The Reunion Dinner

By: Sloan Richardson

Being back in Washington DC was not something Ziva David had intended, especially after everything that had happened since her last time here, since the time she worked the case in Shenandoah State Park. It was then when the notorious hybrid, Klaus Mikaelson, came into her life. However, after being made hybrid, the human life she once knew was something she did not think was possible to return to. But, that was eight and a half months ago.

Much time had passed since then, and she had gained control of those instincts within her that made Ziva think she would not ever be able to return. Having had blood after the flight and before the car ride, the Israeli sat in the driver's seat of her mini cooper. It had been ages since she drove the thing, but it was still in her possession, thanks to a friend of hers in town outside of work keeping it nice for her.

Making her way down a familiar street, she stopped the car in front of a home that had also been rather familiar to her. The hybrid then turned to her sire, who sat in the passenger's seat. "We are here." She announced, as if Klaus did not know that already. Getting out of the car, Ziva smiled at Tony's mustang and Abby's hearse and finally Ducky's Morgan. Things did not seem to change much. With a heavy sigh, she walked around the vehicle and smiled to Klaus. It was surprising that she could stand there, smiling at him, even after all he had done to her. Ziva reasoned that it was not the worst thing to have happened in her life.

Ziva slipped her hand into his, she noticed Klaus looking around. He had been to the city many times before, however this was one part he had not seen. This was the street Gibbs lived on, the house was Gibbs'. The brunette noticed the light brown haired man eyeing the hearse. "What is it?" She questioned, perhaps thinking it reminded him of something. "Who the bloody hell drives that horrendous thing?" Klaus questioned, which made her laugh loudly in response. "Come on!"

Meanwhile inside, Gibbs and his co-workers, including the new agent Bishop, were all working tediously towards getting the dinner ready, all kosher foods for Ziva. They could not believe she was coming back. The most excited was not surprisingly Abby. "I cannot believe she's coming back, you guys!" She exclaimed as she put on oven mitts in preparation to take out the cooking chicken. The Goth smiled brighter when the timer went off. "Now, dear. I would not be holding my breath." Ducky Mallard reminded the enthusiastic girl. "We do not know if she is to be staying, or if it is merely a visit."

Not many were unlike Ducky in attitude. She had left once. Who was to say that she would not easily do so again. "Ah, Duck... let her have this, just for now." Gibbs chimed in, allowing his arm to hang around the Scotsman's shoulders. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Oh, I'll get it!" Tony spoke. He had been sitting on the couch, watching the basketball game. Rushing over, he opened it with a smile. It widened when he saw Ziva. "Ziva! There's are little run away!" He exclaimed, hugging her immediately. However, the smile he bore disappeared with in an instant when he saw the unfamiliar Original hybrid standing beside her. "Who's he?"

"Tony, be nice." Ziva chastised, it feeling oddly like old times. "He is my guest." The Israeli answered, watching Tony walk inside. Stepping up to the threshold, she felt that all too notable yet invisible force field keeping her and Klaus from entering. Fuck. She growled inwardly, looking from Klaus to Tony to the threshold. "Hey lad, you might want to be a rightfully kind gent and invite us in." The Original spoke, revealing his thick accent.

Tony nearly glared at the man. Great, another British guy. The jealous Italian groaned and gestured towards himself. "Get in here." He said, not wanting to make nice with the man who seemed to be Ziva's new boyfriend. He wondered if he was the reason that the woman he loved left. Resentment was obvious to both of the vampiric creatures. However, the 'invitation' in was not enough. Just then, as usual, Gibbs came to the rescue, so to speak. "Hey, Ziver! What are you and your friend still doing out there? Come on inside!" The man's welcoming words allowed the pair to enter, and allowed Ziva to expel a breath. "Thank you, Gibbs." She spoke before letting go of her sire's hand and going over to Jethro.

"How ya been, Kiddo?" He greeted her, wrapping his arms around her. Despite his wanting to be angry with her leaving, he was just happy that she was safe and sound. Typical father he was. "Things are better." She admitted, unable to help but to nuzzle him slightly, taking in that familiar smell of coffee, bourbon, and sawdust. "I am so sorry." Ziva spoke after pulling back. If I could explain everything, I would. She thought as she looked into his steely blue orbs. "Ah, David- gone eight months and you've already forgotten my rules!" The senior field agent remarked into regard of his sixth rule, a rule about apologies. This made Ziva blush and smile brightly, happy tears coming to her eyes. "Hey, kid... no crying. This is a celebration!" He added on, kissing her cheek.

"YOU'RE HERE!" A shriek sounded from the kitchen entry way. Soon Ziva found herself enveloped by a strong embrace, however now her body could handle those hugs a lot better. Her own arms wrapped around the forensic scientist, meeting her strength with some of her own. "Yes, I am here." The Israeli affirmed. "I missed you so much!" A soft hum left Ziva's lips in response. "I missed you too, Abby." Just then, McGee came over and hugged Ziva once Abby let go. "Good to see you, Ziva." Timothy spoke as they hugged. He could not help but to notice she was colder than he remembered, however with it being late March and still chilly, it was not something he put too much stock into.

After a while, the newer of the two hybrids could not help but to inhale the air, smelling familiar foods. It seemed like a plethora of foods that had been made at their past dinners together as a family. "Chicken? It smells delicious!" Ziva complimented, noting Abby's beaming. While Ducky's turkey was fantastic, Abby and Vance could together make a fantastic chicken. "Thanks, Ziva!" As Ziva was being bombarded by her former family, Klaus merely watched. He was not exactly bored by this, however it was not his ideal form of entertainment. Of course, after centuries of socializing and mingling at parties his own family hosted, this gathering was certainly one he would do his best work of charming people when and where he could. With Americans all around him and an accent that certainly did not suggest American descent, he knew it would not be hard to deceive them and make them think he was better than he truly was, especially with a sired hybrid at his side.

Ellie Bishop had been refilling her wine glass with a bit of the white wine Abby had brought over when she noticed someone she was not familiar with. She had seen Klaus. Striding over, she tilted her head slightly. The Original turned to look at the blonde woman and grinned a wicked and yet contented smile. "Hi!" Ellie greeted. "Hello, love. How are you?" Klaus responded in a gentlemanly manner, a guise contrasting vastly to that of the true person whom lay beneath it. "I'm alright." She replied with a nod, noting the accent. "You?" Klaus breathed a laugh, running his tongue over his bottom lip briefly. "I'm doing rather well, if I were honest. Ziva seems to be enjoying herself an awful lot." He observed, looking briefly to his hybrid before returning his oceanic orbs to the petite blonde.

"As she well should." Bishop spoke in response, smiling. "So, you're what? Her date?" The new agent asked, actually quite boldly, especially considering Klaus was a Mikaelson. "Yes, sweetheart. She brought me here the evening to enjoy a lovely meal and meet all the lovely people she's told me so much about. Though, I don't recall her mentioning a blonde one. Who are you?" Klaus felt he had the entitlement to talk to the human in such a way, though it did not seem to phase Ellie in the slightest. "I have taken the job she once had, so we have yet to meet. My name's Ellie Bishop." She introduced, offering out a hand. Her brows furrowed when Klaus took her hand and kissed the knuckles of it chastely. This was an act, a subtle act, which showed his true age. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ellie. Niklaus Mikaelson is the name my father gave me, but you may call me Klaus."

What an odd name. Ellie mused, though keeping a smile on her face. "Nice to meet you, too." She responded, noticing the brunette legend walking over. "You must be Agent Bishop." Ziva spoke as she strode up. "Ziva, right? It's so great to finally meet you!" The pair shook hands and began talking a while. Klaus kissed Ziva's cheek and decided to leave the girls to have their time to get to know each other. However, his solo trip around the graying Marine's home did not last long. He was soon approached by a peculiar Goth. He pictured her to not be anywhere close to an agent. She must be Abby. "Hello! My name's Abby!" The caffeinated woman saluted with a hyperactive wave. His assumptions had been correct. "Hello, sweetheart. Ziva speaks rather highly of you." Klaus responded. "My name is Klaus."

"Klaus..." She spoke, as if to see what it felt like to have to say such a name. "That's an odd name! I like it!" She shrugged in response. "What an amusing little plaything you are!" He remarked, an evil grin plastering to his grizzly features. "Klaus, behave." Ziva chimed in with a stern tone, having gotten a beer from Gibbs. "Ziva, you could have told me you had such a handsome boyfriend! I would have asked you if he has any brothers!" The Israeli snorted a laugh in response. "I have three, actually. But none are as charming as myself." He boasted in typical Klaus fashion. To which Abby blushed and Ziva rolled her eyes. "Klaus."

Minutes later, the NCIS director came out of the kitchen to see the Israeli who had once been a loyal and trusted agent of his. Though he smiled slightly, he did wish to share some words with her. No agent in his time as acting Director had done something like this. "David, hey. Can I get your help in the kitchen?" Spoke a familiar voice which struck Ziva's super sonic ear drums instantaneously. Turning in the direction of the voice, she smiled to Leon. "Yes, of course Director. One moment." Ziva said, looking to Klaus. "I have to go help Director Vance... I shall be back." With that, Ziva kissed Klaus chastely and went to the kitchen.

"Hello, Director." The Israeli greeted, never really having turned that part of herself off. It was doubtful that she ever would be able to,though, anyway. Vance could not help but to chuckle in response. He did not understand why the brunette still called him Director. She was no longer under his employment. "You can call me Leon, now, you know? That is, unless, you want your job back." Ziva shook her head. "I cannot come back, but- it was nice of you to offer, Leon."

"I thought you would not." Vance responded, going over to the vegetables on the counter. "Can I get your help with making the salad and the cleaning up?" He asked only moments after. Ziva nodded. "Of course." And with that, Ziva was over to the side counter, gathering up all the dirty dishes. Vance began chopping up celery, cucumber, peppers, and carrots. When he got to the carrots, he nicked his finger with the tip of the knife. Though the wound was not bad, it was bleeding nonetheless. Ziva looked frantically between Vance's face and the wound.

As he grabbed a paper towel, the spidery veins of her true face began to show. The sclerae of her eyes went from white to red. Her irises went from that coffee brown everyone knew and loved to an amber shade. When Vance glanced over, he saw her eyes and grew concerned. "Ziva, your eyes!" Turning around, she hid herself from him. "I will go get you a bandage!" She said as Vance turned to get a new, less saturated, paper towel. The second he turned around, she whirred out of the room, found Klaus and went upstairs. Klaus could not understand what was happening, however it all made sense when he saw her face. "Ziva, what's happened, love?"

"I cannot do this!" She exclaimed, pacing back and forth as her face returned to its more human state. Klaus watched as she did this, however he did not make a move to stop her or settle her. "Who was bleeding? That Vance fellow, no?" Klaus merely questioned, knowing by now how Ziva reacted to smelling blood. "Yes! Yes! I thought I had control! I do not!" Ziva was surely being a tad over dramatic. Should she have lost control, Leon Vance would be dead. Klaus in fact thought she was showing a lot of control, more than he himself would have. Though, he did not much care for such things as controlling his desires. Usually, what he wanted he got and took, regardless. However, he was well aware that Ziva was different. Despite what he had made her, she was still human.

"Ziva, love... you must be calm. Surely, you understand that if you had lost control, you would have a corpse on your hands." Klaus spoke, stepping up to her. Finally, he intervened and stopped her frantic motions. "Take from me... it will keep you sated until the end of the dinner party." He added, watching the bewildered look in her eyes. "Oh, please, Ziva. Do not act so shocked. It's not as if you haven't done it a dozen times before." He continued in response to her facial expression. "I know that, Klaus! That is not what is my concern!" She hissed at him through gritted teeth. "Then, little fanged wolf, do inform me what your reservations are." He challenged. "Hello! Look at where we are standing! If we should be caught-"

"Ziva, love, I know you are intelligent. Have you not figured out by now.. we can compel anyone to forget anything! We are superior to them, and you know that!" He declared in an all too proud manner. An expression then came to his face. "I'll tell you what your real dilemma is, sweetheart. You just do not want to be seen as the big bad hybrid, the monster you know you really are!" He continued, cockiness in his voice. "Lech tiezdayen, ben elef!" She swore at him in Hebrew, fully aware that her sire knew exactly what she had shouted at him. "Why do that, love, when I could easily do it to you?" He retorted, eyes narrowing as a sadistic and cocky smirk came to his face. There was a fire in Ziva's eyes, one that the Original loved and got quite a rise out of. Suddenly, the Israeli shoved him into a nearby wall and allowed her face to change, sinking her fangs into his neck. He held her to him as she fed, feeling her hair and the small of her back.

After several moments, Ziva pulled back and licked her lips clean of her sire's blood. "Thank you," She purred, a much more contented person once she had consumed blood. "Not a problem, darling. But, the question remains, shall you have room for the oh so lovely dinner your little American friends have scavenged up?" He tauntingly questioned, causing Ziva's eyes to narrow in aggression. "It is a good thing I am sired to you, because I honestly would have been done with you months ago." She spoke, starting to walk off. Suddenly, a hand gripped her wrist. It was Klaus'. He pulled her back and cupped her cheek. "You are forgetting one other detail, Ziva."

Before he could finish, however, Gibbs' booming voice interrupted the train of thought. "Alright everyone, dinner's ready!" He exclaimed, which led to Ziva whirring out of the room and down the stairs. Klaus quickly followed, and everyone gathered in the dinning room. The agent had managed to get a bigger table just for occasions like these. It was about time, too. Gibbs was holding out a chair and could not keep from smiling as he gestured towards it, referring silently to Ziva. The hybrid was surprised to say the least, however graciously took the seat. Klaus claimed the seat beside her, smiling to her before looking as the others found their desired spots.

"Well, Gibbs, would you like to say a few words to start us off?" Vance prompted, receiving a nod in response. "Yes," He spoke, standing to his feet. "Tonight was a night that for the last eight months I did not think would happen. I am so glad to have you here, Ziver. And I am sure everyone else feels the same. We have missed you dearly." And with that, Gibbs took his seat. "Dig in, everyone." He added afterward, and soon the table became a bustle. Not shockingly, Ziva and Klaus were the ones who got the least food. While they still enjoyed food on occasion, their preference was clearly and would always be blood.

"Well, dear, tell us... where have you been all this time?" Ducky braved the question, a smile coming to his gracefully aging face. Ziva drank a bit of wine before setting the glass down, readying herself to answer the question. Of course with this she would have to be very careful, and would only answer certain things honestly. The hybrid pair had mutually discussed a fool proof cover story, and the former NCIS agent hoped that it would work. "New Orleans." She answered simply, running a hand through her hair. It was one of the few questions she could answer honestly. However, it did catch Abby's attention.

"What? New Orleans?! Why?" The Goth asked before sipping from her Caf Pow. And here would come the lie. Or, one of them at least. "Well... I was traveling around the country... I ended up in New Orleans. I met Klaus and he offered me a place to stay at his compound. It is like a mansion or something there, rather huge." She explained, shrugging. "But, enough about me... catch me up on you all, and Bishop. I would love to hear more about you." The Israeli deflected, turning the focus onto the new blonde. She chuckled, shaking her head. "Not much to tell, Ziva." She confessed, shrugging. "But your boyfriend... certainly he could tell me and the rest of us more about himself."

Ziva watched as Tony made a face of disapproval in response. Clearly he was jealous. Klaus, however, was more than willing to spin a wonderful little tale about himself. While the details would be mainly true, of course there would be beautifully painted lies among them. "Well, love. My name is Klaus Mikaelson, and I come from a rather... old... family. We are quite wealthy, really. Inherited wealth, mostly, though my siblings and I have done well with making our own money over the years." He started, all the while hold Ziva's free hand whenever he could.

Everyone listened, almost all of them rather entertained and swooning. However, Tony was another story. "So, you're British?" McGee asked, wondering despite the accent. "Well... old English." Klaus clarified, feeling Ziva's elbow in his side. "But yes, I suppose you're right, too... in your own way." He added. Tony grimaced, mockingly repeated 'Well... old English' under his breath with mild aggression. However, the rest of dinner went rather smoothly. Eventually everyone had gotten up from the dinner table and helped clean up and pull the table together in order to get it out of the way.

Bishop turned on some dance music to feel the home, Ziva taking Klaus' hand. "Shall we show them how we danced in New Orleans?" The hybrid asked her sire with a wink, remembering the times they had gone out to a French Quarter pub at night to dance and drink themselves silly. "Oh love, I don't know if that's a-" His words were cut short as the Jewish woman started moving her hips to the rhythm. Playfully moving her shoulders, she moved closer to him, laughing when he swiftly pulled her into him. Bishop asked Tony to dance, and despite his envious feelings towards the duo, he accepted the offer. McGee and Abby danced together too, while Ducky, Vance, and Gibbs all went outside onto the porch. Jimmy and Breena had been there as well, and they decided to join in on the action also, adding onto the couples dancing.

"Something's not right here." Vance said, speaking his mind despite the fact all three men were thinking this to a T. Ziva would not just leave a crime scene abruptly and then throw away her life to go on a road trip. The men decided that they needed to find out what was going on here. However, they had no idea that by venturing down this road, they would be opening doors that she have been left tightly shut.