?"
"Yes."
"And your apartment, it is a one bedroom?"
"That is correct." Ziva narrowed her eyes. "What is this all about?"
"You and Mister DiNozzo are not married, you are not a citizen, and you two do not have means to house two children...Is that everything?"
Ziva's face paled as the other woman left the room.
#
Tony frowned. "Director?"
"You'll have to go in front of a judge to plead your case to be guardian ad litem to the two children." Devin said, throwing her hair over her shoulder. "Though, I will warn you, biological family wins custody 90% of the time."
"Okay." Tony swallowed hard. "And up until then?"
"They will be put in DFCS's care. In a foster family until a court date can be held."
"How soon?"
"I will pull some strings Tony. As soon as possible." Jenny said, placing a hand on the obviously distraught man's shoulder. "As soon as possible."
Cries from the other room signalled his worst nightmare. Their kids were slowly being taken from them. He rushed out of the room, stopping Ziva from turning the DFCS worker into a pile of bloody pulp.
"Our kids Tony." She whispered, watching as the woman shifted Jacob on her hip.
"We'll get them back Ziva."
Daniela sat on the floor, determined that if they were going to take her, she was going to be as difficult as possible. Her eyes met Ziva and Tony's and she shook her head. "You promised." She cried, tears making paths down her cheeks. "YOU PROMISED THAT NO ONE WOULD HURT US! YOU PROMISED!"
Tony closed his eyes as the little girl was led out of the house. Her screams would haunt his dreams.
#
He poured another shot of tequila and stared at Ziva who was already on her fourth...or maybe fifth drink. He lost count a while ago and really couldn't care less. He was drunk. They both were actually. Stinking drunk.
"Want another one?" He slurred.
"Si. Claro. Uno mas." She replied slowly in Spanish. "I think I love you José."
"I'm Tony."
"I'm talking to the Tequila."
"First sign of insanity is when you talk to inanimate objects."
She waved her glass at him. "I do not care."
He shrugged.
"Tony I miss them." She took a swallow of the burning liquid.
"I know so do I." He stared at the tequila bottle as it swam in front of him. "So do I."
.
I'm spoiling you guys with quick updates!
Now I don't claim to be an expert with child adoption or anything to do with DFCS, so if I get things wrong, I apologize.
Hopefully I should be able to update sooner rather than later for the next chapter, but my best friend is in town for two weeks, so I'll be doing some awesome relaxation and hanging out.