AN: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews! A special thank you BeautifulDisaster for the picture, I am currently working on more pictures and I will link up my photobucket account for all that are interested. Thanks again!
Chapter 20.
"We're within range!" McGee yelped happily whipping out the tracking device, he quickly clicked the button and watched as it went from red to green indicating a clear and caught signal. Akiva slowed the jeep down pulling it to a stop at the edge of a rocky beach. She looked around the jeep then flipped open the clove compartment, she grinned happily when she found a set of binoculars, she brought them to her eyes, and looked out across the water.
Azazel looked into the extra review mirror specially designed to keep an eye on toddlers, he could tell that the little brat would be waking up soon, he hadn't thought to bring any food or other things for the child. He wasn't even aware that Akiva had the ability to create a child. At least, they had always told him that she would be completely unable to conceive. Interesting...he glanced back again, she did look like Akiva and defiantly had her attitude, but he knew it would be a long drive to D.C. and he would have to stop at some point to get the spawn some food. As it was, his current revised plan required her to be alive, and to do that he would have to feed her.
A little light caught his attention on the consul, and he groaned, he needed gas; with a sigh he pulled over to the nearest gas station and stopped at an available pump. He had just started pumping when he heard a shrill scream coming from inside the car.
"Ah, ze brats awake." He fixed the pump to run on its own then opened the rear driver's side door. The child immediately stopped screaming, a look of horror on her face before she once more started up. He growled, "Shut up!" The child just shook her head and struggled in the too tight car seat.
Azazel groaned, and looked around the car, there were multiple toys on the floor board so he picked one up and waved it in the girl's direction, with a mock look of happiness. Hikari just shook her little head and continued to cry, every now and then pulling at her hair.
Azazel's eyebrows raised in understanding, he had kicked her pretty hard, his eyes scrunched, do children get headaches? He had no idea, but he knew someone inside the gas station might, so he slammed the door shut and walked towards the convenience store. He walked down the small aisle of medicines, picking up each one reading the box quickly, until finally he found a bottle of, very overpriced, childrens Tylenol. He started to the counter then immediately stopped, how the hell was he supposed to get the child to drink this? He lifted the bottle, there was only a cap with measured increments on the top, no way was that brat going to do this willingly, he sighed in resignation and looked at the rows of refrigerated drinks. He grabbed the first brightly colored thing he saw and took both of them to the counter. The clerk, thankfully, did not ask any questions and he was in and out.
He stopped at the hood of the car making sure to stay out of her line of sight, he pulled open the top to the Gatorade he had apparently grabbed and poured a generous amount of Tylenol into it, he closed both and shook the Gatorade then went back to her side of the car. The child was sniffling and still wailing softly when he opened the door, he shoved the drink into her cup holder and slammed the door again.
Hikari's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the sudden intrusion but none the less retrieved the bottle from her cup holder, she brought the heavy bottle to her lips and sucked the sweet tasting liquid down. The coolness of it soothing her sore throat, and slowly easing her pounding head; after a few moments, she slowly stopped drinking, her eye lids getting heavy, finally the bottle fell to the floor with a loud thump. Her little head rolled to the side and a small sigh escaped her tiny lips as she drifted off to sleep.
Azazel grinned to himself and started the car, pulling onto the interstate. Only 10 more hours to go, he had plenty of time to plan the perfect steal, and he was going to make Akiva do it, the ultimate betrayal. That should break the insufferable bond.
Ziva laid on her side inside the medic bay of the ship; her arms tightly curled around her, they had given her a breathing treatment and some pain medication for her lungs. But nothing could stop the voices and images that assaulted her mind. Over and over, she watched her life flashing. Her father, Tali, Ari, everything, all the pain, all the training; she could hear her father screaming at her over and over. She clasped her hands tightly over her ears in a vain attempt to keep the voices down; but try as she might the voices were coming from inside not out.
A soft shuffling noise brought her current mental assault to a grinding halt, she could hear feet moving, coming closer. She uncovered her ears and wrapped her arms tightly about herself. She felt so cold, so weak…so tired.
"Hey Z." Tony remarked casually as if it was just another day at the office. He walked over to her bed, leaning against the wall. Her lack of response caused Tony's wandering eyes to land squarely on her back. She had been given a black T-shirt that was much too big for her tiny frame, and even though she clung to the material tightly as she held herself, he could help but think how small, she looked to him right now. She looked like a porcelain doll, just lying there to be held. He felt his hands twitch and quickly crossed them over his chest to keep himself from reaching out. He wasn't sure if she was in a hugging mood or not. He never could tell with Ziva, he did know that if she wasn't it would do more harm than good to try and pursue her otherwise.
Ziva could feel his eyes roaming over her form and let out a small shiver, not in disgust but from an internal cold that seemed to have swept through her suddenly. She wanted to turn and face him, but she couldn't find the strength to unclench her hands from the over sized shirt and roll. Every time the ship shifted in the water her head would swim, the voices in her head, cooing to her, calling out to go deeper into the abyss of her mind.
Tony watched her body tense and release as if she was fighting an internal battle, he felt so helpless, he didn't have any idea of what to say or do. Sure he had known her for, what, 6 almost 7 years but she never talked about herself or her childhood. He had learned more about Ziva from Akiva during their plane ride then he did in the many years he had spent as her partner. Tony's eyes widened slightly at his startling revelation, he really didn't know Ziva David. While his mind was trying to crunch away at that he decided to change tactics with Ziva.
"Have you ever saved Akiva's life?" He asked trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.
There was a loud snort from Ziva's bed and she flung an arm over her shoulder pointing in some random place in the room. "Does she look like she needs my help?" She scoffed before wrapping the arm back around her.
"I'll take that as a 'no' then?"
Ziva grumbled and covered her ears, the voices raising up in full glory reclaiming her senses in vengeance over not being heard for the past few moments. "Ju-Just go away Tony!"
Tony sighed softly gently placing a hand on her shoulder, trying to give her some type of comfort, but she flinched and curled herself into a ball, effectively pulling herself out of his reach. He didn't press the issue, his eyes filled with sadness. He was halfway to the door, his eyes trained on the floor when he felt a strong presence in front of him. He quickly looked up, his eyes meeting Akiva's cold calculating stare. He quickly jumped to the side watching as she calmly strode over to Ziva's bed. He backed up slightly leaning by the door in case he needed to make a hasty exit. He watched, horridly fascinated by Akiva's body posture. Her arms were down at her sides, her fingers twitching slightly, her back was straight and her chin was raised and from what he saw her mouth had been in a thin firm line. All the signs pointing that she was on a war path, a quiet war path, but a war path none the less. He watched her stop a about a foot and a half from Ziva's bed her fingers curling into her palms, it was like watching a train wreck, he knew he shouldn't look, but he just couldn't…stop.
"Get up." Akiva's voice was low and cold as she stared down at the still form on the bed.
Ziva clamped her hands tighter over her ears, her heart aching at the tone of Akiva's voice. It was just so, so cold and uncaring…like her fathers…
"Get up!" Akiva roared pulling Ziva's hand from her ear.
Ziva flinched, her cool skin burning as if it had been touched with a red hot poker. Akiva did not hold onto her hand though, as soon as the offending body part was removed from her ear, Akiva's fingers left.
"I c-cant…" Ziva whispered, desperately, no pleadingly. She just wanted to lie there forever, the voices in her head screaming, telling her that if she stood, she would just fall back down.
"Get. Up." Akiva was tired of this game of self pity, they did not have time for a break down.
Ziva groaned uncurling herself and rolled onto her back, her eyes moist with unshed tears. Akiva looked to the ground in front of her and snapped her fingers. Her face still set in stone, her eyes and mouth hard. Ziva held her hand to her heart, subconsciously tracing her scar, her eyes searching Akiva's for anything, any emotion at all, she just needed the slightest bit of reassurance that everything would be ok. But the more she looked, the more her heart ached, there was nothing in Akiva's eyes, just cold, apathetic, ice; she felt a sharp stab of pain in her heart, and she looked away. She couldn't take it anymore, this woman, had done so much for her, protected her, shielded her, but she felt nothing for her. Not hate, not love, not pity, just nothingness. Ziva wondered how that was even possible as she swung her legs over the side of the bed, gradually slipping off, keeping her eyes glued to the tiny space between them.
Akiva stared at Ziva for a long time, watching her every movement. She couldn't sympathize or even empathize with Ziva's current condition. She would have given anything at that moment to feel just the tiniest bit of what Ziva was feeling. She wanted to know, she yearned to feel, anything, she didn't care. She was so tired of the nothingness that consumed her, the emptiness she felt inside. She wanted to feel the emotions she could see in Ziva's eyes. But she knew that could never be, and her main concern was making sure that Ziva would not drown. Especially if she could stop it herself; she knew she had to be hard, she was always hard with Ziva, but in the end Ziva always over came. She was a fighter.
Ziva could feel Akiva's warm breath on her hair, she stood there holding back the tears as long as she could before finally they came, silently and just as suddenly there were two hands gripping her upper arms in a very painful grip.
Ziva shrunk back like a small child her forearms coming up between them as she tried to curl herself away; but Akiva's grip held firm, Ziva wasn't sure if she should be relieved or hurt by the manhandling, she knew her knees were weak and her head was light and that the only thing anchoring her to this reality were the two hands painfully gripping her shoulders.
"It's…so loud..., " Ziva whimpered, her voice cracking slightly, "It's falling down…like rain...inside...it hurts..."
Tony had to lean closer in the doorway to even make out half of what she said, ready to rush in if Akiva did something stupid like, smack Ziva. He would defiantly not stand for that.
"So you stand in the rain!" Akiva voice was strong and firm she shook Ziva slightly trying to get her look her in the eyes.
But Ziva remained in a silent struggle with herself. Akiva knew that she wanted to be found, but the only way that could happen was to go through everything she was running from; straight through the pain, the lies, the deceit. She would not let Ziva give up and lie down, not let her quit she had to stand through the pain.
"You stand through the pain, you won't drown." Akiva's voice was softer now, gentler, but still firm, her mouth and face set in a scowl.
Ziva's bottom lip quivered slightly a small whimper passing her lips, she shook her head, causing her long curly brown hair to shield her face.
"Oh…Ziva…" Akiva let out a soft breath her tone soft as a whisper, and as gentle as a mother caress.
Ziva felt a warmth spread through her like wild fire, she had never heard Akiva's voice come out so, kind, so caring. She felt a warm finger under her chin and allowed her head to be tilted back, her curtain of hair parting revealing her large brown tear strained orbs.
When their eyes met, it was like a jolt of molten lava had been poured inside of each of them. Ziva's lips parted in a silent gasp as she looked into Akiva's warm, inviting, and caring expression. It was almost like a lover's look; it was a look of complete and total trust, complete surrender, encompassing compassion and unwavering kindness. Ziva had never, in her entire life seen this look, on anyone and she wasn't even sure if she had seen it in herself. She felt the hand on her should loosen but remain. Ziva could just not look away, she wanted to remember this look on Akiva as long as she lived. She didn't want to blink, didn't want to breathe she just wanted to be wrapped up in Akiva's warmth for all eternity.
"You are a desert rose." Akiva said softly her breath tickling Ziva's face. "You strive without water, to survive, to live. And after it rains, you bloom and you become the most beautiful flower in all of the desert." Akiva moved a hand to Ziva's jaw her thumb idly brushing away a tear.
Ziva still couldn't look away, Akiva's words were so beautiful to her they had left her heart thumping in her chest and pounding in her ears. Her eyes flicked down to Akiva's lips and she licked her own. Ziva stared at Akiva's lips, slowly, she lifted her heels off the ground; her hands slowly uncurling and reaching out. Ziva watched Akiva's eyes hood, and match her own as their lips were mere centimeters apart.
" Hey!" came the loud strong voice of Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Tony and Ziva jumped half a foot in the air while Akiva's head merely whipped around in the direction of the doorway. Ziva blinked away her shock, her eyes quickly going back to Akiva's face but just like that, the moment was gone.
End Chapter.