Passing Through the Night
Say the blessing Ziva. Show our new friend Shabbat.
Ziva remembered when she was a little girl and her father Eli would ask her to say the Shabbat blessing. She remembered it when she sat in the synagogue questioning her faith. She had spent her tears then but then she was angry. She wanted revenge. She wanted her father back. Now he was dead and she was taking him home to Israel.
Show our new friend Shabbat.
Ziva glanced over to her left at the man sitting there, silent and looking dead to the world but she knew better. She had seen him spring into action with serious injuries. He had taken a shot to the arm and didn't say a word until she bumped it. She watched as he seemed engrossed with the book that was on his lap and she gave a slight smile.
Ziva, you do know each other. Do you not remember when you were children?
Show our new friend Shabbat.
Ziva looked at the man sitting beside her. She remembered the first time they met but that was when she was Mossad and he was an American who had stumbled onto trouble. She had forgotten until he said something and she remembered. Shmiel said that they had met before and he was the same as he was then and that he cared about Eli too. There were questions she wanted to ask but didn't mostly out of respect and currently she was still mourning but he was still there.
It is a long flight, Ziva. Do not be afraid to talk to him. He grieves too.
The last part made up Ziva's mind. She decided to do a test. She remembered the Shabbat that she kept remembering. She had said a special blessing that night with encouragement from her father. She looked at her companion and said it loud enough for him to hear. She was surprised but not surprised when he said not only the appropriate response but he replied the same way he did then. She switched to English, "It was you."
Ray looked up from his book and placed the marker he had carefully in it. "It was me what?" He wasn't asking to be funny since his somber expression was serious and didn't carry any trace of humor. He studied Ziva and waited for her response.
"You were the little boy at Shabbat," Ziva replied. "Your response was the same."
She had Ray's full attention and he replied, "Of course it was the same. You said the blessing for me."
It was rather… words couldn't describe the feeling. She glanced over at Shmiel who was dozing but it looked like he had a smug look on his face. She looked back at Ray who was still looking at her as if he were expecting a barrage of questions but he was prepared to answer them. He then said, "Ziv, I do remember. I just didn't say anything even when I put the pieces together and I knew how you felt before this about your father which was why I didn't say anything beyond that it was a father protecting his daughter act when we spoke."
Ziva considered it for a moment. Ray had always been considerate of others even when they were on the job. He liked to play fair and was willing to take the fall for mistakes made.
"Besides, I didn't think you'd remember that. At least you can say you saved my butt."
It was true that she didn't remember that Shabbat until Eli's death. She felt a bit guilty about that but looking at Ray she saw that he wasn't going to hold it against her. "And you saved mine," she replied softly. She looked out the window at the clouds go by as the plane hummed its way towards Israel.
"Your father saved my life."
Ziva looked back at Ray. It was rare that he volunteered information freely. She discovered though that when he did that, it was his way of getting someone else to talk especially if they were reluctant. It took two times before she realized that. She replied, "What do you mean?"
Ray stretched slightly in his seat and explained, "I guess I was maybe twelve at the time and my family decided to go to Israel. Mother wanted to see Jerusalem and Father… partially business then. Mother was walking through the suq and I got lost."
Ziva found that a bit hard to believe since Ray spoke Hebrew, Arabic, Farsi and a few others with ease. She grew more curious and asked, "How?"
"Little boys," Ray offered. "Anyway, I wandered to a dangerous part of the city. I think I was close to the Palestinian side and it was easy to tell that I was American. It was not the best experience and I was scared. Then I was stopped by a Jewish man who asked me where I was going. We talked a bit and the man decided to take me to his home and contact the consulate and try to find my family. I met his family but the one who made me feel the most welcome was his pride and joy, Ziva. The man's name was Eli."
Ziva thought about it some. It sounded strange to her. She remembered how her father had made it seem when he brought the boy home.
Eli opened the door. Shabbat was to begin soon. Ziva raced to see her father and was surprised to see him usher in a boy that looked like he had been playing in the streets. She looked up at her father.
Eli smiled at Ziva and said, "Ziva, this is a new friend who got lost. Make him feel welcome."
Ziva nodded and smiled at the boy and introduced herself…
Ziva smiled at the memory. Shabbat had followed after that and she remembered now that she was surprised that Ray had been able to follow what was being said. That was when she gave the special blessing. "Do you think it was coincidence?"
"Do you?" Ray had been watching her reaction. He knew she was deep in thought and left her to it. He meant what he said that he would be there. "Is it coincidence that after we left Eli checked up on me every now and then?"
"He checked on you?"
"Letters to my parents in the beginning along with a puzzle for me," Ray supplied, "Later I was invited to a trip to Israel with a religious studies group. He sought me out there. College I would get letters. He even offered advice to me. Always in Hebrew since I needed the practice."
Ziva had never heard this before. She covered, "As if you needed it."
Ray looked at Ziva. He could tell that Eli David had not revealed all his secrets. He had his reasons for it and even he couldn't understand them fully but he got the whole best intentions thing. It was how anyone acted who cared about someone. "Eli was many things Ziv. Even I've been angry with him for certain things but I do know that he loved you. I wasn't kidding when I said you were his pride and joy. When we were kids, you were happy. Moments like those are important." He paused and then went back to his book.
Ziva was left alone with her thoughts. She had been angry with her father yes for many things. Mostly it was the ulterior motive thing. Deep down though, she still loved her father. She had kept remembering that Shabbat and others like it. Was it a coincidence that they would meet again? Suspicion said that Eli had ulterior motives by checking up on Ray like making him an asset…
Ziva felt the sleeve of her coat brushed. She looked down and noticed a folded piece of paper. She looked to see Ray holding it out to her. Slowly she took it and opened it. It was a letter written in Hebrew. It was her father's handwriting. She read slowly and saw what Eli had written about her to Ray and she recognized the word puzzle. She had asked her father about solving it and he said that he would have to ask a friend. Eli had also written about the family and even offered advice about a problem. This though was a fairly recent letter and she could see her father's hopes and dreams. He really had meant what he said.
Folding the letter carefully she made to hand it back but was stopped. She held it in her hand. She could agree that Eli David was many things but he was always her father. She looked over at the man who reminded her of that and was able to be grateful that he was there like he said he would be. She felt a warmth, the warmth he always brought even when he was being foolish and pigheaded. She could do this, give the eulogy and do what she knew she had to do. It wasn't just an obligation. Eli David was her father and she would always remember that. It was in her thoughts as she picked up Ray's hand and held it in a gentle squeeze as the plane passed through the night into Israel.
A/N: Just some thoughts on the plane trip back to Israel. Read and review and enjoy.