Two Years

Chapter 29

Gibbs' POV

Katherine and Ethan are only six months old but they already have the entire team wrapped around their fingers. The team would literally do everything for the twin. There's not a thing in this world that they wouldn't do. I admit that they also have me wrapped around their fingers. Because I too, would do everything in my power to make those two happy. Ziva is starting to become her old self again. Only now, the walls are breaking down piece by piece. Not even the walls that she had built for Mossad are stronger than the twin. She isn't doing much field work though. She's always suggesting to stay in the office and go over the files. It didn't take me long to figure out that she just doesn't want to leave them alone for too long. The twin is always in the bullpen with us and if they aren't you can bet that they are with Abby. Both Tony and Ziva are great parents. They are doing an awesome job. Yes, sometimes they make a mistake but that's totally normal for new parents. I would have been surprised if there hadn't been made any mistakes yet. The important thing is that their kids always come first no matter what.

I get pulled out of thought by some footsteps on the stairs. I turn around to see Tony walking down the stairs. I know something is going on otherwise he wouldn't have been here, so I grab an extra chair and fill a glass of bourbon. He sits down but he rejects the bourbon so I ask what brings him here. At first he tries to avoid the real reason but I soon get him to talk. "Well, Gibbs. You know that Ziva has no father anymore and you are the closest thing as father to her. Even before all of this happened and before she completely lost contact with her father. I have always been quite old school so I wanted to ask your permission to marry her." He stutters out in quite some speed. By the way he's fidgeting with his fingers I can tell he's very nervous for my answer. I can't tell this is a complete surprise though. I've known for quite a while now that he has been planning on asking her. But I never suspected that he would actually ask my permission. I decide that I've waited long enough to give him my answer. Instead of saying it's okay, I just ask her how he's planning on asking her.

He immediately lights up at my answer and answers by saying he actually has no idea yet. He wants to surprise her and do something special that she will never forget. The next hour we spent planning the perfect proposal. He does want to wait a while because Katherine is a little sick right now. And if Katherine is sick the rest will follow soon. I tell him to go home because it can't be fun for Ziva to be home alone with a sick kid. He understands and we make plans to arrange everything in a week or so. It's not long after Tony leaves I get a phone call. I answer the phone and I hear Tony asking for help in a panicked voice. I try to calm him down and figure out what happened in the half hour between him leaving and now. I decide to just go over there because I can't make anything out of Tony's sentences. As I arrive there the first thing I notice is that the door is open. Something Tony and Ziva would never do now the twins are at crawling age. I walk into the house. Hand against my gun in case I need to pull it. I call out for Tony and he soon answers from the kitchen. I walk in and see a complete mess and Tony sitting on a chair. I ask him what happened and he has finally calmed down enough to speak. He tells me he came home in this mess and then he shows me Ziva's phone. Both Katherine and Ethan are gone too.

We immediately call the team, knowing what this all means. It doesn't take the team longer than 20 minutes to get there. Abby is immediately freaking out. Fearing the worst things possible. McGee is trying to calm her down while processing the scene in front of him. Tony tries to think of people who would want to hurt Ziva and the kids or him. Ducky and Palmer go around the house looking for any blood or other clues. But nothing tells us where Ziva, Katherine or Ethan are. They are gone.