Chapter 12
They both had been smiling at him all day. Gibbs had even caught his eye once and smiled at him. It was weird. He needed a break, so he got up and went to the bathroom. Ziva followed him in a few moments later.
“Ziva, we have GOT to stop meeting like this.” Tony said looking at himself in the mirror when he saw Ziva standing by the door.
Ziva just smiled at him.
“What’s with that?” Tony asked. All the smiling was beginning to unnerve him.
“With what?” Ziva asked. She surprised him and gave him a hug. She put her head on his chest.
“What is going on?” Tony asked again.
“We…I am happy for you. You really…you’ve changed. More… grounded. You seem, happier. You really are a good dad.” Ziva concluded.
“I’ve only known I had a daughter for a few weeks, Ziva.” Tony stated.
Ziva nodded. “True.” She stepped back and looked up at him. “But you fell right into it. You are very good at it, Tony.”
“I thank you, but….”
“Olivia thinks so too.” Ziva stated.
Tony was shocked. “When did you talk to Olivia?”
Ziva tucked her head. “She..She called to talk to you and I answered your phone.”
Tony opened his mouth to protest.
Ziva shook her head and looked up at him. “I had to answer. We were waiting for a call from Vance. We could not take the chance of not answering.”
Tony only nodded, allowing Ziva to continue.
“She told me about your plans of going out of town for a couple of weekends doing different things. It…it was nice.” Ziva stopped speaking, lost in thought.
“What?” Tony asked.
“Since coming to the states, I have realized, thanks to you, mostly, what I missed. What I missed during my childhood. I didn’t have a childhood. I…I know that now. If my dad would have even had one of those type outings with me. I…I would have cherished it for the rest of my life. I would have loved to be able to talk to my father the way you talk to Olivia. There is no pretense. There is no agenda. I…Enjoy it, Tony. Just enjoy this time you have with her. She will be going off to college, starting her life. She…just make those memories while you can.”
Tony took Ziva into his arms and hugged her. “I’m sorry, Ziva. I am really sorry. I wish things could have been different for you.”
Ziva again rested her head on Tony’s chest. “Me too, Tony. Me too.”
Ziva wiped the tears from her eyes and then exited the restroom. Tony followed a few moments later.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
Tim was smiling when Tony returned from the bathroom.
“What McGoo?” Tony asked sitting down.
“It was…sweet, you with Olivia.” Tim stated.
“I am a federal agent who carries a gun.” Tony retorted. “What is sweet about that?”
“You, with her at the restaurant….” Tim started.
“Tim? McGoo!” Tony said, suddenly embarrassed.
“It was just….”
“Stop it!” Tony warned. “Or I will glue your keyboard to your desk again.”
Tim fell silent, still smiling, but knowing Tony would and could, very easily, carry out his threat.
Gibbs shook his head. He continued to smile also. He loved the fact Tony had shared the scrapbooks of Olivia’s childhood with him. It made him feel even more like Olivia’s grandfather, and he felt even closer to Tony.
TBC
Sorry for such a short chapter. I will try to post another this week to make up for it. Thanks , again, for all the reviews.
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