Chapter 6: Life Goes On
Ziva was discharged the following morning and Tony brought her home. She was moving around much better and seemed to be healing from the bruises from the accident and fight. He knew that both of them would need time to process, grieve and move forward from the loss of the baby. He also knew that while they could and would move on, they would never heal completely nor forget the loss.
Since Ziva was discharged on a Friday, the pair had a weekend to be at home, and get ready to go back to work on Monday. On Friday evening, they both talked to Ducky on the phone, thanking the doctor for his help and also for understanding that they wanted to keep the loss of their baby private. Ducky had not said a word to anyone, even about Ziva being in the hospital.
Several times over the weekend, they talked about feelings about the loss, especially when one of them would be overwhelmed and teary-eyed thinking about the miscarriage. They sought solace and comfort in the other, spending much time wrapped together, feeling the touch of the other as a source of comfort. Ziva had been surprised the first time Tony broke down sobbing uncontrollably and had opened her arms to him without saying anything. Tony had shared how he had asked his mother to watch over their baby and to help the couple through their grieving when Ziva was in surgery. Ziva had teared up when he spoke, and she ended up sobbing with him.
On Monday morning, they held hands as the pair stepped off the elevator and walked to the bullpen. In between their desks, Tony gave Ziva a gentle kiss on the lips and squeezed her hand, looking into her eyes and pouring all the love he felt for her into his gaze. He whispered to her, "Ani ohev otach, Ziva."
Ziva whispered back, "Ani ohevet otcha, Tony." She smiled at him and put a hand on his face, putting all the love she felt for him into her touch and her gaze.
Tim watched the two and as they moved to their desks, he greeted them.
"Good morning," Tim smiled at both. "Did you have a good weekend?"
Ziva and Tony looked at each other, and Tony spoke, "We had some much needed down time."
Tim started to ask what the pair had done when Ziva cut him off, "Thank you for asking, Tim." She sat down at her desk and logged on to her computer as Tony did the same. They shared another look, and then turned to their screens.
Gibbs walked into the bullpen about ten minutes later, coffee in hand. "David, DiNozzo, my office, now."
"Yes, Gibbs."
"Yes, Boss." Tony looked at Ziva and shrugged. She returned the look and followed Gibbs to the elevator.
Gibbs hit the switch and looked at his two agents. They were standing side by side, and he swore that they had been holding hands until he looked directly at them. "What are you not telling me?"
"Nothing, Boss." Tony spoke quickly, hoping that would shut down the conversation. Neither he nor Ziva really wanted to have a discussion about their time off right now. They both needed time to grieve and to process their loss before they decided to share or not with anyone.
"Nothing, Gibbs." Ziva found herself reaching for Tony's hand, hoping Gibbs would not notice. She really needed to touch him and feel his touch if Gibbs persisted in his questioning. Their fingers interlocked and they moved closer, trying to partially hide their interlaced hands.
"Well, I hope your time off was what you needed. Weren't home, that much I know." Gibbs had gone by both apartments after work on the day Ziva had been admitted to the hospital. He had been worried about Ziva's injuries and had just gone to check on her. He had noticed both vehicles parked in the lot for Ziva's building.
"Much needed down time, Boss." Tony wasn't volunteering any information. He figured the less he said the less Gibbs would get out of them.
Ziva nodded her agreement with Tony's statement. "Very much needed!"
"Okay. Anything in general that you aren't telling me?" Gibbs was trying to get the pair to admit what he already knew; they were together and had been for some time.
Tony was about to say, 'Nope," when something about the look in Gibbs' eyes made him change his mind. "We're together, Boss." He held up their interlocked hands.
Ziva squeezed Tony's hand, and looked at Gibbs. "I… rule twelve… not sorry…"
"Not one bit sorry, Boss!" Tony echoed Ziva's sentiment; since they had quit dancing around their feelings for each other, life had been generally great, the events of the past week not included.
"About time you two admitted it!" Gibbs switched the elevator back on and they all went out to their desks to work on reports and forms from the past two weeks' cases.
~Aftermath~
When Ziva's one month follow up appointment came around, both Tony and Ziva were no longer working for NCIS. They had resigned, along with Tim McGee, in response to Gibbs' arrest by Parsons. At the appointment, Dr. Garcia noted that Ziva was healing well physically and that she and Tony should be able to try again for a baby in two months or so, if they wanted. He asked how they were doing emotionally, and both responded positively. "We've been talking and sharing as we work through the loss," Tony shared.
Ziva nodded, "We share feelings and help each other with the sadness. Thank you for all of your suggestions and help with this." She took Tony's hand in hers and gave it a light squeeze as she intertwined their fingers. "We shall see about a baby in the future."
A/N Next part coming soon... as a new story. I watched "Family First" rerun in January/February and the nagging thought (that had been there since May 2016) that something was off with Ziva supposedly keeping her pregnancy and Tali's birth from Tony would not go away. Also, Tony was upset but not angry, and there had to be a part of the story that Orli did not know and that Tony did. Hence this work and its predecessor, "The Post-Elevator Us," as well as the two stand-alone companion works for season 10 ("Inevitable" and "Dinner With Schmeil.") The next two will go into the summer and the early fall of 2013 (just beyond Past, Present, Future,) and then Tali's birth. Currently both are WIPs; for my followers, I do not publish a story until it's complete, so these two may take a bit to be published. In the meantime, I have plenty of other completed "You Complete Me" universe stories to publish.
Thanks to all who have reviewed, followed, favorited and just read the story.