A/N: I know, another one so soon, right? Lol, this one is more to keep us on schedule than anything else and also because you guys are awesome! I've so enjoyed reading your reviews - I'll reply as soon as I get time, probably Thurs. If things go according to plan this week, the birth chapter should go up on Sunday. I only have until Ch 43 written right now because I've been swamped with research, so I may have to take a week off after the baby is born, just so you're warned. Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate your dedication to this story/series :)

It was late afternoon by the time Grace showed up, bringing her own project this time so they could work on things together. Ziva gladly welcomed her in and turned the TV down low while they got settled. Grace was two rows into her slipper before she looked at Ziva with a twinkle in her eyes.

"So, tell me about this husband of yours Ziva. Was he always this wonderful?"

Ziva laughed, a blush creeping into her cheeks. Then she shook her head. "No, he was not."

Intrigued, Grace raised her eyebrows and encouraged her friend to continue.

Thinking back, Ziva remembered Tony when she first met him. "Six years ago Tony was very different - shallow, crass, self-centered, very much focused on drinking, goofing off and sleeping with as many young, beautiful women as possible."

Grace looked shocked. "Are we talking about the same man?"

Ziva's smile was a little sad. "We are. There were times when I glimpsed the kind of man he could be, like the summer we spent together when our boss left and we needed someone to turn to and found each other, but even more so when he got into the first serious relationship I had ever witnessed. He changed during that time and we grew apart. It was then I realized that I cared for him as more than a partner and friend." She sighed. "But the chance was gone."

She crocheted a few more stitches, gathering her thoughts. "When his relationship ended, for a long time Tony struggled with who to be between the person he was and the man he was becoming. We slowly mended our friendship and I suppose even then there was something more, but it never had a chance to grow."

Enthralled by the story, Grace leaned forward. "Why not?"

Ziva was back in LA, knowing something was wrong but unable to convince Tony, standing there in the Director's office and hearing that the life she valued was being torn from her with no choice, sitting in a darkened Autopsy and trying to stop her partner from taking all the blame on himself.

"There was a...tragedy within the agency that caused our team to be split up. Tony was reassigned to a ship as Agent Afloat and I was sent back to Israel and put on an undercover Mossad mission. We did not speak until four months later when Gibbs finally got us all back."

"He seemed older then," Ziva shared, "and we had missed each other. But I was seeing someone in Israel, a man my father approved of, and we last another opportunity." She shrugged. "The rest you know. At the end of that spring I did not return with them to DC and that decision marks everything."

"That's quite the history you two have," Grace observed.

Ziva nodded. "Yes. And it is strange to look back on it now. That man you know, the man I married, is who he became while I was away, who he has grown into since they brought me back. He is caring, loving, patient, gentle, tender, thoughtful." She shrugged. "Very nearly perfect and most days I do not know how to deserve him."

"Those are just my good qualities," came a voice from the door. "Ask her again when I've done something to really tick her off." Tony stood leaning against the wall, noticed by Grace but not Ziva as she gushed about her husband. His wife's smile was the special one she saved for him and Tony walked over to kiss her because he could.

Sitting down next to Ziva, Tony looked at Grace. "Nice to see you again Non-" He cut himself off and chuckled. "Sorry, I keep wanting to call you 'Nonna'. You remind me of my grandmother."

Grace's countenance glowed. "Call me what you like. It's an honour to be thought of that way."

"Be careful, I might take you up on that."

"As you like," Grace smiled and stood to pack her things.

Ziva exchanged glances with her husband. "Would you like to stay for supper?"

The older woman declined gracefully. "It's sweet of you to offer, but Thomas will be expecting me. I always visit in the evenings to read to him." Her eyes took on a far away look. "He doesn't always remember me now, but I know he loves me." She looked down at her wedding ring. "We have forty-seven years together to prove it."

Not knowing what to say, the couple held onto each other, hating the idea that someday one of them might not know the other, nor remember the life or love they shared. As Grace was leaving, she turned back. "Cherish each other. What you two have is special. That kind of love doesn't come around every day."

Ziva leaned against Tony as the door closed and just listened to his heartbeat for several moments. Then he cleared his throat and broke the moment, telling her about events of the day, namely Abby's new lab buddy. They worked side by side in the kitchen, getting supper ready while Ziva listened.

"Abby got a puppy?" she asked incredulously.

"Yup," Tony laughed. "I don't think McGee's quite sure yet about it, but she's happy as a clam. Abby loves her animals." He tossed the salad and set it aside, then found a frying pan for Ziva. It was in a lower cupboard and bending over wasn't an accomplishable task at this point. "What did you do today?"

Ziva made a frustrated noise. "Do you know what is on TV during the day?" He was afraid to guess so remained quiet and waited. "Ridiculous reality shows about petty people on islands and dating twenty men at once hoping to find true love. There are shows to decorate your house and sell your house and listen the people argue about parking tickets." She threw up her hands. "Why would I want to watch that?"

Tony coughed to cover a laugh because she looked seriously indignant about this offense. "I guess you don't."

She crossed her arms. "I am fed out. It is pointless."

"Fed up Zi," he corrected, kissing her cheek. "But I might have just the thing to fix it." Tony went over to his backpack and tossed her a TV season that she caught by reflex. "It's a SWAT show. We can watch how the real cops do it."

Ziva rolled her eyes but was pleased to have something new. After the meal they settled on the couch and cuddled. The show was well done and Ziva enjoyed it, glad for to have another way to help pass the time while he was at work. When they turned the TV off, Tony suddenly looked like he wanted to ask her something. She gave him her full attention and he took a deep breath before meeting her gaze, laying his hand on her belly.

"Ziva," Tony asked quietly, "do you know who the biological father was?"

Hurt pooled in her brown eyes and she closed them, pulling away from his touch and wrapping her arms protectively around her bump. "There were thirty men in the camp Tony," Ziva said in a brittle tone, "it could have been any of them. I stopped looking at their faces."

Tony instantly regretted asking, wishing he hadn't, except that he would have always wondered and now he didn't have to. It was unclear yet whether the knowledge was worth the price he might pay. He reached towards her. "Zi..."

But she shook her head and moved closer to the other side of the couch, focusing only on the movement of her baby and trying not to think about Somalia or what had been done. He sat there, miserable as she withdrew, but finally knelt on the floor in front of her, desperate to fix this.

"I'm sorry Ziva. I won't bring up Africa again unless you do. At least, I'll do my best not to."

When at last she looked at him, Tony did not like what he saw in Ziva's eyes. "I think I will go to bed now."

Aware that she wouldn't just bounce back from this moment, Tony sighed and stood to help her. He walked beside Ziva all the way upstairs and changed when she did. For one of the first times since their wedding, they got in on separate sides of the bed and stayed there.

Tony kicked himself for asking something like that, but wished Ziva could understand the questions and thoughts and issues he still harboured about Somalia, even more so now that she was his wife. They were eventually going to have to talk about it. Those months of captivity weren't only her nightmare.

NCIS

Somewhere in the early hours of morning, Ziva woke herself from a dream that left her gasping for air and hating the memories that still seemed so permanent. She rolled over to find Tony as close as he could get without actually touching her and her heart warmed. With a soft kiss on his lips, Ziva forgave him for the hurt and nestled against him. She was just falling back to sleep when his hand moved to her stomach and she smiled, knowing they were okay.

NCIS

Saturday morning Abby announced that she was going shopping for maternity clothes, no she didn't want company, and Tami and Matt were coming over to take Sammy for a couple hours. Matt had a big chocolate retriever who played well with others and they were headed for the dog park to run off some energy and do some socializing. It would be good for the puppy, who was still settling into life with them.

Taking in all the information, Tony made a face. "Tami and Matt?"

She nodded. "He's been pardoned on account of making my assistant smile and turn red every time his name comes up. She swears they're just friends but it's still pretty cute." Abby grinned. "Apparently going out for coffee while I was away was more than just a one time thing." She shrugged. "Tami could do worse."

Tim shook his head. "Well that I didn't see coming."

"Me either," Abby agreed. "But I'm not one to argue with workplace romances when that's how I got my fairy tale." She settled in his lap and hooked her arms over his shoulders. "Thanks for never giving up."

He grinned. "What can I say Abbs? You ran away with my heart." Tim leaned in and kissed his wife slowly. She didn't notice it was more until his hand slid under her tanktop. Breaking away, Abby smacked his chest.

"Stop trying to distract me Timmy, I'm on a mission!"

"But it's Saturday," he pouted. On weekends when they actually had time to spare, he liked to spend the day in bed with her.

Abby smirked and wiggled a bit in retaliation before she stood up. "Uh huh. And a certain author's editor sent him a list of things that need to be reworked, right?" She arched an eyebrow. "I'm sure you have lots to keep you busy."

McGee rolled his eyes. "Fine, deprive me of your company. But that means you're mine for the evening."

"Really?" Her inflection and expression was the same as when he threatened to tie her up during the Michael Mawher stalking case. But this time he was the opposite of exasperated. Abby danced upstairs to get ready, leaving Tim with his coffee and his thoughts. The day certainly held promise, as it did every time he woke up to realize this wasn't a dream but the life he thought he'd never have.

NCIS

Tony and Ziva were laying in bed enjoying each other's company without a word. But Tony could only do silence for so long and kissed her rings. "Do you know that if things had been different, today would've been our wedding day?"

With two and a half weeks of marriage already behind them, it was hard to comprehend. Ziva wouldn't have wanted to miss even a moment of their time together or spend two more weeks sleeping all by herself in her apartment and wishing Tony was there when she woke up from a nightmare. She snuggled closer. "It is good that we did not wait."

Tony looked down and kissed her, then shook his head. "I don't know how I would've waited eighteen more days to hold you like this, to belong together."

She put her hand on his cheek and smiled, but didn't feel the need to say anything. Sifting his fingers through her curls, Tony's gaze moved to her belly where the baby was refusing to be ignored. He rubbed the edge of her shirt between his thumb and forefinger. "Can I Zi?"

He sounded so much like a little boy that she smiled and nodded. It was the fourth day since Tony started helping her shower in the morning or evening and ever so slowly she was getting used to it. She wasn't comfortable yet being naked with him, but it was a start.

Lifting her shirt off her bump and pushing it up to under her bra, Tony laid on his stomach and propped himself up on his elbows, fascinated with the movements coming from inside her. He drew his finger firmly over her extended abdomen to see what he could feel.

A tiny foot pressed against her skin insistently, like the baby was trying to find a way out. And it was the strangest feeling, but Ziva thought she also detected fingers brushing over the inside of her womb. They tried to tell the different between head lumps and bum lumps, to decide whether hard points were elbows or knees and guessed at what the baby was doing in there.

Of course, Tony's favourite part was when the baby settled with her back out and he could trace her spine gently. He leaned forward and kissed Ziva's belly. "Not long now Chipmunk, less than four weeks and you'll be here in front of us instead of cozily tucked inside Mommy. We love you baby girl, we can't wait to meet you."

Ziva's smile was a little watery and she soon had Tony's full attention. "Are you nervous?"

She shrugged. "Not really. Not yet." There was a pause and she sighed. "Maybe a little."

"I'll be there," Tony promised. "You can squeeze my hand and yell at me in foreign languages and I'll only quote a few movies. I'll do everything I can, whatever you need. You won't be alone Ziva."

He touched on one of her greatest fears and she nodded. "I know. I love you."

Tony kissed her palm. "No question." He glanced towards the bathroom. "Did you want to have a shower before we go downstairs?"

Ziva shook her head and pointed to the stack of DVDs that had collected beside the TV. "Let us not get up yet. Pick something to watch."

Though Tony suspected it had more to do with her not having the energy to deal with showering rather than Ziva's desire not to move, he willingly chose a James Bond movie and put it in. No guy in his right mind would argue spending more time in bed with his wife, no matter what they were doing.

NCIS

It was Sunday and Abby was in the bathroom getting changed into one of her new maternity outfits while Tim waited, playing tug of war with Sammy. She'd returned from shopping yesterday carrying an alarming number of black bags but refused to show him what she got. He'd see them one at a time and it would be a surprise, so said her logic, which of course there was no arguing with.

Finally Abby stepped out, flaunting her usual pigtails and accessories, tall black boots, a special maternity mini-skirt similar to her old ones, and a black t-shirt with a pink scull and crossbones on it that also had pigtails. She eyed him expectantly and though he should've known better, the first word that popped out of his mouth was, "Interesting."

Abby's eyes narrowed. "Interesting? What does that mean Tim?" She smoothed her hands over her abdomen and looked in the mirror, gauging the difference. Her cheeks flushed and McGee knew he was in trouble. "Interesting means fat, doesn't it? You think maternity clothes make me look fat?" She spat the words out, leaving no pause for him to correct her. "Well fine, it's your fault anyways. I didn't get pregnant by myself." She stormed over, grabbed Sammy and proceeded to lock herself in the bathroom.

Tim dropped his head into his hands, doubting that could've gone worse. A minute later he drew a breath and approached the closed door. He knocked tentatively. "Abby? I didn't mean it that way, honest." No answer, so he knocked again. "Please let me in."

"No!" she yelled, cuddling the puppy to her chest and wishing she had Bert for a good squeeze. "Go away McGee. We're not talking to you right now."

Frustrated, he sighed and retreated to their bed. Half an hour later the silent standoff continued and Tim was ready to give up. He went out to the hallway, pulled out his phone and dialed a number, wondering who would be worse to deal with - Abby or the man who treated her like a daughter.

"Gibbs," he answered after three rings.

"Uh, hi Boss, it's McGee."

The pause lasted four seconds before Gibbs prompted him. "What?"

Tim ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm, umm, having an issue with Abby."

"I don't do couples' counseling," Gibbs growled.

"No, I know," Tim stammered, "but I could use some advice. You've...had a pregnant wife before." Afraid he'd overstepped, Tim swallowed and pushed on. "I didn't call her fat Gibbs, I wasn't even thinking it, but now she won't talk to me and I can't get her out of the bathroom."

Gibbs relaxed and snorted. "Doesn't matter what you said, that's what she heard. Now's when you learn two important phrases McGee - 'yes dear' and 'I'm sorry'. Doesn't matter if you know what you're apologizing for, that's your best bet."

Tim hesitated, always surprised when Gibbs actually talked. "Rule 6?"

"Ha!" Gibbs barked. "Just try applying that one while she's pregnant. I'll come to your funeral," he muttered so Tim could barely hear."

"Right. Thanks Boss." He sighed and glanced back at the bathroom door. "I'll try."

"Nope. Don't try, do it."

"On it."

They hung up and Tim warily made his way back into the room like a man facing his own execution. Or at least, potential banishment from their bed. He tapped on the door again. "Abby? I'm sorry honey, I shouldn't've said interesting. I love what you're wearing. I love everything you wear because you always look stylish and sexy and seeing you pregnant with my baby...I love the way you look sweetheart. Come on, please talk to me."

Minutes went by before there was a click and the door opened a crack and Sammy poked his nose out. "Hi buddy," Tim let the puppy sniff him. "Is she going to let me in?"

"Yes," came a quiet voice and he pushed the door open all the way and crawled over to sit by her side. Abby was sniffing from crying even though her tears were dry now. "You really didn't mean it? You like my outfit? You like how I look even though my body's changing?"

McGee put his hands on her hips and turned his wife to face him. "Absolutely." He pushed his luck with a brief kiss she didn't return. "I'm sorry babe. I love you, that's not going to change no matter what else does."

She surveyed him with a frown before brightening and throwing her arms around his neck. "Okay." Abby looked a little sheepish. "Sorry for making it a big deal." She scowled. "Stupid hormones."

Tim kissed her cheek. "As long as you promise to love me even when you're angry, I won't take it personally."

She grinned. "I promise. I love you Timmy."

"Always Abbs," he smiled, holding her close. "Always."

NCIS

Early Sunday afternoon, Celeste dropped by Gibbs' house unexpectedly. He invited her in and she held out a key. "My flight leaves in two hours. I was hoping you could drop by and water my plants. I'll probably be back Tuesday afternoon at the latest."

He was slow to take the key. "I've been known to kill plants."

Celeste smiled. "I'll take my chances." She held his hand loosely, glad to feel his fingers curl around hers. This was all still new to them, things had looked much different the first time they were together. "Think you'll survive without my cooking?"

Gibbs' grip tightened. "Only two days." It was both a statement and a question.

She invaded his space and slid her arms around his neck. "I promise." He enfolded her in his arms and they stood like that for almost a minute before Celeste pulled away. "I need to go. Stay safe Jethro."

Gibbs found his voice as she turned to go. "Celeste." She looked back and he forced the words out. "I wish you weren't going."

It was the closest thing to admitting that he'd miss her and Celeste appreciated the effort. "Thanks. I'll see you Tuesday."

She left without goodbye and Gibbs dropped onto the couch. Sometimes it felt like he was always letting go of everything that was important.

NCIS

Ziva and Tony were laying in bed that night facing each other. Ziva was fighting sleep because of late her dreams had been all too vivid, taking her back to the severity of nightmares from her first months home. Tony had his head propped up on one hand and was twirling a piece of her hair around his finger, a contented smile on his face.

Ziva yawned. "I think you are enjoying this a little too much Tony."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Enjoying what? Being married to you? Not having to hide how I feel? The freedom to touch you like a husband and not a friend? Getting to really see you?" He chuckled. "Yeah Zi, I'm enjoying it. And sometimes this still feels like a dream."

"What?" she asked as Tony's hand came to rest on her belly. For once the baby was resting while Ziva was trying to.

"Knowing you love me," he admitted softly. "For so long I looked into your eyes, hoping to see it."

Ziva brushed her palm over his cheek. "What do you see now?"

Tony scooted closer, the intensity in his eyes deepening. When he spoke, his voice was husky. "I see my whole world. Because everything I ever wanted is wrapped up in you and our baby."

Ziva could see it coming, his eyes reflected his next move before he leaned in and she had already raised her face so he could kiss her. Warm breath, soft lips, carefully concealed passion. Ziva put her hand on Tony's neck, still getting used to touching him without having to think about it first.

They broke the kiss and she snuggled her head into his shoulder, wishing she could get closer, but the baby was already protesting his or her cramped quarters. Tony sighed against her hair, then took a breath, her scent surrounding him. This was his life now and man was it good.