Title: Breathless
Author: shining so brightly
Rating: T
Summary: AU. Ziva has just moved to America after the death of her little sister. Here, she begins to discover love and life and happiness. But can it last?
Disclaimer: NCIS is not mine.
Author's Note: Please read and review. Constructive criticism is love. And, if anyone wants to beta, please message me. I have no beta. :(

Ziva David stared at the impressive building in front of her, reluctant to open the door. Wind blew through her coat, chilling her straight to the bone. She took a deep breath and opened the door. She normally wasn't nervous, but today she felt positively overwhelmed. New school. New country. New life. It had been her mantra since she left Israel with her father. After her little sister, Tali, had died in a bombing, her father had felt it would be a good idea to leave the country for a while.

Tali. She missed her sister terribly. Especially in times like these. Tali had been more than her sister. She had been Ziva's best friend and confidante. They had no secrets. She missed that.

Sighing, she pushed the mournful thoughts from her head. They would not bring Tali back, nor would they help her here. She looked down at her schedule, despite having memorized it, and checked her homeroom number. Room 204. That would be upstairs.

She walked up to the second floor and then the bell rang. She checked her watch. 8:16. I am late for school. She walked quickly, trying not to be too much later. Unfortunately for her, the boy behind her was also trying not to be late. He ran into her, causing his books to scatter onto the ground. The momentum pushed Ziva forward and she barely managed to catch herself.

"Great. Gibbs is gonna send me to Principal Shepard's office. My dad's gonna be pissed." She turned around to see a boy around her age trying to gather his things off the floor.

"Allow me to help," Ziva said, quickly gathering his things off of the floor. She handed them over and he grinned at her. "Thanks. My name's Tony by the way."

"Ziva," she answered, returning his smile. "I take it that you are going to room 204, yes?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"I am going to room 204 and, according to my schedule, that is the classroom belonging to Mr. Gibbs," Ziva explained. "Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find it. The room numbers skip from 203 to 207."

"Oh. That's easy, it's down this way." He led her around the corner and down the corridor to room 204. They entered the classroom about two minutes late.

"Dinozzo, nice of you to join us," the man who she presumed to be Mr. Gibbs said. "Take your seat." He turned his attention to Ziva. "Who are you?"

"Ziva David. I am new," she explained.

"Okay, Ziva. Take the seat next to Dinozzo. I'll mark you both on time today."

Ziva sat down at her seat, grateful that the teacher would not mark her absent for homeroom.

"Tony, I thought you said you were going to pick me up this morning," a black-haired girl with a spiderweb tattoo on her neck said, crossing her arms in front of her. "I had to have my brother drive me to school. My brother, Tony. He picked up all of his stupid friends, too. You better have a good reason for ditching me."

"I didn't ditch you Abby. My car broke down." He smiled at her. "I'll tell you what. I'll take you to Hot Topic this Saturday. I'll buy you anything you want."

"Okay," Abby replied. "But you better not do it again." She then looked over at Ziva. "Hi, I'm Abby."

"Ziva."

"You're new here, right? I don't mean new to the school, because I heard you talking to Gibbs. I mean, like, new to DC. Where are you from?"

"Israel." She felt sad after mentioning her beloved country. She missed it. Ever since her father had announced, three weeks after Tali's death, that they were moving, Ziva's heart ached. That had been two months ago. She missed Michael. She missed her Aunt Nettie. But there was no use in thinking about it. Her father would not change his mind so she might as well learn to live with it.

"Israel, wow." The boy in front of her turned around in his seat. "Hi, I'm Tim."

Ziva opened her mouth to speak but Tony interrupted before she could say anything. "Hey, McGeek, did you do your history homework?"

"Yes I did." He looked back at Tony. "And no you can't copy it." Tony's face fell and Tim smirked before turning his attention back to Ziva. "So what made you come here?"

"A change of scenery," Ziva said. It was true. After Tali died, her father could not stand looking at all of the places that Tali loved. Out of his three children, Tali was the only one her father truly cared about. And now she was dead.

"So have you been to the Smithsonian yet?"

"I am on the edge of tears here, McGee," Tony said, shaking his head. "You see a beautiful girl and one of the first things you ask her is if she's seen the Smithsonian? You've got a lot to learn."

Ziva just smirked as Tony teased Tim mercilessly. It was good-natured teasing, much like the times she teased Tali. Nothing was meant by it.

"So, are they always this..."

"Juvenile? Yes," Abby answered. "But they really are great guys. So what's your next class?"

"History. And yours?"

"Chemistry." Abby smiled.

Abby and Ziva talked while Tim and Tony argued. They did this until the bell rang. The four exited the room with their classmates, each going to their intended destinations.

Ziva's history class was in room 309, so she quickly walked up the stairs and found the room. She got there with time to spare. "Hello, Ziva."

She looked up to see Tony standing in front of her desk. "You and I are in the same class?"

"Yep. McGeek's in here too."

"Just so I am not behind, what have we covered in this class so far," Ziva asked. She hoped that she wouldn't be too far behind her classmates.

"We just finished the Mayan civilization. I don't read ahead but I think we're covering the Incas next."

"Good." At least it was something that she knew. Her knowledge was by no means extensive, but at least she had some basic knowledge.

The rest of the class started filing in slowly.

"I wonder where Timmy is?"

Tony and Ziva looked up to see Tim file in just before the bell rang. He sat down next to Tony and glared at him. "You switched our locks. You and Abby are the only people other than me who have the combination."

"And why do you assume it was me?"

"One, because Abby wouldn't do it. Two, because you would do it. And three, because I tried your combination and it unlocked."

"Knew I shoulda used someone else's lock."

"Tony, you almost made me late for class!"

"For the first time in your whole life McNerd. Relax, I don't think teacher's gonna be too mad."

Ziva smirked appreciatively. "You have never been late to class? Impressive."

"Yeah. Tony's been late enough times for both of us though."

Tim and Tony argued playfully until the teacher walked in. "I see we have a new student. What is your name my dear?"

"Ziva David."

"All right, Miss David. I am Doctor Mallard. You may call me Ducky. I see you have already found a book, please see me after class so we can officially issue it to you." He then addressed the rest of the class. "Today, we will be studying the Incan civilization. I want you to open your books to page 174 and read the entire chapter. Then answer the questions at the end. I want you to do it silently."

Ziva opened her book and began to read.