I got a new laptop! I am very excited to start writing on it! Well, not for this story. I've already written the last chapter. But maybe with a new laptop comes a new muse. One who actually does her job. Anway, just 7 chapters left until the end. Review and let me know what you think.

VillageVoice

Abby maneuvered her way down the stairs down into the basement. It was hard to see the steps with the size of the laundry pile in the basket she was carrying. "Ziva put the iron down."

Ziva didn't put it down, but she moved it away from the tiny garment she had been ironing. "Why?"

Abby put the laundry basket beside the washer and walked over to Ziva. "Because," She began, taking the iron and setting it to the side. "Baby clothes don't need to be ironed."

Ziva pondered for a minute. "You are right. It is just putting germs right back on the clothes. I will wash them again."

Abby took the tiny jacket away before Ziva could attack it with the iron again. "Ziva you're thirty-six weeks pregnant. Go lay down or something."

Ziva folded her arms over her chest and fixed her gaze on Abby. "And why would I do that?"

"Maybe because you're exhausted and you don't need to be doing this. The clothes will start to wear out before the baby even wears them if you keep this up."

"I see your point."

"I'll make you a deal. We haven't taken a bubble bath in a while. I'll start a load of laundry while you go and run the bath." She ran her hand down the side of Ziva's face. "And I'll be up as soon as I'm done." She leaned in and kissed the Israeli. "Sound good?"

Ziva winked and headed toward the stairs without a word.

xxxxxxxxxx

Once Abby had finished with the laundry she headed upstairs into their bedroom to find no Ziva. She shrugged. She was probably in the bathroom running the bath. However, there was no running water to be heard. She hadn't been doing the laundry long enough for the tub to be full yet. She opened the bathroom door. No Ziva, no running water and no full bathtub. "Ziva?"

Abby shook her head and made her way back out through the master suite and down the stairs. "I seriously need to put a GPS in her shoes." She wasn't in the library, not in the living roomm, she hadn't gone back into the basement to find Abby. "ZIVA" She yelled.

"In the kitchen."

Abby threw her hands in the air. It was always the last place you looked. But then, Abby rationalized, it was always the last place you looked because you always find whatever you're looking for in the last place you look because there wouldn't be any reason to keep looking after that. "Zi what are you doing?"

Ziva sat on one of the stools around the island with what had to be every single knife they had displayed in front of her. "I am sharpening the knives."

"Any particular reason?"

"They need to be ready."

"For what?" Abby questioned. "Dinner?"

"What I told you before Abby, about not having to forget all of yourself when you become someone new?" Abby nodded. "It's not only because you cannot completely re-invent yourself or so that you do not forget who you are," She put the knife down and picked up another "But it is also because it is too hard. It is too hard to forget who you are and all the things you loved."

Abby pursed her lips and nodded her head slowly. "Okay let's go."

Ziva took the offered hand and let Abby lead her out of the kitchen. "Where are we going?"

Abby took the two bags off the hooks by the door and handed Ziva hers and slung her own over her shoulder. "We're going to make sure you remember."

"Remember what?"

"You'll see."

"I know you'd never forget it Zi, but sometimes it just feels good to have a little reminder. And it's like you said, it's too hard to forget all the things you loved."

Ziva looked out at the open range in front of them. "Is this safe?"

"No one on the island knows we're here and it's far enough away from the dock on the mainland. I called a couple of days ago to book the range – under a different name of course. We have it for two hours." She used a key to open the closet and scanned it for a few seconds before choosing the perfect piece and handing it out to Ziva. "You prefer the Sig right?"

Ziva grabbed Abby's face and brought their lips together in a crashing kiss. "You are amazing."

Abby shrugged. "I do try."

Ziva gave Abby another kiss before taking the gun and moving to the firing line.

"Ah-ah-ah." Ziva lowered the gun and looked over at Abby. "Here" Abby walked over to Ziva. "First, you need this." She explained, handing Ziva a long, circular tube like piece. "A silencer. Loud noises aren't good for the baby nor you as the baby's reaction to the noise could make you quite sick."

Ziva took the silencer and attached it to her gun. "Good idea." She held the gun up and aimed again.

"AH. Not yet." She pulled a mask out of her back pocket and handed it to Ziva. "And don't fight me about it because you are not going to win. Bullets carry lead, gunshots throw lead into the air. It will go from the air into your bloodstream to the placenta to the baby and lead can cause serious brain damage to developing fetuses. I tried to find some lead-free bullets, but I couldn't, so put the mask on."

"We are outside Abby-"

"Put it on or we're leaving."

Ziva put the mask on and smiled. Not that Abby could tell. She waited to see if there was anything else Abby had for her. Which of course there was. "Gloves?"

Abby nodded. "Yes. Did you miss my lead speech? It gets on your hands and can get into your bloodstream that way too."

Without a word of complaint Ziva took the gloves and put them on. She felt more like she was preparing for surgery rather than shooting a gun – something she had been doing since her hands were big enough to hold one.

Abby thought of the earmuffs sitting back over on the bench, but they seemed like overkill with the silencer. She smiled and she leaned forward to place a kiss on Ziva's cheek. "Have fun."

Ziva waited until Abby was far enough away before raising the gun and taking her first shot.

By the time she was finished a couple dozen targets no longer had heads and a dozen others needed immediate heart transplants. She picked up the couple dozen shells, took the silencer off the nozzle, cleaned both the gun and the silencer and returned the gun to its resting place in the closet before taking all of her protective gear off and shoved it all into her bag. Fingerprints stick to gloves, and there had to be some DNA containing sweat in her mask and she wasn't about to leave any of that lying around. No matter how remote the chances of it getting picked up by someone who means her harm.

She walked over to the bench where Abby was sitting reading probably the last pregnancy book she had yet to read five times. She knew what was going on with Ziva's body more than the former Mossad officer did herself. She handed the silencer back to Abby and smiled. "Thank-you. I needed that."

Abby smiled back. "I'm glad I could help."

Ziva shifted uncomfortably. "I know that I do not always express my feelings or say what I need-"

Abby stood up and grabbed the front pockets of Ziva's jacket to pull her closer. "Ziva David I know you like the back of my hand. You don't have to say anything for me to know."

Ziva kissed Abby and rested her forehead against the taller woman's. "I love you."

"Well that you can say anytime you want."

"I love you." Ziva repeated.

Abby smiled and captured Ziva's lips in another kiss. "I love you too. Now-"

"Wait Abby. While I am expressing my feelings let me continue." Abby looked up at Ziva and let her continue. "I . . . Abby I never thought I would have any of this." She shrugged and shook her head. "Not a home, not a baby, not a family. I just want you to know that I am glad that I have it. And I am glad that I have it with you. If it wasn't for you I would still be in Mossad living a life I had no interest in living. You saved me Abby."

Abby wrapped her arms around Ziva's neck and brought her in for a kiss that probably should not have taken place in such a public place. "I don't think anything I say will match that."

"You don't have to say anything. I just want you to know."

"I love you."

Ziva smiled and placed another kiss on Abby's lips. "I love you too. Now let's go home. I think it is time for a nap."

"Sounds like a plan."

Ziva flipped on the light switch and immediately brought her hand to where her gun would be holstered had she had a gun.

"SURPRISE!"

Ziva leaned over to Abby. "Forget to lock the door again Abby?"

Abby smiled sweetly and shrugged.

"And I'm the one with pregnancy head."

"Pregnancy brain." Abby corrected.

"Yes, well at least I remember to lock the door." Ziva retorted before going and greeting her guests.

Abby chuckled and winked at Sam who was standing by the stairs before joining Ziva in the formal room. "You guys! This is . . ." She trailed off as she couldn't quite think of what it was. It was thoughtful and sweet and kind and beautiful. The entire room as well as the dining room had been completely transformed into a sea of yellow, black, white and everything baby. Abby and Ziva had mentioned to several people on the island that the baby's room had a bee theme and they apparently had listened as that bee theme now took over the room.

"Abby what is this?" Ziva whispered.

"It's a baby shower."

"A what? The baby is not even born yet and if he was he would be too young for a shower."

"Not that kind of shower. A baby shower is like a bridal shower. You play games, you eat cake, you get presents. It's a pretty sweet deal."

"I could use some cake."

Abby chuckled and pressed a kiss to Ziva's cheek. "I thought you could. But first, go mingle." Abby punctuated with a smack to Ziva's backside.

Ziva refused to move and reached her hand out for Abby's. "Come with me."

Abby took Ziva's hand and let the Israeli lead her into the heart of the crowd. Never having been to a baby shower, much less been the person the shower was for, Ziva had no idea what to do or what to say or even how to act. She took her cues from Abby and it was quite a while before she let go of the forensic scientist's hand.

However, once she did she made her way over to her favorite resident dance instructor and Abby made her way over to where Gwen and Lillian were sitting. "Anna!"

Ziva waited for Sam to stand up and greeted the blonde with a hug. She had become a lot more comfortable with hugs and overall forms of affection. Abby was a great teacher of feelings and emotions and Ziva was soaking it up like a sponge. "Who is responsible for this?"

Sam winked. "Mostly me and Lil, but everyone helped. Here, sit." She instructed as she cleared a couple of things off of one of the oversized chairs from the library that was directly underneath a big banner that said 'They're Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee - Kate & Anna's Baby Shower.' Ziva looked around and noticed a lot of the seating had been pulled in from other rooms in the house and were arranged in such a way that they were all facing where she currently sat. She and Abby hadn't planned on throwing big events like this during any of the many trips they made back and forth to the furniture store. "And these are for you." Samantha explained, slipping some sort of thin fabric over Ziva's head and over one shoulder. "Is your Mommy-to-Bee sash. Get it? Mommy-to-Beeee." She added a Mommy-to-Bee tiara to complete the look. "No Mommy-to-Bee is complete without a crown."

Ziva adjusted her tiara and looked down at the sash. "Thank-you."

"Don't mention it. I'm going to go give Kate hers. I'll be right back."

Ziva watched Sam walk across the room and surprise Abby by putting the tiara on her head. She turned around with a smile and hugged Sam. She did a little twirl once she had her own sash on and then skipped over to Ziva and sat down next to her in the oversized chair. "This is so cool." She excitedly exclaimed. "I've never had a surprise party before."

Ziva chuckled. "Neither have I."

Abby smiled even more, if that was even possible, and sweetly kissed Ziva. When she pulled away something caught her eye. "Ooh cake."

The cake was absolutely beautiful. It was a three-tier gold cake - Ziva's favorite, with yellow frosting, white flowers with yellow centers, little bee decorations and a black frosting ribbon with a single bow at the bottom of each tier. Across the top of the second tier in white frosting read, 'I'm Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee…' Abby jumped up and ordered no one to touch the cake until she ran upstairs to get her camera. Lil pushed her back down and gestured to Courtney Richards, the closest person the island had to a professional photographer. Courtney held up her camera. "Smile." Abby laced her fingers with Ziva's with one hand and the other she placed over Ziva's belly as the pair smiled at the camera. "How 'bout a kiss for the camera?" Like Abby would ever resist a reason to kiss the woman she loved.

The shower was a great success. For the first half hour or so Ziva was sure she was going to kill someone. No one would let her get up to get herself anything to eat or drink, no one would let her get-up for any reason. She felt as if she was literally bound to the chair. Abby explained that that was what happened at a baby shower. People did everything for the mother of the baby so she really didn't have to move. It was supposed to be relaxing. Ziva took a deep breath and smiled. If Abby was happy sitting there not moving a muscle except for those in her mouth than she could be too. She did quite like that she was never without a cupcake. She loved the sugary bee that was on top of each cupcake. It worked out quite well too because she only wanted the golden cupcakes and Abby only wanted the chocolate ones.

"No one's had a baby on the island. They want to do it." Ziva smiled at Sam and thanked her.

"I am not used to simply sitting back and relaxing."

"Well, it's only one afternoon." The redhead winked. "I'm sure you can manage."

But after that first half hour Ziva had relaxed considerably. She got a little tense when they played a game where everyone guessed how many inches her belly was around, but she knew it was all in good fun and part of this traditional experience of a baby shower.

They had gotten a lot of really great gifts as well. Courtney, in addition to being their photographer at the shower, had gotten them a beautiful scrapbook that went with the Bee theme in soft pale blue fabric with white felt flowers, white satin clouds and adorable little fuzzy bees. Across the top in black embroidery read, 'Our Little Baby Bee'. It was not easy to bring tears to the hardened Israeli's eyes, but that did. Lil had gotten them a three-tire diaper cake and yes, they did have to explain what exactly that was to Ziva. It had diapers of course, as well as a couple of onesies, pacifiers, bottles, bibs, teething rings and burping cloths - all in the bee theme, a large stuffed bee and a story book about a little bee named Bella Bee and her journey with a couple of friends - a butterfly and a lady bug. Sam, never one to stick to the script, had gotten them a beautiful espresso gold studded Storksak diaper bag. Her daughter Shannon, although only four-years-old had gotten the baby an adorable little pale yellow blanket with satin edging and a little stuffed bee attached at the center. They got a stroller and infant car seat set from Gwen and the other nurses Abby worked with at the Clinic, a high chair in the same pattern from Lucinda Rae, and Ziva's yoga students finished out the pattern with the play yard and swing.

They also got the staples. Lots of diapers, wipes and every kind of cream, lotion and lubricant for little irritated baby backsides, shampoos, soaps and bubble baths, a couple of rubber duckies including one dressed like a bee, a little ducky robe for after the baby's baths, blankets, a monitor set, a mat that when placed under the baby as it slept and could alert parents when the baby stopped breathing, a beautiful collection of picture frames, a wooden Bee growth chart, a breast pump that was supposedly top of the line and as pain free as that kind of thing could get that totally mortified the Israeli, bottles, a bottle warmer, bibs, burping cloths, a plethora of different toys and stuffed animals, a very thorough baby first aid kit, a ceramic bee bank, many books and so many outfits the baby was going to need another closet. There were some unisex outfits, but for each box they opened that contained an outfit for a little girl underneath it was an identical outfit for a little boy and vice versa. There were dresses and overalls and jeans and leggings and skirts and pants and onesie and sweaters and jackets and elastic headbands and pretty hair clips and little footie pajamas and socks and shoes so small Abby didn't believe they would fit on Bella Bee's little feet, never mind the baby's.

Aside from all of the cute baby things they received, Ziva's favorite had to be a bucket of products for her to use during labor which they both hoped beyond hope would help as Ziva would be giving birth without the assistance of anything for pain.

"We have enough stuff here to sink a ship." Abby said as she stacked the last empty box on the sofa.

"I think the fact that I actually know what that idiom means now speaks for itself."

Abby chuckled and plopped down next to where the Israeli had moved to the couch. "Yeah."

"It was nice of Sam and Lil to stay after the shower and move back furniture and help us clean-up." Ziva said as she laid her head down in Abby's lap.

Abby drew her hands through Ziva's dark locks. "It was."

"I do not know how I was unable to pick-up that they were planning something."

"I do. They're sneaky." They both laughed.

"The cake was very good."

Abby stopped running her hand through Ziva's hair and looked down at her. "Is that Ziva code for I'd like another piece of cake?"

Ziva sat up and smiled. "Yes please."

Abby pushed off the sofa and made her way to the dessert table. "You know we really should get some good stuff into you." She said as she looked at what remained of the cake, cupcakes and cookies.

"I did have 'good stuff.' I had a lot of fruit with that strawberry dip and vegetables with ranch dressing and some of those little finger tuna fish sandwiches."

"And I take it the baby wanted all of that in addition to the cake and the cupcakes and the cookies? Not you right?" Abby asked, handing the plate over to Ziva.

Ziva nodded. "Exactly."

Abby sat back down in her spot and curled her legs up underneath herself. "I don't know how you can still be eating."

"Me neither."

Abby chuckled. "That was a good shower."

"Yes."

"I was glad everyone made it." Literally every female on the island had made it including the little bunny Sam had bought for Shannon that morning and the little girl refused to leave home alone. Abby reached over and grabbed one of the picture frames off the end table. It was a wooden frame with bees in the top corners and clouds on the bottom and said the, 'I'm Bringing Home a Baby Bumble Bee…' that was on everything relating to the theme of the party with one of the shower invitations inside. There was also a medium sized box that was yellow with black spots and the top was black with yellow spots with a white ribbon tied at the top. It was one of the favor bags they had left for Ziva and Abby. Inside, each in their own white mesh bag was a large bee shaped soap, three individual containers containing a candle, body butter and lip balm, and a chocolate bar with a very cute wrapper. "They're good people."

Ziva nodded. "I am glad we decided to settle down here." She put a hand on Abby's knee. "It was a good choice."

They sat for a few moments in silence while Ziva finished her cake. When she was done she set it aside. "I suppose we have to move everything upstairs."

"We could." Abby shrugged. "But it's too late for that nap we were going to have earlier so instead I say I'll go build a fire in our bedroom and we can get all warm and snugly in bed and watch a movie."

"I think that sounds like the perfect end to a very good day. As long as we do not watch Hocus Pocus."

Abby chuckled. "Deal."