Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS...

Tony and Ziva sat anxiously in the living room side by side on the brown colored sofa, alternating between staring at the front door, staring up the carpeted stairs, and, of course, staring at each other.

When they made eye contact they both read each other like a book – they had been each other's partners for years. Tony and Ziva's lives had depended (and still do) on reading each other. They had perfected the art by now, which allowed for their team to have the best solved crime rate in the field.

They saw the barely concealed worry in each other's eyes. Tony looked down at Ziva's hands, clenching and unclenching together in her lap. Anyone else wouldn't have noticed, but he saw the slight lowering of her eyebrows and how she fidgeted every five minutes.

Tony, though, was not much better. He was tapping his foot to the point of annoyance, so much so that Ziva had to glare at him to get him to stop.

Tony took Ziva's left hand in his and lightly squeezed it in reassurance. She looked up at him and smiled weakly. He smiled back at her and caressed her hand, tracing the outline of her diamond wedding ring glistening off her finger.

"Where did time go, Tony?" Ziva asked him suddenly.

"Don't know, Zi. She's not our little girl anymore."

Tony saw the sadness etched across her face. He took her and held her in his arms, stroking her hair.

"You are right. But still I…" She trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"I know."

Neither of them had any words to make this easier for them. They were both sad and nervous for their little girl who really wasn't little anymore. Kelly was 15 and going on her first date.

So naturally, instead of sulking in their sadness, they put their game faces on. They looked at each other and started smiling like idiots. Their thoughts had always been in sync, even back in the days where they both wanted to do Page 57.

"Even though she's not our baby girl anymore…"

"Doesn't mean we can't make whoever he is life a living hell."

Soon the doorbell rang. Tony and Ziva in an instant became the full-on mother bear and father with a baseball bat clichés – except, in this case, the mother was an ex-assassin, and the father – well, he was being a very special agent.

Tony opened the door with Ziva right by his side. The young boy who stood before them took one look at the strong-minded, seemingly powerful adults and grew nervous.

"Hi, I'm…uh, I'm Luke, and I'm here to uh…to take Kelly-" A look of panic stuck his face as he hastened to correct himself. Tony's face grew sterner and Ziva just looked confused as he backtracked. "I mean, uh, not take her, take her, I mean, pick her up to go on our date."

The slim but handsome boy of 16 stood waiting for one of them to say something. After a moment Tony's face broke out into a grin. "Of course, come in."

Luke nodded to him gratefully and walked into the house, followed by Tony and Ziva.

"Have a seat. Kelly should be down soon." Ziva said to him. He nodded and took a seat on a chair perpendicular to the sofa in the room. He put his hands awkwardly in his lap.

"So, Luke," Tony said sitting down, Ziva right next to him. "How are your grades in school?"

"They're uh, they're good, I guess."

"Get into any fights?" Ziva asked him, his eyes racking his face.

Luke paled slightly. "I, uhh, well, not recently. I mean, there was this one time-"

Tony's eyes snapped towards him in alarm. "What happened?"

"Well, I was-"

He was interrupted by Kelly running down the stairs. She looked like a princess. She wore a pink flowery skirt with a crisp white blouse. "Mom! Dad! What do you think you're doing?!" She walked over in her brown heeled sandals and stood next to Luke. Anyone in the room could see the relief that suddenly came on the poor boy's face.

Tony and Ziva looked like they'd been caught red-handed. "We were just-" Ziva started.

"-putting our interviewing skills to good use." Tony grinned at Luke and winked at his wife.

"And?" The young girl questioned.

"And…" Ziva said standing up, Tony following her lead. "He seems like a great boy. Have fun."

"Get back before 11."

"Be safe." Ziva said smiling at the two. Tony, of course, started to panic.

"No, don't be safe – I mean, yes, be safe, but not-"

Ziva looked at him confused, and Kelly laughed. "Don't worry Dad. And we will. Love you." She walked a scared Luke out the door quickly before either could make another comment. She knew her parents way too well.

When the door shut she turned to Tony. "What was that about?"

Tony grinned at her. "How about you let me show you?"

Ziva was confused for a moment before Tony pulled her a bit forcefully into him and started kissing her neck. She tilted her head to give him more room and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Yes, she would definitely need to wear her hair down tomorrow.

"I think I'd like that, Tony."