I have to say, I was surprised at how much you guys liked the last chapter. I was really tired when I wrote it so I didn't know how it would be. Now, on with the story!
"He kidnapped you?" Ziva repeated to her niece, not quite sure if she should believe the eleven- year- old or not.
"Yes." Salma said. "I came to you because I thought you could help me."
"I could if it dealt with the Navy! Your case is entirely different." Ziva told her. Salma looked back at her food wondering what she had gotten herself into.
"Why me?" Ziva asked. Salma looked at her aunt.
"I thought you could help me." Salma told Ziva. The female agent glared at the child. Salma took a deep breath before speaking.
"When Ima's will was read, before the funeral, it said that I would live with you." Salma said. "Ima had already packed my bags and I was told that after the funeral I would go to you. Somehow Aaron found me and took me away. When we landed, I asked if I could go to the bathroom and he let me. The only person I could think of to go to was you." Ziva shook her head. Tony looked at his partner and saw the anger that flashed through her eyes.
"Zi." Tony said, his voice telling her to stay calm. Ziva sat back in her seat and relaxed, slightly. Tony could still see the tension by the set of her jaw.
"Are you mad at me?" Salma asked. Ziva looked at her.
"No tatelah, I am not mad at you." The agent said. She turned to Tony. "I think we are done eating, yes?" She asked. Her partner nodded and went to pay. A few hours later, Tony watched Ziva get up from her desk and walk toward the bathrooms. He followed her. Surprisingly, she had gone to the girls bathroom. Tony took a deep breath before letting himself in. When he opened the door, he was met with a scene that he had not seen in a long while.
"Zi?" Tony softly said.
"What are you doing here Tony?" A woman angrily asked, her back turned toward the person standing by the door.
"I came to see if you were all right." He said moving closer to the woman in front of him. He stopped at the sinks.
"I am fine." Ziva said, her tone caustic.
"No you aren't. I know you." Tony said.
"Really?" Ziva asked sarcastically. The room was quiet till Ziva spoke again. "Why did she not tell me?" Ziva asked as she turned her tear-stained face toward her partner. He could see the hurt in her eyes. The hurt she wore now was the same as Somalia. Tony sighed and went closer to her.
"Why didn't you tell anyone about Somalia?" Tony questioned.
"That was different." Ziva said hoping to throw the question to the side. Tony raised his eyebrows. "I had reasons not to tell anyone!" The agent defended. "Do you think it was easy for me to tell people what happened? I was still trying to deal with it myself!" The agent quickly stopped her rant. "You need to stop interrogating people." She said. Tony smiled.
"How do you feel now?" He asked getting closer to her and putting a loose strand of hair that had fallen from her otherwise perfectly ponytail behind her ear. She smiled at him.
"Better." Ziva whispered. "Toda."
"I always got your six." Tony answered. The pair smiled at each other. Suddenly, the two agents were brought back to reality by the sound of screaming.
"Salma!" Tony and Ziva cried before running toward Abby's lab.
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