Author's Note: First time Ziva and Gibbs! So, I'm going to try to write this story so it can be read as either father/daughter or official pairing, depending on how you interpret it. I've never written like this before, so I'll apologize now if it's not stellar. :( There are spoilers for season 7! If you have not seen season 7, turn back now! All chapters will take place no sooner than season 7. Please review! :)

Disclaimer: NCIS and anything associated with it are NOT mine.

Summary: Ziva and Gibbs. After Somalia.

Rating: T (Just to be safe)

It had all started when she returned from Somalia. They found her, rescued her, brought her back. To them. To NCIS.

And she had been back a full 72 hours before everything slowly began un-raveling for her behind her closed doors.

When she had gone to Gibbs, given him the chisel she had picked out for him, and asked for his blessing on the return to his team, she had loved being in his presence again.

She had missed him so much, she had missed all of them.

Gibbs always had a way, most of the time by just being there, that always kept her grounded, reminded her what she stood for and who she was.

Standing in his basement, she finally fully understood how long she had been gone and how lonely and abandoned she had felt.

Two days after their meeting in his basement, Gibbs had figured it out. And went to her, when she hadn't even asked for him.

Having her around the bull-pen again had been refreshing to say the least.

But going over her case, the Damaclese, he had seen the pain beneath the surface.

That night, she went to his house, found him sanding in his basement. That afternoon had been hell on them both. Jethro Gibbs did not want to interrogate Ziva David.

Not at all.

But the truth she spoke, words she's spoken so clearly and emotionless, the ease she granted him to touch her hands on the table top-he knew.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs knew she wanted someone to push her, someone to just be there. Someone she trusted and who understood her enough to see what she was going through.

So when he heard the footsteps of Ziva David in his house, he was glad he had a full bottle of bourbon ready.

She stands at the top of the stairs, un-sure of whether or not she as welcome here. Stopping his sanding, he looks up and nods her down.

Slowly, Ziva lowers herself down his stairs and when she's arrived at the bottom, Gibbs' eyes were already on her. This she has to respond to:

"If you do not wish for me to be here, I can leave. I know I did not call, but I knew the door was open."

He has to smirk:

"No, you're welcome here."

She smiles, forcefully, then it quickly disappears. Ziva remains standing at the bottom of his stairs, un-sure of where to go or what to do.

Gibbs puts the sander down and walks over to her.

Touching her shoulders, she does not flinch or jump or back away. She shows a real smile, one that has no choice but to give Jethro a slight bit of hope.

Shifting his body so he's mainly behind her, his hands stay on her shoulders and Jethro steers her to a sawhorse.

And sits her down.

Pouring them both a bourbon, he hands her a jar previously home to some brand of screws. She nods her thanks, but sets it down on his table to her left:

"Alcohol is not a…friend right now, but I thank you for the offer."

Now that was something he had not seen coming. He knew Ziva and he knew she could handle her booze. But turning it down, that spoke words that she would, or could, not.

Her voice breaks his un-audible observations:

"I am not sure why I am here. I thought maybe there was something else you wanted to ask me?"

That was un-expected:

"No…you okay Ziver?"

Oh how she had missed that nickname from his voice. She had been called every name and everything while being tortured and held captive. So when she hears 'Ziver', somehow it tells her that she's back in D.C.
And that makes her feel secure.

"I am…fine…Gibbs. It has been a while since we have seen each other, I was not sure if you had said all you wanted to say earlier."

Even in the dim lighting in his basement, and the strong lighting from the Interrogation Room, Jethro had seen the bags under her eyes and the red rims:

"You sleeping okay?"

"If that is really what you wanted to ask me,"

She rises, ready to head for the door, feeling like an idiot:

"Then I need to leave."

She makes it halfway up the stairs before Gibbs' voice alerts her:

"Ziva?"

She stops her climb, but stays frozen in her spot. She doesn't respond, hoping he won't make her ask. Jethro Gibbs does not disappoint:

"What is it? Nightmares? Flashbacks?"

Finding a voice she thought she had long lost, she has to tell him the truth. After-all, isn't that why she drove out here?

"Yes."

Her only answer being one word, she leaves. Exiting his house, she gets into her car and drives back to her apartment.

And ever since that night, his worries and stress for her had been higher than ever before.

Two weeks after the impromptu meeting in his basement, Gibbs was finished for the day and had left NCIS late that night.

When Gibbs had left he had noticed Ziva's things were still there.

He had driven halfway home before he realized that, amongst his confusion at why she hadn't gone home, he left his cell-phone on his desk.

Instantly, he turns the car around.

Before he got onto the elevator, he noticed Ziva's car was still there.

Now, getting off the elevator and arriving in the bullpen, what he sees surprises him:

Ziva.

At her desk.

Lamp on, case files all around.

Head down.

Asleep.

Empty coffee to-go cups fill her trash bin.

Smiling slightly, Gibbs first gets his cell-phone from his desk, trying not to forget it twice.

Taking a risk, he's about to wake a former Mossad Officer.

This is definitely an act that has danger to his health.

Standing behind her, his hands find both of her shoulders, just like before.

Her voice is muffled and she is not talking to him, she's not awake yet. Although it takes a moment, Gibbs realizes who, or rather what, she's talking to:

She's having a nightmare.

"NO…no…Cryer…Marine…"

Her mind, at least in her sleep, is still at the Damaclease.

"I…know…nothing…Saleem…"

Now she's moved to Somalia. He can't let her go through this, not while he's here.

Squeezing her shoulders gently:

"Ziva,"

Upon receiving no indication that she can hear him, his voice is more forceful:

"Ziver."

Adding a slight shake, Ziva instantly bolts awake, stands, draws her weapon, and turns around.

Seeing Gibbs, unarmed, her mind registers, and she lowers her gun:

"Gibbs, I did not…I was not…"

Trailing off, Gibbs picks up for her:

"You were asleep."

She nods, un-sure of where to look or what to say. This was an un-usual situation for her.

"You okay, Ziver?"

There it was again. That nickname that had just appeared one day and had never left:

"I am fine, Gibbs."

"Then let's go."

Being struck with confusion, she sees Gibbs patiently wait for her to get her things, though she doesn't move:

"Gibbs, I just said I was fine."

"Yep."

"Then why are you suggesting we go somewhere?"

"You'll see."

He smirks and she knows better than to argue. Still having no clue where this was going, she holsters her gun, turns off her lamp, and feeling his hands on her shoulders, allows him to lead her to the elevator.

FYI: I have no idea if I spelled the ship's name correctly, please forgive me. :) Review? :D