AN: I have been missing Ziva David in the show for a long time. This little piece is plot which has been circling in my mind for a long time. I hope you like it.

Reviews appreciated.

Gibbs looked around the squad room. It was empty save for the janitor who was about to close shop. He had sent DiNozzo and McGee home and was completing the paperwork for their latest case.

The ding of the elevator alerted him that the janitor has also left. Making sure that no one was around, he pulled out his new laptop from the upper drawer of his desk. He had bought it after much cajoling from her. Although he acted sullen for it, secretly he was glad that she forced him. He could tell a lot from her voice but seeing her gave him a visual proof that she was doing fine.

He had lost a lot during his lifetime and his last brush with death had made him realize that he was not indispensible. He may not like others fussing over him but was secretly humbled that they cared for him. He may have lost his family but his work family was no less.

While waiting for the system to start, his thoughts drifted back to those days just after he was shot. He had been shifted to Bethesda after his emergency surgery at USS Daniel Webster. It was around 0230 hours and he was wide awake. He had refused painkillers and was unable to sleep because of his pain, but he would grow out his hair before admitting it to anyone. Dr Taft had been there a few hours before stressing to him the need for proper medication. He just ignored him as was his norm for all things he could not be bothered with. He was still reeling from the shock of Luke shooting at him. He could have ducked the second bullet if not for the shock of seeing Luke holding a gun at him.

It was at that time when he had felt someone was watching. It was no one from the hospital because they tended to look at him from the door; this was someone who did not want to be seen. Cursing about not having a gun, he checked his periphery and was about to grab the syringe from the side table when one single word halted his hand," Gibbs".

He was momentarily shocked but recovered instantly. He had not heard from her for two years and suddenly there she was. Looking the same but still different. The shadows from her eyes had lessened but still there, physically she looked the same but emotionally, he had no idea.

Finally he found his voice, "Ziver?"

"Shalom Gibbs. I see you are doing good" replied Ziva.

Gibbs remained silent and Ziva did not feel the need to say anything more.

Ziva was still in shock from seeing Gibbs in hospital. He was looking pale and his chest and knee were bandaged. He looked old and exhausted. No doubt from refusing the painkillers still in the cup beside his bed. When she had first heard about the attack on him, she had been in denial. To think that he had been shot not once but twice had almost died. She had contacted some people from her past and had been constantly updated about his condition. After knowing that he was going to be safe, she could no longer ignore her heart's voice, to see for herself that he was alright. She had once called him the closest thing to a father but after Eli's dead, he was her father in all but name. It had been hard to leave him when she had returned to Israel but she had known what she had to do, at that time she had a lot of amends to make.

She sat at the foot of the bed, keeping in mind his injured leg and awaited his questions.

Gibbs was watching her very closely. After she had left, he had missed her. She was the first one on his team who had known about Shannon and Kelly. After a time, she had grown close to him and he had started seeing her as one of his own. After her rescue from Somalia, he had realized that she was like a daughter to him and he had cared for her accordingly. He had known why she had to leave, but he was not required to like it. He was glad that she had come and gently took her hand in his, slightly holding her fingers. "Glad you came, kid."

She had not stayed for long, leaving after 2 hours when she had heard the night shift changing. After storing her new number in his phone and making him promise to have someone call her if anything changed she had left.

When he was released from the hospital, he had Taft call her to assure that he was doing good and they had kept in touch.

It was Taft who had set him up to use the skype thingie and he had been talking to her on screen for a month now.

Seeing that the laptop was running, he dialed her.

Ziva's face appeared on the screen,"Shalom Abba."

"Hey Ziver."