"So that's good, right?" Abby took a long swallow of her beer and stared at the couple.
"It's good. It's not for certain, but we're closer than before." Tony gave Ziva's hand a small squeeze. "We still have to go through some social work stuff, mainly interviews, housing conditions and then get it legalized, but..." His voice trailed off and he flashed his million dollar smile "We no longer have to fight for custody."
"I can't believe the grandparents gave up so easily." McGee said reaching over and taking a nacho off of the plate. "But, its great news for you guys."
"They did not. The grandmother did not want to put the children through anymore pain and suffering." Ziva got a far off look on her face. "Like King Solomon with the child. She would rather give her child away than allow it to be injured. She may not know the children, but they are her son's flesh and blood. She would rather have someone else raise and love them than see them put through the pain." She picked a taco chip off the plate and chewed it thoughtfully. "I am just happy that it appears to be working out for the best. Though, the whole international aspect is still a...hurt...al?" She said slowly.
"Hurdle. And I was doing some research on that." McGee corrected with a smile. "I double checked their birth certificates. Only Isaac was born in Israel. Daniela and Jacob were both born in the US when they were stationed in Hawaii. They're US citizens."
Tony's jaw dropped. "How come no one realised that before, Tim?"
"I'm not sure." The younger agent shrugged. "Everything was destroyed in the explosion in Israel, and everyone assumed that since Isaac was born in Israel, Daniela and Jacob were too."
"That is great." Ziva smiled and took a sip of her drink. "That should make things much easier. Thank you Tim." She placed her hand on the younger agent's hand and gave him a smile. "You have done so much to help us."
He blushed. "Thanks guys, but it's nothing much."
"It's more than most people do." Ziva smiled and went back to sipping her mojito. "We have everyone at NCIS to thank. And to apologize to."
"Apologize to?"
"Everyone. For pulling the smack while we were going through this."
"Slack Ziva. Slack." Tony said with a grin. He leaned over and placed a kiss on Ziva's temple.
"Awwwwwwwwwww..." Abby cooed, receiving a grin from Tony and a blush from Ziva. "You two are too cute. You love birds."
McGee smiled and nodded. "As long as it stays out of the office."
"You should talk McSneaky." Tony gave him a grin. "And you too ABBY."
The raven haired forensic scientist rolled her eyes, but McGee had the good grace to blush and look down at his hands. "So you know?"
"You guys aren't exactly ninjas." Tony grinned. "You guys aren't even stealthy."
Abby shrugged. "Well Gibbs seems to have lightened up a bit on Rule 12 since you know..."
"Know what?" Ziva searched the faces of her boyfriend and colleges.
"You know, knocking boots with the director." McGee said with a slight blush.
"Knocking...boots?" She looked to Tony for translation. "What does knocking boots mean?"
"Doing the horizontal tango...bumping uglies...getting it on..." Tony started.
A confused look crossed her face.
"They're sleeping together Ziva. Why do you think boss man has been so happy all of a sudden?" Tony replied with a sly grin.
"Oh." Ziva shrugged. "I had just assumed that he had been eating better...and drinking less coffee."
"Zee...you don't get a personality change like that eating more fibre."
The dark haired assassin grinned. "Well, it certainly has done wonders for you."
"Ha ha ha." Tony wrinkled his nose and flicked Ziva on the nose. "You're a real comedian Ziva." He turned to his other two colleagues. "Hey, are you guys free tomorrow afternoon?"
McGee shrugged. "Think so, why?"
"We just put an offer down on a house...and we'd really appreciate it if you guys would come and take a look with us." Tony's ears went slightly pink and he rubbed his face sheepishly.
"We'd LOVE TO!" Abby squealed. "Which house did you pick? Oh my gosh, is it the one on Bakers Street? Or the one on Parkview Road?"
"Marquis Crescent." Tony replied with a smile.
"I haven't seen that one!" Abby accused.
"No, it just came on the market." Ziva explained. "I love it."
"Yes! Timmy! We have to go!"
"Abs...I already said that we were free." He rolled his eyes good naturedly.
"Oh...right." She flashed a smile at McGee and then turned back to Ziva. "11am?".
#
Tony and Ziva pulled up in front of a house on a quiet crescent with Abby and McGee close behind. The house was brick, with a large wraparound porch and a double car garage. The lawn was perfectly manicured with two trees, a stepping stone path and a flower garden below a set of large bay windows.
"Whoa." Abby exclaimed. "I haven't even seen inside and I friggin love it!"
Ziva smiled. "It really is quite wonderful."
They walked up to the front door and Tony rang the doorbell. A boy, about 15 opened the door. "Oh, Hi Mister DiNozzo. Have you come to see the house again?"
"Hey Devin. Your mom and dad home?"
The boy shook his head, his long blond curls falling over his eyes. "Nah, they're out with Colin, checking out the Orioles at Camden. It's just me and Jess, but she's holed up in her room right now, writing some thesis application or something." He shrugged and opened the door wider. "Come on in. I'll just go outside and toss some balls around."
"Oh, you're a baseball player?" McGee asked with a smile.
"Nope. Lacrosse. Hoping to play for UVA in a couple of years." He gave a smile and walked further into the house. "I'll go get Jess and get out of your way."
"Thanks Dev."
Tony held the door open for the rest of the group to enter the house.
"Wow Tony." McGee looked around the entrance, taking in the dark hardwood floors and the contrasting colours on the walls.
"And this is just the entrance. Wait until you see the rest of the house!" Tony exclaimed with a grin. "Gerry's an architect and Leslie is an interior designer."
"Why are they moving? This is such an amazing house!" McGee asked kneeling down and feeling the hardwood.
"Mom and Dad have been building their 'dream house' for fifteen years now. It's finally done, and since we're all moving out or moved out ..." A tall girl in her early twenties stepped out of a room with an armful of books. "After we move out is when they get a pool." She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, Devin and I will head outside."
"Thank you." Ziva said sweetly. She watched as the two kids leave the house, shutting the door behind them.
"This is the living room." Tony started showing a room with deep mahogany floors and tan walls. "The best part is…" He walked over and opened the drapes. "Bay windows."
"I didn't know you knew anything about bay windows, Tony." Abby said with a smile.
He ignored her and kept going with the tour…
"Tony…, the house is amazing." McGee said at the end of the tour, sitting on the patio in the backyard. "It's a big step isn't it?"
Tony shrugged and leaned back on the patio chair. "I guess so." He looked over at Ziva who was showing the garden to Abby in the corner. "Or maybe not. I dunno, it just doesn't seem like a big issue anymore. It's like after going swimming in the ocean, you're not afraid of the shallow end of the pool anymore." He gave a small smile. "I'm not afraid. I just know that it's…"
"Meant to be?" McGee filled in with a matching smile.
"Yeah." He watched as Ziva and Abby disappeared around the corner…
#
"I'll call them downstairs." Marguerite Taylor said with a smile. "It's great to see you guys, I'm so happy that you guys got extended custody hours. Daniela has been asking about you."
Tony smiled. "We're happy too." He wrapped his arm around Ziva and waited for Daniela and Jacob. The kids thundered down the stairs, Jacob leaping off the second last step and flying into Tony's arms. Daniela hopped down, throwing her backpack over her shoulders. "Bye Marg!" She yelled pulling Ziva's arm.
"Whoa whoa…Daniela…slow down. We have all weekend." Ziva said with a smile.
The girl rolled her eyes dramatically. "We are wasting our time." She waved at Mrs. Taylor again and tugged at Ziva's arm. "Let's go."
Ziva gave an apologetic wave and allowed herself to be pulled out the door. Tony smiled at the woman and adjusted Jacob on his shoulders. "We'll have them back on Sunday night."
Marguerite smiled. "Take your time."
Tony turned and jogged with the boy on his shoulders and swung him down when they reached the car. The boy scrambled inside and slammed the door.
"What do you guys want to do today?" Tony asked as he climbed inside.
"Nothing." Daniela replied leaning against the back of the seat.
"What do you mean, nothing?" Tony looked back at the girl in the rearview mirror.
"Nothing. I want to do nothing." She smiled. "I want to spend all weekend together."
Ziva smiled, and buckled her seat belt. "That is a good idea Daniela, but, we asked everyone at NCIS to join us for supper. I hope that is okay."
The girl almost jumped free of her vehicle restraint. "Yes!" Her blue-green eyes flashed. "You know exactly what I want!" She giggled. "I want so much to see everyone." Leaning back against the seat she started to sign to Jacob. The boy let loose an ear piercing squeal and kicked the back of Tony's seat.
Tony winced and gave a pained smile to Ziva who grinned and patted his leg. He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back and held it as he began to back out of the driveway.
Daniela snickered quietly in her seat and rolled her eyes.
"Yes Daniela?" Tony asked glancing in the rearview mirror.
"You kissed Mummy." She said with a giggle.
With a grin, Tony stopped the car and grabbed Ziva's face with both of his hands and placed a soul scorching kiss on her lips. He pulled away with Ziva blinking fiercely trying to clear the dazed look on her face. "Now THAT was kissing Mummy." He said with a smug smile.
Daniela scrunched her face and hid her eyes. "PAPA!"
He smiled and put the car back in drive…
#
AGAIN Jacob stared up at McGee and waved his arms. McGee smiled and lifted the boy on his back spinning around quickly.
"Who's going to puke first, McGee or Jacob?" Tony whispered to Ziva. She rolled her eyes and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"They are very good with kids." She said watching Abby push Daniela on the swing.
"Surprisingly." Tony gripped her hand. "I'm just glad that we get them, for even a short while."
"Tony, do not think like that." Ziva turned to him and ran her thumbs over his temples. "Tony we have to think positive. We are going to get the kids. We are going to be a family."
Gibbs took a swallow of his coffee and caught, out of the corner of his eye, his two senior agents speaking quietly to each other. He knew the look that Tony had in his eyes, his next move was written all over his face.
"A penny for your thoughts?" Jenny joined him on the picnic table.
"Tony's gonna propose." He said bluntly, watching the two on the neighbouring picnic table.
"How do you know?"
"Four wives, remember?" Turning to her, he gave her a chaste smile. "Probably should tell them 'bout us, hunh?"
Jenny laughed, giggled really. "They know Jethro."
"You told them?"
"You taught them to be investigators Jethro." Jenny gave his knee a short squeeze. "How do you know that Tony is going to propose to Ziva?"
"He has that look. So does Ziva."
Jenny didn't bother arguing with Jethro, but watched as Daniela came tearing around the table, and take a flying leap over and hit the tree behind them.
"I BEAT YOU ABBY!" The girl grinned and ran back to the Goth forensic scientist who was still standing across the playground.
Gibbs shook his head and a smile settled on his face watching the kids, his kids and their kids, play in the park.
.
Okay, so here's the dealio.
First of all. Thank you to everyone who gave me such kind words of support with my job. I love it, I really do, but I usually go home and take a 2 hour nap after work. Anyway, here is the latest chapter. I'm going to be heading on a five day roadtrip come Thursday (Not like we're excited at all, except for the whiner in the car. If you hear about a random 20 something left on the side of the road in…oh…one of the Dakotas…it was me) so this will be the last update for a while. Unless I'm in jail…then it's the last update forever. So, for your sakes, I'll try not to murder her on the trip.