Rifiuto: Non Miriena

Both women looked up as Tim came back into the yard. "Tim? What's wrong?"

"Timmy?" Sarah glanced at Ziva, before turning as Damon followed soon after, shaking his head. She turned back to her brother. "Why couldn't you just say yes, Timmy? It's one simple word! You said it when Ziva proposed, and she said it when you proposed! Why couldn't you say it to me?" Tears gathered in the younger woman's eyes, and after a moment, Ziva rushed after her husband.

She found him upstairs in the bathroom connected to their room, leaning against the sink. He took several deep breaths, but refused to look at her. "Tim?"

"He proposed to her last night, Zi."

"I know." She replied, going to him and rubbing his back.

"And she said yes."

"I know." Ziva sighed, as Tim pulled away from her and returned to the bedroom, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. She followed, sitting beside him. "Tim, is it the proposal that's upsetting you, or the fact that Damon's asked for your blessing? Or is it because of how close you and Sarah are, and you are afraid of losing that bond you share? That all abused siblings share?"

He took a deep breath, not meeting her gaze. Slowly, she reached down, slipping her hand to caress the inside of his thigh with a gentle squeeze as she leaned against him, resting her chin on his shoulder. He took a deep breath. "I can't help thinking that he'll hurt her, Zi. Like the way our parents hurt us. I just... I can't..."

"But he won't, Tim you know that. Damon loves Sarah. Deeply." She leaned close and pressed a kiss to his jawline. "Just like I love you." She pulled away, meeting his gaze. "He will not hurt her, Timothy. He would never dream of hurting her, just as I would never dream of hurting you. Damon couldn't bear it."

"And how do you know?" He asked. A smile tugged at her lips.

"Because the way he looks at her? It is the way I look at you. Or the way Michael looks at Tali. Complete and absolute love, like if the world blew up today, he would be okay with it, as long as he had her. And I know, because when I look at you, I feel the same. Nothing matters in this world except you and our children." She nuzzled close, laying her head on his shoulder. "We could resign from NCIS tomorrow and run off to a foreign country and I would be just fine as long as I had you and our babies with me. Don't you trust me?"

Tim sighed. "I do, Zi, it's just..." He turned to meet her gaze. "She's my baby sister, Ziva."

"And Tali is mine. But that does not mean I dictate everything she does. I know you are particular about who she dates; I know it is because of what you went through as children, but Tim, baby," She reached up, taking his face in her hands. "Sarah has found a good man. Damon loves her, he will protect her, and make her happy. Just as you make me happy. And some day, they will have babies and you will be Uncle Tim to them. And they will love you, just as Esther and Benjamin do." She shifted closer, searching his face, seeing a thousand emotions within those green eyes she loved so.

"Ziva-"

"Damon will be good to her, you know he will be. Baby please," She reached down, lifting his shirt to reveal the scar in his side. Gently, her fingers traced it, before she met his eyes. "no one can hurt you anymore. No one can hurt any of us anymore. You can color your flowers yellow, sweetheart." She gently brushed a finger over the scar on his cheek, before pressing a kiss to the skin. "Sarah already has. Now you need to." Then, she got up, leaving him alone.


Tim took a deep breath. Everyone had gathered outside for dinner, enjoying the early evening air. As he made his way down the steps to the backyard, he saw Sarah sitting with Ziva in the small alcove, talking. Ziva had her hand resting gently on Sarah's knee, and the younger woman was crying. They both looked up; Ziva shot her husband a look that said he needed to accept it. Sarah turned away quickly and buried her face in Ziva's shoulder. Licking his lips, Tim turned to Damon, who was talking with Michael. "Damon, we need to talk."

Once the two were alone, Tim turned to the man his wife had at one time been enamored with. "Look, I get it, Tim, you don't trust you, you don't like me, and you don't like the fact that I'm in a relationship with Sarah, but-" Tim held up a hand.

"Has Sarah told you about our childhood?" The question so startled Damon that he struggled to think of something to say. Eventually, though, he stammered,

"Um... she... she told... a... a little..." Tim nodded, and then quickly unbuttoned his shirt. "What are you doing?" Without a word, he shrugged the shirt off and turned around, revealing the tattoo covering the scars on his back. Damon felt his stomach drop at the sight of the welt-like scars on the other man's back.

"The majority of these were from the day Ziva's father caught us in bed together, the night we conceived Asher. He shoved me into a mirror, and when my father found out, he beat me with a fireplace poker. I've spent my entire life taking Sarah's punishments at the hands of our parents because I couldn't bear to see her get hurt. She's my baby sister, it's my job to protect her." He pulled his shirt back onto his shoulders and buttoned it as he turned back to face Damon. "But it's not my job anymore. Not as much as it was. It's my job to protect my wife and children... and yes, Sarah also, but... but she is not my top priority." He took a deep breath.

"Tim-" But the other man cut him off.

"I need to know, that you will follow every single word of your vows, and that you will do everything in your power to protect Sarah. Because if I find out, that you've laid a hand on my baby sister in any way that looks like the abuse we went through, I will make sure that you are the next resident on Ducky's autopsy table. Are we clear?" Damon chuckled softly.

"I wouldn't dare lay a hand on Sarah, Tim. She means too much for me to throw away a love like hers. I love her." Tim nodded.

"I know." Damon studied him.

"So... does that mean..." Tim held out a hand.

"Welcome to the family, Werth."


Sarah took a deep breath and pulled away when Tim and Damon returned. She sniffled, refusing to look at her brother. Ziva broke the silence. "Tim?" He gave her a soft smile and turned to his baby sister.

"So when's the wedding?" Sarah's head snapped up as the words registered in her head.

"Really, Timmy?" He nodded, and she launched herself at him. "Oh, Timmy, thank you!" Tim chuckled, squeezing her gently.

"Just promise me one thing, Sar." He said, pulling away. She waited. "Wait a couple years to have kids, okay?" She chuckled, pressing a kiss to his cheek before going to Damon. Tim took a seat beside his wife on the swing. She snuggled close, slipping a hand to gently caress the inside of his thigh. As she lay her head on his shoulder, she whispered,

"I am proud of you, Tim." He grinned, pressing a kiss to her head. "What made you change your mind?" He met her gaze.

"Hope." He whispered, though the word sounded suspiciously like, 'You.' He grinned, his smile mirroring hers as he leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep kiss.