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Time passed and Tony continued to search for Ziva. He searched for answers and for the love that he'd found with her. Because despite her leaving, he still loved her with everything he had. Who knows how long he would have searched for her had it not been for a late night phone call five months after she left.

He was working at the office late one night and he picked up the phone with his usual sharp greeting, "DiNozzo!"

The caller hesitated for a brief moment before saying, "Is this Anthony DiNozzo?"

Tony was busy and didn't have time for these games, "It is. Who is this? Why are you calling at ten thirty at night? "

"I'm Doctor Mark Ralston. I'm calling for the ICU unit. It's regarding your wife. Ziva DiNozzo."

Tony's heart stopped he whispered, "Do you know where she's at?"

"Of course I do. She's at Saint Vincent's Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama."

"She's in the hospital. How did you know where to contact me?"

The voice took a deep breath and told him, "She has your contact information on file with her doctor. You are listed as her next of kin and her emergency contact."

Tony felt his world spinning out of control. He finally had the first lead on where she was and now she was in the hospital. Apparently things were critical. Especially of the doctor's were calling her next of kin.

"Mister DiNozzo?"

"I'm here."

"I'd suggest that you get her quickly."

Tony nodded and told him, "I'll be on the next plane."

"Very well and I'm sorry sir. I wish I was calling under better circumstances."

"So do I."

Tony took a look across the aisle where Ziva used to sit. The memories started coming back to him. He couldn't hold back the tears that came to his eyes. He had no idea what was happening to Ziva, but he knew that he had to get to her side.

He called Gibbs on the way to the airport and told him that he needed to take some of his vacation time. Gibbs didn't question him. He knew that it had to be important for him to take time off on such short notice. He promised to call shortly when he had more news.

Gibbs wondered who called that made Tony drop everything and run to the airport. If he had to guess, he would bet that it was something to do with Ziva. He hadn't agreed with her decision to leave like that. He was never one to run, but he could understand why she put Tony's life above her happiness. He looked out the window of his apartment and whispered, "I hope this is the beginning of their happy ending. They deserve it."

Tony arrived at St. Vincent's at nearly three in the morning. He was tired, nervous and wondered what awaited him inside. He took a deep breath of the warm July air and walked inside.

He found the information desk and inquired, "I'm looking for Doctor Ralston."

The nurse nodded and walked to find the doctor. The doctor came to meet him shortly and whispered, "I'm glad you could come so quickly. Your wife's condition hasn't changed. Because of the baby we are limited on the drugs we can use."

Tony's head snapped up at one word in that sentence. Baby? Ziva was pregnant? He looked at the doctor and asked, "Baby?"

The doctor looked surprised and asked, "You didn't know?"

Tony shook his head, "I had no idea. We've been separated."

"I see. Well, she is in a diabetic coma. She was admitted here three days ago for testing. She's been having fainting spells. Everything was running according to schedule, until this morning."

"What happened this morning?"

"Well, we needed to perform a blood test. We thought she was resting. However, nothing we did could wake her."

"I didn't realize that she was diabetic. I didn't know..."

The doctor nodded sympathetically and said, "I don't think she was. It's common for women to develop diabetes during pregnancy. It's called gestational diabetes. Most women simply need to watch their diets and exercise. However, she hadn't been diagnosed yet. Her blood sugar rose to a dangerous level and it sent her into a diabetic coma. We've given her insulin shots. We are just waiting for her to awaken."

Tony simply whispered, "Can I see her? Please?"

The doctor nodded and said, "Of course."

The doctor walked down the halls of the hospital. The twisting and winding corridors were a blur to him. He felt as if he was in a dream and wanted desperately to wake up. After a few more turns, he was led into room 511. The sight of her in the hospital bed was enough to nearly make his knees buckle under him. He walked straight to her bed and took her hand in his. He grabbed the chair and kissed her hand softly.

He sat there holding her hand for what seemed like hours, but in truth was probably only ten minutes. Then, he whispered, "I don't know what to say Ziva. I imagined finding you. What I would say. What I would do. I never imagined that it would be like this, you in a hospital and having a baby, my baby."

His free hand reached out and rested on her slightly bulging stomach. He'd never thought about being a father before. He'd never thought of himself as father material. Sitting here in her hospital room it all became suddenly clear. He wanted this, wanted to be a father to their baby and a husband to his wife. He knew that as clearly as he'd known anything before.

The doctor smiled and watched the tenderness in his touch. He'd rarely seen such love in a man. Especially one that was separated from his wife, "The best thing for her right now is rest. You're welcome to stay here for as long you need."

Tony nodded, "Thank you. I can't leave her.."

The doctor smiled and led him out of the room.

It was exactly three days later that Ziva awoke. She had the strangest feeling that Tony had been here. It was the worst feeling in the world. She wanted him here more than anything, but knew that she could not risk his life.

She managed to get out of her bed and walked over to the window. She looked out at the dark night and sighed, wishing for the thousandth time that he could be here. She knew it was impossible and walked back over to her bed and sat down again. She turned her back away from the door and cried as the tears fell from her eyes.

She heard the door open, but said nothing. She knew that it was probably another doctor coming to check on her. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard, "You're awake ninja."

Only one person in the world called her that. She slowly turned and saw him standing there. She whispered softly, "Tony. You should not have come here. It is not safe."

"Yeah, well I do a lot of things that aren't safe for me. It's who I am."

"You are probably wondering why I did not tell you about the baby."

He nodded slowly, "The thought has crossed my mind."

Ziva thought back to when she first found out about their baby.

She had gone to the doctor thinking that she had a bad case of the flu. She'd been getting sick for nearly a week straight. The doctor performed a series of tests and some blood work. He gave her orders to stay in bed and that he would call her with the results of the tests.

He called exactly twenty three hours later. She'd been lying in bed and trying to think of anything she could to rid herself of the horrible sickness that seemed determined to ravage her body. She had picked up the phone and answered weakly, "Hello?"

The voice on the other end of the line was a little too cheerful and asked, "May I speak with Ziva David DiNozzo?"

"Speaking?"

"Can you hold for the doctor please?"

"Sure."

After a few seconds, she heard her doctor come on the line and say, "I'm pleased to tell you that you're pregnant."

To say that Ziva was stunned would be a major understatement. She was speechless and remembered little of what her doctor told her. He set an appointment for a Obstetrician for her and the call ended.

Ziva remembers walking around in a fog for the better part of a week, only realizing that it was real when the doctor's office called to confirm her appointment.

She arrived at the appointment and had made up her mind. She couldn't have this baby. She walked into the doctor's office and pictures of babies were everywhere. She undressed and waited in the examination room. Finally, the doctor came in and she blurted out, "I cannot have this baby. The father and I are not together and…."

The doctor's smile never faded as she said, "I take it that this baby wasn't planned?"

Ziva swallowed hard and whispered, "I left him two months ago. I have no idea if he wants children."

The doctor nodded sympathetically and told her, "Well, let's take this one step at a time. Let's listen to the baby's heartbeat."

The moment that the doctor let her listen to their baby's heartbeat Ziva made up her mind. She would have this baby.

She had wanted to tell Tony about the baby so many times. She even had a conversation in her head with him. However, she could not make herself pick up the phone and call him. She was so sure that he would not want her or the baby. So, instead of facing rejection, she simply decided not to call him.

Then, sometime in her fifth month of pregnancy, she started having fainting spells. Her doctor recommended putting her into the hospital for tests. When she was filling out the admittance forms, she paused on the line for the emergency contact. Then, she filled it out before she could think about it for too long. She wrote: Tony DiNozzo. She knew that if something happened to her, Tony would be there for her. She was not wrong and in the end it was the best thing to happen to either of them.

"So, I wanted to tell you. I picked up the phone countless times. I never could find the words to tell you that…"

"That I'm going to be a father."

Ziva nodded and whispered, "I will understand if you do not want to be part of our lives. You did not ask for this. Just like you did not ask for me to leave you like I did. I would not blame you if you hated me for everything that I have done."

Tony sat next to her bed. He reached out and took her hand. Then he looked in her eyes and said, "I've missed you so much. All these months I wondered what I'd done wrong. Why I'd driven you away. I know that you said it was for my safety, but I never believed that. I thought that you had grown tired of me, that you wanted more than I could give you."

Ziva was shocked at his words. She shook her head and whispered, "Never. Please do not doubt the love that I have for you Tony. You mean the world to me, so much so that I was willing to give up my happiness so that you could be safe."

She stopped talking and got a strange look on her face, "Stand up Tony."

He stood and she took his hand and quickly placed it on her stomach. At first, he couldn't understand what she was doing. Soon, he felt the faintest flutters. His eyes grew wide and he asked, "Is that what I think it is?"

Ziva had tears in her eyes and nodded, "It's our baby."

"I love the sound of that."

Tony stood there for the longest time. Hoping to feel their baby moving again and would have stood there forever if it meant he could feel it again.

It took a few days before Ziva was released, but when she was Tony was there to drive her home. He smiled as he led her to the car. She felt truly happy again for the first time in months. They were together again. She gave him directions to her apartment and laid her head back and closed her eyes….