Rifiuto: Non Miriena

"I lost my mother, in an explosion." Keavy looked up as Ziva set a cup of tea in front of her before taking a seat beside her at the table.

"What happened?" She took a deep breath, wrapping her hands around the mug.

"It was a Hamas suicide bombing. A month before Asher turned seven. Ima had taken my little sister Tali, up to Amman for the day- it's a city in Israel- and... and a suicide bomber stepped out onto the street, in front of the café they were in, and..." She swallowed. "I thought my sister had died too, but she... she had been taken to America and... and was recovering from her injuries. For years, I thought I'd lost my entire family... and then... and then I found Tali... but... but finding her... it didn't take away from the pain of losing my mother; and no matter how many years pass, it never goes away. All we can do is push through it, and move on and live as they would want us to."

Keavy sniffled, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks. "'Tis not fair, Mrs. McGee-" Gently, Ziva reached out and brushed the girl's bangs off her forehead.

"I know. And I still blame God for taking my mother, and that... that will never change." She licked her lips, taking the girl's hand in hers and squeezing gently. She shouldn't even consider it, but she knew when Rivka died, it had been the only thing that brought comfort to her son, so she had to try. "Your mother was a wonderful woman, Keavy. She had a... a heart of gold." She took a deep breath.

"She did lots of good here, but... but there was someone who wanted her, so she could do all the good things she'd done here, with them. They... they took her to... to this new home, and... and she's not hurting anymore, and she's healthy, like she was when she was here, and she's with your baby brother, and... and she's watching over you." She reached up, brushing the tears away. "This new home wanted her very badly, and so they took her. But I know she's watching over you, as your guardian angel." A moment passed, before Keavy leaned into Ziva's side, holding tight to her, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks.

The siblings sat on the stairs, listening. They remembered the conversation Tim and Ziva had had with them after Mr. Grandpa Gibbs died, and all three wished Keavy hadn't had to hear it, even if it did bring comfort.

"Abba?" Tim and Ziva looked up; the two were sitting in bed, engaged in soft conversation. The kids stood in the doorway, after a moment, Asher went to the bed and curled into his mother's side. Zipporah and Liron joined them, and Devin, Liam and Keavy shared nervous glances. Ziva gave them all a soft smile.

"Come here." They all settled on the end of the bed, silent. Slowly, she reached out, taking the younger girl's hand. "You okay, Keavy?" The child nodded, sniffling. Tim glanced down at his daughter, curled into his side.

"We wanted to talk to you- to all of you."

"About what, Abba?" Liron asked.

"Boundaries." Ziva replied. The kids shared glances, silent. "In regards to your..." She stopped. "whatever you are all in. I know we may seem stiff and boring, but it's for your own protection." She took a deep breath, glancing down at Asher. "You cannot... you cannot be alone together in... any of your rooms, I'm sorry, but..."

"Because of me." Asher whispered. "You are thinking of me... and..." Ziva met her son's eyes, nodding.

"You are the best thing to happen to me, my angel, but..." She pressed a kiss to his head. "it is always in the back of my mind." Asher glanced at the others.

"It's okay, Ima. We understand. We won't be alone upstairs. Ever." She nodded, swallowing.

"The..." Her gaze locked with Tim's, and she bit her lip.

"Come on!" She tugged on his hand, yanking him down the street back towards her family's apartment, giggling. The skirt of her green halter dress swirling around her legs. They stumbled down the street in the dark, sticking to the shadows. Eventually, her back hit the coldness of a building's brick wall, and she felt chills race up her spine. She tilted her head back, looking up at him with a grin. "Your eyes are really green. I have never seen eyes like yours."

He blushed and then leaned down, pressing a kiss behind her ear, the adrenaline rush from escaping the dinner making him bolder than he normally would be. One hand slid around her waist, pulling her close. She leaned her head back, allowing him to access the graceful slope of her neck, her eyes sliding shut. He looked so handsome in that nice suit, that all she wanted to do was make love to him then and there. She giggled as he nipped softly at her neck and gently pushed him away to look into his eyes. "Do not bite, Tim! Or I will bite back." She purred, grinning at him. He pulled her close, his silky lips brushing against her ear as he whispered,

"That a promise?" She met his gaze, grinning.

She jumped as Liron tugged at her hand. "Ima?" A small smile slipped across her face, and she gently ran her fingers through her youngest son's hair.

"As wonderful as our lives have turned out, we do not want any of you to follow in our footsteps. So you are not to be up here in your rooms alone together. Are we clear? You may kiss, you may hold hands, you may cuddle and talk together, but we will not allow you to be alone together."

"What... what if we're in a group, Mrs. McGee?" Liam asked, glancing at Zipporah. "Like the... the six of us t'gether?" Tim took his wife's hand. She took a deep breath.

"That would be fine, but you are to stay downstairs, and you are not to come up here together, understand?" The kids all nodded; they understood that none of them were allowed to be alone together, like Asher and Devin had been the earlier, and they honestly, didn't mind the rules Tim and Ziva had set up. If anything, it forced them all to take whatever this was slower, get to know each other better. "And... and none of you are to be outside at night. It is too dangerous." She met Zipporah's gaze, and the girl nodded.