TIVA FANFIC: Broken Years, Rivers of Tears (NCIS)

The Question

They left the hospital three days after the birth.

Ziva noticed how different Dinozzo seemed, now that Shayna had been born.

He seemed a lot softer, kinder.. and he didn't even flirt with the pretty young lady at the front desk of the hospital, much to Ziva's surprise.

"Tony," Ziva said, opening up the car door and taking a seat in the passenger seat.

"Yes?" Tony asked, buckling Shayna into her infant car seat.

"You seem... Different," she noted.

Tony got behind the wheel and looked up. "What? Better looking? More handsome? Hotter?" he asked.

"Older," Ziva asserted, "More responsible."

"Well, we do have a child now," Tony stated.

"Yes. But you are still the same 40 year old NCIS agent," Ziva said with a chuckle.

"30," Dinozzo corrected stiffly. "30 year old."

Ziva smirked. "And if your 30 years old, I'm 20."

Tony laughed: "Ms. David."

They drove the rest of the way in silence, but as soon they got to Tony's house, Shayna started crying.

"She needs sleep," Tony noted. "Why don't we bundle Shayna up and take her on a walk?"

Ziva nodded her head in agreement. "A little bit of walking will do me just fine."

*
They set out for their walk in the crisp winters day, strolling through miles of pine trees and rumbling brooks.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Ziva decided.

Tony looked up, pushing the baby stroller with his hands.

"It is," he admitted. "But not as beautiful as Shayna. She outshines all of nature."

"Tony," Ziva giggled, "Please define nature."

Tony smiled. "I, for one, am no walking dictionary like McGeek. But I can tell you that no 2 people in this world fill my days with joy."

"Hmmm," Ziva remarked. "And who's that second person?"

Tony turned and reached into his pocket. "You," he answered, and then continued, presenting her with a glittering golden ring.

"Ms. David? Will you marry me?"

Ziva's hand flew to her mouth in surprise.

A few seconds of silence passed, then Ziva opened her mouth:

.....

CLIFFHANGER ALERT* CONTINUED IN NEXT CHAPTER(;