Hello, sorry for such a delay on this story. I started college so I have been really busy with that, so I couldn't keep up with Athena. But I hope to from now on. We have hopefully figured something out that will make it easier for us to post the chapters!
Thank you all for the favorites/follows/reviews we really appreciate it.
-A&J
After Ziva and Gibbs emotions were in check, mostly Ziva. Gibbs pulled out a stool for Ziva and for himself.
"So," Gibbs said breaking the silence first as he was filled two jars of bourbon. "Where have you been all this time? We hadn't heard anything for you...not phone call, not even email," he continued, passing a jar of bourbon to Ziva.
"Thank you," she offered him a soft smile as she sat. "Well I stayed in Israel for a while. Then I started to travel. I went to see Monique in Colombia. She needed help with the kids down there so I thought that I were I was needed. After that I went back to Israel because Aunt Nettie got sick, but she is better now. And now the bombs are happening and I came home," she shrugged.
"It has been horrible without you, kid. And the bombing made it even worst, because we didn't know if you were okay," Gibbs said
She nodded. "Yes it has been. I volunteered in the Israeli Army…" Gibbs raised his eyebrow with interest. Which made Ziva chuckle a little, "no, Gibbs, I was not a solider. We transported food to the soldiers, tried to take care of their injuries, but nothing more. I haven't had gun in my hand for two years. Since the Parsa case to be exact," She stood up and started walking around the basement. "I started traveling again, but not to help people or anything. I went back to the places where I went the summer I stayed in Israel."
"And what made you come home, Ziver?" Gibbs asked.
"You... All of you... My family... Maybe my biological family is dead but I still have you... You said to me that night I called you and told you that I decided to stay in Israel, that as much as it hurts, you respected my decision and that your door is always open, right?" she asked. "Now, before you ask, Gibbs," she sighed "I am going to be honest with you. I am not 100 percent healed. I still have to deal with some situations."
"Ziva, you know that the door is always open. Not just with me but with all of us," he said as he reached across the sanding table to pat her arm.
Ziva smiled with appreciation, "so, enough talking about me. How is everyone? How is the team and your father?" She asked.
"The team is fine. My father, he is uh…" His voice cracked and his smile faded, "my father died a year after you left."
"Oh, Gibbs, I am sorry. I did not know, if had I would have..." Gibbs cut her off.
"Hey it's okay. I know you needed to this for you," he said calmly.
After a couple of moments of silence, Gibbs was the first one to break it. With the answer to Ziva's question she did not dare to ask because she did not know how. But of course Gibbs knew what his former agent was thinking and answered the unspoken question.
"He's fine you know," Gibbs said with a slight smirk.
"Who?" Ziva asks with confusion
"You know, Ziver. Dinozzo," he said without even thinking what her reaction might be.
Ziva got upset with just the mention of his name.
"The first time," Gibbs looked at her and continued, "was pretty hard for him to cope with your absence, but after a little time the pain started to ease a bit, but it was still obvious," Gibbs stopped, thinking that maybe she would say something but she didn't say a word. "The past year he tried to move on," that caught Ziva's attention. She was right. She was too late, but did she expect for him to wait forever for her to find herself? Of course, she want him to wait, because of the way they left things that night in Tel Aviv, where he tried to convince her to come back with him until the very last second, and her she still refused him. But she guessed if she thought about it, her refusing him, even after the kiss that meant so much to her, he thought that it was the beginning and the end of them, so he really thought he needed to move on.
"However, no matter how hard he has tried to get over you, he can't and won't," Ziva was ready to argue that fact, but Gibbs stopped her, "Ziva, listen, I don't want to know what happened between you and Tony in Israel, but whatever it was, it was strong enough for Tony to actually try a relationship, which lasted only two months."
'Of course, typical Tony,' Ziva thought.
Gibbs sensed that she was starting to get uncomfortable, so he change the subject.
"So you're living in hotel, right?"
"Well, I am renting an apartment, but I was informed by my lawyer that before Eli died, he bought me a house in Georgetown, hoping one day I would get marry and settled down. It is pretty ironic, yes?" Ziva said with a sarcastic smile.
"It's never too late, Ziva. What are you going to do about a job?" Gibbs asked.
"I do not know," she shrugged
"Ziver, if you want to come I'm sure Le…" She cut him off before he was even able to finish Vance's name.
"No, no that would be like I am returning to my old life," she shook her head.
"Ziva, please listen to me. Being an NCIS agent has nothing to do with your past at Mossad," he tried to counter.
"Yes I know but…" he cut her off before she could say no.
"Please, just try it out and if it doesn't work, you can leave. And just know that there is always place for you to our team," he said with a soft smile.
Ziva kissed Gibbs' cheek, "thank you, Gibbs for everything."
"Anytime, Kid. Now go get some sleep, Ziver. I'll be waiting for you tomorrow at 10:00 am precisely in the bull-pen," he nodded towards the stairs.
"Goodnight, Gibbs," Ziva said as she headed up the stairs, "and thank you again."
After he was sure that Ziva was gone he sighed contently, with a smile on his face. His 'family' was finally whole again and he couldn't be happier.
