On a less funny note: this needs a trigger warning for hints at past sexual abuse/rape.


"Okay, I want to know all the dirty details." Abby said when Ziva finally emerged from her bathroom after a long shower. Her hair was currently drying, dripping over the towel on her shoulders and onto Abby's carpet. Breena and Sarah had left forty minutes ago, after Abby had called them a cab. And while the Goth had been doing a pretty good impersonation of someone drunk almost out of their mind, Ziva found that she had sobered up and was not watching her intently when she sat down on Abby's couch. To buy time, the Israeli busied herself with untangling a knot from her uncombed hair. When she glanced up, she found Abby watching her like a hawk with a glint in her green eyes that definitely smelled of mischief and mayhem.

"What dirty details?" Ziva asked, reaching over the small table and grabbing a glass. Taking a sniff of the clear liquid, she scrunched up her nose and placed it back, accepting her former glass from Abby, who had also switched to normal water.

"Come on, Ziva. You may be a trained investigator and get to dodge questions by Breena and Sarah, but I for one noticed you not answering any on the juicy ones. So now that we're alone, you will spill." Abby shook her head, taking a sip of her water. Ziva groaned, her head hitting the headrest when she closed her eyes.

"So, how's the sex?"

"ABBY!" Ziva shrieked, looking at her friend with what she hoped was a shocked expression. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and knew she was blushing. And judging by the way Abby's grin grew, she was not just blushing but turning into a lobster.

"Come on! I mean, he's kinda cute, but I never really see you two kiss in public. Just those chaste little pecks. And it's my duty as Maid of Honor to make sure that your future husband can satisfy your sexual demands." she giggled, and despite herself, Ziva found herself grinning.

"I guess we're just private people, you know? I don't need to devour him in public, and I don't need my face eaten in front of my friends." Ziva shrugged and took a sip of her water. Which almost turned into a deadly mistake when Abby opened her mouth again.

"I would've thought that you wanted something else eaten, but whatever floats your boat, I guess." she muttered, almost dropping her drink when Ziva spit water everywhere and had a coughing fit. Abby thumped her on the back, hard.

"Are you trying to get me killed before the wedding?" she wheezed, trying to catch her breath and glaring at Abby at the same time.

"Sorry. Wow, you're really a prude, aren't you? I thought, with all the flirting you've been doing in the past-"

"That I want to discuss my sexual preferences or describe in detail what I like Ray to do to me?" Ziva asked, getting up to grab a napkin to wipe her mouth. When she sat back down, Abby had the decency to look chastised.

"Sorry." she apologized, blushing slightly. "I keep forgetting not everyone is comfortable with sex talk."

Ziva drew a deep breath and shook her head.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Abby. But… after Somalia-" her voice hitched slightly and she forced herself to remain calm, "I don't like to talk about it. Some things can be… triggers for me. And while being eaten out by Ray is not one of them, the… reverse… would be. So don't even ask about that."

Abby's eyes widened and she moved next to her, hugging her hard. Harder than Ziva liked, but she had come to recognize it as Abby's way of comforting people, so she returned the hug briefly to let her know she was going to be okay.

"I'm really sorry, Ziva. I never considered… God, I'm horrible." the Goth said, her voice barely above a whisper when she turned from Ziva.

"It's okay, Abby. You didn't know, because I didn't tell you." Ziva tried to make her feel better. "And for the record, Ray is a fantastic lover." she attempted to lighten the mood, causing Abby to stare at her. "What? You asked." Ziva shrugged, hiding a small grin behind her glass when she took another drink.

"I'll never really get you." she shook her head, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. She rearranged herself so she had one leg up on the couch under her and her body turned towards Ziva, who mimicked her position. "Have you told him yet? About the baby?" she asked, her voice soft. Ziva slowly nodded.

"He got worried when the smell of coffee and his cologne made me sick. He insisted I see a doctor and threatened to cancel the wedding if I didn't. I only found out six days ago, I told him the same evening when I found out." she told her friend, feeling the warm feeling of happiness spread out through her body again.

"How'd he react?" Abby asked, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Really well, considering we said we'd wait at least a year before trying." Ziva shrugged. Seeing Abby's face, she quickly shook her head. "Don't, Abby. He's a great guy, and he was actually thrilled. Once the initial shock went away a bit. For a second, I was afraid he was going to faint, he had turned so pale." Ziva laughed at the memory, happy to hear Abby join in.

"How far along are you? Have you discussed names yet? Are you gonna find out what you're having?" the Goth bombarded her with questions.

"I'm seven weeks along. We haven't talked about names we want; I just said that it's considered bad luck naming a child after the deceased in Judaism."

"I thought you didn't believe in this sort of stuff?" Abby needled her, and Ziva stuck out her tongue.

"I believe that some things draw attention to the baby, good and bad. Hence why we are not going to have a baby shower, and you will have to answer to my wrath as an emotionally unstable pregnant ex-assassin if you even consider throwing one." she told Abby, giving her her best glare.

"No baby shower, got it. But once it's born, I can spoil it rotten, right?" Abby clapped her hands slightly, and Ziva shook her head in amusement.

"We'll see about that." she told her, trying to run a hand through her still wet mess of hair. "Another thing, there are no Godparents in Judaism. I know that Ray feels like the baby should get them, anyway, and we haven't even begun discussing the issues our different faith will bring. If he insists, however, I will need someone to suggest. And I was thinking about you. If you want to."

Abby stared at her, her mouth open and moving slightly, but no sound coming from her. Ziva was beginning to grow worried when her friend suddenly moved forward and hugged her again, this time more carefully. When she pulled away, though, she could see tears in Abby's eyes, and wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

"I would love to, but… Ziva, do you know what Godparents are supposed to be?" she slowly started, and Ziva furrowed her brows.

"Spiritual guidance. Which is sort of confusing, because in Judaism, it's the parents' jobs to make sure the children become valuable members to the Jewish community and are raised proper Jews. Unless they die, then the duty falls onto the community and remaining family members." Ziva shrugged.

"Um, yeah. Spiritual guidance is the general idea. But, um… they're also… well, in case something… happens… to the parents, it's usually the godparents who are then called upon to raise the child. Or children." Abby explained. This time, it was Ziva's turn to widen her eyes.

"Oh." she breathed.

"And I am honored and I would love to do it, it's just… with your jobs, yours and Ray's, it's a real chance. And don't get me wrong, I would totally do it, it's just… I don't think I'm the right person? I mean, look at me, I don't have a boyfriend or anyone to help me, really, and look at my job and the hours I work and-"

"Abby, stop." Ziva interrupted her ranting. "I stand by what I said, if Ray insists on Godparents, you are going down as my choice for Godmother. And it will be spiritual guidance. One of the few things we did discuss was actually what would happen if something happened to us, and as soon as this baby is born, we will change our wills so Ray's brother Sean and his wife are listed as our preferred guardians for our children." she explained.

"Sean the Best Man?" Abby asked, her eyes flashing with appreciation.

"That's the one." Ziva nodded.

"He's really nice."

"And really married." Ziva shook her head. She hadn't missed how Abby had almost drooled on Sean during the last few meetings with the Justice of Peace and Amber when they went through the wedding the final times. It didn't help that Abby had yet to meet Sean's wife, who apparently, didn't like Ray all that much and didn't want to get involved in the wedding more than she had to. But from what Ziva had seen the last year, Mira and her husband loved each other very much, and while he was always up for flirting, whenever a woman made her intentions clear, Sean told them he was married and that they were not getting anywhere with him.

"A girl can dream." Abby sighed, glancing at her clock and Ziva followed her gaze. It was close to midnight, they would have to get up around eight. For some reason, Ziva wasn't tired, at all.

"Nervous?" Abby asked her, and she swallowed.

"Yes." she admitted. "My father is going to attend. His secretary called yesterday to confirm it. And between him and Tony, this could turn out a disaster."

It felt good to finally voice her fear. She had not felt like unloading it with Ray, because he had his own family to worry about. His parents weren't thrilled he was marrying a former Israeli and a Jew, and his mother had been very vocal about her displeasure when she had met Ziva for the first time.

Abby grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Tony's a good guy. There's just, he's got a lot on his mind right now. And he's truly sorry about how he behaved. And your father… he may be an ass, Ziva, but, he loves you." she softly said, and Ziva blinked against the tears that were welling up in her eyes. "You're his daughter. He didn't get to see Tali and… Ari marry, and he won't pass up the chance to see his only living child tie the knot. I don't think he'll try anything, and if he does, he'll have to answer to Ray and Timmy and Tony and Gibbs. And trust me; they'll be four very displeased federal agents."

Ziva gave a short laugh and sniffle and accepted the tissue Abby handed her, blowing her nose.

"Hey, I didn't tell you, guess who also called me?" she suddenly said, sitting up slightly. Abby watched her shortly before shaking her head.

"No idea. But judging from the look on your face, it wasn't Agent Barrett." she joked, and Ziva made a face.

"She actually did, two weeks ago, when we send out the invites and had the announcement in the paper. She congratulated me and asked if I had Tony's current address and number. I pretended I was driving through a tunnel and disconnected the call, she didn't try again." Ziva shook her head. "No, I was talking about Malachi." she then informed Abby.

"Is he coming with that stupid Liat person?" Abby asked, her voice taking on an edge, and Ziva quickly told her no.

"They aren't together any more. Actually, they never were, officially, they were scratching each other's itches or something." she frowned slightly, making Abby laugh.

"Well, in that case, I may have found someone else to concentrate my efforts on. If you are sure Sean is taken?"

Abby merely grinned when Ziva hit her in the face with the couch cushion.