Rifiuto: Non Miriena

Thanks to Sazzita for reviewing 3, 4 and 5; Reader for reviewing 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

She met his gaze, unsure of how he'd react. But he was listening intently, silently, allowing her to go on, in her own time. Allowing her to teach him of the day his son had entered the world. Taking a deep breath, she swallowed her fear, closing her eyes briefly, willing her heart to slow its racing. That day was so long ago, though it was forever seared into her mind. Every sight, every sound, every smell, every feel, all etched within her brain so finely that it could have been a mural, painted on the streets of Tel Aviv.

Rivka and Ari helped her into the bedroom, while Tali was instructed to get towels and water, and anything else they would need during the birth. Her mother helped her settle on the edge of the bed, and then began gently rubbing her back, whispering softly to her. "Breathe, Zivaleh. Breathe through the pain. Deep breaths. That is it. I know, it hurts. I have been there. I know what you are experiencing."

"I went through eight hours of early labor. They did everything they could to make it easier, but..." She chuckled softly. "Nothing makes labor easy. But I had them. And I had you." She laid a hand on her heart. "In here, I had you, to help get me through."

She let out a groan, shifting to her hands and knees to try to deal with the pain. Ari had checked her, saying that she was slowly dilating, and then patted her shoulder, telling her that she was doing a good job, and not to worry. At one point, she changed positions, sitting up and leaning forward, as Rivka rubbed her back, telling her stories or singing soft lullabies.

"Do you need anything, Ziva?" She glanced up at her little sister, but shook her head, managing a smile. She had stripped down to only a tank top, not caring about modesty, or that her little sister was there to witness the birth of her nephew.

"Just for this to be over." She whispered, tucking a strand of hair behind her sister's ear. As her labor progressed, the pain got worse, and she found herself unable to handle it without some form of release. In this case, pained, guttural, primal screams; she tried not to, for she'd been taught that showing any form of pain was a weakness-

"Zivaleh, look at me. Look at me!" She turned her gaze to her mother, who knelt beside her, rubbing her back and grasping her hand. "Your father is not here! He does not know of the baby about to be born, that it is still alive, he does not control you. Not now, not here." She shook her head. "Do not fight this, Ziva." Rivka said, grabbing her daughter's chin. "You fight this, and it will be dangerous for both you and the baby. If you want this baby in your arms, like I know you do, then you will throw all your father's foolish rules out the window. Eli is not here; you may do as you please."

"What are you suggesting, Ima?" Tali asked, as she wrung the washcloth out and dabbed at her sister's forehead. Rivka gave her youngest a small smile before turning back to her oldest.

"Scream." Ziva shook her head, but she caught the young woman's chin again. "It helps to deal with the pain you are going through. Trust me, Zivaleh, I know. I have been where you are now."

Something pressed against her uterus, and she dug her teeth into her lower lip as the pressure slowly increased. Eventually, she felt something trickling heavily down her legs. Tali glanced down, confusion in her dark eyes as she watched. "Um... Ziva..." She glanced from the towel in her hands to her sister's legs. "Ziva, you... you have water... on your legs..."

Slowly, Ziva turned to Tali, who bit her lip and pointed to the floor. As she raised her eyes to her mother's, the trickling soon stopped and burst, showering her thighs in water. "Ima-"

Rivka took her face in her hands, brushing the tears away. "It is okay, Zivaleh, sweetheart. Your water has burst." She choked on a sob, struggling to handle the new realization, but all she could do was lay her head on her mother's shoulder, sobs of pain wracking her small, overwrought body.

She met his gaze. "I did not think it could get any worse." She chuckled softly and ran her thumb along the rim of her cup. "But active labor was nothing compared to the pain I felt as he was coming out of me and into the world." He gave her a soft smile, reaching out to take her hand.

"Take your time, Ziva." He whispered, and she nodded, squeezing his hand. He watched her, his green eyes drinking in the information she was giving him, and she felt a weight begin to lift off her heart.

"Your son is stubborn, Zivaleh. He is taking his sweet time moving into your birth canal." She looked up at him, tossing her head, her sweaty bangs clinging to her forehead.

"What do you mean?" Rivka swatted the young doctor, glaring at him.

"Do not tease your sister, Ari!"

"I am not teasing her. I am telling her the truth. It is going to be a while before he comes."

"But she is ready, right, Ari?" He glanced at Tali, who continued to dab at her sister's face with the damp cloth; Ziva turned away before finally reaching up and swatting the younger girl away.

"Do not touch me." Tali ignored her and continued.

"Ken. She may be fully dilated, but that does not guarantee that he will come any faster. And it's not uncommon for babies to descend slowly in first-time mothers."

"Who say that there is going to be a second time?" She asked, pushing herself up. As her sister's hand once again moved down her cheek, she reached up, shoving her hand away. "I said do not touch me!" Tali dropped the washcloth, backing away, tears in her eyes as Ziva lay her head back against the side of the bed.

"Zivaleh." Ari scolded gently. Rivka waved him away as the laboring young woman took deep breaths and struggled to keep from grabbing one of them by the throat and choking them.

"Leave her be, Ari. She is in pain, and she is entitled to act any way she pleases. There are certain rights allowed of a laboring woman, and irrationality is one of them." Her brother shook his head, and went to Tali, whispering softly to her before pushing her back towards Ziva.

"I had never known pain like that before or since." She met his gaze. "But it was worth it; every moment was worth the reward I received at the end." She gave him a soft smile, setting her cup down and reaching up to trace his features. "Because when he came out, when he entered the world, I felt my heart begin to mend. I knew it would never be whole, because I had lost you, but it was a start, because you had given me... you gave me our son." He caught her hand, pressing a soft kiss to her palm and drinking in her touch.

"Ima, it hurts so much! Make it stop!" Rivka whispered softly to her, brushing her hair away from her face as she held her oldest daughter close.

"Ari, what is happening to her? What is wrong?" Tali's dark eyes filled with fear as she watched her sister.

"Let Ari take care of your sister, Talia. Come sit by her and give her your strength, love." Rivka ordered; Tali scooted closer, taking her older sister's hand. Ziva dug her short nails into the girl's soft flesh; her eyes shut tight, she struggled to keep from pushing until she was told too.

"Zivaleh, listen to me. Look at me!" Slowly, she opened her eyes and met her older brother's gaze. "You're engaged."

"What?" He was making no sense.

"Your son is engaged within your birth canal. Now, the contractions have pushed him further into your birth canal; you're transitioning, okay?" She nodded, too tired to understand a word he was saying. "Do not strain, do you understand? That means you do not push. Let your body do the work it was meant to do. If you push, you will tear and the healing process will be more painful and take longer. Okay? Do not push. Your body knows what to do, and you are going to let it do its job. Understand?"

"But what I have to-"

"No! Zivaleh, I know you're stubborn, but so am I. I am your doctor, so you are to follow my orders!"

"The only good trait any of you inherited from your father." Rivka whispered, pressing a kiss to Ziva's hair. "Stubbornness." Ari grinned at her, before turning back to his sister. "Listen to your brother, sweetheart. Okay? You listen to your brother."