Rifiuto: Non Mirena

A/N: Sorry, looks like one more hospital scene before Zani gets into the real... never mind. Here's the chapter.- Licia

She watched in silence as he studied each page of the book that was done, the photographs and measurements, the symptoms and happenings as their son grew within her. "Sarah took each of the pictures- of me during each week. I... I kind of figured... even though you weren't here, for the first... nineteen weeks or so, you could still experience it."

"It's... beautiful." He whispered, his gaze landing on the photograph he'd glanced over at the beginning of the book- on the opposite page of the back of the first one, were the words,

Ima and Abba's Love Resulted... in Me!

Beneath the writing was a photograph of a positive pregnancy test, and a photograph taken by Sarah, of the pair. Ziva was grinning madly as she handed the test to her husband, and Sarah had managed to snap the photograph at the exact moment that excited realization had shown up on her brother's face. Beneath the photograph was the date,

December 10th

"We found out in December. It was... the best Christmas present, the best Hanukkah present, either of us could ever receive. I'd never seen you so happy, so... excited." She stopped, sniffling, tears running down her cheeks. "And then... in an instant... everything changed."

He watched her, before closing the book and setting it aside. "What happened? The day of the... accident?"

Ziva took a deep breath. Should she tell him? Did she have the right to tell him? Or would it put more stress on him than he needed at the moment? Because the last thing she wanted was to cause her husband unnecessary stress when she'd just gotten him back from a coma. Adjusting to everything- to work again, to their marriage, their life together, to the baby as he grew, and the birth... that would be stress enough.

"I..." She stopped, meeting his gaze briefly. "I don't know if I should tell you. I don't know if... if Jeanne would allow it."

"Allow what?" The couple turned; Jeanne slipped into the room, a sphygmomanometer around her neck. "Sorry, didn't mean to eavesdrop, just want to check his blood pressure and change his IV."

"If I should... Tim asked... about the accident. Should I-" She watched as the woman quickly checked his blood pressure. "Can I?"

"It's up to you. I would advise waiting, but if Tim asked-"

"I did ask, Dr. Beniot." The other woman nodded.

"Then there's your answer." Once she finished changing the IV, she leaned down. "Only you can judge how much information is too much, Ziva." She straightened. "I'll be back to check on you in an hour or two. If you need anything, don't hesitate to get a hold of me or any of the nurses." They nodded, and once she was gone, he turned back to his wife.

"Please."

After a moment, Ziva nodded, shifting on the bed. She rested her fingers against her belly, stroking over the material that covered her middle as she spoke. "We'd just found out a few hours earlier... and... we'd invited the team over for dinner..." She stopped. "I'm sorry, Tim, I can't. Not now..."

He nodded. "It... it's okay. I... I think I can guess... car accident?" Slowly, she nodded. "Must have been a pretty bad one if I ended up in a coma." She laughed softly; he was trying to joke, to lessen the fear and panic and pain she felt... her heart swelled momentarily at his efforts. Even if he didn't remember her right now, it didn't mean that he didn't want to try to make her feel better, that he didn't still feel something for her, despite his damaged memories. "So you're... twenty weeks?"

"Yeah. And he's... growing big and strong as we speak." Silence soon filled the room, that awkward silence that made even the best situations the most painful to sit through. She shifted closer, until her hip rested gently against his. "Jeanne said... that you could go home in a week... I will be twenty-one weeks by then... if you want... we can... go to my appointment after you check out... I would love to have you there... and I know Amal would too... he wants his Abba to be there to see him..." She swallowed thickly. "Please, Tim. I know you don't remember me, or our son, but-"

"Of course. I... I want to be there. I... I don't know why, but..." Gently, he reached up, brushing the tears from her cheeks. She covered his hand with hers, pressing his palm to her cheek. A moment passed before she turned, brushing a firm kiss to the center of his palm- "Ouch! What was that for?" He yanked his hand away, a glare flashing across his features.

Her tongue darted out to nervously wet her lips. "Sorry. I... I have a tendency to... to nip... what do you call them?"

"Love bites?"

She nodded. "Funny thing is... you've always seen it as a challenge... 'love writ on her arms', I guess you could say. Just a... a way of reminding me that I love you and that you love me." She sighed. "I won't do it again."

He quickly shook his hand. "No, it... it's okay, it just... startled me, I guess." Their gazes locked. "I would do that same to you?"

"Vigorously."

Without a word, she reached up, cradling his face in her hand; her thumb brushed against the apple of his cheek, before she moved down to grasp gently at his chin, searching his eyes. She saw maybe a flash of brief recognition amid the confusion, but nothing that indicated he truly remembered her, other than from what she'd told him. She thumbed his bottom lip softly-

"Ow!" She pulled away, examining the soft flesh of her thumb.

"Sorry. Did I bite too hard?" Her gaze moved back to his, fresh tears welling in her eyes as she realized that all he'd been trying to do was return the nip. She shook her head. "No." Silently, she reached up, taking his face in her hands as she leaned down, their lips inches apart. In a voice choked with tears, she whispered, "It was perfect."