Comfort Zone

Comfort. The ability to console or bring relief, a feeling of relief in an affliction… it was a pretty word but the meaning could be meaningless at times. What kind of word was it when there is a grief that places a shadow over everything? For a grief that is too great to put into words? Sometimes silence was a better gauge; what was not said often told more than what was being said.

Ray studied the dark haired Ziva as he kneeled by the body of Eli David. He watched as she cried her heart out. The scream was still in his ears. The last time he heard that cry of anguish, it came from a terrified nine year old girl who witnessed her family's murder. It had cut to the core then and it did now making it hard to keep in his own pain both physical and emotional.

The trip hadn't really been planned but Ziva had made a convincing case and in all honesty, he wanted to see her again. He made arrangements to stay for at least a week and that was after explaining things to Nila, flew out to DC and they met. Then Eli David showed up and without escort, a surprise when he and Ziva finished a workout at her gym. He had his own moment with Eli after he talked to Ziva and that was an interesting conversation.

Eli had always called him the 'boy agent' in his heavy accent and Ray never bothered to set the record straight since he was really not a kid anymore. So it sort of broke the ice between them and allowed Eli to say his piece. Ziva hadn't been happy about it and Ray did his best to reassure her that it was nothing serious.

Of course it was serious when he, Ziva, Gibbs and Vance walked in Eli's hotel room to find him and an old friend from Palestine. Ray never gave the impression that he was up to date on things going on in the world but due to habit and his job, he always tried to keep up with current political climates around the world since Vance had changed his workload and had called him into play a couple of times. Seeing traditional enemies in the same room sharing olives was somewhat strange but then he was no stranger to that.

Eli had spoken of redemption and creating a better future. It certainly was a good idea but Ray knew better and certainly Ziva did. She had paced at his place muttering in Hebrew as if trying to figure out what Eli's motives really were. Even Ray had to wonder if it was coincidence or if he was being spied upon by Eli. His experience with Mossad operatives was a hodgepodge of good and bad experiences and kept him in a state of some suspicion. It was moot since he focused more on Ziva at the time.

Even though he wasn't Jewish, Ziva asked him to come to Shabbat. Maybe it was a need for a buffer but it didn't matter. He would be there and he suspected that Eli wanted to see him again. He went and met them there since the Mini Cooper was a tight fit for three people. He knew how upset Ziva was since she discovered that Eli had killed their dead reporter and could sense the hurt when she grasped his hand and squeezed.

His reaction was to raise his hand as he grasped hers and rub it with his free hand. It was a comforting gesture that had been noticed by Eli but thankfully he said nothing. He did get a squeeze on the shoulder as they were prepared to eat. The tension was palpable and it existed mostly between Ziva and Eli. It was inevitable when Ziva got up from the table and marched out like she was prepared to kill someone.

He had followed naturally after excusing himself and stood by silently while she dialed Gibbs. The next few moments happened fast as machine gun fire erupted. His first instinct was to pull Ziva down with him as he hit the deck and pulled out his Sig. Ziva had hers out too and they pursued the suspect and were joined by Gibbs. The guy killed himself and they went back to Vance's home and…

Ray looked at Eli and then Ziva sobbing, holding onto her father, trying to will him back to life. He kneeled opposite the man and rested his left on his knee and kept back the wince. He had been hit in the exchange but didn't say a word about it. Looking at Eli, Ray started to say a prayer in Hebrew. It was the best he could think of and it felt right.

It helped since the crew had to process the scene and he was able to convince Ziva to step back but not leave. He said in a low whisper as they watched, "I know you're angry Ziv. You can take it out on me."

It sounded stupid but Ray would rather take punishment from her anger than someone else who was doing what they were supposed to be doing. He could handle it. He put his good arm around her shoulders and occasionally directed attention to something. Finally they were able to move Eli's body. Ziva had turned and clutched him tight. The movement was unexpected and so was her grasping of his left hand. He couldn't help but flinch and when she saw the blood trickling down his fingers…

~0~0~

"Were you going to ignore it like the last time?" Her voice was laced with tears as well as anger and he knew what it was for.

Ray looked at Ziva and then the bloodstained gauze wrapped around his left arm. His jacket was on the gurney he had been made to sit on in emergency and his shirt sleeve had been ripped off. He looked back at her and replied, "I didn't think about it."

"Right because the job is important," Ziva replied shooting back his excuse when he sought her out on their first case together.

"Ziv, I didn't think about it because at the moment you were my priority," Ray replied. "I had to make sure you were all right and… you didn't need this at the moment." He gestured towards his arm. "Ziv, you are my priority."

Ziva couldn't help but start bursting into tears again. She replied in watery Hebrew, "He is dead. Abba is dead." The tears were starting to pour.

Ray reached out with his good arm and tugged on her arm to pull her close. This time she was a bit more careful but she melted into his embrace and sobbed. His head was over her shoulder and he gave a reassuring nuzzle. He muttered in Hebrew, "It's all right. I know."

"Mrs. Vance?"

Ray had requested an update and had texted Tim to let him know what the status on Vance's wife was. "Still in surgery," he replied. He felt her hug him harder and out of habit, he used his bandaged arm to stroke Ziva's hair in a comforting gesture.

"Abba."

The voice was muffled but pained. Ray just listened to her say things half in English and half in Hebrew with a bit of Yiddish. She didn't let go of him and he didn't mind. She was grieving and sometimes it was best to just be there. It allowed him to recall his and Eli's conversation.

"I know you do not want to trust me and I do not blame you for it, boy agent. The few times I called you for help, it was… not a benefit to you." Eli looked at Ray with a slight apologetic look but it was supplemented by a look that said he didn't regret much.

"I was pissed about that favor I gave you. Just because I have contacts doesn't mean that I'm not culpable." Ray looked out at the landscape trying not to lash out.

"It is a little late to ask forgiveness but I wish to ask something of you. It is not anything of a usual nature," Eli started. He hesitated a moment as if he were afraid that Ray would refuse to listen to him on the spot.

Ray sighed. It was probably a bad idea but he knew that Eli was not entirely emotionless. "What do you want?"

"It is Ziva."

"Eli…"

"I know you care about her. You did when you were children," Eli countered. He had held up his hand to stop Ray from interrupting. "I just want you to do what you have been doing. You are a good friend to her."

It had been the father appealing to someone he knew who could be trusted with his precious treasure. Ray looked down and saw that Ziva's tears had started to subside. His shoulder was a little wet but that was a small price to pay. Looking in the direction of where they would have taken Mrs. Vance, he thought about the repercussions that were going to follow.

"What am I going to do? I lost everyone."

Ray directed his attention to Ziva. He had her straighten out so he could look her in the eye. He put a hand to the side of her face. "Hey. You're not alone Z. You have me. I'm not leaving. I'll be there for you."

Comfort was the relieving of pain and sadness. Ray knew that he hadn't taken away her sorrow but he had relived it slightly. He saw in her eyes that she was relieved that he wasn't going anywhere. Comfort was a pretty word but it contained a lot within the gestures and words that it could encompass and he showed it as he gave a gentle kiss to Ziva's forehead. It was a long road now but he will be there.

A/N: Just a thought that wouldn't go away after watching Shabbat Shalom. Peaceful Sabbath... sadly that didn't happen. Read and enjoy.