You are not going crazy! I am here with a new chapter! Sorry about the delay, but I was super busy at work the last few weeks (becoming a zip line tour guide). Now I hope to continue this story in a timely manner once again.

This is chapter 9. If you forgot, the last chapter ended with Ziva killing her first target via sniper rifle.

Gibbs watched as Ziva was picked up by a Mossad agent in a discreet vehicle, and she was swiftly whisked away from the scene. As this happened, a light flashed and Ziva was in another vehicle, dressed in black, her hair tied tightly back under some type of bandana. A silent Mossad officer was driving the vehicle, and Hadar was sitting with her. They were speaking in Hebrew, which made Gibbs smile. He loved hearing her speak her native tongue, especially now that he could understand it.

"You will be ready for this, Ziva. You have been successful in all five targets you have been assigned. This is no different."

"It is different. This is….it is different."

Gibbs was intrigued. Why was today any different?

"You have brought down every opponent you have faced in the last two years. The man you will eliminate today will be nowhere near as skilled. Do not worry anymore."

Gibbs understood. This was a close hit. This was killing someone face to face, something he knew she did countless times after this date, but she must have still been 12, and that was too young to see the face of the man she would kill.

"Ziva."

She whipped her head up, and met eyes with Amit Hadar.

"Do not fail."

"I will not." At that, Hadar threw the door open and Ziva jumped out. Gibbs rushed to follow her outside into the crowd. They were not in Tel Aviv. They were in Jerusalem.

Mercy was with him suddenly, and he was glad for some answers. "Who is the target?"

"He is a top Palestinian businessman. He himself did not do anything to anger Mossad or Eli David, or the Israeli government."

"Then why in the world does Ziva have to kill him?"

"His brother is one of the highest ranking officials in Palestine. He is an enemy of Mossad, and they want to teach him a lesson."

"Why not kill the man himself?"

"That would cause huge waves. They do in fact kill him later, but it is by someone much more experienced than Ziva and it is done by sniper. This killing is supposed to make a point. Ziva was sent to make that point. Just wait and see."

Ziva moved through the square quickly. She didn't carry any weapons, he realized, feeling his stomach churn. She was supposed to kill him with her bare hands. That was how the message would be. However, she did wear the Star of David necklace around her neck. She looked like a miniature version of her future self.

She slipped into a mosque and hid from a group of men walking past. One hand played with the necklace and the other was tightly curled into a fist. As soon as the coast was clear she ducked into the back room, where a sole man was preparing for prayer. Their eyes met and he understood. He tried to run, and Ziva leapt on his back.

There was a struggle. The thick walls of the mosque hid the noises coming from the fight, and no one came to the aid of the man. Ziva was too fast. Punch after punch hit him, and he doubled over, in pain and shock.

"Please…." Ziva froze, and the man looked at her. "Please…do not kill me. I have done nothing."

"You have done something, or I would not have to kill you."

"What have I done?"

He and Gibbs waited for Ziva to reply, and both were surprised when she stayed silent. It hit Gibbs first. She didn't know. She didn't know why she had kill him. She had been given the order with no explanation at all. The targeted man realized a few seconds later.

"They did not even tell you? Why do you think that is? They did not tell you because I have done nothing to them."

"You lie." Her words were poison and she lashed out faster than either man expected. She jumped up, wrapped her legs around his neck and dragged him to the ground. Two hands wrapped around his throat. His hands went up, trying to fight her, and found her necklace. It was torn from her neck, and she broke his. He lay dead.

Ziva searched the ground desperately for her necklace, but she couldn't find it. Gibbs heard the people coming the same time she did, and she had to run, leaving an innocent man and a Star of David behind.

The light flashed and she was in her home, her father sitting across a desk.

"Hadar said you did well. And that you were asking questions."

"Who was he?"

Eli sighed, rubbing his scalp. "Someone who had to be killed."

"What was his crime?"

Eli didn't answer the question. "Ziva, that is not for you to know."

"I need to know."

"His brother was an enemy. We had to send a message."

Ziva stared at him, shock and horror written all over her features. "He was innocent."

"Ziva, no one is innocent."

"He committed no crime towards us."

"Ziva, he had to die. There is no need to talk about it more. Where is your necklace?"

"It was broken in the struggle. I didn't have time to find the pieces." Her voice showed the shame she felt at the admission, and she seemed to be afraid of his response. Indeed, he did not look happy.

"Well, the mission was done and you came back, so that is more important than a necklace. Even if it was important."

"I don't want to do this."

Now, Eli looked surprised, before annoyance and anger overtook him. "Ziva, we have discussed this. You have to do this. There is no choice."

"I do have a choice. And I don't want to do it."

"Ziva, do not make me do something we will both regret."

"What are you talking about?"

"I have another daughter I could train."

Gibbs felt his stomach drop at the coldhearted statement, and Ziva looked like someone had literaly stabbed her in the back. "Tali does not want this life."

"She will have to have it if you are too selfish to do the work yourself."

Ziva didn't answer, and Eli shrugged. "I will start tomorrow to get her to where you are."

"No!" Ziva was out of the chair, eyes burning. "No."

"No what?"

"I will do it."

"What will you do?"

"Anything. Anything, if you leave her alone. If you let her be normal."

"That is wise of you to say, my dear Ziva."

"Why do you need me? You have countless officers. Why me?"

"You are my daughter. You are good, better than my other officers, and someday I want you to be the new director of Mossad. That is why I need you."

Ziva didn't answer, and Eli waved his hand. "Go. Go to bed. Tali is waiting up for you."

Ziva turned and walked slowly out of the room, and Gibbs followed. Indeed, Tali was awake, the bedside lamp still on. "Why were you yelling?"

"Just a little fight. Nothing important."

"Ziva, I am not a little kid. I know it was about me."

Ziva hugged her tightly. "I know, you are growing up, growing up fast. It was just leverage, him using you so I would agree. You do not need to worry."

"What if he was being serious?"

"Serious about what?"

"What if he makes me train?"

"Tali, he will not. I promise you that. You will be an opera singer. The best one in the world. I will keep that world safe."

"It is not fair that I get everything and you have to give it all up."

"Tali, it is not all bad. I will travel all over the world. I will soon get my high school diploma, years before most people. I will get to help my country and I will have status and power in the Mossad."

"But you will not be able to be a dancer."

"Well, we all have to give up something Tali. Do not be worried for me. I have you, that is all I will ever need. You live for both of us."

"I will try."

"Now, get some rest. I will be back shortly."

"Where are you going?"

"Dancing."

She danced like she was furious at the world. As always, Gibbs was amazed at how good she was, even as the night progressed and tears fell down her face. Gibbs wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and hold her and never let go, but it would be more than 10 years before he even got that chance.

She was suddenly kneeling, and she was praying. He bent forward to listen. She was speaking in Hebrew.

"I promise" she was saying. "I promise, I will remember their names and faces. I will remember the lives I take from this Earth." She finished the prayer and fell to the floor, murmuring names over and over, the people she had already killed, as the light flashed.

Well, there you have it! We have Ziva's first meltdown. You will see a few more of those before the story is over, I promise you that! Please leave a review.