A/N - It's still New Year's Day somewhere right? My world clock says it is... so I am not late! :P Happy New Year's to everyone! And may this year be filled more ships, more fangirling and more wonderful things evermore!
CHAPTER 11
"Careful, Lilly," Tony tells his daughter concernedly as he wheels her into her mother's room. What with her breakdown earlier, and her exhausted expression, he'd be lying if he says he wasn't worried. Pulling a few strings with the hospital staff was easy enough, and now his wife and daughter will be in the same room for the next couple of weeks that they would recover, and secretly, he's glad for it, since he won't have keep running up and down between their rooms.
"'M okay, Daddy," she murmurs drowsily, her head falling back on the chair, and with a tired sigh of his own, he enters the room, Ziva fast asleep within its confines, her dark hair splayed out in beautiful contrast to the stark white pillow covers. Eli has already left, gone home to get a change of clothes, and Tony sent Gibbs home to get necessities for them, and so he's the only one here, alone with his family.
He pulls the wheelchair to a stop just before the bed, and sees that Lilly has dozed off, her bandages glinting in the pale moonlight, and with a shudder, he moves forward to sit at the side of Ziva, one hand on his daughter's knee and the other grasping his sleeping wife's delicate fingers, slightly calloused from years of knife training, within his own.
For a long time, he simply sits there, breathing in and out, taking the sight of his two girls, his heartbeat little more than the lightest of drumbeats, faint and tired and exhausted. He's tired, so very tired, and here, finally, with his family with him, he lets go of the tension he's been holding back for so many weeks.
The tears, when they come, are quiet, simply sliding down his cheeks, and he's powerless to wipe them away. He's held it together far too long, and now, he needs this, needs the release of anxiety and pain and worry he's been keeping bottled up for so long now.
He gasps quietly, his body taut, and his tightening grip on her hand awakens Ziva. She sighs, eyes fluttering open and comes face to face with a crying husband, and the corner of her lips upturn in a sad smile.
"Tony," she breathes, and he turns to her, tears streaming down his face, and he lets go of both of them, and sinks to the floor, between the wheelchair and her bed. And Ziva notes that her daughter should not look so tired, should never be in this hospital in a wheelchair. It pisses her off, makes her want to feed Calev his own balls, and she suppresses that rage to turn her attention to her husband.
He does not sob, nor cry nor make sort of noise as he shakes on the floor. He simply draws into a protective ball, curling up at the foot of her bed, and trembling quietly, even then trying not to wake their daughter. And the sight brings tears to her own eyes… he loves them so, desperate and earnest and so very Tony… this must have been hell on him, but she cannot comprehend the pain she knows he must be feeling. Neither does she expect him to understand the kind of ache she suffered when Calev stabbed her – the sickening feel of the knife cutting through her skin, the steel blade cold against her skin and yet, so very hot and burning within her… they all have their own burden to bear.
She doesn't say anything, but holds back wince of pain as she moves to the edge of her bed, and leaning down, gently runs her hand through his sandy hair. He leans back into her touch, tilting his head the lightest bit to meet her eyes, his own forest orbs glinting with silent tears.
"Hi," she whispers.
"Hey," he croaks, raising a trembling hand to grasp hers. She smiles, catching his fingers in her own, entwining them together.
They don't say anything, turning instead to their slumbering daughter, and for a long moment, Tony's eyes simply glisten with tears he refuses to shed any more. They're both here, they're both safe, and he will count his blessings.
He moves away, gently pushing her back into bed, and bending down to drop a tender kiss to her forehead. Sniffling the slightest bit, he straightens up and goes over to Lilly and with all the gentleness of the beloved father he is, he slowly, carefully lifts her up and sets her on the bed he's ordered be set up next to Ziva.
She doesn't awaken, instead cuddling into her sheets, and her soft sigh of contentment as she sinks into the softness of the bed he's specially ordered for her brings fresh water to his eyes. Ziva watches quietly, not saying anything, a knowing, bittersweet smile on her face, and he turns to her with a tired smile of his own.
"She's okay," he says and she nods.
"I know," she responds quietly.
He plops on the waiting chair in between the two beds, one hand reaching out to stroke through his daughter's soft, dark hair, the other grasping his wife's tightly. And finally, finally, he feels like everything's gonna be okay.
In a moment, he will have to get up, he knows… he will call the nurse, and get Lillian's IV set up, and her medication running and call the doc for Ziva's checkup. In a moment, he will allow the world to intrude, and take over his life again.
But here, in this moment, he pushes it away, and simply revels in the presence of his family, drinking in the sight of his wife and daughter, and that they are both okay, and safe and so very alive. The sounds of their soft breaths in the loud silence of the room is so very familiar and he can hear it, and it soothes him as nothing else has. Peace settles over him, and the tears at last vanish.
He's reborn, in a way.
xxx
Their homecoming is memorable.
Abby has arranged the whole thing, of course. Lilly's released in three weeks, deemed sufficiently recovered to go home, though bed rest of another week has been advised. Ziva, on the other hand insisted on leaving the hospital against the doctor's better judgment, and reluctantly, she agreed, on the condition that she will continue to rest at home, until she's ready enough to begin the physiotherapy required to return to work.
Tim's been managing the entire caseload by himself, with Ducky and Palmer's help, and occasionally Gibbs's, but he's glad that his best friend is returning. Breena is taking a couple of weeks off work to come and help out, happy to wait on Ziva and Lilly till they get better, and Tim knows how grateful Tony is for her.
Speaking of, Tim hears the Senior Field Agent's car pull up in the driveway, and with a grin, he signals to his girlfriend that they're here. Abby smiles back at him, her face glowing and his heart flip-flops in his chest, and he cannot believe that he is this lucky.
With a small, happy sigh, he pulls the curtain forward to hide the people hiding inside the house, and with a bated breath, waits as Tony slowly wheels Lilly up the gravel pathway, Gibbs following with Ziva. When they ring the bell, Abby rushes to the door to grab it open and with a deep breath, the entire gang jumps out, screaming loudly.
"Welcome back, guys!"
Tim's face feels like it's about to spilt from grinning so widely, but the sight of his best friends standing there, dumbstruck, with tears in their eyes… it grounds him, sends his heart flying, because they're all okay, and they're safe and here, and alive. And it's the best gift he's ever received.
Abby flies at Tony, who catches her in his arms, spinning a bit to reduce the momentum so they won't fall. He grasps her close, and buries his face in her pigtails, shaking. Behind them, Ziva is tearing up too, if the way she clutches at Gibbs's hand is any indication. With a wide grin, Tim walks over to her slowly, kneeling in front of her and resting his head on her lap, looking up at her with shining, light eyes.
"Hey sis," he murmurs and she lets out a strangled sound that is a half-laugh, half-sob.
"Hello," she whispers, threading her hand through his hair. Abby's voice as she bends in front Lilly draws their attention to where the eight year old is being crushed carefully in the enthusiastic Goth's embrace. And Tim has to swallow hard at the sight.
"Welcome home, my dear," Ducky's deep baritone alerts Tim to his presence behind him, and with a kiss to Ziva's cheek, he moves away, going to greet his goddaughter and his brother.
Tony grasps the younger man in a tight hug, and Tim is only too happy to ignore the way his hand discreetly rises across his back to wipe away the tears.
"Thanks, Tim," he rasps, and Tim bumps his shoulder.
"We're family, Tony," he responds quietly. And the elder man smiles widely, stepping aside to let Tim go down his knees again, this time before Lilly.
"Hey baby girl," he whispers and she smiles at him.
"Uncle Timmy," she greets, throwing her arms around him. And as her too-thin limbs close around his neck, her little girl fragrance filling his nostrils, he cannot help the single tear that slides down his cheek, and he kisses her cheek again and again, holding her close.
"Welcome home, Ziva," Palmer smiles at his friend and Ziva leans into his gentle hug.
"It is good to be home, Jimmy," she returns, taking Ducky's hand in hers and squeezing it. Breena smiles from her husband's side and bends down to kiss her cheek lightly.
"We missed you guys," she tells her softly and Ziva smiles back.
"Hearth is where the heart is, yes?"
Gibbs chuckles, and shakes his head.
"Home, Ziver," he stresses, "Home is where the heart is."
And everybody's face lifts with laughter, though it's the silliest of jokes that is barely a joke at all. But they're here, they're together again, and they're falling into their usual patterns, and the exuberance of it all sets them laughing loudly as they haven't in ages. They've had their share of crying, now they shall laugh and smile and grin…
Because the whole world should know… know that they're together and safe, and alive and a family, despite all attempts to tear them apart…. Because they have each other, and they are always, always going to be a family, Kate's and Kelly's and Shannon's presence as acute as it has ever been, even long gone.
Because they have all been reborn in a way.
A/N - One more, up this weekend and then I am on iofficial hiatus till end of Jan, I'm afraid! But I will be back, with more for you guys...
ncis1001 - A boy? We'll see... ;) Definitely gonna have more cute scenes coming up though! Glad you enjoyed! How was this one?
Up Next - In which there is a lullaby and memories...