A Trail of Misery and A Bundle Of Joy

I do not own NCIS...

Chapter One: It's Complicated

"You may not like how this ends, Ziva." Tony said as he and Tim stood in front of Ziva's desk at the most important "campfire" they have ever had.

"I have never depended on happy endings." Ziva stated quietly, looking up at Tony and Tim as they made what they knew was probably the last decision they would ever make as a team, and as NCIS agents. They walked up to the office of NCIS Director Leon Vance and lined up in front of his desk.

"You three have something to say?" the Director asked. One at a time, they silently laid their badges down on his desk.

That night as they walked out of the bullpen for the last time, each was privately trying to cope with the decision they had made. As soon as they got to the parking lot, Tim turned to Tony and Ziva. Tony noticed the hard look on Tim's face. Tim's features appeared set in stone, and Tony recognized his look as one that he picked up from Gibbs.

Tim looked at the others and said, "I'm exhausted. I'm going home. I'll call you guys in the morning." Before Tony could say anything, Tim gave him a look that said, "don't push it" and quickly walked to his car.

"Call us, McGee, if there is anything you need." Ziva called out as he walked away. Tim nodded without turning back, got into his Porsche and drove away.

Tony turned to look at Ziva and watched as a single tear rolled down her cheek. He wordlessly embraced her in a hug, and they stayed like that for a few minutes before Ziva pulled away from him.

"I do not want to be alone tonight, Tony." Ziva whispered.

"You won't be. Come on," he said, taking her hand in his, "I'll stop at my place, grab a movie and be right over."

The next morning, Tony rolled over in bed and looked at a soundly sleeping Ziva. He pulled her back into his arms as thoughts of the previous night raced through his head. They had slept together before, but this time it had been much different. Ziva's whispered words to him as they made love still rang through his head.

"I love you, Tony." His response was immediate and sure.

"Oh Ziva... I love you too, My Ninja." Tony wondered how this would change things between them and if it would change things at all. Ziva had always been somewhat of a mystery. She had just told him that she did not want to hurt him or allow their friendship to become awkward. Then she told him that she loved him as they were in bed together. It was all so very confusing. Tony figured she had just been over emotional about all that had happened that year and decided not to read any further into it. He got in the shower, and Ziva was up and making coffee by the time he got out.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." Tony said and Ziva smiled.

"Good morning, Tony." Ziva did not waste any time. "We need to talk. About last night..."

Tony interrupted her with, "Did you mean it, Ziva? Did you mean what you said to me last night?"

Ziva looked into his eyes and said, "Yes, I did. I do love you, Tony. But right now we cannot... We cannot pursue this. Gibbs needs us to be ready in case he needs assistance. And if we are focused on each other..."

"Then we can't be focused on him." Tony finished. "I understand. It's ok."

Four months later...

Gibbs aimed the barrel of his rifle at the line of black sedans and SUV's that had pulled up outside of the building he was in. As Senior FBI agent Tobias Fornell stepped out of one of the sedans, his finger curled around the trigger. Fornell stepped out of Gibbs' line of sight and the back door of the sedan opened. Department of Defense Investigator Richard Parsons stepped out of the car and Gibbs immediately fired, sending a bullet clean through his head. Fornell looked at Parsons lying dead on the ground and started talking into the mic in his sleeve.

"Mission accomplished, Gibbs. Come on down."

Parsons was dirty. McGee, with the help of the lovely Delilah from the DOD, had looked into Parson's background and discovered that he was a professional blackmailer. After the agents had resigned, McGee took it upon himself to do additional investigating into Parsons, and found out he had been selling DOD secrets to some very shady characters overseas. The CIA, and more specifically Trent Kort, had gotten wind of the information that McGee had discovered. Kort announced that they would not investigate or arrest Parsons. They would simply "deal" with him. The CIA and the DOD mutually agreed that if Parsons was not quietly neutralized, the scandal and black mark on the DOD would be too great. Gibbs and a team had been assigned to the task, but one of the team had turned on them and shot Captain Wayne. Gibbs immediately killed him and then finished Parsons. Once Captain Wayne had been taken to the hospital, all of the evidence of the last four months had been effectively swept under the rug by the CIA. Clean slate.

Gibbs sat with his eyes closed in the passenger's seat of Fornell's car as they pulled up in front of Gibbs' house.

"You want me to come in?" Fornell asked his best friend. "I could make you something to eat."

"No, it's late. Thanks for the ride Tobias. I'll call you tomorrow." Gibbs got out of the car and waved as Fornell drove away. He walked into his house, closed the door quietly behind him, and sat down on the couch with a long sigh. He set his pistol down and opened a small wooden box that was sitting on the coffee table. In it were three NCIS badges. As tired as he was, Gibbs was excited to be able to give them back to their rightful owners. As he sat in quiet thought, he suddenly heard a noise from down the basement. He picked up his gun again and quietly made his way downstairs.

"Ziva?" Gibbs said as he saw her sitting on a sawhorse, sniffling and with tears running down her cheeks.

"Oh Abba..." Ziva said when she saw him, and ran into his arms. Gibbs smiled as he hugged her and felt a twinge in his heart. She had called him daddy. She said it in Hebrew, but it made him feel good all the same.

"Hey Ziver. You ok? What's wrong?" Gibbs asked quietly as he hugged her close.

"They are happy tears. Especially now that I know you are safe."

"Ok, then why are you so happy?" Gibbs asked, still not willing to let go of his unofficial daughter who he had not seen in four months.

"It's complicated." Ziva said, trying to brush off his question. She had been caught off guard by his presence. "How are you?"

Gibbs easily saw that she was trying to change the subject but decided to give her some room. "I'm fine. It's all over. I have your badge waiting for you upstairs. You, Tony and Tim are going to be reinstated effective immediately." Ziva looked up at him, smiled sadly and sat back down. She looked down at her hands as she started speaking.

"No, Abba. I am not. I cannot be an NCIS agent any longer." She warily glanced up at Gibbs who looked confused and exhausted.

"What? Ziver, why not? You love NCIS. You worked so hard to become an Agent, and now you're just going to let it go?"

"I do not have a choice." Ziva stated quietly.

"Says who?" Gibbs asked.

Ziva stood up, took his hand, and placed it on her stomach that was covered by a baggy sweatshirt. Gibbs eyes became wide as he felt the small bump in Ziva's abdomen.

"I am pregnant, Abba."

TBC...