Title: It Is What It Is
Fandom: NCIS
Author: Alidiabin
Words: 2,757
Spoilers: General S7. Could be considered AU from 7x24
Warnings: Mentions of swears and an extra marital affair, euthanasia, drunkenness pre marital sex.
Parings: Ziva/Damon Werth and Tony/Ziva
Summary: It Is What It Is Ziva has told him many a times. Tony never stops having her back. Even when she's with somebody else.
It Is What It Is
It is Damon Werth with his marine haircut and fit physique who meets Ziva outside the town hall, holding a bunch of red buttercups (her favourite and very expensive flowers). It is Damon who congratulates her. It is Damon who according to Abby, Ziva gives a massive movie-style smooch to. It is Damon who drove hours overnight after finish a long shift to be there. It is Damon strong muscled arms she seeks comfort in when she hears of Jackson's peril. It is her bedroom where she and Damon celebrate after Jackson is found safe and well.
It is Damon's Michigan sweater she arrives in one weekend when the team are called in. It is Damon she stands next to at the Veterans Day ceremony. Instead of the team like she always had. It is Damon who is at her apartment at her birthday dinner. It is Damon's war medals that sit where Tony's photos from Paris used to sit. It is Damon who is setting up a trucking company in DC just to stay close to her. It is Damon she loves.
It is to Damons parents house she goes that Thanksgiving. It is Abby who tells her what to wear. It is McGee who tells her how to act. It is Ducky who tells her the Linda and Dylan Werth will love her. It is Tony who tells her not to listen and just to be herself. It is Tony who remembers the many conversations he had with Ziva about the American dream. It is Ziva who is finally getting the American dream.
It is Damon who stands next to Ziva at the NCIS Christmas Party. It is Damon she passionately kisses under the mistletoe to Jackie Vance's delight. It is Damon who sits next to her at the team's annual screening of 'It's A Wonderful Life'. It is Damon who wraps his arms around her when she tosses and turns recalling Somalia. It is Damon she whispers 'I love you' to in her sleep. It is Damon who leans down and responds with a kiss. It is Damon who makes her smile.
It is a cold February morning, on a paperwork day, when Ziva's phone shrilly rings disturbing the peace and rhythmic typing that filled the bullpen.
"Linda" she responds. There is only a brief pause. "Linda, calm down" she says "Yes, Damon is at a meeting" there is another pause "Is Dylan ok" Tony watches as Ziva rubs her face. Hiding a tear. "Yes Linda" she tells the woman "I'll call Damon" Ziva looks up at Gibbs. He nods. Ziva grabs her jacket and scarf and dials Damon number. It is Tony who is left to cover Ziva's paperwork, while Ziva is Michigan holding Damon's hand, while his father recovers from a fall.
It is a warm March day when everything changes. Ziva rushes into work twenty minutes late her hair messy, her face ashen, her eyes enhaloed with dark circles and red like she'd been crying.
"Trouble in lover's paradise" Tony utters. Ziva stares back at him telling him to get lost.
It is a dead body crawling with maggots which causes all to be revealed. The minute it catches her eyes she darts behind the dumpster and upheaves her stomach contents.
"If I didn't know you any better my dear" Ducky begins as Tony rubs her back. "I would say you are pregnant" Ziva turns around with a deer caught in headlights look. She nods. A fresh batch of tears falling down her face. It is Ducky, McGee and Palmer who offer her their congratulations. It is Gibbs who does the same and orders her back to the car.
It is to Tony she explains why she is so upset. Damon walked out of her apartment the night before when she told him. It is Damon who left her. It is Tony who will step up. It is Tony who tells her it will be ok. It is what it is she responds. It is Tony who wraps his arms around her. It is Abby who interrupts him just as he is about to tell her that he'll play Daddy if Werth doesn't step up.
It is lunchtime when Werth stands in the bullpen, holding red buttercups and whispering apologies.
"Ziva, I'm sorry" Werth utters "I was just shocked" Ziva looks at him.
"I'm scared Damon" Ziva shouts trying to walk away.
"I know" Damon utters. "And I left you." Ziva places her hands on her head, showing Damon she doesn't want to talk. "But that won't happen again" It is Damon who gets down on the bullpen floor with an open ring box. "Ziva David will you marry me?" he asks. Ziva stands still.
"Damon" she whispers. Damon stands.
"It's not just because of the baby Ziva" he utters placing his hands on her still flat abdomen which makes her smile. "Dad suggested it last month. He told me I'd be stupid if I ever let you go"
"Yes" Ziva utters as she leans into Damon. They passionately kiss. Just like in the movies, just as Abby declared. The bullpen claps and whistles.
It is Tony and McGee who end up being wedding consultants, as Ziva tries to plan a wedding in six weeks, without a wedding planner. It is Tony who samples wedding cakes. It is Tony who tells her she's not fat when she goes on about finding a wedding dress. It is Tony who reminds her to eat, as she is now 'eating for two'.
It is Tony and Gibbs who help Damon and Ziva set up their simple bungalow, who paint the nursery along with Werth, while Ziva stands outside begging to help.
It is Gibbs who walks her down the isle in the candle lit courtyard of a hotel, in her white dress that makes her look beautiful. Amira Franks and Kayla Vance as her flower girls. Abby as her black clad bridesmaid. Jared Vance and Damon's business partner Nathan Stones' son Jason who act as ring bearers. It is the Rabbi who pronounces them man and wife. It is the priest who proclaims they may now kiss. A kiss which is long and loving. It is Damon's one legged business partner who hollers.
"He said kiss her not knock her up" with that Ziva and Damon turn with a deer in headlights look which merges into a smile. It is Linda Werth who squeals and runs to the newly-wed couple.
It is Vance who offers Tony the Rota station starting that November. It is a whole second before Tony accepts. It is Jackie Vance who with her arms crossed tells Vance to stop talking about work.
It is Tony who is left alone, while the other twenty-nine people celebrate the union with their spouses and/or children.
It is Tony who gets Ziva the food she craves. It is Tony who tries to calm her mood swings. It is Tony who rubs Ziva's back when the morning sickness gets bad. It is Tony who lends her his shirt when she pops the button on her blouse. It is Tony, who takes her maternity clothes shopping because Damon is out of town and she doesn't want to go with Linda or Abby. It is Tony's apartment she seeks refuge in when she wants to escape her mother-in-law who is always telling Ziva what to do and giving unwanted advice. It is Tony who she rants to about her parents in law. It is Tony, who she finally tells that the reason she dislikes the Werth's being there is because, her child won't know its maternal family. As Eli the lone living member of her family (and last name she no longer has) will not be involved. It is also Tony who wipes her tears, when she suddenly finds herself missing her Aunt, Mother or sister. It is Tony who feels the first kicks in the pumpkin walled bullpen. It is Tony who takes Ziva to the ER when she thinks something is up. It is Tony who is told by the ER nurse he'll make a good Dad, because he brought her in. It is Tony who takes her to one of her OB/GYN appointments; it is Tony's wrist she digs her fingers into until the ultrasound technician finds a heartbeat. It is Tony who takes her to one her birthing classes because Linda doesn't believe in them and Damon is out of town yet Ziva wants to be fully prepared. It is Tony who knows the Corporal punishment junior is a boy, before Damon does. It is with Tony that Ziva debates names. It is Tony who suggests Dexter.
It is Vance who tells Ziva Tony is leaving. It is Tony's one regret.
It is a forgotten stapler that leads Tony back to the pumpkin walled NCIS bullpen, on the day before his plane leaves. It is there he finds Ziva, who is supposed to be on maternity leave but is probably escaping Linda, breathing deeply and gripping the dividers.
"Ziva" he asks. She takes a deep breath. "How far apart" he asks.
"Six minutes" she whispers "I was going to ask Abby to take me
"But she's in court, and the team are on a case" Tony replies. "Where's Werth?" he asks.
"Four hours away" she utters before taking a deep breath and uttering a Hebrew curse word.
"I'll take you" Tony finally says helping her stand up.
It is Tony she threatens with grievous bodily harm, if he does not drive any faster.
It is Tony who calls everyone concerned while Ziva is checked out by the midwife. It is Tony who is asked by the nurse to help Ziva walk around the hallway. It is Tony's whose chest she buries her head into as the contractions tear her body apart. It is Tony who utters soothing words and rubs her aching back. It is Tony whose ears are assaulted by enough foreign swearwords to offend the entire United Nations assembly.
It is Tony she clings to when Damon arrives.
"Ziva" Tony whispers as he tries to pry her hands from his now wrinkled shirt.
"No" she cries "This is his fault, he is not touching me ever agian" Ziva screams. She reaches out her hand and Damon grabs it. He grimaces as she crushes her hand. Tony lifts up his shirt sleeves revealing where her nails dug into her skin.
It is Damon who thanks him, an hour later when he walks into the room, with coffee, to see Ziva asleep thanks to the epidural she begged and pleaded for. It is then he acts uncharacteristically modest.
"It was nothing" Tony lies.
It is Tony who ends up on one side of Ziva when she is told to push. Abby and Linda have each of her hands and Damon and Tony have each of her legs. It is the doctor who tells her to push. It is after many pushes that Ziva gives up absolutely exhausted. It is Tony who offers the words of encouragement.
"Come on Ziva" he says "You're the strongest person I know. Do it for Dexter" he tells her. Ziva then cries while Damon, Abby and Linda tell her to push. Ziva's cry is muted by the mewing sound of the very newborn infant.
It is dawn, when he finally leaves the hospital and Ziva who is falling asleep Tony takes one last peek at Ziva and Damon's son listed as Dexter A. Werth. He wonders what the A stands for. It is Ari he assumes.
It is Ducky's funeral where sees them again. Despite the sombre occasion Ziva seems almost happy. She sits next to Damon their hands intertwined, two year old Dexter sitting on her lap smiling.
It is at the wake, held at the Werth's bungalow, he finds out Dexter's middle name. Dexter who doesn't understand why every adult is wearing black and doesn't like his mother looking sad, runs around.
"Dexter Anthony Werth" Ziva calls into the garden as the two year old runs around. "Come here" the two year old proves to be obedient and emerges covered in leaves. Tony watches as they walk off. It is then he wonders why the child is partially named after him.
It is three years later, when the Rota and DC teams unite, that Tony finds out. After the case which involved a dead child is solved, Ziva alive with her newfound freedom retreats to closest bar. Tony follows.
"Ziva" he utters.
"It's my first child case" Ziva utters in return "That's ended badly since I had Dex"
"How is Dex?" Tony asks.
"Do not get me started" Ziva replies taking what Tony assumes is her third tequila "I will not stop"
"His middle name is Anthony" Tony says after a long silence in the Spanish bar.
"Yes" Ziva replies.
"Why?" Tony asks.
"Damon wanted name him after someone we'd want him to be like" Ziva utters taking another drink. "And since I had to go through all the pain and throwing, I got decide the name, Dexter Dylan Werth would have sounded stupid"
Tony doesn't really know what to say "How's Damon?" he finally asks.
"Let's not talk about him" Ziva replies. Tony rubs her hand. Ziva turns around and faces him. She leans forward. They kiss.
It is on the short walk to the motel room that Tony gives her an out, an opportunity not to ruin her marriage. She refuses and kisses deeper. If it had been anyone else Tony wouldn't of gone there. But it is Ziva. It is what it is. It is in the dark room; Tony touches a body that he has not felt in seven years. It is under the Rota moonlight he explores Ziva David stretch marks, pregnancy scars and all. It is in the dark night Tony imagines that Ziva is his.
It is the next morning when he hears Ziva on her cell phone, telling Damon and Dexter she loves them, that Tony realises she wasn't his.
It is a quiet day when Anthony DiNozzo dies. The forty-five year old walks across the street. A drunken college student hits him. It is a rather unceremonious death. There are no poignant final words. He does not utter "I have seen this movie". Death comes quickly and simply.
It is a sunny autumn day when Ziva David passes away. The ninety-eight year old ends her life the same way she begun it in a hospital room. Though the hospital room in Virginia is very different from the Beer Sheba one she was born in. Her son now sixty- two and happily married for thirty years to a Japanese born American raised Doctor Aiko. His son also had a daughter of his own Lucy. Lucy a twenty-eight year old NCIS agent has her mothers Japanese features but her fathers and grandmothers chocolate curly locks. Ziva smiles at her son. Her good son.
"You'll be with Dad soon" he whispers referring to Damon who had died thirteen years earlier. Aiko looks at him she fiddles with the drip. Ziva looks at her son and daughter in law as they share a look. The same looks she and Tony used to share. Soon a feeling of peace washes over her. Slumber for the first time in Ziva's life comes easily.
It is Tali she meets in the new place. Though Ziva's body is old her mind is over seventy-five years younger as she speaks to her sister.
"Why do you look so happy big sister" the sarcastic eternal sixteen year old utters "You have a choice to make" As if eternity was one of those Greek myths that their mother used to tell them. Ziva is told that she may visit her friends and family as often as she wishes. But she must choose which of her lovers she spends eternity with. "Will it be Michael, Tony or Damon" Tali asks. Ziva sits contemplating. Michael was taken out of the equation as soon as Tali uttered the first syllable of his name. The choice is between her husband and a man she had once wanted to be her husband. It takes only a few second to make a choice. It is what it is.
It is Tony. It is Tony she choses to spend eternity with. It is Tony.
x-x
A/N: If NCIS doesn't give me TIVA. I'd settle for Ziva/Damon. Its cannon that Ziva was born in Beer Sheba, I focused on her agent application form in 'Good Cop, Bad Cop' which had no mention of her age or year of birth, so I made her 35 ish in 2010 which fits well with all the things she's mentioned doing. And any pregnancy/ birth information comes from my human bio class last year or sixteen and pregnant (I'm pretty sure if more people watched that they'd be less sixteen and pregnant people)
So? Thoughts …