Hey guys! I am so very sorry for the wait, but I had surgery on my wrist a couple of months ago and am just now starting to get full function back. So, please comment and tell me any suggestions for the story and things that you like and don't like. I hope you're enjoying the story so far even though it's sort of wandered off onto a different path than I had originally planned I think it will continue to grow. If you would like me to make this story line separate and go back to the original story line, please let me know in the comments and I'll do my best to do each plot justice, however if I separate the stories the original may end up being slightly neglected due to my writer's block and lack of knowledge of the newer seasons of NCIS. I'd like to say thank you to everyone who reads and supports this story. Enjoy
We hadn't been sitting in the room for long before the doctor came in. "Ms. Baskin, my name is Dr. Welsh. Agent Gregory briefly explained your situation and I will do everything I can to get you back home. So, what happened at the park was not really a big deal, you had something called Braxton Hicks contractions. Have you had them before?"
I slightly shook my head, "Um, no I don't think I did with my other girls."
He wrote something down before speaking again, "I am concerned about you going into labor before you can get home, but you are in good health so as long as you don't have any changes tonight then I would feel comfortable releasing you. I see here that we treated you for that broken arm yesterday. Would you mind telling me how you got that injury?"
Ashton nodded at me. I took in a deep breath, "My husband broke it a couple nights ago. He grabbed onto it."
"Alright, so, I would like to x-ray it again and make sure that you didn't reinjure it when you fell earlier."
A nurse came in and wheeled me to a dark room. She put a heavy gown over my stomach to shield the babies and took the pictures; it only took a few minutes. As we went back to my room I saw a glimpse of a police officer in the hallway. "Wait!" I demanded of the nurse, "Sorry, but I think those are my daughters, can we go check?"
She nodded sympathetically and turned in the direction of the officer. As we turned the corner I saw my two little girls sleeping next to each other and my baby in the arms of another officer. A smile spread wide across my face knowing that they were safe.
Cassie's head rose slightly from Rain's shoulder and her eye beamed when she saw me. "Mommy," the pitter patter of her bare feet came rushing towards me, "miss you."
"Oh baby girl, I missed you too. How about we go get your sisters then we can go back to Mommy's room and get cozy?" She nodded and ran back over to Rain. The nurse pushed me the rest of the way into the waiting room so I could talk to the police officers.
I held Alexia in my arms and Cassie and Rain walked beside the wheel chair. Another nurse brought a cot in for Cassie and Rain to sleep in and pulled some strings to get Lexi an extra nursery crib to use. All three girls were fast asleep in a matter of minutes.
"Ashton, can we leave early tomorrow? I don't want to be driving in the dark."
He looked at me questionably before speaking, "If that's what you want, but don't you want to go to the wedding? You were so excited. Nikk, Ziva isn't to blame for all of this, Zack is."
"I know, it's just, I need to be home. Things are going to be changing a lot for the girls and the sooner we get home the better," what Ziva had said to me was burned in my memory, at any other time it probably wouldn't have affected me so much but I was hormonal and my daughters had just been kidnapped. How else was I supposed to act?
The next day
Dr. Welsh was confident that I would make it home without any issue so he discharged me. Zack was arraigned early in the morning for felony child abduction. His court date is set for next week and they think we have a good chance at making a plea bargain.
We had already been in the car for 2 hours before the girls and I were fully awake. Ashton looked over at me and smiled, I beamed. I thought again about what Ziva said yesterday at the park, but instead of getting angry I considered what she was saying. "Hey Ash?"
"Yeah."
"Do you um, do you think that we're in a relationship? Or that we act like we are?"
He thought about it for a couple of minutes, "I guess we do. Why?"
"Ziva said something to me yesterday, about us, and it got me thinking," He didn't say anything so I continued, "she said that we acted like a couple, like a family since Lexi was there. Zack said the same thing when we were at the house. I was just wondering if… if you've ever thought about it?"
"Yeah, I have. We spend a lot of time together, I mean we live with each other and neither of us have very many friends. I know everything about you, you know everything about me. Why wouldn't we be a couple? It's not like to be in a relationship you have to go on dates every Friday or have sex or anything like that, sure it's a part of it the majority of the time but sometimes the most successful relationships are the ones that start out like this one."
"Do you think we'll have a successful relationship?" I asked after a moment of considering what he had said. He grabbed my hand and entwined his fingers with mine; I took that as a yes.
We drove for another twenty minutes when I looked at the clock; it was 8:43. I felt guilty for not being there for Ziva, she's my best friend and even though we aren't having the best of times right now that doesn't mean I shouldn't be there for her on one of the most important days of her life. I glanced at the clock again, the wedding starts at 11:30. I thought and thought before speaking, trying to talk myself out of what I was going to do, what I was going to ask Ashton to do. "Ashton," he looked over at me, acknowledging my voice, "would you hate me if I asked you to turn around and go back?"
He pulled off onto a side street and reset the GPS, "Of course I wouldn't hate you, and you're allowed to change your mind. I don't know if we'll make it in time for the wedding though."
As long as I got to see Ziva again before we left I would be fine missing part of the wedding. The twins mumbled incoherently to each other in the backseat and Alexia listened silently to the sounds of the radio and her sisters' babbling. I felt safe, and happy, for the first time in months.
Ziva's POV
"Why did I even have to say anything?"
"You were concerned about your friend, Ziva. Don't beat yourself up about it; things will blow over before you know it."
"She could be thousands of miles away in a few hours, Tony, she'll never forgive me. Why couldn't I have let it go?! Just for another day, or for when she finally gets to come home. I needed her here today, she's the only person who can somewhat understand the stress and wonders of our lives, she's my best friend."
Tony wiped the tear away from my cheek and smiled, "We're getting married today, try and focus on that. After today you can go back to stressing out about Nikki, but for today you need to focus on the good."
I nodded, "Are you upset that I'm not changing my name?"
He was shocked. We had talked about it before but I had never really asked how he felt about it. "No, of course not, why would you even ask that?"
"We're getting married today and we still won't share the same last name, but Nikki changed her name to Zack's when they were just kids."
"Ziva, I never expected you to change your name for me. You have been, and always will be, Ziva David. I don't want you to change at all from that amazing woman that I fell in love with all those years ago, that includes changing your last name," he kissed my forehead and pulled me downstairs for breakfast. I looked at the clock on the wall as we passed through the door; it was 7:32, she must be forever away by now.
3 Hours later
We got to the church at 10:30 to get ready; when I walked into the bride's room I looked around but couldn't see Nikki anywhere. I felt Tony's hand on my back so I turned around, "I don't know why I expected her to be here. Go get ready; I'll see you in a little bit." I kissed him goodbye and pushed him back into the hall.
After a few minutes Abby and Jaylynn came into the room to help me into my dress and do my makeup. "I am getting married today," I said and first the first time today a smile spread wide across my cheeks. Even though Nikki wasn't going to be able to be there with me I knew it would still be one of the best days of my life. I still had Abby and Gibbs would be there to walk me down the aisle. As it got closer to 11:30 Abby and Jaylynn helped me into my dress.
Nikki's POV
The wedding didn't start until 11:30 so we actually had plenty of time to get back in time. We got in town just before 11 and ran inside my old house to get dressed. We quickly changed then got back in the car to head over to the wedding.
"Thank you," I said looking over at Ashton, "for everything you've done for me, for my family."
We got to the wedding at about 11:20, just in time. I gave the girls to Ashton and Bishop to hold while I took my spot while the Bridesmaids. Tony smiled at me as relief flowed over him, he must've been worried about Ziva.
The doors opened in the back and everyone stood. Caitlyn and Ari walked down the aisle first, Caity throwing flowers and Ari carrying a pillow with rings. Next came the Maid of Honor walking beautifully down, followed by her mama the bride. Ziva looked amazing, her eyes brightened when she saw me and a tear slid down my cheek.
Tony was first to say his vows, "Ziva David, you are beautiful and strong, honestly the most amazing person I know. Our children take after you in every aspect. You are my ninja and my entire world; I don't know what I'd do or who I'd be without you. I love you Ziva David."
"I had never really known what love was before I came to NCIS. It was a battle to finally get us on the same page, but that long road here was worth the wait. We waited almost 8 years it was amazing and dreadfully long at the same time. I love you."
Tony kissed the bride then they lead the wedding party outside. They got in their limo and met everyone else at the reception.