A/N: Feeling much better, it is wondrous what chicken soup and a nap will do for you

From Russia with Love – Chapter 13 – Friendship Part II

Bones sat up suddenly "Officer Ziva David? Of Mossad?"

Booth looked at her with surprise "Actually it's NCIS Agent David now, but yes she was formerly Mossad. Why?"

"I know her" replied Bones

"You know her? How?" questioned Booth

"Seven years ago the US Embassy in Tel Aviv was attacked by an Islamic Militant Group, There were no US casualties, but several Israelis as well as the assailants were killed in the bomb attack. I was sent to Tel Aviv at the request of the state department to assist in the recovery and identification of the victims. The Israeli government and Mossad feared that the attack on the embassy was a precursor to another more broad attack on the country of Israel. Officer David – Ziva was assigned as part of my security detail. As we were the only women on the recovery effort, we spent the better part of six weeks together. She is quite a remarkable woman, and I do like her – very much."

Suddenly Bones was looking very forward to dinner.

Booth shook his head in amazement, Ziva David sure got around in the world.

"Booth is married to Tempe Brennan?" asked Ziva walking into the bedroom with her hairbrush in her hand

Tony sat up in bed "Yes, why?"

"I know her" replied Ziva

"How do you know her?" questioned Tony

"Seven years ago the US Embassy in Tel Aviv was attacked. Dr. Brennan – Tempe was sent by the US government to aid in the recovery and identification of the Israeli victims. Israel does not have someone such as Tempe and her help was greatly needed and much appreciated. I was assigned to protect her as it was thought the bombing of the embassy was just the initial phase of a much broader plan against Israel. Fortunately, there were no other attacks, but I did enjoy the time spent with Tempe. She is a remarkable woman and I look forward to seeing her again"

Tony shook his head in amazement; Ziva lived in a small small world.

They made plans for the two couples to meet at McDougal's Bar and Grill. It was the perfect place for a casual and relaxed dinner.

Tony and Booth were amazed at how easily their wives seemed to fall back into their old friendship -as each knew that his wife did not make friends easily- as far as Tony knew Abby was Ziva's only girl friend and as far as Booth knew Angela was Bone's only girl friend.

The women could not be more different: Tempe was a world class scientist, driven by intellect and facts. Ziva was a former assassin driven by passion and circumstance. But both had difficult childhoods with absent mothers and daddy/ sibling issues out the yin yang – maybe they weren't so different after all.

The women volunteered to go to the bar to get the next round of drinks. Tony and Booth watched them chatting and laughing together as they waited for the bartender to prepare their order. "Man, how did we get so lucky?" questioned Booth looking lovingly at his wife.

"I don't know, but I thank God everyday for Ziva" replied Tony. The two men clinked their beer bottles together and grinned at each other before turning their attention back to their wives.

Two Years Later

Ziva and Tempe sat on the hard bleachers watching their husbands play in their Saturday afternoon football match. They tried to play every other Saturday followed by dinner at one house or the other.

Tempe held the leash tethered to their new German Shepard puppy named Maxi. Booth had been begging for the dog nearly nonstop for two years, she had finally relented and had to admit that she had fallen in love with the pup. She scratched behind the dog's ears and turned to her friend "So how is the morning sickness?"

Ziva groaned "Why do they call it morning sickness? I am sick morning, noon and night. Will this ever pass?" she was absently rubbing her still flat but three months pregnant belly.

Tempe laughed as she gazed into the nearby stroller in which her two month old son Daniel slept "With him, I was sick for nine straight months"

Ziva visibly blanched, the thought of six more months of this was not something she was looking forward to.

"But he is so worth it, that and much much more" said Tempe as she tenderly stroked her son's soft cheek.

A victory whoop brought their attention back to the game where Tony had caught Booth's perfectly thrown pass and ran for a touchdown effectively winning the game for their team.

The women watched as their forty year old husbands danced around the field like ten year old boys, they looked at each and grinned "How did we get so lucky?" questioned Tempe laughing loudly.

"I do not know, but I thank God everyday for this, because I thought I would never have it" said Ziva suddenly serious.

Tempe looked at her friend, gave her a smile and a hug "I know, me too."

Just then, they were both hugged from behind by dirty and smelly men. Maxi began to bark and pull on the leash at the appearance of her "daddy' which in turn caused Daniel to wake up crying.

The women smirked at each other knowing exactly what the other was thinking they will pay for that later.

While Booth and Tempe tried to untangle themselves from Maxi's leash, Ziva reached into the stroller and brought out Daniel, hushing him quietly against her chest, Tony thought his heart would break at the beauty of her holding the baby, in just a few months, she would be holding their baby and he didn't think his heart would be able to contain the happiness and contentness that he felt.

Booth saw the look on Tony's face; he smiled at him and slapped him on the back nodding his head in understanding.

The friends gathered their belongings and walked to their cars, it was another great day in this thing called life.

Fini