Thank you so, so much for the feedback I've already gotten from this! I'm overwhelmed by how much I've received since posting this just this afternoon.

Chapter 2

There was no way Tony was going to be able to focus on his work until Ziva and Liora came back to the bullpen. The girl had told Tom she needed to speak to Ziva for personal reasons. Perhaps she was an old friend of Ziva's, or a cousin even. Tony tried to hope for the best, but almost every time someone from Israel came to NCIS, Ziva got hurt. The elevator dinged and Tony looked up, hoping to see the two Israeli women. Instead, Gibbs stormed out of the elevator, followed closely by McGee.

"Late again DiNozzo," Gibbs said as he sat down at his desk.

"Sorry boss," Tony replied. "I was helping Tom with a situation at the checkpoint. An Israeli woman, you know how difficult they can be sometimes."

"Mossad?" Gibbs asked, concerned. McGee also gave Tony a worried look.

Tony shook his head. "Said she wasn't. Gut tells me she was telling the truth. Said her name is Liora. She's young. Late teens maybe. Early twenties at the most."

Just then, Ziva and Liora returned to the bullpen. From one quick glance, Tony could tell that they had both been crying, however, they also looked relieved, happy even.

"I would like to have a word with the whole team," Ziva announced. "Perhaps in Abby's lab?" Everyone nodded and began to head down. Gibbs called autopsy to tell Ducky and Palmer to meet them in the lab.

The elevator ride was uncomfortable to say the least. Everyone had a million questions, but they didn't dare ask until Ziva explained everything. Tony could practically feel the nervousness radiating from Ziva and Liora. He reached out and grabbed Ziva's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She gave him a small nod and a half smile that he had learned to interpret as an offering of thanks.

When they arrived at the lab, Abby, Ducky, and Palmer were already waiting for them. Abby ran up to them immediately and offered her hand to Liora, introducing herself enthusiastically. The team gathered around Ziva and Liora, waiting for whatever explanation Ziva had to offer.

"I have told some of you before, in jest, that my first time was in the back of a weapons carrier," Ziva started, causing Palmer to blush. "I was fourteen. It was my first mission, a joint mission between IDF and Mossad. My friend and I, we knew there was a good chance that we would die on this mission, and we didn't want to die virgins. I found out a few weeks later that I was pregnant."

Abby gasped. She couldn't believe that Ziva had been pregnant and hadn't told her. However, she knew that if she had wanted to talk about it, Ziva would have. Tony too felt a little slighted. Ziva is his partner and he thought that she would be able to trust him with anything.

Ziva continued. "Eli wanted me to have an abortion, but I refused. I never expected to live long enough to have children, but that had never stopped me from dreaming about it. Eli started training me from a young age, but I continued to dream, somewhere in the back of my mind, of a wedding and children.

"Obviously, it was earlier than anyone would want to have a child, but for once in my life, I thought maybe my dream could come true. However, Eli had other plans. He knew how much the baby meant to me, so the day after I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Eli ripped her out of my arms and gave her to some other family. It broke my heart to know that my baby, my child, was out there somewhere and there was no way for me to reach out to her. Throughout my career at Mossad, I was able to deal with everything I did by telling myself that what I was doing might be keeping my baby girl safe. Everyday I wished for the chance to see my daughter just one more time, and I am so happy that all of you, my true family, could be here for that day. Everyone, this is Liora."

Abby squealed and ran over, giving Ziva a hug before turning her attention to Liora and capturing her in a bone-crushing hug.

"Abby, let her breathe," McGee joked. The team chuckled while Abby apologized profusely.

Liora chuckled. "You do not need to apologize Abby. My mother was a firm believer in constant signs of affection." Liora then realized what she had said and turned to Ziva. "I am sorry. I mean, my other, um, my adoptive - "

"You do not need to apologize," Ziva interrupted. "She raised you. She was your mother."

"What happened to her?" Ducky asked softly. He didn't want to intrude or pry, however he was curious, and a tad suspicious, of Liora's reasons for seeking Ziva out now.

"She died about a month ago," Liora answered. "Cancer." Liora accepted his condolences along with those offered by the rest of the team.

"Gibbs, if you don't mind, I would like very much to take Liora home."

"Of course Ziva," Gibbs replied. "Take tomorrow off too. Get to know each other." Liora and Ziva both smiled their thanks and headed out. As she walked by, Gibbs grabbed Ziva's arm. "I'm glad one of us got the chance to see our daughter again," he whispered in her ear. He looked over at Liora. "She's beautiful, just like her mother." Ziva could feel her eyes beginning to water. She smiled and nodded, leaning up to give Gibbs a kiss on the cheek before leaving with Liora.

What do you guys think? Good? Bad? Is there anything I should try differently, or anything you would like to see happen? I have about half of the next chapter done. So I'll put that up as soon as I finish (hopefully tomorrow).

Thanks for reading!