Ziva sat in the waiting room, thumb rubbing her engagement ring back and forth as the nerves got the better of her. She had another scan booked, a more experienced technician would be performing this one, along with a doctor, in the hopes of identifying the mass that resided in her abdomen with her child. They were hoping that this scan - one week later - would shed light on the situation.
Jethro was supposed to be attending but there had been a threat to a navy ship, leading the team to be called in. Ziva had already said that she had an appointment, once this was finished she would make her way to the office and help with the investigation.
She was sure that Gibbs would be preoccupied with thoughts of her scan whilst working, he was as worried as she was about the baby, or peanut as he'd affectionately named him or her. Her worries and insecurities had been erased this past week, just watching his eyes dance as he'd spoken about the baby was enough to quell her fears. He'd also begun talking softly to her stomach when she was asleep, oblivious to the fact that his gentle rubbing of her stomach almost always woke her. He would tell their child stories from his past, stories about both of them and sometimes, he would whisper about the sister their child would never meet but would have undoubtedly been devoted upon by. He'd also whisper how he loved the baby within her and how he loved her in a way he didn't believe possible. She smiled at the memories, her heart full of Jethro and their peanut.
"Miss David, we're ready for you now".
Heart thumping with fear and nerves, Ziva stood with shakey legs and followed the woman into a room. She smiled at the technician already seated at the sonogram machine, the nurse from last time, before taking a seat as directed by the doctor.
"Hi Ziva, my names Doctor Thorne, you've already met Maggie, both of us are going to be working with you for the remainder of your pregnancy".
Ziva smiled politely, anxious to just get on with the ultrasound, anxious to know if the mass had gone or to at least for the mass to be identified.
"Okay, let's get this show on the road. If you'd just lay back and lift your shirt, I'll place the gel on your stomach and Maggie will show us the baby".
Ziva laid back on the bed as directed, shirt slightly lifted showing of the slight swell of her abdomen. She braced herself for the cold liquid, then turned her head towards the screen. She secretly crossed her fingers, praying that their baby was fine and that nothing was wrong.
Maggie ran the wand around her stomach, flashes of an image appearing on the moniter. As she was trying to locate the baby, Doctor Thorne leaned over and switched a button on. A soft melodic thud filled the room, causing Ziva to smile, eyes glued to the screen, waiting for the baby to appear.
Doctor Thorne however furrowed her brow, she detected a abnormalitie in the heart beat, it sounded like there was an echo. She schooled her features, not wanting to stress the expectant Maggie managed to get an image of the baby up Doctor Thorne moved to the screen, making sure she didn't block Ziva's view. Her sharp eyes soaked in every detail on the screen, she was shocked at what she discovered. Maggie had made the startling realisation at approximately the same time as her colleague. When the baby was finally visible on the screen a wide grin adorned her face. The mass behind the baby was still there but from this angle was hard to see, it looked to be about the same size if not a tiny bit smaller than her child. Ziva was oblivious to what the other two people in the room had shock registered on both of their faces as they stared wide eyed at the screen before them. Ziva, noticing the look on their faces, instantly began to panic.
"What? What is it? What's wrong?"
Her pulse was racing, panic engulfing her as she waited with baited breath, the sound of her child's heartbeat filling the silence of the room. Doctor Thorne turned to face her, her face a mask of seriousness, however her eyes were dancing with that Ziva picked up on and was instantly confused by.
Pointing her finger around the screen Doctor Thorne began explaining, with laughter leaking through into her voice, " Now Ziva, I want you to relax and try to remained calm. Stress isn't good for babies. This mass behind the baby here, is not what we thought it was."
"Then what is it?" The strain in Zivas voice was hard to miss, deciding to not prolong this, Doctor Thorne continued.
"That Ziva. Is another baby!"
Ziva stared wide eyed. Another baby, she couldn't comprehend.
"Ziva, you're having twins. Baby number two is positioned in such a way behind the baby that we're only picking up babies back. If you turn on your side slightly, we can try from another angle."
Ziva complied, remaining mute from shock. Her mind however was reeling. The baby was fine! Better than fine infact, the baby had a companion. They were having twins! She wished Jethro had been here with her, to share in the euphoria that was slowly beginning to spread through her bones. She couldn't wait to tell him. Her fears that he wouldn't be happy were non existant, the way he had immediately taken to the idea of being a father to one child was with such enthusiasm that the news of another one would be just the icing on the cake. She was also glad that now their baby would have a brother or sister that would also be their beat friend. They would have a constant companion to go through all of life's stepping stones with, a constant playmate to ensure they were never lonely.
Doctor Thorne smoothed some gel around Zivas side before Maggie began running the wand every which way. Then suddenly, magically, the second baby was visible on the screen from a side view. His or hers brother or sister viewable behind their back. Tears beaded down her cheeks, overwhelming happiness consuming her. The babies tiny arm and hands, legs and feet, eyes, head and nose were all in clear view. The fears over the 'mass' that had plagued her the past week were vanquished, replaced by the love that surged for peanut and their twin. She laughed in joy, causing the two people in the room to join in with her. Maggie printed off scans from this angle, before instructing Ziva to lay on her other side to get a picture of the view from that angle.
The next ten minutes were spent detailing plans for future appointments, dietary changes that would need to be made and receiving packets of information on what to expect with twins and vitamins that she should now supplement. Exiting the room, arms laden with information and scan pictures, Ziva was the epitome of happiness. She couldn't wait to surprise her fiance with the news. Their days spent panicking would now be replaced with planning for the future. Their future that now held not one, but two, beautiful children.
A shrilling from her back pocket broke her out of her musings, fishing it out she happily answered.
"David".
"Ziva, it's Ducky. Jethro has been injured in an explosion, you need to get to Bethesda, I'll meet you at emergency."
Ziva was gripped in fears icy grip and was rushing to meet Ducky, the joy from moments ago replaced with fear. Unbeknownst to her, was that another women was also on her way to the hospital. A woman who had heared everything Ducky had said after following him after the explosion. A woman who would reach Gibbs before his fiance. Changing both of their futures.
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