Chapter 5
AN: Thank you so much for the support. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, LEAVE A REVIEW!
AN2: As I have said, let me know what episodes you would like me to address. Hope you like this chapter.
Yes, I am aware that the whole situation may is probably not legal, just go with it for story purposes, I've tried to make logic in the world of this story.
Again, sorry if the Hebrew is wrong, blame Google Translate
Over a month has passed since Ziva came into the Gibbs family's life. To the worry of both Shannon and Ziva they haven't received a single letter from Rivka, and while she doesn't know for certain what that means Shannon has her suspicions, but she just hopes she is wrong.
Just like she told herself she would Shannon has been teaching Gibbs and Kelly Hebrew and about Jewish customs as it is important to her that Ziva doesn't lose her heritage. Even though everything is official and Ziva's name is now legally Ziva Rivka Gibbs, something which Rivka wanted as it would help hide Ziva from Eli, she hasn't started school. As the school year was almost over when Ziva came to America Gibbs and Shannon decided that they wouldn't start her in school until the new school year as they though she would be more settled then, and it would give her a chance to get used to all the changes that have happened in her life.
Even though Ziva hasn't been attending school, while Kelly is, Shannon has been teaching her stuff, helping her to improve her English. During those lessons Shannon learnt various things about Ziva including the fact that Hebrew and English are only two of the four languages Ziva speaks fluently, or close to fluently anyway, the other two being Arabic and Russian, and the two of them have become close.
It is the night before the last day of the school year, even though it is late both Kelly and Ziva are awake, as they lie in their respective beds.
"Kells?" Ziva asks, speaking in a quiet voice, speaking loud enough for Kelly to hear, but knowing she won't wake up Kelly if she is asleep.
"Yeah Zizi?" Kelly asks, also keeping her voice low so that neither she or Ziva can be heard by their parents as they have gotten in trouble for talking when they are supposed to be sleeping, as it is something they do rather often.
"What will happen tomorrow?" Ziva asks, speaking slowly to make sure she says the words right.
"I finish school early and you, Mom, and Dad will pick me up. We packed our bags tonight, so we'll leave for camping straight away," Kelly explains.
"What is…. Camping?" Ziva asks, sounding confused.
"Don't you have camping in Israel?" Kelly asks curious, as she has loved learning more about Israel.
"I am not sure," Ziva admits, as it could be a language barrier, or it could be something Israel doesn't have, it's hard to say.
"Camping is where you go somewhere outside, you stay in a tent, cook food on a fire, play games and do things outside," Kelly explains, feeling like it is the most basic explanation. "The first weekend of summer we always go camping, it's tradition," Kelly explains. "We're going to the lake, it's going to be soo much fun," Kelly says, sounding excited.
"I have not swim much," Ziva reveals, sounding worried.
"Swum," Kelly gently corrects as that's what Ziva asked her to do when she makes a mistake with English. "You haven't?" Kelly asks, sounding a little surprised, but then she remembers that Israel is a desert.
"I did swimming lessons, I can swim, but have not since last year," Ziva explains.
"It will be fine, Mom, Dad, and I won't let anything happen to you," Kelly promises.
"Thank you, Kells," Ziva says, and once she does they both hear footsteps, coming closer, and so they both pretend to be asleep, just as the door opens.
"Nice try, but I heard you talking," Gibbs says. "Stop talking and get some sleep, both of you, we've got a big day tomorrow," Gibbs says.
"Yes Daddy," Kelly says.
"Yes Gibbs," Ziva says.
"Goodnight, Girls," Gibbs says, before closing the door, and heading to bed himself.
"Goodnight Kells," Ziva says not wanting to get in trouble.
"לילה טוב Zizi," Kelly says, and before long both sisters are fast asleep.
After Ziva spent a day doing lessons with Shannon, Kelly spent the day at school, and Gibbs spent the day on base. It's early afternoon and Ziva, Gibbs, and Shannon are waiting in the car outside Kelly's school.
"Where is Kells?" Ziva asks, focusing on the English as she is determine to get better, and she is already improving.
"She'll be here soon," Shannon says, and as she does the bell goes off, causing Ziva to move and hide between the seats. Seeing Ziva's actions both Gibbs and Shannon realize why she would have reacted like that, which makes them both feel sad.
"Ziva, it's okay. It's just the bell that tells everyone it's the end of the day," Gibbs explains, turning around to look at Ziva where she is hiding, and making sure he speaks to her in a comforting way.
"No danger?" Ziva asks, sounding worried, as she looks at Gibbs.
"No danger," Shannon assures Ziva. "It's okay, you can sit back on your seat," Shannon says, and once she does Ziva climbs back onto the seat.
Just as Ziva climbs back onto the seat the other passenger door opens and Kelly gets into the car.
"Hey Princess, how as school?" Gibbs asks curious.
"Good!" Kelly says excitedly, "Let's go! Let's go camping!" Kelly says sounding excited.
"We're going, Sweetheart, we're going. Do up your seatbelt," Shannon requests, and once Gibbs watches Kelly do that through the rearview mirror Gibbs does just that.
After a couple of hours of driving, and a little bit of walking, Ziva, Gibbs, Kelly, and Shannon arrive at the campsite. As they walked it quickly became clear to Gibbs and Shannon how much Ziva enjoys the outdoors as she seemingly enjoyed every second.
"Okay, we've got a couple of hours before sundown," Gibbs says as everyone puts their bags down at the campsite.
"Can we swim?" Kelly asks.
"Not yet Kelly," Gibbs tells his daughter. "We've got work to do first," Gibbs reveals. "Kelly, you're going to help me set up the tents," Gibbs explains.
"Ziva, you and I will collect some firewood," Shannon explains.
"Okay," Ziva says, with a nod.
"Let's get to work," Gibbs says, and that's exactly what the family of four do.
For about half an hour Ziva and Shannon collect firewood, and Ziva clearly has fun playing around in the woods, as Gibbs and Kelly set up the camp site. When Shannon and Ziva return to the campsite they find the two tents completely set up, and Kelly and Gibbs playing catch, each having a glove on their hand as they throw around a baseball.
"Zizi, play with us!" Kelly tells her sister, having just caught the ball.
"I do not know how," Ziva responds, as she puts the wood she has collected down on the ground.
"That's okay," Gibbs says, picking up another glove off the ground, "I can teach you if you would like," Gibbs offers.
"Yes please," Ziva says, hurrying over to Gibbs. Once she is close enough Gibbs squats down so that he is more of Ziva's height.
"This is a baseball glove," Gibbs reveals, handing it to Ziva, "Put it on," he requests and Ziva does just that. "Okay, Kelly is going to throw the ball back to me, and watch how I catch it," Gibbs requests, once he does he, with help from Kelly, proceed to teach Ziva how to play catch, as Shannon happily watches on.
A couple of hours later the Gibbs family have finished eating the fire cooked meal Gibbs made and are sitting around the fire, as even though it summer it is still quiet chilly by the lake. Even though she still doesn't open up that much it is clear that Ziva is enjoying herself, something which makes everyone happy.
"Daddy, smores?" Kelly asks curious. "Zizi and I ate all our dinner," Kelly assures her parents.
"So, you both did," Gibbs says, as he reaches behind him and grabs marshmallows, chocolate and crackers.
"What are…. Smores?" Ziva asks, struggling with the pronunciation of smores, with a confused look on her face.
"The best thing ever!" Kelly says excitedly.
"You both are to be very careful with these," Shannon says, handing Ziva and Kelly sticks to roast the marshmallows with.
"What do we do?" Ziva asks, feeling confused as if Eli were to hand her something like this she would assume it would be to fight with, or if Rivka gave her something like that it would most likely mean she would have to protect her sister.
"Watch me," Kelly says as she sticks two marshmallows on her stick, "Marshmallows, then into fire," Kelly says, as she does just that. "Your turn," Kelly says, handing the bag of marshmallows over.
"Okay," Ziva says and she puts a marshmallow onto the stick, and then puts the stick over the fire. "What next?" Ziva asks.
"When they are just right, we eat them!" Kelly says, with a grin.
"Wow," Ziva says, looking amazed.
As Kelly and Ziva start to roast marshmallows Gibbs and Shannon watch on with smiles on their faces, and Gibbs pulls Shannon in close, kissing her neck,
"We've got two great girls, Gibbs," Shannon says as she smiles, feeling completely proud of Kelly and Ziva, but for different reasons.
She is proud of Kelly for how she has embraced Ziva, she is proud of the maturity the young girl has shown, and of all the ways she has helped her sister. As for Ziva Shannon is proud of the way she has started to open up, how she has handled all the changes that have occurred. Even though Ziva still has trust issues, and Shannon suspects she will for a long time, she has started to trust Shannon, Kelly, and Gibbs, which is huge for her and what makes Shannon really proud.
"Yeah, we do," Gibbs confirms, as he kisses Shannon again.
After a very late night, as Kelly and Ziva for the first time, experienced a sugar high and so didn't go to bed easily, Gibbs and Shannon are finally heading out of their tent, a little after sunrise, and as they do they see Ziva sitting by herself near the water.
"I've got this," Shannon says to Gibbs before heading over to the young girl while Gibbs goes to check on Kelly, who is still sound asleep.
"Ziva?" Shannon asks, as she gets closer to the young girl, and Ziva jumps, but then relaxes when she sees it is Shannon, and so Shannon sits down next to her. "Are you okay?" Shannon asks curious.
"I am not sure," Ziva admits, after a moment pause.
"What's wrong? You can talk to me, Ziva," Shannon says, as she puts an arm around Ziva.
"I miss Ima," Ziva admits. "And Tali."
"I know you do Sweetheart," Shannon says, kissing Ziva's head.
"I think Ima is dead. That is why no letters," Ziva admits, tears coming to her eyes.
"We don't know that, Ziva," Shannon tells the young girl, even though that is what she suspects too. "But I do know your Ima loves you, and you'll always carry a piece of her with you, you are so much like her," Shannon reveals, and her last comment makes Ziva smile proudly, despite how sad she is feeling. "I know it is not the same, but I love you, Gibbs and Kelly do too. You're not alone Ziva," Shannon says, wanting Ziva to believe that.
"I know," Ziva says. "גם אני אוהב אותך, שאנון," Ziva says, as Shannon has made her feel so safe, so loved in the time she has lived with the Gibbs family. (I love you too, Shannon)
Hearing Ziva's words joy rises up inside of Shannon and so she just squeezes the arm she has around Ziva, who leans in closer to Shannon.
For a while Shannon and Ziva just sit together, watching the water, and all the wildlife, and Ziva eventually lays her head on Shannon's shoulder. After a while they hear the sound of laughter and turn to see Kelly and Gibbs running around, clearly having fun.
"MOMMY, ZIZI, COME PLAY!" Kelly yells.
"What do you say?" Shannon asks Ziva, who just grins, getting up and running over to Gibbs and Kelly joining them in their game with Shannon right behind her.
For the rest of the morning, and the next three days, Gibbs, Shannon, Kelly, and Ziva proceed to have an amazing trip together. They swim, fish, explore the woods, and just have fun. The most amazing part of the entire trip is that it is clear that Ziva is coming out of her shell just a little more, but her improvement is such that only Gibbs, Shannon, and Kelly would realize and that's because they know Ziva.
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