FOUR
"You both look so happy." Meg Liptak lifted a photo of their 'wedding' from the end table. "Your husband's quite the looker and you look gorgeous. That dress is like Maria's out of Sound of Music.
"We were." Ziva replied. She looked at the picture Abby had photoshopped of the two of them smiling at each other on the steps of the cathedral. To her their smiles looked like lies.
Meg set the photo back and hitched at her orange tube top. "Did you have a big wedding? I always wanted a big white wedding. But I was pregnant when we got married. It was all rush, rush, rush."
Ziva tucked her feet under herself and cradled her cup of tea in both hands. "No. It was quite small. Happens when you arrange a transatlantic wedding. I'm from Spain." She said, anticipating Meg's next question.
"Is that why you wear your wedding band on you right hand?"
"Yes. You get your wedding ring on your left hand when you're engaged and move it over to your right when you get married."
"Bummer. No diamond."
"I'm not a fan."
"Which is just one of the many reasons I love you." Tony said as he came in the front door.
He kissed her lightly on the lips. To his surprise she reciprocated, sucking his bottom lip as he pulled back. She released it with a gentle nip. "I missed you dear."
"Have a good day?"
"I did." She said. "Meg this is my husband, Tony, this is Meg."
Meg smiled at Tony. She sized him up, making no attempt to hide the lingering gaze she bestowed on his groin. "Sara's told me a lot about you." Her glossy lips curved into a Cheshire cat smile. "You're more handsome in person."
His laugh caught uncomfortably in his throat. "Thanks. I think."
"You're welcome." She ran her hands threw her sun-bleached hair. "Mary's sleeping at a friend's house tonight." She said with a wink. "I'm going home to take advantage. Thanks for the tea Sara."
"Sure." Ziva said with a smile. "We'll have to do this again."
The door clicked shut behind her and Tony waited until she'd gone into her own house. "Did you play nice with your new friend?"
"I didn't shoot her like I wanted to if that's what you're asking."
"Good girl Mrs. Steele."
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Forget I said that dear. So you told her a lot about me?"
"Just enough to feed her imagination."
"You two talk size?"
"No."
"C'mon. Spill it. I want to hear all about your girlie chat."
"I told her you leave the toilet seat up, you drink from the carton, you're flatulent, jealous and juvenile and you leave hair in the drain."
He ran his hand through his hair. "I do not leave hair in the drain."
"Okay. That part I made up."
"Hmmp." He grunted. He disappeared into the bedroom and came back with a pair of her strappy sandals. He dangled them at her. "Let's start over. C'mon. Get dressed. We're going out to dinner."
X
He stood on the wet sand, the cool October water of the Gulf washing over his feet. He was worried about her he admitted. As of late she was tired and achy and dizzy. She hardly ate. His mind flashed briefly to pregnant and he dismissed the thought as soon as it came. Pregnant woman got hormonal. They got mood swings. They threw up. Their stomachs stuck out like beach balls. And to hear McGee brag about it, they became sex crazed. Ziva didn't fit the bill.
He watched her now as she waded in the water, the gentle waves lapping at the hem of her dress. She turned to him, silhouetted by the setting sun that glowed gold and purple off of the water. She wore her hair loose over her bare shoulders. He felt like Adam catching his first glimpse of Eve in the Garden of Eden.
"You look happy." He said.
She waded out and stood by the water's edge with him. "I am."
"That because of the new boyfriend?"
"No." She said. She snaked her arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Ziva."
"Sh. The sun flashes green the second it hits the horizon. Watch."
They waited in silence at the edge of the ocean. She gasped as the green glint flashed off the water.
"Beautiful." He said.
She gasped again pitched forward. He caught he as she fell, crushing her to his chest. "Whoa. You okay?"
"Uh huh." He felt her take a deep breath as she straightened. "Fine."
He refused to give up his grip on her as he steered her across the beach to the car. "You're anything but. First thing tomorrow morning sweet cheeks we're going to the doctor."
She didn't answer. She looked shaky as he piled her into the car. He reached across her to buckle her in.
He barely heard her whisper. "I loved you, you know."
"I know. I did too."
X
They stood at the foot of the bed facing the plasma screen: the picture evenly divided between Gibbs and Calloway on one side and McGee and Ducky on the other.
Gibbs sipped from his ever present coffee cup. "Tell me you have something."
"According to Mrs. Liptak she did indeed give birth to Mary. She's into details. Lots of…unpleasant details." Ziva began.
"Which I am double checking Boss, but it's Saturday and the doctor's gone into private practice. We're going to have to wait until he comes back." McGee said.
Ziva continued. "I ran down Swift's last day. She talked to a guy fitting Marrner's description and the two of them went off together. A few hours later they were both dead."
"If Swift's mystery man is Marner then the murders are definitely linked. Liptak killed them to keep them quiet. The question is quiet about what?" Calloway mused.
Ducky broke in: "Dr. Buckley ought to be jailed for idiocy. I have a handle full of photos and a bogus autopsy report to go on for Swift: But as for Marner. I have good news. Houdini."
"Ducky." Gibbs prodded.
"Houdini died of a ruptured appendix as a result of a severe blow to the stomach."
"So you're telling us Marner died of a busted appendix?" Calloway asked.
"I can't say for certain without the proper autopsy, all I can tell you is most likely he died of internal bleeding as a result of several blows to the abdomen."
"Good work." Gibbs said and disconnected.
"Boys. Can I have second to talk water retention with Ziva?" Abby asked.
They were alone before they knew it.
"Water retention Abby?"
"Just in case some one who shall remain nameless is tempted to listen in."
"It seems to have done the trick. Tony's in the shower."
"Yeah. I think McGee's gone to hide in autopsy. Hey, if you want to see him try not to throw up in his mouth when you get back, tell me and I'll show him my belly button."
"Men."
Abby nodded in agreement. "Can I ask you something?"
"Something wrong Abby?"
"No. Not really. I just had to ask. If you got married, would you change your last name?"
"Depends on the name."
"McGee?" She said tentatively. "Abby McGee? It just doesn't sound right."
"Have you thought about hyphenating it? That seems to be popular here."
"Sciuto-McGee? I think it sounds like a syndrome. 'I'm very sorry to inform you, but you have Sciuto-McGee syndrome. The prognosis is negative.'
"You're right. Maybe you should ask McGee how he feels about changing his?"
"Good point."
"Abby, about last week. I never said thank you."
"Oh, you did. But you were grooving on the Valium so you probably don't remember. I'm accepting all payment in forms of diaper changing and midnight feedings." She pulled a chair and sat. "How are you doing?"
"Okay. Tony wants to bring me to the doctor tomorrow."
"Well that's no good."
"I know Abby. I'll think of a way out of it."
Abby turned her attention to the lab doors. "Gotta go. McGee's working up the courage to come hear us talk girl." Abby severed the connection and the room plunged into darkness.
Ziva looked at the bedside clock. It was just after 4 am in Tel Aviv. She'd be up.
The voice on the other end of the line was still velvety despite her age. "Hello?"
She paused suddenly mute.
"Ziva?"
"Mom." She breathed, her sob stuck in her throat. "I need help."
x so let me know what you think. As always I really do appreciate reviews. Thanks for reading. Jeanne