Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, titles, names, etc. This is a just a fanfic, based on the CBS show NCIS. Everything belongs to them.

The following weeks passed agonizingly slow. Spring was Ziva's favorite season. She loved to run through the park when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. This spring she would have walked instead of run, but now she was stuck on the couch, even if it was for a good reason.

Ziva felt alone in her decision.

Tony felt like he was going to lose it at any moment. He decided to go back to work in an effort to keep the fighting to a minimum. All the fighting was not good for Ziva or the baby.

Gibbs had protested Tony's return, but after an intoxicated conversation in his basement where Tony explained to him that at home the only thing he was doing was fighting with Ziva, he agreed to let him back but only on desk duty. Not only because his head was all over the place, but he also wanted him to be free to run home should anything change with Ziva.

Everyone visited Ziva every so often, bringing her books, magazines and movies to help pass the time. Gibbs in particular was spending a lot of time at the DiNozzo home. He only tried talking to Ziva about the baby once, and then had dropped the topic altogether. He was the closest thing shed ever had to a dad, even when her own had been alive, and she enjoyed his quiet company the most.

As painful and scary as it was, they were almost there. In four more weeks, they would meet their baby. 'Hopefully'. Neither Tony nor Ziva voiced the scary truth of their situation.

The weekends were the worst. It was hard to spend the days walking around on egg shells.

Saturday morning they'd had their worst fight yet.

'Tony you are not listening to me! I don't care whether I live, or I die. I will die knowing I gave this baby my best; even if it takes my last breath. And it will be okay because you will love him enough for the both of us!' She had screamed at him, straining herself against doctor's orders.

Tony looked at her defeated. 'How can you possibly believe that I will love the baby that took you away from me?' With that he walked away from her. He hated himself for hurting her, but he was at the end of his rope.

Tony's last words hurt her worse than if he had slapped her across the face. He stormed off to the shower, where she knew he would hide until the water ran cold. How could he not love their baby? He was the product of their love. Half Tony, half Ziva. She couldn't stop the sobs.

Tony could hear Ziva crying even over the loud shower, while his own tears got lost in the water pouring over him. He wanted to run to her and hug her and take everything back, but he knew it was too late. Words like that could not be taken back, no matter how hard he tried.

When Tony came out of the shower, Ziva had fallen asleep. Her face was tearstained, and her shirt was soaked wet. Seeing her like that broke his heart even further. He had really hurt his wife. The woman he had vowed to love in sickness and in health. The woman who was willing to give her own life to bring his baby into this world. He felt sick to his stomach. This was his fault and he couldn't make it better.

By the time the afternoon sun was shining through their window, he had run out of ways to apologize to her, and they were simply sitting in silence.

Tony was trying hard to keep the peace. He'd promised Ziva he was done fighting her, and he had meant it. It was scary for him to think that these might be the last days he might get to spend with his wife. The dangers of labor painted all kinds of ugly movies in his mind.

"What would you like to eat today Sweet Cheeks?"

"I am not hungry." Ziva's tone was flat, but her face had begun to soften. She too was tired of all the fighting. Tony had apologized over and over, and she knew in the bottom of her heart that he did love their baby. These were uncharted waters for both of them, and the pain was sometimes too much to handle.

"Okay." Tony gave up.

"Can I have more ice chips, though? Please." She hated what this situation was doing to their relationship. They should be crazy with excitement, waiting on their baby's arrival; it should not be this painful.

"Of course."

When he came back from the kitchen, he sat beside her on the couch, facing the TV. Ziva had been watching a crime show that McGee had recommended, but no one was paying attention. She rested her head on his shoulder, she missed his touch so much. It had been weeks since they'd been this close.

"I'm sorry Zee-Vah. Things shouldn't be like this."

"I am sorry too. It's hard to be happy with all of this looming over our heads. I am sorry you don't understand why I'm being stubborn about this."

"Ziva, I don't want to fight anymore. But I do want to understand, can you try to explain it to me?" His green eyes pleading with her.

"Tony, give me your hand."

He gave her his left hand, which she placed over her stomach. The baby was moving as usual.

"Do you feel that?" She asked, her eyes full of tears.

"Of course, honey."

"That's our baby. You and I Tony, you and I created this life. This baby, Tony, was not in the cards for either of us. We both doubted weather we would ever have this life, and here we are living it. Tony, if this is all I get to experience, I am okay with that. Don't get me wrong, I want more than anything to raise this baby with you. But I know that if I don't make it, you are going to be there for this baby. And that gives me peace. I am being stubborn because I believe that with all of my heart. All I can do is give this baby my best, and that is, carrying him until he is fully capable to breathe on his own. And that's going to be at full term." Ziva was crying now.

"Zee-Vah, I can understand that just fine. What I don't understand is why you are so against the c-section at thirty-eight weeks. Babies are considered full term then. We've done all the research. You've heard the doctors. Yeah, c-section is major surgery and that its scary within itself, but Ziva, it raises your chances of survival by sixty percent! You can't just ignore that. Please be reasonable. I'm begging you." He was shaking.

"Okay." Ziva's voice was barely a whisper.

"I cannot raise this baby without you!" He didn't raise his voice, but his tone was pleading. "I need you here. We need you here."

"Okay, Tony."

"I can't imagine a life without you. Ziva, I'm not strong enough for that." He was crying again. So many tears had been shed in the past few days.

Ziva took his face in both of her hands, forcing him to look at her. "Anthony DiNozzo, you are not listening to me. I said okay. Stop breaking my heart already. You are right; of course, you are. I will call the doctor first thing Monday morning."

Tony couldn't find his words, he just sobbed. They held each other for a while.

"You aren't just saying that because of what I said this morning?" Tony questioned her.

"No, although your words did scare me. But I was honestly considering it since yesterday. The baby is really strong. Strong enough to hurt me when he moves."

"Thank God." Tony kissed her carefully.

The doorbell rang, and Tony went to get it. He wasn't surprised, they gotten used to people stopping by unannounced to check in on them in the last few days.

"Hey Boss, McGoo, come on in." They walked in, carrying large bags full of delicious smelling food.

"Ziver, how are you feeling?" Gibbs kissed the top of her head.

"Same as usual. Bored and sore." Ziva answered with a smile.

Gibbs noticed that even though it looked like shed been crying, she was in better spirits that the last couple of days.

"Oh, it'll pass. And it will all be worth it." McGee rubbed her shoulder.

Tony and McGee went into the kitchen to get the supplies to eat.

"What's changed Ziver?" Gibbs couldn't help himself.

"I am going to go through with the surgery."

"Oh Ziva!" Gibbs hugged her. "I knew you were smarter than that."

"I don't know, boss. She did marry DiNozzo." McGee walked in juggling plates and drinks while Tony only carried the silverware.

"Tim, she's going to have the surgery."

"Oh, thank God Ziva, we were so worried!" Tim smiled wholeheartedly.

"I know. I am going to call my doctor on Monday. He too will be happy." Ziva smiled, seeing her family happy.

They spent the evening eating and talking about who everyone thought the baby would look like, and how Abby was going to hurt anyone who got to hold the baby before she did.

After Gibbs and McGee left, Tony helped Ziva take a shower and they went to bed shortly after. They stayed up a little late, considering baby names. Afterwards, they fell asleep more peacefully than the last few days.

"Tony, wake up. Tony!" Ziva was shaking him.

"What's wrong?" He sat up at once.

"Something feels wrong. Turn on the light."

"What is it Ziva?" Tony rubbed at his eyes, cursing the neighbors' teenager that must have woken Ziva slamming the door yet again.

"Tony you cannot freak out. Promise me."

"Ziva, what the hell is going on?" He walked over to her side of the bed.

"I am bleeding." Ziva was sitting on the edge of the bed, her feet touching the floor.

Tony froze. How could three little words, bring a grown man to a full panic.

"Tony! I said you couldn't freak out. This definitely counts as freaking out."

"Sorry." He ran around the softly lit room, pulling his clothes on. "Come on. The bag is already in the car."

He helped Ziva to the car and headed to the hospital. Ziva called the doctor while he drove, and they would be waiting for them.

Their hearts were racing. They both knew what this meant. The baby was going to be born tonight and there was a possibility neither one of them would come back home. Just that afternoon they had agreed to have the surgery that would raise their odds of survival. That was all out the window now. They were racing against the clock. If Ziva was bleeding, that meant her placenta had detached completely, which translated to: the baby wasn't getting oxygen.

"Is the baby moving?" Tony asked in his panic. They were at the entrance.

"Yes." Her voice shaking. She took his hand in his. "Tony, we are all going to be fine."

Famous last words.

(A/N):

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