Author's note: This is very AU. Basically, take Eli David's assassination out of season 10. The team still resigned, Ziva still returned to Israel and was attacked by the Brotherhood of Doubt, which means Tony did still go searching for her. And found her. And they still made their "connection". So, start after that.

Eli David had to admit, retirement was not such a bad thing. It was a rare state a Mossad director usually found himself in, but there was a bit of an optimist in him and he planned just in case the opportunity should arise.

Over the years, he had set up a network of locations in Europe for him to escape if need be. A flat in Amsterdam, a villa in Tuscany and a home in Monte Carlo, even though he had no taste for gambling. And he still did return to Israel. He would never permanently leave his homeland.

He had seen the necessity of going back after Orli had informed him of the attack on the home Ziva was staying at. He was reassured that she was safe, although her whereabouts were unknown for some time. He had sent his people, loyal to him from Mossad, to look for her, but they were largely unsuccessful. He was well aware that when Ziva didn't want to be found, she would not be.

Then an old family friend contacted him, told him that Ziva had been seen at the olive grove, as well as a young man. Eli asked for a description of the man, and sighed heavily when figured out who it was. Then he was told a few weeks later that Ziva was alone again. It was then that he made arrangements to go to her.

By the time he arrived, she was unwell. Withdrawn, sleepy and constantly nauseous, it had alarmed him at first. Then he realized what was wrong with her.

It was an afternoon after she had clung to the toilet that he decided to speak to her. "Does he know?" Eli asked.

Ziva turned to him, eyes narrowed, trying to playing dumb. It was not something any of his children had ever had an ability to do. "Does who know what?"

"Ziva, do not deny this to me. I know he was here with you! I may be retired, but I am not without my sources," he scolded.

Ziva bit her lip. "No," she said at last.

"You must go, tell him." It was a demand, but said as softly as possible.

Ziva shook her head. "No. We made a clean break. He understood my reasons for staying. I can't ask him to give up the things he loves."

"Even when one of those things is you?" It was a mere whisper, but one loud enough to hear.

It was a mirthless laugh that followed. "You want him to know? Abba, I know you have no taste for him. You have made it clear a number of times."

"He has a right to know," was all he replied.

She shook her head again, more vigorously this time. "No, let him live his life." When he began to protest again, she pointed at him, a dangerous expression on her face. "Swear on Tali's grave, you will not tell him."

Eli sighed, trying to merely nod an oath. Her face got stormier and he said at last, "On Tali's grave, I will not tell him."

Things got icy between the two of them after that. She knew he disapproved of keeping the secret, but he was aware how stubborn was could be, a trait she inherited from her mother, for sure. At last, he left for his European boltholes.

It still bothered him, her reticence to tell him. No, he did not have much taste for the man, but he had shown himself to be much more than his profile said he was. He had said as much to Leon when the NCIS director had called him to tell Eli Ziva had been rescued. He had hoped they would be able to. He had not so much left her to die, but Mossad could only operate so much without rousing the suspicions of Israel's enemies. The Americans had a wider latitude to act within.

Eli had told Leon to express his gratitude to Special Agent Gibbs, but had been shocked by Leon's response. "It's Agent DiNozzo who you should be thanking, sir. He was the force behind all of it. Even went up against me when I was making it look like my hands were tied."

"DiNozzo?" The name came out with more disgust than he had wanted.

He could see, in his mind's eye, the smirk Leon had to have had on his face as he continued. "He never believed that she was dead. Even if she was, he felt a duty to her memory to take out the son-of-bitch, which we did. And he set up the attack as well. Made sure he was in position to lead the SEALS right to the camp. And he did it, according to Agent McGee, in his typical style."

Eli translated that as him being a smartass, but it seemed to have worked. He thought on that again. He had told Ziva when she was younger that one day, she would dance with a man who deserved her. The former director of Mossad was as shocked at anything to think that that man would be Anthony DiNozzo.

Eli had sworn on his daughter's grave he would not tell DiNozzo about the pregnancy. But, he had left himself leeway in his vow to use other ways of letting the man know. It was after dinner and he was in his flat in Amsterdam, when he had called Liat before him. She and Malachi had left Mossad with him and now acted as his personal bodyguards, with Liat also giving off the appearance of being a personal assistant as well. When the young woman stood before him, he ordered, "Find me this man." He tossed a picture at her and she looked up at Eli with curiosity. But he didn't need to say anymore. She went about to locate him.

He was, rather conveniently, in Monte Carlo. The winter was just beginning and Eli's arthritis was acting up, so a trip to the South of France was a welcome respite. Using old friends Eli could count on in the DGSI, Eli was given his location as the Le Meridien. If his information was correct, it was a little out of the man's price range, but it was not Eli's place to question.

He sent Liat and Malachi to stake out the hotel and one night, they spotted their target going into the bar. Eli came immediately and found where his operatives were.

"He has been in there for about fifteen minutes. Has not moved from his table," Liat reported in Hebrew. Then, she raised her eyebrow, a hint of a smile on her face. "I can see where Tony's gets his good looks."

Eli threw a glare at her, but approached the table wordlessly, the two hanging back.

"May I join you?" he asked the seated man, who turned to him, a hint of recognition on his face.