Aht lo leh-vahd

2 1/2 years later

It had been a 2 and a half years since the twins were born. And a year since Tali stopped talking.

"Ima can I have an apple?" Alex asked joining his mother in the kitchen.

"Sure. Ask Abba to cut it up for you." Ziva said handing him an apple.

"Thank you." He said running off to Tony.

"Ima Bella ate my crayon." Tommy said carrying Bella awkwardly to her.

"Isabel." Ziva signed. She swiped the rest of the purple crayon out of her mouth.

"Yucky Isabel. We do not eat crayons." Ziva told her.

"Put the crayons up buddy." Tony said as he walked into the kitchen.

"Tali come here please." Ziva called. Waiting patiently for her to come down the stairs.

"Are you hungry?" She asked as her daughter walked up to her.

She nodded her head.

Ziva frowned. Not talking wasn't just bothering her. She was also worried Tali would forget the languages she knew if she didn't use them frequently.

"Here ask Abba to cut it up for you." Ziva said.

Tali walked over to Tony who hadn't noticed their interaction.

She held the apple in her hand waiting for him to see it. She frowned when he didn't look.

"Abba." She whispered.

Tony's head snapped towards her quickly. That sweet little voice he'd longed to hear for the past year finally made it to his ears.

"Tali you spoke!" He said excitedly getting Ziva a attention.

"Abba." She whispered again, holding her apple up to him.

"Okay okay. Well take it slow." Tony said kissing her head.

He cut up her apple and set her at the table.

"She spoke to you." Ziva murmured.

"Yeah." Tony said softly.

"Why will she not talk to me?" Ziva muttered.

"Give her time Ziva." Tony said hugging her.

"Do you think it is because I hurt her when I tackled the woman that was holding her?" Ziva whispered. Wishing her 6 year old daughter would at least utter a work to her.

"I don't know Zi. I don't. I'm just glad to hear her voice again." Tony said honesty.

He hugged her as the kids ran off.

"Tali why don't you talk to Ima?" Alex asked curiously.

She shrugged her shoulders.

"You know it hurts her feelings right?" Alex said crossing his arms.

"It does?" Tali frowned.

"Yeah. I heard her crying while she was talking to Abba in the kitchen. She thinks it's because she knocked over the lady that was trying to take you and made you get hurt." Alex said firmly. Clearly upset that his sister made his mother cry.

"I didn't know she cried Alex." Tali said glaring at him.

"You need to say sorry Tali. Ima cried." Alex said.

Tali frowned.

"Alex why is Ima crying?" Tommy asked.

"Ask Tali." Alex grumbled.

"Tali why is Ima crying?" Tommy asked.

"Because I didn't talk to her." Tali said frustrated.

"You need to be nice to Ima Tali." Tommy frowned.

Tali frowned again and ran up to her room.

She hid in her closet and cried. She didn't mean to hurt her mothers feelings or make her cry. She just didn't feel like talking to the grown ups because they would question her and she didn't want to talk about it.

Soon the door of her closet was opened and warm gentle arms were wrapped around her.

Ziva had come to comfort her child.

"Ima." Tali whispered hugging her tightly.

A smile made its way to Ziva's face. It had been so long since she heard her daughter day her name.

"Are you okay Tali?" Ziva asked brushing her tears away.

"I didn't want to make you cry." Tali sniffled.

"Oh tateleh. It is not your fault. I was just being silly." Ziva said softly.

"Ima you were sad cause I don't talk to you." Tali said. Knowing her mother was trying to downplay what had happened.

"Are you okay?" Ziva asked. It's the first time she actually thought she'd get an answer.

"Yes Ima I am okay." Tali said softly.

"I have missed your voice." Ziva said hugging her tightly.

"I love you Ima." Tali said. 

"I love you too Tali." Ziva said lifting up her small daughter.

She carried her down the stairs and set her at the table with her apple Tony had cut for her.

"Aria come here. Tommy I thought I said out the crayons up." Tony said irritated as he pulled a blue crayon out of Aria's mouth.

"I did Abba." Tommy said innocently.

Technically he put them "up" he just left them in the twins reach.

"They are two Tony. They will put everything in their mouths." Ziva said pointing to the purple one she had pulled out of Isabel's mouth.

"If it's not them then it's Kalev." Tony said motioning towards the large dog laying under Tali's chair.

"He got so big. I did not think he would be a 163 pounds!" Ziva exclaimed.

"He's a German Shepherd Ziva. You want a small dog get a Chihuahua." Tony joked.

"Ew. Chiwatwas are weird. They shake all the time." Alex said in disgust.

"Yeah Abba big dogs are better you can ride them." Tommy chimed in. 

"I take it they like the big dog." Ziva giggled.

"Yeah." Tony chuckled.

"I cannot believe it took her two and a half years to finally talk." Ziva said softly.

"Me either. But I'm glad she did." Tony muttered.