A/N: Just want to clarify because I might've gotten the chapter wrong - all baby questions will be answered (I hope) by Ch 37. Enjoy, more sharing in this one! :)

Tiva lovah - Thank you so much for the lovely review! I'm glad you're enjoying it. As always, so nice to hear from you. Would love to PM if you get brave enough to sign up! :)

juli - Thanks :) Glad you enjoyed the two couples spending the night together, it's fun to write them as a group. Ooh...okay, if you have personal experience with L&D and babies, any chance you could PM me sometime? I could use some insight for my research. PS. Happy Birthday! Hope it's a great one! :) This one is for you! ~Aliyah

Hebrew: neshama - darling

Tuesday afternoon Ziva was sitting on the couch with her computer in front of her, looking at Devon on screen. "It is almost like I am there," she commented.

Devon's voice was nearly as clear as when they were sitting across from one another. "The miracle of modern technology." She glanced down at her notes and got right to work. "How are you this week?"

Ziva sighed. "I am tired of being tired."

The doctor frowned. "No improvement in that area? What did your doctor say?"

She shook her head. "It comes and goes, but I need more rest than before." Ziva rubbed her stomach absently. "Mandy still thinks the baby could come any time, I think now I would welcome it." She shrugged. "If my pregnancy lasts much longer, she will not make the c-section optional."

Devon made a sympathetic face. "I'm sorry Ziva. But it might be for the best. Caring for a newborn will be exhausting enough, you'll need all the strength you have left just to make it through those first few days." Ziva nodded by it was time to move on. "Tell me about everything since your last session," the therapist requested.

Rubbing her forehead, Ziva thought back to Tuesday after they left Devon's office and briefly considered telling her that Tony had admitted to being in therapy before, and to some of what transpired while she was away. But what he confided to her seemed too personal and if her doctor was going to find out about it, that information would have to come directly from Tony. So she skipped instead to Wednesday.

"Tony brought flowers home to mark our first week and that night we looked through books and came up with a name for the baby." She rolled her eyes. "Tony would only consider girl's names. He is so sure."

"Well, he's either going to be right and suddenly think he has a super power, or it will be a bit of a shock," Devon commented. "At least he's getting the special stuff right." She made a note and looked up again. "What about Thursday?"

Ziva swallowed and decided to get the easy stuff out first. "Tony sent a friend of his over to entertain me, I played the piano for her." She hesitated, then continued. "Before we went to bed he asked if he could see...all of my scars."

"Ooh..." Devon let out her breath slowly and chose her words carefully. "Did you let him?"

She nodded jerkily, flashing back to the moments of Tony's gentle hands on her body, trying not to confuse them with Somalia and unwanted hands that did so much more than touch.

Devon observed her reaction with concern. "Ziva, are you okay?"

"I do not know," Ziva admitted. "I did not think it would be so hard to let him look. And when he touched me...he was so tender, so loving about it. But..." She hugged her arms around herself. "I did not want him to hurt because of it."

"What do you mean?" Devon tilted her head to the side and waited.

Ziva drew a breath to calm the memories. "He left without saying goodbye the next morning. When I woke up he should have still been in the house but he was not. I texted Gibbs because I was concerned." She shrugged. "Tony called me less than half an hour later and we talked a little, but I knew he was not okay. I wish he could have come home because he needed me even if he wanted time to think." She rubbed her forehead. "I just held him when he got back. It is hard to watch him hurt for me."

"You have to remember Ziva," Devon began gently, "that you've had months to accept Somalia. You fought and raged against the memories and battled nightmares, but you knew what had been done and you knew it wasn't going away. For all Tony thought he knew, he still has no idea. He hasn't heard all the stories, you've only just shown him all the physical scars. It's a lot to take in." She smiled sadly. "If he didn't love you, it wouldn't hurt. But he does and I'm willing to bet he carries your pain as his own and probably a lot of guilt too."

"But it was not Tony's fault!" Ziva protested. Why was it that everyone could see the truth except him?

"And everyone can tell him that, but it doesn't mean he'll believe it. Out of self-defense he killed Michael and the consequences of that act left you in Israel because you couldn't trust him. He watched your boss get back in and the plane leave without you. By the time he decided it had been too long, Gibbs told him you were dead and Tony blamed himself. If he had done things differently you would still be sitting at the desk across from him instead of drowning off the coast of Africa. Try to see things from his perspective Ziva, it's a lot to go through."

Ziva narrowed her eyes. "Why do you know all of that? It is not something I told you." Just the same, her heart was sore with the implications of the other woman's words.

Shock leapt into Devon's eyes for a fraction of a second before she clasped her hands and took a moment to collect her thoughts. "I took over this practice from the previous psychiatrist who retired last August. Part of my duties required me to get familiar with his case files and all his patients. It took me awhile to get through them and I only looked really in depth if a person came back to see me."

She played with her pen for a moment and sighed. "Tony's reaction last week to my office, looking around like he was surprised to find it changed, and his discomfort when I mentioned couple's sessions made me suspicious. So I did a little digging and found Dr. Trax's notes in Tony's file." Devon leaned forward. "I didn't mean to break confidentiality, the observations just slipped out. But I hope you can understand where he's coming from, why his fears and hurt run so deep."

Ziva didn't know what to say. "I need to tell him that I know. I do not want Tony to feel betrayed."

Devon nodded. "Share what you need to, that trust is very important."

Ziva closed her eyes. "I did not realize...he told me he had seen someone, he told me the others were worried about him, but I did not know that he had taken the responsibility for Somalia inside. It is no wonder..." she shook her head. "I will speak with him tonight." It would not be an easy conversation and she did not look forward to having it.

"Maybe we can come back to that next week or when the two of you come together. Let's finish the rest of your last week for now," Devon suggested.

Ziva tried to think when it was Tony who consumed her thoughts. "We did not do much this weekend. Tony made us breakfast in bed on Saturday and helped while I unpacked. Sunday I started to teach him piano again after he listened to me play. Later Abby and McGee called, they returned from their honeymoon on Saturday."

Devon seemed interested in that news. "Do you wish you and Tony had been able to take a honeymoon?"

Ziva shook her head. "No. Even if I was not pregnant and we had gotten married, we would still not be like other newlyweds. I cannot think of enjoying that kind of time with him, not yet. Maybe not for a long time."

"Fair enough," Devon agreed. "But when you are ready to share your body with him, when being intimate no longer frightens you, when you can trust Tony as your lover and husband both, you should think about going away together." She smiled. "Find out what you missed."

With a shrug Ziva dismissed the idea for the measurable future and they wrapped up their hour soon after.

"I'm glad we could make this work Ziva. Same time next week okay?"

The woman nodded. "It is not as if I have anywhere else to be. And today Tony gave me strict orders not to leave the house until he gets home."

"Sounds like a surprise," Devon smiled.

"He is good at them," Ziva shared. "Goodbye Devon."

For the next couple hours she worked on her blanket, watched TV movies and paged slowly through the book from Mandy. Tony got home promptly at five-thirty pm and she rose slowly to greet him. The conversation with Devon hung heavily on her heart but Tony's eyes were alight with excitement and she didn't want to ruin that. They could save the serious talk for later.

He cupped her face in his hand and kissed her, then stood back and took her hands. "Are you up for an outing?"

Ziva's eyebrows rose. "I think so."

Tony grinned. "Great! Because I have a surprise for you." He went to the closet and pulled out a bag. "I got you something else that day I went shopping." He held it out to her, looking uncertain. "I hope you like this."

Ziva took the bag from him and peeked inside. "Oh Tony..." she breathed, looking up. "I do not know..."

He pulled the knee length red dress out with a flourish and held it up so she could get a good look. The skirt hung down in soft folds, the waistline altered to fit around her belly. It had short little cap sleeves and a neckline only two inches below her collarbone, hiding the worst part of the scar. But it would show her arms and more than usual of what always hid under her clothes.

Ziva met Tony's hopeful eyes as she chewed on her lip and saw what he was trying to tell her. He wasn't ashamed of the marks and he didn't want her to be either. He was proud of her and wanted to show her off - scars, baggage, thirty-six weeks pregnant and all. Staring at the dress, she wondered if she could be brave enough to go out in public without being afraid of what people might think. Finally her gaze fell on her rings and she smiled timidly at her husband.

"I will try it on."

Tony trailed her upstairs like a little puppy dog and plopped himself on the bed to wait while she changed, smiling in anticipation. Ziva rolled her eyes and walked into the bathroom. Slowly she stripped off her clothes until she was standing in front of the mirror in only her bra and underwear.

Staring at her reflection, Ziva analyzed her scars in a way she rarely chose to do. They were hideous, she decided, almost giving up before she even tried. But then her thoughts turned to the love in Tony's eyes when she'd undressed so he could see, the gentleness in his touch, his soft kisses all over her skin, and tried to see herself as he did - worthy to be cherished.

Before she could talk herself out of it, Ziva slid her arms into the holes and pulled the dress over her head. It was made of soft, stretchy material that flowed out when she turned. Tugging it down, Ziva found it fit perfectly over her bump, accentuating her figure which was normal except for her midsection and that was almost all baby.

Finally she took a deep breath and looked at herself. Disregarding the fading marks on her arms, she actually looked nice and more than that, she felt attractive. Swallowing hard, she opened the door and waited for Tony's reaction. He stood and drew his green eyes up and down her body.

"Sweetheart, you look fantastic. What do you think?"

Ziva fingered the fabric and spun around slowly, feeling like a little girl playing dress up. "It makes me feel pretty."

Tony grinned and tucked her hair back. "I'm glad. You deserve to feel like that every day." He picked up the flower on her nightstand that she'd dried from the bouquet for her memory box and held it out to her. "Ziva DiNozzo, will you go out with me tonight?"

Ziva accepted the flower and curtsied, holding it to her nose even though the scent was now gone. "Yes, I think I will."

He grinned and kissed her hand, then shoed her back into the bathroom to get ready so he could change. "Good. Our reservations are for six-thirty."

She turned incredulous eyes on him. "How did you know I would say yes?"

He shook his head slowly. "I didn't. But I hoped you would." Tony moved into her space again, his hands falling to her hips. "I love you Ziva and I'm so proud of you. You've already proved you can do anything. I want to take you out so that everyone else can see what I do."

She stood on her tiptoes and lightly touched her lips to his. "I do not know why it is me you chose to love, but I will forever be grateful."

Tony rested his forehead on hers briefly, staring into her eyes. "We chose each other neshama, from day one we never let go willingly." Except once, the thought jumped unbidden into his head and his grip on her tightened. "And I hope it never happens again."

"I love you," she whispered, retreating to the bathroom to finish getting ready and leaving Tony to stare foolishly at the door before he shook himself and went to his closet.

In the bathroom Ziva took time to apply a little cover up to disguise the circles under her eyes, then swiped a light layer of mascara onto her lashes. It was, after all, their first date. Some creatively applied eyeshadow set off her brown irises with a subtle smoky effect and lastly lipstick, though Ziva doubted it would last the evening. Tony seemed to have developed an addiction to her lips and with unexpected pleasure, she realized she welcomed and even looked forward to the next time his mouth sought hers.

Standing back, she smoothed her dress and smiled, pleased with her appearance. Tony knocked on the door and almost dropped his jaw at the transformation. "Wow," was the only thing he could think of to say, but from the way Ziva's eyes sparkled, she wasn't going to complain.

Like the gentleman his mother had raised, Tony held out his arm and Ziva accepted and he felt like the awkward kid at prom, awed that the most popular girl had picked him. He was the luckiest man on earth because she loved him. They arrived at the restaurant just in time and were escorted to their table.

It was a beautiful, romantic place and Ziva felt appreciated by the care Tony had put into planning a date for them. She looked down at their hands linked casually across the table. "Most men stop working at impressing her once a woman says yes," she commented. "Why does it seem like you are trying harder?"

His fingers brushed over the inside of her wrist where he could feel her steady pulse and he met her eyes. "I don't ever want to stop trying Ziva. I want to spend the rest of my life attempting to deserve the answer you gave me." Tony swallowed. "The day we stop trying is the beginning of letting go and I...can't...I won't."

It sounded like a promise but there was fear behind the words Ziva wasn't sure she would have noticed before Devon gave her observations on what Tony was still dealing with. But for now it was about them and enjoying this night, which could end up being one of the last times they were out together before the baby came.

A well dressed server appeared and took their requests for drinks, leaving them to peruse the menus. Ziva decided on grilled fish with vegetables, Tony got a fancy sounding pasta dish. They ate slowly, reveling in the normalcy, sharing long looks and brief touches and talking about whatever came to mind.

Finally they finished and Tony glanced over to an open space where a few couples were swaying gently to soft strains of music. His face asked the question and Ziva extended her hand in response. Tony led her over and lost no time in putting his hands on her waist. She lifted her arms to rest on his shoulders and linked her fingers loosely behind his head.

They stayed like that for the rest of the current song, moving in small circles, staring into each others eyes and taking solace in the peace surrounding them. Then the next piece of music began and a smile spread over Tony's face. Holding her a little bit closer, he leaned forward so that his face was next to hers and began to sing the words in a low voice.

"Some day, when I'm awfully low/When the world is cold/I will feel a glow just thinking of you/And the way you look tonight."

Ziva couldn't stop her lips from curling up and she rested her head on his shoulder, listening as her husband continued to sing to her, a song that just happened to be exactly what he was thinking. It was hard to remember another moment when she had felt so loved and Ziva realized that she hadn't once wondered if anyone noticed her scars.

At the very end of the song, Tony let go and spun her around in a slow circle before guiding her back to their table. He paid the bill and draped a cream coloured pashmina over his wife's shoulders to combat the slight chill that still hung in the evening air. Then, with the light from the fading sun at their backs, Tony and Ziva headed home.

NCIS

After work, which he'd left at a reasonable time for once, Gibbs had gone over to Celeste's for supper. She had invited him on the weekend, wanting to be sure she would see him at least once during the week. It had been delicious, as always, and then they took a drive in her car with the top down and for awhile conversation hadn't been necessary.

Now they were walking down by the river because Celeste wanted to watch the sun set. They moved slowly along the water in companionable silence, their fingers laced together. It was one of the few concessions Gibbs had made when they decided to try again. Touching her more intimately than a friend was all too easy after having been married to her and there was no way he wanted to mess up his chance. They were taking things slow, almost excruciatingly slow, but Gibbs knew it would be worth the time.

When she'd finally had enough of being quiet, Celeste turned her head to look at him. "How are the kids?" She insisted on calling his team that now and though Gibbs put on a front about it annoying him, he could hardly disagree that they'd long ago become a family.

He shrugged, relieved for once that there was no major crisis to report. "Abby and McGee got back on Saturday and she made sure to fill us in on their trip first thing Monday morning. She let it slip that they were getting together with Tony and Ziva, so maybe they finally got to sort things out." Gibbs decided he didn't want to focus on the team tonight. "How's your project coming?"

Rolling with the change of subject and pleased that they could concentrate on each other, Celeste stared at the colours streaking across the sky. "I'm down to the final chapters and then I'll spend the rest of the week compiling my notes and suggestions." She glanced towards him. "I'll have to fly back to LA to deliver everything and talk to my client."

His pace slowed and his grip on her hand tightened a fraction. "How long?"

Celeste shrugged. "Only a couple days. Think you'll make it without me?" Her teasing smile gave him a way out, but Gibbs didn't want one this time.

"As long as you don't decide to stay," he said gruffly, eyes on the horizon.

She chuckled. "Why would I want to stay there, when everything I've worked for is here?" The significance was not lost on Gibbs but he chose not to comment and Celeste ran her thumb over his knuckles. "I think I'll tell Jenna yes about her offer. I worked with the author she was telling me about several years ago on a co-written project. I'd enjoy the chance to see how much she's grown since then."

"Huh," Gibbs grunted. "You know she's reeling you back in. If that woman gets her way, she'll have you signing a twenty-year contract and taking that position she's been pushing at you for the last decade."

Celeste laughed. "Jenna knows me better than that. I've agreed to come back for one job, that does not mean I'm ready to give up my freedom entirely."

"As long as you're happy." His words were unexpected and she stopped.

"Are you happy Jethro?"

Having to look into her eyes to answer the question made it a little more difficult, but Gibbs swallowed and gave her his honesty, knowing she wouldn't accept anything less. "I'm closer to it than I've been in a long time."

Some women would have been offended to not receive an immediate and convincing 'yes'. Others might have been annoyed that he didn't elaborate or offended at how little he shared. But Celeste proved once again why they had a better chance of working than any relationship he'd tried to have in more than fifteen years.

A smile worked across her mouth and she leaned in to kiss his cheek. "That might be the best news I've heard all day." She saw something closer to disbelief than confusion in his eyes and shook her head. "Don't you know that's what I wanted Jethro? What I tried so hard for last time? I wanted us to be happy together, but more than that I wanted to see it in your eyes, to know that it was real for you. If you're even close to that line where you can be truly happy again, then it's worth everything."

Without words to say to express his gratitude for her, Gibbs put his arms around her for a long hug. But he held in the declaration that danced on the tip of his tongue, because it had only been two weeks and now that they were together, he didn't want to rush any of the most important things.