A/N: Finally, a chapter of Tales of Charon. It's a bit of a JIBBS chapter, but I think you'll like where this is going. Also, THERE IS GOING TO BE ARI IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!

Wow, I feel like I should say more. Thank you for all the awesome reviews and comments! It keeps me going!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you may recognize as NCIS.

Albeit Abnormal: Tales of Charon

Chapter 6: Unveil

The rhythmic beeping of the hospital equipment is far from comforting yet oddly calming. It is a reminder of the consequences of recent events and also the defiance of one of their own.

After convening with severals NCIS agents who had expressed a desire to help the liaison, most part of her team with exceptions to a few in the psychic department, Gibbs has gone to see his newest team member once again, checking up on her. She is still pale, her physical trauma echoing Ebony Pascal's, but her body is handling it slightly better, if he is to trust the doctors.

Having Ziva David on his team the past three months have opened roads. She has proven useful not only in theoretical matters, but almost invaluable in the field. While he doubted her the first few weeks – seeing and recognizing her impatience and annoyance and writing it off as pure inexperience and a laid-back attitude he wouldn't allow – he saw her spring into action with precisely the discipline he required from his team. As most, he had underestimated the Israeli, not only because of her size.

He has adapted to having the fierce, strong-hearted woman on his team, if not for her healing abilities then for her preparedness and the fact that she learns frighteningly fast. Then of course, he should've known, as Jen headhunted her.

As if on cue, the red-haired director steps into the room, private by request, her hands folded in her lap, gaze sorrowful. "I should have known you'd be here. Chris Pacci said you left suddenly and very dramatic."

"I was just stopping by. To see if..," he trails off, not sure what to say. He receives an understanding look from Jen.

"I know," Jen sighs, closing her eyes painfully. "I just informed Eli David of Ziva's condition."

Gibbs reads the uncertainty in her voice as if she is doubting if it's the right thing to do. "How'd he take it?"

"As well as to be expected, considering," his boss informs him. "Have you called Kelly?"

The grey-haired agent recognizes the distraction but accepts the thrown bone. "Yeah. She is staying with a friend. Right now I need to focus on this, Jen. None of the covens have any ideas what this is, and the one person who seemed able to tell us what was going on is lying right there."

"You are referring to Ziva's extensive knowledge of voodoo," Jen points out, sitting down in the chair next to the one he is already occupying.

"Yeah, know anything 'bout that?" he bits sarcastically.

The sylph scoffs at the suggestion. "I have never been directly involved in voodoo, but from my sources, including Mikhail Darrel, I only bring bad news. Nobody seems to be able to identify what Mrs Pascal did to bind herself to Ziva in this way."

The team leader notices how stressed she looks. Maintaining a political front for an already doubtful agenda requires constant devotion to avoid upheaval. While he often protests and disobeys her orders, he actually has little problems with working under her. He does have some problems relating to her, and some of the time he thinks she deserves some field time to reconsider her allies and agenda, but in the end, her decisions have been just.

He remembers his days as a Hunter. How their views collided but how they ultimately got their guy. It wasn't always Jen Sheppard sympathized with his goal – bringing down by lethal force – or agree to his methods, but he likes to think he grew on her.

"Sir,.." a nurse calls out behind them, gently making them aware of her presence. "A man is here and wishes to see Miss David."

"Let him in," Gibbs says, groaning as he does so. He should have known that Tony wouldn't be able to stay away too long. He has never been great at sitting down and watching from the sidelines. And Jethro suspects becoming a wer didn't trigger it.

"DiNozzo," he acknowledges when the young wer steps in, having covered his eyes with sunglasses. Jen nods to her employee.

"How is she?" he asks, his eyes settling on Ziva behind the shades. He ignores the grunt in Gibbs' voice deliberately.

"No change. Doctors say she's doing slightly better," he informs his senior agent. He won't comment on his appearance; he looks like hell, but the grey-haired Hunter knows that he's probably not better himself.

"Director."

"Agent DiNozzo," Jen says in return, watching as the wer keeps throwing gazes in Ziva's direction. He is worried, that's for sure; and if Gibbs knows his agent, which he does, the wer blames himself for not interfering. As far as Gibbs is concerned, he isn't to blame.

"What's the status on the case, boss?"

"Same as they were an hour ago, DiNozzo," Jethro informs him, letting Jenny talk.

"Local witch covens have been informed of the situation, as well as the more cooperative voodooists on the list that Mikhail Darrel gave us. Sadly we can't move any of them, Ebony nor Ziva, but I don't think that any of our more paranormal hospitals would be of much use, either. I suspect that we'll have to look into them individually to see if any.. interference might've caused this."

"You're insinuating that Ebony didn't do this on purpose?" Gibbs says, surprised.

"Oh, I doubt her intentions were otherwise. However, that being said, Ziva should've healed anyway, both herself and, by default, Ebony. But neither are fully healed even though we've seen how much she can heal before she tires out," the red-haired politician says, her facial expression concerned. "I'm having Eli David forward her mission reports to see if Ziva was previously exposed to anything that might've interfered with the ritual Ebony used to bind them."

"He agreed to that?" Gibbs asks, raising an eyebrow.

"I.. suggested that it may be to the advantage of both agencies if Ziva was to recuperate fast," Jenny admits embarrassed.

"Nice," Tony points out with the slightest of smiles. Gibbs is gonna have to agree: Jen playing the dirty cards is amusing.

"Now, get back to headquarters, you two. I want to see my liaison healed ASAP."

"Yes, ma'am."

(BREAK)

As it so happens, Ziva's condition doesn't improve. However, it does not lessen the work of the group burning the midnight oil at the NCIS field office. Eleven people looking less than stellar, but all ready for instant help if needed, are tracking down leads and talking to people with a certain knowledge who coincidentally seems to have a knack for playing on the wrong side of the law. Blackmail is usually not their approach, but they have never heard of anything like this. Some of them doesn't even believe it themselves, but works any way.

Tony has stepped up to the task. He is organizing the field work, rechecking their steps and coordinating with the witch coven of Arlington who is currently routing through the backroom of the club that has been ordered on lockdown tonight. The club owner is already filing a harassment complaint, but they are able to keep it down, seeing as he offered accommodations to a felon. Charges won't stick, but the agents play with what they've got. Tony is watched by Gibbs, who is keeping track of all leads and dead ends. They are working with three witch covens who have actively offered their help. Grace Warner, twin to Jimmy Palmer, has canceled plans to be here to work with the more eccentric kind. Gibbs has ordered Tim McGee to find a healer for Ziva.

"Boss, we've established that, as far as we know, the ritual allows the binder and the recipient to be linked. While the condition of Ziva mirrors Ebony's, Ziva shouldn't be comatose. we.. think, that it was because the ritual was interrupted," Tony admits, choosing his words carefully.

Frankly, Gibbs feels more guilty than ever. It was the bullet from his SIG Sauer that injured Ebony and essentially, Ziva. In his mind, he might as well have shot the liaison.

"What about her healing abilities?" a young agent, Pacci, dares to ask. He waves a file that looks suspiciously much like Ziva's, since she joined NCIS. Pacci is the son of a witch, yet has no ounce of magical blood in him. Magic, Gibbs snorts mentally.

"The ritual is interfering. Probably because Ziva's body cannot heal the original wound. Not while she is unconscious," McGee points out, absentmindedly.

Turning his head to speak directly to McGee, Pacci starts to discuss. "But, couldn't she heal the damage to her own body?"

"The witches theorize that her body is trying to, but Ebony's link keeps re-injuring her," McGee sighs, although whether it's because of Pacci's ignorance or the situation is unknown.

"Not counting in the fact that she can hold off on healing her own injuries. Her regenerative abilities might be a conscious factor," Tony points out darkly, appearing behind them with as much grace as he can muster. Although not showing it, Gibbs notices how he himself didn't notice the absentee agent return. His hair is damp from the rain and he resembles a soaked-wet dog. Or wolf is perhaps the best term, given his yellowish eyes.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs threatens, then proceeds to allow him to speak.

"Well, I tracked down a Prim Cartier. She's a mortician, boss, but also a voodooist. She knew Ebony." His wer pauses, testing the waters. "She says that, while having ulterior motives and a fondness of testing boundaries, Ebony isn't powerful enough to send someone into a coma. Not unwillingly, at least."

"How come we've missed her actions these past years?" Grace asks, having come down from the harbingers' lounge. She shakes her head, declaring no further evidence how to solve the puzzle that is the Ebony/Ziva condition.

Tony continues, eyeing the harbinger. "But she did, however, offer to help us with breaking the link."

"Where is she?"

"Of course, both parties have to be conscious for the ritual," Tony responds sheepishly. "Rena did also not have a clue, but several theories."

"Rena?" Gibbs repeats, not remembering anyone by the name. Not someone involved in the case, not a freelancer and certainly not an agent.

Tony nearly blushes at his own forgetfulness. "Yeah, boss, Abby's, er, friend, who owns the nightclub."

Gibbs continues to stare, not seeing the connection as to why one of Abby's er-friends would be involved in the case. Or should have a clue or 'several theories'.

Tony groans, finally releasing more information. "The vampire, boss."

"Vampire? What does a vampire has to say to a voodoo case?"

"She is well-connected. Well, who wouldn't after a few hundred years..," DiNozzo trails off, trying to blank his face from further embarrassment. "We're negotiating territories," he explains solemnly.

"Agents."

As if on cue, all the present agents and personnel of the quickly assembled task force point their heads in the direction of their newly arrived CEO. And they can all see the exhaustion on Jennifer Sheppard's face, even though dawn is nearing. Her trench coat is still wet from the rain, yet she hasn't just arrived to the building. Her green eyes quickly settle unto Gibbs.

"Jethro."

The senior agent in charge follows her lead, walking into her office without further delay. He quickly updates her on the situation, although he clearly expects something in return.

"I have been arguing with Director David for the better part of two hours. He is allowing us access to Ziva's files. All of them," she adds, like it has taken a huge part of her to negotiate that. "They should be accessible in moments. However," Jen says, exposing herself for a second or two and showing him how truly tired she is. "I suggest you keep whatever details private. No unnecessary leaks."

"Would I do that, Jen?" Gibbs says, slightly offended, but it fades out when he sees the grind of her response.

"You would, in the past," his director points out, bringing them both back to the times where he was Jethro Gibbs and she was Detective Sheppard; clashing whenever possible. He remembers the specific incidents – there were several – when she had reluctantly brought him in on a joined case and then asked an outsider for help. A necessary leak, he'd insisted. The next case they'd worked had been all spice and vice.

Their gazes soften. "Ziva is my friend. She saved my life. I trust you to bring her back, so I won't go on, but please don't force me to assign a new member."

Gibbs smirks. "I wouldn't dare, Jen," he whispers, kisses her on the forehead and leaves before she can comment. Before she can reprimand him. Before she realizes that it was comforting.

(BREAK)

"Who are you, really?" she decides to ask, curiosity getting the better of her. She has never been particularly patient and has been reprimanded several times for her inability to stay quiet and still for long; the punishments have taught her how to.

The boatman doesn't reply immediately, and Ziva is about to repeat her question when his aged, dry lips move, his voice throaty.

"I am Charon," he says with a voice that is either confusion or persistency. Ziva cannot tell. He doesn't speak slowly and old-keyed like she estimated. In fact, he just seems so insignificant; having accepted his path a long time ago. Then he turns his head slowly, parts showing from the shadows of his hood, and asks: "And who are you?"

Startled, she answers honestly. "Ziva. My name is Ziva."

It seems like her name has trigged an interest in the old man – or being. His head lifts itself an inch higher, straightening his spine. "And what, Ziva, has gotten you here?"

"I.. I don't know. I mean, I cannot remember," she confesses, once again traveling her eyes across the eerie landscape. Or seascape. Riverscape, to be exact, if what he says is true. The water, filled with souls who have thrown themselves desperately into the water, shines treacherously silver like mercury poison in the otherwise caverned surroundings. Ziva cannot see shore anywhere.

"You question what you see?" Charon asks in a half-question.

"It's just," she sighs, "of all the mythologies to be true to the afterlife, I would not have picked this one. I have always thought it to be mere myth."

"The Netherworld is not the only one, dear child," the boatman replies cryptically. He rises the oar out of the water, placing it horizontally across his knees. "I once did not believe its existence, but here I am, confined to ferry the dead."

Sensing the story goes beyond those few words, she swallows and looks at him curiously, trying to assess his intentions. He sounds so weathered, so wise, like he has been ferrying since the concept of time. "Confined?"

His chuckle surprises her. "I was once a man. A mere man, but a man who worked and cared for my family."

The urge and longing for her Star of David is not easily resistible, but she serves the weirder necklace no glance. For some reason, the little tales he offers seem so.. sad. "Is that not what we all do? Work to care for someone?"

The moment after it's said, Ziva no longer remembers if she is the one to say them, or the words are Charon's. Nevertheless, she wonders and looks at the boatman, unsure if she is going to get an answer.

"Not all fathers understand the division of work and family," Charon says.

She can only nod as a painful pit is gathering in her stomach. She pushes it away along with any tears that have managed to well unprofessionally in her eyes. Composed while she can, she replies: "Do we all?"

For the first time, the boatman looks at her, really looks at her and not just throws a glance in her direction. The orbs that shine from under the hood gleam tiredly, like he is figuring her out. The oar is perfectly balanced on his knees, the journey momentarily up to the currents of the Styx. He looks at her with newfound..., what? Impression? Pride? She cannot see his face and cannot decipher his intentions. She can read how his voice stammers at the harsh reality of his honest words. He sounds so hurt, so timelessly weathered. It intrigues her, because people mostly are too busy with meaningless things, but here he is, weathered by death, undisturbed by the living, and she feels like she has met a kindred spirit who offers understanding.

(BREAK)

Tony can barely stand to watch the fragility of his partner as she lies still, machines helping her to live. He can barely stand the thought that he is here and she is not, and halfway expects her to shut the curtain aside, declaring her victory at fooling him. But no, she just keeps still, her chest rising almost defeatedly, her long hair fanned against the pillow. He cannot help but play with it, the curls that stray from her dark mane of hair, like a coin between his fingers. He still carries the Aviators, hating the disguise and the reason to it; but he commits these precious moments to memory, knowing that he will have to leave in minutes time, going for a lead out of town. A few minutes ago he received the text about the full clearance to the redtaped version of Ziva's file. He doubts they will be honest, just like he doubts that anything Mossad tells him will define the essence that is his partner.

"Agent DiNozzo?"

He is about to lash out at the nurse – can't she see that he is close to tears already? – when he recognizes her scent. It is Sister Margaret, one of the available healers they have managed to find, who has been tragically unsuccessful.

"Yeah, Sister?" he says, his voice weirdly hoarse as he composes himself. He will not give up on Ziva after one night. That is too close to blasphemy – then again, he has never been a praying man.

Other healing hands touch his partner, and he instinctually moves his hand over Ziva's, killing a growl in his throat. Dammit, he thought he had his inner wer under control, but recent events are taking their toll on his self-restraint.

"I have tried to heal your colleague, even knowing that she is a healer herself, but I failed to do so. It is amazing...," she comments, her hands straying Ziva's hands and forearms. She seems lost in thought.

"What is?" Tony asks, really not caring, but not wanting to leave Ziva bare and vulnerable with a healer, even of the cloth.

"She has functioning healer abilities, as wrong as it might seem given the situation, which is why you don't notice at first, but I had the chance to catch a look during the surgery where I was assisting. The scars. They are ritualistic."

He makes a face of ignorance, not understanding where she is going. "Wiccan?"

"Some," the sister acknowledges, nodding. "Their physical manifestation is concealed by magical means. Peeling them gave me quite the headache, but it seemed important." She takes her eyes off Ziva, sending a rush of protectiveness through the wer.

"Burn marks. Old bite marks. Tattoos some might call satanic, but people like us know better," the sister says with a sad smile. Upon seeing Tony's startled reaction, she blushes. "Sorry, I just assumed you and she were..."

"No," he swallows, "we're not."

The sister does not seem to believe it, but she does not comment further, merely downs her concentration on Ziva before settling her attention on him. "She is a lost soul. Doing these things to herself –."

" –Who said anything about doing it herself, sister?" Tony grows defensive.

"That is the only reason I can recall to putting such protection spells, Agent DiNozzo. It requires much concentration and is impossible to do to another.. without permission, that it what I meant."

(BREAK)

While Tim is searching the tri-state area for people arrested for obscure medical reports – each healer has their own signature and even healers are admitted to hospitals for check-ups – he goes through the less blacked-out pages of Ziva's record. It states that she served in the Israeli Defense Force for the mandatory two years with a exemplary record, before going from the IDF to (add blacked-out page) – something about Mossad top unit – and then proceed as 'an additional member of Mossad's combat-ready special ops unit'. There is, sadly, no official account for her days as a healer, but then again, they are still having pages translated by people who actually have the clearance and awareness of what NCIS does, so if there is missing context, it might be cleared in the morning. Except, every hour counts, something Tim is painfully aware of.

The pages always seem so official, leaving very little recollection of what actually happened, which makes the junior agent contemplate whether the missions and assignments were sanctioned or not by the Israeli government. He is not surprised that Israel has no official registry of people of the supernatural, but Ziva's extensive military record is impressive in itself. The requirements alone! There are a few incident reports – according to Agent Lee who is in charge of the translations – but they are "complicated". How, Tim has no idea. These reports and the veiled half-truths are giving him a headache, but he knows that everyone else is working just as hard on either clearing and solving the case (Abby particularly – he saw her come in again despite claiming to go home to her mother who is in town for the week) or finding a solution to Ebony and Ziva's conditions. Condition. Whatever, Tim thinks. Anything that will help medical personnel help his co-worker get better – be it magical or otherwise. He has never met any other healers, aside from the Israeli, and always thought it fictional.

By the third hour, he is still not getting any hits. He has read through Ziva's military file, and sworn himself to secrecy while he is at it, when he encounters problems. Her juvenile record is inaccessible. He frowns, thinking it is a mistake on his part – Sheppard assured them that all resources would be available. He tries to crack the file, but it is sealed by court – her father no doubt (and Tim hates that he can think that after acquiring only intel from paper) – and needs decryption.

This is madness! How are Ziva's past – stripped from all real content and context, leaving little and scarce information left – going to help them? They need details, medical file, anything that suggests supernatural interference!

So Tim McGee goes back to the scarce personnel file Mossad sent over and reads the fine print, copies down every name from evaluations and promotions; recommendations by senior officers, be it Mossad or IDF. And then he starts dialing once he finds the numbers.

He has not coped with the fact that the emotionally toughest – perhaps sans Gibbs – of them is lying in a hospital bed, barely breathing on her own. He has had to accept weird things at this workplace – things he would have never believed in as a child – but he has learnt that there are Boogeymen out there who do not belong to the human element, that witches, vampires, werewolves, healers and fairies are real, all while thinking all his life that he has been the freak seeing ghosts because of childhood trauma. While he belongs at NCIS, and is not disabled by his abilities, he doesn't know if he likes the danger. Who takes care of his sister if anything happens to her? She is barely nineteen years old! And what happened to Ziva shows him the risks.

Sometimes he thinks he is insane – plenty of other people think it, too. His boss increases strength, he works with a vampire, his partner is a lycanthrope, he sees ghosts and one of his co-workers can heal a shotgun wound almost instantaneously. Not to speak of the medical examiner who is telepathic and whose assistant possesses some precognitive abilities. If he told anyone this, he would not only be facing charges of breaching national security, he would be labeled a complete psychotic. And while he has learnt to deal with these facts, mortality increases to blow him off his feet. He doesn't want to see Ziva gone; no, she is just settling in, Tony has accepted her, she is part of the team.

Eli David. Monique Lisson. Ari Haswari. Raquel Cohen. Moshe Goldstein... The list goes on. People who might tell him what happened – although he saves Eli David for last – before the incident reports come in from Translation.

Then his watch alert him that it is time to go pick up a Caff-Pow! for Abby, whose vampire metabolism makes it necessary, especially when Gibbs is nowhere to be found. Mixing a hungry vampire with an emotional one is never a good idea.

A/N: Totally un-betaed but I wanted it out there. Now, I am going to bring Ari back... Don't worry, he'll be in a place he deserves to be... Too bad I already had Tony kill his half-brother.