Massive apologies for yesterday :/ And thank you for your understanding 7Seven7.

Um, for the anon review - Um, I prefer Ziva as an Officer :) Besides, as an Officer there is more of a chance for Eli to take Ziva back to Israel :) So for this fic, she's an Officer :) Though, I'll bet I've called her 'Agent' somewhere... It wouldn't surprise me XD

Here's your chap and don't forget, I'll be updating on Sunday, as normal :)

Sorry and thanks again :)

Molz xx 3 3

Chapter Fourteen

Director Vance paced nervously in his office, he was expecting a call from a certain country in the Middle East. He ran his hand over his head as the phone on his desk rang.

'' Vance.''

'' Shalom, Leon.''

'' Eli, you all ready for your trip to the States?''

'' Yes, I even have a scarf to match my hat.'' chuckled Eli.

'' You may need them, it's not Spring yet.'' laughed Vance. '' I was talking about your daughter actually.''

'' Ziva... yes. I am interested to know as to how she became pregnant. Was it a mission, Leon?''

'' I think that's something you need to ask her, yourself.'' said Vance, his eyes on the picture of his daughter on his desk.

'' She is stubborn, Leon. She will not speak to me.'' said Eli.

Vance sighed, to anyone else, Eli sounded like he couldn't care less, but Vance knew he was deeply upset about his current relationship with his last remaining child. '' Yeah, and who taught her that? You know, it means something that you're making the first move.''

'' I guess so. It is rather late over here, Leon. I will see you in a few days.''

'' Right. I'll see you soon.''

'' Shalom, my friend.''

Vance put the phone down and went to sit in his chair. It had been five days since he had spoken to Gibbs about Eli's visit and he hadn't heard anything from him or anyone else. He didn't even know if Gibbs had said anything about Eli, with the lack of chatter, he was probably right. He hoped for the team's sake that they would come up with something good. He could feel the tension building in his body already at the thought of trying to keep the piece between Mossad and NCIS, more specifically Gibbs and Eli.

He was lost in his thoughts when a knock on his door made him jump. He looked up to see Ziva walk in, her head down.

'' You wanted to see me?''

'' Yeah, I needed a favour.''

'' Alright... '' said Ziva slowly. '' Is everything alright, Director?'' she asked, taking in Vance's posture. Despite the man being uptight, he normally had a laid back, relaxed aura around him.

'' Yeah, everything's fine.'' he said, looking at Ziva pointedly. Ziva frowned. She might not be as 'tight' with the Director like Gibbs was, but she knew silent communication as well as reading between the lines. Things weren't fine, and Ziva guessed that her doing him a favour was some kind of warning?

'' The favour?''

'' I have some filing that needs to be done. I would do it but I have a pressing issue that needs to be dealt with.'' said Vance, looking at a stack of boxes and a pile of papers next to it. '' The papers need to be put into the files. Are you okay doing that for me?''

Ziva's eyes narrowed. Vance was normally quite good at doing his filing. '' What cases are they?''

'' Past solved cases, I was auditing them.'' said Vance.

'' Okay, when did you want them?'' asked Ziva, moving forward to get them off of the table in the middle of the office.

Vance watched her open the top box and put the pile of papers in there. '' End of the week.''

Ziva looked at him again, her mind turning. '' Okay, they will be done by the end of the week.'' she said, picking up the boxes and walking towards the door.

Vance got up and ran over to the door to open it for her. '' You got it?''

'' Yes, I can manage, toda.'' said Ziva, walking out of the office.

Vance watched her walk away and he hoped that she'd figure out why he had asked her a favour. If Gibbs hadn't said anything yet, he was sure he was going to do all he could to give her the heads up.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Pressing the button in the elevator, McGee sighed as his working day was over. He had clocked out earlier than he would have done, but that was only because Gibbs had invited him over to his place. McGee had taken the request and thought about it all day, it had niggled at his mind. What did the Bossman want to talk about? Maybe Tony's outburst? Thought McGee was adamant that he would keep his and Tony's discussions to himself, Tony had spoken to him privately and he was going to make sure it stayed that way.

He exited the elevator and made his way over to his car, he unlocked it before locking up to see Ziva walking towards her own car with some heavy looking boxes in her arms.

McGee jogged forward a little to catch up with Ziva. '' Hey Ziva. Need a hand?''

'' Shalom, McGee.'' she smiled. '' Yes, please.'' she said, smiling again when McGee took two of the three boxes from her.

''What are these for?''

'' Hm? I said I would do some filing for the Director. I owe him.''

They made their way to Ziva's car and deposited the boxes into the trunk after she opened it. '' Are you alright, McGee?'' asked Ziva, taking in McGee's silence.

'' Yeah, a bit worried though. Boss has invited me over to his, as far as I know he's never-''

Ziva stopped suddenly. '' You too? Oh, this cannot be good.'' said Ziva, biting her bottom lip. A quirk, McGee noticed, that Ziva had developed over the past few days, well, ever since their confrontation in the Lab.

'' What d'you think it's about?'' asked McGee.

Ziva leant against her car. '' I guess we will have to see when we get there.'' said Ziva. She shrugged and smiled. '' Do not be so worried, Tim." she said before sliding into her car.

McGee moved out of the way and watched as she drived off with a beep.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

'' What are you doing here?'' asked McGee as he saw Tony get out of his car.

The Italian shrugged. '' Boss called me over. I don't know why. I thought that he was gonna lecture me about losing it in the lab but now you're here...''

'' Ziva too. She's gonna be over. If she isn't already.'' added McGee as he saw Ziva pull up. The two male agents waited as Ziva walked over to them.

" You left before me, why are you last?'' asked McGee.

'' Filing?''

'' Oh, yeah...''

The three walked up to the front door and Ziva pushed it open to see that the floor was empty, however there was a fast food smell.

'' Ten bucks says he's in the basement.'' said Tony, with a grin. The other two nodded and they went down the stairs to see Gibbs pulling up stools.

'' C'mon, sit, grab something to eat.'' said Gibbs, his hand waving towards the chinese containers behind him. The younger members grabbed the cartons they wanted and sat down, eating whilst waiting for Gibbs to speak.

'' So, why we here, Boss?'' asked Tony, speaking with his mouth full. Ziva grimaced and gingerly stirred her noodles.

'' We have a problem.'' he said plainly.

The team stopped eating to look up at him. When Gibbs said there was a problem, you could bet your bottom dollar that there was going to be a tough time ahead.

'' Yeah?'' asked McGee, filling the stunned silence.

'' Your pregnancy is one of the hot topics on the grapevine.'' said Gibbs, looking at Ziva.

'' It is not often an NCIS agent gets pregnant, Gibbs. How is this gossip a problem?''

'' Eli knows, and he is on his way to the US. He'll be here by Monday.''

Tony's jaw dropped, along with McGee's. Ziva's throat closed up and she felt sick. It was no secret that she and her father parted on bad terms but the fact that he was on his way to America... What was he coming for?

'' He is going to take me away, isn't he?'' said Ziva, a million scenarios playing in her head, all of them involving Eli dragging her onto a plane.

'' Not if we can help it.'' said Gibbs calmly, sensing unrest from his team. '' He can try but it'll be over my dead body.''

'' Gibbs, don't say that...'' said Ziva, putting her noodles down. She had suddenly lost her appetite. '' What are we going to do?'' she asked, panicked.

'' We better come up with something. I mean, if you think he's gonna take you away, then it's a possiblity, right?'' said Tony, looking at Ziva. '' Hey, McWriter, think of something!''

'' As much as I'd love to, can we lie to the Director of Mossad?'' said McGee, looking at Gibbs.

The Gunnery Sergeant smirked. '' Yeah, we can, as long as we tell Vance what our story is.''

Ziva looked at Gibbs with narrow eyes. '' That must be why he gave me the papers to file. All of the cases are solved and I bet some of them have pregnancies in them. We can look through them for excuses, yes?''

'' Ziva, if they didn't fly with us, what makes you think they'll fly with your dad?'' asked Tony, killing Ziva's idea.

McGee nodded. '' He's right, Zivs. You know him better than anyone. What is he more likely to accept?''

Ziva snorted. '' He will not accept the fact that one of you three may be the father. That is a one way plane ticket to Israel.'' she said through a panicked laugh.

Gibbs cleared his throat. '' Well, there's a start. You don't say we got you in this... position.'' said Gibbs simply.

Ziva looked at him. '' You do not get it. He will know as soon as the words fall out of my mouth.''

The team sat in silence as they thought of the potential loss they could experience. They didn't want to lose Ziva and Ziva didn't want to lose them. They had a problem.

'' We could always wing it.'' suggested Tony, he flinched when he received three glares. '' C'mon, I didn't study for my finals and I passed with an A. It can happen.'' he said defensively.

Gibbs sighed and ran his hand through his hair. '' Grab your gearbags, you can all stay here. Sleep on it.'' he said, getting up.

'' Then we Campfire?'' asked Tony, following suit.

'' Yeah.'' nodded Gibbs, tiredly. He looked at his watch, it was 0030. The team trooped up the stairs, leaving the takeaway in the basement. Gibbs stood at his front door, watching McGee and Tony go over to their cars to get their gearbags. He looked to his left to see Ziva looking at him.

'' You okay?''

'' I need to go home. I have filing to do.'' said Ziva, tiredness and hesitance in her voice.

'' It can wait-''

'' No, Vance wants it done.'' huffed Ziva, before sighing and looking at Gibbs again. '' Can you promise me something?''

Gibbs gave a barely there nod. '' If I can, I will.''

'' Don't let him take me.'' she said softly, her mocha eyes boring into his sapphire ones.

Gibbs reached out and cupped her face. '' I won't.''