A/N Updating kind of quick, I know (not that many people would complain).

Big kudos goes out to angel-death-dealer, for her magnificent story updates, and my Not Stalker, as always.

This is kind of a filler chapter until the next one, hence the shortness.

Chapter 4 - Words

Again they were in the squadroom, as if nothing had happened. As if they hadn't seen Ziva just days beforehand, in her apartment.

Even after he'd explained everything to McGee, Tony still found it difficult to comprehend and process.

Were they supposed to just let her return? Allow her into the team and return to how things were?

"What do we do now Boss?" Tony asked suddenly.

"We let her decide," Gibbs replied.

"D-" Tony paused, waiting for some passing agents to leave. "Do we tell Vance she's in the country?"

"No."

"Boss, she's on the Wanted list of one of our allies-"

"You really want to be the one to throw her to the wolves?"

Tony didn't even think about it for a second. "No."

"Then we let her sort it out," Gibbs said finally.

"Boss," Tony said quietly, moving to the older agent's desk. "Why aren't you…anything? Angry? Something? Anything?"

"Because, DiNozzo, I'm letting her fix her own mess."

"Let who fix what mess?" came a voice. Gibbs and Tony looked up to see Director Vance standing near their wall, watching them with interest.

"Ongoing case," Tony said quickly, returning to his own desk.

"Something we can help you with, Director?" Gibbs asked.

"I just finished a call with Tel Aviv. Mossad has launched an official search for Officer David."

"And that has what to do with us?"

Vance took a step closer to them. "Because she's been classified as rogue."

"So she's basically on death row," Tony said matter-of-factly.

Vance eyed him suspiciously. "We're duty bound to assist our allies when necessary. Ziva's a wanted fugitive, and there's a high possibility that she'll return to the States."

Tony feigned a look of cluelessness.

"She'll be searching for refuge. She was here for four years, it'll be the closest thing to home."

"And why are we being notified of this?"

Gibbs could see that Tony was fishing for information, and chose to follow along. "Are we playing host to some 'allies'?"

"No," Vance said. "But you're expected to report any contact of sighting of Officer David directly to me. Our international relations are at stake here, and I will not allow anything to jeopardize them."

Gibbs nodded, follow slowly by a reluctant Tony.

Vance left, looking back over his shoulder as he climbed the stairs back to his office.

"''Our international relations are at stake here'," Tony said mockingly. "Did he ever think that maybe sending two of the corrupt officers to D.C wasn't the best idea in the world? Why are we still putting up with them?"

"Because it's better to be friends than enemies," Gibbs said shortly.

McGee walked in, carrying coffee for them all. "What'd I miss?"

"Threats from high up on the pecking order, mentions of foreign relations, the usual," Tony said, nabbing his cup as McGee passed him.

"Ziva?" McGee said.

"Keep your voice down," Gibbs said.

"We're not reporting her?" McGee whispered.

"Do either of you actually want her to survive this?" Gibbs asked.

"Boss, she-"

"I know what she did. But she did make a good point."

"What was that?"

"She didn't do anything to put NCIS at risk," Gibbs reminded them. "And…" He drifted off, lost in his thoughts temporarily.

Ziva had done things for them that were beneficial. Her methods and techniques, while often questionable, aided them in investigations constantly. She'd helped Gibbs get his memory back by recalling her painful memory…painful to her.

"She didn't want to do it," Gibbs said suddenly.

"Do what?"

"Mossad are faithful to their own, as one big happy family, but even they are capable of having emotional ties."

Tony and McGee looked at each other confusedly before looking back at their boss. "What?"

"She didn't want to kill Ari," Gibbs said, holstering his gun. The other two followed suit. "But it was an order, from both the Director of Mossad and her father."

"I still don't get it," McGee muttered as they all approached the elevator.

SONG: "Words" – Kate Miller-Heidke

The conversation's trivial but trivial is fine, when held up to the light, do you think my personality is written in stone, are you positively certain that you know what you've been shown

Just a note, if anyone has any ideas for songs that I can use, feel free to suggest them. I do have some already, and most of the fic planned, but I'm open to new ideas. :)