I enjoyed the reviews! They made me happy and enthusiastic to write more. Here's the next chapter.
Light was the first thing she became aware of in her groggy state. Then, she became aware of sounds, muffled at first, but they soon became clearer. The people were calling her name, but she did not know them. Visions of Aaron attacking her struck her mind with brutal force. Finally, she opened her eyes to see, not a man trying to kill her, but medical personnel. The woman stared in confusion at the two men in front of her.
"Salma!" Ziva cried..
"Ziver." A voice close to her said. "Salma's okay. She is still with Tony. Now be quiet while these men try to get you into the ambulence."
"Gibbs!" Ziva said starting to protest about going with the medical team.
"No, you are going. To many people are counting on you to live."
"Aaron?" Ziva asked.
"He's been taken to NCIS." Gibbs said.
"But, the gun-" Ziva started to say. She looked at his eyes that gave her the conformation that her attacker had been mamed.
"You are like my daughter." Gibbs said softly. Ziva was about to open her mouth to speak, but Gibbs spoke first.
"No more questions." Gibbs demanded. "Tony and Salma are meeting you at the hospital." Ziva sighed, deciding it was better not to argue with her boss. As directed, Ziva lay back on the stretcher and let the medics do their work. A few hours later, Ziva was, to her torment, sitting in a hospital bed. Right as she was about to contemplate how to escape, she heard her door open. Her head turned to find Tony and Salma walking in. She smiled at them.
"Please tell me you have come to take me away." Ziva asked jokingly.
"No such luck Zi." Tony said smiling, hoping his partner could not see the fear running through him. Ziva turned to Salma.
"What is it Tatelah?" The agent asked noticing her niece's frightened face.
"Ima was in a place like this before-" The child did not finish, but went closer to Ziva.
"Come beside me." Ziva said softly to Salma. The eleven- year- old crawled in beside her aunt, putting her head on the agent's shoulder.
"I am fine." Ziva said looking into Tony's worried eyes as she gently and soothingly smoothed Salma's hair. "The only reason I am here is because I had a very hard time waking up from being knocked in."
"Knocked out." Tony corrected taking the seat by her bed. "I'm glad nothing worse happened." He said to her.
"So am I." Ziva said. "I do not think Salma would be able to deal with having another parent die." She told Tony as she looked down at her now sleeping niece.
"Parent?" Tony asked, his famous smile coming across his features.
"I am her guardian yes?" Ziva said. Tony, knowing his partner knew the difference between a parent and a guardian, understood what she meant.
"She has changed all of our lives hasn't she?" Tony asked softly.
"Yes, she has." Ziva replied as she went back to smoothing her niece's hair. "I do not know what life would be like without her. In a way, she was a replacement for Tali after she died." Ziva told him. Tony put a lock of his partner's hair back behind her ear.
"You didn't flinch this time." Tony said alluding to the time she had almost been killed.
"I am not as broken as I was then." Ziva replied smiling as she gently touched Tony's wrist. "Have you heard anything from Gibbs?" She asked.
"Yes. Aaron is being charged for the attempted murder of an NCIS officer." Tony replied smiling at her as he sat back down in his chair. She smiled back at him.
"Toda." Ziva said softly to her partner. Before he could reply, a knock came from the door.
"Ms. David?" A woman said coming in.
"David." Both agents corrected.
"David." The woman corrected. "I am Dr. Lange. I am here to tell you that you are free to go in the morning. It is late, so I decided you wouldn't like going home at two in the morning. Besides, I can see that your visitor has made herself comfortable." Dr. Lange said nodding at Salma's sleeping figure. Ziva smiled.
"Thank- you." She said to the Doctor.
"Is there anyone here at the moment who can watch you to make sure you do not have a concussion." Dr. Lange asked.
"Yes." Tony said. "I'm Tony DiNozzo." He said putting his hand out for the doctor to shake.
"Alright. I just need to tell you a couple things about concussions before I leave." The doctor told him. As the two talked outside, Ziva found that new faces had walked in.
"Hi Ziva." Abby said going and hugging her friend.
"Hello Abby." Ziva said.
"I am so glad you are okay!" Abby replied. "I don't know what I'd do without you! Oh!" Abby said noticing Salma sleeping. "Sorry." She whispered.
"It is fine. Salma is a heavy sleeper." Ziva told the goth. She looked behind the forensic scientist. "Hello Tim." Ziva said.
"Hey Ziva." McGee said, slightly uncomfortable by the fact that he was in a hospital.
"Is he okay?" Ziva asked Abby. Abby looked at McGee for a moment.
"Yeah. He is just afraid of hospitals. He'll be fine." Abby said. The two women laughed. A nurse came in.
"Hello." The nurse said. "You have quite a group here. Sadly, I need to ask you all to leave. Visiting hours are over." Abby looked at Ziva.
"See you tomorrow." Abby told her. "Come on Timmy!" She said leading McGee to the door.
"Abby, come to my apartment. I am being discharged tomorrow morning." Ziva said.
"Will do!" Abby said before she and McGee left. Tony came in right after they left.
"You look tired." Tony said stroking her cheek. She smiled against his touch.
"I am." She said groggily.
"Get some sleep." He said. "You have had a really long night." Ziva shook her head.
"I will be right here Zi." Tony said stroking her hand. "Sleep." His partner nodded, comforted by the presence of her partner. Slowly, she drifted to sleep. Tony watched the agent sleep. Her breaths were slow and steady. Soon, he too drifted off to the land of dreams.
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