Chapter 2: Revelations

A/N: Being my first fan/fic some of the characters will be out of character (if that makes sense). If you have suggestions or any sort of feedback that could make my story better, by all means tell me.

-Dream-

She had her gun pointed fighting tears that blurred her vision.

"Please don't hurt her. She has done nothing wrong," she begged the man holding her daughter and a detonator.

"Tell him to put me down mommy. Please tell him to let me go," Tali begged her mother. The man looked at the child then at the mother with amusement in his eyes.

"Please put her down."

She took a step forward, "I do not think coming any closer is a good idea Ms. David. You could die too. Now we wouldn't want that would we?"

"Why are you doing this? What did she ever do to you!" She yelled.

"Now, now no need to get aggressive. Put the gun down," she slowly put the gun to the floor, "kick it toward me."

As she did what she was told the man was putting the child down but still held onto her hand. The woman looked into her daughters eyes, as far apart as they were she still saw the fear, the desperation in her eyes.

"Please let her go," she begged. Tears were streaming down her pale cheeks. When Tali saw this she began crying as well.

"Time's running out, Ms. David. Say goodbye to little Tali."

"No! Please don't," she begged. Then she went for the knife at the waist of her jeans but at that time the man picked up the child and ran into a run down shack where he was to fulfill his mission. She began to run towards the shack when the bomb went off. The impact of the explosion knocked her off her feet. She fell flat on her back wincing slightly at the pain. She quickly sat up ignoring her throbbing body and stared at the cloud of smoke and ash in disbelief.

"TALI!"

-End Dream-

Ziva sat up bursting into tears. To her surprise a pair of familiar arms was around her already comforting her.

"Who's Tali, Ziva?" he asked. She sobbed harder into his chest.

After a few minutes she had stopped sobbing. She made no sound or movement whatsoever while silent tears poured down her face.

"Ziva?"

"My daughter."

"What?"

"Tali is my daughter, Gibbs. She was killed by a suicide bomber."

"Ziva I- I'm so sorry."

She sat up from his embrace wiping her eyes.

"For what?" she managed to whisper.

"For pushing you into telling me. I shouldn't have. I should have let it go."

"It's fine Gibbs. I needed to tell someone. That's why I came here."

"Are you going to be ok?"

"I think so. I just need to sleep some more."

"Okay. I'll be in my room," she said as he got off the bed. She nodded and he left the room. She lied back down and began sobbing inaudibly. That night she didn't dream about Tali, for the first time in about two weeks, since she found out about Amanda.

The next morning she got up at 0500 to go for her morning run. She ran her usual route more quickly than usual so she decided to run a different route. About halfway back to Gibbs' house she stopped to stretch a little in a small park. She looked at the swings and the empty playground which suddenly brought images of Tali to her mind. Once again her eyes began to burn and she became enraged. She hated being so weak. Out of pure rage she kicked the trunk of a tall skinny tree which to her surprise broke and fell to the side. She closed her eyes for a moment then began to run back to Gibbs' house.

When she got there she felt better than she had a few minutes ago. She walked through the always unlocked door to find Gibbs sipping some coffee and reading his newspaper.

"Good morning Gibbs," she said as she closed the door behind her. He looked up from his newspaper and smiled slightly.

"Morning Ziva. How was your run?"

"Just like any other run, tiring," she told him dully.

"Break any trees while you ran?"

"You did not."

"I did not what?"

She shot him an angry glare, "Tell me you didn't follow me."

"OK, I didn't follow you," he told her and grinned she raised a brow. "Hey I was only making sure you were ok. You know it's good that you basically murdered the tree."

"Why? Why is it good?"

"Cause I bet it would've been DiNozzo if it wasn't the tree."

She smiled at his comment and sat in the arm chair by him.

"It probably would have."

"There hot coffee in the kitchen help yourself," he told her. "Before I forget, I brought you a change of clothes from your house. They're in your room."

"Thanks again. For everything."

-Later that day at the Bullpen-

Tony was leaning back in his chair tossing a paper ball up and down continuously. McGee, well being McGee he was typing away at his computer.

"I absolutely hate days like this," Tony said as he tossed the paper ball at McGee. He jumped and glared at Tony. Ziva smiled at the sight.

"Don't you have anything better to do Tony?" McGee asked obviously annoyed.

"Actually no, McWhiney I don't," he replied.

"I honestly do not get how you they are friends," Ziva muttered to herself.

"What was that Zee-vah?"

"None of your business Tony!" she snapped. "Sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you like that."

"It's alright," he said walking up to her. "How 'bout you make it up to me by accompanying me to dinner tonight."

"I'm not sure that's such a great idea," she said wishing she had said yes.

"Why not? It'll be fun."

"Alright, I accept," she said smiling brightly.