Chapter 8:
AN: Hey everyone breaking rule 6 here - sorry for the wait.
But hey, stick with me because you got some craaaazy chapters coming up!
He hugged his kids tighter to him, seeking comfort, his face just as tear stained as theirs.
They sat in the hospital, continuing the way they had been for the last few hours. Vance sat there, thankful for their presence despite the circumstances, he needed them there.
Immediately once Jackie was in surgery, and the true waiting game really began, his kids had been rushed to the hospital with full protection, to join him in the torturous wait of much needed news.
Jackie was his wife, she knew the dangers of being married to a Federal Agency's Director, and she knew that every day, she was in potential danger.
But it wasn't fair.
She was innocent. She was a loving, perfect wife and mother who wanted to meet her husband, back from a trying time in Israel. And for that, her life now hung in the hands of fate, on the tedious line wavering between life and death. Vance cursed Kafele's name yet again.
Suddenly, without warning, the white double doors opened and the surgeon walked out. Vance looked straight into his eyes, searching for reassurance, craving it, needing it.
"She didn't make it."
Vance hugged his kids even tighter as fresh tears ran down their faces renewed.
Hours later, once the sun had risen, Leon received what seemed like his billionth phone call. It had been a, well, a crap night to say the least.
His children were now sleeping and he had dozed on and off for a bit. Currently, they were in a safe house hopefully away from where Kafele could attack them.
Vance sat there at the table, in the dim light, the room slowly lightening due to the rising sun, with his head in his hands. After thinking about Jackie for hours and trying to think about nothing for hours, he allowed himself to expand on the other pressing thoughts of how DiNozzo had been attacked and abducted. He wondered what the plan was back at Base. Surely Jerome Craig and Gibbs would be able to commemorate with a plan. He knew they were spitting mad.
Then, he wondered how Ziva was coping. Kafele had targeted members from both their families.
He looked down at the cell, the id showing Ziva's name. On queue with his thoughts then.
He picked it up.
'Ziva.'
The line crackled a little.
'Director, is it alright if I come over in a little bit?'
He gave her his approval; she would be there in 10 minutes.
He thought he knew why she wanted to see him. They had both been targeted personally by the same person.
There was a knock on the door. He got up, brushed himself off, (God, he looked a mess) and let her in.
Her adamant tear stained face looked up at him.
'I'm so so-'they both started at the same time. And then he opened his arms and they stood there in the living room hugging each other. They recognized each others loss and both took comfort being with another person affected by Kafele.
Ziva, who's last living family member had been murdered. Her life had not been easy, death and torture made up a large part of it. She had fought against the odds, survived against the odds. No one envied the positions she had been in, the present one included. Although she would never admit it, she was understandably confused on how to feel. She had written off Eli as family a long time ago, but now that he really was gone she wished he would come back. Because he was her father and despite his sins, she loved him.
Vance had been surrounded by less loss in his life, but that did not make this any easier for him.
They sat down around a coffee table and Vance asked for an update.
'FBI and CIA have been briefed, and…we believe we know where Kafele is… holding Tony.'
He looked up, surprised. This was definitely news.
'McGee and Abby were somehow able to track him. It was a complicated trail but they found a place where Kafele likely is. They're discussing the next step now.'
She paused.
'We're going in later tonight.'
Well, that made sense. The desire, the need for immediate revenge practically radiated off her. It frustrated him though, that he couldn't help take down Kafele anymore. But he needed to grieve Jackie and look after the kids.
He knew they had it covered.
And he also saw, looking into Ziva's resolved eyes, an expression very similar to one Eli once had. One that spoke of upcoming murder.
It wouldn't matter that he wouldn't be there to kill Kafele.
Because that place was already taken. Kafele was going to die in a very, very painful way. And Ziva was going to be the one to do it.
And Vance could settle for that. Whatever this one of a kind ex-Mossad officer had in mind would do the job just perfectly.
AN: It was really interesting to write this chapter, I kept finding myself writing exactly what actually happened and then having to revert back to my story. I love the original way better of course and wouldn't change a thing, this is just a 'what if' story(: Thank for reading!
