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After a couple minutes Ziva had come back to the living room in her silk pjs and fuzzy slippers. She coughed a little as she came by Tony's side, his arm the only thing moving as he slowly stirs the soup he warmed up for her. Ziva furrowed her brow. "You're not having any?" Tony shook his head. "Nope. It's all just for you, so you can get better." He glanced at her and she looked to him a moment, swallowing then. He angled his head toward the table. "I got a bowl and spoon there for you. Have a seat, the soups just about done." Ziva nods and pats his shoulder before moving off leisurely to the table and took a seat, stretching out her legs and sighing. A couple seconds later DiNozzo came by and carefully poured the soup into the bowl. "For the lovely lady." He said, to which Ziva chuckled. "My compliments to the chief." The expectant mother said amusedly, her lips smiling and eyes a little brighter, which made Tony's admiration and love for Ziva only grow stronger. He sat down in the other seat and watched her while she ate, gently blowing and taking that first bite. Her eyes closed and she lifted her head back some. "Mmmm." DiNozzo grinned as Ziva looked to him. "Good huh?" Ziva nodded. "Yes. The broth is soothing in my throat." She slowly ate more. After a couple minutes Tony broke the silence. "When I was at work waiting for you earlier..I was thinking...about you, me..us and the baby." Ziva looked up at him with interest but at the same time unsure of what he was going to say as she chewed her bite of food. "I was just thinking about when the baby gets here, an apartment is okay for a little while but..with us going to inexperienced parents and all, with a newborn and then eventually a toddler," Tony watched her then continued. "You know, the terrible twos and threes." He said in explanation, to which Ziva nodded, taking more bites of soup as it gradually cools.
"So I was thinking..now don't freak out." He said nervously, to which Ziva half rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Will you just tell me?" She asked, her hormones making her behavior and moods change in split seconds. Well she was already like that to a point but pregnancy only amplified it. "I was thinking, that..we should get a house." He blurted out and closed his eyes in a cringe, unsure if she will accept it or hit him saying he was nuts. But all that followed was silence until her soft voice spoke. "You, want us to, move in together? As in buy a house to live in." As Ziva spoke Tony's eyes opened and his breathing came more easier and not as on edge. He nodded then, sitting more forward as he relaxed his body some, letting out the breath he didn't know he was holding. "Yeah...that's what I was thinking the, the next step would be..if that's okay with you and you're comfortable with it." He said conversationally but in a gentle tone as Ziva listens to his words and considers. After a few moments she spoke, absentmindedly resting her hand on her belly, gently rubbing it lightly as she leaned back in the chair. "Well..I feel it would make things easier and, definitely better for the future." She gave her opinion, to which Tony was grateful she didn't freak out on him. Ziva chuckled exasperatedly. "And here I thought you were going to propose. Just because of the baby, I mean." She quickly added. But her joking was stopped as she saw his expression, and she knew her words had hurt him as she saw the look in his eyes. Silence followed before she spoke again. "You, weren't going to ask me to marry you?" Tony licked his after a long pause, leaning forward. "I'll admit, Zi, that it was the plan. In my mind anyway." "Since you found out I was pregnant with your child, that's why you're contemplating marriage." It was more of a statement than a question as she scrutinized him, his motives, feelings. Her feelings for him were there and had grown stronger as the time they spent together went on..but did he know what he was asking? Was he just rushing into it because of the baby?...but that was far from the truth as it could get when his answer came to her through his lips. "Ziva..I want to marry you because I love you, and you love me."
He rose from his seat and offered his hand, Ziva reaching out and taking it in stride, no hesitation, a sign of trust. He lead her to the living room area and they stood there in the middle of it, and he held both of her slender hands in his big ones, facing each other, bright green eyes gazing longingly and with devotion and hope in his expression. Ziva stared back just as trustingly and she knew that in this very moment that..it happened. They had become one once again. They inched closer, her hands going up around his neck, his going to her sides, the baby between them in Ziva's abdomen, growing and getting stronger. "Zi, baby or no baby, from the start it's always been my intention to marry you. Yes this isn't what we planned and a baby, it changes everything, speeds things up and turned our lives upside down." Ziva actually chuckled a little, the corners of her mouth curling up into a smile as she tried to stifle a cough that fought to come out...to which she ended up failing and she turned her head to the side and leaned away from her lover and let a couple coughs go through her, her hands gripping his as Tony never let go, waiting patiently until she looked back to him, taking a calming breath so she could breath more easily. Ziva stared into his eyes. "I love you Ziva, with all my heart. And I'll love our baby too just as much. Am I ready to be a father? No. In fact I'm scared..but I'm going to be our baby's daddy, and I'm never going to leave you both. I'm always going to be there to support you, to protect you to love you, anything you want from me..it's yours." Ziva had tears coming from her eyes as he spoke to her with such passion and meaning, longing...and she took his hands in his and smiled brightly, nodding to him. "I will."
Tony blinked a moment as he looked at her. "You will?" Ziva sniffled and nodded once more. "Yes Tony...I will marry you." DiNozzos breath caught and a huge smile appeared on his face. Suddenly overcome with joy he scooped her up in his arms and twirled her around, Ziva surprised by it as she helped and wrapped her arms around him for dear life, laughing as he then carefully set her down. "I love you, so much." He said as he was grinning from ear to ear, holding her hands in his. "Oh, wait. Do you think we should tell the team?" Ziva made a sheepish face. "Uhh, maybe we should, put a needle in that." She said slightly nodding. "It's actually pin." He corrected her, to which Ziva shrugged as she made a face, her hands going to her belly. "Same difference...Oo." Her breath hitches and she smiles, taking his hands and placing them on her belly. Tony's soon smiling. "You feel that?" The father to be nods and he gets down onto his knees. "Yes I do. Hey baby..you happy for your mom and dad getting together?" He asked her stomach, to which Ziva smiled warmly. She rests a hand on his shoulder, getting his attention and he looks up to her. "I do have one condition...that we get married after the baby is born."
Tony swallowed as he watched her, then nodded. "That's completely fine with me, sweet cheeks." Ziva smirked and ran her fingers through his hair as he had leaned his head against her stomach gently, his hand touching her thigh. She sighs a little and then leans her head sideways and coughs more, her eyes tired. She swallowed as she them looked to him, his eyes showing concern and worry. "Maybe you should go to bed." He suggested quietly, rising to his feet. Ziva thought about it, then nodded. "It's interesting that despite the nice bath and warm soup, I do feel tired." Tony took her hand in his as he began leading Ziva to her bedroom. "Oh the trials of pregnancy. Plus you're sick." Ziva sniffled. "I wish I wasn't...oohh." She moaned with closed eyes as she sat on the bed then laid down on it. She automatically reached for the covers to get warm but Tony stopped her, his eyes saying no, to which Ziva understood because of her fever. Her right hand went to her belly as she looked down at it, her eyes worrisome. "I hope she's okay." "She is honey." Tony automatically soothed her fear, just his nearness a comfort. Ziva looked up at him when he said 'honey', a smile coming to her lips. She looked at her left hand, knowing soon after their baby was born, that there would be a ring there, a wedding ring, a symbol of promise and forever devotion and trust and commitment to one another.
How many days does it take to write chapters and update stories?...forever it seems. Hope this was worth the wait.
