"First time huh?" The driver asked, taking a short glance to his mirror.

Ziva's thoughts interrupted, she looked up and smiled. "No, I came back to visit."

"Well, in that case. Welcome home!" The driver greeted her, smiling back as he takes a turn in a nearby corner of the street.

Home. Home is where my heart is. She sighed happily, closing her eyes for a bit. She made it back to her home, now... for her family.

Just after the cab stopped right in front of her hotel, Ziva leaned a bit to talk to the driver.

"Not just yet, I have a friend to visit first" Ziva said, and the driver nodded putting the car into motion once again.

After a few more minutes, she finally made it into where she wanted to go. She figured she must see the man first before seeing the rest of the team, there wasn't a proper goodbye left for him, and she knows it hurt his heart how she never told him personally the reason why she left.

Ziva stopped in front of his house, still thinking of the right words to say to him. Will he get mad? Happy? Surprised that someone casually walked inside his house without even knocking that it would make him bring out his gun and shoot? No I don't think so, that's the last thing he would do. Walking right in was a normal thing for him.

She walked right in front of the house, and just as she was about to open the door, she took one last deep breath and made a silent prayer that this will all turn out well. Ziva opened the door in a bit, trying hard not to make any noise and peeped, scanning his living room. Turns out he wasn't there, she opens the door completely and locked it from behind. There's no more turning back. She knew where to find him.

Ziva left her luggage in the living room and her coat as well. The atmosphere inside her house was warm and cozy, nothing changed inside the house, it was the usual him. Change doesn't blend in with him, she thought.

She headed through the basement, avoiding the sound of her footsteps that could be heard down below. She opened the door, her heart beating fast. Here goes nothing.

Ziva took one step forward, and there he was. Doing his usual thing, and this time he wasn't building anything, Wearing his sweatshirt with matching pants, glasses on and whiskey on the other side of the table, Gibbs with his infamous straight faced look, using sandpaper while polishing some piece of wood on the far end of the basement.

Ziva slowly made her way to the stairs, trying to make eye contact with him, but he seemed so caught up with whatever he was doing, it's hard to deliver some words from her mouth.

"DiNozzo, this is the second time you've been here in a week—"

"This is not Tony, Gibbs." Ziva cut him off immediately, her knees felt like jelly, trying to gain her balance on the foot of the stairs, she wanted to tear up after hearing his voice, and she missed him dearly.

Gibbs eyes widen, almost dropped the sandpaper he's been holding. He looked up quickly and saw Ziva wearing black pants, with a white top and Navy blue cardigan, her hair wavy, following every move she makes, her face beautiful as ever. Her face glowing though the darkness inside the room, he got up from his seat opening his arms to her.

"Ziver" Just one word from him, and she knew what to do. She walked right in front of him and joined him in his welcoming arms. Gibbs felt like crying, he thought he will never see her again, he thought he will never get to have his daughter in his arms again, and he was wrong. He missed her, he loves her, and acts as if she was his own.

"Gibbs – I missed you so much."

"Ziver, you have no idea." He said, both let go and found Ziva's tears slowly forming in her eyes, he placed a kiss on her forehead and wiped them away.

Now, time for the talking.

"How are you?" Gibbs asked as they both sat on the foot of the stairs, still in the basement. Ziva smiled and placed a hand on his lap.

"Never better"

"We still have unfinished business, remember?" Gibbs asked, trying to meet her with his eyes, he failed since Ziva is now staring at the floor.

"I know, and I'm sorry. You deserved to know."

"I'm listening." He leaned a bit, folding his arms on his chest.

Ziva nodded, and faced him. "The reason why I left, is because I wanted to start over. I wanted to let go of everything, the pain, the suffering, the failure – everything. The only way to succeed with it is to start out fresh, move on from the past, I have to keep distance from the people I love – you, Abby, McGee, Ducky, Palmer – Tony. I have to let go of NCIS, and at that point I knew I had to stay in Israel. Believe me, Gibbs it was not an easy decision to make, and one I took seriously. Being away from all of you is the last thing I wanted. But I had no other choice; my past was slowly eating me. I hope you understand that. I'm sorry if it made you worried that I was away, I'm sorry if I failed to make you proud with the decision I made"

Gibbs saw the sincerity in her eyes, it really broke his heart the minute he found out she wasn't coming back. All he wanted, was to be the father Ziva always dreamed of having, but it all came to a stop when she left, seeing Ziva leaving made him cry, he knew she deserved love but how was she suppose to receive it when she's miles away from the people who loved her dearly? There was nothing he could do to change her mind, but now that she's back. Back for good or not, he knew he must do that one thing her father wasn't able to give her ever since she was a kid, and that was to be the second best-dad Ziva would ever want for in life. She's here, safe and happy and that's the only thing that matters to him.

"What's my rule number six?" Gibbs asked.

"Never apologize; it's a sign of weakness."

Gibbs nodded, and stood up offering a hand to Ziva. Ziva got hold of his hand, and he pulled her up.

"I could never learn to say I was okay when you left, but I can't ever say that I'm not proud with the Ziva I am seeing right now, you did a brave move and it is something I myself cannot even do, you are here now Ziver, alive and breathing and in my arms, that's the only thing a father could ever wish for right now."

"Thank you, Gibbs." She leaned in for another hug, as Gibbs plants one last kiss on the side of her head.

You are never alone when you have kids. The line he once said to Ziva years ago, it felt like this is useful especially with their situation right now.

"How's everybody? I really, really do miss them all." Ziva whispered across his ear.

Gibbs pulled back, and smirked. "You mean, DiNozzo?"