As she carefully slipped their newborn child into his arms, he nodded to the box on the table beside her.
She didn't scream, or shout, or curse, or blame him.
But she did cry, a whimper, and hold onto his sleeve so tightly, her knuckles blanched and she drew blood on her palm, even through the material.
Jethro could only watch on, telling her how well she was doing, how it would all be over soon.
It had broken his heart to see her in so much pain and knowing there was nothing he could do.
He tried not to think of his part in creating their child at this point, being even the tiniest part involved in making her go though this made him feel sick.
She did so well though.
In just four hours, albeit the longest four hours of either of their lives, Ziva brought their tiny, screaming, beautiful baby girl into the world.
She'd collapsed back onto the pillow, rolling her head to find Jethro's eyes, shooting him a soft, exhausted smile while he smoothed back her hair and kissed her forehead, murmuring how very proud of her he was against her skin.
A few hours later, after everything had been cleaned up and the team had all come and gone, Ziva laid in her hospital bed, staring down at her tiny daughter, her huge ice blue eyes staring right back at her.
"Thought you'd be asleep." Jethro murmured softly as he came back into the room after phoning his dad to tell him the good news.
Ziva smiled but didn't look up from the baby.
"I was. She woke up a few minutes ago."
Jethro nodded.
He made his way over to the seat beside her, and slowly leaned over to rest his arm against the side of her bed.
"She okay?"
Ziva nodded slowly.
"She is so beautiful Jethro."
He smiled, gently touching his fingertip to his daughter's right palm, the only part of her not securely swaddled.
She grasped his finger tightly, still not looking away from her mother.
"Think she's smitten."
Ziva smiled, looking up to find her husband's soft loving eyes.
"As am I."
Jethro smiled and stood before kissing his wife gently.
"May I?" He asked as they separated.
Ziva nodded.
"Of course."
She carefully lifted her arms as Jethro slotted his beneath them and they expertly manoeuvred the baby from her arms to his.
Ziva watched on as Jethro held their daughter close, smiling down at her, gently stroking her face with the side of his finger as she lay, perfectly content in the crook of his arm.
"Can't ever thank you enough for her Ziva."
Ziva shook her head.
"Do not be silly. She is as much your gift to me as mine to you."
Jethro smiled at her before watching as their child fought to stay awake.
"She is too busy admiring her handsome daddy to fall asleep." Ziva chuckled. "So much like me already."
Jethro laughed softly, trying not to jolt the fast falling into slumber infant.
"Got you something."
He nodded to the box on the cabinet between her bed and the chair he'd been using.
Ziva sighed.
"You did not have to Jethro." She reminded him softly.
Jethro smiled.
"After everything you've been though today." He grimaced, flashbacks of her tear stained face, screwed up in pain and concentration. "Though you deserved a treat."
Ziva shook her head with a smile.
"Thank you."
He nodded to the box again and she chuckled.
She reached for the box slowly, muscles she didn't even know she had protesting at the movement.
"How about we do not do this again for a while hmm?" Ziva winced as she sat back in the middle of her bed.
Jethro shot her a sympathetic look.
"I can deal with that."
They exchanged smiles before Ziva's attention went to the box as Jethro watched her, confident that their infant daughter would be asleep for a while, at least long enough so he could watch his wife open her present.
A lump formed in Ziva's throat as she opened the box and took the tiny baby rattle out.
"Oh Jethro, it is so beautiful."
The head of the white gold rattle was decorated in tiny rose gold spots while the handle had a candy stripe pattern.
"Thought you'd like it."
Ziva chuckled thickly, tears bubbling in her throat.
"Didn't want it to make you cry." He sighed.
Ziva shook her head quickly.
"Happy tears. Hormones."
She held the charm by the top and twirled it.
"I love it Jethro. Thank you."
Jethro smiled, making his way over to kiss her gently.
"I'll put it on your bracelet in the morning."
Her bracelet was currently in his pants pocket, she hadn't wanted to be too far away from it.
She nodded.
"Try to get some sleep Beautiful. You've had a long day."
Ziva nodded slowly, slipping down the bed and getting as comfortable as she could.
"You are going to stay right?" She asked softly, a hint of vulnerability in her tone.
Jethro smiled warmly and shook his head.
"Not going anywhere Ziva, neither of us."
Ziva smiled before letting her eyes slip closed.
Jethro watched her sleep for a few moments before rounding her bed and slowly, reluctantly, lowering his daughter into her bassinet.
"Nun-night Angel." He whispered softly, pressing the gentlest of kisses to her forehead. "Mommy and Daddy love you so much."