Surprise 01/13/2013

Hey all! I have brought you another TIVA story, which will focus more on Tiva. School starts tomorrow, so I'm not sure how often I'll update, but I hope you like this enough to wait for more.

Oh, this may sound similar to author, brightblue's story Grace. It's not my intention to copy and I apologize ahead of a time if it appears like that; but the story actually popped up before even reading Grace. Sorry, brightblue. I hope you don't get too mad at me.

Disclaimer: Only unfamiliar names and locations are my own. I don't even own DVDs (literally), although I do own a 2013 calendar.

"Surprise"

He watched from the sidelines as she kept her facade strong front up while visitors gave her their sympathies and left food in their wake. She's doing an amazing job keeping in check, he thought, but then again he knew she wasn't one to let others see her cry or breakdown.

They had just come back from the funeral. It had been simple and to the point. He'd stood right next to her, scanning the crowd and seeing a loyal Mossad behind her and her two aunts and uncle with their appropriate spouses. It surprised him that so many loved this man – This man who willing sent his daughter in a suicide mission and left her to die, this man who had trouble follow him everywhere. It was only a matter of time before that trouble caught up with him, and to his relief, it had.

She was left with the knowledge of being the only one left in her immediate family, but she wasn't left without family. There were plenty of aunts and uncles, cousins, etc; but she also had him…and their family back home, who were most likely watching this coverage.

Vance didn't want to chance someone hurting Ziva during Shiva, so he assigned Tony to accompany her. Regardless whether she was an American citizen or not, she was still the now-former Director of Mossad's daughter and their boss wanted to be sure that she would come home safely. They both knew the others wanted to come, but Vance needed them there to catch his wife and Eli's killer. Ziva would later join the hunt, using some of her contacts for Intel.

Tony never strayed his line of sight even when a few Israeli women showed interest in him – to which he thought was rude. He'd given up chasing women's tails in exchange for chasing one woman's tail; and that woman stood in the middle of the room, accepting condolences.

"If you keep staring at her, you are going to cause holes to come out of her." A woman said from beside him, making him slightly jump. His eyes immediately turned to the person who'd spoken.

"You mean, I'm staring daggers into her?" Tony smiled at the misuse of an idiom. It reminded him so much of Ziva. The woman before him, he suspected was related to Ziva. Ziva looked quite a bit like her.

The woman waved it off. "Same thing." She said. "I have been watching you as I stood next to her. You are truly captivated by her, are you not?"

Tony furrowed his brows in the absurdity of what she was implying. "Um…who are you?"

"Neta Hadar." She answered proudly, smiling as well. "I am Eli's sister."

Aunt Nettie. Tony concluded, paling. He hoped Ziva hadn't told her that it was him who basically ended the call between aunt and niece. "Nice to meet you. I'm–"

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo." She supplied with smirk. "Yes, I am familiar with you." He looked at her, confused. "Both my brother and my niece talked about you, though in two different sides." She supplied again, looking past him to Ziva, who had managed to catch them. "Well, I best get back there. I do not want my niece to think I have stolen "her man"." She used her hands to demonstrate the quotes. "That is the right phrase?"

Tony nodded as the older woman patted his shoulder and rejoined her family, giving Ziva a chance to escape the pity looks. He watched as she came to him. Tony couldn't help but to smile, pleased when she let a small smile escape her lips.

"Have you been right here watching me this whole time?" She asked, slipping her hand into his own and squeezing it.

He was caught off guard. She wasn't one to initiate affection, despite her growth in becoming more human. A quick glance at their joined hands, he tightened the hold, squeezing her hand in reassurance. Then, their eyes met. "Maybe."

She merely hummed as her watery doe eyes scan the group of friends and family. He watched her before averting his eyes. "Do you think they will abduct me?"

"The thought had occurred to me, considering you're the daughter of a former Mossad director." Tony answered as his eyes land on Ziva's aunts and uncle. All three of the remaining original Davids were accepting various signs of affections and condolences. He quickly averted his eyes back to hers. "You're my ninja. No one else's." She gave him an amused look. "Well, Me and NCIS's ninja."

"I get what you are saying, Tony." Ziva said, patting his arm. "Let's go out to the patio. I think my aunts and uncle can handle things for a little while."

He immediately understood what her nonverbal hint was: she needed out of this otherwise stuffy environment, much like he himself needed. So he followed her until they practically disappeared from sight. "What's up, Ziva?"

"I am just ready to go back home." She told him, locking eyes with him as if conveying her internal thoughts to him. He understood. Ziva peeked out from behind a perfectly cut bush wall, seeing people leaving and standing around discussing the good and bad times of what made up Eli David. She quickly caught his eyes. "This used to be home, but they were marred by so many ill-mannered memories. America is home."

He can understand that completely. Eli David was merely her biological father, who had little regard for his children. It was no wonder why she was willing to break all ties to Israel, despite her extended family. From the countless conversation they'd had on the plane ride here, she'd told him that she was the only David to renounce her homeland, that Davids weren't allowed to break ties from Israel – at least in the aspect she had done. She had a whole line of Davids who had traditionally remained in Israel, in power of some sort – whether by military or some other form.

If she hadn't left, she would have most likely been the next Director David of something – probably Mossad. At that realization, Eli was probably madder than a wasp. She wasn't the only David left. Eli's brother, Nomad David, had four boys and one girl. Any one of the men could have carried on the David name. Tony wondered if her cousins' had parents like Eli or he was the odd one.

"Soon enough, Zi. We have two more days of Shiva and then the lawyer's. You'll be home soon enough, Ziva." He assured her, pulling her into a hug. "Now, go join your family and mourn." He suggested, pulling back. "I'll be nearby if you need me."

She wiped some tears away before speaking. "Okay." She whispered, taking off back to her family.

He watched her before following.

~NCIS~

The very next day after Shiva ended, The David family were sitting in the family's lawyer, listening to Eli's last message to his family. Tony sat in the back, looking at Eli's face but not really paying attention to what he was saying. He saw Ziva's tears and wanted to comfort her, but he held back.

At Eli's apparent request to speak to his daughter alone, the rest of the family left the room. Tony had started to leave, but Ziva had caught his wrist in order to stop him and asked that he sit beside her as she listened to Eli's words. He granted her wish, which Tony knew he would have done regardless.

"Ziva, I may not have been the best of fathers, but you turned out to be everything I had hoped, even if I did not acknowledge it. You are a strong, passionate individual that I know can make a difference in the world, just like I have recently been trying to do. You, my Ziva, are one step ahead of me. I want you to tell my future grandchildren that their papa was trying to make the world a better place for them and you.

"As I have said before, I have given some personal items to my sisters and brothers as well as their children, etc; but I give my whole estate to you. You may do what you want with it. I know you will make the right decisions in where it is to be placed. And…" Eli paused, taking a breath and appeared to be uncertain whether to continue with whatever he planned on saying or not. Finally, after wiping what appeared to be sweat or tears – Tony wasn't sure – Eli looked back up and directly at the camera, directly at his only living child. "I have some things for your NCIS family, especially Agent DiNozzo. There's a letter for him to read first before accepting my gift. And Agent DiNozzo?" He turned his head to his right, looking directly into the eyes of the man he'd despised for so long. Tony almost felt like Eli was literally there, looking at him. "I know you and I had mutual dislike for one another, but I hope that you remain by my daughter's side and do this one thing I ask in the letter. Despite my initial impression, I have come to see that you are good for my daughter, even if you are Italian." Eli said with a roll of his eyes just before turning back to his daughter. "Ziva, there is one more surprise I must give you. Mr. Zelman will bring it to you after I conclude this message. I hope you forgive me and take care of it. I love you and it. Shalom to my family."

Then, the screen faded to black. Tony and Ziva first looked at one another in surprise then at the lawyer, who held out two envelopes – one for each.

Quickly, each one read their individual letter. Mr. Zelman waited patiently for both of them to finish. Tony finished first, instantly agreeing without reservation. It was something he hadn't expected, but he sure as hell wouldn't let Ziva do, as Eli asked, on her own. He was willing to take on the enormous task set before him.

Eli had asked him to protect Ziva and her estate, using something given to him a long time ago that he was passing on to Tony. The second, he would learn to do.

Ziva looked up at Mr. Zelman with surprise. She did not expect this, but she did smile. But life, apparently, had a way of throwing you for a loop. "I accept."

Mr. Zelman looked pleased. "Very well, I will be right back, Ms. David." He came out from behind the long oval table in his office and walked to a side door. The middle age lawyer opened the door, signaling for someone to come in.

A small boy came into the room, alone, with a stuffed animal in his one hand and a blanket in the other. He looked every bit of a David, sharing the same eyes of Ziva, and not looking no older than four. It was obvious he'd been taken very well care of.

The young boy looked into the expansive room with awe before his wandering eyes landed on Ziva and Tony. He gave a full-open grin, appearing not the least bit shy. "Ziva!" He cried in a very happy tone. Then, he darted to her with open arms. She opened her arms, despite the awkwardness. He hugged her tightly and it seemed to Ziva like he belonged where he was – in her arms. She was not only thrown off that Eli David had custody of a young child who was now hers, but also that this little boy was apparently very familiar with what she looked like.

The little boy pulled back to really look at Ziva before he turned his attention to the other adult in the room, who looked every bit of uncertain and slightly fearful. "You must be Anthony DiNozzo." He spoke very clear English although with an obvious accent for a child of his age and pronounced Tony's name perfectly. "I have been told a lot about you."

Tony just stared at him, too shocked to really respond. It obviously didn't faze the little boy, who had returned to hugging Ziva. Both adults looked at the family lawyer again.

Mr. Zelman came forth, explaining the child. "Ziva, meet your little brother, Benjamin David."

"Whoa." Tony muttered.

Did you expect that? Let me know what you think. My muse usually runs on reviews, so PLEASE REVIEW!

TBC…