And I'm back! I apologize for the long wait. I just lost inspiration. For everything. Like every time I would go to write something, I would have no words. I just finished this chapter and I'm really proud of it. I have a really good idea track so I can write more and give you more chapters! Yay!

Anyway, on to the chapter.

Disclaimer still applies...

Chapter 10

"I see you two are buddy-buddy again." The very Special Agent announced as he slipped into the passenger seat of his vehicle.

Jeanne nodded as she checked her pager and pulled away from the federal building, "We just watched a movie and had quesadillas."

"And you let her play with your phone."

Jeanne eyed him from the corner of her eye, "No…"

Tony smirked as he watched Talia crack the passcode and pull the famous, Ziva Pout, as she began snooping, "Hey Tali," he said as he rubbed her knee. "Did you ask Jeanne for her phone?"

Talia smirked, "I borrowed it."

"Don't you have to ask to borrow something first?"

"Not if you find it."

He turned and faced his girlfriend, "Why do I think this is some sort of reverse psychology?"

Jeanne laughed, "Because it probably is."

"Hey daddy, what did you say porn was again?" Tali asked.

"Something you're not allowed to be involved in." Her father responded.

"Oh." Tali said simply. "Well, daddy…is porn where you don't have any clothes on?"

Tony looked at Jeanne waywardly, "Sometimes…"

She scrunched up her face, "Aunt Jeanne?"

Jeanne looked up at her through the mirror, "Yes Tali?"

"What do you do again?" Tali asked curiously.

"I'm uh…I am an Emergency Room doctor."

"Oh…So you work as a porn star on the side?"

"What?" Tony questioned.

"She doesn't have any clothes on in this picture, so that's a porn star, right daddy?"


"Aunt Jeanne, you could be a mod-…Daddy what's that in between your-"

"Okay, give me the phone!" Tony shouted as he lunged forward and quickly grabbed the phone from his child.

He looked and Jeanne, "I told you those wouldn't be the best Christmas card photos."


"Yes, Tali."

"Do you always have a hot dog in between your legs?"

"I want donuts! I want donuts!" Tali chanted as the small and blended family strolled through the grocery store and pushed a shopping cart.

Tony nodded, "Okay, we'll get donuts; we just have to get the main food groups first."

"Is pizza one of those food groups?" Tali asked innocently.

Tony chuckled, "I knew there was some of me in you."

Jeanne soon appeared, after disappearing to find a nice selection of fruit, and set them in the cart, "I got some fruit-"

"No strawberries, right?"

Jeanne shook her head, "No cherie."

"Great. What else do we need?"

"Um, the usual."

Tony playfully scoffed, "And you think I know what is?"

"And what did you ever do when I wasn't around?" she questioned with a mischievous smile. He smirked and tapped her nose, "Pizza and take-out of course."

"That's not very healthy."

"And neither is a ten day dry spell."

She grinned, "That's not my fault."

"It's not my fault ether."

"You came home from work late."

"I came home on time every night."

"Which is late."



He chuckled and pecked her lips. But instead of hearing a shriek of 'Ew!' he felt the cart moved forward as it grew light.

He turned and around to find an empty card, with no Talia, "How does she do that?" He whispered as he turned over boxes of cereal, as if a five year old was tiny enough to fit inside.

"Okay, she was there a second ago." Jeanne said calmly. "She's around here somewhere."

"Oh God, what if someone kidnapped her. Jeanne I've seen Law & Order a million times, Jeanne we have a problem!"

Suddenly he felt a tug on his leg and he found Talia with half of the stuff on the list, spilling out of her arms. She sighed, "You guys take forever." She sighed. "We here for grocery shoppin' not kissin'."

He picked her up and hugged her tightly, not caring if the bread or cereal was getting squished. "Tali, please don't do that ever again. I was…I'm not gonna say worried, but I mean, a just a tiny bit."

She tapped his nose, "That's what you get for watching too much TV."

"Tali, Jeanne made dinner. And I don't think Chinese was on the menu."

Talia frowned, "NO." She commanded.

"Tali, it's really good." Jeanne insisted. "You said you liked spaghetti."

"Not today."

Tony scooped his daughter up; he nuzzled her close, "I will give you whatever you want if you just eat four bites."

"American Girl Doll."

Tony nodded, "Sure. We got a deal?"

Tali nodded, "Yes, Daddy." She held out her pinky and he locked it tightly. He hugged her and pulled her close, "Now you smile and go hug her, and I'll add an extra fifty." He whispered in her ear.

Talia smirked, "Make two hundred and you've got a deal."

"You sound just like your mother."

Talia smiled, "'Voiding the question."


He patted her back and gave her a little push. Talia smirked over her shoulder before running over and hugging Jeanne's legs.

"AJ!" she said excitedly.

Jeanne smiled at him as she picked up Tali, "You can help me set up."

She mouthed Thank You as Talia pointed to multiple things around the kitchen.

After plates were set, and spoons were washed after Talia stuffed four in her mouth, before the... 'Family' sat down to dinner.

"So, how was your day?" Jeanne asked.

Tony chuckled, "The usual."

Jeanne glared at him over the table, "You didn't glue Tim's fingers to the keyboard did you?"

Tony laughed as he twirled spaghetti on his fork, "You'd think Probie would learn by now."

Talia giggled and held up her small hand, "Nice one daddy."

The two DiNozzo's smacked hands, receiving a disapproving look from the Benoit of the table. "Tony that is not a good example to set."

Talia pulled her legs up and sat on top of them as she slipped a look at her father, "I thought it was funny." She mumbled.

"That's not the point. It wasn't a nice thing to do. And you shouldn't do it either."

Talia rolled her eyes and was able to slip the slightest whisper under her breath, "You're not my mom."

Jeanne shook her head disapproving, "I just hope you don't pass it onto our children."

"Okay, so how was your day?" Tony said in an attempt to change the subject.

Jeanne smirked, "Movies and Quesadillas, honey."

He flashed a smile, "What about you Talia?"

Talia shrugged, "No'thing."


Talia giggled and shook her head, "No daddy."

"Not a thing?"


"No cool dreams, from that nap?"

"Well, I had a dream I was a super hero."

"Who was the evil villain?"

Talia shrugged, "MoJo-JoJo."

"Oh, Powerpuff Girls. Good choice." Tony approved.

Talia nodded, "Vorrei che avessimo un cane." I wish we had a dog.

Tony made a small laugh before nodding, "Si." Yes.

"So," Jeanne said. "I was thinking tomorrow we go and show Talia-"

"I prefer Tali." Tali butted in.

Jeanne nodded, "Alright, Tali, show her around DC. I think you'd really like the International Spy Museum, I've never been myself but some of my coworkers took their sons there a few months ago and they loved it."

"I wanna go to American Girl."

"That can be arranged."

"And I wanna feed 'Merican ducks. When it's raining."

"Why?" Tony asked.

Tali shrugged, "I like ducks. And you don't have a dog."

"Okay." Tony laughed. "I'll check the weather forecast."

"Which reminds me, you know I think Marcy has some boys your age, and a little girl. Maybe you guys could have a play date!"

Talia made a face, "I don't play well with others."

Jeanne laughed nervously, "Well, what are you going to do when your dad and I have our baby? And you have siblings?"

Both manicured eyebrows flew up, "Who said you guys were having a baby?"

Jeanne shrugged, "Well, I mean, you never know."

"Well, I don't want to know! I don't WANT daddy to have a baby!"

"Well, technically daddy wouldn't be having the baby." Jeanne said simply.

"NO!" Tiny fists made contact with the table and Talia flew from the table and up the stairs to the loft, "And that's NOT spaghetti!" she cried before slamming the door.

Tony sighed and glared at his girlfriend, "She just got here, and of all things you could have sprung on her."

"It's a big possibility."

He angrily shook his head, "No it's not, Jeanne!"

"There's only one main way to get a baby Tony."

He stood and dropped his plate in the sink, "Not if you don't do that thing to get a muffin filled with frosting."

Her eyebrows knitted together, "What?"

He sighed and shook his head, "We're not gonna have a baby Jeanne."

"Why not?" she questioned.

"I-I…I haven't been….preforming."

She tripped over several words before finally getting out, "You've been…faking?"


"B-but guys can't do that. Only girls can."

"Well, obviously I've been doing a good job."


He shrugged, "I…I dunno. Can we talk about this later? Knowing Ziv, I'm sure Tali is probably transferring half of my bank account to somewhere in the Cayman Islands." He took off up the stairs.

"Wait, no, we have to talk about this!"

She followed him up the stairs where he was attempting to open the door, "You got a bobby pin?" he questioned.

"That only works in the movies." Jeanne said coldly.

He rolled his eyes and pressed all his weight into his shoulder and pushed it open.

He looked around the room and found his futon and his stereo system but no Talia.

"Talia." He called out.

"Do you have a closet?"

He shook his head, "She came up here right?"

Jeanne nodded, "This is the only place where the stairs lead."

He got down on all fours and looked up under the futon, and then crawled over to the stereo system. He noticed the four inch crawl space in between the stereo and the futon.

"Tali, are you in my speaker?"

"Go away!"

"Tali, Jeanne didn't mean to make you sad. She's really sorry."

"No I'm not." Jeanne whispered.

He hit her foot, "Aren't you?" He growled.

She rolled her eyes, "Yes, I'm…Sorry, Talia."

"TALI!" she screamed and began to cry again.

He pulled Jeanne down next to him, "Tali, we're sorry. I'm sorry. But I can't help you if I don't know why you don't want us to have a baby."

"She doesn't have a choice in this." Jeanne whispered to him.

"But I do." Tony whispered back to her.

"L'ee me alone." Tali blubbered.

"Tali, I'm sorry. Come out, whatever it is I'll fix it. Do you not want a brother because he'll leave the toilet seat down like me? Because I swear I'll teach him to pee sitting down. I swear."

Jeanne's face became puzzled, but Tony went on, "Or is it because you don't want a sister because you won't be my little girl anymore. Because, I swear you still will be. Swear. Pinky Promise."

When the silence was swept around the room, Tony sighed, "Tali. Please answer me. Why not?"

"I don't want to live here anymore." She sniffled.

Tiny pieces of his heart chipped away, "Why not, Tal? I thought you wanted to feed the American ducks."

"French ducks are fine. I wanna go home. With my real mommy."

"Do you feel like I'm trying to replace your mom Tali?" Jeanne asked.

After a questionably long pause Tali was able to peep out a tiny, yes. "And she's not even gone yet!'

"Tali, I didn't want you to think like that. I just-I was looking out for you."

"'Ressing me, telling what to eat, that's mommy's job. It's Mommy's job to have babies' wit Daddy, not you."

"Oh." Jeanne said quietly.

"Tali, me and your mom we broke up a long time ago and you know, I met Jeanne and you know, she's nice and pretty and I'm sure your mom has boyfriends."

"But I know Mommy! I no know you!" she cried.

An 'Aw' escaped from Jeanne's lips, "She and baby take you away from me! I don't wanna share you yet! You don't even know my favorite ani'mall."

"Well, tell me, tell me now."

Hush piled into the room and not a word was shed, and seemingly after what felt like an eternity Jeanne dropped her head into her hands, before shaking her head, "I'm going to bed."

She stood up, and without her significant other uttering a word to her, she left.

He stole a glance at the moon which was high in the sky, signaling it was probably close to midnight.

He heard her wiggle around inside the body of the speaker, "Your mom would kill me if she knew you were up this late."

She did not answer, but he knew she was trying her hardest to keep her eyes open.

"Are you tired?" he asked.

He sighed as she still did not say anything, "You know, I didn't think this whole Ignoring Dad thing wasn't supposed to happen until you were a teenager."

He heard her move around, "You know those speakers come with padding. They make some nice pillows."

"Can't sleep?" he added. He crawled over and peeled off the front of the speaker and founded a pair of white chocolate eyes, looking sadly at him.

"You look like you lost your best friend." He said. He held out his arms, and she climbed into them, and tucked herself into his chest.

"Wanna go on a car ride?"

She looked up at him, "Just the two of us." He said, without a word from her. She nodded just as thunder crackled.

Down the stairs they went where they both were wrapped up tightly and protected from the rain, but Tony needed his wallet so he slipped into his bedroom.

He tripped on a pair of Jeanne's heels and she awoke, "Tony?" she questioned as she sat up.


"What are you doing?"

"I was just going to take Tali on a little car ride. We're having a tough time sleeping."

Jeanne nodded, "Alright."

There was an awkward silence, and feeling guilty about putting her passion on hold, he leaned across the bed and kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry…about tonight." She murmured as he lingered inches from her.

"I know."

"So, just a car ride?"

He nodded, "She's about to pass out, but I don't think she'll just go down."

She fell back against the pillow, "Okay, I don't think I'm invited."

He shook his head, "Daddy Daughter Time."

She nodded and placed a hand on her stomach, "Something wrong?"

She shook her head, "I don't think Spaghetti and Quesadillas mix."

"I think it was just the Spaghetti."

"Well, you ate it too."

He gave her a sheepish grin, "I fed it to the dog, and by dog I mean garbage disposal."

She punched his shoulder, "You suck. You could've lied."

"I thought we weren't supposed to lie in this relationship."

She shrugged, "You can lie about my cooking."


"Where are we going?" Tali mumbled as Tony drove onto a street and rain poured down. "Come on, I wanna show you something." He parked the car and ran around to the other side of the car.

Tali rubbed her eyes and looked up, "Why are we at the hotel?"

"What do you mean? This is your mom and I…came up with your name."

He lifted her up and ran under the awning where they both shook off rain water, "We stayed here. With Uncle Ryan."

"Oh." He looked up at the hotel. "Well, this is where I kinda…your mom and I talked for the first time."

"Did you kiss her?" Tali asked.

He smiled, "Did she tell you that?"

She smiled as he picked her up, "Maybe…"

"Well, you see, Tal, I wanted to kiss her so bad."

"What happened?" Tali asked.

"Okay, so, I was out here, with a pizza."

"Why'd you have a pizza?"

"I was hungry. Why else would I have pizza?"

"I don't know. Pizza lotion?"

"No…Anyway, I was out here with pizza, to eat, and then it started to rain. And then your mom can up out of nowhere and offered me coffee."

"Coffee? With pizza?"

"I know. But, that's why I was really cautious about and she assured me it wasn't a bribe. And then she went on about how she knew I was following her-"

"Why were you following her?"

"Because…Did your mom ever tell you about Uncle Ari?"

Tali nodded, "Yeah."

"Well, he did something bad and we thought your mom was in on it-"

"You did?"

Tony nodded, "Well, not me. Gibbs. Not me."

"You were too in love with her?"

He shrugged, "Maybe."

"And then what happened?"

"She kept pushing coffee on me, and then when I finally took one, it was the other coffee, that way if it was poisoned she would die not me."

"Was it poisoned?"

"Well, you're here aren't you?"

She pinched herself, "Yes, sir."

"Can I continue?"


"Okay, so then she was bragging about Mossad and how she was good at knowing the unknown stuff."

"Like when I eat a cookie before dinner?"

"Yeah like that. And then I said that's what I like about Mossad, their modesty. And then I went to throw the pizza box away and guess what?"


"She knew there was a slice in there."

"Did you give it to her?"

"Well, I had to. Or she mighta killed me or something. But, uh, yeah, I gave it to her. And then she told me about Tali, her sister, and how she was super cool and that she missed a lot. And then I grilled her about why she joined Mossad. And then I asked her if she had a boyfriend."

Tony chuckled.

"And she said something way inappropriate, trying to avoid the question. But nobody can avoid Tony DiNozzo. Nobody. Not even your mom. She said she volunteered. Did I believe it? You can't really tell with your mother, back then. But as the years passed, I could just get a little hint of a lie. Just a little."

He laughed.

"Your mom is a really bad liar. I'm a good liar. She's a bad liar. She's a good ninja. I'm a bad ninja." He kissed her hair, "So you've got some awesome genes. Well, you're part DiNozzo so obviously you're gonna have awesome genes. But your mothers are pretty cool too."

He felt her body get heavier and he saw she was asleep, clutching him tightly, "Just not as cool as mine." He murmured as he hoisted her up higher and slid on her hood.

"This is where it all began." He told her. "Love at first sight, really."

His eyes drifted to the sky, it seemed the same as it was the night they met, dark and gray, but you could still see every star in the sky.

He connected the stars with his finger, tracing out Ziva's tattoo; it was Chinese words, Happy and Smile.

He thought those two words applied to Tali very much so, he kissed her forehead, "I'm gonna tell you a secret, a secret that I've never told anybody. Not even Jeanne. I know you can keep it."

He sighed, "I will give up anything for you. Anything. I would have given anything up for your mother." He tucked a curl behind her earl, "I couldn't live without your mother, and I can't live without you." His lips moved closer to her ear, "I still keep those bikini photos in my desk. Shhh. But don't tell Jeanne."

He got a sleepily smile, "Alright, I think I kept you long enough, let's go home."

He tucked Tali into his coat; he walked quickly to his car and strapped her in, tucking her in with a blanket.

He climbed into the driver's seat himself and just sat there for a moment, before Tali said, "Elephant."

"Mommy likes little marshmallows in her hot chocolate." Tali jabbered several hours later, at a local coffee shop as she and her father sat at a small table, sipping on hot chocolate and donuts.

"I like big marshmallows." Tali revealed as she dropped two into her mug.

Tony nodded, "Me too."

"Small marshmallows are…too small."

He nodded, "You're right."

Tali nodded and took a bite of her donut, getting sprinkles on the table.

He pursed his lips, "So you know, after our all-night car ride along the beaches and streets-"

"And where you and mommy first met."

"No, where we first talked."

"Whatever." Talia giggled.

"Anyway," He tried to continue on with the conversation. "I know you were mad last night. But you know some of the things you said to Jeanne were a little mean."

"Mommy says not to keep things bottled up inside."

"Well, yeah, you shouldn't but you could say them nicely."

Talia shrugged, "She started it."

"But can't you be the bigger person?"

"She weighs like a million more pounds than me!"

Tony glared at her across the table, "She only weighs like one ten."

Tali rolled her eyes, "I weigh thirty-seven."



"You're changing the subject."


"So, just apologize."


"Because, you know its Jeanne's right to have or not have babies. Trust me; lots of people have been fighting for that."

Tali sighed, "Can't you just get her spayed like Naima, the cat?"

Tony chuckled, "No."

"Well, when my cast started coming off a couple months ago Mommy put duct tape on it, and that stuff sticks."

"Tali." He said sternly.


"Good girl."

She growled, "Hey, I haven't got any biscuits on me now." Tony commented.

Tali laughed and they finished their breakfast, and left with Tali splashing in the puddles along the way. He walked to his apartment and unlocked it and left Tali on the couch watching cartoons.

He walked into the bedroom where the bed was empty and the bathroom door closed, "Jeanne?" he shouted.

"I thought you were just going out for a drive." Jeanne called out. "A quick one."

"I couldn't sleep." He said as he sank down onto his bed.

"Well, I would hope not, driving around. Raining, foggy, a kid in the back seat."

He nodded, "Yeah so I just drove in a giant circle. The beaches, parks, and stuff. And then we went to that coffee place down the street. Had breakfast."

"That's nice."

"Didn't bring anything back." He added.

"That's fine." Jeanne sighed as she came out of the bathroom and leaned against the wall. "I can't keep anything down anyway."

He shot her a look of concern, "Must have been the spaghetti."

Jeanne shook her head, "I don't think it was the spaghetti." She said hoarsely.

"Then what do you think it was? If it was old food, I don't want Tali to get sick. Little kids and vomit aren't a good mix. And you know me and bodily fluids…"

Jeanne shook her head, "Tali can't catch this."

"So does this have to do with…you and like your aunt?"

She sighed, "I'm late, Tony."

"No, actually, I was late and I'm sorry about it."

"No, I mean I'm LATE."

"You have a doctor's appointment?"

She shook her head, "I'll probably have to schedule one though."


She pulled one arm from around her chest and held up a white stick, "I'm Pregnant."


P.S. Promise Ziva will be (back) soon!