Welcome to my new story.

I always loved scenes which contain some interaction of Ziva and Eli David. Unfortunately there aren't many in the show but some of them are fantastic and some are… not. Especially the reconciliation in Enemies domestic is much too fast and smooth for my liking. So I decided to write some more about their troubled father-daughter-relationship.

However the story starts way before it, in 7.04 Good Cop Bad Cop

English isn't my first language, I hope you will forgive my spelling mistakes or struggle with the right tenses (why can't it be easy…)

Of course, nothing is mine, I don't own NCIS

Have fun

"Ziva paced up and down in the empty room, around the table, casting sideward glances at the surveillance cameras. She hated waiting, hated being here. What exactly did they want from her?"

After Somalia, Ben-Gidon fails his mission to bring Ziva back to Israel and Director Eli David is not pleased. So he orders him to "bring Ziva home" with or without her consent. Starts in 7x04

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Of Homes and Families

Prolog

Two kinds of family, Ziver. One of them you can choose.

Gibbs whispered words still hung in the air.

Before, when she sat opposite of her former partner Malachi Ben-Gidon, feeling numb and hollow, hearing his accusation – hearing her father's voice through him – and knowing exactly what he wanted to achieve with it had made her feel like drowning. How could he…? The desperate incomplete question was all her defeated mind was able to formulate. Gone was her fury, her fire. How could he, indeed.

It took a load off her mind when she finally understood her team did not give up on her. They fought for her and saved her again. She did not have to go back with Malachi. To Mossad. To her father.

Ziva also understood it was Gibbs' way of apologizing without vocalizing. She knew he regretted accusing her of killing her brother on orders, only to gain his trust. It hurt deeply, after four years of working together Gibbs still thought her capable of doing so. And yet… she had been another woman that time, fiercer, deadlier, more manipulative and less considerate. Maybe Gibbs had thought her capable because he knew her so well.

Telling him about her… experience was Gibbs' condition for her return and deep inside she knew he was right. Still she tried to recount only a minimum of the bare facts however with Gibbs opposite of her and under his gaze she found herself revealing more of her feelings than she originally intended.

She still felt a deep gratitude that he didn't ask about the time after Saleem's men overpowered her. Ziva wouldn't want to oppose Gibbs, not after what he had done for her, but she wasn't sure if she was even able to verbalize it.

He had declared her off-limits. He had forgiven her. She was home again.

Getting up slowly she turned to leave the room, only to be pulled in a bone-crushing hug by Abby who waited outside. The sudden movement made her flinch, but she calmed quickly, knowing Abby needed this hug probably more than anyone else. And it felt so good especially after the latest betrayal of her biological family.

They did not share any words just walked silently towards the bullpen. Ziva slipped behind her desk, Abby moved to the wall leaning against it. McGee was smiling warmly, and Tony's face still displayed his joy about the triumph over Ben-Gidon.

Gibbs glanced around. "Go home, Ziva. It was a long day. You all go home."

"I am fine Gibbs" she replied automatically, rejecting 'nice Gibbs'.

"Wasn't a request, David."

oOo

Their first case after Ben-Gidon left was a dead marine who loved Halloween and other jokes too much. It resulted in an overly embarrassed stepdaughter who thought she could frame her mother for the murder. Her plan to break free from parental restrictions on money and behavior failed as the team discovered the truth.

Ziva knew Gibbs watched her closely, especially in the beginning when they didn't know yet where the case was leading them. She appreciated and resented it to equal parts and was determined to do her best to prove to him and to herself that she could handle criminal investigation and that she could move on with her life.

Still, the whole team was extra careful around her, avoiding double meanings and allusions to violence or captivity. Of course, Tony couldn't resist teasing her endlessly with the new probie status and soon-to-be citizen of the USA, but he watched her closer than before to see how she reacted and always stopped as soon as it turned to the reason for all the changes. Sometimes he succeeded, reestablishing some normality like it was before this dreadful summer, sometimes it led to an awkward moment as everyone fell silent and Ziva couldn't manage looking at them.

The days went on. Finally, being a real agent – probie, Tony didn't get tired to remind her – not just visitor or Mossad-Liason, Ziva enjoyed her new role and the security and control of her future that came with the job. She never realized how much it had bothered her to be always depended on the agreement of her father, always knowing he could terminate her work in D.C. any time.

Two weeks ago, shortly after she started working with NCIS again however strictly on desk duty, Director Vance had called her upstairs to his office to inform her Eli David was online in the video conference room and requested to talk to her. Ziva had refused. She would need to speak to him eventually but not now and definitely not as long as he was using Vance to make her talk to him. Besides forgetting her in Somalia and sending her former partner to burn her, he had not come for her – or even phone – in the hospital, obviously his wish to see her couldn't be overly strong. The thought was bitter. He could bloody well wait until she felt ready to see him.

oOo

After another long day at work, it was just after 8pm and already dark, Ziva finally returned to her new apartment, the one Abby had organized for her. After their return from Somalia and the unpleasant stopover in the hospital – her team and the doctors had allied and forced her to stay – NCIS had organized a temporary place for her in the Navy Lodge. One day, Abby had rushed inside, ultra-exited from too much caffeine, a set of keys swirling in her hands.

Now Ziva was searching for precisely the same keys as tall dark figure appeared out of nowhere, approached quickly and stepped right into her personal space. Instantly her body went stiff, hand reached for the knife, but she was to slow. The figure put her in a choke hold and pressed a rag to her face. Panic overwhelmed her as she fought and kicked and tried to scream. Then her head went dizzy, she rapidly loosed consciousness and everything went black.

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