20 minutes earlier...

Gibbs walked into the forensics lab, Abby and McGee were sitting next to each other in front of her work area..."So, what do we got? Anything?"..Gibbs asked, placing a Caf-pow in front of Abby.

"Thanks."...Abby smiled, taking a drink..."We're still unpacking, Gibbs."...She pointed towards the table behind her, it was covered with boxes..."God, I hate cold cases."...She groaned.

"It's not really a cold case, Abby, it's just connected to our cold case."...McGee corrected her.

Abby slowly turned her head, staring at McGee.

"What?"...McGee asked, looking at her, but quickly looks back at the photos on his monitor, he could feel her cold stare digging deeper by the second..."Sorry."...He said, gnashing his teeth together, he clicked the pad on his laptop, another photo pops up, then another.

"Go back one, McGee."...Gibbs said, thinking he saw something important.

McGee clicked back, showing a photo of a back of a woman's head, her hair in a bun, a pencil with the name of the hotel stamped on it held it in place.

"Are they all like that?"...Gibbs asked.

"Let me check."...McGee started typing, four additional photos popped on the monitor..."Looks like it, Boss, only difference, the name of the hotel."

Gibbs leaned in, pointing near the metal ring that held the eraser in place..."Are those teeth marks?"

"Where?"...McGee said, squinting at the photo.

"Right there, McGee."...Gibbs pressed his finger to the screen..."And they say I'm blind."

McGee zoomed in on the pencil, he rubbed his eyes, trying to focus them..."Maybe, I'm not sure."

"Hmm."...Abby expressed, examining the photo..."Wouldn't the teeth marks be going the other way?"...Abby lifted a pencil, placing it in her mouth.

Gibbs reached over, taking the pencil from her mouth..."Yeah, but what if you placed the pencil's end in your mouth, like so."...Gibbs placed the pencil's end into his mouth, biting down on the pencil..."See?"...He said, showing the same type of mark that was on the pencil.

"Yeah, I guess so."...Abby replied..."But that isn't enough to match it to dental records, Gibbs."

Gibbs bit down on the eraser, pulling it out of the metal ring..."How about DNA under it?"...Gibbs smiled, giving the pencil back to Abby, he turned, moving towards the door..."Let me know."

"I don't get it."...A confused McGee said.

"And that's why they pay him the big bucks, McGee!"...Abby grinned.

------------

Gibbs stood in autopsy, next to a seated Ducky.

"The killer showed remorse, Jethro. He washed them, he put them in pearls..."

"Why pearls?"

"Well, they could've been a trigger, maybe a woman he loved wore pearls and he could never have her, so he used them to represent her."

"And they were naked why, Ducky?"

"Maybe that's the way he envisioned them; living out his fantasies...and from just looking over the autopsy reports, he didn't use overly violent means to end their lives, each and every one of them showed signs of petechiae in the skin, conjunctiva of the eyes and that death was a result of asphyxiation, but blunt force injuries around their necks and throats were at a minimal and there was no sign of drugs in their systems...and oh, one last thing, he sexually assaulted them after death, they have post-mortem wounds on their..."

"Stop, Ducky."...Gibbs moved through the sliding door, stepping towards the elevator, pressing the button.

"Is it true, Agent Langer might be the killer?"...Ducky questioned, moving into the doorway.

Gibbs turns his head slightly..."Fornell's not sure, but I'm not taking any chances, especially with the incident in the lounge yesterday."

"Ah, yes, with Constance, the poor dear...is she alright, Jethro?"

"Yeah, she's fine, Duck...she just got freaked a little."

"Understandable."

Gibbs stepped into the elevator, he turned, looking at Ducky..."Let me know if you pick up on anything new."

Ducky nodded as the doors closed.

Gibbs stepped off of the elevator, making his way back to his desk. He sat down, it was quiet, too quiet. He looks over at Tony's desk, hoping for something, anything, but the bullpen remained silent.

Suddenly, his cell began to ring, he dug into his jacket pocket, pulling his cell out, it rang again as he read the name: "DiNozzo," he smiled, opening it..."Gibbs."

"Boss...she loves the crib."...Tony spoke over the phone.

"Good..."

"Why am I...wet?"...Tony said, followed by Ziva yelling Tony's name.

"DiNozzo, did her water break?!"...Gibbs shot up from his chair..."Tony?! Take her to Bethesda, do you hear me?"

--------------

Tony dropped his cell phone, Ziva was sitting between his legs, the floor in front of them soaken, the muffled voice of Gibbs coming from the cell phone..."TONY!!!"

Tony lifted his hands in the air..."I didn't do anything, what did I do? What am I doing?"...He rambled, confused, on the verge of panicking.

"My water broke, Tony."...Ziva said, holding her stomach.

"Huh?"

"I'm having a baby. Your baby, Tony!"...Ziva yelled..."Get up!"

"Oh."...Tony stood up as quick as he could, he pulled her back until her back is against the wall, he sidled to the door, opening it fully..."Constance!"

"She's not here, Tony, she had a class."

"What? She wasn't suppose to leave."...Their puppy, Gibbler runs into the room, yelping, latching onto the bottom of Tony's pants..."What the hell are you doing, dog?!"

"Gibbler."...Ziva spoke in a firm tone, Gibbler turned his head, his tail wanging a hundred miles an hour, he scampered over to her, jumping into her arm, licking her face..."Good boy."

"That dog hates me!"

"Stop worrying about the dog, just get the bag and lets go."

"Right!"...Tony sprinted out of the door.

"Tony!"

Tony wandered back into the room, looking confused..."What?!"

"The bag is next to the crib!"

"Oh, I knew that."...Tony hurried over to the crib, grabbing the bag, he turned and runs out of the room.

"Tony!"

Tony runs back in..."What?!"

"You forgot me!"

"Shit! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"...Tony lumbered over to her, holding out his hand, Gibbler snapped at it..."Jesus!"

"He's just protecting me!"...Ziva yelled, setting the puppy down, he launched into another attack on Tony's pants..."No, Gibbler!"

Tony reached down, lifting Gibbler, staring into its eyes..."Don't make me Bob Barker you!"

Tony looked down, a stream of pee was hitting him in the stomach, he tilted his head back up, the puppy began to lick his nose.

"See, he likes you!"

"He's peeing on me, Ziva!"

"If you do not hurry up, I will pee on you, too!"

Tony cocked his head, looking in Ziva's direction, a tad mortified.

"TONY!"

Tony shook his head, coming out of it..."Here!"...Tony handed the puppy to Ziva, he reached under her legs with one arm and around her lower back with another, lifting her from the ground. He hurried out the door, making his way towards the kitchen, he kicked at a door and turned sideway, sliding through into the garage. He made his way to the driver's side rear door, opening it, he carefully placed her in the car, she turned and scooted back, laying in the back seat. He opened the driver's side door, getting inside.

She held the puppy out to him over the seat.

"Shit!"...Tony grasped the puppy and quickly moved back into the house, setting him down, he moved back out, getting back into the car.

"I don't see my bag."...Ziva groaned, holding her stomach..."Where's my bag, Tony? Where is it."

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!"...Tony exited the car, moving back into the house, leaving the door open, moments later, Gibbler raced out and vaulted himself into the car, through the open door. Tony came barrowing out of the door, holding the bag, he gets back in, tossing the bag into the passenger side seat, he took a deep breath, starting the car. He reached up, clicking a button, the garage door slowly started to open.

"Tony."...Ziva sighed.

"What?"...Tony moved his hand to the rear-view mirror, seeing Ziva's hand holding up Gibbler.

"You've got me to be freakin' kidding me, who is this dog, Houdini?!"...Tony groaned, taking Gibbler from Ziva..."You worked for the FBI in a former life, didn't you?!"...He snarled, getting out the car, he hurried to the door, flinging it open, he sets the puppy down on the kitchen floor and quickly closed the door. Gibbler immediately started scratching on the door, whining.

Tony ran back to the car, but stopped, smacking himself on the back of the head..."Constance! I gotta call, Gibbs."...He pats his pants..."Where's my phone? Ziva, have you seen my phone?"...Tony threw his head back, grunting..."The nursery!"... He quickly moved back to the door and opened it, moving inside.

Gibbler, yet again scurried out of the door, but Tony took a large step back out, snatching him before he could get any further and quickly moved back into the house..."You're absolutely killing me, dog!"

Tony ran back out, closing the door behind him..."Thanks, Boss."...Tony snapped his phone closed, getting into the car..."Gibbs is going to pick up Constance on the way over."...Tony looked back, throwing the car into reverse..."I'm telling you, that dog hates me with a passion, I mean, jeez, but anyway...are you okay?"

"GO!!!"...Ziva yelled.

Tony gritted his teeth, he pressed the garage door opener and backed out of the garage at breakneck speed, barely missing the garage door as it closed.

---------------

Tony leaned over Ziva's hospital bed, she was laying on her side, sweating profusely and in a lot of noticeable pain.

A black woman in nurse's scrubs walked into the room..."How long ago did her water break?"

"Hour or so ago."...Tony tried hard to think as a large amount of commotion was heard coming from outside..."Is she okay?"

"Her vitals look good, the doctor will be right in."

"Wait, come back, she's in pain, is something wrong?"...Tony asked in a worried tone, he took a step towards her, but Ziva groaned, making him move back to Ziva..."Shhhh, I'm here, I'm here."...Another large commotion makes him look towards the doorway, he runs his fingers through her wet hair, brushing it out of her face, he leaned down, kissing her gently on the cheek..."I'll be right back, baby, okay?"...He made his way to the doorway, seeing Ziva's doctor arguing with a bearded man..."Doctor Friel?"

The white haired doctor turned to Tony..."Everything is fine, I'll be right in, Mr. DiNozzo."

"No, everything isn't fine, she cannot have it."...The bearded man said.

"Who are you?"...Tony asked.

"I am Abraham Itzik, the personal doctor for the David family."

Tony rotated his head, looking down the hall, seeing dozens of dark suited men, he sighed..."I should've known."

"Tony."...Ziva called out in a strained voice, she extended her hand outwards to him..."What is it?"

"Nothing."...He spoke softly, making his way back to her, taking her hand in his, kissing it..."Nothing at all."

"She cannot have a c-section, it is forbidden, the baby must pass through the birth canal or it is not a 'legal' birth."...The bearded man said, following the doctor into Ziva's room.

"What is she dies?!"...Dr. Friel fired back.

"Then she dies..."

Tony stepped to the man, grabbing him by the lapels of his suit, slamming him against the wall..."How about if she dies, you die...asshole!"

"It is not my call."

"Then whose call is it?!"

"Mine."...Director David said, entering the room.

"Well, fuck you, too!"...Tony turned to his father-in-law..."Yeah, I said it, fuck you...DAD!"

"Tony!"...Ziva yelled with the little amount of strength she had left.

Tony turned, she was reaching out to him. He moved back to her, taking a hold of her hand..."Your dad is a dickweed, Ziva."

Ziva smiled weakly at him..."As long as my baby is okay, it does not matter what happens to me."

"No, no, no, no."...Tony squeezed her hand tighter..."You and the baby will be okay, Ziva."

"Tony..."...Tears started to stream down her face.

"No, Ziva...we are a family and a family needs its mother."

Ziva's eyes close, her grip weakens..."Ziva? Ziva?! Wake up, baby."

"She's fine, just sleeping, Mr. DiNozzo, but I must know, do you want her to have the c-section?"...Dr. Friel spoke up.

"No, my daughter does not want that procedure."

"I don't give a flying f..."

Another large commotion outside sends a man running into the room..."Zahav is here, Sir."

"What?"...Director David..."Where?!"

"Zahav?"...Tony asked..."Gold?"

Director David looked at Tony, surprised at his knowledge of Hebrew. He steps out into the hall, a set of double doors open, a woman wearing a gold and green headscarf walked through, escorted by four armed men.

"Umm, who's that?"...Tony asked, joining Director David in the hallway.

Director David swallows hard..."What are you doing here?"

She stops in front of him, slapping him hard across the face.

"How dare you!"...Director David said in a rage.

She slaps him harder..."Where is my daughter?"

"Whoa, wasn't expecting that...I do see where she gets her slaps, though."...Tony smirked.

The woman turns towards Tony, he takes a step back, lifting his hands..."Don't hurt me."

She raises her hand, caressing his cheek and smiles..."You must be Anthony, yes?"

"Heh. This isn't a ploy to figure out who I am, before you kill me, right?"

"If I was going to kill you, you'd be dead already, my child."...She smirked.

"She also has your sense of humor, I see."...Tony smiled..."But, I thought you were dead."

"This way?"...She pointed towards the door to Ziva's room, sliding past Tony..."I do not like planes."

"Oh, like BA Baracus?"...Tony quiped, following her into the room.

"Aww, my sweet child."...She moved over to Ziva, taking a hold of her hand, she closes her eyes and starts reciting a prayer in Hebrew.

"She must not have that surgery!"...Director David said with conviction, walking back into the room.

"ENOUGH!"...Ziva's mother yelled..."We've already lost a daughter, do you wish to lose another?!"

"It is not me, it is the Torah, Zahav. How can you go against our faith?"

"Losing one soul to gain another is not faith, Eli, it is sacrifice."

"No, it's Christianity."...Tony said, signing the medical release..."But...today, I'm an atheist."