Disclaimer: As before, nothing but Dani is mine and I borrowed the Vashta Nerada from Dr Who.
Hey guys, can I just say a big thank you to Mia58, iheartcolin, gabbrielle-jeanne, Hermione's Shadow, and billie. My first 5 reviews, thank you. I know lots of you want to know what's gonna happen on the mission and is Tony going to go, I have to say although I worship at the temple of Tiva, I can't write it. The story is more about what happens after the mission and what the mission reveals. I hope your all still interested. Much love Kahlen x
Chapter Three
The team continued to wait and a few days later were returned to active cases, after catching three hot cases they found that another two weeks had past and Ziva had been gone for over a month. On the morning of Ziva 34th day of absence from the team, they were sitting writing up case reports when the elevator dinged and an older man walked over to them and up to Gibbs
"Special Agent Gibbs?"
"Yes,"
"Officer Bashan, Mossad," He told them, everyone looked up from their desk, Tim quickly phoned Abby and the director who appeared after a minute or so, "I have been asked to inform you that at 0700 hours Ziva David and Dani Assan were placed on an El Al flight to Washington, and they should land in two hours,"
"Really?" Abby exclaimed
"Yes," He confirmed
"Thank you, Officer Bashan, for coming to tell us, do you know which terminal they'll land at?" Jenny asked
"The embassy will pick them up and deliver Ziva here. I believe her car is still in your parking lot,"
"Thank you again, I will walk will you to your vehicle," Jenny told him. He nodded and they walked to the elevator, once the door were closed the room felt a lot lighter, Abby ran over to Tony and hugged him
"Yay, Ziva's coming back!" Abby shouted as she moved from Tony to Tim to Gibbs. Gibbs managed to keep a hold of Abby before she could bounce of somewhere else. The team kept looking at the elevator for the next couple of hours until it dinged and the two women walked off and headed over to the bull pen. Ziva had her hair pulled back and was wearing khaki combats with her usual boots a baggy long sleeve black jumper whilst Dani had her hair loose and was wearing dark wide leg jeans also with boots with a white v neck long top with a large black pashmina type shawl wrapped round her neck and hanging from one of her shoulders. They were both carrying black duffel bags and had their guns attached to their hips. They walked over and Ziva dumped her bag at her desk and turned to the team, the thing they noticed the most about both girls were the many injuries that were apparent. Dani had a black eye, a long gash along her cheek and bruising on the visible part of her chest and neck, she was also walking with a slight limp, Ziva on the other hand seemed better, she only had a black eye and a few small cuts on her face,
"ZIVA!" Abby yelled as she ran over as soon as Ziva put her bag down and hugged her tight, "You can never leave again,"
"Abby I don't think she can breathe," Tony commented
"Sorry," She replied as she released Ziva
"It is good to see you too Abby, it has been a long time, yes?"
"You could say that David," Gibbs said as he walked over, he looked at her for a moment before head slapping her, "Next time if you say four days make sure its four days,"
"Yes Gibbs,"
"Ziva, it's good to have you back," Tim said as he moved closer
"It is good to see you Timothy,"
"Ah Ziva, my dear," Ducky stated as he and Jenny walked over and gave her a small hug, "You're injured,"
"I am fine Ducky, nothing but scratch's,"
"And what of your friend,"
"Dani, this is Dr Mallard, Ducky this is Dani Assan,"
"Oh Ducky, please," He instructed
"Dani,"
"Are you injured my dear?" He asked Dani
"Nothing that will kill me," She replied as she shifted her bag slightly on her shoulder
"Never the less," Ducky told her as he managed to take the bag from her and set it next to Ziva's, "You should be checked out along with Ziva,"
"We were checked out in Tel Aviv," Dani tried to explain
"You might as well agree," Ziva told her, "They will not leave you along until you do. Anyway, your dressing needs changing,"
"Zee –"
"We're not arguing about this," Ziva said as she gave Dani a small shove towards the elevator, with the rest of the team following. As they walked off the elevator and into autopsy, Gibbs could see Dani's limp was more pronounced now than earlier,
"If you'd like to take a seat my dears," Ducky said as he pointed to the tables, Ziva hopped up immediately followed slightly slower by Dani, Gibbs did noticed that if she was disturbed by sitting on an autopsy table she didn't show it, "Now what are the injuries?"
"Black eye, cuts and a sprained wrist," Ziva said as she pulled back her sleeve to reveal a small bandage, Ducky took the bandage off and manipulated it a bit before placing it on her lap he then turned to Dani who simply stared back at him
"Care to share," Gibbs stated
"Not really,"
"Nat," Ziva prompted
"Fine, black eye, lacerations, 2 bruised ribs, 60% bruising to my torso, attempted strangulation and gunshot wound to my leg," She replied. The group looked at her slightly shocked before Ducky ushered them out along with Ziva,
"How did she get so many injuries?" Tony asked
"When we reached Paris, we managed to capture Dulamaine. I had to leave to meet a contact for documents to get out of France, while I was gone, his men stormed our hideout, Dani managed to defend herself but there were 6 of them and one of her. When I got back she was unconscious and the rest were dead,"
"She took out six men?" Gibbs asked stunned
"Yes, but when she came round she told me that Dulamaine was not the most senior man. He found out what we had done, she was shot as we entered Italy,"
"How bad?"
"Graze, but a deep one,"
"You may come back in now," Ducky said from the doorway, as they entered they saw that Dani had rearranged the pashmina to cover her chest completely hiding the bruising and her left leg was now up on the table, her jean leg had been pulled up to reveal a new looking bandage.
"Ah Ziva," Ducky stated, "I want you to take one of these antibiotic creams, I don't want any of those cuts getting infected,"
"Thank you Ducky," Ziva said taking the pot of cream as Ducky passed one to Dani as well
"Thank you for changing my dressing, Dr Mallard, but I should leave," Dani said as she got off the table, Gibbs watched her land and noticed that she didn't actually put any pressure on her injured leg having only landed on one.
"A word?" Gibbs asked, she nodded and followed him into the elevator, she stared straight ahead and simply waited when Gibbs hit the emergency switch, he turned so he was now looking at her profile, "What is going on with this weapons dealer?"
"It's classified," She replied before turning to face him, "You have not been read in,"
"Then read me in,"
"I do not have the time,"
"Dani Assan," He stated, pronouncing each syllable carefully, "That in itself is a contradiction, isn't it?"
"Oh?"
"Dani is Israeli, it means Cherished. Assan however is Arabic, it means The Strength,"
"What does that have to do with anything?" She asked
"The last Israeli Arab I knew..."
"Was Ari," She finished, "And we all know how that ended."
"Yeah,"
"So I presume you are here to ask me where my loyalties lie," Dani suggested, he nodded, "Which would be firmly with Mossad,"
"Forgive me if I don't believe you," he told her. Her face remained expressionless, Gibbs sighed, he wasn't going to get anything out of her, just before he went to turn she spoke
"Have you heard of the Vashta Nerada?"
"Iraqi street gang, I think,"
"You are correct, they do what they want. Kidnap, rape, torture and beatings. My mother was one that they took; she was already pregnant by an undercover Israeli operative but didn't know, they had her for two weeks before dropping her on the side of the road
in Bagdad." Dani explained, "Her family disowned her and threw her out. She was nursed back to health by a Jewish woman who was also undercover, she took my mother to Israel where she converted and I was raised. So despite my appearance and name, Agent Gibbs, I have nothing to do with Hamas or Hezbollah. I am Mossad,"
"Where were you born then?"
"Fallujah,"
"I –,"
"I am not asking for your trust or your help; just let me get on with my job,"
"I was going to say, I've been there,"
She stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out whether or not he meant what he said, she coughed slightly before turning to face the doors again, Gibbs flicked the switch and the elevator began to move once again. They arrived in the bull pen to find the others had taken a different route. Dani walked over to Ziva's desk and picked up her bag, Gibbs saw a brief flash of pain across her features but it was gone in an instant,
"Shalom Ziva, it was fun,"
"Shalom," Ziva replied as she gave her partner a brief hug, "Oh wait, your Jericho,"
"Hold on to it," She smiled as Ziva placed the gun in her desk draw, "You may need it,"
"Till next time?" Ziva asked
"Till next time," Dani confirmed, she then turned and walked over to the stair well and disappeared from sight.
