Author's Note-Inspired by a gif that reminded me that while Tony was Agent Afloat, he had pictures up of both Ziva and Abby. If you ignore the small fact that Ziva's pictures are bikini shots, it's really quite sweet. I wrote this in about ten minutes, which hasn't happened to me in a while for this pairing. It was nice. Read, review, enjoy NYLF xx


Tony's eyes flutter open as consciousness returns to his body.

At first all he sees is burning bright light.

Whiter than white assaults his retinas and he scrunches his eyes closed again in retaliation.

Then he feels the insistent pressure on his hand, pulsing in time with a slightly frantic heartbeat.

The warmth encases his hand, the familiar silken skin surrounds his and holds him steady in the real world.

Then he hears his name.

Just as insistent but slightly more hysterical than the pulsation in his palm.

He recognises the voice, would anywhere.

When he finally forces his eyes open, he finds himself eye level with the now prominent protrusion that calls testament to all he holds dear.

He rolls his eyes up and finds hers, warm and wet, tears already brimming, both of sadness and elation he's sure.

He makes his muscles work to give her a smile, reassure her that he's okay.

She gasps, her left hand flying to cover her mouth, the glittering diamond catching the light, tossing tiny rainbows of fragmented white light across his abused eyes but this is worth it.

He tries to make his voice work but nothing makes it past his dry, sore throat so he settles for gripping the hand in his tighter, assuring her the only way he can that he's with her, he hasn't left, won't let her down like that.

She takes it and brings her lips to his forehead.

"I love you." She whispers against his skin.

'I'm glad you're okay' would be customary, 'hello' even, but somehow, shockingly enough, he likes hers better.

She feathers her lips across his brow, tiny butterfly kisses dancing across his skin, soothing him better than any balm, and he finally finds his voice. "Love you too."

It's croaky but it's there.

She laughs and removes her hand from his to cradle his face.

"I have missed you." She murmurs before giggling on a gasp. "I am not the only one apparently."

He takes his so far unoccupied hand, the one opposite her, and gently lays it on the soft swell of her stomach.

Beneath his fingers, his daughter dances for him.

"She knows her daddy is awake."

He chuckles.

"I wouldn't leave her, either of you Ziva, you know me better."

She half sobs before folding in half to bury her face in the crook of his neck.

"I was so scared." She confesses against him, the uncharacteristic admission breathed against his neck for only his ears.

He brings his hand up to cradle the back of her neck, stroking gently with his thumb.

"I'm okay, Baby. It's all okay." He promises her softly.

She nods before drawing back on a shaky laugh.

Tony turns to face the other side of his bed and finds the owner of the frantic voice staring at him with something like awe in her eyes, tears stampeding down her face unimpeded as she watches him.

"C'mere Abbs."

He extends the hand closest to her, his other firmly back in his fiancé's grasp.

Abby practically flings herself on him, more careful than usual though and for that he's thankful.

His entire body hurts but he doesn't yet want to put them through reliving it to ask what specifically is wrong with him.

"So glad you're okay." Abby manages around gasped sobs.

He'll tease her later for being unoriginal, for now he held her close, comforting her even from his hospital bed.

"I mean, I know you're okay, you're stitched and breathing and beating but it's nice to talk to you."

Tony chuckles lightly.

"Sore Abbs, but okay."

Abby nods slowly as she releases him.

Tony smiles softly at her before turning back to Ziva.

She's crying silently and it breaks his heart that he had a part to play but she'd never hear of it so he swallows his apologies.

"Ziva." He whispers gently, squeezing her hand.

He's trying to comfort her but she takes it as the question he doesn't really want to ask but has to know.

"Bullet." She nods as if confirming it for him. She is really. "Right side, missed everything. You should be out of here at the end of the week."

He nods and gives her a smile.

"I am so very glad you are okay." She sighs, resting her hand on the neat little bump that would never reveal that she was just seven weeks from delivery. "I could not..."

She fades off on a sob and he squeezes her hand again.

"You don't have to Ziva. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

She nods, gratitude and so much love painted in broad strokes on her face.

He smiles, a true, loving smile, and brings their clasped hands to his mouth, pressing a tiny kiss to her knuckles.

She nods slowly, knows he's confirming it for her.

He smiles and kisses her skin again before turning to Abby.

He looks between them before smiling broadly and chuckling.

"My girls. My three beautiful girls." He murmurs, more to himself than the aforementioned girls. "I'm so so lucky."

He shakes his head and chuckles again before opening his left arm out to the side, encouraging Ziva to lie beside him.

It takes her all of a few seconds to debate before giving in to her heart's desire, her innate need to be comforted, assured once again that he is still warm and alive beside her.

He wraps his arm around her back, tucking her in as tightly as he can, his daughter resting on his abdomen as her mother curls into him.

He gently taps his fingers against the side of Ziva's bump and feels his daughter kick his fingers.

He clings for dear life onto Abby's hand while she encases his between both of hers.

He sighs, already drifting. Exhaustion and painkillers whisking him away.

"My girls." He murmurs, drifting back into the restful darkness that he craves, feeling safer and warmer, more in control and far better now he has his girls around him.

His best friend in hand, his fiancé tucked into his side, his growing daughter resting safely in her mother's womb, lying across his stomach.

It feels so very right and so very loving.

He sighs as he drifts asleep once more.

"My girls."