Coping

6 Days Later…

Ziva sat in a wheelchair, dressed in street clothes. She was being discharged today, and she had to leave Kelly behind. Tony was busy signing the discharge papers while Abby wheeled Ziva down to the NICU to see Kelly. When they got there, Dianna smiled a sad smile at Ziva.

"It's always hard, leaving them behind," Dianna said. Ziva choked back tears as she looked into the warmer; her hand on Kelly's and Abby hugged her from behind.

"It's okay," Abby whispered. "You'll still get to see her. I'll bring you here every day."

"It's not the same, Abby," Ziva whispered. She felt a hand slip into hers and looked up into Tony's eyes.

"It'll be okay," Tony said, his thumb stroking her hand. A lone tear ran down Ziva's cheek.

"I love you, baby girl," Ziva whispered to Kelly and then reluctantly removed her hand from Kelly's grip.

"Let's go home," Tony said, squeezing Ziva's hand.


Gibbs and Jenny had taken Chaim for the day so he wouldn't see Ziva distraught. They had decided to take him to the zoo, which thrilled Chaim. Every so often Chaim would babble to himself and clap his hands when he saw a particularly interesting animal. His favorite animal seemed to be the hippo so when they were done at the zoo; Gibbs bought Chaim a stuffed hippo. (Unfortunately, this one didn't fart.)

After the zoo, Gibbs and Jenny took Chaim to their house where he would be spending the night. Jenny made Chaim chicken fingers for dinner. After Chaim had finished eating, Jenny gave him a bath and then they curled up on the couch together to watch a Disney movie while Gibbs worked on his boat.

Gibbs slowly climbed the stairs as he went to check on Jenny and Chaim. His heart ached for the little boy who was bound to be passed between the NCIS family while Kelly was still in the hospital. Gibbs knew that Ziva felt obligated to be with Kelly, but he hoped that she didn't forget about Chaim. Gibb stopped and smiled. Jenny was asleep with Chaim curled up into her lap; the movie playing on the TV was only about half way through. Gibbs silently and gently lifted Chaim off of Jenny and settled him into the pack and play he had set up earlier that day. Then he returned to Jenny' side and shook her gently.

"Jen, wake up," Gibbs said. Jenny's eyes fluttered and then opened.

"Hey," she said sleepily. "Where's Chaim?"

"I put him in his pack and play. Come on, let's go to bed," Gibbs said, pulling Jenny to a standing position and leading her down the hallway.

"I hope our baby is as easy going as Chaim," Jenny mumbled sleepily as Gibbs helped her into her pajamas.

"Me too, Jen, me too," Gibbs replied.


Abby put on her pajamas and curled into bed with Dexter at her feet. Twenty minutes later, McGee joined her and wrapped his arms around her. Abby snuggled into McGee's chest and sighed.

"What's wrong, Abs?" McGee asked, kissing his wife on the back of the neck.

"I just feel so bad for Ziva," Abby sighed. "I've never seen her so broken or vulnerable."

"I know what you mean," McGee said, remembering his conversation over the phone last week with Gibbs over the phone.

Flashback

"Yeah, Boss," McGee said.

"Ziva woke up yesterday," Gibbs said.

"Is she okay?" McGee asked.

"She seems to be," Gibbs said. "She was in hysterics for most of the day."

"Why, what happened?" McGee asked, finding it hard to imagine Ziva in hysterics.

"She woke up and thought that she lost the baby again," Gibbs said into the phone, and McGee could tell

that he was tired.

"Is she okay now?" McGee asked.

"Yeah, they took her to see Kelly this morning and she hasn't been back to her room since, so I'm assuming that she's still with Kelly," Gibbs said.

"Alright, well, Abby and I will bring Chaim by later," McGee said.

"Alright, and Tim?" Gibbs said.

"Yeah, Boss?" McGee said, pausing before he shut the phone.

"Thanks."

End Flashback

"But you know that she'll pull through, right? She's just had to many emotions that past week that she can't hold back," McGee said reassuringly. Abby didn't reply and then McGee heard sniffles.

"I just don't know what to do to help her, Tim. She's my best friend and all I can do is stand back and watch her go through this and give her the occasional hug," Abby sobbed. McGee pulled her tightly to him.

"Abs, that's the best you can do and I'm sure she appreciates it, you're letting her know that she's not alone. And she has Tony and you know he'll take care of her and he's going through the same thing she is," McGee said quietly while rubbing Abby's shoulders.

"Tim," Abby said suddenly as she sat up and reached for a tissue. McGee propped his head on hi hand and looked at her.

"Yeah, Abs?" McGee replied.

"I want a baby," Abby said.


Ziva stepped under the stream of hot water and ran her fingers through her hair, tears mingling with the water running down her face. She knew that she was an emotional wreck and she blamed part of it on her post partum hormones, but leaving Kelly in the hospital while she was free to go broke her heart.

Tony sat on the edge of the bed, listening to the sounds of water coming from the bathroom. The look on Ziva's face today when they left the hospital had broken his heart. For the first time in his life, he truly felt helpless and he didn't know what to do. Jenny had tried to reassure him that Ziva would be alright in a few days, but Tony was having a few problems believing her.


The next day, Jenny dropped Chaim off with Abby in the lab after she got to headquarters.

"How's she doing?" Jenny asked Abby, for Abby had dropped Ziva off at the hospital that morning.

"I don't know," Abby said as she set up Chaim's pack and play. "She's putting up this front and she told me that she was fine, but I can tell that she's hurting."

"I hope everything goes okay when I," Jenny started to say, but stopped herself when she realized what she was saying.

"When you what, Jenny?" Abby asked, and then her mouth curved into a smile. "You're pregnant, aren't you?" Jenny blushed as a response.

"We were going to wait until Kelly was out of the hospital to tell everyone," Jenny said, struggling to keep a squirmy Chaim on her hip. Abby ran over to Jenny and encased her and Chaim in a hug.

"I'm so happy for you," Abby squealed, which caused Chaim to giggle. "Last night, I told Tim that I wanted a baby."

"And how did he take that?" Jenny asked as Abby finished setting up the pack and play.

"I don't think he's a big fan of the idea after seeing everything that's happened to Ziva," Abby said as Jenny placed Chaim into the pack and play with his newly acquired hippo.

"I'm sure he'll warm up to the idea," Jenny said, smiling.

"I hope so," was Abby's response.


A/N: And to think that only twelve hours earlier, I had a very bad case of writer's block. Also, quick FF (fun fact): I changed the title of this chapter three times. Thanks to Ziva4Tony for all of her help, she actually gave me the idea for this schapter, and all of you… glares sternly… REVIEW!! Please?