Panic and dread overwhelmed Ziva as she and Gibbs entered the safe house to find the aftermath of an attack with furniture ripped apart and shrapnel embedded in the walls. For a moment her whole body froze in horror as images of her past flooded back. But quickly she regained her senses and along with Gibbs, lowered her weapon as their eyes were drawn to Vance and Hadar who lay on the floor, badly injured.

'Leon!' Gibbs called, rushing over to the Director who struggled to get up.

'Look at me Leon. Try not to move.' Gibbs ordered as he noticed the red stain growing on Vance's stomach.

'I can't believe this happened again.' Vance murmured as he slipped into unconsciousness, Gibbs desperately trying to rouse him.

'HADAR!' Ziva had shouted, rushing to his side, turning him over gently as he groaned. She gasped at the sight of the metal embedded in his flesh in his stomach but then remembering her training, she put pressure on the wounds.

'Ziva...' He gasped his voice hoarse.

'Hush, do not speak. You need your energy.' Ziva spoke softly.

She had known Amit for many years and she considered him an uncle. Seeing him lying there in so much pain, so unlike the strong man she knew, caused her blood to fill with fury and she vowed to get revenge on those responsible. Confident she was applying the right amount of pressure; she looked around the room, desperately searching for her father.

'Ziva...your father...he managed...to escape.' Hadar gasped as the pain overwhelmed him.

'Lie still, Amit, it will be ok.' Ziva tried to soothe him, her mind reeling from the events.

'Your father...loves you...very much Ziva.' He murmured as he too collapsed into unconsciousness.

Gibbs and Ziva stayed with the men until the ambulances arrived, the EMTs efficiently taking over before whisking the men away to Bethesda. Gibbs accompanied Vance leaving Ziva behind to wait for the arrival of the rest of the team to process the scene.

As she waited her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. They had dealt with El Masri and yet still this had happened. Was it possible that some other terrorist group had found out her father was in America? After all her father had no shortage of enemies and some would even say she was on that list, but right now the worry for her missing father proved otherwise. Feeling utterly useless as she waited, Ziva did the only thing she felt she could do for Vance, Hadar and her father; she prayed.

The MCRT processed the scene as Liat and Malachi stood, staring at the pool of blood which belonged to their injured comrade. Ziva, camera in hand, snapped pictures of the scene of devastation. Although she appeared to be fully focused on her task, in reality her mind was preoccupied of thoughts of her father's whereabouts.

'Someone is going to pay for this, Amit.' Liat murmured as she thought about the older Mossad officer, before turning to look accusingly at Ziva. 'You know our safe house in Tel Aviv is a concrete bunker - 100 feet below ground.'

Ziva turned around angrily. 'Meaning this would not have happened there? Because there's no violence in Israel!' She spat sarcastically at the younger woman.

'Ladies...' Tony tried to interrupt.

'Hadar is badly wounded. We were operating under NCIS protocols.' Liat spoke angrily, her eyes shining brightly as she stepped towards Ziva.

'Are you blaming me?' Ziva raised her voice; her posture stiffening as she prepared to attack the other woman.

'Liat, focus.' Malachi reprimanded her, aware from experience, that she was close to causing Ziva to lose her temper and trying to protect his partner from the consequences.

'Three men walk into a room. Two end up in the hospital. That leaves one we can do anything about.' Tony spoke glaring at the two Israeli agents.

For a moment, Ziva stared icily at Liat before turning her focus on Malachi. 'The blood trail leads to the back room.' The other three turned to look at what she had observed.

Tony spoke quietly, sounding just like the experienced investigator he was. 'First priority: type and match to confirm - it belongs to Eli David.' His gaze changed from Malachi to Ziva as he said this.

Malachi then replied, looking at Ziva as he did. 'It has to be his or his kidnappers.'

Liat looked to Malachi; 'Why do you assume he was kidnapped?'

'Because it is the only option where my father is still alive.' Ziva spoke softly, her emotion showing at the end, as she stared at Liat, who stared back, her mouth slightly open as she realised Ziva's worry. 'Excuse me.'

As she left, Malachi and Tony exchanged looks at Ziva's behaviour; both aware just how much she really cared about the Director.

Ziva slipped outside, away from all the noise and investigators and walked out of the crime scene and down the street. She waited until she was far enough away before taking out her cell and dialling impatiently.

'Haswari.' Her brother coldly answered.

'Ari, there has been an attack on the safe house. Hadar and Director Vance are badly wounded from shrapnel and father is missing.' She spoke, tears in her voice and spilling down her cheeks.

'What?! Do we know who is behind it?' For once Ari did not mask his concern. Despite his cold relationship with Eli David, he was still their father and of course the Director of the Mossad.

'No but there is a blood trail which belongs either to him or his kidnappers.'

Ari gathered his weapon and his helmet. 'I will join the search.'

'No Ari! It is too dangerous. I will find him.' Ziva pleaded with her brother who shook his head on the other side of the phone.

'I will not expose myself, do not worry. I will take charge of the Mossad agents in the city and we will search for him. He will be fine Ziva.'Ari knew his words would do little to reassure his sister but he uttered them anyway. He had to fight the almost overpowering urge to race to where she stood and envelop her in his arms. The gesture, although he knew it would bring her comfort, would be unappreciated due to the danger of him being discovered. So instead, he would do what he could to help search for their father even if a part of him, the part of him that was left from his days at Hamas, wanted Eli not to be found.

Ziva spoke again after a minute of silence which she had used to try and regain her composure. 'Ok. Be careful.'

'Always am. You need to be more careful, in case you are a target. I am after all dead.'

Ari hung up the phone and looked at it for a moment, feeling slightly guilty for holding back from Ziva. Secretly he had long suspected something like this would happen-especially with the nature of his current mission; a mission he could not afford Ziva to find out about at any cost. He just hoped it was not the men he thought it was behind the attack otherwise Ziva would be in danger and right now, there was nothing he could do to save her.

Immediately after recovering from the shock of Gibbs' phone call, and after calming a hysterical Abby, Ducky had headed for Bethesda, knowing that he may be able to offer some assistance and also knowing that the other NCIS agents would be needed in the manhunt that was rolling out across the city. He found Gibbs in the waiting room and after checking the Director's status, the pair had elapsed into a comfortable silence as they waited. The sound of approaching footsteps was a welcome relief for Ducky as his back was becoming increasingly sore sitting on the hard-backed chairs, and both men looked up as a young male Lieutenant approached.

Gibbs quickly got to his feet. 'Is this about Director Vance?'

The doctor sympathetically shook his head, 'I'm sorry to say I have no information on Director Vance's condition as he is still in surgery. But I'm here to inform you that Officer Hadar is out of surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.'

'Thank you.' Ducky nodded politely to the doctor, waiting until he left before turning to a frustrated Gibbs. 'How's Ziva?'

Gibbs sighed wearily. 'Not good Duck- Tony called and said she had to leave the scene.'

'That doesn't surprise me Jethro. You and I both know that although Ziva was trained to show no emotion, underneath it all she's just the same as any other human being. And with her father missing I'm afraid she'll be particularly fragile. ' Ducky spoke softly, knowing how defensive Gibbs was with his daughters.

There was a brief silence before Gibbs spoke. 'She's determined to find her father though. That bastard Eli has idea how lucky he is.' Gibbs spat out angrily, thinking once more of his murdered daughter Kelly and wishing that she was still here. She would have loved Ziva and Abby like they were her own sisters, that he had no doubt.

'He doesn't deserve Ziver.' Gibbs finished quieter than before.

'I have to say from what I know of the man I can sympathise with your views. However he is her father and I would be willing to wager that underneath that coldness, Eli David genuinely cares for Ziva.' Ducky surmised for Gibbs who stayed silent, not sure whether he believed Ducky's thoughts or not.

Ducky understood the turmoil Gibbs found himself in. Although he had never had the chance to be a father, Ducky considered Ziva and Abby to be like granddaughters to him. He had been taken with the Israeli almost immediately due to her charming nature and her genuine kindness. Ducky had, like the others, been devastated at her supposed demise on the Damocles and when she had turned up alive in Somalia of all places, he was over the moon. He had watched her over the years loosen her defences and he knew with utmost certainty that Ziva cared a lot more about her family than she had let on and thus he hoped for her sake that Eli was still alive.

Ziva stared at Liat, a surge of adrenaline flowing through her as she looked the younger woman directly in the eye as they stood facing each other in a synagogue. 'But just one question: why do you not trust me?

Liat glared back at her. 'You're not with us.'

Ziva smirked at her answer and turned around. 'ABBA! Show yourself!' She yelled out into the echoing chamber.

'What do you think you're doing?' Liat hissed before grabbing Ziva sharply.

Without hesitation, Ziva reverted back to her training and twisted Liat's arm behind her. The two Israelis then began to fight; kicking and striking each other with agility and precision that had over the years become second nature to them. Gaining an upper hand in the fighting, Ziva seized her chance, jumping into the air and unleashing a kick which sent Liat sprawling to the floor. Before Liat could initiate her revenge, an angry voice penetrated the air.

'STOP THIS!' Hearing her father's voice, Ziva twirled around, the expression on her face one which reminded Eli of when she had been naughty as a child.

'WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?' He barked at the two women as Liat regained her footing and walked forward.

'He's coming with me Malachi.' Ziva pointed towards Eli David.

'He is not going anywhere.' Liat turned towards Ziva.

'Liat! You do not answer for me.' He spoke harshly.

'Hadar and Director Vance are badly injured.' She addressed him coldly. 'Everyone has questions for you', her eyes narrowed pointedly as she spoke, conveying the message that she too had questions which needed to be answered.

'Then you take me to NCIS and you will have your answers.' Eli replied looking pointedly at his daughter as he spoke, realising by her actions that she knew Ari was alive and that she wanted answers. His brow then creased as he looked at his daughter, 'Ziva your shoulder is injured.'

She glanced down, having forgotten about the bullet graze before looking back at her father coldly. 'It is nothing. I have endured much worse.'

And she turned and led the Israelis out of the synagogue, not noticing the look of guilt her father expressed for a second, before his face became guarded once more.

Gibbs exited interrogation alongside Eli David after finally unravelling the mysteries of Amsterdam. The two men halted in surprise as Ziva stood before them. She looked nervously to Gibbs, 'May I speak to him alone?'

For a moment Gibbs thought about refusing but then thinking deeply, he relented and nodded his approval. As he walked past, he clasped her hand briefly in reassurance, causing Ziva to smile slightly at the caring gesture. Then taking a deep breath, Ziva led her father back into interrogation to begin the long-overdue quest for the truth.

Back in the bullpen, Tony sat alone, waiting for Gibbs to return from interrogation. On seeing him return, he stood. 'Hey boss. The Israelis have gone to Bethesda to see Hadar before they transfer him back to Tel Aviv.' He paused on noticing there was no Director David or Ziva. 'Boss, where's Ziva?' He asked.

'With Director David.'

Noticing his agent's worry, Gibbs spoke reassuringly, 'She'll be fine DiNozzo.'

Tony nodded his response, hoping that Gibbs was right unaware that Gibbs was hoping the exact same thing.

'I will give you your answers Ziva.' Eli was the first to break the tense silence but before he could continue, Ziva interrupted him.

'Why? Out of everything you have lied about, this hurts the most.' Ziva yelled in Hebrew, unable to concentrate on anything other than her mother tongue for such a personal and emotional confrontation.

'His cover in Hamas was secure; there was no reason to withdraw...'

'NO REASON? How about the death of Caitlin Todd? Was that not reason enough?' Ziva demanded.

'That was a tragic incident but Ari was not responsible for it.' Eli spoke calmly, aware that his daughter had every right to be angry yet unwavering in his views.

'No but instead you order me to execute my brother which I did...only to find after all these years that he faked his death! Have you any idea what that did to me? First I lose my mother then Tali and then Ari! You manipulated everything so that I would become the perfect operative. I gave everything to you!'

Ziva no longer held back, releasing the carefully concealed pain and anger she had been carrying around for years. For too long she had been hurting and she wanted no more hurt.

'And in my darkest moments when I expected you to just do a little something for me-to rescue me from my hell- you did nothing!' Ziva could not stop the lone tear that fell as she remembered the hell in Somalia; the beatings, the humiliation, the torture. Even after the time that had passed the pain was still very raw. 'All my life I tried to make you proud but the minute I fall you have no problem with replacing me with Officer Tuvia!' She finished, spitting the last part.

'Ziva...' Her father sighed and for a moment, Ziva glimpsed the emotions in his eyes, 'I may not always be...easy to live with.'

She laughed harshly at that.

'But you are still my daughter and there is not a day that goes by that I do not regret my actions concerning you, Ari, your mother...even Tali.' His voice trailed off; unwilling to relieve the pain of his youngest daughter's death.

When he spoke again his voice was stronger. 'But understand this: Ari was the best chance we had at infiltrating Hamas and it was a success. The lives of a few can be sacrificed for the greater good of the country; however you are my daughter and sometimes...family matters.'

Ziva stared at her father for a while, surprised at the emotion he had expressed. It had been the first time in years that her father had expressed any feelings so openly. Finally she nodded, knowing she would get no further with her father and switching to English she said quietly, 'I will escort you back.' Without another word, that was exactly what she did.

A while later, once the coast was clear, Ziva hid under the stairs and took out her phone, looking around her as she waited for Ari to answer, checking she was not being observed. Finally he picked up.

'Shalom. We found him in a synagogue. We had a talk about you. I cannot speak here, it is not safe. I will see you tonight.' She spoke in English, so as not to draw attention to herself.

'Ok Ziva. I am glad he is alright. What about Hadar?'

'Being transferred to Tel Aviv. I have to go.'

'Take care little sister.' Ari replied, relieved she was safe.

'Ani Ohevet Otcha!' She spoke quietly, smiling slightly as she ended the call and walked back to the bullpen, unaware that she had been listened to.

Tony had followed her and stood around the corner; curious to know who she was phoning that was not already at NCIS. His heart had sunk when he heard her last words and he felt jealousy rise within him. He knew what the Hebrew meant. He had looked it up once before: I love you. Tony could not help the feeling of dread as he realised that Ziva was hiding something from them and judging by the sound of things it was a lover. He would not allow history to repeat itself. There was only one thing he could do and that was to put a stop to it. Hardening his resolve, that was exactly what he intended to do.

Ziva watched as her father carefully placed a miniature Israeli flag on her desk. He sighed as he continued looking down and she looked at him worried. 'There have been times; I have felt this job take a piece of me.' He looked to her, breathing deeply again before looking away, avoiding eye contact. 'I am worried they may be gone forever.'

Ziva felt tears well up as she too sighed. 'Sometimes life surprises you.' She nodded, turning in her chair as her father walked around her desk to stand next to her before taking her face in his hands.

'Those are the moments worth living for.' Eli spoke softly, staring down into his daughter's beautiful eyes as she smiled at him.

'My Ziva.' He leant forward and kissed her head. She smiled as he did, tears moist in her eyes, and she patted his hands. As he pulled away, he placed a piece of paper in her palm but she did not look at it, instead watching her father as he walked to the elevator, smiling one last time at his daughter who returned it. She waited until the elevator doors closed before she looked down at it, tears spilling out of her eyes as she did.

My darling Ziva,

Take care of yourself and your brother,

Your father.