Chapter 3

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Sighing, Ziva turned her back on the "Roosevelt" and walked away, not looking back. Tony did not even expect her to turn up and it warmed his heart to see that her hard outside was slowly melting to show the person he had come to love. Standing on the gate, however, Ziva turned around once more. He caught her eye and they smiled at each other, a smile full of sadness and longing, but a smile nevertheless. Thus they separated, eagerly counting the days of their possible reunion…

********** Tel Aviv, Israel **********

Ziva knew it would not be easy, but she had everything planned out. Dropping out of Mossad was not a mere formality, that much she knew. That is why she had come up with a Plan B, just in case her father would not accept her resignation. Double-checking all her weapons, including the back-up on her thigh and in her boot were indeed in place, she left for Mossad headquarters, a letter in her hand.

She took a last breath, steeling herself for what was about to come, and knocked on Eli David's office door. "Please enter" she heard her father's voice, dampened through the wood. Saying a little prayer in her head, she entered and closed the door behind her.

He looked around the corner and saw Ziva enter the Director's office. No doubt his gut was right once more. He'd seen her in front of the Mossad office and caught her train of thought.

I must keep her from doing this. Anything that might harm her father or his position would turn against her, very soon.

"Aba, I've got to speak to you" Ziva's voice was low, surprising her father, who was used to see his assassin in a better shape. Her calling her father was even more surprising. She must have something important to tell me, to address me as father. He mused. He'd never been much of a father for any of his children. What for, after all ? Life was so hard, and mostly short, that they'd be better off not to be shown the love of a family.

"Yes, David, what is it that you have to tell me" he kept his voice barely audible, just like Ziva had. There was a cold vibe to his voice, as usually whenever he addressed his now only living child. "I don't want to continue, director. I finally found out that life is not all about killing, about hatred and surviving. It is also about mending, and caring, and most of all living, for the sake of living and loving" Director David thought he must have misheard, Ziva David, his best killer, suddenly rambling about family and love ?

"You. Of all people ? You are a David, don't forget that, girl ! Haven't you listened to a single thing that I've taught you ? Love doesn't exist, one doesn't marry for love, or have a family for love. It is just a pretense. And whatever damn guy has told you that fooled, you, just the way I've fooled women. I thought you were above that behavior, above that stupid childish dream of life" his voice remained perfectly calm and steady, as always, but inside he was boiling. Ziva, on the other hand, was getting angry as each of the words left her father's mouth. Not that she'd expected anything else from him. After all, he was the reason why she became a killer in the first place, he trained her, just like he'd trained Ari to become a mole. With me, he also failed Ziva thought He failed to make me the killer he wanted, but that is good. I am my own

"Please accept my resignation, director. I've decided that life has something else in store for me. I am not a part of your fight anymore" with those words she laid her resignation letter on the table in front of her father and turned to go.

"You filthy brat. I knew I shouldn't have taken you into my house, god knows who fathered such a weak woman. I should've taken Ari into the family, he was the killer we should've had on our side. That godda*n Gibbs would ne" that's all he managed to say, for Ziva, at the mention of Gibb's name in such a manner had taken her knife from her boot and thrown her father against a wall, the sharpened blade sitting at his neck.

"Don't ……. You……. Dare….. !!! " the words came out in between gritted teeth as blazing anger surged through Ziva. She'd never been so angry, not on any of her missions. "He's been a better father to me than you'll ever be" her practices fingers were about to repeat what she had so often done, simply slice open the man's throat, when she heard it. Someone came up behind her, catching her off guard. She was about to turn around and kick her unknown opponent when she was head-slapped by an all too familiar boss of hers. Smiling to herself, she did not release her victim or the knife, keeping the blade tight to his neck.

"Ziva, don't." his voice was slow, but very calm and clear. "It's not worth it. You won't get any satisfaction from killing him, you'd just play along with his game, prove him that ultimately, he won. Believe me, this is not your future. I've seen your feelings for Tony and I've seen his feelings. Don't throw away what you can have with us, for this…. This person…"

Although deeply angered, her words made sense to him, and she slowly let the knife glide to her side, still holding her so-called father in a dead grip…

How will it continue… please please review, and tell me what you think of it. I know this is my first story, so don't be too hard on me… Looking forward to posting the next (and probably final) chapter.