"Ima ! Adam is peeing in the garden again"
Tali said, looking through her bedroom window. Ziva bumped her head on the inside of the drawer in which she was looking for something and grumbled:
"What ? Oh my god this kid... TONY!"
After a moment Tony stuck his head through Tali's bedroom door and innocently said:
"Yes babe?"
Ziva looked at him with fury in her eyes:
"Your son is peeing in the garden again ! And since you taught him that, you are in charge of making him stop !"
Tony walked downstairs to get to the backyard. He looked at his son and chuckled. He grabbed him and said:
"Come on Buddy, Aba told you not to do that when Ima and Tali are around, it was supposed to stay our little secret. I've asked you to be on your best behavior because you know that Ima is a little bit sensitive these days"
Adam asked:
"Because of the baby ?"
"Yes because of the baby exactly and since she can't be mad at you she's mad at me instead and I don't like when Ima is mad at me" Tony whispered to himself "Thanks God, pregnancy only last for 9 months"
Tony walked back upstairs and looked at his wife and her messy hair. He carefully asked:
"What are you doing ?"
Ziva was obviously upset and nervous:
"I'm looking for her tiara!"
Tony asked:
"Her what ?"
"Her tiara ! She needs it for her dance class performance". Ziva swore in hebrew and said "it was there yesterday! It can not be far"
Tali complained:
"Ima, we are going to be late !"
Ziva said:
"Don't worry baby, we won't be late I promise. I'll drive the car.."
Tony chuckled and said:
"No you don't. First because you can't drive in your condition and second because we all prefer to be late than dead"
A shoe flew through the room and landed its course on the wall next to Tony's shoulder.
"Nice try babe but you missed me again"
"I GOT IT !"
Ziva stood up triumphantly with the tiara in her hand. Tony said:
"All right great ! Everyone in the car !"
As they finally arrived to the theater. Ziva grabbed Adam and let Tony park the car. Ellie rushed to them and said:
"Finally ! What took you so long ?"
Ziva gave her Adam and said:
"Oh you have no idea ! We had a very complicated evening. Dealing with a mini version of Tony while being pregnant is way more challenging than I've expected"
Ellie looked at Adam and said:
"just like your father, little monster"
Adam chuckled.
"Pop-Pop says I am a DiNozzo all the way"
Ziva sighed and said:
"Can you get him inside ? I have to get Tali to the backstage"
Ellie bent forward and told Tali:
"You look amazing Tal' "
Tali nervously smiled and said:
"Thank you auntie Ellie"
Ellie disappeared through the crowd. Ziva led Tali to the backstage. Tali was nervous. Ziva was about to enter the backstage when Tali froze and pulled her mother's hand. Ziva looked at her daughter and asked:
"What's wrong ?"
"I don't wanna go Ima. I'm scared"
Ziva knelt in front of Tali and said:
"If you don't want to go, you don't have to. But I know it's your dream to dance on this stage. You've worked hard for this and I know deep down you want to go. I don't want you to give up on your dreams because of fear but I will never force you to fight it"
"But everyone came to see me. Grandpa Jethro, uncle Tim. What if I am not good enough"
Ziva chuckled:
"No matter what you do, I can assure you that you will always be the most talented little girl on this stage for them. Even your sister is cheering for you. You want to feel it ?"
Tali nodded. Ziva placed Tali's hand on her round belly. The baby kicked and Tali smiled.
"See. Everyone is cheering for you"
The door behind Ziva opened and Tali's dance teacher appeared:
"Tali, we are waiting for you"
The little girl shared an intense look with her mother and smiled. She hugged her and ran inside. Ziva had been hiding it as best as she could but she was very nervous about Tali's first time on stage but she was also overwhelmed by the presence of all the members of their NCIS family to support their daughter.
Tali would never have to search for her father's eyes in the audience in vain like Ziva did when she was a child. Ziva was looking at her daughter on stage and tears rolled down her cheek. She looked at Tony next to her and saw his eyes full of tears. His little princess was on stage and she was wonderful. Ziva knew that Tony was keeping himself from shouting "this is my daughter!"
