I don't own NCIS and never will. No copyright infringement intended.
Warning: Semi-graphic childbirth.
At a loss of what to do next, a bored Ziva David decided to head down to Abby's lab to see her friend and co-worker since she'd know how to cheer her , standing up while eight months pregnant with twins after sitting for so long was no easy task but she managed. She winced as the pain in her back – a normal occurrence now – flared up again and made her way to the elevator.
Abby smiled when she saw Ziva. "Hi! How are you feeling? Sit down!" She urged Ziva to sit in the chair she had specifically bought for the pregnant woman to use and feel comfortable in.
Ziva hated feeling like she was a delicate flower, but she listened anyway because the walk had taken a lot out of her. She had no energy these days and had actually fallen asleep at her desk the day before. Her fiancé had let her sleep and didn't send paper airplanes her way like he wanted to. "I'm fine. My back is killing me, though." Her pregnancy repeatedly tested the "It won't hurt if you don't let it" theory as it progressed. She and Tony were both ready to meet the babies.
"You're sure you're not in labor?" Tony had been worried about her going in to labor for weeks, thus worrying Abby too. Things were a little tense between the team as they waited for Ziva to give birth.
She rolled her eyes. "I am sure, Abby." But when Ziva stood up to go get something to eat, she felt a sharp pain run across her stomach. It did not feel like the Braxton-Hicks contractions that had bothering her for weeks now and was definitely different.
Abby eyed her warily and started a timer just in case. Sure enough, about eight minutes later, Ziva bit her lip when another contraction rose up from within her. "Are you sure now?"
Ziva glared at her. "I was wrong and you were right."
"Should I call Tony?"
She shook her head. "No, he's at a crime scene right now. I promise that we will call when the contractions are closer together or if my water breaks". Ziva didn't want to bother him when he was trying to work. When she felt like returning to her desk, Abby followed her up just in case.
In less than an hour, the contractions were coming closer together at five minutes apart. "I think we should call Tony now because you need to go to the hospital." The extremely excited Abby couldn't wait to become an aunt and spoil the twins rotten. She already took her job seriously in regards to spoiling Jimmy and Brenna's son, Matthew.
"They're probably on the way back and we shouldn't freak Tony out. You know how he gets." Ziva got up to walk around, but didn't make it very far when another contraction started and she cried out in pain. She gripped the edge of the desk and tried her best to stay upright.
"You want me to call him now?" Abby had her phone out and just had to dial the number.
Ziva nodded and then relaxed when the pain started to wane. This hurt worse than she thought it would and it was only going to get worse from here on out. "Please call him." She needed Tony now. She didn't want to do this without him.
When Tony saw Abby's name on his phone, he was confused but picked it up. "What's up, Abs?"
"Ziva's in labor and her contractions are five minutes apart! Ducky, Jimmy, and I are taking her to the hospital now so meet us there." Abby bounced excitedly and waited for his answer.
"She's what? I'll be there as soon as I can." His hands shaking, Tony ended the call and shouted for Gibbs and McGee. "We have to go. Or at least I do."
"Ziva's having the babies," Gibbs immediately surmised at the look of panic on his agent's face. He smiled.
Tony nodded and started looking for his keys. "Where are my keys? I need to go!"
Gibbs sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'll handle it from here. McGee, drive him to the hospital, will ya? Knowing Tony, he's going to wreck another car." It had the desired effect as Tony glared at him.
"None of those were my fault! Let's go, McGee." Tony bolted towards the car and McGee rushed after him.
Ziva wanted a natural childbirth – She was determined she could handle the pain – and refused the epidural when Tony begged her to get one after he showed up. "I am fine. I can do this. The pain cannot control me." She shot him a smile that she hoped he bought.
He didn't. "I hate seeing you in so much pain. Sorry." He wasn't sorry at all, however and she knew it.
Ziva reached out and gripped his hand with enough force that it surprised even him when another contraction started to build up. She tried to hold back a moan but her efforts were futile. "They're closer together now."
Tony checked his watch and nodded. "Three minutes apart now." He sat down in the chair as the full magnitude of the day's events finally hit him. "Hey, do you realize we're going to be parents today? We're going to have babies." They had been preparing for this for seven months, but it was still surreal.
She smiled at him and reluctantly let go of his hand, which he rubbed immediately afterwards. He had a feeling he was going to be bruised by the time this was over. "I know. I've carried them for so long and now they're finally going to be in our arms." She couldn't wait to see the twins in their nursery they (and Gibbs) had spent so much time on.
It wasn't until around eleven-thirty that night that Ziva finally hit ten centimeters and was switched to a delivery room. She whimpered as yet another contraction assailed her and she felt the urge to bear down. With both Tony and the doctor's encouragement, she did bear down and started to push. When the baby started to crown, she cried out as the burning sensation. Ziva had been tortured by terrorists for several months and had never experienced this level of pain before. "Do you want to feel the baby's head, Miss David?" questioned her doctor.
Ziva nodded and with Tony and a nurse's help, leaned forward and felt it. It wasn't what she had been expecting, but she was still in awe. When the next contraction, she cried out with everything she had as she worked the rest of the body out. When the baby finally slid free, Ziva was relieved and exhausted. She still had to do this again, though. "How is it?"
The doctor beamed at the couple as the baby let out a watery wail. "Congratulations, you have a daughter. Agent DiNozzo, would you like to cut the cord?"
Tony nodded and did as he was told. He stared in awe as the newborn was placed on Ziva's chest. "She's beautiful, Ziva."
A crying and sweating Ziva nodded. She didn't even have the words to express how she felt. "I love you, little one." She let out a small whimper when another contraction surged through her.
"Alright, time for baby number two. Let's do this again!" The doctor smiled at them encouragingly as a nurse took away their daughter so they could concentrate on round two of pushing.
Ziva shook her head. "I can't do this. It hurts and I'm so tired. I did it once. Isn't that enough?"
Tony let out a small laugh but squeezed her hand. He could tell that delivering their firstborn had taken a lot out of her and he ached for her. "I know you're tired, but you're almost done. We got to give our little girl her brother or sister, don't we? You're so strong. I love you. And I'm with you every step of the way, Baby. You can do this."
Ziva didn't believe him but she did feel a little better. So when she felt the urge to bear down and push again, she gave in and did so. She screamed as the second baby started to crown. "Come on! I can't do this much longer."
"You're almost there, Ziva. You're so close. I love you," Tony encouraged. He kissed her forehead as she slowly pushed the rest of the tiny body out of her body.
"And you have a son, too! Congratulations, Mom and Dad." After Tony cut the cord, their son was handed to Ziva. Tony took their daughter from the nurse. After the placentas were delivered and Ziva was cleaned up, she and the babies were returned to her room.
Ziva was ready to pass out, but adrenaline and the desire to see her children kept her awake. "They're all wrinkly and disgusting from the birth, but they're still the most beautiful babies I've ever seen."
Tony grinned at her. "So are we going to stick with the names we came up? Nothing's changed?"
"Yes. Their names fit them."
"I'm so proud of you, you know? I know it was hard, but you did so well." He was in complete and utter awe of her.
"And I am never doing it again. We have a son and daughter. That's good enough for you."
"I'm serious, Baby."
She looked up and yawned. "I know you are. Thank you, but I couldn't have done it without you, Tony. You were my stone."
He was too tired to correct her but made a note to himself to do so later. "Go to sleep. You deserve it after the day we had. Hey, what time is it?"
A nurse answered. "It's after one. Your daughter was born at 12:03AM and the little boy followed at 12:10." She didn't think they had informed them of that before.
Tony cocked his head. "It's been three years to the day since we were in the car accident. That's something." At least that bad day was forever going to be remembered as good now. The aftermath of Ziva killing Bodnar still haunted them sometimes.
Ziva set the baby down in the incubator and fell asleep within seconds. The next morning, the whole team showed up at the hospital to visit the twins. Ziva was still tired, but less so now that she had slept.
"They're beautiful, you guys. Congratulations!" Abby couldn't wait to hold them.
"Yeah, congratulations. What are their names?" McGee questioned.
Tony and Ziva exchanged a look. "Everyone, we'd like you to meet Kelly Anne and Alexander Todd DiNozzo."
Gibbs had been expecting the name choice for the little girl – Tony and Ziva had come to him months earlier and asked them permission to use the name as they were considering it. He had been honored and agreed to it. However, he was floored they had actually used it. "The name fits her. I'm glad you used it."
"I'm glad you're glad, Boss." Alexander let out a wail but quickly settled down in Ziva's arms. She was surprised at how fast she was adjusting to this motherhood thing. She loved it so far.
"Is Xander okay over there?" Tony shifted Kelly around in his arms so they could both be more comfortable. He was also loving parenthood so far and hadn't realized how much he wanted this until now.
"He's good. Do you want to switch babies?" Ziva was anxious to hold Kelly, too.
He nodded and they tried to make the switch, but found they couldn't feasibly do it. "We probably should have thought that one out more."
She laughed before Abby swooped in. "I'll take one of them!"
"That works." Tony reluctantly and carefully handed Kelly over to her. Ziva then switched Xander over to him.
Parenthood – especially to twins – wasn't going to be easy, but the engaged couple was sure they could handle it.
Five months after the birth of their children, Ziva and Tony finally married in a small ceremony. Gibbs walked her down the aisle. Life was chaotic with two babies in the house, but the newlyweds managed. And the best thing of all? They were happy.