Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS

Ziva knocked tentatively on the door of Vance's house. It had been a week and a half since the Director of NCIS had been kidnapped by terrorist Nigel Hakim. Jared had gone to live with his aunt in Maine, Kayla deciding to stay in their home and get ready for college. She had been so excited to go. Then Gibbs had arrived with the news that their father had been kidnapped and there was no trace of him in the United States.

Tim had filled Ziva and Tony in about how it had been Vance who rescued Jack from Hakim's capture years ago. Ziva's immediate concern, apart from Vance, was Kayla and Jared. It had been six years since Jackie's death, but Tony and Ziva knew from past trauma that you never get over the death of a parent. Ziva would not blame Kayla if she blamed Ziva and Eli for Jackie's death.

'Mrs. DiNozzo?' Kayla had answered the door.

'Ziva, please.' Kayla smiled.

'Ziva. What are you doing here?'

'I, um, came to see you, Kayla, see how are you.'

'I'm alright.' Ziva could see that Kayla was putting on a brave face. 'Really I am.'

Ziva studied Kayla. She could see that pushing the subject was not going to help.

'Ok' said Ziva, surrendering slightly. 'I do have something else for you.' She picked up a cooler bag and handed it to Kayla. 'According to my husband, college food can suck.' Kayla chuckled and took the cooler bag. 'Everything is vegetarian as well.' Ziva remembered Vance telling her that Kayla had decided to turn Vegetarian. Kayla smiled.

'Ziva, you really didn't need to.'

'Cooking helps me think Kayla. Then I have all this food for someone to eat.' Ziva placed a supportive hand on Kayla's shoulder. 'I know what it is like to lose your mother, to have your father be the head of a government organisation, and to have a younger sibling that you always worry about. It is a lot when you are eighteen. If you ever want to chat, have dinner, just call, Kayla. Our numbers are in the bag, plus Gibbs has mine and Tony's details.'

Kayla put the cooler bag down and hugged Ziva.

'Thanks Ziva.'

Ziva arrived back home after seeing Kayla. Tony and Tilly had gone to pick Tali up from preschool earlier and then had lunch. Ziva was a little hungry and was planning on having a quick bite to eat before going down to the studio and do some work. It was starting to pile up.

The table in the kitchen was a mess, as it always was. Things leftover from breakfast and lunch, Tali's drawings and Tilly's toys. Ziva spotted a plate with some lunch for her that Tony had made. Ziva picked it up and walked into the family room. Tony and Tali were sitting on the floor in the play corner.

'Hey guys' said Ziva, walking over to them.

'Hi Ima' said Tali. She had a plastic tiara on her head, a little lopsided. Ziva sat down next to Tony and tried to stifle a laugh. Tony was also wearing a plastic tiara on his head, as well as a purple feather boa and lots of beaded necklaces.

'You, um…' began Ziva.

'Don't say it' said Tony quietly. Ziva laughed.

'You look good' she said and leaned over to kiss her husband. 'Where's Tilly?'

'Napping upstairs.'

Tali came over and put a tiara on Ziva's head.

'Thank you Tali' said Ziva.

'We're playing princesses Ima' explained Tali. Ziva chuckled.

'Is that why Daddy is dressed up?' Tali nodded and went back to the toy box. On the floor were lots of Tali's stuffed animals, also dressed up as princesses.

Ziva's phone buzzed. It was Tim.

'Hello, Tim. Is everything alright?' Tony's ears pricked up hearing Tim's name. Would there be any news regarding Vance?

'Well, no news on Vance.' Ziva shook her head so Tony knew. 'But I was wondering if you could talk to Jack.'

'Me? Why?' The two women barely knew each other.

'Jack's feeling guilty, Ziva, about Hakim kidnapping Vance. We've all tried to talk to her, but she won't. Says we don't know what it was like to be held captive as a woman.'

The penny dropped for Ziva.

'And I do.'

'Yeah. It's probably a long shot but you might have better shot getting through to Jack than me or Gibbs.'

'I will try Tim.'

Ziva had a slight sense of déjà vu when she knocked on Jack's apartment door. It hadn't been twelve hours since she was knocking in Vance's door. The door opened and Jack Sloane stood on the other side.

'Ziva? What are you doing here?'

'Tim called.' Jack rolled her eyes.

'I don't want to talk to anyone, Ziva.'

'I got that impression from Tim. I will not stay long Jack. Let me just say one thing.' Jack folded her arms, waiting for Ziva to talk. 'You are right that Tim and Gibbs do not know what it is like to be a woman held captive. I do, though. I know what it is like to be the play thing of men. To be controlled by them.' Ziva's tone was not harsh, but softer. Ziva reached into her pocket and pulled out a Bean and Bug business card. 'If you ever want to talk' she said, handing the card over to Jack.

Ziva turned and started to walk back to her car.

'Wait' came Jack's voice. Ziva turned around. 'You like coffee?' Ziva smiled and walked into Jack's apartment.

Tony, Ziva and Senior sat down in their seats in the small hall, Tilly sitting on Ziva's lap. Parents and family members of the girls in Georgie's dance school filled the other seats. It was the last week in May. Georgie did a yearly show for her students. This was Tali's first show. She was very excited when they dropped her off in the changing rooms.

Tali thoroughly enjoyed her dance lessons. She would prance around the family room, performing for anyone (mainly Senior and her parents) who would watch. Given that Tali was still only three, she wasn't that bad. Tony would said she inherited it from her Ima. Ziva would laugh, but wonder what it might have been like if she had carried on, or went back to her dancing.

Ziva reached a point in her life when she stopped dancing and follow her father's wishes. Ziva was always going to join IDF when she was eighteen. Everyone did. Afterward though, there was a unspoken, unwritten assumption that she would join Mossad after IDF. Ziva didn't have a choice in the matter. However, there were times where Ziva wondered if she had stood up to Eli, what would her life be like.

It had been a few days since Ziva had visited both Kayla and Jack. She and Jack had a good chat about their similar experiences and both women found it somewhat therapeutic. Jack had stopped biting off people's heads at work and was now actively helping the search for Vance instead of actively self-blaming for Vance's kidnapping. Kayla had also sent a message, thanking Ziva again for the food and if she could have the recipe for the spinach and mushroom lasagne.

Someone sat in the empty chair next to Ziva, knocking her out of her thoughts. Ziva realised who it was.

'Gib' pronounced Tilly, happily.

'Gibbs?' Tony and Senior peered around.

'Boss?'

'Hey, DiNozzo. Chief.'

'Gibbs what are you doing here?' asked Ziva.

'Came to see Tali. I got an invite.' Gibbs held up a flyer for the show. Ziva smiled. She remembered Tali giving Gibbs the flyer for the show. Tali had practically forced Gibbs to promise to come. Ziva dreaded having to tell her daughter that her favourite person couldn't come to her show because of work.

'What about the case? The search for Vance?'

'I can take an hour off. McGee is holding down the fort with Bishop, Torres, and Jack. I will have to leave quickly, but I promised Tali.' Ziva nodded. Gibbs pressed a kiss to Ziva's forehead as Ziva tried to stop tears forming.

'Gib' said Tilly again and she reached forward towards the older man. He took the little girl off her mother.

'Hi, Tilly.' Gibbs bounced her up and down a little, just as the lights dimmed and music began to play.

Hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading and reviewing