Ziva loaded shopping bags into the trunk of her car while LJ leant against it.

"Are you sure you don't need a hand?" She asked quickly. Ziva smiled.

"I am fine. You can get in the car if you like." LJ shook her head. Ziva straightened up and looked at her with her head tilted. "Why not?" LJ shrugged before suddenly looking very nervous. Ziva was immediately stood in front of her. "Tateleh? Whatever is the matter?" LJ shook her head and refused to look up from her hands. "Lauren." Ziva started softly, gently resting her hand on the young girl's shoulder. "What is the matter?" LJ sniffed and glanced up at her before looking down again.

"If I tell you something, do you promise not to think less of me?" Ziva was shocked to say the least. Had she given the indication that LJ had to be perfect? She shuddered inconspicuously at the thought.

"Nothing you could tell me would make me think less of you." She assured her. Lauren nodded before looking up at her.

"I'm scared." She whispered. Ziva didn't hesitate in taking her in her arms. "I'm sorry." Ziva rested her hand against the back of her head, holding her close.

"Do not apologise. You are allowed to be scared." LJ locked her arms around Ziva's waist as she cried into her chest. They stood there in silence for a few minutes before Ziva decided she had calmed down enough. "Which bit scares you the most?" Lauren sighed against her but didn't even attempt to leave the embrace.

"My father, he, he was a good man. I know you won't believe me, but he was. Once. Before Ethan was born, and I don't blame him, but before he was born, mom and dad were happy. They got along. Things went downhill from there though." Ziva didn't say a word and simply held her. She needed to get this out. "I'm not stupid; I know my father hit my mom. I know he did it even before I saw it. But I also think that if he hadn't of tried to hit me, my mother wouldn't have left him. She loves him, but she needs to love me more, y'know?" Ziva nodded. "I'm scared, because after everything, what if she just goes back to him?" That wasn't where Ziva had expected this conversation to go. She gently squeezed the young crying girl in her arms before holding her at arms length to look her in the eye.

"We will keep you safe, all of you." LJ nodded.

"I know." The sadness permeating her words made Ziva's heart hurt.

"Do you really think Jethro will let him within a thousand yards of any of you?" LJ shook her head, locking away Ziva's slip of the tongue for later clarification. "Right then. You trust us to keep you safe yes?"

"Yes." Ziva smiled and kissed her forehead before smiling and leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"Then get in the car before the ice-cream melts." It had the desired affect. Lauren laughed before getting into the car. Ziva went round to shut the trunk as she took a deep calming breath.


Gibbs lifted Ethan out of his car seat and pushed open the door, leaving it open for Pennie while he put the toddler on the floor beside the sofa. Pennie stood awkwardly in the vestibule.

"You can come in Pen." He chuckled, locking the door before turning to her. "I'm gonna get changed. Make yourself at home." Pennie nodded before going to sit on the floor beside Ethan and checking her phone. She had no new messages. She watched Ethan play until Gibbs came back down the stairs now in jeans and his red hoodie. He quickly slipped into the kitchen and sorted out coffee for them both. Pennie stood in the doorway watching him. "You alright?"

"Mhmm." The distraction in her voice had him turning to face her. All he had to do was raise his eyebrows and she sighed. "I guess I just miss him." Pennie shook her head. "I know it's silly, daddy…" Gibbs shook his head.

"I, I missed ya mom." Pennie looked at him confused.

"But you never…?"

"No, I never laid a hand on her." Pennie sighed.

"You fought, all the time. Didn't you?" It wasn't really a question.

"Near the end yeah."

"I remember, being about twelve, thirteen and sitting on the top of the stairs. She was screaming at you." Gibbs sighed, he remembered the fight. "She tossed the kitchen table across the room didn't she?"

"And a chair." Pennie chuckled humourlessly.

"I came down stairs at like two maybe three in the morning for a drink and found you fixing it." Gibbs turned his back, only to reach for his coffee, before looking her in the eye. "You said you fell in love with someone else, that's why you left?"

"Yeah?" He asked slowly. Pennie took a deep breath.

"Did you, I mean, were you, unfaithful? I wouldn't blame you; I mean your relationship was basically over." She rushed to explain but Gibbs held up his hand to stop her.

"No. I was always faithful to your mom." He sighed as he saw the question in her eyes.

"Then how did you fall in love with someone else?" He leant against the side as he looked through her, memories flashing behind his eyes.

"My, partner." He didn't think it would be right for him to tell her the rest. She didn't need the extra confusion of having the woman who he'd left her mother for now being basically in charge of her safety. She didn't need to deal with that now. Pennie nodded before leaving the room to Ethan's call. Gibbs sighed. If telling her about Jen had been that hard, he couldn't wait to tell her about Ziva.


Ziva balanced three shopping bags in her arms and her backpack over her shoulder, as she tried the door. She sighed as she realised it was locked.

"Hey, LJ?" LJ was quickly by her side with the last bag.

"Yeah?" Ziva chuckled slightly.

"My keys. Front pouch of my backpack, can you get them?" She nodded and quickly retrieved the keys and unlocked the door. "Thank you." Ziva sighed as she bumped the door closed with her hip and took the bags through to the kitchen. Lauren relocked the door before she joined her. "Here, I'll take this. Why don't you go and see your mother?" LJ nodded and left Gibbs and Ziva in the kitchen.

"So, how'd it go?" Ziva shrugged as she started to put away everything they had brought.

"She is a very wonderful child, who is very aware of what people think of her." She leaned heavily on the freezer door as she paused halfway through putting away the ice-cream. "She asked if I would think less of her if she told me she was scared." Ziva shook her head before slotting the ice-cream in and closing the door. She sighed as she leant against the fridge-freezer completely before rolling her head to the side to face Gibbs. "She reminds me of myself Jethro, so much."

"Me too." Gibbs smiled. "You'll be good for her." Ziva smiled tiredly. "You alright?" She nodded before crossing the room and wrapping her arms round him. He immediately encased her.

"I hate fighting with you." She murmured as she nuzzled into his chest. He sighed and held her tighter.

"We'll not make it a habit then huh?" He chuckled. She snorted in the adorably unladylike manner he loved before leaning up to kiss him gently. When the kiss came to a natural end she snuggled into his neck and pressed a butterfly kiss to the skin she found.


"Ziva?" LJ's call from the living room had them springing apart lightening fast.

"Yes?" Ziva called back, going to the door way so they wouldn't have to shout.

"May we have dinner soon?" Ziva smiled.

"Of course." Gibbs clear his throat quietly enough that only Ziva would hear him before motioning at her. She held up her index finger at LJ before going back out of her sight. "Now?"

"Now or never Zi."


Author's Note-I'm sorry, I know I promised at least ZC, if not implied to everyone else, that the 'big reveal' would be in this chapter but it would get too long. I have plans for it that would take this character limit really high for me. Plus this way the chapters are mostly equal. Next chapter, I promise. And I meant it this time. (Also, you can't complain too much, at least I'm updating fast!) NYLF xx