Breaking Point
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Penultimate chapter!
As the crow flies, according to various distance-measuring tools online, the distance from Mitspe Ramon to the border with Jordan is about 25 miles.
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Chapter 10: Looking After The Kids
Four hours later they arrived back in Haifa. As the truck drew to a stop, Ziva stirred. She immediately stiffened and scrambled out of Gibbs' arms in a panic, her breathing and heart rate rapidly escalating. The other two exchanged anxious looks and got out, recognising that Gibbs was the best one to deal with this.
Ziva was shaking and Gibbs knew that the fever he'd detected was affecting her ability to think clearly; she would be seeing her captors and whatever vehicle they'd transported her in, rather than him and the other Americans. He cautiously held out a hand to her, unsure of how she would react. "Ziva, it's okay, it's me, Leroy Jethro Gibbs. You're safe now."
She blinked slowly, trying to focus on him. "I – I am safe?" When he nodded, she gave him a small smile. "Where am I?"
"The Navy base in Haifa. It's almost midnight; the doctors here are going to fix you up and then we go home. Home, Ziva. With us."
She lifted her head a little. "Home…Home is good…" Her eyes widened in alarm and she froze. "Home is where they took me…"
"You can stay with me for a while if you like."
Her eyes filled with tears. "I do not want to be a burden."
Gibbs shook his head and smiled kindly. "No burden. You're one of my kids; I'll do anything for my kids."
A sob caught in Ziva's throat. "You – you will?"
"Absolutely. C'mon, let's get you looked at."
Ziva nodded obediently and slowly, shakily, moved forwards to his outstretched hand. She felt Gibbs squeeze her hand as he helped her down from the truck; as her feet touched the ground, her knees buckled and she fell. Gibbs caught her and swung her up into his arms, whispering soothing words the whole time, right into the infirmary, which thankfully was close by.
When he put her down on the bed, she grabbed his hand tightly/ "Please – please do not go, Abba!" she pleaded desperately.
The female doctor frowned. "Agent Gibbs? I thought her father was the director of Mossad?"
"My team are a family, Doctor," explained Gibbs. He lovingly ruffled Ziva's hair. "Someone's got to look out for these kids."
"Of course. I understand." The doctor commenced the physical exam, which quickly reduced Ziva to broken, heartwrenching sobs. It tore Gibbs' heart to see such a strong person so broken, even more so because of what she had already been through. Somalia came to mind again.
The examination seemed to take hours and by the end of it Ziva was drifting in and out of consciousness. Gibbs gently lay her down and tucked her in like he had done with Kelly so often when she had still been alive, and the doctor hooked her patient up to various IVs and wires.
"Agent Gibbs," said the doctor quietly, "we need to keep her here for a few days while she recovers. She has a fever from a number of infected wounds, she's seriously dehydrated and has barely had any food probably since before she was taken."
"I want to take her back in the morning."
"Agent Gibbs, I don't think –"
"She'll be safer back in Washington than she is here. You know who her father is."
"Fine. I'll call Bethesda and organise a transfer. Do you want to stay with her tonight?"
Gibbs nodded. "Gotta look after my kids. Oh, Doc?"
"Yes?"
"Make sure DiNozzo gets those glass wounds seen to. And tell him it's a direct order from me if he tries to give you any trouble."
"Yes, sir." She turned and left.
Gibbs sat down in the chair beside the bed and took the now-sleeping (possibly sedated) Ziva's hand in his and rested his head on the mattress. He wasn't going to let any more harm come to his family if he could help it.
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Lt. Thompson shook Gibbs awake. "Zero-seven-hundred hours, Agent Gibbs. Your plane back is waiting for you. Here's your coffee," he added, a slight twinkle in his eye.
Groaning as his sore, stiff muscles protested against movement, Gibbs sat up and accepted the coffee. "Where are my agents?"
Thompson smirked. "McGee had to throw cold water over DiNozzo to wake him up. Bit of a drama queen, that DiNozzo."
Gibbs rolled his eyes. "You have no idea." He looked over at Ziva, who was deeply asleep, which was probably the best thing for her.
"Sir, we're sending Dr. Sanderson with you on the flight, just to keep an eye on Agent David's condition," Thompson informed him, inclining his head towards the door as the doctor treating Ziva walked in.
"I don't think there's anything we need to worry about," Dr. Sanderson added calmly, "but someone needs to keep an eye on her and continue her treatment."
"Let's go, then," said Gibbs briskly. "I want to get her home ASAP. The longer we're here, the more likely Mossad is to catch up to us." He looked at Thompson. "Get DiNozzo and McGee out to the plane."
"Certainly, sir," replied the lieutenant and left to get the two agents. They were to fly back on the plane they had arrived in; Gibbs was flying back in the medical plane with Ziva.
Movement from Ziva caused Gibbs and Dr. Sanderson to turn their attention to her, just as her eyes fluttered open. "I – I am in the hospital?" she asked.
"Yes," Gibbs told her. "And we're going home – Hey! Lie down!"
"But if we are leaving…"
"Medical plane. You don't leave this bed, you hear me, Agent David? That's an order."
With surprisingly little protest, Ziva obeyed. "I knew you would come," she said softly as three uniformed men appeared to take her out to the plane. She squeezed Gibbs' hand and met his eyes. "Thank you."
"Anything for my kids," he reminded her, placing a gently kiss on his surrogate daughter's forehead. "How're you doing?"
"Better, I think."
"Good."
"Tony? Tim?"
"DiNozzo's wet and probably plotting revenge on McGee for waking him up with cold water."
Ziva smiled in amusement. "That does not surprise me." She winced as the staff began to move her bed. "Stay with me?"
"All the way home, kid. All the way home."
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Ziva found herself jolted awake when the plane touched down and she let out a small gasp of pain. She reached out for Gibbs' hand and clung tightly to it. He brushed her hair back from her eyes. "Ready to face a welcoming committee?" he asked. Vance had texted him to say that they would be waiting at the base.
She nodded. "Do they – do they know everything that was done to me?" she whispered, fighting back tears of shame as she remembered what had been done to her. During the flight, Gibbs had told her about the photos and video that he had received; it had made her feel sick and she had spent a good hour sobbing into him, broken, violated and deeply shamed.
"They know," Gibbs told her quietly.
"How can I face them? They – they know what was done…"
"You can," he told her firmly, cupping her face in his hands. "Ziva, remember there isn't the same stigma attached .They don't think any less of you. They love you regardless of what was done to you; they just want to have you back alive." He held her tightly as she broke down in tears, letting her cry as much as she needed to. Dr. Sanderson watched from her seat, silently keeping an eye on her patient.
Eventually Ziva's tears were spent and she fell back onto her bed, wiping the last remaining tears from her face. "I – I am ready," she said. "Now, let us see if Tony has killed Tim yet."
The door opened and on the tarmac stood Abby, Palmer, Ducky and Vance. When Ziva had been wheeled out of the plane, Abby came bounding up to her and threw her arms around Ziva. "You're back, you're back, you're back!" she exclaimed delightedly.
"Air…" gasped Ziva.
Abby hastily released her. "Sorry, sorry, sorry! I'm just so glad you're back and safe!"
Ziva smiled weakly as she lay back. "I know. I am just a little delicate at this moment. I am going to be in hospital for a few days, while I recover."
"I'll come and see you every day," Abby promised. She pulled something grey and fluffy from her bag and handed it to Ziva. "Bert wants to keep you company."
With a warm smile, Ziva happily accepted the farting hippo. "I appreciate that," she said as Abby disentangled herself from the various lines and wires attached to her.
Ducky stepped forward and took her hand. "I'm so glad you're back, dear girl," he said. "Promise me you'll be good and do what the doctors say?"
Ziva glanced at Gibbs, who gave her a stern look, and nodded. "I promise, Ducky."
The ME smiled. "Good."
Slightly awkwardly, Palmer approached, a lumpy parcel in his hands. "This is from me and Breena," he told her as he gave it to her.
Ziva bit her lip, overwhelmed by the love and care that everyone was showing her. She smiled through the tears that were welling up in her eyes as she unwrapped the parcel, revealing a fluffy ginger cat toy. "Thank you," she whispered, hugging it close to her. "Both of you."
"You're welcome," replied Palmer. "We missed you; it's good to have you back."
Vance approached her and smiled. "It's good to have you back, Agent David."
Ziva's eyes darkened. "What about…?"
"I'll handle Eli," Vance assured her. "I've been in discussions with Fornell about possible charges we could bring against him. Don't worry yourself about it, you hear me?"
Ziva nodded. Fatigue washed over her and she lay down again. Dr. Sanderson saw this and decided to take charge. "Is the ambulance ready to take Ms David to Bethesda?" she asked.
"Just the other side of the building," Vance informed her. "Gibbs, McGee, DiNozzo, my office for a debrief."
"Can I stay with her?" asked Abby. "Pleeeeeeeeease?"
Dr. Sanderson nodded. "As long as you're quiet."
"I promise."
Ziva smiled weakly and reached for her friend's hand. When she felt it, she closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of the sun on her face. It felt wonderful after being held captive. She was vaguely aware of her bed being moved and moments later she had fallen asleep again.
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TBC