AN: This story is a sequel to "Saying Goodbye" which is a one-shot I wrote a while back. If you haven't read it yet, you probably should just to get the background for this story. I'm anticipating this to be long and very angsty. It starts off fast and there is a major character death in this chapter so be warned. Its a pretty sad beginning. Also, I was really vague with the medical stuff so I'd appreciate it if you could just forgive me on that. Thanks :)

xxxxx

"Tony? I think it may be time." Ziva's eyes sparkled brightly as she spoke. She had been having the pains for the last couple of hours and now they were becoming more intense and regular. Definite contractions.

"Time? You mean the baby?" His eyes widened as he looked at her worriedly. "Isn't it too early?" he asked as his whole body tensed with nervous anticipation.

She smiled fondly as she shook her head. She had seen a whole new side to him as her pregnancy had progressed. He had been extremely loving and indulgent, positively doting on her, especially in the last couple of weeks, spoiling her with flowers and tempting little Italian pastries.

"Are you trying to make me fat, Tony?" she had asked him one day when he came home from work with yet another treat-filled box from his favorite bakery.

"You don't need to worry about that," he had answered, placing his hand gently on her belly. "You're perfect."

He had been fascinated by the changes in her body, taking great joy in feeling the baby move and kick. He had also been constantly buying things for the nursery, cute little stuffed animals and baby DVDs. He had even bought a baseball glove and a Nerf football. She had laughed at him then, telling him their son wouldn't be able to use those for quite some time, but she honestly loved seeing him this way. She couldn't wait to see him in his new role as a father. He was so excited. She just knew he would be a wonderful father.

"Its not really early, only a few days. I think our little one is eager to make our acquaintance."

"Well, I've got to say, I'm eager to meet the little guy as well. Do you have everything packed that you need?" he asked, indicating the beige suitcase that was packed and ready by the front door. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No, you just need to get me to the hospital." she replied, smiling up at him.

"That, I can do for you." He returned her smile as he picked up the suitcase and led her out of the house, eager for this new chapter of their life to begin.

xxxxx

They hadn't driven very far at all when it happened, suddenly and without warning. Another vehicle hit them broadside on Ziva's side of the car. Tony had no time to react, never even knew what happened as his world went dark and silent.

He was awoken by the sound of sirens and opened his eyes as the ambulance he was riding in lurched. "I...wh...what happened?" he asked the paramedic who was looking down at him and suddenly it all came back. Ziva and the baby. "The woman I was with. Where is she? Is she alright? Please, tell me. She's having contractions. Our baby is coming." He was on the verge of panic as he tried to sit up, but was firmly restrained as the paramedic explained to him in broken English that she was also on her way to the hospital. She had been alive at the scene of the accident, but that was all he knew.

Once they arrived at the hospital, Tony was rapidly shuffled into a room as he desperately tried to get information on Ziva. "I don't care about this!" he shouted at the nurse who was trying to take his blood pressure as he roughly pulled away from her. "I'm fine. Someone needs to tell me about Ziva."

She gave him a disapproving look as she mumbled something in Italian under her breath and walked out of the room. Moments later, a doctor entered and approached Tony's bedside. "I am Dr. Agostino." He spoke in English with a heavy Italian accent as he looked at Tony's chart. "I understand you have been giving the nurses some trouble."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be causing trouble. The woman who was with me in the accident...She's in labor. We were on our way to the hospital. I need to find out how she is, please." He spoke rapidly and gave the doctor a frantic look.

"You will wait here?" the doctor asked and Tony nodded. A few minutes later, the doctor returned, his expression very grim. "They have brought your wife to emergency surgery. That is all I know right now."

"Surgery? What's wrong with her? Why does she need surgery? What about our baby?" Tony was getting more and more agitated. He didn't bother to correct the doctor on his assumption that they were married. It would likely be easier if they thought Ziva was his wife. They would be married soon enough anyway. They just hadn't had time to arrange it yet.

Dr. Agostino placed his hand on Tony's shoulder in an effort to calm him. "Is there anyone I can call for you?"

Tony shook his head. There was no one he wanted to notify yet. It wasn't like anyone could get here that quickly. Those closest to them were an ocean away. Besides, he didn't want to worry people needlessly. Hopefully, everything would be fine by the time he contacted them.

"Well then, perhaps you will permit me to examine you?" the doctor asked.

"I'm fine," Tony stated.

"Yes, yes, I do believe you are fine, but why don't you humor me, just to be certain."

Tony sighed softly and nodded his assent, not paying any mind to the doctor as he performed the routine exam, which Tony was entirely familiar with. His thoughts were only on whatever was happening with Ziva and the baby and it wasn't until he noticed the doctor staring at him expectantly that he realized he must have asked him a question. "I'm sorry, did you say something?" Tony asked.

"I asked if you had a bad headache," Dr. Agostino repeated the question he had asked a few moments before.

"No," Tony shook his head. "Just a slight headache. I've hit my head before a lot harder than this."

"That is not really a good thing, is it?" the doctor asked, raising an eyebrow at Tony's answer.

Tony shrugged. "I have a dangerous job. It kind of goes with the territory. Where can I go to wait for news about Ziva and the baby?"

"I will take you up to the surgical waiting area," the doctor replied. "If you have any bad headaches, dizziness...

"I know the drill, doc," Tony interrupted impatiently. "Honestly, I'm fine and if I'm not, I'll see someone about it. I promise.

The doctor led Tony to the waiting room and left him alone. Tony was grateful that there was no one else in the room. He didn't feel like making polite conversation with strangers. He sat there for a seemingly endless amount of time. Every once in a while, he would stand up and walk around, painstakingly stretching his muscles which had started to stiffen up on him. His head was aching and his whole body was sore, but he knew it was nothing compared to what Ziva was going through. Periodically, he would toy with the idea of calling Gibbs. Once he even pulled out his cell phone and stared at it for a minute, but then reluctantly put it back into his pocket without dialing. He knew how fond Gibbs was of Ziva and to worry him needlessly would be selfish.

Finally, a doctor came into the waiting room. One look at the man's face was all it took for Tony to know that the news was not good. He shook his head mutely, unconsciously pressing back against the chair he was sitting in, as if trying to escape from the doctor.

"Mr. DiNozzo?" he asked, his tone gentle, his eyes sympathetic.

"Yes...How..how are they?"

The doctor took a seat next to him. "I am afraid that your wife's injuries are very severe. There is massive internal bleeding and her system is shutting down..." he went on and on explaining as Tony stared back at the doctor, tuning him out, not wanting to hear any more.

"Is...is there any chance at all?" he finally asked, looking back at the doctor pleadingly, begging for just a glimmer of hope, some tiny crumb to cling to.

"I am very sorry," the doctor said, shaking his head sadly. "There is nothing we can do except make her comfortable."

"Can I see her?" he asked in a whisper. He didn't ask about the baby. It was obvious to him what his son's fate had been. He didn't need to hear the words spoken out loud.

"Yes, yes of course. Please come with me." Tony followed the doctor down a long hallway, becoming more and more filled with dread with every step he took. Finally, the doctor opened a door and Tony took a deep breath before following him into the room. He stopped short when he saw Ziva lying in a bed, smiling at him as he entered. In her arms was a tightly bundled infant. Tony looked at her in confusion.

"Tony...come and meet your son."

"My...my son?" he asked, turning to the doctor in confusion. "But, I thought..."

"Sometimes miracles happen," the doctor stated. "Even in the midst of great tragedy."

Tony stared at the doctor for a long moment then turned back to Ziva and the baby...his family. He swallowed hard, battling against the emotions he could feel threatening to bubble over at any moment, as he started walking toward Ziva, his legs shaking as he did so. When he reached them, he sat down beside Ziva on the bed, being mindful not to disturb the many wires and monitoring devices attached to her.

"Take him, Tony," she said softly. "Hold your son."

He reached for the baby and took him into his arms, his hands trembling slightly as he did so. Their child...his and Ziva's.

"He's perfect, isn't he?"

"Yes..." he nodded. The infant was sleeping soundly, blissfully unaware of the tragic circumstances surrounding his birth. He really was a beautiful baby.

Tony turned his head toward her then, his eyes full of grief as he gazed at her. "Ziva...I..."

"Shh..." She put her finger gently over his lips. "It will be alright, Tony. You need to believe that."

He shook his head. "How can it be alright?" he asked. Nothing was ever going to be alright again.

A nurse came over to them. "I have to take this bambino to get a few tests," she said.

"Can't he stay with us?" Tony asked, noting the look of distress in Ziva's eyes.

"I'll bring him back very soon," the nurse assured them, then took the baby from Tony.

"I am so sorry, Tony..." Ziva whispered, after the nurse had left the room.

"Why are you sorry?" he asked, no longer able to hold back tears. "I'm the one who's sorry...we never should have come here."

"Do not say that," she ordered softly, taking his hand and clasping it tightly over her heart. "The time we spent here together has been the happiest time in my life."

"For me too," he admitted and hope suddenly surged through him. "Maybe they're wrong...maybe everything will be okay. We'll get married. We'll be a family just like we planned."

"The doctors are not wrong," she said as gently as she could.

"Ziva, please..." His green eyes were overflowing with tears that were now spilling down his face. "You have to fight. You can do this. I know you can." The doctors didn't know Ziva the way he did. They didn't know what a fighter she was. He could not accept what they had told him. They were wrong... they had to be...

Ziva smiled tenderly at Tony as she rested her hand on his cheek. She could feel herself growing weaker. She knew in her heart that she didn't have much time. He needed to accept this. "You have to be strong, my little hairy butt. You must be...for our son."

Tony nodded. He was trying with everything he had not to totally break down. She didn't need to see that. It was the last thing he could do for her. "I love you, Ziva, with all my heart...you'll never know how much."

"I love you too, Tony, more than I ever thought I could love anyone..." She felt so bad leaving him alone this way. She knew he was going to have a very hard time with this. "Tony? You mustn't stay here. You need to go home, back to the states."

"What?" He shook his head, unable to even focus on what she was saying. He couldn't think about anything other than the woman he loved was dying right before his eyes.

"Tony, promise me," she said, more insistent this time. He needed to be with Gibbs. Gibbs would know what to do. He had gone through tragedy himself. If anyone could pull Tony through this, Gibbs could.

"Okay...okay, I promise, Ziva. I'll go back home," he uttered the words automatically, not even thinking about what he was saying.

"Good." She smiled in relief as she tenderly wiped some of Tony's tears away with her fingertips. God, he was so handsome. Her heart was breaking at the thought of never seeing him again. "Our little one needs a name. Do you have any thoughts?"

"No...whatever you want is fine, except no more Juniors." They had talked about names, but hadn't settled on anything, having decided it would be better to meet their son and then make their decision, but every simple pleasure was being stripped from them. Now, he couldn't even begin to focus on a name for the child. Everything was happening much too fast.

"How about Nathaniel?" Ziva asked after pondering for a few moments. "It is of Hebrew origin meaning gift of God. He is the best gift I could have hoped for." She had spent a lot of time pouring over the baby name book when Tony had been at work. It was one of the names she had especially liked.

There was a brief flash of anger in Tony's eyes, fury at a so-called God who would take away his child's mother. "Nathaniel..." He managed a smile as he nodded at Ziva. "Nathaniel it is." He actually wasn't all that sure of the name, but the child could be called Nathan or Nat. He would deny her nothing right now, least of all naming her son.

"He really is a gift, Tony...it is a miracle that he survived." She was so thankful that Tony would at least have the baby. She smiled back at him, but her smile faded away almost immediately as she began to shiver violently and there was a sudden urgency in her eyes. Her complexion was so pale, it was practically translucent. "Tony, get him for me. Our son, please, get him now."

Tony fled from the room, calling for the nurse who assured him she would bring the baby right back to them. He hurried back to Ziva's side and crawled under the covers with her, gently pulling her trembling body into his arms, trying to warm her as he kissed her forehead. "The nurse will bring him right in," he said soothingly. "Just hang on Ziva...please."

She settled into his embrace, loving the feel of his strong arms around her. At least she was spending her final moments with him. If she had to die, there was nowhere else on earth she'd rather be.

The nurse came into the room and tried to remain detached as she placed the baby into the dying young mother's arms. This was the part of her job she detested. Here was a beautiful family which was about to be ripped apart forever. It was all very unfair. "I'll be back in a little while," she said, managing a smile before leaving the room, a single teardrop falling as she closed the door behind her. Sometimes she really hated her job.

"He is beautiful. Is he not?" Ziva asked, smiling down at the sleeping infant. She was trying very hard to just focus on the moment and not think about all the things she was going to miss.

"He is beautiful," Tony agreed in a choked voice as he clutched her tighter. He couldn't believe this was happening, This should have been one of the happiest days of his life, not the worst. He didn't want to let her go.

"You will be okay...you will get through this." Her voice was noticeably weaker as she spoke and she looked up at Tony, gently stroking his cheek, her eyes gazing at him lovingly. "Kiss me, Tony," she whispered.

He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. "I love you, Ziva." She smiled at him as he pulled away and looked down at their son. "Take good care of your poppa, little one. I will watch over both of you from above." She then gave a sudden soft gasp and her eyes closed. The heart monitor flat-lined as Tony stared at her incomprehensibly, his own heart pounding uncontrollably in his chest. "Ziva?"

Alarms began going off. Nathaniel opened his eyes and began to cry . Tony took the baby into his arms and stood up, his legs feeling like jelly as stared down at Ziva with tears streaming down his face. This could not be happening. This had to be a dream. It just couldn't be true. A bevy of doctors and nurses flew into the room and started working on her, urgent voices speaking in Italian. One of the nurses gently took the baby from his arms as he backed up against the wall, watching them, hoping and praying for some kind of a miracle, even though he knew in his heart that it was not to be.

He wasn't sure how long he stood there before one of the doctors turned toward him, a sympathetic expression on his face as he spoke. "I am very sorry," Mr. DiNozzo, he said. "We did everything we could for her..."

He nodded silently, unable to even speak as he looked away from the doctor and back at Ziva. She was so utterly still. She hadn't deserved this...none of them did...

"We will let you have some time alone with her."

The doctor then left the room followed by the other doctor and the nurses. Tony didn't meet their eyes. He didn't want to see their pitying looks. After they were gone, he slowly made his way to Ziva's side. He felt shaky and sick to his stomach as he stared down at her. He took her hand and stood there for a long time, just gazing down at her as tears trickled down his cheeks. Finally, he realized he just couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't stay in this room with her body. Ziva had been so vibrant and full of life. This wasn't her...lying there so still and silent...she was gone now...gone forever.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered as he leaned down and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. His eyes hollow and full of pain, Tony headed toward the door. When he reached it, he turned back to give her one last grief-stricken look before leaving the room for good.