Chapter 7

AN: thank you so much for the support. PLEASE, PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW.


"Tali?" Gibbs asks as he picks up the little girl once she is close enough and hugs her, "What are you two doing here?" Gibbs asks, looking between Tali and Senior, as he gets a bad feeling in his gut which tells him that whatever the reason is for this visit it is not good.

"Pop-Pop said we come to Saba." Tali reveals, looking at Gibbs, who can't help but smile at how Tali's English has developed.

"Saba, Grandpa." Jack say to herself as she had a friend who was Jewish growing up and so she knows some Hebrew words, Saba being one of them, and as she realises what Tali calls Gibbs she cannot help but smile to herself, though like Gibbs she has a bad feeling about why Tali is in America with her grandfather rather than Paris with her father.

"So, I see." Gibbs says to Tali, "Why?" Gibbs asks, looking at Senior.

"Um…" Senior starts to say, glancing at Jack, which Gibbs notice.

"I trust Jack." Gibbs reveals, and a hint of surprise passes over Senior's face at that, "And she knows." Gibbs adds, as his bad feeling increases as he has to assume that what is going on has something to do with Ziva, "What's going on?" Gibbs asks as Tali lays her head against Gibbs, showing that the young girl is really tired.

"Yesterday I got arrived at Junior's and he had Tali ready to go, with a bag, and he said that he needed me to take Tali here, to you." Senior explains, "He wouldn't tell me much more than that. All he said is that he had to help Ziva and that Tali needed to go to you, that you were the only one who could look after her." Senior says, and he isn't as insulted by that as he might once have been as he knows that Gibbs can do a lot of things he can't. He saw how scared Tony was and so he knows that keeping Tali safe is what is most important; which is something Gibbs can do better than him.

"Did Tony say any more?" Gibbs asks, sounding concerned as he looks down at Tali knowing that things must be truly bad for Tony to send Tali away as for the last two and a half years Tony's biggest concern has been being the best father to Tali, he has done everything in his power to be there for her, and this completely goes against that, goes against everything he has done.

"No." Senior says, shaking his head, "Once I said I would bring Tali here Junior told Tali that he'd see her soon, that he loves her, and then he was gone. I haven't heard anything since." Senior explains, looking worried about that fact.

"I haven't heard anything either." Gibbs admits, knowing that means either things are really bad or Tony and Ziva are being cautious, which brings up a whole lot of questions.

"I have a meeting first thing tomorrow, but after that I'll head back to Paris, see if there is anything I can do." Senior reveals as now that Tali is safely with Gibbs he will do whatever he can to help Tony and Ziva.

"There might be nothing, and it could be dangerous." Gibbs tells Senior, though he knows he would do it himself if he didn't have Tali to protect and look after.

"I have to do something." Senior reveals.

"I know. Tony, Ziva and I set up a couple of ways of contact in case of emergency, I'll reach out." Gibbs reveals, though he knows that if things are as bad as they seem then he probably won't be able to reach Tony and Ziva no matter how he tries.

"Good." Senior says, "I should go." Senior says, walking towards Tali, Gibbs and Jack, "Bye Tali." Senior says, kissing her head, "I love you."

"Love you, Pop-Pop." Tali responds.

"Gibbs." Senior says, with a nod.

"Chief." Gibbs responds, returning the nod.

"It was lovely seeing you again, Jacqueline." Senior says.

"You too." Jack responds, not sure how else to respond, and once she does Senior leaves.

"Tali, I want you to meet someone." Gibbs says, turning to look at Jack, "This is my friend Jack, can you say hello? Or Shalom?" Gibbs asks as he knows that since Tali met Tony she has begun to speak more English so much so that she speaks English, Hebrew, and due to where they are living, French, fluently.

"Hi." Tali says to Jack, sounding a little nervous.

"Shalom Tali, it's really nice to meet you." Jack says, smiling at the young girl, trying to make her feel more comfortable.

"Tali, do you think you can stay with Jack for a couple of minutes? I need to check on a couple of things." Gibbs reveals, as with Tali in the house he has to make sure all the doors and windows are locked.

"Okay." Tali says, and once she does Gibbs gently hands Tali over to Jack giving her a look as he does, a look which Jack recognizes to mean, 'look after her', and so Jack nods.

"Are you hungry Tali? Or thirsty?" Jack asks curious, as Gibbs walks away.

"Juice!" Tali says, looking excited.

"Okay, let's see if Saba has any." Jack says, heading to the kitchen with Tali, making sure not to go to close to any door or window.


A few minutes after Jack took Tali to the kitchen the two of them are down in the basement, as Jack figured it was the best place until Gibbs cleared everywhere else, and the two of them are sitting on one of the stalls, Tali is sitting on Jack's lap drinking some juice out of a Sippy cup that Jack found in Tali's bag.

"Saba boat!" Tali says, pointing to it.

"Yeah, that's your Saba's boat." Jack confirms.

"Abba tells stories about Boat." Tali reveals, in a matter of fact tone of voice.

"I'm sure he does." Jack says, looking amused.

"Abba don't know how Saba get boat out." Tali reveals.

"No one does Tali, no one does." Jack reveals.

"I've got to keep a few things a secret." Gibbs says, as he walks down the stairs.

"Everything okay?" Jack asks as Gibbs walks towards her and Tali.

"For now." Gibbs responds, as he reaches Tali and Jack, the former of whom gives a yawn, "Looks like someone's tired." Gibbs comments.

"Nap." Tali says.

"Okay, I've got a bed all set up for you." Gibbs says as Jack hands him Tali, but she holds onto the Sippy cup,

"Kelev." Tali requests.

"We'll grab him on our way upstairs." Gibbs says, as he heads upstairs with Tali, knowing that there is no way that Tony would have sent Tali away without her dog.

Once he is upstairs Gibbs heads to the bag where that Jack moved to the table, and right on top he sees,

"Kelev!" Tali says, excitedly.

"Yeah, here's Kelev." Gibbs says, handing Tali the dog, and after he does that he takes Tali upstairs, to Kelly's old room, where he puts her on the bed.

"I'm going to be right downstairs, or down the hall, okay, Tali." Gibbs says as he takes Tali's shoes off for her, as the clothes Tali is wearing are practically pyjamas so there is no reason to get her changed, "If you need anything just call." Gibbs says.

"Okay Saba." Tali says, with a nod.

"Sweet dreams." Gibbs says, leaning down and kissing Tali's head.

"Saba, where's Abba and Ima?" Tali asks, giving Gibbs a look of pure innocence.

"I don't know, Tali." Gibbs says, hating that he has no other answer for her, "But I know that they love you, and want you safe." Gibbs explains, feeling unsure of what Tali understands but at the moment he hopes that Tali understands very little.

"Ima, Abba, here soon?" Tali asks.

"I hope so." Gibbs responds, "Close your eyes, Tali, get some sleep." Gibbs tells her.

"Story?" Tali asks.

"I think I can do that." Gibbs says, and he searches his mind trying to think of a story, and eventually he comes up with an idea, "Once upon a time there was a team of heroes." Gibbs says and he proceeds to tell Tali a story about one of the team's cases.


After not just one story, but two, Tali is finally asleep and so Gibbs is walking back downstairs where he is glad, though a little surprised, to find that Jack is sitting on the couch.

"I grabbed the food from outside, it's cold by now." Jack explains, as Gibbs walks towards her, "I also checked the premiere, as far as I could tell everything seems calm." Jack reveals.

"Good." Gibbs says as he sits down next to Jack.

"How's Tali?" Jack asks curious.

"Asleep, all it took was two stories, I think she was exhausted." Gibbs reveals.

"But?" Jack asks, being able to tell that there is something Gibbs is not saying.

"She asked about Tony and Ziva, whether they'll be here soon." Gibbs explains.

"What did you say?" Jack asks, knowing that would have been difficult for Gibbs.

"That I didn't know." Gibbs reveals, pain in his voice, "I didn't know what else to say." He admits, looking sad, and so Jack reaches over and takes his hand, causing Gibbs to put his other hand over Jack's, "You didn't have to stay, you don't have to stay." Gibbs tells Jack.

"I want to." Jack reveals, and Gibbs looks grateful, "What do you think happened?" Jack asks, knowing Gibbs would have a theory by now, and while she is trying to figure out the same thing she doesn't know Tony and Ziva well enough to come up with one other than knowing they, or at least Tony, must have been truly worried about Tali.

"I keep running though it in my head, DiNozzo's biggest concern since he learnt about her has been being there for Tali." Gibbs reveals, "She is always his first priority, he never leaves her more than he has to." Gibbs explains, "For Tony to send Tali here, and to not come with her, there's only two possible reasons."

"Which are?" Jack asks, as even though she can suspect she wants to know what Gibbs is thinking as she wants him to talk, she doesn't want him to shut down.

"Either there was a credible threat against him, or Ziva, and not Tali." Gibbs reveals, "Or something really bad has happened to Ziva." Gibbs explains, and as he does Jack squeezes his hand, "Jack, I don't want anyone to know Tali is here, not yet." Gibbs explains, "That means…" Gibbs starts to say.

"You want me to lie to Leon." Jack realises, not sure if she is comfortable with that.

"I know what you two share so I know what I'm asking by asking you to keep this from him, but I am still asking." Gibbs admits, "Until we know more I don't think it's a good idea for anyone to know that Tali is here."

"You're right, it's not easy for me to keep things from Leon." Jack admits, "But I agree that no one else knowing about Tali right now is a good idea." Jack reveals, as they don't know enough about what is going on to say what will be the best way to handle everything, "So I won't say anything… on one condition." Jack tells Gibbs.

"What is it?" Gibbs asks, knowing better than trying to predict what Jack is going to say, even if it can be fun to do.

"That if things get worse, and we need help, you tell Leon everything, you ask him for help." Jack requests, as while she is sure that she and Gibbs could handle most things alone she is pretty sure that things may get to the point that she and Gibbs can't handle alone.

"Okay." Gibbs says.

"Good." Jack says, and the two of them drift into silence, still holding each others hands, as they both listen for sounds of danger.

For a while Jack and Gibbs sit side by side holding each other's hands until Jack yawns,

"If you want to get some rest take the bed upstairs, I'm not going to be sleeping." Gibbs says, as he is pretty sure he wouldn't be able to if he tries, but that doesn't mean Jack shouldn't sleep.

"Gibbs you're no used to Tali, or Tony, or Ziva if you are exhausted." Jack says, stressing each of the names, "You've been working basically non-stop the last few days on the case, and we didn't get much sleep before it begun." Jack points out, "I know you want to argue, but a couple of hours of sleep won't hurt, you'll wake up if anything happens."

"You know that, do you Jack?" Gibbs asks.

"You're a light sleeper, I've seen that." Jack says.

"Jack…" Gibbs starts to say.

"Gibbs, right now we're at a lull. There's nothing we can do, but it won't last." Jack says, saying what they both know, "We should take advantage of it, and I know you know that."

"Anyone ever tell you that you are annoyingly convincing?" Gibbs asks.

"All the time." Jack answers, "I wear it as a badge of honour." Jack reveals.

"Of course, you do." Gibbs says, looking amused, "I need to check on Tali first." Gibbs reveals, as if she shows the smallest signs of not being okay then he is not sleeping.

"Okay." Jack says, and once she does the two of them stand up and head upstairs.

Once they are upstairs both Jack and Gibbs head into the room where Tali is sleeping. Once in the room Gibbs walks over to the bed, and double checks that Tali is sleeping soundly. After making sure of that Gibbs heads over to the window and double checks the lock, before walking back over to Jack, who squeezes his arm once he is close enough.

For a few minutes Gibbs and Jack stand together and watch Tali sleep before heading out of the room and as they do Gibbs purposely leaves the door open.

"I can sleep on the couch if you'd like." Jack offers as she knows it might be difficult for Gibbs to have another women sleep in the master bedroom with him.

"No." Gibbs says, taking Jack's hand, "I want you here." Gibbs reveals, taking a huge step.

"Okay." Jack says, with a smile, and the two of them head to the master bedroom, "Any chance you have something more comfortable I can sleep in?" Jack asks curious as they enter the room and in response Gibbs lets go of Jack's hand and heads to his draw where he grabs t-shirt and sweatpants which he throws at Jack, and she easily catches them, "Really?" Jack asks, referring to the shirt which has US Marines across it.

"Right, forgot your Army." Gibbs says, even though he really didn't, he just did so to get a rise out of Jack as that is fun for him, and so he grabs another shirt which he throws at Jack, and once more she catches it, "Better?"

"Much." Jack says as she throws the marine shirt back at Gibbs liking the new one a lot more as the new shirt is a NIS shirt.

"Bathrooms down the hall." Gibbs reveals, not overly sure if Jack will want some privacy, but feeling like he should give it to her.

"Thanks." Jack says before heading to the bathroom.

A few minutes later Jack and Gibbs have both gotten changed into more comfortable clothes, Gibbs having purposely put on the Marines shirt, and Gibbs checked in on Tali once more.

"All the windows in the bathroom are still locked." Jack revealed, as she walks into the room, wearing Gibbs shirt and pants, and looking, in his opinion, completely amazing.

"So are the ones in here." Gibbs reveals, as Jack walks over to him.

"Tali still asleep?" Jack asks, as she knows Gibbs would have checked.

"Yeah, hugging her dog like her life depends on it." Gibbs reveals.

"At four her favourite toy would be her life." Jack comments.

"I wish that was all she had to worry about." Gibbs admits.

"I know." Jack says, giving him a comforting look, and once she does Gibbs takes Jack's hand and leads her over to the bed.

Once they are at the bed both Jack and Gibbs lay down, Gibbs pulls Jack in close to him and before long they are both sound asleep while holding each other, though at the slightest sign of something going on they would both be ready for action in seconds.