Whoa, folks. I can't thank you all enough. Sorry this took so long- I've spent many a night wrestling with this uncooperative piece. So much love to you all! Review and I'll give you a cookie. Xo
Chapter 3
"But in this twilight, our choices seal our fate."
Mumford and Sons, Broken Crown
Ziva jumped when her phone rang. She sniffed hard and reached for it. It was 3 in the morning- too early. "Hello."
"Ziva! Oh thank God!" Ziva sat up, heart pounding.
"Chana? What is the matter? Is Sarah okay?"
"Your father called us a few minutes ago, Ziva. Said he didn't think this was working out, and that he wanted to take Sarah to live with another family!" Chana was hysterical, her words running together. Ziva felt an overwhelming wave of nausea and anger.
"He cannot do that." She warbled. "But he will try."
"What are we going to do?" Chana cried. "He can't take my baby. He can't." Ziva covered her mouth and choked back sobs. Her baby. Sarah was her baby, and now Eli was going to take her away again. No. She wouldn't let him.
"Chana, listen to me very carefully. Get on a plane to Dulles. Pay in cash. I'll meet you there, and take you into NCIS protective custody. I won't let him do this. I won't let him hurt our baby."
"Thank you, Ziva. Thank you." They hung up and Ziva began to hyperventilate, and shook Tony awake.
"Tony! Tony, wake up!"
"What's wrong?" He slurred, sitting up among pillows and the thick duvet.
"He's trying to take her away. He's trying to take Sarah away." She moaned, jackknifing at the waist, an origami of grief and fear.
...
Chana, Isaac and Sarah deplaned later that day looking anxious, tired, and haggard. There were dark circles under their eyes and their eyes were red. Sarah hung onto her mother hand tightly, a lifeline in a sea of uncertainty. Ziva, Tony and Gibbs settled them in at Gibbs house while McGee and Abby pored over their computers in her lab, typing furiously, anxiously to try and track down Eli David.
Sarah was quiet- she wouldn't leave her parents side. Not to play scrabble with Ziva, not to watch TV with Tony or even work on the boat with Gibbs. It hurt Ziva's feelings to watch her daughter so distant, so afraid and young. It was like they hadn't bonded in the past few months at all, and the empty space in her chest ached to be filled by Sarah's giggles and tight hugs.
"Excuse me." Ziva finally said, and left the living room where she had been pursuing a magazine, unable to contain herself any longer. Her bottom lip trembled and she ran for the bathroom. She sank to the floor and heaved great sobs, her uselessness suffocating her.
"Ziva? Can I come in?" Chana called through the door timidly. Ziva sighed heavily and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Yes." She replied finally. Chana slinked through the door, expression somber and apologetic. She sat next to her, leaning against the tub.
"I'm sorry Sarah's so distant, Ziva. This is really scaring her, and I don't think she knows how to cope. But she loves you so much- you're an integral part of her life."
"Perhaps I should not be." Ziva said lowly, guiltily. "My father is only threatening to take her away because we have been getting to know each other. It is my fault. He does not want me to be a mother, a wife- he wants me to be a soldier."
Chana took Ziva's clammy hand in her own. "Do not talk like that. Your father is not a good man- but none of this is your fault. You have done nothing but love and cherish Sarah and enrich her life. Eli should not be trying to get in the way of your relationship."
Ziva felt vaguely numb at Chana's insistence of her worth- it felt odd, misplaced. She sniffled and leaned her head against Chana's shoulder.
"Thank you for taking care of my baby." She finally murmured.
...
"I'm not hungry." Sarah declared quietly, and pushed away her plate of shwerma and pita.
"You should eat something, motek. Do you not like it? I can make you something else?" Ziva offered. She shook her head. "No thank you."
"Okay." Ziva whispered, and pushed her own plate away. "I'm not terribly hungry either. Would you like to sit on the back porch with me?"
Sarah hesitated, but Chana pushed her along. "I'll be right here, Saraheleh."
They headed out the back door and collapsed together on the swing. The cicadas chirped loudly, filling the silence that clouded the night.
"I am sorry for all of this, shaifeleh. I really am. I promise you, nothing is going to happen to you- I won't let anyone hurt you." Ziva promised, voice low and calm in the evening dusk. Sarah leaned her head on Ziva's shoulder and sighed.
"I know. I'm sorry if I was mean- I feel like if I leave Ema's side, I'll never see her again." She admitted, voice rising in imminent panic. Ziva shushed her and pulled her in for a hug, and kissed her forehead.
"Do not apologize. We will keep you safe, my n'sicha." She whispered in her ear. Sarah nodded against her chest they stayed that way for a long time- mother and daughter, connected.
"You're going to be a really good mom, Ziva." Sarah finally whispered, rubbing Ziva's belly. "The baby is luck to have you."
Ziva throat closed with emotion and she could not respond for a few long minutes. She merely kissed Sarah's head and pulled her in closer, breathing in the scent of her shampoo. "I am very luck to have you."
...
Gibbs cell phone ringing pierced the silence that had fallen over the house- Sarah slept in the guest room with Chana, Isaac perused the newspaper restlessly, and Ziva rested with her head pillowed on Tony's shoulder. He smiled at their closeness before answering the phone.
"Yeah, Gibbs."
"Boss- Eli David landed in Dulles about forty minutes ago- got in a taxi headed for Maryland."
Gibbs gut churned with violent fear. "He's comin here. Gear up and come by the house- take someone from Gilbert's team in case you intercept him on the way."
"On it, Boss. Be right there."
Gibbs sighed heavily and ran a hand over his tired face. "Ziver, Isaac- up to the guest room, lock the door. Eli's on his way."
Isaac jumped up, paling considerably. While he was accustomed to violence from growing up in Israel, he was a soft spoken and peaceful man who avoided conflict.
"I would be of more use-" Ziva protested, but Gibbs shook his head. "Not pregnant, and not when he's involved. This is not a debate- go!"
Tony nodded to her and unbuckled his holster. Ziva and Isaac hurried up the steps, anxiety making their breathing ragged.
Tony swallowed loudly and ran a hand through his un-groomed hair.
Gibbs was stoic, but his heart pounded and his gut churned relentlessly.
A car door slammed in the driveway and they snapped to attention, guns drawn. Heavy footfalls on the doorsteps, then pounding on the door.
"Ziva? I know you are here! Open up!" He called. The door rattled a few more times until he busted it open, his weight breaking the lock Gibbs had recently installed.
"Such violence." He mused, smirking as he faced their Sigs. "I come in peace."
"Didn't sound like that to me." Gibbs growled.
"Where is Ziva? I would like to speak with her."
"Not here." Tony challenged. Eli smirked.
"Of course she is, Agent DiNozzo. Get Ziva and Sarah now or I will-"
"I am here, Papa." Ziva called from the landing. Tony drew in a sharp breath, Gibbs cursed under his breath. She made her way down the steps slowly.
"Sarah cannot come with you." She said, before he could speak.
Eli shook his head. "This is not your decision to make, Ziva." He warned, and she was transported back to the warm kitchen in their old Tel Aviv apartment, shame and fear thick in the air.
"Papa, the Goldman's officially adopted her years ago. Please- let her be."
"I thought it might come to this." He muttered, and lunged at her. With lighting fast reflexes Ziva had forgotten she possessed, she pulled out the Sig she'd been hiding in the waistband of her jeans and took the shot. He toppled over, his tremendous weight making the floorboards groan.
Her father was dead, by her hand. She fell to her knees and vomited on the carpet. She sobbed and cried and moaned, and Tony held her close and whispered comforting things in her ear. Eli could no longer threaten her, but their suffering was long from over. Grief and confusion set in quickly.