I've been going through this story and this marks approximately 23 days since she was shot and so around three weeks later. I just thought you guys might want that update. I only speak English so everything in another language here has been taken from a variety of sources online. My apologies for anything and everything that is incorrect.
I haven't taken as long as I probably should have to edit this so there are likely several more mistakes than usual. Thanks for your patience :)
The following day had been a slight improvement on yesterday. Gibbs hadn't woken up until half nine, at which point he'd found Ziva in the living room playing with a variety of toys they had bought. He greeted her and she met it with a smile. Better today, he commented to himself. She was still in her pyjamas, her hair pulled back loosely into a ponytail.
"You eaten?" He called as he lifted the kettle to fill. Usually the coffee was always bought from a shop but he had reverted back to days when he wasn't a chronic workaholic.
"Ken (yes)," She replied.
Gibbs faltered for a moment but took it as contextual information. If she hadn't she would have come in. He flipped on the kettle and prepared the cup. When it was ready he sat down on the couch.
"You want to do anything today?" He asked, trying to pry more out of her. Ziva had been so full of life for a while and now she seemed to have deflated.
"Lo toda (no thank you)." Ziva replied in the same monotone voice.
Gibbs didn't know hebrew and he felt it could become a problem very quickly. "English, Ziver."
"Why?" She snapped, turning round to him. From her expression he could tell that had come out harsher than she had intended and when she continued her tone had softened. "Why should I speak English when there are lots of languages I can speak? Ima made sure I could speak both English and Hebrew fluently but Hebrew is still my native tongue. Why can't I speak it?"
"You can." He agreed. "But I don't know what you're saying."
"That's ok." She shrugged.
"If you're going to speak to me I'd like you to use English." Gibbs told her firmly.
"Eshkol zot (I'll think about it)."
It took him a moment to keep himself from snapping at her but he managed it. Despite the fact he had no idea what she had said he knew she wouldn't either. "Wakaranai (I don't understand.)
Japanese was one of his languages and the only one he knew she didn't speak even a little. She turned to him, her face contorting in confusion as she tried to make out the words. Ziva's face was like an open book. He could see her try to link the words to languages she knew, trying to alter it to fit with other similar languages but to no avail. When he was sure enough time had passed he spoke again.
"So are we gonna speak English to each other or are we gonna have more conversations like this?" He asked pointedly.
Before answering she paused, a coy smirk painted on her face. "Je vais réfléchir (I'll think about it)."
The French words washed over him and he met her smile. He took a sip of his coffee. Strict discipline wasn't what she needed all the time. A softer approach would sometimes work better. Sometimes. He reminded himself. Don't let her carry you away. Because he knew for a fact, she'd have him around her little finger and he had to keep her from finding that out.
"D'you want the team round for a barbeque?" Gibbs asked her, trying to keep the conversation going.
"Yes." She answered, getting up and clambering onto his lap.
He helped her, trying to keep her from inflicting damage as she did so. Her first words in English when she wasn't arguing. Progress, he told himself though it wasn't really. The sooner the team got used to Ziva they way she was the quicker she'd settle. More importantly, the sooner the team would settle with her. He couldn't help but wonder if the team were having more difficulties than they were. Was being an outsider to the situation more challenging? He knew her moods, he knew every ounce of the new Ziva he was sure. But they just knew Ziva David. They didn't know Ziva Gibbs even if they were the ones who constructed her.
"When will I be starting school?" She asked, looking up at him with those big eyes.
"Beginning of November." He replied with a supportive hand on her back.
Ziva nodded, jumped off and went up the stairs. He'd had a discussion with Doctor Ashton and she had suggested they wait a while before introducing her to such a large body of other children. It would give her a chance to get used to to her surroundings before they broke for the Thanksgiving break. She wouldn't have a chance to get overloaded before they separated. Gibbs wasn't sure if she was nervous or excited from her expression but either way they had over a month. The day, instead of getting better, had only got worse as it progressed. By the time Tony arrived after work she had tried to initiate a screaming match twice and he was proud to say he had managed to keep himself calm. Both times he had placed her in time out, the first being started and reset for fifteen minutes and the second was verging on half an hour when the door opened. From the footsteps he could tell it was Dinozzo so he did not turn his attention away from her when his watch finally struck four uninterrupted minutes. He gestured to Tony to stay out the way.
"Why did I put you in time out?" He asked.
For a minute Ziva tried to decide whether or not to snap at him. Don't make me reset this again. Even Gibbs was frustrated at the length of time it had taken and he hadn't been sitting in one spot for half an hour. "Because I shouted at you."
"Yes," he agreed, "but before that as well."
Ziva genuinely paused for a minute. "I don't remember."
"Ziva," He warned.
The unfairness struck her face like a slap. "I do not know. That was hours ago!"
Her voice was rising and he didn't want to reset again. "Don't get angry. If you think about it I'm sure you'll work it out."
Tears prickled at her eyes. He held himself. She doesn't remember. "You were reading behind the couch."
"And you started shouting." She recalled bitterly.
"I think you'll find I held my temper." Gibbs said in a hushed tone, rubbing her knee with one finger reassuringly.
"You asked me to come out to pick up the books I knocked over." She said after her eyes settled on the toppled books by the shelf. "But it was an accident."
"Then you should have got them without arguing." He said sternly. In a regimented voice he said "Could you pick them up now, please."
She nodded, going into the living room, collecting the books and slotting them back into place on the shelf. Just as she reached for her own book Tony interrupted the few seconds of solace Gibbs had worked half an hour on.
"Woah boss, you sure have her trained." Tony shot.
The comment was not meant as it was received by the child however it had left his lips faster than any incompetent censor ever had the chance to work on. "I am not trained. I am not a pet."
Ziva spun, her hair flying around her as she did so, and ran up the stairs, the door slamming behind her. Shit Dinozzo. "D'you wanna keep your comments to yourself?"
"Sorry Boss."
Gibbs removed two beers from the fridge, popped them and placed the second on the island table. He knew it was just Tony's humour however it was definitely not what he needed at the moment. The little girl was readjusting and it had been one thing after another all day. Perhaps having the team round was too soon.
"Has she been like that all day?" Tony asked supportively, all traces of his prepubescent humour at bay.
"If you mean little miss bad attitude then yeah, Dinozzo." Gibbs shot back, taking a swig. He swirled it around in his mouth for a moment. "It's hard for 'er."
They fell into a comfortable silence for a while, both men sitting with their beers enjoying the company. It was too early for Tony to be out of the office and he doubted the man had no work to do due to the lack of two agents however he chose not to comment. They'd get one assigned on a temporary basis during his sabbatical. By the time they'd finished their beers Ziva had returned to the room, a glare painted on her features. Gibbs knew it as it was-painted on, controlled and that was all-but she was weighing up the situation like prey in slow motion. He could have breathed a sigh of relief when he realised Tony sensed it.
"Hey, I saw a park at the end of the street. It's been a while, but I bet I can still show you my best move." Tony boasted.
He too had schooled his expression in response to Ziva's harsh glare however when her's softened so did his. Perhaps her only positive reaction of the day was to look to Gibbs for confirmation. When she got her nod, she rushed away to pull of shoes and a coat.
"Everyone else will be here by six." Gibbs informed, getting up to clear away the two beers.
"Right, have the child back by six, got'cha." Tony saluted and made his way to the door.
Ziva rushed in to see Gibbs before she left. He knelt down to her level, kissed her forehead and pulled her in for a hug.
"You will be here when we get back?" The lift at the end told him it wasn't a statement.
"On my life." That was enough for her and she rushed to the open door. "Look after him."
The voice emanating from a source he could no longer see called back in a joyous lilt, "I will!"
For the first time all day he managed to collapse on the settee and shut his eyes without the prospect of her throwing another fit.
Ziva ran ahead on front of him and he found he had to quicken his pace so he didn't lose her. If he was certain of one thing it was if she went out of sight she was gone. When he saw her turn into the park he had seen countless times driving in he allowed himself to slow. There were three other children there, all of whom were old enough to be there unattended. Tony's police instinct however turned his gaze to the house directly opposite where a woman was watching with a keen eye. She was watching Tony specifically, her gaze having turned from whichever child was hers to the man entering the park. He didn't allow her to put him off. He was with Ziva even though three weeks ago that would have been more cause for alarm.
Ziva immediately clung to the climbing frame and began her ascent. He'd seen her climbing skills before and he was in no doubt she was capable. Her small frame weaved in and out of the apparatus made for someone twice her height and two of the bigger kids watched in awe. He briefly heard the elder of the two sneering, "and you couldn't even get halfway."
He didn't hear the rest of the conversation but it ended in the younger one turning and running to the frame. From what he could guess she was trying to prove to her brother she could do at least as well as a four year old. Tony watched carefully but wasn't too concerned. Ziva was sitting perched at the top and she was aware of the girl coming up. There wasn't enough room at the top for both children and when the girl finally reached her she wasn't happy the tot was in her way of sitting at the throne.
"Move." Was all she said, glaring at Ziva as though she was something she'd stepped on. Ziva didn't reply, just turn her head airily away from her. There was a sharp thud as her shoulder that knocked her off balance as the older girl tried to push her off. "I said move."
She had efficiently pushed her off the desired spot and she was now trying to keep her balance by clinging onto the apparatus. Tony has sprung up and was standing behind her, a hand stretched up and placed on her back to help stabilize her.
"Hey," Tony got the attention of the little girl. He didn't have much experience with kids. "What do you think you're doing?"
The immediate recognition of guilt flooded her features as she was scolded by an unfamiliar adult. "I asked her to move."
"If you had pushed her off her head could have smashed." Tony didn't quite intend to be as cruel as he was being but-like all the team-he had gained a sudden protectiveness of Ziva. "If you have a problem with her you tell me."
"I'm sorry." She mumbled. The girl perked up. She held her fingers up proudly to display her age, "I'm Alice and I'm seven."
"Ziva. I'll be five soon."
Tony moved away from the girls as they began to get on a little better. Alice's brother disappeared after a little while and the third child came and joined them. He glanced at his watch when he saw Abby's car pull into the street and drive down in the way of the Gibbs' residence however he didn't drag her away. Ziva bear-climbed up the side of the swings and up to the bar on the top as the other two swung on the swings below. He watched her interact with the other kids and he couldn't help but believe she had never had opportunities such as this before. Ziva had never been normal but those two girls seemed to think she was just that. Normal. He was engrossed in watching her laugh with the girls until he glanced down at his watch again. 18:17. Damn it.
"Ziva," He called. Her head snapped up. "Time to go."
Past time to go. But she didn't seem to think like that. "No. I'm staying."
"I promised Gibbs I'd have you back twenty minutes ago."
"That is your problem, not mine."
"Because that timeout really looked like my problem." She shot him a glare.
One of the girls piped up. "What time is it?"
"Twenty past six," He offered. Tony stood up and began making his way to the gate. "Ziva, now!"
The girl who had asked the time excused herself and passed Tony out the park with a, "My dad'll kill me if I'm late."
The other girl trotted after her, hugged goodbye and then separated to their own respected houses. Now it was just Tony and a defiant Ziva sitting on top of the swings. He looked at his watch again. 18:22.
"Ziva! Come on, I'm hungry."
"You go then."
He gritted his teeth and suppressed the urge to drag her off and carry her away kicking and screaming. The idea that someone could mistake him for a predator was a risk he didn't want to take. Ziva could be a manipulative little brat when she felt like it and he doubted she'd find any problem screaming Bloody Mary.
"If you come now I wont tell Gibbs you delayed us." He tried but she made no move to appease him. 18:24. He considered walking away but he knew he'd end up at Gibbs' door with Ziva still perched on the swings.
"I don't want to go yet." Ziva told him, her voice wavering.
"Well you don't look like you're having much fun up there all on your own." Tony came over and stretched out his arms so he could lift her down but she didn't move. His hand fell to her's and he pulled back in an automatic reaction. 18:26. "You're freezing. We're both hungry, come on."
"If I go back now I'll get in trouble." Her hard expression had softened as the hunger set in.
"If you're nice I'll take the blame." With that she allowed him to lift her from the top bar and down to the ground.
When they got to Gibbs' house they found Abby and McGee's cars parked outside. He sighed, knowing that he was about to get a head slap. 18:31. Over half an hour late. They walked inside, finding the smell of food cooking outside wafting through the house. Ziva shuffled awkwardly behind him.
"You're late, Dinozzo." Gibbs barked, dropping a burger on a plate.
The pair exchanged glances and Tony gave in. "Yeah, boss I lost track of time."
Ziva smiled up at Gibbs, knowing she had just avoided the blame, and sat herself down on the other side of Abby.
Tony took the plate. "Thanks boss."
"Don't let her walk all over you." Gibbs told him firmly after first checking that the one in question was not listening. "She needs discipline, not to be coddled."
"We were already late, she only delayed us ten minutes." Tony explained, taking a roll and dropping the burger in it. Gibbs cast him a glare. "Won't happen again, boss."
"Damn right it won't." He replied, picking up another plate and putting the baked potato on it. She'd asked for it specifically. "Ziver, food."
He cut the potato and dished the butter and cheese inside. She collected it and returned to her seat. It was impossible not to smile as he watched his family eating dinner in the cooling breeze of his garden eating their barbequed food and listening to Abby's animated stories. McGee chimed in and Tony dramatically reacted, his arms flailing in the air and Ziva bursting into giggles. He'd been watching so long his food began to burn.
"You know what would be perfect for this garden?" Abby began, glancing round. "A trampoline!."
"I said that!" Ziva added pointedly.
"My brother's getting rid of his one. I can ask him for it." She continued with a smile. "There's nothing wrong with it, my niece got a bigger one for her birthday."
Ziva's entire body swivelled round to Gibbs, so much so her dinner almost ended up all over the ground. "Can we?"
With the expectant looks directed at him he couldn't refuse. "If that's ok."
"Of course! He'll send it up if I ask. Who can say no to this?" Abby pulled a face, directing attention to the look.
Immediately he could imagine the destructive situations she'd be getting up to in no time and made a mental note to ensure he purchased a net to go with it. They continued with their line of conversation by discussing the various ways to endanger the life on his young charge. The most humorous thing about it was that Ziva wasn't contributing the majority of the ideas. Those were coming from the older, respectable, sensible members of the group.
"I always wanted a tire swing," Abby cooed at the thought.
"Yeah, me too." Tony agreed. "I almost got one as well but my mum thought it was too dangerous when I broke my leg."
"Tali and I made a tire swing." Ziva told them. "We found the tire when we were walking home from school and I tied it to the tree in the garden,"-she looked down, her cheeks flushing-"It ended in a hospital visit when I didn't tie it tight enough."
Tony chuckled, high fiving her. "You break anything?"
"No but I fell on top of Tali and Ima thought I had broken her arm."
"I bet McComputer's never sat on a tire swing in his life." Tony shot.
"Actually, Tony, my grandmother had one up until I was a teenager. My sister and I would spend most of our visits on it."
When the conversation fizzled out the the temperature cooled dramatically they shuffled inside. Tony sorted through DVDs while the rest of them looked over his shoulder and argued over which one they would watch. Ziva hadn't seen any of them and even Abby was at a stretch for at least half. Tony felt something akin to pride as McGee managed to explain the plots to them for an unrealistically high percentage. He dropped a hand to his shoulder and muttered, "the little probie's growing up."
"Yeah, whatever Tony." McGee snapped in good humour, picking up of of the movies. "Just choose this one already."
"Well one of you better pick one before I throw you out," Gibbs called from the kitchen, stalking in and pointing to one of the boxes at random. "This one. Ziver, go get changed."
"But I'll miss it," She whined, looking to him with a face of unfairness.
"You wont. They won't play it until you come down." He assured her.
Ziva got to her feet and disappeared up the stairs only to rush back down a few seconds later and drop back down beside Tony who hadn't had a chance to move. "No, this one. It looks better."
"Ziva," Gibbs warned. "You can argue about the video later, get changed."
"It is not a video." She scorned, picking it up. "A video is thick and a DVD is a disc."
She held up her desired disc as an example. McGee said, "You know, she's not wrong."
He was greeted with a glare from Gibbs, a jut in the ribs from Abby and a head slap from Tony.
"Now, Ziva. If I have to tell you again you can just go to bed." In all honesty he was desperately hoping she didn't choose that option. He'd been hoping she'd fall asleep during the movie and the idea of spending an hour trying to get her to go to bed after being met with what she deemed an injustice didn't appeal to him much. Fortunately, she obliged, got up and went to do as she was told. She returned again a few minutes later in her new green pyjamas with the monkeys and bananas on them. They settled down to watch and over the course of 97 minutes Ziva had rested her head against Gibbs' arm and he was struggling to determine whether or not she was asleep. He didn't move an inch throughout the course of it-just in case. About ten minutes before it finished, her head jerked and he knew for definite she was awake. She crawled into his lap, resting her head back against him. At least it would be easier to move her. When the movie did finish, however, Abby was asleep, Tim was drifting off and Tony was sizing up how comfortable the floor looked but Ziva was still relatively awake.
"You lot staying the night?" He asked as he clicked off the TV.
McGee shook Abby awake. She said, "No, I have an earlier than early early start and I'd be better going from home."
She'd usually have explained however instead she took the next few moments to waken instead of explaining. Both men declined as well, getting up and stretching.
"You can keep the DVD's, Ziva," Tony told her as he made his way to the door. Gibbs placed her back on the couch to see them out the door.
"Thanks, Dinozzo," Gibbs said by the door.
The group said their goodbyes and called them back to Ziva who didn't respond. He returned back to the girl on the couch staring intently at the blank screen.
"Bed, Zivers."
"No," She moaned without looking up at him.
"Now." He was met with another no. "We can do this the easy way or we can go to bed angry, your choice."
"Because giving me a time out is really going to work if you are trying to make me go to bed." Ziva still didn't look up.
"Three seconds Ziver."
She gave him no reaction and at the end of it he swatted her bum firm enough to make his point but weak enough so it would be nothing more than a quick sting. Ziva spun round so her bottom was not exposed for another swat and glared at him. They took their staring match for a while before he sat down beside her. She made no attempt to move away.
"You've had a bad attitude all day and I'm really gettin' tired of it." Gibbs began but she interrupted.
In a small voice she mumbled, "well then why don't you just throw me out?"
Chuckling humorlessly, he said, "That's one thing that's never gonna happen."-He could tell that had made an impact but she didn't say anything-"So are you going to bed?"
She nodded and lifted her arms so he could pick her up. He felt there would have been more of a fight in her if she hadn't been so tired. When he got to her room she moaned, squirming in his arms. Somehow, he knew what it meant and he carried her through to his room, placed her at the end of the bed and let her crawl in. He got her sorted, said goodnight and turned out the light as he left. Despite that nice little save he had had there, things were bound to get worse before they got better.
This turned out a lot longer than I expected. I have an idea for either the next chapter or the one after that was given to me ages ago by one of you guys. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated. REVIEW and thanks.