Disclaimer: When Ziva comes back there's more than a few logistics that need to be worked out. How long will it take for trust to be rebuilt? Is bringing her home safely enough to heal old wounds?

Just taking the characters out for a "family" type spin. Wow, so much storytelling potential in the first 2 episodes of the new season. I must explore the options.

NCIS is the sole property of the creators, studio, writers, producers, directors, etc. Lucky them….

I consider myself lucky to be able to take them out to play for a while.

Read & Review… Suspend belief and enjoy it as the fan-fic it is meant to be….

~*~*~*~*~*~

He walked into his guest bedroom to wake up his newest Probie. Ziva was used to sleeping lightly so when her door creaked open she began to stir.

Not wanting to take out his frustration and angst on the young girl Gibbs was extra gentle when he called out to her. "Ziva… Ziva wake up. I need you to go in and cover the desk."

She had awoken and was sitting up straight by the time he made his request. Well, it sounded like a request, but she was certain it was anything but. "Tony is the Senior Field Agent? Why is he not covering?"

Patting her leg Gibbs kissed her on the forehead going for the door. Pausing in the entryway he said, "Just think of it as a hazing ritual. Vance, Ducky and I are catching the next flight out." Seeing her ready to ask questions he held up his hand. "I'll call when I know more."

~*~*~*~

Ziva had been at the office for a couple of hours. Things were more than quiet. Gibbs had checked in once to say they landed, but no word since then. She decided that she would work on studying for her citizenship test. So much had happened over the last few weeks. If she wasn't already exhausted just thinking about it would knock her off her feet. Gibbs was still worried about her. She was certain of it, but most else was back to normal. Tony was as obnoxious as always, McGee was supportive, Ducky was of course sweet albeit a little long winded and Abby was as always effervescent. Vance had finally backed off and left all dealings with Ziva to Gibbs. She had finally come clean about so many things. Her heart and head were lighter which allowed her the freedom to truly focus on her building her new life in America. Gibbs had become so instrumental in her life and decisions. Even though all of her truth telling had made him way overprotective she loved him for it. As Tony and Abby had both assured her he would eventually ease up… eventually! It started in the interrogation room at NCIS….

~*~*~*~*~*~

3 Weeks Ago

Desk detail was driving her crazy. Wearing the stupid visitor badge was driving her crazy. Tony was driving her crazy. The waiting was driving her crazy. She had put in her application to become a full fledge NCIS agent over a week ago. Still there was no news. Ziva didn't want to ask, but she would kill someone without answers, so she would ask McGee to do a little "hacking" into the system for an update. Every time she asked Gibbs all she got was a grunt.

At least with a new case they would be busy and that meant the day would move quickly. Gibbs didn't ride her too much in public, but she was tired of his restrictions in the office. The fact that she wasn't even allowed to questions the restrictions no less go against them was of course… driving her crazy. She was also being left out of the loop on too many occasions. Currently she was wondering what her two partners were bantering about when she snuck up on Tony who jumped out of his skin feigning a heart attack.

Their fearless leader hadn't made an appearance in the bullpen since she first came in. DiNozzo and McGee had no idea why in was in with the Director in MTAC so long, but she wasn't feeling good about it. They were having their usual arguments when Gibbs and Vance made an appearance as she found out her application had been color coded. As she learned RED meant rejection she heard….

"Seems we have a problem," was all Vance said as he escorted her to the conference room for a little chat. Ziva looked at her surrogate father… her protector really as he veered from them toward MTAC unbeknownst to her to observe from the Director's office. This wasn't a conversation she was looking forward to having.

She was back to that feeling crazy point when it seemed like everyone knew what was going on except her. Without Gibbs in the room she felt cornered by Vance and more than a little defensive. When Ziva felt this way her natural instinct along with years of training said, 'come out swinging'.

It wasn't that she wanted to give him attitude, but speaking freely about Mossad operations was more than suicide. He had been correct that she had spent years in the service of two masters. Ziva David was no longer confused regarding where her loyalties lay she just didn't think current separation meant freedom to divulge past secrets.

A losing staring match ensued before she was asked, well really told, to turn in her pass because she was done for the day. Without discussion she was escorted out of the building and off of the Navy Yard. The only relief came when the bullpen was found empty as she picked up her things. She was mortified, but most of all she was hurt, angry and confused. Where was Gibbs?

He purposely stayed at the office ridiculously late. One reason was to avoid talking to her and the other was to get to the bottom of whatever the hell she'd gotten into. Remnants of a soup and sandwich dinner, reading, and late night television let him know she was down for the night. Locking himself away in his own bedroom Leroy Jethro Gibbs set his alarm for nearly a half hour before Ziva's usual waking time. He wasn't ready to talk to her yet and would be gone before she awoke. It wasn't abandoning her per se although he was certain that was how she'd feel. Gibbs just had this obsession with keeping things above board. When she started her new life, the one she claimed to be fighting for everyday, he wanted to be sure it was with a clean slate and conscience. His support would come later, but right now she had to face some harsh realities before she slew the rest of her psychological demons. After the additional bodies from the Damacles were discovered Leon opted to kick his bad cop routine into high gear moving his discussion with the young Israeli from the conference room to an interrogation room.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Standing behind that double paned thick glass Gibbs was shuddering inside at every detail she let fall from her lips. How in the hell did Eli David sleep at night knowing the position he'd put his only surviving child in? Gibbs protected his agents like his own children and wanted to bust their asses when they sought out unnecessary danger. Eli set his child in the path of that danger. What father does that? Then again what father turned their child into a killer?

Listening to the tale unfold Gibbs was stunned to learn of the lengths she had to go to just to end up getting caught.

"Boss we have a problem." Tony entered the observation room then made an immediate exit with his boss on his heels.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Their girl was at a serious breaking point emotionally. Tony had pulled her from the interrogation room after Vance had left her for nearly thirty minutes without explanation. Still no Gibbs… she could feel her resolve breaking. There was no guarantee of how her energy would manifest if things continued in this way. Then she found herself in autopsy with Ducky. He had a way of chipping at her wall that even Gibbs hadn't mastered. Tony stood on the other side of the automatic doors literally praying that the wise old ME could reach her in a way that would make it better and not worse.

Refusing eye contact and conversation Ziva let Tony take her back to interrogation. He'd called their names. Ducky had let at least four slip out before she could stop him. It didn't matter much because the one name she remembered every night as she rested her head on her pillow safe from harm and rose in the morning with that same feeling would stay with her always. She carried Marine Staff Sergeant Daniel Crier with her everywhere all of the time.

One way or another her nightmare had to end, but walking into that room and seeing Malachi Ben-Gidon she wasn't sure if she'd be on the first plane back to Israel or banned from her homeland indefinitely. Ziva wasn't any more open to speaking to him then she had been Ducky, Tony or Vance for that matter. She also couldn't wrap her brain around the fact that one of Gibbs' cardinal rules was being broken. If they were in interrogation and not the conference room then clearly they were suspects. Gibbs had always been clear that suspects never be allowed in the same room. A slight chuckle came to the front of her mind as she recalled all the times she, Abby, Tim and Tony had gotten into trouble with their gruff leader. Even when he considered them suspects he'd separate them making each sweat out their story/explanation alone. She could only imagine the head slap her poor partner was in for when their boss… his boss… Gibbs found out. That is she was worried until Gibbs barged in the room barely acknowledging her and went straight for the attack with Malachi. That safe protected feeling washed over her once again.

"You too sit down!" Moving quickly she obeyed.

"He says you killed Crier… Both of you are done telling stories it's my turn." Gibbs squared off against them both. He hoped Ziva knew him well enough after all these years to know even with all she was seeing and hearing that he was watching her six.

"…this is the way your boss operates? He sends you to try and burn her." Ziva barely blinked or spoke a word as Gibbs continued his 'assault' on her former Mossad team leader.

She said a silent pray in Hebrew willing her tears not to fall. It was one thing to be vulnerable in of her 'family', but Malachi was anything but and she wanted him to see no weakness. A lump lodged in her throat as she asked the question she already knew the answer to before the words were spoken.

"Are you following orders?" Ziva asked.

"Your father Ziva he's not a good guy. He's dirty." Gibbs didn't wait for the answer knowing Ziva already knew it in her heart.

"You could not say no to him. Not a second time." She kept directing her words sharply at Malachi. Maybe there was a speck of hope that she was wrong. Again Gibbs had no interest in that confirmation.

"Go; get out of here, run! You tell Eli David to stay away she's off limits!" Of this Malachi was convinced as he exited the room a nearly giddy, prancing DiNozzo set to escort him from their 'home'.

Once Ben-Gidon was gone and they were alone Gibbs gave Vance the look to shut down the cameras. What transpired next was to be between him and his 'daughter'. It was time that Ziva truly came clean not to NCIS, but to her family. Maybe they could finally get pass all that had happened.

"We're not done. Finish it," Gibbs ordered as he took the seat across from her.

Hurt and shame clouded her eyes, laced her voice as she began. In three months she had erased all of his teachings. How could he not be disappointed in her? How could he ever take her back? She wasn't the investigator he taught her to be anymore she had slipped back into the comfortable clothes of a mere assassin for Eli. Even in her own head she hated thinking of him as her father. It was this man in front of her stroking her hand coaxing her on that she thought of in those terms. It was Leroy Jethro Gibbs' opinion of her that mattered most. He was right if she was going to stay and truly get a fresh start then she couldn't bury her story. She had to tell it.

As she spoke it out loud she couldn't make eye contact. "I had nothing but death in my heart."

"You never had a choice. He didn't give you a choice. He raised you to be a ruthless soulless killer."

"I did not mean to live through it."

"You didn't that part of you died out there."

"I am sorry Gibbs." Those simple words conveyed months of turmoil. From the moment she saw Tony and McGee in Africa she knew she was sorry. She wasn't supposed to survive. She carried so much guilt. How dare she get rescued after the blood she had spilled for reasons she was so uncertain of every step of the way? She was sorry for disappointing him, sorry for surviving, sorry for the lives she took, sorry for taking off, sorry for Rivkin, sorry for Eli, sorry for Ari, but mostly Ziva David was sorry for herself.

He could see it, but he wouldn't allow it. She was no longer a killing machine for hire. She wasn't even a Mossad Officer on loan. She was Ziva David, soon to be conditional NCIS probationary Special Agent. She was under his watch and his protection in and out of the office the same as every member of their team… every member of their family.

He'd heard her story and her apology. Rising from his chair he knew he needed to convey some reassurance just for her. Leon wasn't taping, but if there was a remote possibility that he was behind that glass still Gibbs wanted to make sure his words were only for Ziva. The Director would not get the chance to read his lips. It would be another few hours before they headed home and she'd need this to get over that last emotional hurdle.

Leaning in close he said, "Young lady make that the last time you tell me you're sorry."

Seeing that smile creep across her face he kissed her temple in a way usually reserved for Abby. Rubbing her back for good measure he knew she might need more of those Abby-esque assurances as the weeks went by.

~*~*~*~*~

Present~NCIS Bullpen

"Hello, Special Agent David… oh, hi Gibbs… no it has been quiet… yes, I am using my time to study… he checked in with the switch board… I was… even I have to go sometimes… yes, Gibbs… I will and we will be waiting."

She hadn't lied. He notes were in front of her, but she had drifted off more than once thinking about how she had come to be studying for citizenship. It was a little after four o'clock in the morning. Ziva knew it would be at least another four hours before her partners arrived. Shaking her head to clear the fog of sleep deprivation she picked up her pencil and stared at the pages before her. The constitution was far from her mind as she thought back to that first week after her paperwork was approved.

A practical joke playing Marine had turned up freeze dried from the inside the night before Halloween.