Yes, I know that this plot has been done to death but I love reading these stories so I figured I'd have a go myself.
Disclaimer: NCIS, property of CBS
To make you feel my love, property of Bob Dylan (Though in my personal opinion, the Billy Joel cover is better)
The first thing to penetrate the silent darkness in what seemed like forever was a loud knocking on the front door. She stayed quiet, hopeful that whoever it was would give up and go away. Unfortunately, her late night visitor was persistent and she cursed silently as she realised that the perpetual knocking suggested it wasn't just the mailman.
Then again, she thought, it must be already in the little, no, she corrected herself, that was not the right word, the small hours, yes that was it, the small hours of the morning and what mailman in his right mind would call so late? In fact, what person in his right mind would call so late?
Her question was answered as a very familiar voice floated through the door, if you could ever describe his voice as floating, "Ziva, I know you're in there. Open up!"
She took a deep breath, trying to be strong, but worried her voice would betray her true emotions, "I do not want to talk Gibbs, go away."
"What's wrong Ziver?" He asked, concern evident in his voice.
"Nothing is wrong. I am fine." She argued, though she couldn't even make herself believe it.
"People who are fine are not wide awake at 0200."
"Then what is wrong with you?" She retaliated rudely.
Gibbs sighed and then everything was silent. Ziva had just begun to entertain the possibility that she may actually have succeeded in making him give up when she heard the unmistakable sound of a key turning in a lock.
"Chara!" She swore under her breath, she had known she would come to rue the day that she had agreed to give the rest of the team keys to her apartment in case of "emergency".
"That key was only for emergencies only Gibbs. Unless someone is dead or dying I will have to chase you out of here with my Sig."
"No one is dead Ziva, someone is just... a little hurt and confused." He replied softly.
She looked towards him surprised, she could not see his face, only his silhouette in her doorway from the faint glow of the hall light, "Who?"
He flicked the light switch and she scrunched her eyes tightly against the sudden glare.
He took in the tear tracks down her cheeks and the dark rings under her eyes and sighed.
"Is that a serious question Ziver?"
"You do not mean me."
He thought she had probably meant it as a question, but it sounded more like a command, an order that he was not to feel sympathy for her or to worry about her because Ziva David could take care of herself.
He did not doubt this. She had had to for so many years but, not for the first time, he found himself wanting to put a bullet in Eli David's head for making her feel that she could never accept anyone's help, no matter how bad she was hurting.
"May I sit down?" He asked her.
She looked at him, "Have I any chance at all of getting rid of you?"
"Nope." Of this he was certain.
"Or of convincing you that there is nothing wrong?"
"Not a chance." He replied firmly
She sighed, then gestured with her arm to the empty space beside her, "Then I guess you may as well sit down."
He sat down and looked at her closely. She turned her face from him but he took her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him.
"I should have been there," He said softly
She pulled away and stood up, "I am sure you had your reasons."
He shook his head, though, with her back still to him, she could not see him, "Nothing could justify me missing this."
"It is not a big deal Gibbs."
She had never been any good at lying to him and he saw straight through her. She had studied for months for the citizenship exam, been so excited about the ceremony beforehand, this meant more to her than she would ever admit.
"Ziver, it is a huge deal." He paused for a moment, unsure of how to word his thoughts. "In the marines we used to say we bled red, white and blue. This is more than adding an extra color. This is cutting all ties from your home county, this is pledging allegiance to a foreign state. We lived, and were prepared to die for the flag Ziva. In your oath you promised to bear arms for the United States armed forces should this be necessary. Are you truly prepared to do that Ziva? Are you truly prepared to die for America?"
Without warning her reluctance to talk turned to anger and she spun to face him, furious. "Do you not think this would have been a good conversation to have with me before my citizenship ceremony? I have already agreed to do it; I can hardly change my mind now! I have already promised, I am already an American, I am no longer Israeli..." She trailed off here and he knew that he had been right, this affected her more that he could ever truly know.
He stood up,"That is not true Ziva."
"Yes, it is." She spat. "It has to be, because if it is not, then I am both American and Israeli, and that cannot be." The tears that had been pooling in her eyes whilst she had been speaking were now beginning to run down her cheeks.
"But I do not think I can ever truly be an American. I still screw up the language, I do not understand American Football, I even still call it American football. I cannot be Israeli anymore and I can never be American either, I have no home and no people and I have no identity." By the end of this she was gasping her words out between sobs.
Gibbs moved to her and wrapped her in his arms, she tensed, and for a moment he thought she would fight him but she did not, instead relaxing into his embrace.
"Ziver, no one who is worth anything will ever judge you by your nationality. Your identity, Ziva, is not a country. Sure, your identity is made up of your Israeli upbringing, your years in America, of English, of Hebrew, of Judaism but there are much more important parts of your identity, you are kind, intelligent, caring, you are a brilliant NCIS agent and an incredible friend. And Ziver? Israel will always be your first home, Jews and Israelis your people. But even if you are right and you can never return to Israel, you will still have your home at NCIS and your other people, us, Ziva; me, McGee, DiNozzo, Abby, Ducky, even Palmer, your family Ziver. No matter what, we will always be here for you."
And then she was hugging him back, grasping fistfuls of his shirt in her hands as she cried onto his shoulder. He moved them to the sofa and sat down with her on his lap, rocking her and soothing her as a father would comfort his daughter.
Eventually all her tears were spent and she pulled back slightly.
"Thank you Gibbs," She said quietly.
He kissed her forehead soothingly, "Don't mention it Ziva. I will always be here. Always."
He suddenly remembered something and reached into his jacket pocket.
Ziva looked at him confused as he handed her the small black box but he nodded at her, "Open it, it's yours."
She opened it cautiously and gasped as she saw what it contained. The Star of David necklace was not at all extravagant or ostentatious but that was not either of their styles. It was simple but beautiful, and held as much meaning as a thousand words.
"I know it's not your old necklace and it doesn't have the same memories but maybe this one can hold your new memories, your new experiences, and that it will remind you that I meant what I said, I, and the rest of the team, will always be here for you."
She wrapped her arms tightly around him, "Thank you Gibbs, this means a great deal to me."
He hugged her back and kissed the top of her head.
When she pulled back again she held the box out uneasily, "Will you...put it on for me?"
He nodded and they both stood up. She turned around and held her hair above her head as he fastened the clasp behind her neck.
When he had done, she turned to him again and for a moment they just looked at each other. Finally Gibbs broke the silence. "It's late, you should get some sleep."
She nodded and began to walk towards her room but abruptly she stopped and turned back to him. "Please don't leave."
She blushed crimson and looked at her feet in embarrassment, but she did not think she could face being alone again tonight, not after this. To her surprise he didn't laugh or refuse, but rather moved towards her and, placing an arm around her waist escorted her to her bedroom. She took her pyjamas and went to the bathroom to change and clean her teeth.
When she arrived back in her room Gibbs was sat on her bed and she paused in the doorway, unsure of whether the discomfiture of this situation, or the longing for human presence tonight was the stronger feeling. Ultimately, her desire to not be alone won out and she moved to her bed, pulling the blankets back and climbing in.
To her astonishment, Gibbs leant over and tucked the blankets around her and kissed her forehead tenderly, and, to her even greater bewilderment, it did not feel awkward. It felt... natural, comfortable, secure, much more so then any display of paternal affection she had ever received from her real father.
He sat on the blankets beside her and stroked her hair lightly and absentmindedly began to hum. With a start he recognised the tune as a lullaby he had used to sing to Kelly, he faltered slightly, but not enough that Ziva, in her almost unconscious state, could notice, and then began to add words to the melody.
It was a long time since he had sung and his voice was hoarse and raspy, but Ziva did not complain, she found the song comforting, hearing the sounds of the lyrics both in her ears and in the vibrations she could feel in his chest.
When the rain is blowing in your face,
And the whole world is on your case,
I could offer you a warm embrace,
To make you feel my love
When the evening shadows and the stars appear,
And there is no one there to dry your tears,
I could hold you for a million years,
To make you feel my love
I know you haven't made your mind up yet I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue The storms are raging on the rollin' sea I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
But I would never do you wrong
I've known it from the moment that we met
No doubt in my mind where you belong
I'd go crawling down the avenue
There's nothing that I wouldn't do
To make you feel my love
And on the highway of regret
The winds of change are blowing wild and free
You ain't seen nothing like me yet
Nothing that I wouldn't do
Go to the ends of the earth for you
To make you feel my love
By the time the song had finished, Ziva was fast asleep. He brushed his lips lightly against the top of her head.
"Goodnight Ziver," he whispered
He leant back against the headboard and within minutes, he too was asleep.
And there they lay, the two of them, both taking comfort in each other's presence, for all intents and purposes, a father and his daughter. And the soft glow through the window caught the silver of Ziva's magden David, resting gently against her collarbone, where it would stay, conceivably, for the rest of her life.
So there we have it, I am actually quite proud of this one, if only because it's the longest one-shot I've written! So any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Also, if you happen to read any of my Twilight multi-chapter stories I will be updating them eventually but I've been having a bit of an NCIS kick lately so I haven't really been thinking about them but I will get back to them in the end.