(A/N: Here is the eleventh installment of my story and we're halfway there peeps. Hope you enjoy and remember to let me know what you think. Enjoy and loves x
Disclaimer: Unfortunately nothing belongs to me although I have faith that Santa will deliver next year x
She became pregnant by one brother, and married the other. Now her first love is back — who will Ziva choose? Eight years ago Tony DiNozzo married the young and pregnant Ziva David when his brother had abandoned her. But now Marco DiNozzo is back in town and the two brothers are competing for the same woman. Who will Ziva choose?
Chapter 11
Ziva sank onto one of the labs high stools and proceeded to bury her face in her hands. "Oh, Abby! Tell me what I should do. If there have been signs I haven't seen them or perhaps I made myself oblivious to them. The only thing I'm completely sure of is that I fell in love with Tony. I didn't mean to, I really didn't. I mean even from the beginning when I first came here, I tried to hate him and that didn't work. Then we were partners and we became friends and then when Gibbs retired we became more or at least I thought we had and then the whole Jeanne thing and we moved on. Even after Somalia, I owed him so much after what I did but we were still just friends you know? Then the whole Marco thing happened and even though I knew he didn't approve of me with his brother we remained friends. But after that I mean he gave up so much for Jacob and me, so much. I didn't deserve him them and I still don't but almost immediately my feelings for him changed. Almost overnight I woke up and I started falling for him. You know its quite funny really because out of everyone on the planet he was the one I knew I needed to keep my distance from, he was totally wrong for me in everyway but still after all was said and done, he was the one. I never wanted to hurt him or bring him harm, or even make him unhappy."
Abby gave a big sigh followed by a tut under her breath and climbed up onto a remaining high stool while simultaneously sliding a comforting arm around her shoulders and pulling Ziva in to a half hug. "What makes you think you have? I'm almost positive that those words didn't come from Tony did they? And on that note why on earth don't you deserve him? For crying out loud, Ziva. You guys have been together for like forever, ok well maybe not forever but for years and years." Abby finished feeling so certain of herself she gave Ziva a grin. "And for another thing, after all these years of knowing Tony I have never seen him happier than when he's with you and Jacob. Tony can be many things but I've never considered him to be the kind of man who'd put up with an unacceptable situation for seven minutes, much less seven years. I definitely think you need to tell him how you feel, for you and Jacob if nothing else!"
"And why on earth would l do that hmm? So he can pity me and feel sorry for me all over again like he did when Marco dumped me? So he'll feel responsible all over again and feel that it's his duty to stay with me? There's no way I can face that, Abby. I did it once and there is no way in Heaven, Dammit Hell that I can do it again. I just can't. In everything that's happened in my life, if there's one thing this whole situation has made me realize it is that I can't keep on this way. It isn't fair on Jacob or even me and it certainly isn't fair on Tony" Her hands found their way to her front and pressed gently, unconsciously against her abdomen. "I won't be just a responsibility to him anymore Abby."
Abby gave a huge sigh and gave Ziva a final half hug before sliding down gently to her feet. "Changing subjects, I'm still in total shock that Marco is going to be working at GeeTech," she muttered. "I wish McGee could just not give him the job and send him on his way. And he really doesn't suspect anything about Jacob being his? Or about you and Tony?"
"Not as far as I'm aware. And hopefully he's never going to, if I have anything to say about it. Tony may not want me, but he is Jacob's father at the end of the day and that is never going to change. At least, we agree on that fact. Don't get me wrong, I guess some day we'll have to tell Jacob. Perhaps when he's old enough to understand. But definitely not now. Not yet."
When the loud dinging of the elevator sounded, both women turned around and faced the door awaiting the visitor to Labby. At the sight of her handsome hunk of a husband and perfect baby boy entering, Abby patted Ziva on the back, and made her way towards them. "I want both you and Jacob to join us for dinner tonight at ours," she demanded happily before moving around the counter toward Tim and the baby he held.
"Sorry Abby, I can't," Ziva countered. "Jacob has a parent/teacher meeting at school this evening."
"Well tomorrow then, and don't say no" Abby insisted. "I know right now you probably don't feel like company, but if you don't come to us, we'll come to you. Promise me, now Ziva. Were your family too and if you don't I'm telling Gibbs so there!"
"Do you know that marriage has made you extremely bossy Abby, Ziva observed, striving for some sense of normalcy.
"It wasn't marriage Ziva, motherhood has made her bossy or should I say bossier," Timothy McGee corrected, his smile crooked and utterly indulgent oh his wife. "And I guess your son here has inherited the trait because he has been making it obvious that there are some things he prefers you for, sweet pea."
Ziva gazed affectionately at the husband and wife as McGee managed to transfer the blanket-bundled baby Alex from his arms to Abby's as they left with a wave from Abby and sweet brotherly smile from McGee. If ever there was a man besotted with his wife and child, it was former author, Special Agent and soon to be named Team Leader of the MCRT Timothy McGee.
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she closed her eyes and wished she were a better person. The kind of person who wouldn't feel envious of her very best friend's happiness. That however was the problem, it wasn't that she pitied herself or the life she had lead, it was more the thought that after everything she had gone through with Mossad, NCIS, Somalia, Marco and now Tony, didn't she deserve to be happy. Couldn't someone love her the way Tim loved Abby? Was she asking too much to be accepted and loved and cherished for who she was? Or was she forever destined to be used by men until they had what the wanted from her? Was she destined to always deprive her children of their biological fathers? What was so wrong with her but was so right with every other woman?
Then the elevator dinged again signaling the departure of the McGee family and leaving a soft silence in the empty lab for which Ziva could only be grateful, if not a little sad for on the one hand it gave her space and time to sit and brood and mull things over in peace and quiet, which would be totally out of the question had she been at her desk. However on the other hand was brooding silence and time really what she needed at this moment? It served her no purpose to wish things were different, she needed to move on and sort her life out now, she didn't just have herself to think of now. There were others depending on her.
Ziva wasn't able take a break until lunch, and for that she counted her blessings. The less free time she had to ponder the better. Even at lunch she made the decision to stay seated at her desk where she still had a view of the balcony and doors that lead to the Directors office. To Tony's office. Her Chicken salad sandwich held little appeal at the moment but that beginning to be a regular occurrence; she forced a few bites down however, mindful of what Ducky had told her and followed it down with a bottle of chilled water. The elevator dinged behind her and she was glad of the momentary interruption from her depressing thoughts that reminded her that she had work to do. She bent to toss away the half-eaten sandwich into her waste basket and began on her fourth set of reports that required completing and filing before she could leave for Jacobs's parent/teachers meeting.
Her stomach fluctuated unsteadily as the person from the elevator made their presence known at her desk. "Tony," she gasped as his tall and ominous shadow swept across her desk. What was he doing here? Had he changed his mind? Was something wrong with Jacob? "What are you doing here? Is everything ok?" She questioned anxiously expecting him to still be in his private office, wasn't he supposed to be in a meeting all the day with the LA Director?
Thanks for reading, please review. Lotsa love xxxx