Okay Everyone-One more time. This is just FanFiction I don't own these characters and I know it.

This is the Sequel to Pack Your Gear& In Vino Veritas. You might want to read it first but it's not strictly necessary.

X

"I'm so happy." Ziva said. "It feels like forever since I've seen you both." She, Jacob and Tali stood together on the soft sand of a deserted beach watching the waves break on the shore. Far out at sea a silver sun burned white hot behind a veil of fog. The air smelled sweet and floral, not like the beach at all. A light wind flowed off the ocean blowing sand in skittering swirls across the beach. The wind blew harder, curling around her legs like a thing alive. Her diaphanous white dress twisted and fluttered around her pregnant belly.

"Forever." Jacob said wistfully.

"You need to go back now." Tali pleaded. "Please." She squeezed her hand.

"Not just yet. Let's stay and watch the waves. We won't have many chances after the baby's born for the three of us to do this." Ziva rubbed her belly. "It's too bad Ari couldn't be here." He still hadn't seen her pregnant. She couldn't wait. He'd be so proud.

"Honey, you need to go back." Jacob said. His usual bright eyes looked sad and moist.

"The baby kicked again! Do you want to feel it?" Ziva exclaimed. Eagerly she placed her boyfriend's hand on her abdomen. "It's right here. Feel that? Isn't it wonderful?"

Jacob spoke so softly she could barely hear him. "She's a fighter. Just like her mom."

"How do you know it's a she? It could be a he." Ziva stated.

"It's a girl. I named her after you." He said quietly.

"How could you? The baby's not even born yet." She asked.

She cradled her belly in her arms. At five months along it was now a sizable bump. She rubbed it, feeling the baby wiggle and squirm with in her. She'd been mad when she'd found out she was pregnant. She didn't want to be a mother. But that was then and this was now. Now she felt hopeful and happy. She had even agreed to marry Jacob after the baby was born. Her life was beautiful.

"I miss you." Tali said, her blue eyes misting. "But you need to go back."

Ziva felt guilty. She and Tali hadn't spent much time together lately. She and Jacob had been planning a trip to southern France, their last one alone before the baby was born. "Jacob and I are just taking a week off. You'll see me again soon." She reassured her younger sister

"That's what we're afraid of honey." Jacob kissed her softly. "You need to go back."

Go back where? She was so confused. "I'm happy here with you," she said.

Tali's attention drifted to the water's edge. A young brown haired woman in a white dress had appeared. She ran at them.

"Did you find him?" Tali gushed.

"Just in time. He's coming." The brown-haired woman said. Her voice held a sense of urgency that Ziva did not share.

"Find who? Ari?"

The woman rubbed her forehead. "Ari and I don't run in the same circles." She said in a pained voice.

The brown-haired woman looked at the sun, which now burned stronger and brighter. It no longer hung far off in the distance, but hovered almost near enough to touch. With each pulse of Ziva's heart it seemed to grow larger and more intense. "You're running out of time!" The woman warned.

"She won't go back." Jacob said, voice tense.

Ziva looked at the woman again as if seeing her for the first time. She was a beauty. She had fine features and large expressive eyes. "How do I know you?" She asked.

"I'm a friend of a friend." The woman smiled, barely. Worry etched her lovely face.

"Kate?"

"Yes. You need to listen to me. You're almost out of time. Don't make him go through this again." Kate ordered, her voice as hard as steel.

"Go through what?" She was so confused she felt panicked.

"Ziva!" She heard her name called out from somewhere in the distance. It rang like thunder over the empty beach. She recognized the voice but couldn't place it. She heard it again. Her name.

In the blink of an eye painful pressure blossomed in her chest. It seared her lungs, like being trapped underwater with no air. It hurt so much she began to cry. She felt so tired and weak. Her legs wobbled. She sank to her knees.

Tali knelt beside her. "You need to go back. You're both in danger."

"Is something wrong with the baby?" Ziva laboured to speak. The pain was getting worse. It snatched at her breath.

Kate knelt too. "Baby's fine. You'll hardly recognize her when you see her again." She said soothingly. "I know it hurts."

The orb of the sun filled the whole sky, its light stretching as far as Ziva could see. The very centre of it pulsed. It no longer looked like the sun at all, rather something more intense. Magnesium-flare bright it should have hurt her eyes but it didn't. It was more beautiful than anything she'd ever seen. She could not look away.

"Honey, they know. You're both in trouble." Jacob clutched furtively at her hand.

"What is that? It looks like a tunnel in the sky." Ziva gasped.

"It's too late." Tali cried.

Kate shouted, "Damn it DiNozzo, where are you?" Kate looked at Ziva, determination in her bright eyes. "I'm sorry. I won't let this happen again." Slap! She hit her hard in the face.

Ziva felt the slap as a great crushing pain through her entire body. It was the only thing she could feel. Her breath felt trapped in her chest. She tried to speak to tell Kate to stop hurting her, but no sound came out. She was mute.

Suddenly it all exploded into view. She was in bed, a man sat on her chest slowly squeezing the air from her lungs as he pinched her nose shut. She tried to move her body to fight him off but she couldn't. It was as if it belonged to someone else. The pain was blinding. She felt nauseous.

The blast of a gunshot rang out in the room. Something warm, wet and sticky covered her face. It smelled of iron.

X

Tony had gone for a walk to clear his head. He couldn't sleep. Sometimes Ziva was so damn exasperating he had to get away. He didn't mind though. The past four months had been happy ones, if a bit tricky. Hiding an office romance was no easy feat.

He was halfway down the street when he heard someone call his name. It sent a chill straight through his bones.

"Kate?"

"Run. Ziva's in trouble."

He took off in an Olympic sprint. His heart choked his throat.

He found himself in his bedroom. A man dressed in black sat on Ziva's chest squeezing the life from her. So intent on killing her was he that he didn't see Tony enter or draw his gun.

Tony's stomach dropped into his shoes. She lay so still. Her eyes were closed. "Ziva!" He shouted. "Ziva!"

The man turned, snarling at him. "Go ahead. There are more of us."

Tony fired. The round caught the assailant in the chest, knocking him to the floor. Death was not instant. He writhed and gasped. Blood bubbled at the corners of his mouth. Tony approached him and leaned down. He searched the man's hollow, soulless eyes looking for some reason. Why do this?

The man gurgled, the light fading from his eyes. "You're next Agent DiNozzo."

TBC

Not to worry. Ziva's fine. I just thought that since Tony took all the abuse last time it was her turn. After all, sharing is important in any relationship. hehehe