Tim gasped at what he saw in the bathroom. Abby's pale body was curled into a corner in the shower which was still pouring over her body. "Gibbs call Ducky." Tim said to Gibbs' back. He made his way over to the shower and felt the freezing water cascading over her body. "Abby this is way too cold." He said quietly as he turned it off and grabbed a large black bath towel from the cupboard.
"Tim…" She said quietly.
"Don't worry Abby… you're going to be fine." Tim assured her as he wrapped her in the towel and gently lifted her out of the shower. He debated what his next move should be before he decided to take Abby to the bed then worry about finding her clothes. He gently set her down on the bed and moved to close the bedroom door which he promptly locked before venturing back into the bathroom to get to the closet.
When Tim emerged once again from the bathroom he saw his wife's shivering figure and he stopped. "Abby…" Tim said softly.
"Tim?" Gibbs asked as he knocked on the bedroom door.
"Give me a minute Gibbs…" Tim requested immediately as he moved toward the bed and promptly dressed Abby in her oversized Stamford sweatshirt and a pair of yoga pants. Tim gently pressed his warm lips to her cold ones before getting up to open the door.
"Ducky's on his way." Gibbs reported as he looked at Abby's shaking body.
Tim sat down next to her and pulled her into his arms. "Gibbs could you go grab the thermometer from the cabinet in the bathroom?" Tim requested. Gibbs simply nodded before heading to the bathroom.
"Timmy." Abby said softly as she slowly opened her eyes.
"Hey Abs." Tim said softly as he gently took one of her hands in his and held it gently. "How are you feeling sweetheart?" He asked softly.
"I didn't mean to…" Abby began to explain.
"Shhh." Tim said softly. "It's okay Abs."
"Here's the thermometer." Gibbs said softly as he emerged from the bathroom. He handed the object to Tim who promptly put it into Abby's mouth. They were still waiting for a reading when the doorbell rang. "I'll get that." Gibbs said quietly as he ran down the stairs.
"Jethro." Ducky greeted at the door. "Where is Abigail?" He asked urgently.
"Upstairs." Gibbs replied as he pointed toward the stairs.
Ducky nodded before ascending the staircase. He briefly knocked on the doorframe before entering the bedroom. "Do we have a temperature?"Ducky asked as he set down his medical bag at the bottom of the bed.
"Ninety-four point five." Tim replied as Abby shivered under the metal of Ducky's stethoscope.
Ducky shook his head. "She's too cold for me to be able to do much for her." Ducky informed them regretfully.
"I don't want to go in… not again." Abby was close to tears, but wasn't finding enough energy.
Ducky looked at Tim in concern. "Has she been into the hospital recently? I mean other than last month?"
Abby shook her head, trying to prevent Tim from telling him. "Abby he has to know." Tim replied gently. "Gibbs took Abby into the emergency room last night."
Ducky looked up at them in surprise. "What happened?" he asked gently, assuming he already knew.
Tim looked back and forth between his wife and Ducky. He let out a sigh, "Ducky can I talk to you out in the hallway?" He asked softly as he motioned toward the door.
Ducky nodded. "Jethro see if you can find some more blankets." He advised before following Tim into the hallway. As soon as he saw Tim's face his stomach dropped. "Timothy…" He began but Tim cut him off.
"Abby's carrying twins…" Tim began.
"That's great news Timothy… It's a shock but not…"
"Ducky Abby lost one." Tim cut him off abruptly.
"Oh dear what happened?" He asked softly.
Tim shook his head. "She says she started to feel cramps yesterday morning… She thought it was just the baby growing. But by last night she knew something was wrong."
Ducky sighed. "We should get her back in the emergency room." He admitted. "She's either already hypothermic, or almost. It poses a danger to both her and the baby."
Tim nodded. "I can't believe this happened… again."Tim said quietly. "I just can't seem to protect her."
Ducky looked at the young man sympathetically. "She loves you Timothy." Ducky assured him.
Tim shook his head. "I don't deserve her Ducky…"
Ducky saw the pain in his young friend's eyes but knew that time counted. "Timothy time is of the essence." Ducky said regretfully before reopening the bedroom door. His eyes widened when he saw Abby shivering through several blankets that Gibbs was trying to warm her with. "Alright Abigail you need to go to the emergency room." Ducky said gently, but knowing he had little time to lose he quickly made his way over to the bed that Abby was trying to shrink into.
"Abby's not going to be able to get up…" Tim said quietly.
Gibbs shook his head before gathering up Abby and a couple of blankets in his arms and gently lifting her off the bed. "Mcgee my keys are on your kitchen counter, can you go grab them?" He asked, obviously losing his temper.
Tim nodded slowly before descending the stairs. "Jethro he needs…" Ducky began.
"I TOLD HIM TO TAKE CARE OF HER!" Gibbs yelled angrily before pushing his way past him in order to take Abby downstairs.
"Jethro!" Ducky called after him as he followed him. "He doesn't need your criticism!" He called again. "He's having a hard enough time holding himself together…" He began but stopped when he was face to face with Tim. "Timothy…" He began to explain.
Tim dropped the keys into Ducky's hands before climbing the stairs and slamming his bedroom door.
Gibbs gave Ducky a glance before looking down at the shivering figure in his arms. "I'll call DiNozzo on the way to come talk to him…"
Ducky nodded before following him out to his car.
"Long time no see." Tony said softly as he opened the door to Tim's office.
Tim looked up at him and furiously wiped the tears from his cheeks. "What are you doing here?" He asked as he put his head back in his hands.
"I screwed up Tim." Tony admitted before sitting down on the floor next to him. "And you're not going to do the same thing."
Tim shook his head. "I never really could understand why dad was in the army." He admitted. "Until now… now I know why he wanted to leave."
"Tim!" Tony scolded in disbelief.
"I can't do this…" Tim said as he stood up.
"Tim no… I made that mistake." Tony said harshly as he grabbed onto his friend's shoulders.
"I can't do this…and you can't understand." Tim said as he pushed him away.
"MCGEE!" Tony snapped. "The only reason she's alive is because of you."
Tim shook his head. "Please don't try to help…"
"Tim if you're not there and she loses that baby…" Tony began, unaware of what had happened the day before.
Tim swiftly slapped his hand against his face. "SHUT UP!"
"I'm sorry Tim…I shouldn't have…" Tony began to apologize his eyes wide.
"Tony are you serious right now?" Tim asked in disbelief.
"Look Tim… I know losing Oliver was hard for you…" Tony began.
"You can't understand! YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND!" Tim screamed as his body began to tremble.
Tony saw his frame begin to collapse and he carefully helped Tim to sit down in a red leather chair in the corner. "Tim It's okay!" He tried to comfort his friend. "TIM!" He yelled at the shaking body of his friend.
"YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND!" Tim screamed again.
Tony wasn't sure what to do. He knew Tim was stressed, but he didn't know that it was this bad. He could feel the weight of his phone in his pocket. No… Calling Ziva isn't the solution to this… But she might know how to help… But would calling her for the first time in a month in order to get help really be the best way to go about this? Tony's thoughts were interrupted by this phone vibrating. Without looking at the caller ID he answered. "Hello?"
"Tony!" Ziva's voice rang through the phone, sounding scared.
"Ziva?" He asked, almost shocked. "What's wrong?"
"I tried coming to your apartment… you're not here!" She exclaimed.
"I'm with Mcgee… Abby's in the hospital… What's wrong?" He asked again.
Ziva paused for a moment. "My father." She said quietly.
"Please tell me he doesn't know about Sienna…" Tony began as he looked over to see Tim starting to calm down.
"Tony he's coming for me. He said I'm going back to Tel Aviv and Sienna's coming with me." Ziva said quietly.
"Where are Caitlin and Anastasia? Tim said you picked them up…" Tony began.
"They're in the car." Ziva said quietly.
"I'm going to swing Tim by the hospital and I'll be right there. Stay at my apartment and don't open the door to anybody." Tony instructed before moving across the room to a now rather alert Tim.
"What's wrong?" Tim asked, eyes wide.
"Eli's coming for Ziva." Tony said as he grabbed his jacket from the floor. "I'm dropping you off at the hospital, then Ziva Sienna and I are flying to New York."
Tim looked at him curiously but nodded before following Tony to his car.
Tony felt his key click in his front door and he swung the door open. "Ziva!" He called.
"Tony!" Ziva cried as she flew into his arms. "He can't do this…" She sobbed into his chest.
Tony gently ran his hands through Ziva's chocolate curls. "I know Zi… Everything's going to be fine."
Caitlin came in then holding a screaming Sienna in her arms. "Ziva…" She said quietly.
Tony gently sat Ziva down on his couch before taking his daughter from Caitlin's shaking arms. "She's fine Katie… You didn't do anything wrong." He assured her quietly. "Can you go back and keep Stace company while I talk to Ziva?" He asked her and she nodded her head in response before running back into Tony's bedroom.
He looked down at his daughter's face. "She looks just like you Zi." Tony said gently.
"He's going to take her and do what he did to me to her!" Ziva cried.
Tony noticed Sienna had calmed down and he gently laid her down in the playpen that had been set up before she was born. Then he quickly moved over to pull Ziva into his arms. "Everything's going to be okay Ziva."
She shook her head furiously. "Tony I'm a monster." She said through her tears.
"Ziva you are no such…" Tony tried.
"I killed someone for the first time when I was fourteen! My father taught me the way to deal with problems was by killing the people involved with them." Ziva began.
"Ziva… he's tried to kill you… He doesn't deserve to be a part of your life anymore!" Tony protested.
Ziva looked up at the ceiling before speaking again. "He's angry… because I killed his only son."
"What about Ari?" Tony asked, obviously confused. Like everyone else, he was lead to believe that Gibbs had killed Ari.
Ziva nodded. "He was going to kill Gibbs… Gibbs was unarmed… I had no choice." She broke down into his arms.
Tony was taken aback. "Ziva…" He said softly. "I'm so sorry… It's okay…" He tried to comfort her.
Ziva shook her head. "My father is the only family I have left, and it's my fault."
Tony cupped her chin in his hand. "Your father doesn't deserve to be part of your life." He said gently before pressing his lips gently to her forehead. "You have a new family now Ziva."
Ziva nodded slowly. "I've missed you so much Tony." She said softly as she buried her face into his chest and inhaled his scent.
Tony ran his fingers through her frizzed curls. "I have too Zi… How's Sienna been?"
"She's so perfect Tony…" She began with a soft smile. "It's the most amazing experience I've ever had."
Tony looked over at his daughter who was beginning to squirm, her arms outreached. "Is she alright?" He asked, with genuine concern.
Ziva nodded. "She's just scared." She said before getting up to retrieve the now whimpering infant. "It's alright, mommy's here." Tony looked at his daughter longingly. "Do you want to hold her?" Ziva offered softly.
Tony nodded eagerly as he took the bundle from Ziva's outstretched arms. "She's so pretty Zi… She looks just like you." He said quietly as his daughter grabbed onto his finger.
Ziva shook her head. "She's got your eyes." She said with a smile.
"I'm so sorry Ziva… I never should have said the things I said… I want to be here for you and Sienna." Tony said quietly.
Ziva smiled as she rested her head on Tony's shoulder. "I want you here." She admitted.
They sat in silence for a few moments before Sienna began to whimper. "Oh Tony she's hungry." Ziva said without opening her eyes.
"How can you tell?" Tony asked, obviously bewildered.
"That's her hungry cry." Ziva replied as she reached up and began to unbutton her shirt. "She has very distinct cries for everything." She informed him as she took her daughter out of his arms.
"She's a person…" Tony said quietly.
"What did you expect Tony?" Ziva asked in disbelief.
"I'm sorry… it's just so strange to think of her as a person with her own personality and everything…" Tony tried to explain.
Ziva smirked. "She's perfect… just like you said." Ziva said softly before being interrupted by the doorbell.
"I'll get it." Tony said without thinking. He got up and opened the door and was confronted by someone he wasn't ready for. "Eli." He choked.
"Where's my daughter?" Eli asked impatiently.
Ziva clenched her jaw when she heard her father's voice coming from the hall. "It's going to be okay baby." She whispered to her infant quietly as she carefully stood up.
"Eli I didn't give you permission to come into my house!" Tony was protesting.
"I didn't give you permission to take my daughter!" Eli argued.
"I didn't take her from you! I gave her something she hasn't had in years because of you!" Tony snapped angrily.
"Oh and what would that be?" Eli retorted.
"Tony don't!" Ziva protested as she walked into the room carefully holding a blanket over her chest. "… Why are you here?" She asked her father quietly, trying not to bother Sienna.
"I told you I was coming to take you back home where you and your daughter belong." Eli replied.
"How long have you known?" Ziva asked quietly.
"I found out early this week." Eli replied. "This is thoroughly inappropriate behavior Ziva."
"You can't tell me what I'm allowed to do. I'm an adult, I can take care of myself." Ziva hissed.
"You had a child out of wedlock Ziva." Eli protested. "You obviously can't take care of yourself."
"Get out of my house!" Tony yelled angrily.
"I'm not leaving without my daughter." Eli protested.
"I think you are." A new voice joined the conversation.
"Agent Gibbs." Eli acknowledged him. "I'm quite surprised that you're okay with this."
"What are you doing here Eli?" Gibbs asked impatiently.
"My daughter…" Eli began before Gibbs had him pinned up against the wall.
"You don't have the right to call her that anymore. You lost that when you left her to die." Gibbs yelled angrily through his clenched jaw.
"Gibbs…" Ziva said softly as she cradled a now fussing Sienna against her chest, her own tears mixing with her daughter's.
Gibbs slowly let go. "I'm sorry Ziva…"
"Gibbs?" Caitlin asked cautiously from the back room.
"Caitlin it's alright…" Gibbs assured her as she and Anastasia slowly made their way down the hallway.
Who's that? Anastasia signed in confusion, not having heard the fight from the back room.
Ziva's dad. Gibbs replied quickly.
"Who are these children?" Eli asked, obviously frustrated.
"They are Caitlin and Anastasia Mcgee." Tony replied.
"Why are they here?" Eli questioned again.
"Are you really going to interrogate me about why someone is at my house now?" Tony asked angrily as he moved toward Eli.
"Tony!" Ziva protested. "He's not going to leave unless we go with him." She said softly.
Caitlin looked up in surprise. "No Ziva!" Caitlin whispered. "Mom needs you…"
Ziva shook her head. "I knew this was coming… I'm the only child left of the director of Mossad… I have responsibilities you can't imagine."
"Ziva you're not a Mossad agent anymore…" Tony tried to protest.
Ziva shook her head. "I'm sorry." She said quietly. "Come back tomorrow… I'll be ready to go." She said solemnly to her father.
"I knew you would understand your obligations." Eli replied with a nod. "I'll be back tomorrow."
Ziva nodded as she watched her father exit the apartment.
"Ziva." Tony said, still wide-eyed. "I know I haven't been around… but Sienna's my daughter too…"
"I KNOW THAT TONY!" Ziva screamed, causing Sienna to awake from her doze.
Gibbs gently took Sienna from Ziva's shaking arms. "Caitlin, Anastasia, how about we go into the bedroom?" Gibbs asked. Both girls nodded as they followed Gibbs down the hall.
Tony gently took hold of Ziva's shaking shoulders. "Please don't do this." He said quietly.
"What choice do I have here?" Ziva asked quietly.
"You don't have to go with him… Ziva… everything will be fine if you decide to stay here." Tony tried to assure her.
"Tony… I'm the only family he has left…" Ziva said softly.
Tony stopped. "Ziva… you don't owe him anything if that's what you're insinuating."
"He's my father. You understand Tony… I can't just abandon him…" Ziva said softly. "Something's not right…"
"Of course something's not right! He's trying to take you from us!" Tony exclaimed.
Ziva shook her head. "He wouldn't come here himself unless he was serious… He has far too many responsibilities back in Tel Aviv to just leave." Ziva explained before tears came to her eyes once again. "I think he's sick…"
Tony looked at her, the pain obvious in his features. "Ziva…" He said before gently pulling her into his arms.
She clung her arms around his neck. "I can't do this…"
"It's going to be okay…We're going to get through this." Tony assured her.
Ziva sniffed. "I don't know that it is Tony…"
Author's Note: I'm so sorry about the delay! I've been working on this in my spare time since the last chapter was published, I just haven't had the time to write. Between AP classes this year and the infection I've been fighting for almost a week… Nothing much has been getting done. Thanks so much to all my reviewers and all my new readers! You are all so awesome!