Time Gone By ✡ NCIS TIVA Fanfiction

Chapter 24

"Back off, you damn bastard!"
That was the last thing she'd expected to hear.
She knew the voice.
It wasn't Tony's.

The man got up and dropped the knife.
Instead he aimed the gun at her head.

"Step closer and I'll shoot all of them, the woman and the baby first!" He shouted.

"Drop it. You're surrounded. You have the right to-"
And in the middle of Gibbs' sentence, two shots went off.
Ziva held her breath, expecting to feel pain.
But she didn't feel anything.

Blood was still dripping from her face, but she was entirely numb.
Is this what dying feels like?

"Ziva!" Gibbs' voice came closer.
"It's fine. It's over. It's over."
He knelt down next to her and took her hands.

"This is all... my fault." She coughed up blood, or maybe she didn't, one way or the other her face was all wet with red.

"Don't you dare say that. You're back, remember? Everything's fine now. Oh, what's this?" He raised her hand. The beautiful ring was covered in blood, too. Everything was covered in blood.

She could tell by Gibbs' voice that he had known that Tony wanted to propose.

"Tony..." She managed to say. "He's hurt. Will you... take care of him?"

Gibbs shook his head no.
"You do that yourself. Hang in there, Ziva. You weren't shot. Help is on its way. You are going to marry, you will be happy. No almost. What will you name your daughter?"
Ziva coughed, her eyes wandering off to the body that lay crouched behind Gibbs, two bullet holes in the chest of her assaulter, and Gibbs just kept talking.

"You heard me. The nurse called before: They did some tests while you were unconscious. It's going to be a daughter. A healthy, healthy daughter. Stay with me."

She looked up into the grey eyes of the ex-marine. They were so light, or maybe it was just everything else that was bright. Light filled the entire room, and his face faded. Everything faded until there was nothing but light.
"Tony..." She murmured weakly; then her eyes fell slowly shut.

Light.