Rifiuto: Non Mirena

With the girls gone, the house was quiet. Tim wandered upstairs, finding himself drawn back to the nursery, though he had no idea why. Amal's baby book was tucked into the bookcase, and after a moment, he pulled it out, taking a seat in the rocking chair and flipping through it. Sonogram images, measurements, photographs of Ziva's growing progression week by week.

After a moment, he closed the book and returned it to the bookcase before slipping out of the room. Downstairs in the living room, he found photographs of a life he didn't remember, snapshots of a love that had blossomed without his knowing it- images of he and Ziva at the beach, visiting her family in Tel Aviv, visiting his grandmother up in Maine, being there for Sarah's college graduation... the images were endless, countless.

His gaze then moved to the DVD case by the mantel- countless movies, old classics and new releases, favorite children's movies and filmed concerts... slowly, he pulled one case out of the stack, reading the title written across it.

It took a moment before he realized it was Ziva's handwriting. Tali's Engagement Party, Tel Aviv, Israel

Dated six months earlier.

Without a word, he removed the DVD, turned on the TV and slipped it into the player. It took a couple minutes, before the images appeared- Ziva and a woman who could have been her twin, in the living room of a house.

"Girls! Look at the camera, come on!" A moment passed before they did as instructed. Something seemed to light in Ziva's eyes, and she reached out for someone.

"Come here, Tim, please!" He watched with wide green eyes as his younger self joined the sisters on the sofa; he pulled her into his lap, sliding his arms around her waist and kissing her firmly.

"Oh gross!"

"Hey, we've been fairly tame compared to what you and Malachi have been doing for the last several hours!" He replied, glancing around Ziva at the younger woman.

"The more important question," An older man came into frame, taking a seat in an armchair across from the sofa his children sat on. He held a drink in his hand and wore a pair of horn-rimmed glasses, his grey hair parted loosely over his head. "when you are going to give your mother and I grandchildren. Tali and Malachi can wait, they just got engaged, but you two. Zivaleh, you and Timothy have been married for four years, you should... should have at least a couple babies by now."

"We want to wait, Abba. Make sure this marriage is really what we want."

"You have been married four years, Ziva. Your father and I would like grandchildren to spoil before we die."

"Should we tell them?" He asked, turning to her. She thought a moment, screwing up her mouth.

"Tell them what? That we're trying to make a baby?"

He paused the video, removing the DVD and returning it to the case before removing another one. He vaguely remembered that night- it was hazy, in the very back of his mind, but he couldn't grasp it. Instead, he returned to the DVD case, pulling out another video and putting it in. Sighing, he pressed play, watching as it took a moment for the camera to come into focus.

"What's so important that you couldn't wait to tell me, Ziva?" She took a deep breath, holding something out to him. "A positive-" The screen froze momentarily, and Tim recognized the photograph in the baby's book. "Positive? You... you're pregnant?" His wife nodded, squealing in excitement.

"We're having a baby!"

"Oh, Ziva, sweetheart!" He scooped her into his arms, spinning her around before setting her back on her feet. "We're having a baby?" She nodded. "We're really-"

"Yeah, we're having a baby." She pulled him close, her mouth finding his in a deep, soft kiss. Without a word, he reached down, laying his hand over her still flat abdomen-

He swallowed, shutting the video off and removing the DVD before returning it to the case. Funny, how nearly five months can change in an instant.

"- if you ever want- hey, Timmy, what'cha up to?" He looked up as Ziva and Sarah returned from shopping, laden down with bags. He shrugged.

"Just... watching TV." Sarah nodded, setting a few of the bags down.

"Anything good on?"

"... not really." His sister rolled her eyes, before quickly digging into one of the bags.

"I found this at one of the little boutiques we went to, and I think it would be perfect for the baby's room." Tim watched in silence as Sarah gently unfolded a beautiful hand-painted plate with a child's blessing inscribed on it. "Can't you just imaging Amal waking up every morning to this on the wall of his bed? So that he knows where his daddy comes from?"

Gently, Tim took the plate; his gaze quickly scanned the prayer, a small smile on his face. "It's... just like the ones Penny gave Mom and Dad when they had us."

Sarah shrugged. "Tradition, right?" He nodded. "Oh, I've got to get going." She went to her brother, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "But, I will be here for the next couple of weeks, so if you ever want to get together, just let me know." She then pressed a kiss to Ziva's cheek before leaning down. "You play nice with Mommy, Amal," She glanced at Tim. "But you have my permission to give Daddy a really hard time, especially since he doesn't remember you."

Once she was gone, Ziva turned back to her husband. "So just watching TV?" He gently set the plate gently on the coffee table before helping her take the bags upstairs.

"I... was watching DVDs."

She turned to him as they reached the bedroom and she began removing the clothes. "You, resorting to movies? You'd rather watch TV than movies."

"I know. There were... a couple I only watched a few minutes of... up... an engagement party in Tel Aviv and..." Ziva stopped, turning to him.

"You watched the video of Tali and Malachi's engagement party?"

"Some of it. Was I not supposed to?"

"No, that... that's wonderful. Do... do you remember it?" He thought a moment, drawing a blank.

"Not really."

"Oh. Well... in time you will. And the other DVD?"

"Um... revealing a pregnancy, I think-"

She moved closer to him, interest peaked. "You watched the video of when I told you I was pregnant?" He nodded. "Well? Did you remember anything? Did you remember it at all?"

"No. Sorry."

She took a deep breath, biting her lip. "That's okay. Soon you will." She took a deep breath, Sarah's words ringing in her head.

The more patience you have with my brother, the quicker you'll win the prize.

The problem with that whole plan of Sarah's was simple: Ziva wasn't known for her patience.