A/N – Here is the next chapter. Sorry about leaving you hanging at the end of the last chapter. Read and you shall have answers.

Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS or the characters

Chapter 15

Friday, November 1, 2013

She jumped and clung tighter at the sound of four shots being fired, reaching into Tony's pocket and pulling out a cell phone and staring Tony in the eyes. What just happened?

Their eyes locked only for a moment, but it was enough. Four shots were heard outside. Ziva had Tony's cell phone and had somehow managed to type a message to the others that were at the office, saying that there were shots fired at the safe-house and to stay at NCIS. It was only a second, really. But, it felt like an eternity as they stared.

Ziva's eyes were wide with fear and Tony's were narrowed. They moved instantly. Ziva pulled out her gun and so did Tony. Tony led her to the door, helping her limp that way, even though she wasn't supposed to use that leg. She cracked it open. He peered through it and held up a hand.

Ziva peaked around the door. Adam was sitting with his back to a tree near the door of the house with Gibbs tending to him and Jen had her back pressed against another tree with her gun drawn. Ziva's eyes met Tony's again, a worried expression crossing her face. She inclined her head toward Jen, telling him that's where she was going and to cover her.

His eyes were concerned as he nodded to her. They had to do this, even though the two pregnant ones were injured. But he trusted that they would have each other's backs.

No more shots were fired as she made her way to the tree. She could see a body on the ground. Tony held a flashlight against his gun as Jen looked one way and Ziva looked the other. Ziva reached out and grabbed Tony's arm, realizing it was Liat on the ground, someone they had encountered before.

She hopped over to her. Liat was facedown on the ground, shot in the back and bleeding everywhere. Jen and Tony were covering her. "Jen call for back up and two ambulances," Tony hissed to her. Jen nodded and got to work on that, taking the cell from her pocket.

Ziva pressed her hands into Liat's back, hearing her moan out in pain. "Who shot you?" Ziva hissed.

"I do not know," she groaned. "My gun was not even drawn. We simply were following Eschel to see what he was up to. We know what he did to you. We have been trying to catch him and bring him here."

"Keep talking, Liat, you need to stay conscious," Ziva said, sounding worried.

Somehow, Ziva had formed a bond with Liat over all the brawling of their last and only meeting. Ziva was concerned for the young woman who now bled all over her. She pressed hard, holding her lower back, hoping that an ambulance would soon arrive to where they were.

"Where is Malachi?" Ziva asked.

"I do not know," Liat said. "He was next to me and then he was not anymore. Whoever shot at us was behind us."

Ziva only nodded, lifting her eyes from the Israeli Mossad Officer and scanning the area carefully. They heard the sirens then. There were police, FBI, NCIS, and two ambulances. The paramedics came to Liat first and that was when Malachi came out.

"I will join you at NCIS. I will give my statement and full cooperation on this," he said, looking hurt that his partner was hurt. "I thought she was dead."

"Not yet," Ziva said, avoiding thinking about the blood on her hands. The simple thought of it made her sick to her stomach. "Tony?" she called out, feeling her stomach churning over and over as she tried to contain herself.

The pain in Ziva's leg was too much. The churning of her stomach was too much. She felt like she was going to faint from it. Tony caught up to her, seeing her looking pale and unsteady. He led her back into the house, where Gibbs was talking to Fornell. Malachi followed them and sat next to Jen who was also sitting with Gibbs and Fornell.

Tony led Ziva into the downstairs bathroom and began to clean off her hands. She leaned over the toilet and was sick. Tony held her hair and rubbed her back. When she was done there were tears in her eyes as Tony looked at her. He didn't say anything just then, but got back to cleaning her hands for her.

When he was finished he took her hands in his and looked her right in the eyes. "Liat will be fine. She's strong. You did great earlier with Adam here, though. I'm proud of you, Ziva," Tony whispered.

"I am okay, Tony," Ziva whispered, desperately trying to wipe the tears from her eyes. "I do not know what has gotten into me. I am an emotional heck lately."

"The word you're looking for is wreck, Ziva," Tony whispered softly, helping to lift her. "Let's go get your crutches. And what has gotten into you is simple. A baby."

He pressed lips softly to her forehead, closing his eyes with delight at how that sounded. Ziva smiled widely and held him tight. "Yes, that it has," she said, still smiling. "The mood swings are going to be the death of me, though."

"I won't let those nasty moods hurt you," Tony joked and Ziva laughed, finally wiping the tears from her face.

Tony helped her out of the bathroom, noticing that both Fornell and Malachi were staring at them. Tony grabbed her crutches and gave them to her and she smiled again and nearly laughed.

"You okay, Ziva?" Fornell asked. "The walls really aren't soundproof at all, are they?"

"I have been fighting a virus," Ziva stated simply.

"I have not ever known you to get sick, Ziva," Malachi said. "This is something different, yes?"

"Something I'm not used to, Malachi," Ziva said simply with a shrug. "Let's get back to Headquarters and figure out who shot Liat."

"What happened to your foot?" Malachi asked.

"Shattered tibia thanks to a full metal jacket," Ziva said.

"Why would someone wear a jacket made of metal? And how would that harm your leg?" Malachi asked, sounding horribly confused.

"It is an American idiom for Lapuas. Sniper rifle ammunition," Ziva replied simply and Tony smiled at her knowledge, remembering how Ziva was when she was first in America and not understanding the terminology at all.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

"I feel like I have not slept in three days!" Ziva shouted as Ducky examined her leg with Tony standing next to her.

"It's only been a day my dear," Ducky reminded her.

"That is just too long," Ziva said with a yawn to accentuate her tiredness. "I am not used to this."

"I suppose it is a tough transition from being able to sleep whenever you want and however much you want," Ducky agreed. "But, my dear, Ziva, you have gone much longer time periods without sleep and faired better than you are now. Is there something more going on?"

"I am fine, Ducky," Ziva said. "What about my leg?"

"Appears that nothing was damaged in the confusion last night. Might I suggest that you take Abby's air mattress to the conference room or use her lab for some rest. You look terribly exhausted," Ducky continued. "Do we know who shot Liat?"

"It was Alejandro Rivera," Tony answered. "We have his DNA and fingerprints everywhere. But, it seemed to me that he was aiming at Gibbs and not Liat. This is a mess. It's not just NCIS involved anymore. Now it is Mossad and Mexico as well. This is international and its going to get messy. But, Vance isn't answering his cell and we haven't been able to inform him of what was going on last night."

"Adam is not in prison awaiting trial. Bail was higher than he could afford and he said he deserves nothing less," Ziva said, sounding confident.

"Ziva, my dear?" Ducky asked as she got up with her crutches. "I cannot help but notice some changes in you lately. It is not just about your sleep, dear. I have noticed that you spend an unusual amount of time in the ladies' room and that you are exhausted and emotional. Is this case getting to you, dear?"

"Not exactly, Ducky," Ziva said with a sigh, realizing that the doctor would be the first to notice such changes in someone.

"Are you getting enough sleep at night?"

"Some nights," Ziva admitted sheepishly. "Other nights are difficult. That is probably what you are seeing."

"I don't think so, my dear. But, you two will tell me when the time is right, I'm sure," Ducky said with a smile and a nod, allowing them to have their escape as well as their privacy on the subject.

Yes, Ducky definitely suspected what was going on with Ziva, but he was not entirely sure. He had not seen Ziva getting emotional over nothing, otherwise he would know the answer without requiring a hormone level to give him that answer.

Tony pulled Ziva into the elevator and turned to her, turning it off as soon as the doors were closed.

"The reason I cam down there, is that we've heard from the hospital in regards to Liat. She is fine, but the bullet knicked her spinal column, causing her a great deal of pain and possibly paralysis. Malachi was a mess when he was telling me. He admitted to me that he has fallen in love with her. But he is not happy about a Mexican Drug Lord being involved considering what happened to Jen's life the last time they were involved. He also told me that he heard back. They think that they've spotted Isaac David in Israel recently. They're investigating further now. He asked for Jen to not be informed until it is confirmed or denied of what they saw."

"This is not the first time he's gone MIA," Ziva said. "Let's go," she added, turning the elevator back on.

As soon as they were in the squad room they noticed that Adam was in cuffs and talking to Jen about everything that he needed to confess too. Gibbs was staring at them with wonder in his eyes. He blinked a couple times then spoke to them.

"You two up to the conference room to sleep. McGee and Abby have just gotten up. You do anything on that bed and you're both dead. Understood?"

They both nodded and turned away heading back up toward the conference room. It had been a long night and it was already turning into a very long day. Ziva had not gone out of control so far since arriving back at NCIS but there were definitely some who were watching her carefully.

Jen's eyes were nearly always locked on Ziva. Fornell had stayed at NCIS Headquarters and was watching her carefully as well. Ducky had eyes on her every chance he could get. He was currently going through photos again of Ziva's leg, Jen's shoulder, and no Liat's back. He sighed as he went toward the elevator.

They arrived in the conference room. "Well, I guess we've gotten somewhere today. We know who is after us. We have no idea why, but we know who. We also know that now Mossad is involved, which scares me since that is what I was running from. We've gotten Adam and protected Malachi now that he's in the middle of this. Parsons is going to have a field day," Ziva said.

"We'll have to update Chegwidden and the other two when we wake up," Tony reassured her. "Come on sweet cheeks, let's get you to sleep so you can take care of that bun in your oven."

Ziva smiled and kissed Tony.

"We're going to get this guy. We'll talk to Chegwidden, Mac, and Harm. We'll deal with Parsons," Ziva said. "I just wish we had some more time to process all this before it hit us in the faces."

"Well, we'll deal with it," Tony said softly. "Hey, think, on Monday, you're nine weeks."

"Tony?" Ziva said with a strange look on her face. It was a mixture of nerves and excitement.

"Yea?"

"I will be showing before then, I think," Ziva said. "I am not certain. But, I have already noticed a difference in the last couple days."

Tony walked up to her, his eyes lighting up with excitement. He pressed himself up against Ziva and did notice that her stomach was slightly rounder than it had been only a few days ago and he smiled widely.

"I don't think it will be noticeable in three weeks, Zi," he said quietly. "But, if you want to tell them sooner, then that's what we'll do."

"No, Tony. I don't want to tell them sooner. I only wanted you to know that there are changes happening that are now obvious, aside from my crying on everyone and about everything," Ziva said quietly and laughed at herself. "Let's sleep."

He nodded and led her toward the air mattress. She snuggled immediately into his side and was asleep with her head on his chest almost immediately. She had never been so tired in all her life and now it was really obvious to Tony, because she had never fallen asleep quite so instantly.