Part 2

Autumn Changes

Chapter 12

23 days, 10 hours, 11 minutes to go.

Because of the amount of time the doctors had left before round one ended, they were administering the drug even stronger. The vomiting became more profound, and she threw up everything she ate.

There was a period of two days where Ziva didn't want to eat anything because she was so tired of throwing up. Once the nurses threatened to tell Tony, she began eating again.

She had good days and bad days. They mostly cancelled each other out, but still Tony made an effort to visit her every day.

Today was one of the bad days, and it wasn't from the chemo.

"They fired you!" Tony exclaimed when he answered the phone at work.

"I just got the call this morning. I have not been there in almost two months. Honestly, what did I expect? The school cannot keep paying me when I am in the hospital, and they do not know when I will be back full time." Ziva's voice was sad. He could tell she had been crying before calling him.

"I can't believe the principal would do that."

"The principal did not have a choice. His boss told him to fire me, but Tony, now that means a portion of my paycheck is no longer going towards health insurance. Who knows how long it will take to reapply?"

"God, this is a nightmare! You don't have any health insurance right now?"

"I am covered until the 15th when I get my last paycheck."

"Ziva, I'll take care of it. I promise. Don't worry about it. I'll probably get off work at eight tonight. I'll come straight there. You rest."

"Okay." Ziva whispered.

"See you soon."

McGee walked into the bullpen and instantly noticed that Tony was not in the best of spirits. "What's wrong?" he finally asked when he reached his own desk to check something on his computer.

"Ziva got fired."

"For something she can't even help? That's screwed up."

"You're telling me. Now she's got no health insurance after the 15th."

McGee's eyes widened upon hearing the news. He didn't even want to think about how much chemotherapy and x-rays and surgeries would cost without insurance. "The 15th? Of this month? November 15th?"

"Yup. I just wish I could add her to my policy."

"Why can't you?"

Tony looked at him with an expression that said 'What are you, stupid?' "Because we're not married, McGee."

"Oh. Right. Then marry her."

Tony tensed. "We're not having this discussion."

The firmness of his voice told McGee that he probably shouldn't have mentioned it. "Can't you get Famis or something? I think Famis insurance covers people who are unemployed, too, and everything just has five-dollar copays."

Tony's ears perked up. "I'll look into that."

"Look into it later. Need you two to talk to Reyos. He's the last one to talk to Patterson before he died." Gibbs interrupted.

McGee looked up the address of where Reyos worked and they left to pursue the case. It turned out that Reyos worked at a pet store, called Planet Pet.

Tony smiled.

"What?" McGee wondered.

"Ziva wants a dog." Tony told him.

"Really, a dog? You two already have a goldfish. Wait. I'm having a movie buff moment. Did you ever see Marley and Me?" McGee asked him.

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Did you cry?"

"No."

"You answered that a little too quickly. Anyways, Grogan buys a dog to keep his wife occupied because he's not ready to have kids." McGee said.

Tony knew where he was going with it. "Really, McGee. In one day, you bring up marriage and kids. You've been conspiring with my aunt, haven't you? Tell me, is my dad involved, too?"

"Have you talked to him lately?" McGee wondered.

"What?" Tony had an expression of shock on his face. That was one question he had not been expecting.

"You know, since this whole thing happened with Ziva. If anyone knows what you're going through, it would be him. I know you two haven't been the best of friends for the past few years, but I think you've made progress. Not to mention he could probably help out financially."

Tony's blood boiled a bit at the last statement. "I can take care of Ziva."

"By yourself?"

"I don't need this right now. Javier Reyos! NCIS!"

"Tony, you know what I just realized?" Jimmy asked him when he returned to the bullpen.

"What?" Tony asked, a little more annoyed than usual, but Jimmy didn't let it get to him. Tony had a lot to deal with recently, so he continued with his spiel.

"Elizabeth is due on Friday the 13th. I told Breena, and she told me I shouldn't get my hopes up for having a December 13th baby because that's only the due date, but still, I'm so excited."

"You should be." Tony said, not looking up from the paper on his desk.

"How's Ziva?"

This question got Tony's attention. His eyes immediately left his work and became fixated on Palmer. Jimmy knew what he was doing.

"She's, um, she's hanging in there. Chemo stops on the 27th."

"It'll be nice to finally see her moving around again. She probably wants to get out of there so bad. Well, anyways, nice catching up. Yvette should be coming in a couple weeks, and I want you to meet her."

"Will do." Tony promised as Jimmy walked away. Then, Tony looked around the bullpen. It was just him. All alone. McGee and Dorneget were pursuing a lead. Gibbs was up in MTAC, and probably would be for the next couple of hours. He was having an internal battle about following McGee's advice and calling his father. Eventually, he decided it would be best.

After Tony's conversation with his father, he was left with a feeling of peace, even though he knew it probably would not last. His father had reassured him that Ziva was strong. Tell me something I don't know. Tony had replied. Senior asked if he should visit. Tony said it was up to him.

The two of them were never very straightforward with each other, and after talking to his father for an hour, he worked up the courage to ask for money.

"I'll pay you back." He vowed.

"I owe you. I'd be happy to have you collect." Senior reminded him, and Tony suddenly felt like he didn't have to worry anymore. Three thousand dollars were just transferred to his bank account.

Ziva was bored out of her mind. She spent her days staring at a clock, waiting for visits, vomiting, and sleeping. Each day seemed to go by slower than the last. Of course, thoughts of her family brought a smile to her face. The memories kept her going, but the doctors had warned her about depression. After all, depression was a common side effect of cancer. When she found herself cursing the clock on the wall for not going fast enough, Ziva felt depressed. However, only hours later, once Tony walked through the door, she felt elated.

He always knew what to say or what not to say. She had been looking forward to Tony's visit all day when she discovered she had been fired. Finally, he came that night.

"Hey, ZZ Top."

That one nickname, most likely from the top of his head, cheered her up. "Hello."

He took his place in the chair beside her bed and grabbed her hand as he had so many times before. "I've been thinking."

"That is dangerous."

"Don't insult me. You're gonna like it."

"Like what?"

"Let's get a dog." He said.

Ziva was a little shocked to hear Tony make such a declaration. Just a couple weeks ago, she had told Tony about how she wanted a dog, and he had vetoed the idea. "Really?" she asked with a smile.

"You even get to name it."

She thought about the name for a second before finally deciding on one. "Bogie." She said, not minding the name, and knowing Tony would love it.

Of course, he did. "God, I love you. Now we have to find a dog that looks just like Humphrey Bogart. Wait. Can we get two dogs, and name the other one Nicholson?"

"No."

"I can live with that. So, when so you want to get it?"

"Let's look for one when I come home in a couple weeks." The statement brought a smile to Ziva's lips, which did not go unnoticed by Tony, so he repeated the word.

"Home." He said.

"Home."

"You know the 14th is our six-month anniversary." He reminded her.

"Oh, you're such a girl." She said playfully.

"Did you remember?"

"Of course I remember, Tony. I just was not expecting you to be the one who counts the months and celebrates our half-year anniversaries. I did not think you were so sentimental."

"I can be sentimental."

"Obviously, so tell me, what did you have planned for our six-month anniversary?" she asked, her eyes staring into his, laughing as she asked the question.

"Now, when you say it like that we sound like a hopeless romantic, sappy couple."

"Not we, just you."

"I'll bring you take-out food. How about that?" he suggested.

"Tony, you almost always bring me take-out food." It was true. If he got off work at a reasonable hour and the place was still open, he tried to bring her some Chinese food because he knew she wasn't eating very well lately.

"But this time, I'll bring a candle."

"How romantic." She said sarcastically.

"A vanilla-scented candle." He amended.

Ziva gasped playfully. "That sounds perfect. I cannot wait." They both laughed before they were silent for a minute, just enjoying being together.

As usual, it was Tony who broke the silence. "I'm sorry about your job." He said.

"Thank you. You know me. I'll adapt. I will miss it, but I will find something else."

"That's something I love about you." He told her honestly.

She smiled. "I will miss the children, and one of the worst things about this, is they left me without any health insurance." She had been stressing about the health insurance all day. She was not going to pin this all on Tony just because he was the one who currently had a job, even though he was more than will willing. With Ziva, it was always a pride thing.

"I got that covered."

"Tony, I do not want you to have to pay for all this. Please, don't take it upon yourself."

"I won't. I found out about some insurance called Famis. McGee actually told me about it. I was looking it up at work, and you would be guaranteed acceptance. Once you apply, it would only take about a month until you actually get it, so it'll all be taken care of."

She looked at him with a surprised expression. She was speechless.

"I told you I had everything under control." He said.

"Yes, you did."

"Did you believe me?"

"I do now."

Tony decided not to tell Ziva about his father paying him back for all the money he's borrowed over the years, but he did tell her that his father was thinking about visiting one more time before he came for Christmas. "Don't get your hopes up. I said he was thinking about it."

"It would still be nice to see him." Ziva said.

"I don't get why you two are so close. Am I missing something because I seriously don't understand it, Ziva? Sometimes, I think you're his kid, and I'm the one dating Daddy's little girl."

"I adore your father, and he and I have something in common."

"What?"

"You." She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "And about the Daddy's little girl, as you call it, my father already liked you." She told him.

"And what did I do to earn the approval of Eli David?"

"You saved his daughter." She reminded him. He was about to say something before she added, "And you make her happy. Every day."

Tony gave her a shy smile. Ziva could see just a tint of pink in his cheeks, which caused her to smile. Tony took notice of the time and looked back at Ziva. She could tell he was tired. She silently told him to go home and rest. He leaned over the bed and kissed her whispering, "Happy almost six-month anniversary."

Ziva rolled her eyes before indulging in another sweet kiss.

Hi, everyone! I'm getting better at updating! There are only going to be a couple more chapters of Autumn Changes, and then we're on to Part 3, Winter Tears. I'm excited! I have so many ideas for the chapters to come! I hope you stick with me through it.

Thanks to everyone for the amazing reviews! I love them all so much. Please tell me what you thought about this chapter. I always love to know what you think! Anyways, I'll be back soon.

Love you all!
Serena