Ziva David had a complicated life. There was no other way to describe it. After all, her mother left her father. Her father killed the mother of her half-brother. Her brother belonged to the group that killed her sister. She killed her brother, and now there was a theory that she killed her father.
Officer Malachi Ben-Gidon had visited with the news.
"Do you think I was involved in my father's death?" Ziva looked up at Malachi with glassy eyes. They were in the conference room with Tony, Gibbs, Vance, and McGee. Team Gibbs knew Ziva didn't have anything to do with the deaths of Eli David and Jackie Vance.
"I honestly do not know what to believe, Ziva." Malachi said after a deep sigh.
"Is there any evidence against her?" Vance finally asked.
"The fact that she is sitting right in front of me. Ziva must be extremely lucky. She got out of there quickly. She fled the house. Had she stayed at that table…"
"She would have died." McGee finished for Malachi. Tony glanced at Ziva. She was pretending like the whole situation didn't affect her, but Tony knew better. Tony knew that she was hurting. She needed someone to reach out to, and he had every intention to be that someone.
"Ziva, I have known you for years, but I can't help think…"
"That I'm like Ari?" Ziva wondered.
"I remember how close you two were. You were the closest brother and sister I had ever seen. You two never argued, and he told you he loved you every day he could. He told you you're beautiful. Can you look me in the eye and tell me that you didn't have anything to do with Eli's death?"
"Yes." Ziva whispered.
"Then, for now, I trust you, but there's more I have to say." Malachi continued. Ziva kept staring at the door. It was so close, yet so far. Her mind was divided. Part of her wanted to run to that door and lock herself outside of it, and the other part of her wanted to listen to what Malachi had to say.
"Spit it out, Officer Ben-Gidon." Vance finally ordered after silence. He wanted to catch Bodnar so badly. Everyone in that conference room did. Although Team Gibbs had never personally liked Eli David, Jackie was an innocent, and anyone who could make Ziva sob and scream like she did, deserved to die.
"There's someone else at that dinner table who was supposed to die." All eyes in the room went to Director Vance.
"What does Bodnar want with me?" He asked angrily. Malachi smirked at Vance jumping to conclusions.
"Not you, Director Vance." Malachi turned his gaze towards the only woman in the room. The usual fearless, beautiful woman who suddenly looked like a vulnerable child. "You." He said to Ziva.
"What does he want with Ziva?" Gibbs asked.
"She's Eli David's daughter. She's valuable. She's worth something, and that's why I'm here-to protect her." Ziva looked up.
"NCIS can protect me. Thank you." She said.
"That is what you inherit from your father. You are so stubborn and prideful. That is how we know you are Eli David's daughter. Anyways, I am here to provide protection. NCIS can help with the protection detail, but I need you in a safe house, and I must be there with you." Malachi explained. Gibbs seemed to notice the concerned glances Tony was throwing at Ziva.
"I'm assigning an agent to be in the safe house with you and Ziva as well."
"Who?" Malachi asked.
"DiNozzo." Gibbs replied.
"I also hope to move Ziva to Israel." Malachi said.
"Like hell you will." Gibbs instantly stated. Tony smirked at how quickly Gibbs replied. Ziva was Gibbs' girl. The two of them had a special relationship that ran even deeper than the connection between Gibbs and Abby. Gibbs and Ziva just fit well.
"We will discuss this later, but Bodnar is in America right now. He is likely looking for Ziva. It is my job, with the help from Agent DiNozzo, to keep her safe. Do you have a safe house in mind we could use?" Malachi directed his question towards Vance who nodded.
"Yeah, I'll give you one." Vance stood up, and everyone else in the room stood up. McGee left first, then Vance, then Malachi, then Gibbs, and Tony pulled Ziva to the side before leaving. He looked her in the eye.
"How are you?" he asked. When her mouth began to form a word, he stopped her. "I swear if the word fine comes out of your mouth…" Ziva smiled a little as she looked into Tony's green eyes. They were filled with concern.
"You do not have to worry about me." She reassured him. He rolled his eyes.
"Well, you don't worry about yourself, so I gotta make up for it." He replied. She snickered. "Seriously, Ziva, how are you? Is there anything I can do?" he asked lovingly. Ziva was touched by how caring he could be when she needed him to be.
"I am feeling a little overwhelmed with everything that is going on, especially Malachi's visit. It brings unwanted memories. Just you being in that safe house is enough for me. I don't think I could take it if it was just me and Malachi. You know I don't fully trust him. I don't trust him nearly as much as I trust you." She explained sincerely.
"Okay." Tony whispered. He desperately wanted to hug her, but she obviously didn't want to be touched at the moment. He decided he would try to get that reassuring hug or hand on her shoulder sometime while they stayed at the safe house. "Hey, do you want to make a list of stuff I should pick up at your apartment because you can't really leave the building right now?" Ziva paused for a minute. "Ziva?" he asked.
"Is he really in America?" Ziva needed to hear the confirmation from Tony. She trusted him so much.
"Yeah." He said.
"You won't leave me and Malachi alone, will you?" she wondered. She almost looked scared. Almost. Memories from Somalia were probably going through her head at the moment, and that was the last thing Tony wanted for her. He wanted to calm her down and make her feel less stressed. So much for that.
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