"What's your ETA?" Gibbs asked with eyes flashing to the end of the table to where Liat was sitting and looking at him intensely. He wasn't sure what this mean or how it would play out, but there were bound to be fireworks of some kind considering the powder keg they were already sitting on was about to receive a light from the Middle Eastern man's arrival.

"I will fly directly into Virginia Beach. Arriving just after 9:00 a.m. your time tomorrow morning." Malachi answered him. "I'm just about to board now."

"See you then." Gibbs answered him and hung up. His eyes drifting over the others at his table, eager to hear what was going on and landed on Liat. She looked completely ashen with a slight bit of fear in her eyes, having made out enough of the conversation from Gibbs end to guess what was happening. "Director Ben-Gidon is on his way. He'll be here in the morning." He spoke quietly gauging her reaction. E.J. and McGee's eyes both immediately shifted to the young woman as well, wondering the same.

"If you'll excuse me." Liat excused herself standing and suddenly leaving the table to walk the other way down the beach, opposite of Tony and Ziva. She knew she wouldn't be able to hold back her tears with the news and didn't need an audience while she processed this information.

The entire table sat quietly for a moment with everyone looking down and Agent Borin examining the bizarre reaction to the news.

Gibbs stood nearly as suddenly, "I'll be back." He nodded looking at McGee and sending the silent message that he was going to speak with Liat.

When he was gone, Agent Borin zeroed in on McGee for answers, "Okay, McGee, what is going on around here?"

"Nothing." McGee stammered swallowing hard under her intense gaze across the table.

"Don't give me that crap. I saw Officer Tuvia's reaction and Gibbs peeling out of here after her. What's going on?" Borin called his bluff with narrowed eyes, trying not to smile at his nervousness.

"Uh, well… you could say that Liat and Director Ben-Gidon are the old version of Tony and Ziva." McGee was finding his mouth suddenly dry feeling the intense stares of both Agent Borin and E.J., who was wondering what he was about to reveal.

"What does that mean exactly?" Borin asked knowing that could mean several things.

"It means, that they used to be partners, Liat and Malachi…and uh," He floundered looking to E.J. for help.

"Are madly in love with each other but refusing to act on it." E.J. finished for McGee looking towards Borin.

"Then what's the deal with the massive rock collection on her finger?" Borin certainly hadn't missed the enormous engagement ring on Liat's finger that glistened immensely in the sun.

"Well," McGee took a breath as this was a bit strange to say, "She is engaged to someone else…because Director Ben-Gidon sort of…well he…I don't know how to put this-" He fumbled for a way to explain before E.J. cut him off.

"He chose his career and new position as Director of Mossad over her." E.J. answered flatly, clearly displeased with this reality and shot a glare at McGee, not understanding why it was so difficult for him to just say that.

"Wow…" Borin sat back with eyes widening, looking down the beach towards Tony and Ziva and then back to where Gibbs was attemping to catch up with Liat in the other direction.

"They haven't seen each other since he chose the career and she got engaged to someone else… So this, will be-" McGee tried to explain.

"Interesting." Borin raised her eyebrows with a slight head nod. "Gibbs team never ceases to amaze me with entertainment." She smiled softly and took a drink. "My team seems infinitely boring in comparison."

Liat had walked some distance down the beach before stopping when she could go no futher with a sea wall of rocks. Staring out at the dark ocean now that the sun had set, she wrapped her arms around herself, feeling cold and forgetting her jacket in her haste to leave the table so quickly. She took a deep breath and exhaled trying to blink back the tears at what she was going to do in seeing Malachi again. Especially now, knowing she was pregnant with their child.

"Here." Gibbs walked quietly up beside her, removing his own jacket and offering it to her seeing she was already cold and wrapping her arms around herself.

"I'm fine, Agent Gibbs. Thank you." She waved her hand slightly, indicating he could keep his jacket and immediately began wiping her tear tracks, not wanting to cry in front of the man.

"Yeah I know. You ninja women are always fine." He gave her a small smile when her eyes caught his. He ignored her brush off of his offer and instead wrapped his jacket around her shoulders.

"Thank you." She gave him a small smile, appreciating the warmth from the jacket immediately, tugging it closer around her shoulders and holding it there. "Are you going to tell him, Agent Gibbs?"

"Tell him what?" Gibbs asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets and standing beside her looking out at the moonrising over the water. Pretending not to know what she spoke of in an attempt to get her to talk.

"That I am pregnant." Liat clarified quietly feeling another tear slip from her eye. Agent Gibbs was her Boss while part of his team and he was to inform her Boss in Mossad, Director Ben-Gidon of any changes in that status.

"No." Gibbs shook his head softly looking down and then back out to sea. "I am going to leave that up to you to decide." He paused for a moment, "But if you decide to keep this baby, you are going to have to tell him sooner or later." Liat's eyes flashed to his with deep concern at what he meant, "Not necessarily that he is the father, just that you won't be able to hide a pregnancy from him once you get to a certain point. We'll have to make changes to your position should this situation with Bodnar continue." He mean that they would have to take her out of the Field eventually for her safety and that of the baby and the rest of the team.

Liat nodded in understanding, seeing what he meant. "Do you think I am a terrible person, Agent Gibbs? If I do not tell him I am carrying his child?" She asked quite frankly, knowing that Ziva trusted this man like a father. Had told her of that many times, that Gibbs had given her advice and was there for her when she needed a parental figure.

Gibbs shook his head slowly thinking about it, "No, I do not think you are a terrible person, Liat." He addressed her by name. "I think you are trying to do what is best for this child…and you have valid concerns given what you know now about Ziva and her father as Director of Mossad." He answered honestly. "I think only you can decide what will be right for you and this baby when the time comes." He added softly.

Liat nodded softly listening to what he'd said. "Ziva said something similar." She tugged on the jacket once more feeling the cold seeping in. "You are very similar, you and Ziva, in many ways I am learning."

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head with a soft smile to hear the comparison.

"No, really. You are." Liat gave him a small smile, her tears drying, "She loves you very much. And trusts you, Agent Gibbs. I hear it all the time in the way she speaks of you. You mean a great deal to her." She felt the man should know, still on Ziva's defense after this morning and not understanding what Ziva had done to deserve to be moved.

"She means a great deal to me as well." He admitted softly.

"Why then, did you move her this morning?" Liat asked bluntly, cutting to the chase.

"I'm trying to protect her, as I always have." Gibbs answered quietly with a soft smile to hear Liat eventually coming around to so boldy asking the question.

"From what?" Liat asked not convinced by his methods of protection.

"Herself." Gibbs answered in the next heat beat. "Ziva has always had a fiery response. Action first and thought to her own well being later."

"That is how we are trained as Assassins, Agent Gibbs." Liat defended her response.

"I know. But she isn't an assassin anymore. And she has to think before she reacts." Gibbs responsed quietly.

"She didn't do anything wrong though? Did she?" Liat asked with narrowing eyebrows.

"No." Gibbs answered trying not to smile and instead looked away, given the reasons why he had to separate Ziva and Tony today. "I moved her before something did happen."

"With Tony?" Liat asked and Gibbs couldn't stop his smile this time with the woman's bluntness.

"Yes." He nodded.

"They miss each other." Liat answered shifting the coat around and deciding to stuff her arms into the sleeves, as it was getting colder. "It is difficult to be so near the one you love and forced to hide it." She defended their actions thinking about how painful it had been to hide it for so long with Malachi.

"I know." Gibbs answered quietly with a small smile at how she was defending them and knew she spoke from experience herself.

"Especially since they have been hiding it for years. Now that they are together, they don't want to hide it anymore." Liat continued in their defense even as she began to follow Gibbs down the beach, walking beside him unaware he was leading her back towards the others.

"I know." Gibbs just nodded continuing to smile at Liat's ability to state the obvious, believing he was oblivious to how Tony and Ziva were feeling due to his quiet nature and sometimes harsh reactions. His team, both new and old were very protective of each other and it made him proud to have taught them so well. Apparently, those lessons were now rubbing off on Liat as well. That it was the people you worked with, who mattered the most, not the position or title or prestige of the job. "I always have my teams best interests at heart, Liat." He stopped looking at her intently. "Always."

"I am learning that." Liat answered softly, looking at him intently and thinking about what she'd known of the man in the past and in learning about him through living and working with him these past couple of months. It was starkly different then the world she had grown up in and served under in Mossad. Her life was expendible to Mossad for the greater good. For Team Gibbs, nothing was more important then their' team, each person and their wellbeing, taking care of each other. It had been so foreign, and now becoming familiar.

They walked quite a ways in silence before Gibbs spoke again, getting back to the original topic and concern. She'd done well to deflect the attention from herself, and if not for the years of practice already with Ziva, he may have fallen for it. "Are you going to be okay?" He asked quietly. Not bothering to ask if she 'was' okay, as clearly she was not. She would have deflected that answer with a 'I'm fine' he knew. So he went ahead and skipped that step and went directly for the after of 'going to be.'

"Somehow, Agent Gibbs, I always seem to survive." She answered him honestly after a moment in thought.

He nodded solemnly accepting her answer and his heart felt a little heavier with her admittance to the truth. She, like Ziva, had endured far too much thus far in her young life and like Ziva, he hoped that she only continued to rise for the ashes each time stronger then before. Somehow, he believed she was capable.

"You're not alone, Liat." He looked at her softly before parting company now that they'd arrived back near their table, "We've got your back." He gave her a small head nod and saw the flash of surprise and soft smile as she nodded in recognition.

Liat was choked with emotion at his statement and dared not speak or give herself away. These people had welcomed her into their tiny group with open arms and in such a short time, she felt overwhelmed. It was getting easier and easier to see now, why after spending so much time with them, that Ziva could give up everything in Israel, everything at Mossad including the powerful position of Director, simply to be with them on a daily basis. She hadn't traded one powerful position as Director and agency for another, in fact she seemed to have no aspirations to become the Director of NCIS ever. Rather Ziva was content and happy even, at forever remaining a part of her team, being led by Gibbs and taking orders from him. She not only trusted the man, she looked to him for personal guidance and he had saved her when her own father and Mossad had not. They were patriots to their Cause of that she was certain. But moreso, their loyalty and duty were to one another as a team and as a family. A family they were constantly welcoming her into and it was getting harder and harder to say no to.

"We're calling it a night, Agent Borin. Get an early start in the morning." Gibbs spoke knowing there wasn't anything further they could do until Gidon arrived in the morning. The bodies of the three deceased had been processed and were already on their way back to Ducky and Palmer with the evidence tagged and being sent to Abby.

Borin nodded with a soft smile in agreement and all eyes turned to Ziva and Tony approaching from the beach, now standing 3 feet apart and no longer touching. Their hands had dropped from holding several hundred feet away.

"Enjoy your date?" Borin asked with a raised eyebrow and smile, directing the question mainly at Tony but saw Ziva's eyes widen as well. "Beach picnic and all…" She added and saw Tony's eyes widen considerably as he realized what it actually was they'd been on.

Tony's eyes flashed to both McGee and Gibbs to see smiles that they too recognized it as one of the Big Three. When the surprise passed a slow smile spread across his face to realize it had been the truth and now only one remained.

"So what did we miss?" Ziva asked moving things along not wanting everyone to keep looking at them with the raging all-knowing smiles while staring at she and Tony.

"We're calling it a day. Spending the night and getting an early start romorrow. Director Ben-Gidon, will be here in the morning." Gibbs informed them softly and watched both of their eyes widen and mouths fall slightly open before immediately shifting their gazes to Liat. "Grab your gear. Let's go." He instructed, wanting to move them right along as well and away from pondering what this meant for Liat.

Gibbs changed the configurations in the cars on the way to the hotel by having Tony drive the other vehicle, with E.J and McGee while having Liat and Ziva ride with him. He knew Ziva was still upset with him for moving her as she saw it as punishment and knew Liat was upset about Malachi arriving. The last thing she needed was Tony asking her about the man. Ziva and Liat would want to stay together, even if riding in silence with him and it kept Tony and Ziva apart and saved whomever their would-be third car occupent sane by not having to be subjected to their lightening heat and fiery looks on the way to the hotel, which would have either been E.J or McGee. McGee had been subjected to enough of it in his lifetime, Gibbs thought and given her past with Tony, E.J. in the car alone with Tony and Ziva right now was just a bad idea. This was the best configuration he could come up with, though considering how Ziva was refusing to look at him even now from the passenger seat, she was clearly unhappy. That no only was she no longer allowed to sit with Tony and McGee at her desk, she was now removed from riding with them in a car. He wanted to laugh but knew she felt it was anything but funny.

When they arrived at the hotel, Gibbs booked three rooms. One for the females of their team who would share the two double beds, one for the males in McGee and Tony also sharing a room with two double beds and a room for himself at the other end of the hotel with one nice large King Sized bed. At least two of his agents looked less then thrilled with their room assignments hearing him book them.

"Barrett." He handed E.J. the key to the women's room. "McGee." He handed him the other key. "You three go." He waved his hand commanding Liat, E.J. and McGee to depart from his presence to their rooms for the evenings. "I'll see you in the morning. You two," He pointed at Ziva and Tony, "Stay put." He commanded waving them down into the lobby chairs. "I'll be back in a minute." He suddenly left them without explanation.

The others shared looks with them of sympathy to see they were once again in trouble from Gibbs tone and being held back.

"Great," Ziva sighed flopping back into the oversized armchair in the lobby. "We are likely going to get in trouble for our date on the beach now during working hours, Tony." Her tone was loaded with sarcasm as she repeated the word date as Agent Borin had called it. "I knew that was a bad idea."

"Relax, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon," Tony offered her a small smile using another movie reference that fit her so well in this moment, "You know you're really cute when you're angry like that, waiting to pounce like a Tiger. Have this little flare in your nostrils," He flicked at his own nose and her dark eyes flashed to his not appreciative of the tease at this moment. "Yes, just like that! It's very sexy now that I know you won't kill me in my sleep."

"And how do you know that, Tony?" Ziva cocked her head to the side with a dangerous smile, teasing and watching him gulp.

"I uh," Tony stammered and then smiled when she did with a small laugh. "Good. You're laughing again. I can breathe a little easier."

"There is nothing funny about this, Tony." Ziva shook her head with a sobering tone, "I do not understand how you can be so flipping about this."

"It's flippant." He corrected her with a small smile, "And I'm not trying to be it's just-"

"He could break us up as partners..." Ziva felt her heart start to pound at the thought of being separated from him after all these years.

"He won't do that, Ziva." Tony tried to calm her, knowing that she knew far less of the situation then he did having ridden and spoken with Gibbs.

"He's already moved me to another desk and now, he will not even let me ride in the same vehicle as you." Ziva countered with all the ways Gibbs had already begun to separate them as a team.

"Let's just give him the benefit of the doubt, Zi." Tony offered leaning forward and taking her hand in his.

"Yeah, Ziver." Gibbs startled them coming up from behind where they were sitting, "Give me the benefit of the doubt." He looked down at her and nodded for Tony to vacate his seat. "You, go to your room." He handed Tony a key and motioned him away.

"Boss?" Tony asked in confusion with the key in his hand about why Gibbs held him back and then ordered him to leave.

"I didn't want to leave Ziver alone. You're free to leave, DiNozzo. Go!" Gibbs looked at him expectantly to get moving.

Tony picked up his duffle with a long look to Ziva. They hadn't even gotten to say goodnight, not prepared for this sudden separation and now he was being ordered away from her and to his room. He mouthed over Gibbs shoulder that he would call her later and Ziva nodded softly.

Ziva took a deep breath when Gibbs sat down in the chair Tony had just been ordered to vacate. She should have known this was coming.

"Ziva," Gibbs began trying to get her to look at him and when she finally did, he could see she didn't want to because they were filled with pain and confusion she was trying hard to hide. "I didn't move you this morning because you were in trouble or had done anything wrong." He began to explain and watched the questioning in her eyes though she remained silent. "I know you are still not used to this, especially given what you've just learned about your father." He spoke quietly not wanting to venture too deeply into that subject especially before bed knowing about her nightmares, "But Ziver," He took a deep breath himself and leaned forward with elbows resting on his knees, "I've got your back. I will always have your back." He held eyes with her to make sure she understood, "If I do something, it is because I always…have your best interests at heart." He watched her eyes filling with tears though she tried hard to blink them back, "Try to remember that."

She nodded softly, not knowing what else to say or do and stood when he did. "I'll walk you to your room." He offered not wanting her to walk there alone. She followed beside him in silence and when they found the room, he stopped and handed her a key. "Your room." He announced with a soft smile, standing a foot in front of her, he leaned in and kissed her forehead, "I love you. Goodnight." He added quietly, wanting to remind her of that. His eyes catching the sparkle in hers and then flashing down to her Star of David necklace.

Today's events had been unsettling for him as well. Especially given the conversation he'd had with Tony and McGee on the way down about seizing the moment and that things would Bodnar would get worse before better, only to discover upon arrival two dead Mossad officers, one looking like Ziva in a pool of blood who'd been executed and wearing a similar necklace. It could have just as easily been Ziva and his heart pounded every time the thought flashed through his mind without permission.

Gibbs started walking away down the hall, hearing Ziva open the door and smiled when he heard her bag drop from her shoulder to the floor.

Ziva couldn't believe what she was seeing. Tony was on the other side of the room staring back at her with wide astonished eyes as well to see her standing in the doorway. They both looked at each other realizing what Gibbs had done. Ziva turned her head rapidly to look down the hallway and saw him now smiling back at her as the elevator doors closed before him.

Gibbs was pleased with himself at the look on Ziva's face. He'd give them the night. The day had been rough enough. He stopped at Liat and E.J.'s rooms to inform them that Ziva was safe for the night and they should get some rest with no further explanation. McGee was more then surprised when he opened the door to his room and found Gibbs, not Tony was his room mate for the evening and then smiled widely when he realized what Gibbs had done for Tony and Ziva, in giving them his room. Neither spoke of the gesture and got ready for bed.

"How do you feel about sundaes?" Gibbs asked McGee when they were both lying back against their respective headboards in their own double beds. They'd been watching Man on Fire with Denzel Washington on the movie network.

McGee was startled by the sudden question and didn't know how to respond, "Well, Boss I guess… I like Sunday. The day of rest and all. Went to Mass early as a kid-"

"No, McGee! Not those Sundays!" Gibbs shook his head with an incredulous look, "I'm asking about the ice cream kind! Thought we'd order room service."

"Oh," McGee was even more surprised and befuddled by this development, "I like sundaes."

"Well good." Gibbs nodded towards the phone, "Order two. I want mine with peanuts."


"So how do you think McGee is doing with Gibbs as a room mate for the evening?" Tony asked Ziva with a smile as they lay together in bed coming down from their high, having devoured each other nearly the moment Ziva was inside the door. "They're probably ordering room service. Sundaes with peanuts. Boss likes those. Stunned me with that knowledge when I had to bunk with him." Tony smiled with heart still pounding as Ziva climbed on top of him once more, kissing him soundly and stealing his breath.

"I do not want to talk about Gibbs or McGee…anymore." She shook her head of the thoughts, "One is essentially my father and the other my brother… I do not want to think of them when I am like this," She gestured to their sweaty naked bodies lying in mass of tangled sheets, "With you. Understood?" Ziva commanded with a sharp nod and Tony nodded just as quickly swallowing hard as she pinned his arms back and leaned over him. "I am, the only dessert… you should be concerned with Tony."

"Oh yes…" Tony remembered his earlier promise on the beach and swallowed hard when she flipped her hair in the sexy way that made him come undone when she took charge and he nearly squealed with anticipation of what was to come. "The best dessert there is, Ziva David."

"Tony," Ziva was staring intently into his dark green eyes squirming down against him.

"Yes?" He asked near breathless feeling her body sliding further down his own.

"Stop talking and kiss me." Ziva commanded with only one thing on her mind and Tony happily obliged.


When they all met in the morning for breakfast, Tony and Ziva were the last to arrive. They sat down to join them with smiles being shared though no one said anything about last nights sleeping arrangments and continued on with restless chatter, most everyone focused now on Malachi's immediate impending arrival. Liat looked especially green this morning with her Morning Sickness and nerves now in full swing. Tony's plate piled high with greasy bacon from the Continental Breakfast had nearly undone her when he sat down beside her and she barely made it over him and to the bathroom before vomiting up what little she had eaten.

"A peace offering." Tony smiled softly to her holding the door as they left the hotel. He extended his hand to give her an Everything Bagel with Cream cheese knowing those were her favorite, "Breakfast to go." He smiled again feeling terrible for being the cause of her getting sick. "I am so sorry. I will remembering not to eat any greasy meat in front of you from now on…" Liat visibly swallowed hard when he even said the words, "Or mention it." He amended seeing her reaction and mental reminder.

"I'm fine, Tony. Really. This is sweet. Thank you." She took the bagel and let him off the hook with her own soft smile.

"You two," Gibbs pointed to Ziva and Tony, "With me. You three in the other car." He motioned to E.J., Liat and McGee, once again changing the configuration.

"Shot gun." Tony called it smiling at Ziva as that had always been something they fought over, who sat in the passenger seat and she smiled softly shaking her head following Gibbs around the vehicle to get into the backseat.

Gibbs opened his door and felt Ziva pull on his arm stopping him. Without saying anything, she reached up and hugged him tightly, not letting go for several moments until she felt his arms return the hug and then took a deep breath.

"I know you always have my back. I do." She spoke still hugging him and then stepped back, "I just get confused sometimes by your methods." She admitted nervously, shifting around on her feet feeling like she disappointed him for not realizing that sooner. "Thank you…and I love you too." She added quietly with a smile before opening the door and quickly sliding into the back seat.

Gibbs stood a moment with a smile and then climbed in as well. Tony was already waiting for them both, having watched the hug through the windows and smiled back at Ziva when she was buckling in. The smile she gave him in return was radiant in comparison to yesterday's solemn mood and he hoped that meant today was going to be a good day.

Watching Ziva in the rearview mirror as he began driving out of the parking lot, Gibbs found it hard to miss the permanent smile on her face now as well. "So about last night." He decided now was the time to broach the subject and watched Tony and Ziva both visibly tense at its mentioning, "If you two give me 100% during the day when we're working cases… I will do my best to give you as much down time together as I can." He offerd quietly and stunned both Ziva and Tony who were looking at him with wide-eyes. "I'm not trying to punish you. I'm trying to help you navigate these new waters of having both a working and personal relationship." Ziva and Tony remained absolutely silent, more silent then he'd ever heard them in his life actually with neither having a comment just simply staring at him in disbelief. "Did you hear me?" He finally asked when neither responded after several minutes.

"Yes, Boss." "Yes, Gibbs." Came in tandem responses.

"Good." Gibbs nodded and that was the end of it. "So about our incoming guest in Director Ben-Gidon." He moved onto the next topic at hand. "We're still not showing our cards to him about the Hashshashini Project and what we've learned until he shows us something first. Understood?"

"Yes, Boss." "Yes, Gibbs." Came in tandem responses again and made him smile at how insync Tony and Ziva were, even in their responses after years of being part of Team Gibbs.

"We're also letting Liat reveal what she wants to him, when she wants to and staying out of it. Is that understood?" He ordered knowing that both had vested interests now in the woman's wellbeing and that Tony had conversations with Malachi in the past about his relationship with Liat.

"Yes, Boss." "Yes, Gibbs." Though Tony knit his brows not liking the idea of not being able to speak with Malachi about how badly he'd messed up and trying to push him in the right direction again.

"Got a problem with that, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked seeing the look and feeling the vibe from Tony though he had said nothing.

"I just…he's having a baby with her and he doesn't even know it. I can't help but feel like we should be doing something to help make this situation right." Tony answered honestly and clearly flustered.

"You don't think there were a million times we wanted to step in and make the two of you see the light?" Gibbs looked at him incredulously. "You had to be in a place where you were both ready. They're not there yet."

"You gave us both lots of subtle hints though along the way, Boss. Everyone did." Tony argued thinking about all of those in the past few months, how everyone had tried to help he and Ziva find their way. "Sometimes not so subtle." He remembered with a smile, Gibbs telling him to 'find a way to make it up to her' after he'd lied to Ziva about having a date with a girl he'd met at a bar with McGee when they were actually playing video games and he hadn't asked her out.

"Subtle hints and giant shoves are two different things, DiNizzo." Gibbs continued to stare at the road, driving along the beach towards their rendevous point with Borin.

"Boss, I'm finding this slightly contradictory to your Rules of Engagement and…reprimanding," Tony chose his words carefully realizing Ziva was in the car and listening intently, unaware of the conversation they'd had the day before about his intentions towards her in the near future. "Aren't they wasting the good between them? And taking each other for granted?"

"We don't know that he's good, DiNozzo. And until we do, we have to assume that he's not. Guilty until proven innocent." Gibbs added looking at Tony and eyes flashing to Ziva in the rearview mirror then back to the road. "The Rules of Engagement are reserved for family." He added softly feeling both of their eyes suddenly on him. "So I'm not really concerned about how they apply to what Director Ben-Gidon is feeling. Liat is a part of our Team right now. We're on her side, whatever that may be."

"The Rules of Engagement are for family, Boss?" Tony asked quietly feeling there was more to this statement then he'd previously revealed and feeling a little choked up to hear Gibbs say 'family' in reference to them. "Rules #5 and #8?"

"When used in this way, yes." Gibbs answered without looking at them. "I adapted them for work." He paused speaking quietly as he pulled into a parking spot, "They were Shannon's Rules." He knew he surprised them seeing Tony's eyes widen beside him and mouth hang slightly open, "Her most important rules. Numbers One and Two." He parked and shut the vehicle off, turning to look at first Tony and then Ziva. "You never break these rules. Understood?" He gave them both a sharp head nod, and saw their deeper understanding now, of how and why these rules came to be and were so important. They both nodded quietly in response and he quickly opened the door and left them sitting in silence.

Tony turned in his seat to look at Ziva. "Before we step out of this car, I'm going to take a moment and follow the Rules of Engagement… Ani ohev otach, Ziva David. Always."

"I love you too, Tony." Ziva leaned forward and kissed him overwhelmed with emotion for him, especially after hearing Gibbs tell them where those rules originated and why they were so important. Especially to Gibbs having lost the love of his life. He knew they loved each other and were meant to be. He'd made that clear. What had just become very clear to them both, was that Gibbs was also trying to teach them how to take care of that love and protect it, never taking it or each other for granted. Always the leader. Always the teacher. Always the loving parent to them both.

Gibbs waited in the back of the SUV, giving them a moment of privacy knowing they would need it after that and no one said anything as they stepped out to join him and all walked forward to meet the others who'd parked on the other side of the lot. Agent Borin already with them.

They'd just arrived standing in a group when a black SUV pulled into the parking lot with blackend windows; everyone on Team Gibbs instinctively moving to surround Ziva as a wall of protection not sure whom it was with hands on weapon at the ready. The quickness of the move and without thought or speaking to each other, impressed Borin at their efficiency in protecting Ziva. It reminded her how vulnerable Ziva still was from attacks and how that thought was constantly on the rest of the teams minds in protective mode. The SUV rolled to a stop just beside them and the passenger door opened with a man jumping out, immediately moving to open the backdoor. Malachi had arrived.

He nodded at his security guards in appreciation and stepped out of the vehicle. Dressed in an impressive suit, black shades and very expensive shoes, Tony noticed, he stood beside the car and rebuttoned his jacket. Every bit the part of the Director of Mossad now.

Malachi began looking them over and smiling softly to see the tight ring they'd made around the one person he couldn't see but knew was there from their protective demeanors. Ziva.

"Good morning, everyone." He greeted them walking towards them and the stance of the group relaxed a little. "Agent Gibbs." He extended his hand to shake and Gibbs returned it.

His glasses were dark enough that they could not see his eyes but could tell from the way he scanned their faces he was looking for just one. And when he saw her in the very back of their group, he could not stop the small smile that grew on his face, "Shalom aleikhem, Liat." He greeted her in Hebrew.

Liat took a breath and stepped forward, "Shalom… Director Ben-Gidon."