The First Hanukkah
Ziva David fidgeted nervously while waiting for Ducky and Abby to arrive in the bullpen. She had requested that the whole team meet her there. She just wasn't certain that it was still such a great idea.
The elevator dinged and Abby stepped out with Ducky and Palmer. They hurried to the bullpen, Abby in knots of worry. Ziva NEVER called a bullpen meeting. Something must be terribly wrong.
"What's wrong, Ziva?" she asked, deep concern lacing her voice.
Ziva immediately felt guilty. She knew how sensitive, how caring and loving this Goth was. "Abby, no, nothing is wrong. I just wanted to...I mean...Give me a minute."
Ziva was silent for quite a while, even though she could easily sense Gibbs impatience bubbling under the surface. After a long while, she began in the most quiet of voices. "I have no family in the States. Eli is not my family anymore after what he put me through. He may be my Abba, but in name only. I have no blood family and at this time of year it can be particularly trying. I have the celebration of Hanukkah, that I have not celebrated since my mother and then my sister, Tali, died. It is a family holiday." She broke off, blinking unexpected tears from her eyes and their huskiness from her voice. "Hanukkah is all about family. I think, now, that I have one not of my lineage, but of my heart. You are my family now, I think. Will you come to my place before sundown on Thursday for the first night of Hanukkah?"
"Of course we will!" Abby squealed before enveloping Ziva in a bear hug. "Happy Hanukkah!"
"Thank you, Abby!" Ziva said softly so the tears wouldn't fall.
Ducky's arms encircled her next. "Yes, of course, my dear. I'd be delighted."
The tears were so much closer now. She didn't realise how much exactly this meant to her. "Ducky."
McGee agreed, happy to bring the wine and Tony gave her a tiny kiss on the head saying that he'd be there. Finally there was Gibbs, the only person in the world she now looked to as her Abba, her father. That he was her boss was of no consequence. So had been Eli. Only Gibbs would never leave her for dead, ever. He was what she always wished her father could have been. Her eyes begged for him to come.
Gibbs hugged her, knowing how hard the request was for her and how much she actually placed on the line. He placed a kiss in her hair. "Wouldn't miss it."
Gibbs had given her the day off, although she argued against it. She busied herself with getting the Challah and Sufganiot (lovely jelly-filled donuts), she bought a brisket days ago and brined it so it would bake up nicely. She bought rutabegas to braise and massive amounts of salmon to sear in a hot pan with rosemary and garlic. She was anticipating the lovely latkes she was going to fry up. Ziva realised that she was excited for Hanukkah for the first time in almost 20 years. She was so unbelievably happy.
The meat was cooking and the salmon already done and being kept warm. Ziva set each place with her best plates and decorated everything in blue and white, each plate with a small bundle of Hanukkah gelt o the plate. Blue and white Italian lights twinkled merrily in her dining room. Her menorah, the one that her mother had owned, sat in a place of honor in the middle of the table.
The doorbell rang.
"Hi Ziva!" McGee said with a smile on his face. It was clear that he was out of his element. He held up a bottle of wine. "I hope this is okay. It was in the Kosher section and-"
McGee cut off as Ziva gave him a hug. "Shalom. It will be fine. Do not worry yourself. Have something to eat while I finish the latkes. It is not all Kosher. This is all for my family. You do not keep Kosher, so I should accommodate. Dinner is Kosher."
McGee looked at the elaborate spread that Ziva managed to turn out. "Wow, Ziva, I mean I know you're a great cook, but WOW! These are amazing!"
A bright smile lit her face. "I had hoped they would be enjoyed. I will put your wine on ice."
One by one the team arrived, all bearing gifts, all Kosher in respect of Ziva's heritage. Her heart felt so full, fuller than she could ever remember it being in her entire life. Tears of joy threatened to fall at any second. She gathered herself. "Everyone, it is almost sundown. We need to gather at the table."
The team gathered in silent anticipation. For the first time anyone had ever seen, Ziva covered her hair. "I am not a married woman, but I am head of my own household. In that way I cover my hair in respect to God. I will light the Menorah."
Ziva took the lighter and took the high, center candle and lit it. "Baruch a-toh A-do-noi, E-lo-hai-nu. Melech Ha-olom A-sher Kid-sho-nu, E'mitz-vo-sov. Vi-tzi-vo-nu Le-had-lik Ner Shel Hanukkah." She lit the first candle and only that.
Her soft voice was the only sound in the room and even Tony was at a loss for words. The weight of history covered them like a soft blanket of snow. Ziva had done something she had never fully done before. She had let them in all the way. It was not lost on anyone.
"That was beautiful, Ziva," Ducky breathed. "I have heard you speak Hebrew before, but never with such reverence."
"Thank you, Ducky." Ziva said with a blush painting her cheeks. "Please, let us eat. It is Hanukkah and we should rejoice."
"So why is there Hanukkah?" Tony asked.
"Well, it was because of the Maccabees," Ziva said simply. When she got looks of confusion from everyone, she decided to play storyteller. "Many centuries ago the Temple in Jerusalem was seized by the Syrian-Greeks and was defiled as they used it for their own Gods. In the reign of the Syrian-Greek King Antiochus it was made being an observant Jew a thing that was punishable by death. We were made to worship Gods not our own. They made us eat the flesh of a pig. It was humiliating. It was a genocide of a sort. Slowly a resistance began. A High Priest, Matthias and his family resisted. When the Greek soldiers began killing the Jews, Matthias and his family went into hiding. Other Jews joined them. They became the tribe known as the Maccabees. Once this tribe was strong enough to overthrown the Greeks, they did and took back the Temple in Jerusalem. Once it was cleaned of all defilement, it was discovered that there was only enough of the sacred oil to burn for one night. It would take seven more nights to fetch more sacred oil from far away. They lit that lamp anyway and prayed for a miracle. The light lasted through the night and all the next day and that night and the day after that. That light stayed for eight whole days and nights until the new oil could be brought. This is why we celebrate Hanukkah. It is a season of miracles and of light in the darkness." Ziva said, seeing wonder in the eyes of her new family. "It is a season for family and for miracles."
Tony spoke up, his voice soft. "You're our family and our miracle, Ziva. We're lucky we have you."
"Told ya we're family," Gibbs said, ducking his head in emotion.
Abby threw out her arms and hugged Ziva tightly. "That was so beautiful! You opened your home and heart to us. I love you so much right now."
"I love you, too, Abby, but I think, after the story, we should eat before things go cold. If you think this is something, then I will have to have everyone over for Pesach."