Chapter 10
"Papa," Ziva waddled into MTAC with Tony at her heels, "Shalom. How are you?"
"Why are you pregnant?" Eli snapped at her, casting a dirty look at the Italian-American, "You are not married- this is a violation of everything I have taught you! Is he Jewish, at least?"
"I am actually married, papa," Ziva announced in a defiant voice, "But he is not Jewish."
"Who is it?" Eli asked, completely oblivious to the fact Tony was in the room, even though he had seen him mere seconds ago.
"Anthony DiNozzo," the pregnant woman tottered over to her husband and let him put his arms around the tip of her stomach.
"You?" the Director's eyes narrowed into slits, "The bane of my existence?"
"Nice in-laws," Tony commented, "And I'm not a big fan of you either, Daddy David."
"Tony," Ziva hissed in a low voice, "Don't get him mad. He can say worse things than I can do."
"When was the wedding?" Eli looked, to put it simply, like he was going to explode, "Why was I not invited? Why was I not told of my future grandchild?"
"A: there was no wedding; it was only a quickie and B: we didn't think you wanted to know me anymore. You haven't contacted me since the bombing incident."
"This could be the heir to the Mossad empire!" Eli shot back.
"No child of mine is going to be in that agency!" Tony and Ziva yelled back at a simultaneous time.
"Oh yes they are," Director David responded, "You may be an American citizen now, Ziva, but you still have Mossad heritage! You are an Israeli at heart."
"No," Ziva shook her head furiously, "I am an NCIS agent, at heart."
"Liar!" Eli spat.
"Don't you EVER insult my wife ever again," Tony roared in a furious manner, "Or you won't live to see your grandchild."
"I'll have you assassinated for that," Eli chose this as his response.
"Please," Ziva laughed, "I know all of the members of the Kidon Unit- they'd never kill for such a trivial offense."
"Oh believe me," her father replied darkly, "I have excellent powers of persuasion."
"Like you persuaded mother to stay with you after the affair?"
"Leave Rivka out of this," Eli tried to calm down, to no avail, "There was no affair, she was just upset about certain…things."
"You drove her away," Ziva looked close to tears, "When she and Tali left this Earth you pushed me away more and I managed! But now you are pushing me away because you can't accept responsibility!"
"I am Director of Mossad! I have responsibility."
"In work, but not in your personal life," his daughter responded, "You could easily board a plane to DC in a few months when the baby is born, but I am sure you will choose not to."
"I would if I felt that you were not dishonouring me!" Eli thundered.
"YOU?" Ziva screamed, "AREN'T YOU HAPPY FOR ME?"
"THE MAN YOU ARE MARRIED TO IS NOT THE JEWISH MAN I SELECTED!"
"IT DOESN'T MATTER! I LOVE HIM MORE THAN ANYTHING BUT YOU CANNOT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT!"
"YOU ARE COMMITING A SIN!"
"WHAT SIN? THE SIN OF LOVE?"
"MARRYING A MAN WHO IS NOT JEWISH! THAT IS A SIN TO ME!"
"I AM YOU DAUGHTER AND YOU ARE MY FATHER! I REGRET NOT TELLING YOU ABOUT YOUR GRANDCHILD! I WANT YOU TO BE A PART IN HIS OR HER'S LIFE!"
"Daughter? What daughter? Talia died 11 years ago in an attack on her school! I don't know who you are," Eli told her quietly.
"Papa?" Ziva's voice turned to a plead as the MTAC screen turned back to manual mode.
She turned to Tony, and he pulled her into his arms as she sobbed quietly into his chest.
This was going swimmingly.
Aw, poor Ziva! I've never been a big fan of Daddy David.
Peace be with you xxx