Title: Blood Debt
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Up to 'Kill Ari' 1 & 2
Characters: Ziva, Gibbs
Archived: ffnet
Disclaimer: NCIS and all related characters, scenes, plotlines, etc. don't belong to me but the rest of this story does. Don't steal.
Warnings: AU, angst
Summary: Once upon a time, Ziva was Ari's control agent. What if she wasn't? What if the first time she heard of her brother's betrayal was when she was told of his death, at the hands of an NCIS agent? She'd want vengeance, that's what.

"You want me to tell you a story?"

Ziva glowers at the bound NCIS agent, this man who murdered her brother. She has killed before, many times, but this...THIS is personal. The only reason he is still alive and untortured is because research shows that Jenny has some sort of attachment to him. Ziva knows Jen; she would never get so close to a cold blooded killer.

But that pales in comparison to one simple fact: by his own admission, NCIS special agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs killed Ari Haswari.

Ziva pointedly clicks the safety off her gun and inches it closer to her captive's head. To his credit, he watches the movement without expression, not flinching even when the cold muzzle taps his forehead.

His gaze remains calm and unwavering, boring into her with uncomfortable intensity.

"What I want is for my brother to still be alive."

That gets a reaction; a subtle flinch when she says 'brother'. It might signify a weakness for her to exploit later in his questioning.

"Ari was your brother?"

"Yes. And now he is dead, by your hand. Is that not true?"

"Yes, it is true."

"Indeed." She pulls the gun away and circles his chair, leaning over to whisper in his ear.

"I want to know why my brother is dead, agent Gibbs. Why you would kill him and why he would let you."

"Why he would let me?"

She is grudgingly impressed by his resistance to her intimidation tactics; he keeps his emotions well hidden.

"Ari was a trained officer, Agent Gibbs. He would never have let you know of his presence, let alone his activities, and yet you knew both."

"You really have no idea, do you?"

His tone is slightly sad, slightly amused. She dislikes it instantly.

"No idea of what?"

He turns his head to meet her eyes and she lets him, feeling that something very important is about to pass.

"Ari was a traitor. I killed him because he threatened my team and was trying to kill me."

--

Jethro Gibbs watches the young woman blink in shock, eyes widening at the information but almost instantly narrowing again.

"You are lying."

The steel beneath her words would fool a lesser agent but he saw her moment of weakness and knows that he has scored a hit.

"No lie. Ari was also instrumental in the deaths of my wife and daughter."

"Ari would not kill for no reason."

"Do you really believe that?"

She glares angrily at him for a moment, and then stalks out of the room, turning off the lights and locking the door on her way out. It is a basic interrogation tactic, removal of control; one that Gibbs himself has used many times. He does not bother to pull against the ropes on his ankles or the chains on his wrists. And they are chains, not handcuffs; he can feel the difference.

For some reason, Gibbs can not think of this young woman as a terrorist. She is one, undeniably, but there is something vulnerable underneath the danger, something his gut is telling him to protect. Something young and afraid.

Something he had severely damaged by killing Ari.

--

Later

--

"You killed my brother."

"Yes, I did."

"Do you regret it?"

"I dealt with a threat to my team." His voice is flat but a hint of regret creeps in as he continues. "I'm sorry that threat was your brother."

Ziva lowers her head, taking deep breaths to keep herself from crying before she looks up and meets his eyes again.

"So am I."

Author's Notes:

This is part of a story I never got around to writing. Despite its incomplete form, I couldn't seem to make myself delete it and I didn't want it to vanish into the recesses of my 2009 folder (I wrote it sometime last year or the year before). Therefore, I posted it as a drabble.

I'm kinda nervous about this one; it's my first venture into the NCIS fandom.

I hope you liked it!

Please R&R - constructive criticism is always welcome.

(PS. Please forgive the overly dramatic title. As a drabble, it had no title so I just used the first thing that came to mind X3 I think it works)