Wow, you guys are so great! I really appreciate all your thoughts.
Quick answer: This is recent-Ziva staying in Israel after Bodnar, not Rivkin. I can understand why that's confusing, but hopefully the writing will be clearer as well! Onward, march!
Chapter 2
She Owes Me One
"How long has he been staring at the elevator?"
McGee breaks his gaze for the first time to double take at Abby, who's eyeing Tony with nothing short of pity. McGee fights the urge to tell her to stop – no man wants a woman to look at them like that. The only thing preventing him from doing so is that he knows he wouldn't get very far asking her to do so. McGee sighs. "As long as they've been gone, so I'd say a good," McGee looks at his watch. "Twenty-two minutes."
"Poor Tony," Abby whimpers, sighing as his rigid pose doesn't falter. "I can't imagine what he's feeling."
"If he'd just talk to someone about it," McGee murmurs, unable to prevent the frustration rising in his throat. "Then he might be able to realize that there are other people who are struggling with it too and need someone to talk to."
Abby's taken aback, her hands faltering from his shoulders for a moment. "McGee, are you okay?"
"I'm just saying," McGee snaps, gesturing at Tony. "The entire team lost someone. It would make sense that there would be other people on the entire team that haven't been able to get the closure from her leaving and maybe if those members of the team could talk to one another, it'd be easier."
Abby asks in a small voice, "Have to you talked about it with Delilah?"
McGee looks down. "She didn't know her."
She bites her lip. "You could always, you know, talk to me. If you want."
McGee doesn't answer.
Abby tries not to let the hurt go into her voice, so she turns her attention back to Tony. "So, they're positive it's from Israel."
"Yeah, the postmark and everything. There's even a note in Hebrew at the bottom." McGee mutters. "But after what happened when Tony contracted the plague, they're hesitant to let him open it without a thorough examination. It makes sense, but I'm not sure Tony sees it that way."
Abby frowns. "Is he even blinking?"
"Hasn't blinked in over ten minutes."
"His eyes must really hurt."
"This is a guy who watches three movies on a light day. He has literally been training his whole life for this moment."
The elevator doors open and Tony startles in his desk a bit, shaking it enough so his Mighty Mouse stapler topples to the floor. "Don't worry," McGee sighs. "This has already happened six times."
Except this time, they didn't walk into another part of the bullpen. These men were carrying the box in question, Tony leaping up from his seat when he catches sight of them. McGee straightens earnestly, his own curiosity getting the better of him. The flaps of the box were open, its contents obviously mangled and sifted through. All privacy gone.
Tony doesn't hide his frustration well when they set the box down, his jaw twitching as he peeks inside. "Oh good," he snaps. "I hate it when I have to go through the trouble of ripping open my own packages and destroying their contents. Thanks for the help, gentlemen."
They don't respond to Tony, but turn instead to Gibbs, who's peering from his desk. McGee wonders if he wasn't to get up and see himself; he seems antsy but very firm in his chair. "Anything we should know about?" Gibbs asks.
"Nothing suspicious. Just a DVD and a note. The DVD is harmless." One of them states. "Seems like a sentimental package, if you ask me."
McGee notices a slight widening of Tony's eyes at the word 'sentimental'. McGee's not sure which he prefers. If it is from Ziva, all of Tony's progress may leave, like it never happened in the first place. He stares at his computer for lack of a better thing to do, trying hard not to let the bitter resentment rise into his chest.
It's not like he was mad Ziva. Well, actually it was like he was mad at Ziva. Not even a goodbye. He always knew that Tony and Ziva were close – probably closer than Rule #12 would usually allow – but she was like his sister. He considered her family. Family doesn't leave without saying goodbye.
Wasn't he worth a simple goodbye?
McGee clenches his fist. He didn't want to feel that way. The problem is, he did. He wasn't sure how to change that. Not one could fault Ziva for wanting to leave the trails of blood that her life held, behind.
But no goodbye?
"Did you look at the video?" Gibbs asks when Tony doesn't respond in any way, but stares at the note. He sits down, his eyes furrowing in a way that McGee could only guess was anger. That was an emotion he didn't understand.
"Yeah," one of the guards says, rubbing the back of his neck. "But there was really only a short video. No viruses, no problems. I'd say pop that sucker in and give it a look."
Tony still hasn't answered. The letter's now shaking in his hands. "Dinozzo, everything alright over there?" Gibbs asks when the rattling of the paper gets worse.
"It's not from Ziva." Tony says, slamming the paper on the table. "It's from Adam."
XXX
"What the hell are you doing here?" Gibbs snaps, closing Vance's door behind him.
Fornell fakes hurt. "You say it like you aren't happy to see me. Now what am I going to do with this extra cup of coffee?"
Gibbs rolls his eyes as takes the cup out of Fornell's grasp. "Don't tell me you've come here to poach one of my cases. Because if you do, I might have to shoot you in the face instead of the ass."
Vance chuckles from behind his desk, Fornell scooting his chair a little bit away from Gibbs. "Not poach, but share." Vance hands Gibbs a thick file, waiting a few minutes for him to thumb through it. "Turn you're not the first person to get a human soaked in salt."
Fornell clears his throat. "We've had at least four other cases with the same crime scene: 20-24 years old, college educated, doused in salt. Each one with their throat meticulously slashed with no blood in the salt. It's just unfortunate luck that the recent murder was a Marine. Means I had to drag my ass all the way to this building."
"You could use the exercise." Gibbs mutters, frowning at the sight of young adults, cold on an autopsy table. He'll never get used to that. Then again, he's not sure he wants to.
"Our latest problem is that all four of the victims have been linked in one very specific way." Fornell says, wincing.
"How is that a problem?" Gibbs states, throwing his old friend a perplexed look. "Call me old fashioned, but usually I take that as a good sign."
Fornell sighs. "Over the past year, each and every one has contacted Mossad operatives in one way or another. Whether it be in importing business in the case of Felicia Hart or international relations in the case of your Marine, each one has contacted Israel for business."
Gibbs stiffens. "I don't like where you're going with this."
"Yeah," Fornell groans. "I knew you were gonna say that. And if you got mad at this part, I can only imagine how you'll feel after—"
"I think I can take it from here." Vance states, standing up from his desk. Fornell is visibly relieved, rushing out of Vance's office within a few seconds.
"Definitely not going to like this." Gibbs mutters, the door slamming in an ominous way in which he wishes he could pause time.
Vance grips the side of his desk, starting a sentence several times before choosing one. "After the fiasco with Bodnar, my trust in Mossad operation is limited."
"Good, now I won't have to call you a dumbass."
"However, we need someone who has extensive knowledge of Mossad workings and perhaps even the people inside."
Gibbs ices over. This is exactly where he thought the conversation was headed, but it doesn't mean that he felt any more prepared. "Vance, I'm gonna stop you right there—"
"No, I'm gonna stop you right there, Gibbs. There is a serial killer on the loose. Fornell isn't any closer to figuring out what the hell is going on than you are and I have a feeling it will stay that way unless we figure something out."
"Then find someone in Mossad that you can trust. Don't go where you're going." Gibbs warns.
"People are dying, Gibbs!" Vance shouts. "This is not a time for proper social conduct, this is a time for action!"
"She doesn't want to be here!" Gibbs bellows, slamming his hands on Vance's desk. "She made a choice! She wanted to leave! It is our job as her family to respect that!"
"No!" Vance shouts. "My entire family was ripped apart and she can't just leave!"
Gibbs takes a step back. "Leon—"
"Don't use that tone with me, Gibbs." Vance says. "She told me if there was ever anything she could do for me, all I had to do is call."
Gibbs tries to control his anger, but it's bubbling up to the surface. Ziva returning would be… disastrous. To everyone involved. "Don't make that call, Leon. We'll find another way."
Vance straightens up, the intense anger from a second ago evaporated. "Too late, Gibbs. It's already been made. She arrives in two days."
XXX
"Talk to me, McGee." Gibbs says, trying to ebb the rage filtering through his body. He knows he'll have to tell his team, but he can't bring himself to do it. Not right now. "What do we got?"
"Well, the most pressing thing we've got is a mysterious DVD from Adam in Israel and Tony having an embolism. Now you're pretty much caught up."
Gibbs looks at Tony, who hasn't moved since he was called into Vance's office. "Do you need a moment, Tony? Do you want to watch it by yourself?"
"No." He answers almost instantly. He looks at Gibbs as if he just realized he hadn't moved in several minutes. "Here. Whatever's on the tape, I want to do it here."
Gibbs moves to grab the DVD from him without question. He pauses. "I'm not gonna see anything on here I don't want to see, am I?"
"Boss!" Tony exclaims. "All I got was this, I don't know what's on there."
Gibbs looks down at the scratchy note:
Thought you'd appreciate knowing.
-Adam
Gibbs looks up to see a small audience gather. He wanted to tell everyone to leave, but when he saw the eager faces of Ducky, Abby, Palmer, and McGee – all of whom weren't privy to any sort of goodbye, the words get caught in his throat. Shoving the DVD into his computer, he brings it up on the bigger screen.
Tony slouches in his seat, wincing.
"This is StrongLife: Animal Reserve with our latest update!"
A cheerful voice calls from the screen, vast plains sweeping across the area. A logo flashes, followed by tribal music, people cheering and laughing in the background.
"We've got big news – we've official selected our newest researcher/caretaker in our family. Everyone, please prepare yourself to get to know our very special friend, Ziva David!"
The room is still, the only noise from the steady drums in the video. Gibbs isn't sure if he wants to focus on his team or the screen. A part of him wants to see it, though. He needs to see her. He needs to know it was the right choice. That she actually is better.
Then, he sees her.
All his doubts dissipate.
Running closer to the camera is Ziva, a carefree smile on her face. She laughs and twirls around, her movements not jagged and attacker-like from before, but graceful. She waves to the camera, her smile stretching across her face wider than he'd ever seen it.
"Do the thing!" the narrator calls as Ziva runs to a gate. "Do the thing, do the thing!"
Ziva shakes her head and opens the gate. As soon as she does, a chorus of howls start. The camera man giggles as he follows Ziva in, a flood of small animals rushing after her. It takes Gibbs a moment to realize they're lion cubs. They're so enraptured with her. They patter after her, howling until she sits down and then they scramble onto her lap, nudging each other off. Ziva laughs as they do so, scratching their ears. "I thought you said they mature quicker than humans! They are just as silly as before." Ziva laughs.
Gibbs doesn't know what to do. Watching Ziva laugh as she's surrounded by lion cubs may be the most painful thing he's witnessed. Because he knows that right now, instead of continuing this new venture, she's packing for DC.
"Ziva, while with no zoology background, is taking advantage of our training program. So far she's been a strong candidate and let's face it – the animals love her!"
Flashes of Ziva with other wild animals. It's almost poetic, watching her. It fits. It's like they understand her and gravitate toward that grief she holds.
The scene cuts to Ziva's living quarters and Gibbs is the closest to panicking that he's reached. The camera sweeps across the tiny tent, but he sees it perfectly. Which means he's not the only one. The desk is simple, besides a computer that would make McGee cry and a picture frame.
Gibbs remembers that day clearly. Tony and Ziva had gone undercover as dating again – he hated it because it felt like they were pushing them together, but what could he do? They were incredibly convincing. McGee printed out a screenshot of the video feed that looked like it belonged in a catalog. The perfect moment: Ziva's hand resting on Tony's chest while he wrapped his arm around her, giving her an affectionate kiss in her hair. They really did look like a couple.
Maybe they were.
Gibbs could never tell, but didn't necessarily want to.
"Tell us why you came to our program, Ziva."
Ziva's smile falters. "There is something about working with animals that is very freeing. They have no sense of past, only present. Happiness is so simple to them," She looks down and Gibbs knows she's controlling her emotions. He's seen it countless times. "Isn't that what anyone wants?"
Gibbs has to tear his gaze away.
They're dragging her away from the carefree lions and into the lion's den.
A/N: Thank you again for all your support! If you have an opportunity, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Hopefully this trajectory makes more sense than the first chapter. Let me know what you think!