Part IV

"It's...It's a boy!..We have a boy!" Tony exclaimed, laughing and overcome by joy. Ziva gasped at what just happened and her body sagged, going limp with exhaustion, crying at the task finally being done. Tears streamed down her cheeks, bits of hair plastered to her tired face. "Now..." She breathed. "Turn it over at an angle so the amniotic fluid will drain from it's lungs." Tony did as he was told. "Man you really did your homework, Zi." He said as he saw a reddish pink liquid come from his newborn son's mouth. "It's kind of hard to imagine that we breathed this exact same stuff." He turned the baby back over and it let out a watery wail, very loudly, testing out it's lungs. Upon hearing the cry, Ziva smiled and started crying as Tony handed their son into her waiting arms. "Oh! Shalom Tateleh. You're hear. You're finally here." She laughed.

Tony wiped his eyes. "He's beautiful, Ziva. I mean...Wow, you did amazing. I can't believe it." He sat down next to her and showered his wife with kisses. "I love you so much." Ziva smiled at him. "I know." The infant's eyes slowly peeked open, blinking in the light and he yawned. Then he started to cry again because of the change of location, being cold and now hungry, very different from the womb his mother had provided for him for so long. It had felt safe and warm, but this was completely new to him, and he let the world know about it. "Oh it's okay. Ima's here." Ziva soothed, cuddling her son close and kissing his head. "He must be hungry." Tony nodded. "Okay, feeding time. Here." He said. "Let me get him cleaned up first, then he can have his first meal." Ziva nodded and gently handed their son to her husband, who laid the infant down on the bed right next to her. While he was carefully wiping down the newborn, cleaning him of goo, fluids and blood, Tony noticed Ziva grimace suddenly, clutching the blankets beneath her. "Honey, you okay?"

Ziva nodded. "It's alright. My body is just delivering the placenta." "The what?" Tony asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. "It's what the umbilical cord is attached to. You know how when an animal is born and there's this sac-like thing they're in?" Tony nodded as he continued his work, careful as the cord was still attached to where his son's belly button would be, and put on a newborn's diaper he got from the baby bag, which instead of bringing it over, he just got the diaper and left the bag in the corner. "Well..." Ziva continued, leaning forward slightly. "For humans, obviously as you just saw...the baby is born first, then the placenta comes later as my uterus is still contracting." She grimaced for a few more moments and then leaned back. "There, now it's done."

"Sooooo...what do you want me to do with that?" Tony asked, spying something wet, very bloody, and gross on the floor in front of her. "Just put it in a garbage bag. We'll dispose of it later so you can just put it in the corner over there for now...will you bring the baby bag over here?" Ziva asked as Tony handed their son back to her. The bag was brought over and Tony covered up her lower half with a blanket and handed Ziva a onsie. He then carefully, with a discussed face, put the placenta in a bag, but then noticed that the cord was attached to it. "Do you think it's safe to cut now?" Ziva nodded. "My knife is in my pants pocket." She said. Tony retrieved it and carefully cut the cord over his son's belly, leaving a small stub. He put the placenta and cord in the garbage bag and put that in the corner of the cabin.

He then went back to his wife's side as she lifted up her shirt and carefully put their son to her breast after fitting him in a newborn light blue onsie. It took a couple of tries until the baby latched on and immediately began sucking greedily. "Someone's definitely hungry." "Well he did work up an appetite." Ziva said, smiling down at their newborn son. Tony agreed. "Yeah, being born is hard work." "So is giving birth." Ziva shot back. "Does it feel weird?" He asked, watching his son suckle. Ziva nodded. "But I'll get used to it." Tony looked at her tired but smiling, radiant face as he gently caressed his son's head. Ziva leaned her head back against the pillows with a sigh, eyelids drooping. After a few more minutes of feeding, the newborn unlatched from his mother's breast. Ziva carefully put her son up against her shoulder and patted his back. A few seconds later a small but loud burp echoed in the cabin. "Hey, that sounded like a burp to me" Said Tony with a grin.

"What are you going to name him?" The voice caught Tony and Ziva off guard and DiNozzo's hand went to his holster. A pair silhouettes made themselves visible in the forms of "Gibbs...Bishop." Tony said, surprised, letting out his breath and quickly covering his expression with a smile. He squinted. "What do you have on you shoes?" Gibbs looked down. "I don't know. All I know is that I stepped in something just outside the door." Tony and Ziva exchanged looks and he gulped. "So." Tony went to change the subject. "How long have you both been standing out there?" He asked. Gibbs inclined his head to the side "Well we did hear Ziva yelling as we were coming up the mountain." Bishop answered. Ziva blushed but smiled. "So..you just sat outside this whole time in the cold?" she asked. Gibbs nodded as he cand Bishop entered, Gibbs leaning against the mantel in front of the fire. "Well I did finally sit down on a stump after I heard that first cry. When you go out there next time, you might want to make sure there isn't a ditch worn somewhere." They all chuckled at that. "You weren't nervous were you?" Tony asked with a mischievous grin. Gibbs shook his head. "Nah." Tony raised his eyebrows. "Well maybe a little." Bishop admitted. "Having a baby is no easy thing." Said Gibbs. Ziva smiled through her weariness. "You got that right, Abba...Come meet your grandson." Gibbs smiled and came over, sitting down carefully next to the new mother, Bishop followed and stood next to him. "You did good, Ziver." Gibbs said as he looked at their son and he kissed her forehead. "I'm proud of you." "We discussed what we wanted to name him if it was a boy." Tony started. "And only one name seemed fitting, but we wanted to run it by you first." Gibbs listened with interest as he peered down at the newborn again, who looked back up at him, making little gurgling noises as he whipped his hand over his little face and yawned.

"We were thinking of naming him...Jackson Matthew DiNozzo." Ziva said with a proud smile. "In honor of your father...is that alright?" Gibbs was so surprised. "It'll be an honor. I know it would make my dad proud...Thank you both." Gibbs actually had tears in his eyes though neither agent pointed it out, they knew he was very happy. "Somebody's tired." Tony said with a smile, noticing his son yawning big again. "He's not the only one." Ziva murmured. She could barely keep her eyes open. "Here, let me hold him." But Ziva lazily shook her head. "No. I got it." She adjusted her position, scooting forward and laying down, holding their son close onto her chest, her arms wrapped around him. Little Jackson snuggled right under his mother's chin, giving small gurgles of contentment and soon, both mother and child were asleep. "His eyes are a bluish color." Said Bishop. Gibbs nodded. "All newborns eyes started out like that and their color can change even up to a year afterwards. He looks like both of you very well." This was made Tony smile, but then he frowned. "I'm still not sure if I'm ready to be a dad." Gibbs looked at him and put a hand on his shoulder. "No one's every fully ready to become parents. You take it day by day, love them, take care of them, discipline them, and guide and protect them. You have your own family now, DiNozzo. Cherish it." Tony had tears forming in his eyes as he was pulled in for a hug. "Thanks, Boss...or should I say Grandpa?" Gibbs smiled and looked at his Senior Field Agent. "Go. Get some sleep. I'll keep watch." Tony nodded and carefully laid down next to his wife and newborn son. He leaned in and kissed Ziva on her cheek and then his son on the head. "I love you both, so much." He whispered as he smiled and laid down next to her. "See? You can do it." Gibbs said, smiling down at the new family, proud of his kids.

He then zipped up his orange coat and went just outside. As Bishop was keeping watch inside the house, looking out the window, a static noise made itself known. "Hey...Boss?" She quickly went outside and took the walkie talkie she had under her coat and handed it to Gibbs. They took a few paces away from the cabin so as not to disturb the new family inside. "Go ahead McGee." "Boss...we got him...Tony and Ziva don't have to hide anymore." Gibbs smiled after a pause. "Thanks Tim. It's Tony, Ziva, and their son now." Really, Ziva had the baby?" Wow! Tell them congratulations for me. I can't wait to tell Delilah and Abby." Gibbs nodded and Bishop smiled. "Yep, and she will let the world know." "What did they name him?" McGee asked. A proud smile came across the silver haired fox's face. "They named him Jackson Matthew DiNozzo." "Aaww. I bet he's a real cutie pie."

Gibbs and Bishop's eyebrows rose. "Did I just say that?" They nodded. "Do..do you think you could rephrase that for me?" Bishop nodded and leaned forward to the walkie talkie. "Got you covered." "Thanks." said Tim. "Have a good night." said Gibbs. "You too, Boss." Gibbs turned off the walkie talkie and put it back on his belt. He gave a nod to Bishop, who went back inside to her post. Gibbs then went and stood outside near the doorway of the cabin. He turned to stand guard over his extended family, facing the outside, his sharp eyes catching a shooting star soar across the night sky and whispered with a small smile. "Goodnight dad." Wind changed direction right then and the gentle breeze made Gibbs brush his cheek as he heard a small voice...'I love you, son.' Gibbs smiled. "I love you too, dad."

THE END

R.I.P. Ralph Wait. He will be missed on NCIS and will always be remembered for the great and inspiring actor he was. Please send your comments and reviews. Thanks to all my viewers who've Favorited and followed, etc. :)