Reverse Psychology - NCIS Story

In Sickness and in Health

Chapter 17 - In Sickness and in Health

"Daddy."

He vaguely became awake of a small whispering voice in his ear as it pulled him out of restful slumber.

"Daddy."

The voice continued, relentless, invasive.

"Daddy!"

Now the voice had grown hands, tapping insistently on his face like an oversized mosquito.

He cracked his eyes, the room was still dark. Looking at the bedside clock he read '04.09'. Turning his head slightly, he could see her standing there. Eyes bright, a smile lighting up her face.

"Good morning Daddy. I can't find my purple top." came the cheerful greeting.

As comprehension slowly sifted through his brain, he looked at her more closely. She was standing next to his bed, naked except for a pair of panties.

"Ziva," he groaned. "It's too early to be up. Go put your pyjamas back on and go back to bed."

He closed his eyes.

He felt her breath on his cheek and she lent in close and continued whispering as if that might appease his brain into thinking she wasn't really there.

"But Daddy," she insisted. "I need my purple top. It's not in Tony's room and I can't find it in my room because of all the sheets."

Silence.

"Daddy!" Augh, those mosquito hands again, tap, tap, tap. "I need my purple top because if I spill some paint it won't show so bad."

Silence, longer this time.

Had she given up? Had he dreamed it? His mind began to drift, heaviness overtaking his limbs.

"But maybe," she continued, "I could just paint like this. My skin is easier to wash anyway. Ok Daddy, you can go back to sleep, I'll just stay like this. I'll be in my room if you need me."

He was awake!

Throwing back the covers, he stumbled out of bed and managed to reach her just as she was entering her room. Scooping her up with a 'Shh' when she protested, he tip-toed into Tony's room and snatched her pyjamas from the floor. Padding back to his own room, he stood her on the bed.

"Ziva it is far too early to be up," he said firmly. "We will do some more painting later on. Put your pyjamas on and go back to bed."

He held out her pyjama top encouraging her to slip her arm through the sleeve.

"But Daddy, I'm awake," she whined. "I don't want to go back to sleep."

She held her arms across her chest, preventing him from being able to coax them through the sleeves.

"Ziva, listen to me," he said gently. "It's too early. Tony's still asleep, I would like to still be asleep, even the sun is still asleep. If you don't want to sleep, that's fine but how about you just rest in Daddy's bed for a bit, or bring something quiet to do and you can sit in here with me. Either way Ziva, you need to let me sleep a bit longer otherwise Daddy with turn in to a grumpy old bear and nobody will be happy."

"Grrrr!" she growled grinning at him.

"Exactly!" he said.

He held out her top again and she allowed her arms to be placed through the sleeves. He made quick work of the buttons, then helped her step into the pants while she grabbed his shoulder for support. Lifting her down, she skipped out the door.