Jacob frowned and eyed the pitcher of water at the side of his bed. He hadn't had any food or water since last night and he was starting to get grumpy. Ziva smiled down and kissed his head. "Soon you will be going into surgery and then…"

New ears. He signed, though his movements were slow. Is it going to hurt? He demanded to know, his eyes questioning.

Ziva didn't get a lot of time alone with Jacob. With work, and their busy lives, the little boy attached himself more to Tony than to her. Which she didn't mind, he needed to have a strong father figure in his life and he still came to her without resistance or question. Pulling him onto her lap, she hugged him tightly to her chest and formulated a response before turning and looking at him. "Yes." She said honestly. "For a few days. Dr. Michelle will do the surgery here and here." She told the boy, gently placing her fingers on the sides of his head where the implants were to go. "But then they will not hurt and we will wait a little bit and you will use your new ears."

He looked at her and nodded before cuddling up against her chest, his fingers running through her dark curls. They sat like that, a mother comforting her child, until Michelle poked her head in the door and gave them a small smile. "Hey gang." She looked at Jacob and grinned. "Ready to go, superstar?" She asked, getting a small nod out of the little boy. Reaching into her pocket and pulling out her phone, Ziva gave Michelle a weak smile. "Yes, but I promised Tony that I would call him before we left. He would like to speak to Jacob before his surgery."

Tony wanted to be there with his son, there was nothing in the world that was more important, but they were in the middle of a case concerning a five year old case with multiple victims so he couldn't get away. It was either him, or her, and despite his speeches about equality and her stubbornness, they both knew that it would be Ziva at his bedside.

Michelle waved her hand. "No problem. I'll go get changed and scrubbed in and I'll meet you back here."

Sending Tony a quick text asking him to be ready and if possible alone, Ziva set up facetime on her phone and listened to it ring. After a few rings, Tony's face came into view. "Hey." He said with a wide grin.

"Hey." Ziva replied, pulling Jacob onto her lap. The little boy waved frantically and started to sign quickly before Tony interrupted with a laugh.

"Whoa there, speed demon." He leaned against the wall in the corner of the bullpen. "I'm sorry I can't be there, Jake." He apologized. "But when you wake up, Papa will be waiting. I love you, Jake."

Jacob nodded and signed goodbye and laid back on the cot. Picking up the phone, Ziva sighed and gave Tony a tired smile. "I love you." She said softly, her free hand running through Jacob's hair as the little boy waited in silence.

"I love you too, Ziva." He whispered, his eyes darting around the bullpen. "Hopefully I'll be out of here soon."

"We'll be waiting." She pressed her fingers to her lips and then to the screen and smiled when Tony repeated the action. Closing the conversation, Ziva sighed heavily before turning to Jacob and giving him a smile.

Michelle appeared at the door and nodded as the nurse started to wheel Jacob out. She walked along with them until the doors of the OR and she stopped and looked down at her son. I love you.

Love you. Ziva watched with trepidation as her son was wheeled through two steel doors and then was gone. No one ever said that parenthood would be this difficult.

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McGee shot a look over at Tony who was staring at the plasma, though obvious his thoughts were elsewhere. They were waiting for the suspect to be called in to interrogate, so the most they could do right now was wait.

"Tony."

He was met with silence, the Senior field agent staring at the screen, his hands twisting in front of him.

There was a silence in the bullpen, Tony not filling it with senseless chatter, Ziva not retorting with a sharp-witted comment. McGee looked towards Gibbs, a pleading look in his eyes. The older man was staring at Tony, an attempt to keep his facial expression neutral failing as he got up from the desk and walked over to the younger man.

"Tony."

Nothing. No indication that he had even heard his boss.

Reaching out, Gibbs placed his hand on Tony's shoulder watching as the younger man jumped and gave him an apologetic smile. "Sorry." He muttered.

"Go." Gibbs crossed his arms across his chest. "We're just waiting and we've got it." He motioned to himself and McGee. "Go see Jacob and Ziva."

Tony stared at the two of them, before a grin crossed his face. "Really?" He asked, his face lighting up. "Thanks boss." Tony rushed to his desk and grabbed his belongings. "Thanks boss." He grinned and jogged towards the elevator. Climbing in, he jabbed at the button until the steel doors closed.

McGee looked at Gibbs, his eyebrows raised in a silent question.

"He wouldn't have done any work anyway." Gibbs said gruffly. "Least this way he's outta our hair."

"Right." McGee nodded and walked back to his desk, watching as Gibbs stared at the elevator with an almost wistful look on his face. The younger agent shook his head and focused on his computer, tying to ignore the look on his boss's face.

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Tony pulled into the pay lot and grabbed a ticket, placing it on the dashboard of his car before heading inside. He took the stairs up to the peds floor and asked the nurse for Jacob's room. In his arms he had some gifts for Jacob, along with a book for Daniela. He balanced the berry mango madness smoothie in his hands as he walked through the doorway seeing Ziva pace around the small room.

"Hey." Tony said putting down his armful of parcels and walking up to Ziva and wrapping his arms around her. She exhaled softly and buried her face in his chest.

"Hi." Ziva replied softly, making no effort to move. He ran his fingers softly through her hair, feeling her soft breath on his neck. After a few minutes she pulled away and gave him a soft smile. Perching up on her tiptoes, she brushed a kiss across his lips before settling back down on her feet.

Wrapping his arms around her, Tony led them to the large armchair that was beside the edge of the bed and pulled her into his lap.

"I have been in the hospital before." She said quietly. "A lot. More than any normal person should be." Leaning against his chest, she sighed heavily. "Even after that bomb in Morocco, I was not scared." She turned to look at him. "But today, I am scared."

He nodded and ran his thumb in small soft circles on the back of her hand. "I know." Tony agreed. "I mean, when I had the plague, I was scared. Because, well, it was the plague and the plague is nothing to mess around with. But…it was me. And at the end of the day, it's…it's Jacob. He's a KID."

"Our kid." Ziva corrected.

"Our kid."

They sat in silence, his arms holding her tight. "I probably don't tell you enough," He said softly. "But you're amazing. An amazing person and mother." He pressed his lips against her temple. "And I love you."

Looking up, Ziva grinned and pressed a soft kiss on his chest. "I love you too. And you are pretty amazing yourself, Tony." She said softly.

Relaxing in his arms, she sighed heavily as they waited.

Waited.

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Jenny padded down the cold hallway of the hospital noting how brightly coloured the pediatrics ward was compared to the rest of the floors. Asking the nurse's station where Jacob DiNozzo's room was, she followed the bright numbered rooms until she reached his. Tony and Ziva were sitting on the chair, their limbs tangled with one another's, their attentions focused only on each other. She stood in the doorway, watching her younger agents with a motherly smile. They had spent years denying each other, denying the feelings that they had for each other, it was beautiful to see. Seeing their love for each other, she shook her head with a slight smile before knocking on the doorframe. Ziva turned and spotted Jenny, jumping from her spot in Tony's lap.

"Jenny." She said, her olive toned skin blushing a deep dark red.

The older woman waved her hand and shook her head. "Sit." She told Ziva with a grin. "Tony."

Tony gave Jenny a smirk and reached out for his fiancée. "Orders." He explained shrugging, pulling her back down onto his lap.

Jenny sat down on the other chair and placed two small gift bags on the table. "A gift for Jacob. And a book for Daniela." She explained. "She had said she had never read the Chronicles of Narnia. And I got a lego set for Jacob."

"Thank you. I am sure they will appreciate it." Ziva said sitting up against Tony's chest. "I loved those books when I was younger." She turned and looked at the redhead. "How are you feeling?" She asked giving her mentor a smile.

Jenny shrugged. "Good days and bad days. Today's a good day." She said honestly. "Jethro's been great, things will be easier once I'm done this round of treatment and I can go home." She admitted.

"Well if you need anything…" Tony offered, wrapping his arm around Ziva's shoulders.

"I know." Leaning back against the chair, Jenny gave her two agents a smile. "You guys make a great couple." She said honestly. "And you guys are great parents."

Ziva shrugged and sighed. "It is much harder than I thought." She admitted honestly. "It is so much harder."

Jenny nodded and watched the two with a soft look. "I missed my chance to be a parent...but you two are doing an amazing job." She told them sitting back on the bed.

"Could you wait with us?" Ziva whispered softly.

Nodding, Jenny reached over and took the younger agent's hand. "Always."