Tony, McGee and Gibbs climbed into an armored car for the one and a half hour drive from the Tel Aviv airport to Beersheba. The Marines were already heading there, about five minutes ahead. Once they got to Beersheba, Abby was going to direct them to the place that Ziva was in. She still hadn't moved, nor had the two heat signatures outside the building. Once again, Gibbs got the feeling that they were not there to guard Ziva, but rather to guard something or someone else.
Ninety minutes later, the armored car pulled up behind the Marines' vehicle. Abby was on the satellite phone with McGee, giving him the directions they needed to find their friend. After a couple of minutes of McGee reassuring Abby that they would find Ziva and bring her home, no matter what, the group was off again. The building was a couple of minutes away, and turned out to be a house. It looked abandoned, but, to be safe, four Marines went around to the back of the house, leaving the other two Marines to guide Gibbs inside. It wasn't long before one of the Marines around the back called through the radio that they had secured three people, two outside and one inside. It had turned out that the ones outside where teenagers, enjoying a smoke and drugs where they couldn't be found.
"What about the one inside?" the leader of the group asked.
"Won't talk, just keeps shaking his head. We've got him secured. Martinez and Bradley are going to meet you at the front door. You have the clearance to break it down."
Without hesitation, the Marine right near the front door kicked out, hitting the door with enough force to break it off it's hinges. The two Marines and Gibbs rushed inside, Tony and McGee not far behind them. They met with the other two Marines quickly.
"Back of the building is clear. There are two doors just ahead of us that are locked, we need to break them down," said Martinez quickly and quietly.
"Take the lead Martinez," said his commanding officer. "Take Bradley with you. Agent McGee as well. We'll get the second door."
McGee disappeared. Tony and Gibbs followed the rest of the Marines. Once the door was broken in again, the Marines ran in, clearing the room quickly and efficiently.
Ziva heard a door again, this time a lot closer. She looked up in surprise but was relieved when she saw the US Marines uniform. She was even more relieved to see Gibbs and Tony behind the Marines.
"Help!" she called out, her voice weak from lack of use and lack of water.
The feeble cry for help roused Tony from the stupor he'd been in upon seeing the love of his life again. He rushed forward. "Ziva!"
"Tony." She smiled when he bent next to her. "Thank you," she whispered.
Tony nodded, working to loosen the knots in the rope around her wrists. Gibbs had joined them and was pulling out a knife to cut away the rope around her ankles. After a few minutes, Gibbs had sliced through the rope and moved on to her wrists.
"Thank you Gibbs," Ziva said once she was free.
"Anytime. Water?" Gibbs asked.
Ziva nodded eagerly. She drank the water he handed her and then smiled. She stood up with some help and let them lead her out. She clung to Tony, not scared but glad he had come.
"Let's go home Ziver," said Gibbs softly.
"Home," she whispered, the only one hearing her was Tony. "America is home."
"Of course it is. That's where I am," he said with a smile.
Everyone laughed, even the Marines and McGee who had joined them a moment before. It made Ziva feel better, and the further they got from that building, the more safe she felt. She quickly relaxed against Tony as he held her while they walked.
The car ride back to Tel Aviv and the waiting Marine flight home was quiet. McGee and Gibbs were in the front seat, quietly talking about what they were going to do once they were back home. Tony sat in the back seat, his arm around Ziva while she rested her head against his shoulder, her eyes shut. She hadn't actually fallen asleep yet, but she was definitely nearly there. Her breathing had slowed a little as she closed her eyes, content to just sit there with Tony. She had tuned out from everything that the three guys might be saying, her mind drifting to another time and place when these three people had saved her. She had still been angry then, but now she was grateful to them for saving her.
Without realising it, she had fallen asleep, because almost an hour later, Tony was waking her so she could be ready to go when the reached their destination ten minutes later. She yawned, still half asleep.
"Are we leaving now?" she asked Tony.
"Just about to get on the plane Zi. Come on, you can sit with me."
"That would be nice." She let him help her out of the car and they walked to the plane together.