Rifiuto: Non Mirena

A/N: The restaurant in this chapter is based off the restaurant that Ev took Zani too on their first date. I just noticed that.- Licia

"We don't have to do this, Tim. We can stay home."

"No, I want to take you out. Besides, once the baby comes we won't be able to go out like this, so let's enjoy it."

She sighed, accepting the shawl he held out; he'd told her that morning that he had plans for them, but Ziva wasn't expecting this. The black dress she wore seemed to stop briefly at her belly and then flow down, and she'd pulled her hair back into a loose braid before slipping into a pair of black ballet flats. She'd done her makeup as well, and while they weren't going anywhere fancy- simply to this small restaurant tucked away from the main streets of downtown Georgetown, it was still a nice restaurant; and Tim had to admit that she looked lovely. He fixed the collar of his light jacket and grabbed his keys. "Ready?"

"Yes. Let's get this over with."

"Hey, look on the bright side, when we're taking care of a colicky baby in four months, you'll be grateful we had this night."

The restaurant was a small hole-in-the-wall that only locals knew about; with its soft lighting and gentle violin music, it was the perfect place for Tim to have brought Ziva. They sat across from each other at a table in the back corner, near the fireplace, the scent of wine and pasta filling the air. "Tim, this is beautiful... how did you know about this place?"

"I brought Sarah here for her eighteenth birthday. We... spent the day in D.C. and then came here for dinner before going back up to Manhattan."

Ziva was startled; Tim never talked about their time in New York, for the family had spent a year or two living on the Naval base in New York State- long before they'd ever met, but still. That he would bring her here, to this place that was special to him and Sarah-

"Thank you, ahuva, for bringing me here."

He smiled softly at her. "No problem-"

"Can I offer either of you in a glass of wine?" The pair looked up as the waiter held out a bottle of merlot. Ziva covered her belly, opening her mouth, but Tim beat her to it.

"My... my wife can't, she's pregnant. And I'm not... no thank you. Just... just a cup of coffee for me. And..." He glanced at Ziva, who struggled to think of something to say.

"Do... do you... perhaps have jasmine tea?" The waiter nodded, slipping off to retrieve their drinks with a soft smile. She turned to him. "Thank you, Tim. For some reason, I was drawing a blank." He chuckled softly, opening his mouth to respond when the waiter returned.

"I'll give you a few minutes to decide." The pair sat in silence for several minutes before Ziva asked,

"Do you remember our first date?" He looked up at her. "Never mind. Stupid question, of course you don't." She sighed. "We... we went to a movie, and then got coffee and then..."

"Got ice cream at the local parlor down the street from the cafe." She looked up, dark eyes widening.

"Yes. You... you remember that, Tim?"

He thought a moment, before nodding slowly. "Parts of it. They're... hazy... quick... quick film cuts, that won't stay long enough for me to grab."

She closed the menu. "Hold onto them."

"I can't."

"You don't want to."

"I do."

She sighed, setting her menu down. "I'm sorry, Tim. I just... I have been hoping to hear that for weeks-"

"Are we ready?" Once they'd ordered and the waiter had left to fill their order, Tim sat back against the chair.

"We're a real mess, aren't we? I have no memory of you and the baby growing inside you thanks to an accident I don't remember and a coma, and you're left to... pick up the pieces."

"Oh, Tim..." She reached out, but he didn't move to take her hand. "We'll make new memories, and... and eventually, you'll get the others back. We just... we both need to have patience." She glanced down at her belly. "Amal does."

"He's our baby, and he's growing inside you, that's entirely different to what we're dealing with-" The conversation died once their meal arrived, and they ate in silence for several minutes before Ziva spoke up.

"This is affecting Amal, too, Tim. It may not seem like it, but... but those three months... I would in and sit by your bedside and... and hold your hand against my tummy and... and tell you about him, and tell him about you and... and how much you love him and... and that... that this accident wasn't your fault or his, that you went out because I asked you to, and... and that you were going to get something that I wanted desperately for the dinner party that night..." She bit her lip, meeting his gaze. "He knew, or, at least, I think he knew, that something wasn't right with you, because he never heard your voice, never felt your hands on my belly unless I was at the hospital with you... but you can make up for it now. You can be there for him now, and talk to him now and... and tell him that you love and that you will always be there for him-" She stopped. "I'm sorry, I... got overly emotional... God damn hormones."

He chuckled, studying her silently for a moment. She glanced at him, suddenly embarrassed to be the object of her scrutiny. "I think your hormones make you beautiful."