A/N – This chapter is dedicated to one of my dearest and closest friends, who, not only sat and listened to me when I was freaking out about posting this story, but also happens to be the first one to have ever introduced me to NCIS and Tiva! Girl, this one's for you! Thanks for being you! Here's to more freaking out together about Tiva scenes!


CHAPTER 2

Tony slams the car door shut, grabbing his coat, racing into the hospital. He's dirty and smelly from going through the suspects trash, and knows he must look like hell, but that makes little difference to him as he skids to a stop in front of the counter in the lobby.

"Ziva David," he says urgently, ignoring the looks thrown his way. "Where is she?"

The attendant frowns. "How would you be related to her?"

He grits his teeth, his fists clenching, before taking a deep breath, and reminding himself that getting thrown out of the hospital would not be conducive to his health; Gibbs would head slap him till his brains fell out and Ziva would kill him a dozen times over with a paper clip or a credit card.

"I'm sorry," he apologizes. "I'm her fiancé'?"

The frown lessens somewhat, as she points down hallway. "Room 206."

"Thank you," he flashes her the signature DiNozzo grin, rushing off.

His mind flashes back to his childhood, and he wonders if he will ever get over the feeling of contempt and sadness that accompanies the memories of the man he calls a father. Death might have taken me, he thinks, before Senior noticed I exist.

It is not that he blames his father; far from it actually. As a child, he did, but as a child, he had not understood his father on the profound level he does now. As a child, he had expectations, ones that led to disappointment repeatedly. He expected to see the beaming face of his father in the stands during his first baseball game. He had received an empty seat. Now, at the age of forty, he knows better than to expect anything. Anthony DiNozzo Sr. is, was and would always be an empty seat.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs, however, is not, he reminds himself, as he finally reaches the room where his fiancée is, only to find the rest of his team already sitting inside, spread around the white bed. McGee is seated at the foot of the bed, Abby next to him, both their heads bent over the MIT graduate's laptop. Palmer, he notices to his somewhat surprise is sitting next to Ducky, who, no doubt, is recounting some part of his life very animatedly. Gibbs, however, sits vigilantly at the head, one hand protectively stroking Ziva's hair. Affection rushes through him at the welcome sight, and he finds the corners of his lips turning up in a slight smile.

"Tony!" Abby cries, the first one to notice him, and runs out, intent on bestowing upon him one of her traditional Abby-hugs. She stops barely an inch from him, sniffing him, and making a face.

"Ugh!" she says, crinkling her nose. "You stink."

He chuckles. "Thanks Abs."

The others have gotten up to greet him, and he notices that his favorite ex-assassin is on the bed, fast asleep, her dark hair a stark contrast to the pure white of the pillow underneath her.

"How is she?" he asks, stepping into the room, taking the seat that Abby has just vacated. "I miss any?"

The expected slap to the head does not hurt as much as he anticipated, even as Gibbs renders him with his fiercest glare.

"You're late, DiNozzo," his boss growls, and he winces.

"I would apologize, but I know how you feel about that, Boss," he replies, his eyes meeting the steely blue ones of the man he admires the most. "I'm here now. I came as soon as I could."

Gibbs's gaze is probing, but he holds his own, willing the elder man to understand.

"I don't plan on being another empty seat, Boss," he says quietly, "I love her. And I love our child."

His boss nods suddenly, breaking the staring contest, getting up.

"Come on," he says to the others. "Let's go."

With that, he leads them outside, Abby looking behind her uncertainly. Tony nods at her encouragingly, flashing her a smile.

It is only when he is left alone with her that he allows his facade to fade away. He will never admit it to anybody, but deep inside his heart, he is terrified of turning out to be a failure, of missing even a single second of his child's life. Sighing, he settles down at the head of the bed, taking Ziva's hand in his own, and gently rubbing his thumb over her skin.

She stirs, brown eyes fluttering open, and he smiles softly at her, knowing that even a few months ago, she would have had him at gunpoint.

"Hey there," he says softly, bending down to kiss her, only to be stopped by her hand.

"Tony," she replies quite seriously. "You smell."

Pulling back, he grins at her. "Come on Ziva. It's not that bad."

She glares at him. "Go take a shower Tony."

"But Ziva," he groans, "I don't wanna!" he knows he sounds like a petulant little child, but he doesn't care; the sparkle in her eyes as she rolls them is more than enough to make up for him making a fool of himself.

"Tony," she insists, "will you please go and take a shower?"

"But…" he hesitates. "I don't wanna leave you here and go."

The statement is soft and quiet, and she knows it is an admission he makes to her and her alone. She smiles at him. "I am not going anywhere, Tony."

"Do I have to?" he asks, pouting. She opens her mouth to reply, probably scold him, before a voice from behind him cuts in.

"It's an order, DiNozzo," Gibbs says, and he whirls around to see that his boss has returned, holding two cups of coffee in hand.

"But boss," he protests. Gibbs's eyes meet his own green orbs, and once again, he feels as though the older man's gaze is strong enough to search through his soul. He must have passed the test, for a few seconds later, his boss's gaze softens, as he nods.

"Alright then," he says gruffly. "Stay here. I'll go over to your house with McGee and grab you a shirt or two. You can take a quick shower in one of the hospital bathrooms."

Tony blinks, not quite sure if he has heard right. "Boss?" he questions.

"Do you want your child's first memory to be that of a dirty, smell father, Tony?" Ziva asks, so far having watched their exchange quietly.

"He or she is not gonna remember it anyway, Zee-vah," he replies. Gibbs rolls his eyes, and delivers another headslap.

"DiNozzo!"

"Sorry, boss," he replies quickly. "Thank you, boss."

Shaking his head, and muttering something about brainless monkeys, the much-admired Special Agent leaves the room, pulling McGee with him as he stalks off towards the parking lot.

Over ten hours later, Tony dozes in the seat next to ex-Mossad Liaison officer, clean and fresh. It was six in the morning when Gibbs had brought here; it is now past five in the evening. Twilight has set in, the dying rays of the sun lighting up Ziva's tired, but radiant face.

Smiling, he bends down to kiss her, and she responds, immediately wincing when she feels a contraction rip through her gut.

Her reaction does not go unnoticed, as Tony looms over her, frowning. "You okay?" he asks worriedly, and it is all she can do to nod.

"Just a contraction," she gasps out a few seconds later, when the pain subsides.

"Didn't you get an epidural shot?" he asks, his frown deepening into a scowl.

"I think it is wearing off," she answers. "It has been a while."

"I'll get the doctor," he says, getting up. "I'll send in Gibbs or one of the others to keep you company till then, k?"

Ziva smiles ruefully. "I do not need a chaperone, Tony."

"But I'll feel better," he replies, shooting her a grin. "Sweetcheeks."

He chuckles at the dark glare she throws his way at the hated nickname, walking out of the room. He sees Abby sleeping in one of the waiting chairs, her head pillowed by McGee, who has joined her in slumberland. Palmer is also asleep, next to Ducky, who sits with a magazine in hand. Gibbs is missing, presumably gone to get coffee.

"Ducky?" he calls out quietly. The old man looks up, and greets him with a nod, getting up.

"Will you stay with Ziva while I go call the doc?" he asks. "Her epidural's worn off."

"Of course, Anthony," Ducky returns, turning back to occupy the place he has just vacated. Smiling, Tony walks off to find the doctor or one of the nurses.

When he returns ten minutes later, the thirty-something, very blonde, very peppy doctor in tow, he finds that the rest of Team Gibbs is cluttered around Ziva, who is on the bed, wincing, holding her belly.

Gibbs is stroking her hair, offering her silent support, just as a father would. Ducky is on her other side, talking to her softly, comforting her, Tony supposes, like an adoring uncle. Abby, bubbly as usual, plays the role of the fun sister, as she sits at the foot of the bed, jabbering away about… the baby's diapers and school? He chuckles to himself, even as he sees that McGee and Palmer are standing awkwardly a ways from the bed, talking, ever the caring, but unsure brothers.

And the sight is so heart-warming, it renders him speechless for a few minutes. He wonders if anyone in the world could be as lucky as him, for even though his real family is a washout, he has carved a place for himself amongst these much more wonderful and amazing people.

His musings are cut short when another moan escapes Ziva, and the doctor pushes past him, ushering everyone else out of the room, as she turns her attention to the laboring woman.

Gibbs, on his way out, pauses, and his brilliantly blue eyes meet his own. An understanding passes between the two men, even as the older man clasps his shoulder.

"Everything will be okay, DiNozzo," he offers quietly, before striding off behind the others. It is the kind of advice a father gives to his son, and Tony realizes with a pang, that even after all these years, he still wants his father to show. He knows it is a futile hope, however, and he finds himself infinitely grateful to his sixty-something boss for stepping up and taking the mantle.

He turns back to his fiancée', who is sitting up in bed, her legs spread out for the doctor.

"Well, doc?" he asks, as the blonde straightens up. "What's the verdict?"

She giggles, and he winces, not entirely sure if he trusts her to deliver his child. Ziva glares at him, as if it is somehow his fault, and he sighs to himself, grateful that there are no paper clips or credit cards anywhere in the vicinity.

"Your fiancée is ready to deliver, Mr. DiNozzo!" she chirps, bouncing over to him. "Get ready to be a father soon!"

Tony stops dead at her statement; for though he has known for the past nine months, it is here and now, that it strikes him with all the force of a raging tsunami – he is going to be a father.

"Tony?" Ziva's pained call brings him out of his stunned reverie, and he looks at her, a splitting smile threatening to overtake his face.

"I'm here, Ziva," he replies, and moves over to her, placing a kiss on her damp, sweaty forehead. "I'm not going anywhere."

And the smile that her lips curve into remains unparalleled in his memory.


A/N - Oh, excuse any typos/mistakes... I typed it up late last night and am too tired to edit now... Will update the next within the next four-five days. Keep reading and drop a review or two!