Author's Note:
Thank you for all the lovely feedback … I am so glad that you are enjoying this story… and I'm loving writing it… J
Here's the next chapter… Let me know your thoughts….
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Gibbs felt helpless.
Ziva tried not to moan as another contraction ripped through her body, but he could see her fists clenched in the sheets, the perspiration on her neck and the heaving of her chest.
She still had the oxygen mask on and squeezed her eye tightly shut as the contraction peeked.
"Easy, Honey." Was all he could say as he ran his hand soothingly over her head.
As the contraction eased off the door to the room opened and Dr Shore walked in.
"It's about bloody time." Gibbs growled.
"I apologize for the delay, Ziva, Agent Gibbs. I had an emergency C-section with complications." Dr Shore said, brushing him off. "So how are you doing Ziva?"
Gibbs threw his hands up in the air, "Well, how do you think she's doing?"
"Jethro, please." Ziva admonished. She felt exhausted.
"Agent Gibbs, you need to calm down." Dr Shore warned.
Gibbs looked at Ziva and took a deep breath.
He was still nauseas, light headed and extremely irritated, but he needed to get all of that under control.
"Can you give her the epidural now?" he insisted. "Ziva don't argue, please. I can't stand to see you like this."
Ziva smiled behind the oxygen mask.
You said 'please'…
"Yes," she replied. "Can I get an epidural?"
Gibbs sighed in relief as he took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. She turned her hand over and caressed his cheek. It felt good to be on the same page.
"Okay, but let me examine you first." Dr Shore said, taking a seat at the end of the bed. She lifted the bed sheet and pushed Ziva's legs apart.
"Hmmm." She said a few moments later.
"What does 'hmmm' mean?" Gibbs demanded, feeling uneasy instantly.
"You're eight and a half centimeters dilated my dear."
"That's good, right?" Gibbs said.
"Yes and no."
"Doctor just get to the point."
"What's wrong?" Ziva asked.
"Oh, nothing is wrong." Dr Shore said. "But you are too far along for an epidural to be administered."
"Shit!" Gibbs growled.
"O…kay."
Oh God… I'm going to have to do this without meds…
Ziva struggled with this realization when just a moment ago she was looking forward to some relief.
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As Tony and McGee moved to the pay station of the store, Tony's eyes fell on a cute little stuffed toy.
It was a silver grey fox with brilliant blue eyes.
"Hey McGee, grab that."
"What if the baby is a girl?"
"Girl or boy, Ziva will get a kick out of it." Tony grinned as McGee passed the soft, plush silver fox to him.
Moments later Tony's phone rang.
"Director Vance," Tony answered.
McGee heard Tony respond, "Sure, I can get that. That's really generous of you Director Vance."
McGee raised an eyebrow and Tony indicated he wait a moment.
"Thank you Director. I'll sort it out." Tony said before hanging up.
"What was that about?" McGee asked.
"Director Vance has offered to pay for the baby car seat, stroller and cot."
"Wow, that's great."
"Yeah, he and Gibbs are more than just Director and Senior Agent. They're buddies." Tony said tapping McGee's back just as the cashier behind the pay station looked up as them.
"Ah, you two are such an adorable couple."
"Thank you." Tony grinned wrapping his arm around McGee's shoulders and pulling him close. Instead of pulling away, McGee wrapped his arm around Tony's waist, pulled him close and planted a kiss on his forehead.
Tony's jaw dropped and he stood frozen as McGee turned back to the cashier and smiled, "Yeah, we are so totally in love."
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Back in Ziva's room, Gibbs shook with anger.
"You took too long to get here and now she's going to have to get through this without any meds."
"I didn't say that." Dr Shore responded.
"What do you mean?" Gibbs asked.
"We can give you a spinal block."
"What is a spinal block?" Ziva asked as Dr Shore pulled her bedsheet straight.
"It is a once of injection into the spinal fluid in your lower back and it numbs your pelvis and lower limbs. We would first have to administer a numbing agent and this unfortunately does sting quite a bit."
"Great, give her the spinal block." Gibbs ordered.
"Wait! Are there any side effects?" Ziva asked.
"Yes, unfortunately you could have an allergic reaction to the anesthesia used." Dr Shore said.
"Anything else?" Ziva asked.
The nurse next her said, "One of the other patients ended up with a severe headache and she had difficulty urinating for almost 48 hours after."
Allergic reaction… Jethro's recovering from that right now!
Severe headache… I could handle that… Ziva debated.
But difficulty urinating for days… Crap!
The nurse continued, "And another patient said she had an annoying tingling in her bottom and legs for a few days and the injection site was very sore for almost a week."
"Is that it?" Gibbs demanded.
Shit! Shit! ... Shit!
God Ziva, I wish I could do something…
"More serious concerns include bleeding around the spinal column, a drop in blood pressure which could put the baby in danger and in rare cases nerve damage." Dr Shore finished.
"Jeez! When did having a baby become so damn complicated?" Gibbs growled.
Ziva stared at Dr Shore, confused and a little terrified.
"But Ziva, Jetho let me assure you that 80% plus of patients have only mildest of these symptoms and complications." Dr Shore said.
"It's true." The nurse chirped.
Gibbs looked at Ziva and she looked at him.
"So, do you want to proceed with the spinal block?" Dr Shore asked just as another contraction started tearing Ziva's lower body apart.
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Author's Note:
That's it for this chapter…
Your thoughts and feedback will be appreciated.