Author's Note: Ok people, I am going to do something that I probably shouldn't but since you were such absolutely FANTASTIC reviewers for that last chapter especially, I'm gonna do it. Here is the next chapter and this time, seriously I mean, I will not be updating for a few days because there is such boring crap I have to do. However, after receiving all those lovely reviews I just had to write this and post it. This isn't how I had written this chapter originally but honestly I'm happier with this version. I know the name of this chapter probably won't fit the chapter itself but it'll have to do, if you have suggestions for a better name I'm all ears. Also, if you have any suggestions about what should happen with Daddy David and any of the other characters, let me know. Also Betherzz, Gibbs didn't know that Eli was in the Director's office, he just thought that Vance wanted to talk to him. And once again everyone, thank you sooooooooo much for the reviews, I really do appreciate them :) I'm so glad that y'all are enjoying this story and the cute little munchkin Tali. And to those of you that took issue with Eli's comment about Gibbs not being Tali's grandpa, trust me, that's simply the arrogance that is Eli, in my book Gibbs is Tali's 'Ganpa' through and through. Sorry for the babbling, and please let me know what you think of this chapter thanks.
DISCLAIMER: I own Tali and nothing else!
"DINOZZO!" The clipped, curt voice startles all three agents as they sit staring into their computer screens. Both the Mister and the Misses Dinozzo look up but Tony is the one that stands, every time Gibbs calls Ziva it is by her first name. All three agents share a quick glance before Tony begins heading in the direction of the stairs, not wanting Gibbs to call his name a second time.
Tony takes the steps two at a time, a feeling of dread washing over him as he nears his boss. It isn't just the anger that flashes in Gibbs' steely blue eyes and it isn't the concern that is etched in his face, what truly worries Tony is that Tali is curled tightly against Gibbs' chest. She is not in the same good mood that she had been in just minutes earlier before she had went up the stairs with Gibbs, and even though she has been punished before for acting up when in the Director's office she has never looked like this. This time Tali almost looks scared and that frightens Tony because just like her mother fear is not an emotion that Tali shows frequently; Tony wants to know what his daughter is having this reaction to.
"Princess, are you ok?" Tony asks once he is standing in front of Gibbs, out of breath from the quick sprint up the stairs. Tali looks up from her spot against Gibbs and reaches her arms out to her father and he immediately takes her. "What's going on Boss?" Tony's eyes are searching Gibbs as he speaks. For a moment Gibbs is unsure of what to say his Senior Field Agent, if this was involving anything other than Tony's family he would simply state the facts and move on but this is different, this does involve Tony's family.
"Who dat?" Tali asks as she sits up in her father's arms, her eyes trained on her Grandpa.
"Who's who Princess?" Tony asks, confused as his daughter points in the direction of Vance's office.
"She's talking about Director David." Gibbs answer is stated plainly, unable to think of another way to explain the situation to Tony.
For a moment Tony doesn't say anything, his eyes quickly moving from Tali to Gibbs and finally in the direction of the Director's office. As realization settles in his grip on Tali becomes tighter, his arms somehow managing to protect his little girl from the monster that is her maternal grandfather. His eyes then fall onto Ziva as she continues to sit at her desk, the phone now pressed against her ear. She takes a quick glance up the stairs at her husband, daughter and Boss and is instantly worried by the look on Tony's face.
"Why the hell did you have my daughter near him?" The words are out of Tony's mouth before he even realizes what he has said. Tali's eyes widen at her father's sharp words that are pointed at her grandfather but Tony begins again. "Did you know he was up there?" Tony's glare is almost accusatory as he looks at Gibbs.
"Dinozzo, she's your daughter and I totally get you not wanting that man near her but I want you to know that I wouldn't have taken her up there if I'd known he was up there. Hell, I didn't even know Tobias was up there." Gibbs shakes his head at the entire situation.
"Sorry Boss, I know you wouldn't d…" Tony begins but Gibbs stops him with a wave of his hand. "What the hell is goin' on for NCIS, the FBI and Mossad all to be involved?"
"I don't know Dinozzo but it ain't gonna be pretty." Gibbs finishes his sentence and nods his head towards the stairs. Tony turns around and can't help but gulp as Ziva walks up the stairs.
"Bos…" Tony begins as he turns to Gibbs but he is already gone, headed back to the Director's office.
"What is going on Tony?" Ziva asks as she stops on the step before him, her hand reaching out and she begins stroking Tali's cheek. Tali holds her arms out to Ziva and she takes Tali, shooting Tony a questioning look as Tali wraps around her tightly, nestling her face in Ziva's neck.
"Let's go sit down," Tony says as he gently turns Ziva and begins walking down the stairs. Ziva stands still and watches Tony as he descends the stairs then heads to his desk, his odd behavior combined with Tali's sudden change in moods concerning her.
"Tateleh, what is wrong? Why do you look so sad?" Ziva asks as she brushes Tali's curls out of her face.
"No like him," Tali mumbles against Ziva's shoulder. Ziva's brow furrows not understanding what her daughter is talking about.
"Tateleh, look at Mama," Ziva instructs Tali and reluctantly the little girl straightens slightly in Ziva's arms, her sad brown eyes meeting Ziva's. "Who do you not like?" Ziva is aware of her daughter's dislike for Vance, a dislike that started before she was even born, or so Tony says. Tali narrows her eyes as she thinks, trying her hardest to remember the man's name that had been in the office with her Grandpa, Vance and Tobias.
"Him," Tali answers, pointing over Ziva's shoulder. Ziva turns to see to who her daughter is talking about but as her eyes rest on the man that is walking beside the Director to MTAC she blinks, her mind unwilling to believe what her eyes have seen.
"You met him Tali?" Ziva forces the anger out of her voice as she speaks to Tali, refusing to upset her daughter. Tali looks at Ziva and nods, her eyes immediately filling with worry as she looks at her mother.
"Ok Mama?" Tali asks as she places her hands on either side of Ziva's face, her eyes scrutinizing Ziva's face.
"I am ok Tateleh," Ziva lies, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Just as Ziva has convinced Tali, and herself, that she is all right Tony is beside her.
"Hey, are you ok? I thought you were right behind me." Tony says as he places his hand on her back.
"Did you know he was here?" She hisses, her eyes narrowing on him.
Tony is too stunned by her knowledge of Eli's presence to speak, his eyes shooting between her and Tali as her eyes continue to bore into him. The stare off is ended as their attention is redirected to Gibbs and Fornell as they begin walking down the stairs, their usual banter replaced by tense voices. Gibbs and Fornell stop just as they reach Tony and Ziva, all four federal agents standing still as they exchange glances.
"Was he near my daughter?" Ziva's question is asked in a low, almost growl like manner as her eyes narrow on Gibbs. Fornell is obviously taken aback by the tone and direction of the question, never before having seen one of Gibbs' agents willing to speak to him in such a cold, accusatory manner.
"Zi…" Tony begins, hoping to intervene before his wife tears into their boss.
"Yeah Ziva he was." Gibbs' answer causes each of the three agents standing around him to react differently. Fornell cringes, almost afraid that the onetime assassin will in fact revert back to her old ways and kill Gibbs where he stands. Tony winces because even though he knows Ziva better than anyone else he is afraid of her reaction to this, but Ziva's reaction does not evoke fear in Gibbs, instead the look of betrayal that crosses her face, even if it is for the briefest of moments, rips at Gibbs' heart. He has only ever once received that look from her and that had been when he had left her in Israel and even then it had been a mixture of bewilderment and betrayal, but this is a look of pure betrayal. Ziva's next move catches them all by surprise because instead of yelling and threatening Gibbs she simply turns from the three men and heads down the stairs, Tali pulled even closer to her than usual.
"Boss I…" Tony begins but once again he is interrupted. Gibbs quickly brushes past Tony and heads down the stairs, skipping several stairs between brisk steps.
"She's your wife, aren't you gonna go after her?" Fornell asks Tony as both watch Gibbs head to the elevator where Ziva, with Tali held to her securely, has just boarded.
"Rule number one of our marriage: always know when to give the other space." Tony says, his eyes never leaving Gibbs as he jabs the button to the elevator fiercely. Fornell shakes his head at Tony's response, deciding right then that he will never understand why every one of Gibbs' team members must have rules in and out of the office.
Ziva stands in the elevator jabbing angrily at the button that will take Tali and she to the lab. Tali is now standing beside her in the elevator, having decided that the ride down to her aunt's lab is much more fun standing than when being carried in someone's arms. Tali cocks her head to the side watching as her mother continues to stab the button with her finger, worried about her mother but confused as to why her mother repeatedly hits the button. When the doors to the elevator barely open Ziva's anger grows when her Boss' icy blue eyes land on her and his hand immediately shoots through the small opening, parting the doors as Moses had the Red Sea. Gibbs steps onto the elevator and offers Tali a quick smile before turning to face Ziva.
"Where you two going?" He asks Ziva as he looks over at the buttons, already knowing that they are more than likely headed to Abby's lab. Ziva does not answer Gibbs instead she crosses her arms in front of her and looks straight ahead. "Ziva," He tries again as he places his hand on her arm. Ziva pulls away from as her eyes narrow.
"Do not touch me," She says forcefully, the tone startling Tali.
"Ziva, I didn't intentionally let him near her; if I'd known he was going to be in Vance's office I wouldn't have taken her." Gibbs tries to remain as calm as possible not wanting to upset either Ziva or Tali. Ziva does not listen to what Gibbs has to say and continues to stare at the doors to the elevator as they slowly make their way down to Abby's lab.
Tony has already called ahead and warned Abby that her lab is about to be stormed by his pissed off pregnant ex-assassin wife and their unflappable Marine Boss, both of which happen to be accompanied by the youngest member of Team Gibbs. So when the doors to the elevator open Abby is standing there waiting with a smile on her face as she stretches her arms out for Tali. The little girl smiles at her aunt and quickly bounces off the elevator, needing a reprieve from the tension in the elevator.
"Don't kill each other," Abby warns the two sternly then turns to follow Tali into her lab. Ziva is about to follow the two but Gibbs blocks her, mashing a button that starts the elevator moving. When they have nearly reached the first floor Gibbs flips the emergency switch, the lights dimming and the elevator jerking to a stop.
"Ziva, I'm not gonna break one of my rules and apologize to you; I didn't know your father was in Vance's office." Gibbs states matter-of-factly, his eyes trained on her face. Ziva sighs in frustration, her hands clenching by her side as she tries to control her temper. "We're not going anywhere until you talk to me, is that clear Agent Dinozzo?" Gibbs' voice takes on a sharp tone as he speaks to Ziva and her eyes are immediately on his. Her brown orbs dance with anger as she looks her Boss and she quickly jumps into her tirade, angry words erupting from her mouth before she can think.
"She is my daughter and you should not have let him anywhere near her. He is nothing to me and more importantly he is nothing to her. I do not want my little girl tainted by that man! He does not know what love is or why it is so important to a child. Tali has the family she needs and deserves and no where does that man figure into the equation. He has been dead to me since he left me for dead in Somalia. I do not have a father, I do not need a father and Tali, nor this child," Ziva motions towards her stomach, "Does not need to know that he exists. He has never tried to repair our relationship since I refused to be his property, and the only way he knows about Tali is because of my Aunt Nettie. He has never inquired about Tali or her well-being, instead he has sent her a birthday card that was sixteen days late." Ziva only stops from her rant to take a deep, shuttering breath.
"Ziv…" Gibbs tries to say but his voice refuels Ziva's anger.
"You, I have trusted you with my daughter, the one person that means more than anything to me in this world, and you betray my trust by placing her in a room with him. She goes in that office a happy little girl and comes out scared and timid. That is only after a few minutes Gibbs, what would a lifetime of being around that monster do to her? How would that change my little girl? I will not stand by as she is transformed from a fun-loving, carefree child into his own personal mini-Mossad officer. I will not allow you to subject my child to that man and his incapacity to love!" Ziva's voice as well as her body is shaking as she finishes her rant, angry tears stinging her eyes as she stares into Gibbs' eyes.
For a moment the two stand in the elevator staring at one another, Ziva's gaze hard and hate-filled as Gibbs stands unflinchingly before her. When the stinging of the tears become too much for her eyes to handle and a single tear slowly glides down her cheek Gibbs places his hands on her shoulders and he takes a step forward, closing the distance between them.
"Ziva, if I had known your father was going to be up those stairs in Vance's office I would've demanded you call Leah and have her come get Tali. That little girl means more to me than you'll ever know, she's my granddaughter and I'll always try my best to protect her from anything just like I'll always try to protect A.J. from anything. I don't want either of your kids growin' up doubting that they don't measure up to ridiculously high standards that have been set by someone that is supposed to care about them, besides your father doesn't deserve to be a Grandfather to that precious little girl in there or that baby you're carryin' right now. I never want you or Tony feeling like I've betrayed your trust in me, especially where your kids are concerned." Gibbs' eyes never leave hers and as he finishes speaking his voice is laced with raw emotions. Ziva, whether it is her reaction to what he has said and the fact that her father is in the same building as she is, or maybe it is just the hormones, tears spill from her eyes and her chin begins to quiver as she unsuccessfully fights back more tears. Gibbs leans forward and wraps his arms around Ziva, pressing a gentle kiss against her temple as she leans into him and wraps her arms around him, all thoughts of Gibbs betraying her trust vanishing.
Tony has driven McGee crazy while Ziva and Gibbs have been gone. McGee isn't sure if he wants to kill Tony for being so absolutely annoying or whether he should kill Abby for causing him to be so annoying. If Abby hadn't called when Gibbs and Ziva had re-entered the elevator after Tali had hopped off the elevator Tony now wouldn't be on the verge of a nervous breakdown, pacing back and forth in the bullpen as he waits for the elevator doors to open.
"McGee, this isn't good. Ziva's pissed, and pregnant….Ziva's pissed and pregnant and Gibbs and she are in a tiny little metal box. Do you know what she'll probably do to him McGee? I don't think even Gibbs can survive a pissed and pregnant crazy ninja chick. I mean c'mon, Ziva's scary and dangerous on a good day but she's upset McGoo, and not just normal upset but Daddy David upset and when you combine that with her crazy pregnancy hormones it's like Elektra, Wonder Woman and Laura Croft all rolled into one with a little bit of Mrs. Voorhees on the side. She'll kill him McGee, what am I'm supposed to tell Tali? 'Oh sorry Princess, Mama can't read you a book tonight, she's in jail for killing Grandpa Gibbs!' How will Tali ever understand that? And poor little A.J., he'll be born in prison, an…" McGee zones out having had enough of Tony's completely irrational, obnoxious rant. He shoots a glance across the bullpen at Fornell who is propped up against Gibbs' desk, his head resting in his hands as he contemplates taking out his gun and putting a bullet between Tony's eyes, putting an end to the insufferable chatter.
When the ding of the elevator fills the bullpen, alerting everyone to its arrival, Tony immediately shuts up, his eyes, as well as McGee's and Fornell's, watching in anticipation. When the doors open Ziva steps out first followed by Gibbs who does not appear to be in any pain and is not bleeding. The two make their way into the bullpen, Ziva giving Tony a quick peck on the lips that leaves him totally shocked and silent before she heads to her desk.
"Ya might be pregnant but save the Grab-Ass for home, as far as everyone's concerned everyone on this team follows the rules!" Gibbs says to his two agents, delivering a slap the back of Tony's head as he passes him.
"Sorry Boss," Tony mumbles as he heads to his seat, shooting a confused look at Ziva but receiving nothing in response as she picks up her phone and begins dialing. Tony then glances at Gibbs, the look ignored as Gibbs takes a swig of coffee. Tony then shoots McGee a questioning look and all McGee does is shrug then turns back to his computer.
Fornell joins Gibbs at his desk and the two begin talking amongst themselves about the briefing the team will receive shortly while Ziva talks to Abby on the phone, thanking her for watching Tali. McGee, having a file he needs to take to Abby, offers to retrieve Tali from the lab and is met by a smile and an appreciative nod from Ziva. Tony watches all of this, his mind going into overdrive as he tries to figure out what happened in the elevator because now when his wife looks at their boss there is no longer a look of betrayal but instead she offers him a small smile and a nod. Choosing to be thankful that things are calm for the moment Tony leans back in his desk and sighs, knowing that his boss will never betray them, especially when it comes to Tali.
