On Your Six

Chapter Eleven- Father & Daughter

A/N - Finally, I had a bit of block, but here it is! :) And this where the story will become very AU in terms of plot. Thanks as usual for your kind comments.

Spoilers - Slight, S1-3

Disclaimer - I own nothing

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FBI Headquarters, Washington D.C., Interrogation Room #1, Observation Side; 1:15 p.m.

Ziva closed the phone, a frown on her face. "I hate that!"

Abby smiled sympathetically. "He hung up on you, didn't he? That's Gibbs. You get used to it. Kind of."

Ziva seemed unconvinced, but moved toward the safety deposit box still on the workstation. "McGee," she said, looking over her shoulder, "Gibbs wants you to send the interrogation report and video over to SECNAV."

"On it," McGee responded, sitting back down at the computer terminal. "Are Director Sheppard and Gibbs going to come talk to him?" He asked as he uploaded he video. When he didn't receive an immediate response, he glanced over to where Ziva stood, holding the two sealed letters as well as the open one in her hands. She appeared deep in thought. McGee and Abby exchanged looks.

"Ziva?" McGee prodded a little louder.

"Yes?" Ziva answered as if snapping out of a dream.

McGee shifted in his seat. "Well, I was just asking if Director Sheppard and Gibbs wanted to conference with SECNAV?"

"No," she answered, gripping the letters in one hand. "Gibbs wants me to report to the office. He said to tell him that they will have to talk about it later."

"I'm sure he'll take that well," McGee said with a little sarcasm, not looking forward to fielding the inevitable barrage of questions as to why Sheppard and Gibbs were too busy to discuss this major case. He pushed the send button.

"Now, McGee, I know you can be direct and firm," Abby said with a knowing smile. McGee appeared to turn red.

He glanced at Ziva, who gave them both a suspicious look. "So, you're going to give the deputy director his letter?" He asked, changing the subject.

"And you're going to read yours?" Abby added.

"Why does everyone keep asking that?" Ziva said with frustration. "I guess I am since Gibbs wants me to bring them all with me."

Their conversation was interrupted by a noise on the computer, indicating an incoming video conference call. "Great," McGee mumbled, turning back to the computer.

Ziva sighed. "I should go," she said and moved toward the door.

"I'd say good luck, but I'm not sure that's the right thing," Abby said, regarding Ziva with curiosity.

Ziva shrugged. "No, I will probably need some luck to get through this." With that, she left the room.

As she walked down the hall, she wondered what Gibbs intended to do with the letters. A possibility occurred to her. She folded hers and Miriam's letters and shoved them in her pocket, leaving only the director's out.

She continued down the hall.

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Meanwhile...Bethesda Naval Hospital, Washington, D.C.

Tony laid in bed as Ducky conversed with Dr. Roberts. He was restless at thought of being stuck in the hospital for twenty-four hours. He knew that the showdown with the deputy director was probably in progress and he couldn't help but wonder what was in the letters. Ziva presented an intriguing mystery to him. Except he didn't know if he wanted to get too close. He knew that death always remained a real possibility in this line of work, but it seemed his mind still couldn't comprehend how Kate could be teasing him one day, one moment, and dead in the next instant.

Dr. Roberts and Ducky stepped forward beside the bed. "While I'm displeased that you were standing, Agent DiNozzo, all the tests are still negative. You have a hard head, it seems."

Ducky chuckled his agreement. Tony gave him a wounded look.

"So, Doc, does that mean I can go?" Tony asked eagerly, sitting up.

Dr. Roberts sighed. "You're going to ask me this every hour on the hour, right?"

"Pretty much," Tony agreed. "Please? I feel better."

The doctor looked through his charts. "Usually, any serious complications from a head injury will manifest themselves within the first twelve hours, even under the delayed reaction scenario. It's been over that and as I said, the tests are all still normal with no swelling. There is always a small chance that a problem will present itself down the road with concussions, but you staying here a full twenty-four hours would not change the likelihood of that significantly, I suppose. I will release you this evening, Agent DiNozzo, after we perform one last round of tests and they come back negative as well. Meanwhile, I want you to rest. That is the deal."

"Deal," Tony agreed quickly with a smile.

Dr. Roberts nodded. "I'll be back in hour to check up." He replaced Tony's chart at the foot of the bed and left the room.

Ducky shook his head. "Do as he says, Tony and get some rest. We need you, but we need you healthy. I have to get back so that Jethro and I can take the poor staff sergeant's body back to her parents for the memorial service at Quantico. I'll come and check on you afterwards."

"Thanks, Ducky." Tony responded, looking a little subdued.

Ducky smiled, sensing the source of his mood. "I'm certain that if anything major goes down in the next few hours, Gibbs will decide you're healthy enough and pull you out of here with or without Dr. Roberts agreement. But hopefully, it will not come to that. God knows we've had enough calamity to last a lifetime over the last month."

Tony nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah."

The medical examiner watched him carefully, certain that the young man had not really dealt with Kate's death yet. No doubt that was part of what he wished to avoid sitting here in bed with little to do but think. Yet another similarity to Gibbs.

Tony eyed the television and grabbed the remote on the table. "Maybe I'll catch some Magnum on."

Ducky sighed ruefully. "I'll see you later, Tony."

Tony waved to his retreating back as he flipped through the channels.

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FBI Interrogation Wing Office; 1:45 p.m.

Ziva approached the office, where Cassidy and the FBI agent were still stationed outside. "Gibbs sent for me." She announced to the blonde agent.

Cassidy nodded. She gave a quick knock on the door and then opened it, allowing Ziva to pass through and shutting the door behind her.

Gibbs stood and went to Ziva. He noticed that she only held one letter. He nodded subtly with seeming approval. "Let me have the deputy director's letter," He said quietly. Ziva handed it over to him, regarding him uncertainly. He was in some ways as enigmatic as her father. "You haven't read yours, yet?" He whispered meaningfully, turning to walk back to table without waiting for an answer. Ziva inwardly groaned.

"You can sit down, Ziva," Sheppard said, indicating the empty chair next to hers. As Ziva walked towards it, she caught Rivkin's mocking gaze. She knew he still felt like she belonged to him, no matter that it had been nearly five years since she'd made the mistake of agreeing to see him at her father's dogged request and ended it a few months later. It was shortly thereafter that the deputy director had assigned her the role of Ari's control officer. No connection there, she thought bitterly.

She defiantly sat down next to Sheppard, meeting Rivkin's stare with an icy one of her own. She shifted her gaze to her father, who was currently eyeing the letter Gibbs was toying with in his hands.

"What is this letter you go on about, Gibbs?" The deputy director asked impatiently.

Gibbs smiled blandly. "Funny you should ask, David," he responded. "It's for you. From Ari. Certified about three months ago in London."

David's face remained impassive.

"It's likely not related to our case," Gibbs continued, feigning disinterest. "but who knows what's in here, besides the probable 'I hate you, daddy'? Could have some sensitive information."

The deputy director's eyes narrowed. "Give me the letter, Gibbs!"

"Sure," Gibbs replied easily, sending it across the table.

David snatched up the letter, examining the unbroken seal and postmark. He put the letter in his jacket pocket.

"What?" Gibbs said, throwing his arms out. "You're not going to share?"

"It's none of your business," David said stiffly. "You said there were two other letters?"

Gibbs shook his head ruefully. "Did I? Well, I'm thinking now that that's none of your business, is it?" He replied. "Only one is addressed to you."

"If you think you're going to extort---" David began angrily.

"Who said anything about extortion, David?" Gibbs interrupted smoothly, leaning forward. "Look, this is the bottom line. Miriam is going to trial and with her confession as well as the evidence we still possess, she's looking at life in prison. But I'm guessing you're more concerned with the evidence getting out in the open, am I right?"

David grunted and turned to Ziva. "You are still a Mossad Officer, Ziva." He said coolly. "You still follow my orders above all others. If you have those letters, you know that they are Mossad property!"

Ziva glanced at Gibbs and Director Sheppard, seeing that both were watching her with interest. She knew for sure now that this was a test. She possessed the other two letters. If she wanted out from under the control of her father, she would have to prove it. And she knew there was no going back, either way.

She met the hard gaze of her father. She thought of her sister. And her brother. Both dead. Of Ari's consuming hatred and destructiveness. She thought of Israel, knowing that she most likely could not return to her homeland if she went through with this rebellion. Despair coursed through her. But what is left there of the life I once knew? She asked herself. She had a chance to still honor her sister's memory and her country. Just not the way she'd thought all her life.

"They are not Mossad property," Ziva heard herself state. "Ari was not Mossad, not really, and you know it. He was a traitor and a terrorist and he hated you and maybe me as well. When you made me his control officer, you did so knowing that I would never suspect him of anything and so would unknowingly aid him in his activities. He would still think you had no idea about his real status. And you had Miriam as your real Mossad Officer, of course. Only Ari wasn't as stupid as you seem to think your children are, so he knew she was Mossad. Probably, he thought I knew about it all, too." Ziva paused, her eyes still locked with the her fathers in an angry duel. "But apparently I have much to learn. I am an excellent assassin, but my spying could use some work. I did not know of Ari's crimes, but I provided him the money and intelligence to carry them out against both Israeli and American citizens. Was that not what Mossad was working against?"

"Officer David--" The deputy director began to interrupt, looking flushed and annoyed as he glanced at Gibbs and Sheppard.

"No!" She replied, her voice as hard as steel. "I will always remain loyal to Israel. I will do so in my own way, however. I understand that you cannot appear weak. You will say whatever you must about why, but I will remain here at NCIS as a Liaison. Permanently. I can work officially as an Intelligence Analyst, as I do not need citizenship for that." She glanced at Sheppard, who nodded her assent. "Perhaps you could say that I was sacrificed to the Americans as a repayment of a debt Mossad owes them. It would not be a lie. And Miriam's trial will remain sealed and out of the public. So, you see it is in your best interest to let me go."

David eyed his daughter, anger and bitterness warring in his eyes. "You think to tell me what you will and won't do? This is how you disrespect you father?"

Ziva smiled at him sadly. "I'm only doing what you taught me, deputy director. And I am saving Mossad in the process. You know you have no claim on the other letters or any other evidence that they will present at trial. Including U.S. intelligence on Ari. Mossad does not want that information revealed. And it needs U.S. support, no matter what you like to believe. It may hurt your pride, but I think you know what you have to do. Do it and Mossad emerges unscathed."

The deputy director stood suddenly, rounding the table to stand next to Ziva's chair. She did not move or flinch as she watched him approach.

"You do this and it is done, Ziva." David stated coldly, leaning over her. "Do not return to Israel and if I hear anything that only you should know..."

"Is that a threat, deputy director?" Director Sheppard asked, raising an eyebrow. "That's something I would have to report to SECNAV. Threatening a NCIS employee."

"David, you don't want to keep owing me agents, do you?" Gibbs asked, his tone deceptively pleasant.

The deputy director sent them both a look seething with disdain. "She's yours, Sheppard. Just don't let her cross my path again." He spoke to Rivkin in Hebrew as he turned toward the door. The younger man, looking at Ziva with disgust, rose out his chair and followed David out of the room, pushing past the two agents outside.

Cassidy moved inside for instructions.

"Escort the deputy director and his companion out of the building and to the airport, Agent Cassidy." Sheppard ordered. "Make sure they get directly on a plane and out of the U.S."

"Yes, ma'am." Cassidy responded and left quickly with the FBI agent in tow.

The room was draped in silence for a moment as the occupants eyed one another for a moment.

"I need you to read both letters, Ziva. Today." Gibbs said finally as he rose. "I just let the deputy director walk out with one, but I think we'll find out what's in his in due time. I know Ari all too well by now. I want to you to look thoroughly at both letters. After you read them, return them to Abby. Then, you will debrief the director and I on the contents and any pertinent information. Twenty-hundred."

Ziva nodded. "Yes Gibbs."

Gibbs turned to the director. "Ducky should be back from the hospital in a few minutes. We'll leave to pick up the body then and head out to Quantico. I need coffee." He muttered as he strode out of the room.

Sheppard watched him go with shake of her head. "You get used to him. Eventually." She stated wryly.

"He is a good man, if a little unorthodox, yes?" Ziva said diplomatically as she pulled out the letters.

"He is indeed." Sheppard agreed, rising out of her chair. "I'm going to check in with Fornell and then go save McGee from a likely annoyed SECNAV. Call me when you're done."

Ziva nodded as she unfolded Miriam's letter.

"And Ziva?" Sheppard said with a smile as paused at the threshold. "Welcome again to NCIS."

Ziva returned her smile as the director left. She returned her attention to the letter, written in Hebrew:

Miriam,

If you are reading this then you have survived me. Congratulations. I know you do not possess the nerve to kill me. So, it most likely
was the deputy director, my sister, or Gibbs. Maybe a combination? My father thought to keep an eye on me with you. You will both finally
learn that I cannot be stopped, not even in death. Perhaps you've taken revenge on Annalise and no doubt you were caught.
Even the greenest Navy police are better at their job than you were at yours. I hoped it would send you over the edge. I did love Annalise, in
my own way. She was beautiful, obedient, and useful. So innocent. I was never innocent. Another lifetime and we could have been happy together.
As it is, it is one more slap in the face to Gibbs. So thanks are in order if you succeeded in this one thing. You'll likely spend your life in an
American prison and I wish I could be there to see it. Revenge served cold, as the Americans say.

Ari

Ziva frowned in discomfort and sighed as she refolded the letter and picked up hers. She tore open the seal and pulled out the letter, also in Hebrew:

Little Ziva,

Did you know? I often asked myself this question, sister. I know you behaved like the deputy director's good little girl. But you are smarter
than that, Ziva. So, here's a test our father is sure to appreciate. My associates have planned two attacks, including on one of Jethro Gibbs'
precious little Navy bases as well as another in the heart of Israel. My plan will be activated by none other than the deputy director himself. Without his
knowledge, of course. You see, I am not the only one he should have been spying on. I would love to witness the walls of his power and self-righteousness
falling down around him. And there is Gibbs. Perhaps he bested me in living, but I will torment him and his team still. You seemed impressed
by him, Ziva, in your dossier. Well, here's your chance to work with him and his team of obedient servants. Minus Caitlyn Todd, I would think.
She is a perfect example of all Gibbs' holds dear. She's a beauty, but a necessary casualty. What is my goal, you ask? To take down the great Gibbs,
his absolute sureness of his integrity a thorn of annoyance to me, just like the deputy director. The curtain will fall on these two men, Ziva.
Unless I underestimate you.

P.S. I would not attempt to warn our father. That will only speed the process up.

Ari

She closed her eyes, her heart racing. "Ari," she said in an angry whisper. "Will it never end?"

Ziva stood up, pulling out her phone and dialing quickly. Gibbs' phone appeared to be out of order. Groaning in frustration, she dialed Sheppard's number.

"Sheppard," She heard after two rings.

"Jen," She said, reverting back to their first name basis from Cairo in her hurry to convey this new development. "Gibbs was right."

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Up Next...Chapter 12 - Reconnaissance

Rosemeade