Rifiuto: Non Miriena

Washington D.C.,

Georgetown,

Three Months Later

"You ready?"

"How do you know they will react the way we want them to, Tim?"

"Ziva, they have been nagging and nagging for this since we told them about our marriage. They'll be happy."

"But-"

"Look, I know. But we agreed to wait after that miscarriage scare you had at three months. Baby, it's passed, you're halfway through. The scare is over. Trust me, they'll be happy." He rested his hands on either side of her belly; her swell was noticeable now, as was the shift in her gait. "They have wanted a grandchild for as long as I can remember-"

The familiar ring on the laptop indicated an incoming Skype call, and after a moment, Tim pulled away from her, opening their end of the conversation. "Timothy, how are you doing?" The young agent grinned, glancing back at his wife.

"Shalom, Abba, Da." He reached behind him for Ziva's hand. "Ziva and I have something very important to tell you."

Eli and John shared a glance, watching as Ziva came to Tim's side. She leaned against him, whispering hello before slowly lifting her up and turning to the side. She glanced at the laptop, a small smile on her face. John spoke first, tears in his eyes. "Oh, Ziva... truly?" She nodded.

"Ken, Da." She whispered, resting her hands on the swell that had taken over her body.

"How far, Zivaleh?" Eli asked, unable to take his eyes off his daughter; he remembered the day Rivka had told him she was pregnant with Ziva... the joy on her face and the excitement in her voice-

"Twenty weeks, Abba." Tim replied, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist and pulling her close. "We had bit of a scare a couple months ago- which is why we kept it a secret until now, but-"

"Everything's fine, Tim?" John asked, wiping the tears off his cheeks. His son nodded.

"Yes, Da. Our baby girl is... healthy and strong and... growing as she should." He met Ziva's gaze briefly, before stealing a soft kiss and laying a hand over hers. "Nestled perfectly inside her mother."

"She? You know what you're having already?" Ziva turned to them.

"I know, that we are having a girl, Da. Do not ask me how, I just know."

"She is going to be beautiful, Zivaleh." Eli whispered; it was scary, the parallels between his last surviving child and her mother. For Rivka had also informed him of her pregnancy at twenty weeks- more because he had been gone on mission the first four months as opposed to a miscarriage scare- and she had also informed him that the child growing within her womb was their first daughter. Oh, how right she'd been.

"Abba, are you okay?" Ziva's dark eyes filled with concern, and she took a seat in the desk chair.

"I am okay, Zivaleh, just... your mother would be so proud."

They talked for close to an hour, before both Eli and John had to return to work; they parted with best wishes and promises to be there for the birth, both with tears in their eyes. After they'd signed off, Ziva swiveled the chair towards her husband. Her hands rested on her belly, stroking the sensitive skin. They had told the team a week earlier; the reactions were happy, excited even. And then Ziva's midwife had ordered Ziva to take it easy, to be careful out in the field, and so Gibbs had assigned the Israeli assassin to gathering witness statements at crime scenes and computer work, or helping Abby in her lab, where the Goth kept a firm eye on the mother-to-be. As for the apartment-

While they hated moving, they'd managed to find a nice apartment in one of the older districts in Georgetown, a nice, three-bedroom, two-bath created by the same architect. Although what both loved was the fact that everything was the same as it had been in their old apartment- the pantry, the reading nook, even the fireplace, just with an extra bath and two bedrooms. A bedroom for Sarah when she came to visit from Waverly, and the nursery for the baby. This apartment was actually closer to the Navy Yard, and the area was nice.

"You," She looked up as Tim made his way to her. He set a cup of herbal tea on the desk before her and then knelt before her, taking her hands. "Have made me the luckiest man in the world." A smile tugged at her lips, and she reached up, brushing her fingers against his cheek. He caught her hand, kissing her palm, before pulling her gently from the chair, holding her close.

Eventually, they shut the door to their bedroom and stretched out on the bed, talking softly. Ziva lay propped against the pillows, having changed out of her clothes, pulling on a tank top and staying in her underwear. She pushed the tank up beneath her breasts, her fingers moving over the swell that now was her belly. Tim lay beside her, head propped on his elbow, watching her. She turned her head towards him, sighing contentedly. "What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Just... soaking in the beautiful sight before me." Ziva raised an eyebrow. "You, without our baby growing inside you." He whispered, pushing himself up and leaning over to kiss her. He then moved down, brushing a kiss to her tummy. She reached down, tangling her fingers in his hair. "Now you listen to me, little one. Ima and I don't want another scare like you gave us two months ago. That wasn't funny- it was downright cruel. So you stay in there, and you grow strong, you hear me, Shirah?"

Ziva choked on a sob, reaching up to quickly wipe the tears away, but she wasn't quick enough. He met her gaze, but she just shook her head, and he understood, leaning close and kissing her quickly.