DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything

Oki Doki. Do I keep my promises or what? It's only been a few days since the last update! Okay, so thank you for all the reviews on the last chapter. I tried to reply to all of them but I may have missed a few - So I apologize if I missed you. So... more fluff - with a little explanation. Please don't expect another update for another wee because I haven't even started the next chapter. I don't even know what I'm going to do with the next chapter.... but I wanted to get this one up to make up for the huge space between chapter 4 and 5. I love you all!


DiNozzo was in the midst of picking up a bullet when the shrill ring of his phone surprised him. He wasted no time in ripping off his gloves and digging into his pocket to retrieve the device.

"Hey Ziva" he greeted quickly, all the while hoping nothing was wrong.

"Pick up some fried chicken ... and a Philly cheese-steak. Perhaps a chocolate malt as well." Ziva requested instantly, without a measly 'Hello'. She was on her own type of mission -a mission to vanquish a terrible terrible craving. A craving so strong she thought she might go insane if it wasn't resolved soon.

"Zi, I can't right now, but later. I promise, later I'll get you whatever you want." Tony declined as he looked around, knowing if he was caught slacking he'd earn himself a swat to the back of the head.

"It was not a question, DiNozzo. Do not forget that I am carrying your child. I am very hungry... and I am not allowed to get up to get my own food." Ziva growled menacingly, her tone slowly turning to one worthy of pity. Oh how quickly she had learned the guilt tactics of an expecting mother. He couldn't say 'no' when she was no longer permitted to do the simplest of tasks for herself. If she had to endure a changing body, hormone level and cravings, the least he could do was fetch her whatever she needed. Though he knew her pity inducing voice was merely a manipulation technique and she could never be as pathetic as she forced herself to sound, Tony ate it up.

"I know. I'll see you soon... real soon." Tony conceded as he stood from his crouched position on the ground. After hearing her sigh through a smile, Tony quickly snapped his phone shut and turned towards the Charger. With the keys firmly pressed inside his pocket and McGee seemingly too busy to notice Tony retreating to the vehicle, he decided that to casually vanish
was his best bet.

"Hey, I'll be right back." Tony called over his shoulder nonchalantly as he stepped around the car towards the driver's side. Gibbs head snapped up to see his senior field agent making his escaped and scowled at the younger man.

"DiNozzo! Where the hell do you think you're going?" Gibbs barked, angry to be left with only one agent. Tony stopped and turned, examining his boss' face as he scratched the unshaved stubble on his chin.

"Listen Gibbs, it seems I have a new boss and she isn't nearly as patient as you are." DiNozzo snorted mockingly. Gibbs? Patient? Not by the loosest definition. However, Tony was aware even in her condition and bound to her bed Ziva could kill him any day of the week. She was definitely more freighting the longer she waited. Tony smiled as he heard the remnants of a suppressed chuckle echo from McGee's general direction.

"You get back here ASAP, DiNozzo!" Gibbs replied, accepting it to be better to keep Tony alive by way of keeping the pregnant assassin as happy as possible. The younger man, and soon-to-be father, nodded in appreciation before slipping silently behind the wheel and driving to the nearest KFC and then to her favorite diner. He let his mind wander, with relief, to the previous night's events that had led him to his errand.

Tony settled her into her own bed and took a glance around the bedroom of her apartment. When he looked back down at her he was shocked to register the glare on her face. He wouldn't fight her, or give her the satisfaction of him pressing for a conversation. Instead, when he was sure she was comfortable, he retreated to the living room and popped on the television. He flicked through channels, pausing longingly on sitcoms about happy families, as he let his mind wander. The ball was in her court. He had made himself available to her every need, made it clear that he was in it for the long haul, drove home the fact that he already loved his baby and told her when she was ready they would talk.

Tony let out a shaky breathe. He wanted nothing more than to shake her, maybe kiss her senseless, and tell her to get the fuck over herself. She was being stubborn, and normally he would shove right back, but this wasn't one of their normal arguments about Chinese vs. pizza. No, this was much more serious and he couldn't risk pushing her over the edge. He ran his hand through his hair, giving it the porcupine look she had so pointedly teased so many years ago, and stopped his surfing on a Lifetime movie.

Glancing up at the clock he swore softly at the disappearance of daylight. He pushed himself from her cloud-like sofa and wandered into her bedroom, where he knew she still sat. She looked rather content with her book held in front of her nose, the cover giving away the language as French. He hated to disturb her calm but it was already eight o'clock and didn't know how much longer she could go without food. He would have to feed her eventually.

"Ziva, it's been three hours. I gave you plenty of time to stew; now we need to figure this out. You haven't spoken a word to me since we left the hospital. That's fine, you're angry. But it's about time you realized that I'm not going anywhere, so quit making this harder on yourself." Tony blew out, softly. Ziva lifted her gaze from the pages in front of her, slightly amazed at how he could sound so forceful but keep his tone so gentle and non-stress-inducing. This would be their calmest fight ever. Tony's posture instantly deflated when he noticed a single tear on her cheek. He wanted to put his head through a wall, or beat the shit out of himself for making her cry.

"Damn hormones" Ziva sniffled as she pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead "I am sorry, Tony. I really am. I know it was a surprise and you said stupid things in your state of shock. I should not have taken your words so personally. You were not calling me a whore... or - or a murderer. You were just..."

Tony dropped himself to the end of the bed by her feet and picked one up to give it a squeeze. She closed her eyes and dropped her head to rest it on the headboard behind her as Tony rubbed reassuring circles against into her sole.

"We'll be okay, Zi. I can pretty much guarantee we'll get into more fights in the future, but we'll be okay. We might fight about what to eat, what to name the baby, whether you are fat or not, on whose place to stay at, maybe even what color to paint the nursery... we'll get through it. We always do." Tony explained with a far away look of a promising forethought. Their future would be bright, whether they were in a relationship or not. Tony took her other foot as he allowed himself to loiter in thoughts of the unknown. Though afraid to speak of their possible relationship he let it absorb into his hopes and dreams. Eventually Ziva beckoned him towards the top of the bed, where they sunk down into the pillows and blankets to watch some television together.

Tony jogged down the stairs to Abby's lab, knowing he didn't have time for the luxury of an elevator. He stepped in to Abby's lab and looked around for Goth, cautiously avoiding her because she could just talk his ear off.

"Hey Sweet cheeks, here's your food. Let me know if you need anything else." Tony breathed as he attempted to catch his fleeting breath and handed her the fast food bag. Damn his scarred lungs. After regaining somewhat of a steady breathing pattern he turned to run again but what stopped by Ziva's voice.

"Tony, sit with me." Ziva pleaded forcefully. Tony's eyebrow shot up as he glanced around him. This had to be some sort of joke. Ziva was seated with her legs folded like a pretzel beneath her. She looked effortlessly beautiful in her sleepwear and he could hardly resist sitting beside her and soaking in her presence. She grinned up at him, completely positive that he would soon cave in.

Tony settled in beside her with a sigh as she moved the laptop to the floor and leaned her head against his shoulder. Tony instantly felt his mood lift and he could stay all day on that futon, snuggled beside his best friend. Ziva let her eyes flutter shut as she felt the weakness in her muscles set in from being unused and cursed the coming weeks of an inactive lifestyle.

"Gibbs is gonna kill me if I'm gone too long." Tony mumbled into her hair as he turned his neck to kiss the crown of her head. Ziva twisted herself so she was curled against Tony's side, and he shifted his arm so it held her to him, her ear resting on his chest.

"I am glad you are here." Ziva admitted softly as she nuzzled closer to him. Tony rested his hand on top her shoulder just to drive home the fact that he is there.

"I'd be here no matter what, Zi. Even if that peanut right in there wasn't mine. You're my best friend and I'd be here with you through the thickest of thick and thinnest of thin." Tony assured as he held her closer, punctuating his reference to the baby with a stroke to her belly, his lips leaving a tingle on her skin where they moved with speech. Ziva let a smile grace her chapped lips as she lifted her face to look up at him. There was an unspoken understanding between them; the meaning of a best friend, of their relationship. An unspoken intimacy that was on the surface so innocent and buried so deep.

Ziva slipped from his grasp, untangling herself from him as she reached for her food. He watched her happily as she took a large bite from the fried chicken and grinned at the relief and savored the taste. As Ziva became immersed in ending her craving, Tony noticed a plain piece of white paper with her swirling letters embellishing it. It appeared to be a list and he brought it closer to his face to further examine it.

"These are all girls' names." Tony remarked simply as he scanned over the list. Ziva lifted her head only momentarily before returning to her food.

"Yes, I figured your first choice for a boy would be Anthony. I did not want to break your traditions." Ziva responded smoothly with an indifferent smile. Tony turned the paper over in his hands to check if anything was written on the back side and found nothing. He returned his attention back to her with a curious look upon his face, eyebrows together and subtle wrinkles carved into the skin of his forehead.

"It's not so much a tradition, me being only Anthony DiNozzo the Second. Besides even if I wanted to go with that tradition, the kid would still need a middle name?" Tony laughed as he explained his thinking processes. Not to mention how much he hated being called Junior, and the expectation he become his father.

"This makes sense, however it is not of any importance at this point in time." Ziva waved off, glancing up at Tony to gauge any reaction he may have. She knew that he was unlikely to pick up on little hints or coded words but him being a trained investigator she hoped he would pick up on it.

"Couldn't hurt to plan a little in advance, though right? We only have so many months." Tony disagreed, confused about why she would want to list girls' names but put off boys' names for the last minute. Nonetheless, Tony kept his smile firmly in place.

"I am saying, Tony..." Ziva began as she reached for the sonogram and handed it to Tony, "we do not need a boy's name because we are having a baby girl."

Tony took the image in his hands, staring at it, memorizing it and trying to interpret it. His mouth was slightly ajar as his eyes scanned over the picture. Slowly, painfully slowly, his boyish grin stretched across his face. He lifted his gaze to meet Ziva's, his grin still deeply etching laugh lines into his skin. He quickly leaned towards her, intending to kiss her chastely upon the lips but at the last second thought better of it and shifted his chin to place the kiss against her brow. Ziva frowned for only moment before beaming back at Tony and his reaction.

"A little girl? Oh God. A sweet perfect little baby girl." Tony murmured in ecstatic awe. By the look on his face Ziva could just tell that Tony would be the most amazing father to their daughter. She knew, just knew, that this child would be the apple of his eye and his princess. He would spoil her, protect her and give her the world and Ziva couldn't wait. The look on his face made tears prick at Ziva's eyes with joyful anticipation for this family that seemed so real already in her heart.

Tony examined the contradictions of her face, the tears and smile, and pulled her to him to relish in their own little bubble of happiness. With a hand on her back and a hand behind her head he hugged her tightly to his body, their chins resting on each other's shoulder. It didn't matter where Abby was or how long he had been away from work. They had their own little shell of happiness and their own little family to escape to.

Tony unsnaked his arm from her neck to answer the annoying shrill of his cell phone but did not release his hold on her back as he rested his brow against hers. He put the phone to his ear and answered with a mumbled 'DiNozzo' as he grinned back at Ziva.

"DiNozzo! You've been gone for over an hour! What the he-" Gibbs shouted into the device, furious that he had been abandoned. As Tony shook his head with amusement and unbreakable joy at Gibbs words, his nose lightly brushed across Ziva's causing her to grin as well.

"Boss, it a girl!" Tony interrupted, dying to tell anyone and everyone.


Okay, really hope you enjoyed it! I know you wanted to know the sex of the baby really bad - and I told you she wasn't keep anything from him! She just wanted to wait for the right time. I really enjoy critic as long as it's polite! Leave some love? I've had a pretty suckish day today but I put this up anyway! (This got out of order as well. Itallics seem to mess my chapters up pretty badly! Frustration afoot)

On another note, I just noticed that 24 of you have this story favorited and 77 of you have this on alert. That makes my heart swell - it really does but now I'm starting to wonder why only 10 of you review? I seem to have regular reviewers and regular lurkers. If you lurkers came out of the shadows then I could properly thank you for your opinion and critic, So I just ask that you concider taking a moment to make my life. I'm not gonna be one of those people who's like "DUDE I NEED 200 REVIEWS BEFORE I UPDATE!" because that's annoying but I do enjoy making new friends and you guys definitely make my day.

Love,
Luna