Finally came home

Two Lines

He recalled that they'd always had something a bond, togetherness – they'd always understood one another, and even though it might horrify others they accepted who they were and the deeds that they had done and the demons that went with it.

They were professional killers neither mercenaries killing for money, nor were they zealots chasing a cause but they were killers, both had killed in cold blood and both knew they would do it again if the situation arose, they lived by a code that sometimes took them to act beyond what normal society and the law would allow.

Now they both sat in stunned silence staring at a cheap plastic stick and the two lines it showed – what would they do now? What would happen? And most worrying of all, would or could their friend's accept this change in their relationship and the fact that they had kept everyone in the dark...

What were they going to do?

He glanced at his lover and then gently put his hand to her cheek gently turning her head to face him, he smiled at her and quietly said "It'll be ok" and then he kissed her.

Finding her voice she quietly said "Are you really ok with this... I mean with our work we never even planned on a child... hell we never even planned on making US public..."

He pulled her tighter into his hug before saying "Hell Ziva we never planned to do lots of things but we did them anyway..." his mind wandered to that night when they finally broke rule 12, he smiled as he recalled he instigated the kiss and she responded – both of them longing for and seeking out that touch, hungry for one another.

His mind was pulled back as she said "Are you really ok with this..."

He smiled yes he knew his answer "I'm ok... in fact I'm more than ok, I'd given up on ever having a family and being a parent again – I'm happy and I don't care if the rest of them don't like this – God Ziva, I love you, have for years and now I don't have to hide it..."

Ziva nodded and pulled his arms tighter around her – she was happy – this was unplanned but it was in her dreams – it was just so right with Jethro... her mind going back to how they had come to be – right from the start, from when she read that dossier on him she was attracted, his sense of duty, loyalty, his need to avenge his wife and daughters murder – she understood him and when she saw those eyes that was it, she was hooked... she smiled and thought even with all of that she had misunderstood him thinking that he saw her as a daughter, not a lover, smiling she recalled how she had convinced herself that they would never happen and had even started a relationship with someone else.

She cringed now as she thought of Michael Rivkin, at the time she thought it was good, and then it happened, Michael was dead and at her partner, Tony's, hand. The next morning she had returned to Israel, back to her father and Mossad – willingly accepting that fate had dealt her the suicide mission against Salem.

She shuddered as she recalled her horror of surviving her capture, and having to live as a captive, then she smiled... her friends, her American friends led by Jethro had come, she was rescued – as she never expected to survive it took her time to deal with (live with) the things that had happened, again it was Jethro who had saved her from herself and the horrors of surviving.

Jethro had made it clear that he was there ready to listen or just there for her, initially they ran, they worked out and just what was it...what did he say... smiling as she recalled his saying they "hung out" and slowly she resolved what had happened, all the time she knew that he knew what Salem did – she knew he did not pity her, they both knew beforehand that her fate was the fate of nearly all captured female agents – he understood and his quiet unquestioning support gave her strength to deal with things and rebuild her shattered life.

She glanced at his watch and smiled, she had brought it for him its bright orange strap screaming, louder than what he would normally wear but to her it symbolised the strength and support he freely gave her, and to her amazement Jethro wore it with pride.

She smiled thinking how quickly things changed, after the Renossa Drug Cartel came back into Jethro's life and threatened all that he now valued... a few weeks later it happened – late at night or very very early in the morning the location was as expected his beloved place in his basement.

She smiled she was still turned on by the memory – it started as a fairly standard Friday night they were drinking and talking, she stood and stretched and Jethro started to massage her shoulders, while that should have warned her, he had done that once or twice in the past so she was not expecting what happened next – he kissed her releasing all that attraction that she had held for him, the sex was powerful, raw both needing to satisfy a hunger that had slow burned for years.

They spent the next 15 hours or so in bed, replacing the raw sex of their first encounter with a romantic but equally as powerful passion that survives to this day...she smiled recalling there discussion afterwards about what Dinozzo would say if he'd seen the hicky she had given Jethro, and that Ducky would be horrified that a man his age was still getting hickies... she sat with a quiet smile on her face smug that somewhere, somehow they had got it right they were happy and they were complete.

She stared again at the two lines they were going to be parents.

Time to come clean

Director Vance

It had been two months since they found out they were expecting, after a lot of soul searching they decided that at work they would be broken up as soon as they told anyone so they may as well enjoy these last few months before Ziva had to go on desk duty – today was D day, today they started to let people know about them Director Vance was to be first.

Ziva glanced nervously at the clock waiting as it got closer to 3pm. Jethro rounded the corner to the bullpen yelling "Dinozzo, McGee... Go start your weekend – David the director needs to see us now"

Ziva glanced at Tony and Tim they were acting like it was just another Friday, as they left Gibbs said "remember tomorrow night, my place BBQ... come on David, move" he waved Ziva past him and they headed up to Vance's office.

She felt like the naughty school girl being called to the principal's office, Cynthia as usual smiled at Ziva as she followed Gibbs who had barged past tapping on the door as he opened it entering without waiting for a response.

They entered Vance's office and sat, Vance, toothpick in his mouth looked from one agent to another, frowned and removed his toothpick before saying "So what has happened now, what can I do for you special agents Gibbs and Darveed..."

Gibbs grabbed Ziva's hand surprising her before he started "ummm... Leon... Ziva and I have some news to tell you..." he paused then continued "Ziva is pregnant and needs to go on desk duty from Monday" with this Gibbs passed Vance the medical papers – Vance shocked started to read the papers when he suddenly stopped looked at both Ziva and Gibbs and then as if a light went on said "AND?"

Gibbs smiled and nodded before continuing "I'm the father"

Vance fought hard trying to hide his surprise, but he was also noting that when he thought about it he wasn't really surprised and that worried him "So how long have you two been an item...before you became an NCIS agent or what?"

Ziva looked up and quietly said "six months"

Vance was amazed he thought they would both be the tough agents that he saw every day instead they were like naughty school kids, busted and awaiting punishment... "Oh..."

Gibbs said "Oh is right; it is a real surprise..."

"mmm... I bet... so I take it if not for the surprise you would not be telling anyone" Vance lent back thinking he bet these two could have kept things permanently under the radar.

He smiled and looked at Gibbs smiling before saying "You are lucky that SECNAV knows you Gibbs and likes you – in fact we had a standing wager that you and David would get together – you owe me $200 that I now owe the Secretary of the Navy..."

Gibbs smiled and nodded.

Vance looked at Ziva then said "Monday desk duty... you will move to the translating section at some stage next week... when are you telling your team"

Gibbs couldn't believe it "What you're ok with this no yelling... you're ok with us..."

Vince smiled then said "since when have either of you followed the rules..." smiling he continued "And what would yelling achieve – obviously Ziva cannot return to your team... but to answer your question... personally it's none of my business, but I think you suit..." he chuckled then added "and, well your fights will be interesting as she can easily kick your butt..."

"Career wise... again you two threw out the rule book a long time ago"

A few minutes later Ziva and Jethro left Director Vance's office gobsmacked at how well it went... hopefully Ducky, Abby, Tim and Tony would handle their news just as well...

Ducky

The next day Gibbs paced nervously waiting for Ducky to arrive, as planned Ziva had left to do the shopping for tonight's BBQ and he planned to tell Ducky and get Ducky's reaction alone, he hoped Ducky would be ok with it, they'd been friends for years but he wasn't sure Ducky would approve Ziva was so much younger than him. He paced back and forth he was stressed Ducky's friendship meant a lot to both him and Ziva and he didn't want this to end it. He snapped out of his thought pattern as he heard Ducky's car pull up and went out onto the porch to welcome him.

Ducky was surprised by Gibbs behaviour "Jethro now you really have me worried, you summons me to have a chat with you this morning and here you are waiting and smiling to meet me..."

Jethro nodded and smiled yes he could agree with that, he waved Ducky into the house and to the lounge – Ducky paused and looked down the hall to the basement door surprised that they were not going there, as Ducky sat he noted that the lounge had more of a lived in feel it was also tidier – Ducky suddenly smiled he could play Jethro's game, he coughed then thinking let the games commence stated "So if I was to guess I would say you have another lady friend and she is one you are serious about"

Jethro laughed replying "You know me Duck" he then did something that made Ducky pay attention to just what had changed in the lounge – the tough don't mess with me former marine was squirming in his seat obviously unsure how to broach the subject he needed to raise – Ducky's eye spied a gym bag against the wall, he knew that bag, and he knew the owner, smiling now he thought he knew why Jethro was so nervous he decided to move things along...

"So where is she then? ... Come on it's about time you two came clean..." he paused and before Jethro could work out what to say he continued " All those sly looks and casual touches I'm amazed you kept it quiet for this long... Now where is she?"

Jethro had recovered his ability to speak spluttered out "What? ... You think you know who I'm seeing? How?" he paused then smiled and smartly said "Well then Ducky spill it, who am I seeing and how do you know it is them?"

Ducky gave Jethro the look of I know you too well my boy to be wrong and began "I first noticed the attraction a few years ago even though you both were trying to make sure no one else knew, slyly checking one another out hoping the other person and everybody else wouldn't pick up... yes , you two have faced so much, but I digress... it was around five or six months ago I noted that the sly looks had changed and were more often done in awareness of the other party, some of them boarded on, well what would Anthony call is..." he paused then smiled "...yes Eye Sex, that's what he would say... but that wasn't all, it was the little lovers touches that really gave you away, a casual touch of the backside or grab of the hand as you accidently bumped one another all had the familiarity of a relationship not that of agents... not that I'm surprised mind, in her eyes you have always been her ideal man..." he paused then deciding to put Jethro out of his misery continued "...So come on, tell me why you and Ziva finally got together and why you need to tell us all – I know you have a bar-be-que with the Abigail, Timothy and Anthony tonight and I also know you told the Director late yesterday".

Jethro nodded and smiled before responding "...Thought no one had picked up, should've guessed if anyone would see it would be you..." "... You Ok with this Duck, I mean I'm well, I'm old enough to be her father..."

Ducky nodded and patted Jethro's hand "My dear boy I am fine with it, had Ziva not been Ziva maybe, but mentally you two are so close..." "...in fact, I would say that you are probably the only person Ziva fully understands and trusts — you both have an interesting moral code that while most can identify with it few could or would live with..."

Ducky's statement was interrupted as Ziva came charging through the door laden with groceries yelling "Jet, need some help or the frozen's will melt" she paused looking to Ducky and then smiled and turned her head to receive a peck on the check from Jethro as he headed out to the car.

Ducky followed Ziva into the kitchen embracing her in a friendly I am so pleased hug once she had put the groceries down. Her smile beamed back at him and she started to put things away "So Ducky, he has told you then, good... now as I am desk bound I was wondering if some days you would enjoy company for lunch?"

Ducky's head spun to Jethro who had just come in the door.

Jethro paused the shrugged and said "umm... yeah, didn't quite get to that part Duck"

Ducky smiled and said "Well I guess I know the reason you must come clean... of course Ziva my dear I would love your company... I would guess if you are already on desk duty then that puts you at around three, three and a half months..."

"Three and a half months..." replied Jethro

Team Gibbs...

Ducky had shared lunch with them and left returning just before six, he wanted to be settled in and watch how Anthony, Timothy and Abigail received this news – he suspected he wasn't the only one who guessed but ... he was pulled from his thoughts as he heard a car pull up, smiling he waited.

Abby, Tony, and Tim jostled one another as they got to the front door, surprised when Gibbs opened it, Tony's nose reacted first "mmm, smells good, Ziva's cooking... we still having a BBQ?... oh hi Duckman"

Abby walked into the living room and spun and waved her finger at Gibbs, he smiled hoping she, Dinozzo and McGee didn't pick up on how nervous he was, Ziva yelled hi from the kitchen and carried on with what she was doing...

"You..." Abby started the finger waving and pointing "You sly fox..."

Dinozzo interrupted her with "What..."

"Tony, can't you see..." Abby waved around the room and Tony started to take on board the changes he had missed, neither noticed that Tim had a small I know who is the cause of this smile on his face, Abby continued "... The Boss has got a girlfriend, and tonight if I'm not mistaken we will meet her..." her eyes suddenly got big almost popping out of her head "YOU'RE NOT GETTING MARRIED AGAIN ARE YOU"

Gibbs smiled nervously then still not giving anything away replied "Yes and maybe Abb's, let just wait for Ziva and I'll tell you all..." Gibbs headed to the kitchen to get Ziva, on their return they handed out beers and he sat in the chair with Ziva perched on the arm, Ducky had the other chair and Abby, Tony and Tim were on the couch... all eyes were on Gibbs now.

Ziva's eyes were smiling, god he was nervous...

Dinozzo as impatient as ever "... so you gonna tell us... is she a read head... where's her car, well where is she..."

Gibbs smiled and thought here goes nothing... he suddenly pulled Ziva onto his lap and kissed her... his action surprised Ziva as she had not been expecting that, but as they came up for air she realised that Abby and Tony were sitting mouths wide open in stunned silence, Tim seemed, well he seemed not surprised.

Ziva whispered in Jethro's ear and he started "...ummm... well now you know who, but that is not all of our news..." he nervously looked to Ziva she squeezed his hand.

Abby and Tony were spluttering by now looking from one to another, both amazed by the news that Gibbs and Ziva were together and both now suspicious of McGee's reaction.

Tony's head was going from McGee to Gibbs obviously torn as to which issue he should tackle first, this gave Abby the opening

"...When? How long?" she turned to McGee and he smiled then added "And why do you need to tell us now?"

Ziva smiled then said "six months"

Abby went "AND"

Gibbs smiled "Ziva's pregnant"

Abby squealed and hugged Tony then Tim then jumped up to hug Ziva and Jethro. Tony head was spinning too many questions the boss and Ziva and... well McGee... he knew that McGee knew. Abby spun round and zeroed in on McGee "You knew"

Tim McGee squirmed in his seat, he knew and he knew that he was in trouble big time, both Tony and Abby were eyeing him and Ziva and Gibbs they were waiting as well, gulping "Well one day I was working late and had to return some evidence to the evidence locker and well it was when the lift was broken..." he glanced at Ziva and Gibbs gulped again "...as I entered the basement hallway before I rounded the corner I heard Ziva, I stopped trying to think why she was down there and who she was talking to and then..." he looked at Gibbs who was smiling "... then I heard the bossman reply that he never thought he'd be making out at work at his age, so I snuck away"

Abby wacked him "And you didn't tell us"

Tim cautiously replied "... it took me a while to believe what I had heard and it was only the little touches and things that I've seen since that have convinced me that what I heard was real"

Ziva laughed and Gibbs coughed as they turned to the couple they noted that Gibbs was blushing, Ziva said "I told you someone was there, but you couldn't wait... guess that's why we are in this state", she rubbed her stomach and Gibbs smiled and caressed her stomach as well.

Fornell

Several months passed and NCIS had got through the excitement of the Gibbs Ziva affair, everyone was amazed how different Gibbs had become, his checking up on her welfare his surprise gifts and his reluctance to work late – they were all eagerly looking forward to see what being a Dad did to him.

Tobias Fornell, had been undercover for the last ten months and had just returned needing NCIS to translate a disk he had acquired, he was still surprised when he was told that NCIS had the best Arabic translator and to take the disk to Ziva David. Fornell arrived at NCIS and was heading for Gibbs team's area in the bull pen when Director Vance stopped him. "Gibbs teams out on a job, anything I can help with?"

Fornell smiled then said "After Ziva to do some translation"

Vance stopped and starred before saying "You don't know do you?"

"Know What?"

Vance smiled and then said "Ziva's working in the translation section here I'll walk with you"

Vance pointed Ziva's desk and let Fornell get a few paces ahead of him waiting to see his face when he saw Ziva, Fornell rounded the corner seeing Ziva he pause his mouth dropping open he spluttered "You're pregnant?"

Ziva smiled "Yes"

Fornell blushed then said "Sorry... just never expected you to be the mom type, so you and your partner...wait he's not an Israeli or..."

"He is an NCIS agent, he will be here soon and you can catch up, now I understand you have a disk for me" Ziva smiled

Fornell was still trying to take it all in, who was Ziva's partner and why did she talk as though he knew him. He spied his friend Jethro walking towards them and nodded and smiled, his mouth suddenly falling open when Jethro planted a kiss on Ziva's cheek. He looked to Director Vance who nodded, then back to Ziva and Jethro.

Jethro smiled and said "I won't be letting this one go Tobias you can have the others"

Fornell smiled then went and shook Jethro's hand and gave Ziva a congratuory hug asking when she was due.