Like a Fine Wine

The DiNozzos celebrate Ziva's birthday in 2025.

"It's Ima's birthday, it's Ima's birthday," four year old LJ skipped around the family room while his father prepared breakfast. LJ was waiting with his sisters to help carry the tray of food to Ima so that she could have breakfast in bed. He was also excited that there was no school, even though it was a Wednesday. The Veterans" Day Holiday was the day before, and the teachers in their district had a work day to get grades submitted while the students had a second day off.

"SHUT UP, LJ," Tali had enough of her little brother; she could hear him in the kitchen where she was helping Abba make pancakes, turkey bacon, and toast. Anthony was in charge of the toast, Abba was cooking the bacon on a baking sheet with a rack in the oven, and she had a spatula in hand to flip pancakes on the griddle.

Tony gave his oldest a stare, "Not nice, Tals. He's just excited; let him be."

Tali sighed, "Okay, Abba. Little brothers can be a real pain in the as…paragus" She quickly changed her words and then shut her mouth before saying what she really wanted to say as her father glared at her again. Anthony turned towards the toaster, suddenly interested in the bread inside, and smirked.

"LJ," Tony called his youngest from the kitchen. "Would you please take the napkin with the flatware rolled inside to Ima? You can tell her that breakfast will be ready in five minutes."

"Okay, Abba!" LJ grabbed the rolled napkin with a fork, knife, and spoon inside and ran down the hallway to the master bedroom.

"LJ's running in the house," Beth tattled on her little brother. "Does he have to go to time out?"

Tony took a deep breath, "He will be warned first. Hey, mini-Ninja, how about you take the flowers in to Ima? They're on the table." He pointed to the potted chrysanthemums on the breakfast nook table. The kids had picked out the plant at the superstore the night before and helped him sneak it into his office.

Rivka came up behind her sister, "Let me help." She tugged at the side of the flower pot and the next thing they knew the plant was on the floor. Dirt spilled out onto the tiles. Both girls rushed to scoop the dirt back into the planter before Abba saw what happened.

"Quick, get the dirt back in the pot," Beth whispered urgently. "We can't let Abba see that we…"

"Made a mess?" Tony was standing over the twins with the dustpan and a whisk broom in hand. "What have we told you girls about trying to get the better of each other? Hmm?"

Both girls looked up at Abba, "Just because one gets to do it, doesn't mean both have to do it." They repeated what their parents kept telling both of them. Riv took the dustpan and handed the broom to her sister. They swept up the remaining dirt and put it in the trash can.

Beth picked up the plant and headed down the hallway to give it to Ima. LJ came running out as she got to the doorway and ran right into his sister. The plant landed on the floor again with a thud.

"Did you drop something?" Ziva looked up from her book.

"LJ ran into me, and the plant we have for you fell on the floor again," Beth was trying to get the dirt back into the pot, again. LJ had kept running to the kitchen. She glanced down the hallway and sighed, "He did a hit and run, Ima!"

Ziva tried not to laugh at her youngest daughter's assessment of her baby brother. "Do we need to get the Dust-buster?"

Riv came up behind her twin, "I got it already, Ima. LJ pulled me into the family room to tell me what happened and asked me not to tell Abba." She vacuumed up the last of the dirt from the carpet while her sister patted the dirt in the pot around the plant. She wiped her hands on her pants before carrying the mums to her Ima.

"Happy birthday, Ima," both girls sang to their mother and presented the plant to her. "It's from all of us for your birthday Ima!"

"Thank you, it is beautiful. Some daisy mums and some cushion mums," Ziva noticed the two plants in the large plastic pot. A certain black and white dog heard her name and pushed her nose at Ziva. "I think I should put this on the nightstand so it does not end up on the floor again, yes, Daisy?" She put the mums on the stand and stroked the Border collie's head.

"Breakfast in bed for the birthday girl," Tony called from the doorway. He carried a tray with a cup of tea and a glass of orange juice. Tali had a tray with the pancakes and bacon on a plate under a lid to keep the food warm. Anthony carried a plate of toast with peach jam.

LJ carried the portable bed lap table with Asher trailing behind him. Tony looked back for the little boy.

"Come on LJ. You have the important part that needs to get set up first," he reminded his youngest.

LJ handed the tray table to his Ima and helped her unfold the legs. She placed it over her lap and Tali set the plate of pancakes and bacon in front of her Ima. Anthony put the plate of toast halves on to the side of the main plate.

Tony tried to get to Ziva to put the beverages on her tray, but kids and dogs blocked his path, "Okay, I need all kids and dogs to step back so I can give Ima her tea and juice!" All five kids moved out of the way and Anthony gently tugged Daisy's neck to move her.

Asher smelled the food and tried to put his nose in Ziva's lap; the dog and Tony moved at the same time as Tony tried to put the glass of orange juice on the tray table. Luckily he had set the beverage tray on Ziva's nightstand, so the cup of tea was safe. Not so for the orange juice; it splashed in the glass and sloshed out on to the pancakes.

"La'azazel!" Tony swore under his breath. "Asher, down!" The dog lay down as commanded. "Thank goodness that dog listens to direction." He grinned at Ziva, "I can get you some more pancakes if you want."

Ziva grinned back, "It is okay; I think you should make pancakes, but for the five hungry children who are calling to you from the kitchen!"

He leaned over and kissed his better half on the lips, "Happy birthday, Zi! Ani ohev otcha!" A crashing sound from the kitchen had him jumping up and running out the door. "Enjoy your breakfast," he called over his shoulder.

In the kitchen, he took one look at the five guilty faces peering at him and burst out laughing. The box of pancake mix was on the floor along with the stainless steel mixing bowl and the spoon he used to put batter on the griddle. Every one of the kids had the powdery mix on them somewhere. Tali had it on her hands, Anthony and Rivka had it in their hair, Beth had it on her shirt, and LJ looked as though the box had spilled on him.

All five young DiNozzos shared a look; why was Abba laughing? Surely they were in trouble for making a mess. Tali shrugged at Anthony and then the five turned back to their father.

"You should see yourselves," Tony chuckled as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Don't move; I have to get a picture!" He took at least a dozen pictures of the kids and the mess.

"Um, Abba?" Riv braved her Abba's wrath. "Why are you laughing? Are you angry with us?"

He grinned, "I SHOULD be angry with you for making a mess, but this whole morning has been a comedy of errors…" He laughed again, "Guess it wouldn't be a DiNozzo celebration without something going haywire! Okay, let's get this mess cleaned up and get some breakfast for the rest of us!"

Tali was already sweeping the pancake mix off the floor and on to the dustpan. Anthony picked up the mixing bowl and spoon and took them to the sink. Beth grabbed a dishrag and wiped the cabinets. Riv went to get the Dust-buster from the laundry room. Tony motioned for LJ to stay still. He walked over to the little boy and carefully lifted his shirt over his head, trying not to get any more pancake mix in the kid's hair. He shook the shirt over the trash can and then handed it in a wad to LJ.

"Take this to the laundry room, please," he told LJ. "Don't let it un-wad; I don't want any more pancake mix on the floors. Got it?" LJ nodded and carried his shirt to the laundry room.

He made more pancakes and bacon for the kids' breakfast and checked if Ziva wanted anything else to eat.

"What was that crash?" she asked him as he sat next to her.

"You don't want to know," he replied. She cocked an eyebrow at him and he grinned. "They spilled the box of pancake mix on the floor; the crash was the mixing bowl. LJ got the worst of it; he was covered from head to toe in powder.

"We got it cleaned up; the kids are eating now. I'll have LJ take a bath after he's done with his food," Tony assured Ziva that he had things under control. "Enjoy the quiet time; remember that we have company coming over later."

Tony pulled up the pictures on his phone and handed it to Ziva. He watched her scroll through the photos and she started grinning. When she got to the picture of LJ with the pancake mix in his hair and on his face and clothes, she smirked and then let out a laugh.

"I guess it would not be a DiNozzo celebration without a mishap!" she grinned at her big kid. He leaned towards her and pulled her into a kiss. They lingered for more until LJ's groan from the doorway broke them apart.

"Eww, they're kissing!" he yelled. "Abba, we need more pancakes!" He turned and ran back down the hallway towards the kitchen. "Ewwwwwwww…"

"Just wait, he'll be the one we catch kissing girls when he's ten," Tony joked.

Tony got the kids fed and then helped LJ get a bath and wash the pancake mix out of his hair. Tali curled up with a book in the family room, Anthony played games on his tablet, and the twins played with their dolls in the play room while Ziva enjoyed some quiet time reading. Tony wouldn't let the kids bother their Ima or interrupt her time alone until lunch time.

After lunch, the whole family went roller skating at a nearby rink. Tim and the McGee twins met them there. Delilah had to work as did the rest of the extended family; Tim had taken a personal day to spend with John and Katie.

When the family arrived back home, the smell of steaks filled the house. Gibbs and Abby were cooking dinner for the whole gang to celebrate Ziva's birthday. The Palmers, Leon Vance, Ellie and Clay, and the McGees would be there about 1730 for the meal and birthday cake and ice cream for dessert.

After everyone was seated around the dining room table, Tony tapped his knife against his wine glass. "I would like to make a toast," he started and looked at Ziva.

"To my better half, to the woman who completes me, to the mother of my children, to the birthday girl. Zi, you are like a fine wine; you get better with age!" He raised his glass towards the others, 'L'chaim!"

As the rest of them took a sip of their beverages, Tony pulled Ziva to her feet and locked his lips on hers. "More later," he whispered in her ear. "Happy, happy birthday, Sweetcheeks!" he kissed her again, only breaking for air when Gibbs cleared his throat rather loudly.

"Happy birthday," echoed the family… "Happy birthday!"

A/N Happy 40th birthday to Cote de Pablo!