War, life, pain, happiness, lies, truth; what was the truth in her life? What was her stability? He was her stability; he was the one who she longs for when she thinks about the past, the present, and the future. He was the one she wanted to see on the other side of the door in the middle of the dessert. And he was the one that she saw…soon after.
-The Basement-
He stood at the top of the stairs, she watched him as he worked with his back to her, she watched him, his shoulders, his arms, the way his hair would fall down in front of his eyes when it was just a little too long. She wanted to turn around and run away. She wanted to forget about him, she wanted him to forget about her. But part of her hoped he still remembered that day, the day he broke her heart.
"Long time Ziva," Gibbs turned to her startling her out of her thoughts.
"That it has," she said sticking her hands in her pockets walking down the stairs to face him. "How have you been Gibbs?" she asked stopping, still lacking two stairs before reaching him.
"We missed you…Ziva." He said taking half a step closer to her.
"I missed you all as well."
"And Tony?" Gibbs asked laughing slightly.
"Well yes, I think I can say that I can say, I missed him too."
"It wasn't the same without you Z." he wanted to close the distance between them. He wanted to hold her; he wanted to show her how much he had missed her. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her.
"Then why did you leave me?"
"Because at the time I thought I was doing what was best for you, all I've ever wanted to do was what was best for you. Every day that we've all been apart has been horrible, having to listen to McGee and DiNozzo argue over who your replacement was going to be and then having to face the fact that we might actually have to replace you. I never want to think that I have to replace you again. I lost Shannon, I lost Kelley, I lost Jenny, damn it Ziva, I'm not going to lose you too." He walked up the final steps to stand face to face with her.
"Then why weren't you the one in that room, risking your life for me?"
"Do you really think DiNozzo could shot that far?" he asked smiling as he took her in his arms
She shook her head unsure of what was happening it happened so fast, "Then why did you choose Tony over me?" she asked the sadness evident in her voice. She wanted this from him but she wanted to make sure that she knew all the details as to what happened that day, she wanted to know that she had finally found her home.
"Because I knew that you could take care of yourself; I'm not sure DiNozzo could take care of a cat. Ziva, I trust you more then you will ever know, I love you more then you will never know. So please don't be mad at me for trying to do what I thought was best for you. All I ever wanted was what was best for you. Please believe me Z." his kissed her hair and held her close to him not wanting to ever have to let her go again.
He felt her body shake against his, he felt her tears stain his shirt, he felt her try to pull away from him, he let her. "What's wrong Ziva?"
"It is all happened so fast, having someone rescue me, coming back here to Tony, McGee, and Abby. Seeing the things that I never thought I would see again; seeing you. I am not used to all of this, of having someone who is honestly willing to risk their lives for me because they truly love me. I missed this." All he could do was wrap his arms around her and hug her close to him again. After a few minutes he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, savoring the way she tasted, the way she moved as she ran her hands through his hair; as his caped the back of her neck and got lost in her hair. He got lost in her, just like always.
That night turned into something neither would ever forget, and something that they could never live without. After being rescued by her true family, Ziva never returned to her 'father'. She knew she had found her home; found her true family, found the one's she could love forever, and the ones who would love her right back.
