I thought it was about time Ziva took back her life. One more chapter to go, it's in my mind, but…

I hope you'll bare with me. I've seem to have lost my beta reader so excuse me for my English. Jools where are you ?

Healing part 10

Ziva takes it back

The next morning Ziva woke up feeling a warm body next to her. Tony. He was still asleep. She turned around to face him and watched him sleep. She thought back to yesterday. He was so honest with her that she couldn't do anything else but to trust him. He had massaged her left leg until the cramp had subsided. She was totally relaxed with him, despite the fact that he had now seen her with her pants off. She giggled, how did the Americans say "caught with your pants down". Tony stirred, he heard a giggle but couldn't figure out where it had came from but then it hit him. Ziva was still laying next to him, did she just giggle. Maybe he was drooling, he wiped his mouth of just to be sure.

"Tony, wake up." She nudged him ever so carefully. She knew from past experience that Tony wasn't really an morning person. She remembered waking him up once with a bottle of water, he didn't appreciate that. She stared at the glass of water standing next to her bed, it did however get the job done. She shook her head. Better not. Tony opened his eyes.

"Why are you in my bed. Did I have a nightmare again, I didn't hurt you did I" She quickly scanned his face to see if she had hit him any were but couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.

"No, you didn't. I just mist holding you" He murmured. He snuggled back up against her in order to retain that lovely Sunday morning feeling, except it wasn't Sunday and Ziva was going to the centre that morning. Ziva decided that there was no time like the present to get out and take a shower before she would leave for the centre. Ever since the brace on her left leg was allowed to be taken off she got around so much better. While she was on her way to the bathroom she removed the shirt she slept in without even thinking of the fact that Tony was still in the room. When she heard him suck in his breath she realized that he was still in her room and that she had shown him her bare back. The back that was repeatedly whipped by her captors.

She turned bright red and didn't know how fast to put her shirt back on, but Tony wouldn't have it. He took her by the waist and slowly began touching each and every scar on her back. She shivered.

"Tony"

"Don't' say it"

He placed a finger on her mouth. "you were beautiful and you still are beautiful. Some of them will go away and some of them will stay and I will cherish each and every one because they are yours" He felt her relax in his embrace.

"You go take a shower, I'll make breakfast and then…." He grinned "I will give you the keys to my car so you can take yourself to the centre, if that is what you want"

Later that morning when Ziva returned to Gibbs' House she was once again alone. After another shower to wash of the sweat of that morning's exercises she felt re-born. She was happy to have told Tony the truth, she was going to take back what was hers to begin with. She decided to call Ducky and make an official appointment with him so he could check her out. She knew he wasn't her real doctor but it made him happy and this way the team would know about her progress without having to ask her. She also knew Ducky wouldn't give out any painful details about her recovery or the results of her torture.

She made herself lunch and just when she was about to sit down and eat there was a knock on the door. She opened it and found McGee standing in front of it.

"Hey" From the looks of it he still wasn't going to talk to her.

"I thought I should give your computer an upgrade"

"Sure, it's in my room, go right ahead"

She finished her lunch and then came up with a idea. Ziva walked over to her purchases from the other day and quickly found what she was looking for. She walked to her room where McGee was already busy with her laptop. She slowly closed the lid on it and thus forcing McGee to look at her.

"I don't think it needs an upgrade each and every time you are here McGee. How about a game of scramble"

McGee blinked."Did you say you want to play a game of scramble"

She nodded. "and talk to me, McGee. I am not going to go crazy on you"

McGee looked at her. He saw a woman who had been broken but still had some fight left in her. A woman who had risen out of the ashes of her own death, like a phoenix. He saw some of the old Ziva in her eyes. She was back, not completely but most of her had come back. It would be a long process but she was on her way back.

He smiled "I won't let you win this time"

"If I remember correctly I won the last time because I was ….simply brilliant."

McGee laughed.

Tony arrived just before dinner time and heard Ziva and McGee laugh. He joined them in her room just as McGee was about to leave.

"Looks like you two had a good time"

"Yes, we did indeed. We played scrabble"

Ziva smiled and all Tony could do was stare at her. He loved hearing her laugh.

"You want to stay for dinner McGee. I am cooking"

Both Ziva and McGee were staring at Tony.

"You are"

"Oh god, not pasta again" Ziva grunted.

"what is wrong with my pasta dishes" Tony scoffed.

"nothing, but I don't want them 5 times in one week"

"Ok, what do you want to eat" Tony remembered their talk earlier this week.

When Gibbs arrived they decided on ordering in. Since most votes count McGee, Ziva and Gibbs ordered Thais leaving Tony slightly hurt that no one wanted him to cook one off his famous pasta dishes anymore.

Around eight all of them had eaten and McGee was on his way back home. Tony walked him to his car.

"Thanks, McGee"

"for what, Tony"

"You made her laugh"

The night that followed was a quiet one. Tony sneaked into Ziva's room and just watched her sleep. She had a peaceful night. He did that often now, he would just watch her sleep. He needed to know that she was safe. He needed to know she was still here.

He left her about half way through the night in order to get some sleep of his own. The following morning he woke up only to find out that Ziva had come up to his room and had sneaked into his bed. Most of her body seemed to cover his and he gently lifted her up and put her aside. She stirred a little but continued sleeping. When she came down he already made her breakfast and when Gibbs joined them they sat at the table enjoying a good breakfast.

" I would like a lift to NCIS please"

She might as well dropped a bomb. The two men looked at her as if she had gotten out of her mind.

"What why…." Tony managed to get out.

"For starters I would like to see Abby and I've got appointment with Ducky but most of all I spoke to Vance who told me that my father wants to see me and he gave me permission to use MTAC on this occasion"

Tony and Gibbs looked at each other, both men didn't like the fact that Ziva would be talking to her father.

"What does your father want from you that he couldn't say to you on the phone"

"He wanted to see me, not only talk to me but see me as well"

"Hasn't he heard of a webcam" suggested Tony. "Why MTAC"

Ziva shrugged her shoulders " I don't know, he wants to see me in MTAC"

Gibbs and Tony reluctantly took Ziva with them. When she arrived at NCIS she was greeted by a lot of people who had all missed the feisty Israeli. Gibbs chuckled, they did miss her, they missed they way she could keep Tony in line.

Ziva went down to Abby's lab and when she got in she was rewarded with a enormous hug. Abby was thrilled to see her in such a good shape, she looked a whole lot better than the last time Abby had seen her. The scar above her eye remained but the hair was growing back, she had put on some weight but most of all her eyes were full of live. Abby sighed, she had her friend back.

The two woman talked for a while when Ziva realized she nearly forgot her appointment with Ducky.

She quickly said goodbye to Abby and left to go and see Ducky. The good doctor had the tea ready and was already waiting for her.

"Goodmorning Ducky"

"Hello, my dear. Would you like some tea before we start"

Ziva nodded. She enjoyed her tea session with Ducky, and for the first time in a long while she felt relaxed and human again. She felt alive again. She was taking back her life, they did not break her. After the tea session Ducky gave her the once over and decided that she was well on her way back to get her full mobility back. He very well knew it would take some time but she was getting there. He would never admit to it but he missed their tea sessions. Abby only drank CafPow, Gibbs had his horrible coffee, Tony never wanted to stay and McGee was always sticking his nose in a computer, but Ziva…yes Ziva took the time to properly drink and enjoy her tea. He even bought some special tea in order for her to taste different variaties. Oh, yes the good times would return, maybe he thought, just maybe he mused.

The phone rang, it was Vance requesting Ziva to come up to MTAC. She felt herself getting nervous, this was it. She would let him know her plans for the future. She had made up her mind, she wasn't going to let him dictate her life like that ever again. If she could live through everything her captors had thrown at her she could face her father as well. She had been talking to Vance about this and he had agreed on one condition, her father had to agree as well.

She entered MTAC and there was his face was plastered on the huge screen. She swallowed hard, she was not going to back down. They talked briefly in Hebrew before Director David turned to Vance.

"You have no problems with this Leon"

"None at all Eli, she is a damm good agent"

"Fine, than it is settled. You can have her if you want"

Eli David stared at his daughter. He would never admit it but he was so proud of her. She didn't break during her torture and right now she took charge of her own life. She blackmailed him into letting her stay with NCIS as a semi retired Mossad Agent. She would remain with NCIS as a liason officer but he would never be able to order her back into the field. He knew that if he didn't agree to this he would never see her again, he would never see his future grandchilderen, he would never hear her laugh again, she would disappear out of his live forever. Despite the fact that many thought he was a cruel man he cared for her, she was his only remaining family member. She was the reason he did what he did, but in the progress he had lost sight of the reason why he did what he did. To create a safe home for his family he had used his them like pawns, and look where it got him. He lost his wife, daughter, son and almost his second daughter. He would have given her the moon if she asked him to, so he could very well grant her this request at least this way she stayed in his life. Maybe they could make a new start, when she was ready. Maybe one day….

Vance and Ziva left MTAC together. They walked up to the bullpen where Gibbs, Tony and McGee were pretending to work. Vance cleared his throat.

"Men, may I introduce to you. Mossad Liason officer Ziva David. She will be returning as part of your team as soon as she clears her fysical and medical test." Ziva was glowing.