Hey Guys. This is my response to a story challenge from DonutsDebsDibs on Twitter. I hope I did ok with it. Please read AND review! Thanks!

"Abba! I'm hungry!" a little voice called out from the other room. Tony DiNozzo smiled. His five year old daughter was almost always hungry. She had obviously inherited that particular trait from him.

"I'm coming, sweetheart." he said. He wished Ziva could see her now. Tali was the perfect mixture of her parents. She had Ziva's nose and beautiful brown curls, but she had Tony's eyes and a lot of his mannerisms. She had Ziva's determination and unfortunately her temper, but she had Tony's appetite and his love for movies. Like Tony, Tali was the class clown. Like Ziva, she was very good at languages. every time Tony looked at his daughter he regretted allowing Ziva to make him leave her at that tarmac. Two years later, he'd found out his was a father and had been for nearly two years. Tali was left in his care, but Ziva still didn't return to him. She had been declared dead. He never believed it and had searched for the love of his life for months. Ziva eventually found a secret way to contact him. All of their conversations had been in code since then. She refused his help, saying he was needed by Tali. She couldn't lose both parents. Ziva insisted on doing what she needed to do on her own. Nobody else in her life would be killed. She'd make sure of that. Tony disputed that plan, but Ziva overruled him. Now she was doing lord knew what in the US. She had broken all contact. All Tony could do was wait and try not to lose focus. Tali still needed him. The ex SFA was then jolted out of his reverie by his little girl calling out impatiently,

"AAAAbbbbaaaaa! I want food!"

"Sorry, Tali-gator! Daddy's coming." Tony replied, heading to the kitchen. He had just finished making a PBJ and carrot sticks with ranch for his daughter, when his phone rang. He put his ear piece on and took the call as he poured Tali some milk and put it and the plate in front of her on the table.

"This is DiNozzo." He answered. There was a long silence. Tony was just about to hang up, thinking it was a telemarketer, when a gruff voice said,

"DiNozzo." Tony froze. He hadn't heard the voice on the other end in about three years. The younger man quickly recovered and replied.

"Boss."

"Not your boss anymore, DiNozzo." Gibbs replied with a snort.

"Habit." replied Tony. Gibbs cleared his throat and asked,

"How's the Kid? Tali?"

"She's eating lunch right now. Still has nightmares. Calls out for Ziva, even after all this time. But other than that, she's a normal well-adjusted kid." Tony responded, slightly suspicious. After all, this phone call was out of the blue.

"Um, Gibbs, why are you really calling? I mean it's nice to hear from you and all, but I haven't received even a postcard from you in the three years Tali and I have lived here and NOW you suddenly decide to call and check up on us?"

"I was wrong, DiNozzo." Gibbs replied, softly. Tony scoffed.

"That's no secret. But you've been wrong a lot of times before. Why are you admitting it now?"

"Been wrong about a lot of things lately. I screwed up more times than I care to admit. I failed. I failed Kate. I failed Jenny. I failed you and Ziver. I failed Abby. I'm calling to tell you I'm finally willing to admit it and I want to make things right. If you'll let me." Gibbs informed the younger man in a frustrated tone.

"Gibbs...I..." Tony began, but he was interrupted.

"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, DiNozzo. I'm not asking for it. What I'm trying to do is apologize."

"Wow. The Great Gibbs apologized. What happened to rule 6?" asked Tony, a bit sarcastically. Gibbs ignored the tone and replied,

"Rule fifty-one trumps all others. Besides, I've discovered recently that some of the rules...well they just get in the way. And I realize if I hadn't broken rule three three years ago, Ziver might have been back with all of us long ago. Over the past few months, I've been re-evaluating the rules."

"Really? I can't believe it. I'm impressed."

"Well, don't be. I maybe re-evaluating some things and making some changes. But I don't think the meaning of the second B is going to change anytime too soon." was the response. Tony chuckled then sobered as he said,

"Gibbs? How's my Ninja?" After a pause, Gibbs answered,

"You'll have to ask her that DiNozzo. I already told her she needs to talk to you."

"Well, can I talk to her now?" Tony pleaded.

"She's not with me at the moment, DiNozzo. She's got a phone though. She'll call you when she's ready. I believe she's getting there. She wants to be back with you and that little girl of yours more than anything. She'll find you."

"Thanks, Gibbs."

Aaaabbbaaa! I'm done! Can I have ice cream?" came Tali's voice from the kitchen.

"Gibbs, I gotta go. Tali needs me.

"I understand."

Gibbs?" Tony said again.

"Yeah?" Gibbs inquired.

"Just for the record, I accept your apology. I know it took a lot of guts for you to call."

"It was time, DiNozzo. It needed to be done."

"Well, I don't know if I can forgive you for abandoning us like that and for not listening to me about double checking the news about Zi's death. But I want to try. I want you in our lives again, if you want that. I just need time."

"I get that. Take whatever time you need. I'll wait and I"ll accept whatever you decide."

"Thanks, Gibbs. I really better go now. Tali might try to get the ice-cream out by herself and trust me, that would NOT be pretty." Gibbs chuckled and said.

"I remember those days. Go take care of Tali. Bye, DiNozzo."

"Bye, Gibbs." Tony then hung up and rushed to the kitchen just in time to stop a major disaster.

"Young lady! Get down from that counter this instant!" Tali was soon safely on the ground and Tony scooped up some ice cream for both of them. After dessert, he got Tali down for her afternoon nap and got to work on some paper grading for the American film class he taught at the university. That evening after dinner, Tony received a text. He looked at it and nearly shouted out in pure ecstasy. His eyes filled with happy tears as he read:

It is over. I am coming home. Back home to you and to Tali.

Ani Ohevet Otcha.

Tony wiped his eyes before typing his reply.

Back atcha, Sweetcheeks.

Already counting to one million.

Then he got up and went to look in on his sleeping daughter. Tears ran down his face as he said in a whisper,

"Ima's coming home, Tali-gator. Ima is coming home at last."

Well, there's my take on the Tony and Gibbs prompt. Hope you all enjoyed it. The next chapter of my crossover, Science Magic, will be up on Wednesday. Thanks for reading!