The sounds of the night surrounded them, but neither Ziva nor Tony had slept a wink. They talked, just talked to keep themselves occupied but inevitably their conversation always found Jacob and Daniela. Then the conversations stopped. Traces of the children plagued them. Daniela's basketball shoes in front of the door. Jacob's toys on the floor where he had left them. They stared back at them, signs of their failures.
"Do you think they are okay?" Ziva asked in the dark.
"I know they are." Tony replied instantly. "I'm sure Daniela is raising hell...and protecting Jacob."
Ziva sighed and pulled her knees to her chest. "Tony, we failed."
"We will get them back." He said fiercely. "We will get them back."
A soft glow began to fill the room as the world began to wake. "I am going to shower so we can call Gibbs." Ziva said quietly, rising from the bed.
Nodding, Tony watched her enter the washroom and shut the door. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and threw on a pair of jeans and a black polo shirt and a black sweater overtop. Black. The colour of mourning. It seemed right, though he knew in his heart that they children weren't dead. But he was mourning their loss.
The radio on the beside went off, blaring angrily. Normally Tony would have smacked the clock and threatened to end its pitiful life but today was different. He sat down on the edge of the bed as he heard the words of the song that played.
Doesn't come down when she calls,
"It's time for breakfast."
Momma can't get down those halls
Fast enough to see
Glass is sprayed across the floor
From the broken window.
She can't breathe anymore.
Can't deny what we know.
They're gonna find you, just believe.
You're not a person; you're a disease.
His breath caught in his throat, the words ringing through his head. "You're not a person; you're a disease." Who kidnapped innocent children? He buried his head in his hands. Who LET innocent children be kidnapped?
All these lives that you've been taking,
Deep inside, my heart is breaking.
Broken homes from separation.
Don't you know it's violation?
It's so wrong, but you'll see.
Never gonna let you take my world from me.
The world outside these walls may know you're breathing,
But you ain't comin' in.
You ain't comin' in.
Had he waited that extra half hour...had he told Jenny that the meeting had to be rescheduled...had he spent the time making sure that Daniela and Jacob got to school okay...they would still be here. Daniela would be awake by now, reading her book on the couch or outside practicing her dribbling. Jacob would be for sure still asleep, it was Saturday. He never woke up before 10 am, and even then it was usually because Ziva went in and woke the boy up. He was never angry with her, but woke up with a smile and plastered her face with kisses.
Posters hung on building walls They're gonna find you, just believe.
Of missing faces.
Months go by without the cause,
The clues, or traces.
You're not a person; you're a disease.
They would find them. They had to find them. His jaw clenched as he thought about the people who kidnapped the children, his children. THEIR children. When they were caught... His eyes darkened. They better hope that they were not in a room with Tony once they were caught...or Ziva for that matter.
All these lives that you've been taking, Shed the light on all the ones who never thought they would become
Deep inside, my heart is breaking.
Broken homes from separation.
Don't you know it's violation?
It's so wrong, but you'll see.
Never gonna let you take my world from me.
The world outside these walls may know you're breathing,
But you ain't comin' in.
A father, mother asking why this world can be so cold.
Their conversation last night came back to him. Ziva asking him, her dark eyes filled with unshed tears why it had to be Daniela and Jacob. She knew the answer, she knew the risks, but she also knew the children. As much as she argued against it, she had become attached. She loved going for runs with Daniela, even if it meant slowing down. She loved teaching Jacob to read, even if it meant her learning more and more sign language. She loved having them in her life as much as they loved being in hers.
Doesn't come down when she calls,
"It's time for breakfast."
The memories begin to fall.
She asks, "When will I be free?"
He didn't notice her presence until she had sat down beside him. They sat in silence, listening to the telling song. Finally Ziva cleared her throat. "It is too quiet." She whispered, almost like she was afraid to break the foreboding silence. "Daniela would be up already, probably making breakfast."
"And lots of noise." Tony replied with a smile.
"Always." Ziva returned his smile. "If she was awake...."
"Everyone else was awake."
They chuckled quietly, a forced fake laugh. "Jacob would be hiding, trying to get away with not washing his face or hands...." Ziva smiled.
"Because they would just get dirty again." Tony reasoned.
All these lives that you've been taking,
Deep inside, my heart is breaking.
Broken homes from separation.
Don't you know it's violation?
It's so wrong, but you'll see.
Never gonna let you take my world from me.
The world outside these walls may know you're breathing,
But you ain't comin' in.
All these lives that you've been taking,
Deep inside, my heart is breaking.
All these lives that you've been taking,
Deep inside, my heart is breaking.
All these lives that you've been taking,
Deep inside, my heart is breaking.
The world outside these walls may know you're breathing,
The world outside these walls may know you're breathing,
But you ain't comin' in
He didn't even flinch when her damp head leaned on his shoulder, instead he wrapped his arm around her slight frame. "We'll find them Zee, don't worry, we'll find them."
"I know we will, but Tony...will it be in time?" She sighed. "They have been through so much, too much. Will they be able to handle it?"
"They have to." He whispered, even though he was thinking the same thing.
--
Daniela was claustrophobic. At least she was now. The cold dark locked box was starting to get to her. It was long enough for her to lie down and wide enough to bring her arms out slightly to her side, but nothing more. A coffin, she though miserably. She was stuck in a coffin. She could hear them move around outside, hear them talking, hear them praying. Her foot ached from where she kicked the box, her throat sore and raw from her screaming.
The box opened so suddenly the bright light made her eyes water and her flinch in response. "Hungry?"
"Where is my brother?" She mumbled looking around. "I want to see Jacob."
"You sure want a lot of a little girl." The man said with a devious smile. "Your brother is fine, see look. He's awake now." He pointed to Jacob in the corner who was blinking furiously and wiping the blood that was dripping in his eyes.
"Why is he bleeding?"
"He was annoying me." He replied. "Here, food." Dropping a paper plate with a ham sandwich and a small milk carton on in front of her he sneered. "Just for you Jew."
Daniela glared and peeled the piece of meat off and threw it at the turned back of the man and quickly shoved the pieces of bread in her mouth.
"If you don't eat your food you won't get anymore..." A soft voice said. Daniela turned the best she could and saw James staring at her. "Don't get them mad."
Her jaw hardened, her eyes narrowed. "You." She spat. "YOU." She struggled against her restraints.
"It won't do any good." He said sadly. "Not until we get what we want."
Daniela looked over towards Jacob who had also thrown his piece of ham at the man and was now spitting milk.
"What is that?"
James looked down sadly. "You need to tell us where your family is. We need to get rid of the Jewish problem."
"But...my father, he is not Jewish." Daniela reasoned. She knew that Ziva would be able to handle herself need be.
"That doesn't matter. He married a Jew. He had Jewish kids. And you, you can marry a non Jew and have Jewish kids."
"Breed like flies." The man said behind her. "Look at you and your brother. Two Jewish rats."
Jacob's hands flew, his eyes pleading with Daniela. She sighed and shook her head. "We will not tell you." Her breath momentarily left her as she felt a sharp kick to her head. It was so hard she could feel her eyes cross and her vision go blurry before it cleared. Warm blood trickled down from her temple and the pounding in her head increased.
"Now you will tell us."
"You will have to kill us first." Daniela spat back, fighting the urge to yell at him in Hebrew knowing that it would just further anger her kidnapper.
"So we may. May Jesus forgive you." The kidnapper said with a sad smile. He turned to Jacob who was signing madly and glaring at them. "You too young one." He reached out to rub Jacob's head, but his hand got too close to Jacob's mouth. The boy, in a split second, bit down as hard as he could watching as the man in front of his opened his mouth in terror. He held tight until he felt a sharp crack on the side of his face and he vision went dark...
--
"Boss...I think Jacob just bit someone." McGee said in astonishment.
"What?"
"Watch." McGee backed the video up and they stared as a hand came into view. They watched both in humour and fascination as Jacob clamped down on the hand. "He bit him."
Gibbs cracked a smile. "He did. Did you get a shot of the face of the kidnapper?"
"No." McGee frowned. "He's hiding his face well. We're working on it." He turned to Abby. "Anything yet?"
"Narrowing it down." Abby replied shaking her head to McGee.
"WORK FASTER YOU TWO." Gibbs said, turning on his heel. "I'm going for more coffee."
Abby watched as he stormed out of the lab. "Timmy...can we find them?"
"We have to Abs. We have to."
"I know...but...but..." Her green eyes flickered closed for a second.
"It'll be okay Abs. We'll find them." McGee nudged her Caf-Pow closer to her.
"Thanks Timmy." She looked at the screen sadly. "Who would take KIDS Timmy? They're just kids. Sweet kids."
"I know Abs. I know."
Abby frowned but kept her mouth shut.
--
"He will contact you." Gibbs said with a sigh. He swallowed his coffee that had long since turned cold and turned to Jenny. She nodded and looked at the two younger agents.
"It's his MO. He will contact you and set a ransom." Jenny said softly.
"And then take us." Ziva replied just as softly.
"Yes." Jenny said honestly. "They'll come looking for you two when you go to make the drop."
Tony puffed his chest out slightly and crossed his arms. "They'll be no match for us." He flinched when he felt a hit on the head. "Sorry boss."
"You know better than that DiNozzo." Gibbs glared. "They'll kill the kids if you fight back."
"If they are not already dead."
The room went silent, Ziva for the first time verbalizing what everyone was thinking.
"They aren't dead. They can't be." Tony said softly.
"They can't get their ransom without." Gibbs said with a matter of fact look. He flinched when he felt Jenny's glare on him. "What? It's true."
"They are more than just pawns Gibbs." Ziva stood up and exited the room, Abby quick on her heels.
"Now lookit what you did." Tony said frowning. "You upset Ziva." He stood up. "I'll be right back."
McGee looked at Jenny and shrugged. "You know as well as I do."
"It's going to be a long night."
Jenny nodded in agreement and looked towards the door that they left through. "They're going to be unbearable until we get this figured out."
"They already are." Gibbs growled. ..
Ziva sat down on the couch and pulled her knees to her chest. "It is my fault Abby. It is my fault they are gone."
"How could you have known that they were going to get take kids?" Abby asked, draping her arm over Ziva's slight shoulders.
"When emotions get involved....you let your guard down." Ziva said sadly. "Abby, I care about these children and I let my guard down and they got hurt."
--
"Your family is as good as dead."
Daniela opened her eyes and only to see the dark.
"You hear me in there Jew girl? Your family is as good as dead." He kicked the box and relished as he heard the girl groan.
"Where is my brother?" She croaked, her mouth thick with caked and dried blood.
The man looked down at the boy who was cowering in the corner, his left eye swollen shut.
"He's here. How much do you love your brother?" He petted the boy's hair gently, smiling at the boy.
"I love him. Leave him alone." Her voice wavered. "Do not hurt him. Hurt me instead."
"Are you sure?" He looked down at the boy, his dark brown eyes, his soft brown hair. "I don't know....your brother is pretty beautiful..."
Her voice no longer wavered. "I am sure. Leave him ALONE."
--
AN – The song that I used was "All these lives" by Chris Doughtry. It's about a family whose child was kidnapped. And be impressed....an update that wasn't a month in waiting!