Author's Note: Apologies for the long wait!
Chapter Seventeen - Mishpacha
When Tony and Ziva stepped off the elevator the next morning, Abby was waiting for them. Tony chuckled, in the second before Gibbs had hung up the call the previous day, he'd heard her interest pique about what exactly he'd told Ziva.
"You owe me ten dollars." He murmured out of the corner of his mouth. When they'd woken from their nap, it had been late in the afternoon, and they'd walked downtown for an early dinner during which he'd relayed the brief conversation and predicted that Abby would be bursting to know. Ziva had bet otherwise, expecting Abby to corner her alone later in the day.
"Ziva!" Abby thrust an envelope into her hands. "Happy Anniversary!"
"Uhh... thank you Abby. What anniversary?" Ziva opened the envelope to discover a gift certificate for a nearby spa.
"Are you kidding? It's been a year since you officially became a probationary agent and joined Team Gibbs for good!" She explained with a smile.
"That is very thoughtful, thank you. I have not been counting." Ziva hugged Abby gratefully.
"I know that means it's been a year since well, other things too." Abby dropped her voice. "But this part is worth celebrating. I just wanted to make sure you knew how... wait! You two have news... something's happened! Fess up!" Tony had leaned in to read the voucher, resting his chin into the curve of Ziva's shoulder while the women talked, and Abby took a step back to survey the pair critically.
"Just checking if there's enough for a couples massage on that voucher," Tony laughed, deflecting. They hadn't actually talked about whether or not they would tell the team.
"One. Don't even think about it, it's a present for Ziva. Two, you're doing a really bad job of not smiling. Three, you're not even pretending to give Ziva the proper amount of space for being at work. I know when you're hiding something." Abby narrowed her eyes. "Remember, you gave yourselves away before you told us you were even together."
"Zi?" Tony asked quietly. "I'm good if you are."
"It cannot stay quiet forever." Ziva nodded her assent with a small shrug. "Yesterday, while I was caring for Tony we shared our feelings for each other."
"Feelings?" Abby questioned, bouncing on her toes happily. "You mean...?"
"She means lurrrve, Ms Scuito." Tony drew out the word with a grin, glancing at Ziva with affection. "Said some things that should've been said a long time ago." Abby seized them both in a tight group hug, her initial words of congratulations being delivered at a pitch well above human hearing.
"Go Tiva!" She cheered, finally audible. "This is the best news ever... and it's about time! I can't believe it took you this long to work it out!"
"Sometimes, things need a little push... or a smack from a filing cabinet." Tony laughed. "Ziva will fill you in."
"Oh my gosh! Your head!" Abby turned his face to inspect the bruise. It was undoubtedly tender, but would heal fast. "Well now that you've got it sorted out... you'd better look after her or..."
"I know, I know, you'll kill me and leave zero evidence." Tony laughed, heading for his desk. "You really need a new threat."
"Thankyou Abby, but leave the killing to me. And thank you for remembering what today is... I appreciate it, really." Ziva said, submitting to one last squeeze. Abby laughed, releasing her and bid them farewell, heading for her 'babies' in the lab.
"Is it congratulations, or commiserations Ziva? You're stuck with Tony now." Tim joked, despite the tease he offered her a warm squeeze around her shoulders, which she returned.
"I can think of worse ways to spend my time." Ziva replied, but her smile belied the understatement.
"You're just jealous, McGreen With Envy. No smouldering hot Ninja assassins are going to fall in love with you." Tony quipped.
"No, just forensic scientists. Told Abs a while ago." Tim shrugged with a proud smile. Ziva had of course been privy to this information through Abby not long after it had happened and winked at Tim.
"Better late than never." Tony shrugged, too happy to really care that his probie had gotten one up on him in the dating game.
"Not when it comes to work." Gibbs put in, arriving from nowhere with his usual impeccable timing. His eyes flashed to Ziva. "You too?"
"Yes, Gibbs." She said simply, sliding behind her desk and booting her computer. He nodded with quiet approval before turning his attention to the files on his desk, a silent instruction for his team to do the same.
"Oh, and DiNozzo?" Tony looked over at his boss. "You owe Ziva. Abby was only here to give her the present. She already asked me for a long lunch with Ziva today, she was going to find out then."
"How did you...?" Tony began, before laughing at the raised eyebrow. "Getting to work."
Ziva and Abby never had that long lunch. Gibbs' phone went off a few minutes later, and it was the start of an intense few days, a series of brief but hard hitting cases. A suicide that despite NCIS policy of investigating every death like a murder, was truly just that, a suicide. It would be weeks before they could forget the unrestrained grief of the young Marine wife, completely blindsided by her husband's death, and the knowledge that the brightest exterior often hid the deepest pain became a weight that settled on the whole team's shoulders. A drowning followed, then an accident on a hiking trail, and lastly two fatal car wrecks all in quick succession. Each was a genuine accident, alcohol, carelessness, or fatigue key players in the loss of life, but no less devastating to investigate, or to the families they had to interview. They let go and moved on as much as possible, but the rapid fire nature of the tragedies weighed hard.
Then another new case, seemingly designed to twist the proverbial knife that they were all already feeling. The only witness, Livvie, was just 8 years old but wise beyond her years, understanding too deeply what she had seen and experienced. Rule 10, never get personally involved, was aired loudly and frequently, and was summarily ignored by all. Ziva had tenderly brushed out and braided the mousy blonde hair and personally buying her fresh pyjamas for her hospital stay. Tim organised for a delivery of art supplies including printed colouring sheets of her favourite TV shows. Gibbs kept a sleepless vigil outside her hospital room when she said she was afraid of the attacker coming back. When Livvie had been brought to NCIS to give her statement, Abby had delivered every single kid safe science experiment she could come up with, and Tony dubbed her "Liv' laugh love" and exhausted his repertoire of character impersonations to keep her at ease long enough to divulge what she knew, everyone's heart breaking more with each new sentence. Her story reached the morgue, where her mother now had temporary accommodation, and Ducky had come up to christen her Madame Olivia and ply her with an array of Scottish sweets, Palmer blowing up rubber gloves, decorating them with faces and wheeling her wildly around the conference room on the chairs. The nature of the crime meant that Fornell and co were involved too, and the usual headbutting and jurisdiction tug of war fell by the wayside, everyone intent on finding the suspect eventually ending in a shootout where every agent present put a bullet into him, firing almost simultaneously. By the time Livvie was safely returned to the custody of her Marine father, recalled in haste from Afghanistan, she had been given every trinket and souvenir NCIS had to offer and an array of gifts that had come from their own wallets, and the MCRT were exhausted mentally and physically.
"Hey... I wasn't supposed to remember about that being a special date, was I?" Tony asked, inspecting the pale green gift certificate Ziva attached to her fridge door with a magnet when they'd finally finished up paperwork and dragged themselves home. They'd been so flat out at NCIS that Abby's gift had been all but forgotten in a desk drawer until now. He came up behind her, twining his arms around her waist. "I didn't realise it was such a big deal."
"No, Tony. I really had not been counting." Her fingers drifted across a photo booth printout, straightening it slightly. "But if it has been a year, then it means it is also a year since... well many things that are less pleasant, and much of Livvie's case has been a reminder."
"You want to talk about it?" He tightened his hold around her, and she leaned back into him with a sigh.
"The only part I wish to remember from that summer is that you found me, that because you did not give up, we are here now." Her fingers stroked his arm almost unconsciously. "The rest of it is the past, and I want it to stay there. I cannot help being reminded, but I do not want to dwell. Still, there are parts that are harder to let go." Her head shifted and Tony followed her gaze to a small magnet with Hebrew lettering he could not read.
"Eli?" He asked softly, understanding.
"Hmm." She agreed with a sigh. "He knows that we are together, of that I am certain. I have not told him, but he will know. I was very clear when he left last year that I was finished with him, with Mossad. Yet..."
"You care that he hasn't been in touch." Tony kissed her hair when she hummed in agreement. He let her go, and opened the fridge, finding leftovers to reheat for dinner. "Why's it eating you that you haven't heard from him?"
"Despite everything he did, every part of me he killed, every part of who I am that he manipulated for his own agenda, that he gave me up for dead when he sent me to Somalia. That he had broken me so far that I was prepared to die in that camp..." Ziva took the tubs he held out and put them in the microwave. "Despite all of that, I am still here, safe, alive, and have fallen in love with a good man."
"Who loves you back." Tony added, setting the table as she handed plates and cutlery to him, her hand brushed across his shoulder and caressed his arm briefly in affectionate gratitude.
"I thought, perhaps if I rebuilt myself. If he could see that he had not broken every part of me... that he would still be proud, maybe even happy. His silence proves to me that I was nothing more than a soldier to him... that none of this matters." She gestured around her apartment.
"Hey. It matters to me. To Gibbs, to Abby, and even the Elflord. We love you, and we're proud of you." He caught her mid-stride, cupping her face and kissing her tenderly. "No matter how broken you think you are. How many times you want to give up completely. I'm gonna be here to pull you out, to find you, we all are. To help you learn who you want to be... not who he made you into."
"I know, and I cannot find the words for how grateful I am to have you, and Gibbs and everyone else." She slid her arms around his shoulders. "But he is almost all I have left of my childhood now... and it swings to know that he does not care."
"Stings." Tony chuckled. She ducked out of his embrace as the microwave beeped. "Do you want to tell him, send an email maybe?"
"No. And no DiNozzo style surprises either. I am still angry about so much, the way he betrayed me with Michael, with Somalia." She turned from her cooking to fix him with a serious look. "I do not want him back in my life... I just wish he knew what I have become despite how hard he tried to destroy it."
"Don't worry, I'm in no hurry to talk to the man, don't think I left a good impression." He laughed, throwing together a salad as Ziva served up the hot food. They sat and ate in silence, neither one really hungry despite the long hours they'd been putting in, eating almost mechanically.
"Why doesn't he care?" Ziva asked finally, apparently talking to her plate. "Livvie's dad crossed halfway round the world to keep her safe. He would have moved heaven and earth if it helped protect his daughter. Eli, not so much."
"I dunno, Zi. You deserve better." Tony shook his head. Ziva offered no reply, poking her food around in silence. His phone buzzed and he paused to read the text. "Hey, Sweetcheeks, I know you're not in a great headspace right now..."
"Another case?" Ziva sighed, clearing the table hurriedly.
"No, basement call. Abby's not doing so hot, those forensic results were hard on her, on all of us really. But as the one to confirm them, she's feeling pretty awful." Ziva nodded, understanding. "McGee just texted, Abby asked him to take her to Gibbs place. We can skip it if it's all too raw for you, but..."
"But Abby wants us too." Ziva finished quietly. She'd been raiding the pantry and fridge, loading up a grocery bag. So far Tony had seen two bottles of wine, a range of cheeses, and some chocolate go in. "I understand."
"Need a kitchen sink?" Tony chuckled as Ziva wordlessly thrust the full bag into his arms and returned for another load. She fixed him with a warning glare, so he fell silent, waiting while she filled a second bag.
Gibbs's front door was unlocked as always, and they let themselves in. Ziva had been quiet on the drive over, apparently withdrawing into her thoughts, and she passed through the kitchen and headed straight for the basement stairs without a word.
"Hey, Boss." Tony greeted, a little too loudly to make up for Ziva's silence.
"McGee called?" He pulled a six pack from the fridge, turning to face Tony.
"Texted me, yeah. Sounds like Abs is doing it rough." Tony traded him the beer for Ziva's offering. "To tell you the truth, Zi's shaken too. Livvie's brought back a lot from last summer. Eli stuff too, not just the camp."
"Eli?" Gibbs' asked sharply, pausing in restocking the fridge with the goodies Tony supplied.. "What's she carrying?"
"It's emotional, not physical." Tony reassured his boss quickly. "Both our Sigs are at home, took 'em off when we finished work. Don't think she's got a knife on her but I can't always tell without patting her down. One time..." Tony laughed. More than once he'd embraced Ziva to find a knife sheath in an unexpected spot on her body. She wore them less since they'd begun dating, but wasn't about to let any of her skills gather moss either.
"Don't wanna know." Gibbs cut him off. "You think she still feels safe?"
"As far as I can tell, yeah. But the issue isn't because Eli is here, but rather that he isn't." Tony pried a beer loose from its cardboard packaging.
"Hmm," Gibbs acknowledged, taking the bottle Tony held out. "How bad is it?"
"Pretty bad, she's not angry, or doing that hyperfocus thing she usually does, so she's really feeling it. She's kinda quiet, vulnerable." He gestured to the food they'd brought. "She emptied her cupboards of comfort food to bring Abby to distract herself. Speaking of, how is our favourite scientist?"
"Angry, fragile. Probably gonna yell at us for a bit and then act like nothing happened." He gave a wry laugh. "What about Ziva?"
"She needs to feel loved." Tony said after a minute of thought, he took his own beer, handing the remaining four back to Gibbs.
"It's been less than two weeks DiNozzo…" they turned toward the basement stairs.
"Give me some credit Boss. Ziva knows I adore her. She's just feeling kinda lost I think." He shook his head, pausing at the door so that their conversation wouldn't be overheard. "Watching Liv's dad hurt her, you know? Realised that she's nothing more than a possession to Eli, she expected him to get in touch when word got out we were together. Says she doesn't want to care, but..."
"Got it." Gibbs nodded, leading the way into the basement. Ziva sat on one of the lower steps, and shuffled to the side to let the men pass. "Hey kiddo," He greeted, ruffling the top of her hair.
"Gibbs." She returned quietly, quickly retreating to her own silent thoughts again.
"Ciao Bella." Tony stooped to kiss the top of her head as he passed, heading for Abby, propped against the workbench, her head leaning on Tim's shoulder, looking worn out and glum. Tony opened his arms, and wrapped Abby in a tight squeeze. "'Sup McGoober?"
"Hi Tony." Tim rolled his eyes. "Thanks for coming."
"Been pretty rough all round." He flicked his eyes to Ziva. She'd taken the beer Gibbs had offered quietly, but hadn't opened it and was staring at an undefined point somewhere else in the room. "Glad you called it in." He let Abby go to sip the beer.
"Thanks guys..." Abby said quietly, accepting the bottle Gibbs held out. "I just needed my people."
"Always here for you Abby Cadabby." He moved back to the steps, squeezing in beside Ziva. "Been a hell of a week." He dropped his free hand onto Ziva's knee, tracing the inseam of her jeans with his fingers. Abby returned to Tim's side, both leaning on the workbench, and Gibbs moved his work stool to a spot where he could keep everyone in his line of sight. They drank in silence, scattered around the basement.
"So," Gibbs said once the beer was about half gone, save for Ziva's that dangled unheeded from her fingertips, and everyone's postures had relaxed a little. "You guys came to talk. Talk." Hesitatingly they began, the conversation stilted. Gibbs was largely monosyllabic, second only to Ziva who appeared to be watching the room as an outsider. Tony and McGee had more to say, but still with short sentences and minimal words, fading into silence or retreating to their beer whenever the words on the tip of their tongue felt too close to share.
"This is stupid!" Abby burst out at last in response to someone drifting off with another "well, you know how it is..." They startled as she pushed off the workbench, striding to the centre of the room. Gibbs winced hearing a jar of nails fall and scatter.
"Whoa... Abs." Tony had remained beside Ziva, his hand still resting on her leg although she wasn't entirely sure she was aware of his presence, but stood now to offer another hug.
"No, don't whoa me, Tony. It's been ten days of awful news, and tragedies, and loss and sadness and some of the worst forensic results I've ever seen. Ten freaking days! We're all feeling like hell so I figured what we needed more than anything was to be there for each other. To talk this out, and you're all grunting like cavemen!" Abby paced the basement and continued her monologue, reeling off details and data that had come to light, reminding them that the drowned Petty Officer had been pregnant, other information from Livvie's case they wanted to forget entirely. "I thought I could rely on you guys, I mean, come on, we're Team Gibbs. Where's the love?"
"Abby I didn't..." Tim started when she paused for breath.
"None of you did! It's not just all the awful stuff we've seen lately. It's been ten days of bad vibes. Do you know how many times I've seen any of you smile in the past few days? Not as many as I've seen you be angry or sad or scared. I love you guys and I needed to know you're all okay. Instead we're all just hiding out in a basement, drinking and not talking like..." She faded off and glanced at Gibbs with a blush. "It just sucks. needed more from you tonight and you're all just stuck in your own heads."
"We don't all do things the same way, Abs, you know that." Tony reminded her gently.
"Yeah, but you've got to talk at least a bit." She challenged him. "Enough so that I know you're okay!"
"You're not really letting anyone else get a word in edgeways Abs." Gibbs intervened gently. He stood and wrapped her in a hug. "Feel better?"
"Yeah." She said sheepishly after a moment. "It's just been a lot lately."
"No hard feelings." Gibbs kissed her hair, still holding tight. "Been a lot for all of us."
"Yeah," Tim added. "But we always come good."
"When am I not awesome?" Tony questioned with a smirk, still standing slightly in front of Ziva as though shielding her from the worst of Abby's outburst.
"That's why I wanted to be together with everyone. Not just to talk about what happened. To know we're all still okay. You guys are my family, we've got to take care of each other." The beer bottle slipped from Ziva's fingers, bouncing off the lowest step and clattering on the floor. The fall was short enough that it didn't break, but the noise made everyone jump.
"Hey, you with us Ninja?" Tony was back by her side in a heartbeat, his hand resting on her back.
"I am fine." She murmured, monotone. "It is, as Abby said, a lot."
"I didn't mean to upset you Zivvie. I just needed to get it out." Abby turned in Gibbs' arms enough to address her. Ziva's eyebrows arched curiously at the new nickname. "Well, Tony calls you Zi, and Gibbs has Ziver. You need an Abby name." True to form, Abby bounced back quickly after venting her feelings.
"I do not mind." The newly-christened 'Zivvie' shrugged. "But only from you." This for Tony's benefit mostly, but still delivered in the same quiet deadpan.
"What can we do for you Zi?" He asked, kissing her temple. "Just say the word."
"I am fine." She repeated. "Keep talking if you need to. I might borrow your sofa for a while if that is ok Gibbs? Wake me when you want to go home Tony."
"That's a negative." Abby crossed the room and plonked herself on the floor in front of Ziva, pushing the dropped beer to the side. McGee stooped to collect it as it rattled along the concrete. "Rule one of Gibbs' basement - these are my rules Gibbs, don't argue - is that you never leave the basement feeling worse than when you arrive. The second is this is a judgement-free zone, hard things can be said, but there is always, always love and respect here. Three, hugs are mandatory."
"Eh... they're good rules" Gibbs shrugged, reaching for the beer Tim had rescued.
"Abby..." Ziva protested wearily.
"I'm not saying you need to tell us everything that's on your mind. But you need to feel better before you leave this room." She took Ziva's hands and ducked her head to make eye contact. "Sitting there checked out like you don't belong isn't going to help anything."
"Easy does it, Abs." Tony uttered in a low tone, worried the comment about not belonging would be too close for comfort. He gave her knee a warning nudge with his toe.
"Shh, Tony. Zivvie, listen to me. This is Team Gibbs, you're safe here. We're family." Abby pressed, batting Tony's foot away. "Want to let us in?"
"You keep using that word..." Ziva lifted her head at last.
"Family?" Abby echoed.
"Yes. I feel like I do not know what it means anymore." Ziva admitted. "I thought it was the people who you shared blood with, where your... tree... Ugh..." She gestured, looking for the word.
"Roots?" McGee supplied.
"Thank you Tim. Your roots. Your home. But my home is here, my roots are in Israel and yet most of the people who I shared my roots with are dead, or as good as. If family are the people you love, that you then lose, or who betray you, then what is the sense in family?" Tony met Gibbs' eyes over the two dark heads in front of him, sharing a silent curse to Eli and the lingering scars he had left her.
"Ziva... it's more than blood." Abby started. "Sure, I could take a piece of you and a piece of anyone else in the world and tell you exactly how much DNA you share. I could use that sample to find out your age, your race, if you've been doing drugs or if you're pregnant." She continued earnestly.
"Wait, what?" Tony exclaimed, startled.
"Bad example, but stick with me." Abby held up a finger to silence him. "I could tell you almost anything you wanted to know about your body, and the same for the other mystery sample. What I can't do with any of that data is see the history you two share, or see what's in your heart. The love, the birthdays, the secrets, the memories. I can't tell you any of that. When we're solving a case, DNA doesn't lie. But when it comes to defining family, it's a lot bigger than that. It's the love and the trust and what you go through together, and by my count, that makes us family. You included."
"Well said, Abs." Gibbs added softly. "If you don't have it, you make it for yourself." Ziva sighed, but Tony noticed that her hands had tightened around Abby's.
"Exactly." Although passionate, Abby's voice was gentle. "We built our own. You, me, Gibbs, the guys, even Ducky and Palmer. We're one big noisy, messy, imperfect family who chose each other. And no, not one of us shares a drop of blood or DNA, and that doesn't matter. We made the love happen anyway."
"Our very own Island of Misfit Toys." Tony added, seeing Ziva's face relax and deciding a movie reference was needed for some normality. "Like the 1964 stop motion..."
"Ziver - would you?" Gibbs asked. She obliged, reaching to swat the back of Tony's skull. There was a scattered laugh, a relief after the sombre mood that had hung in the room.
"Thank you Abby." Ziva sat up straighter. "I was, as you say, stuck in my own head. I got caught up in the fact that I have not spoken to Eli in so long, and the sense of failure that brings, that perhaps I have let him down."
"You could never let us down." Abby rose to her knees, stiffly. "Rule 4 of Gibbs' basement; when the floor is cold, move to the sofa. Not done with this talk, but it needs to be comfortable." She held her arms up, and Tim helped her stand again, supporting her while she wriggled the feeling back into her knees.
"Last time I checked, that couch won't hold all of us." Tony pulled Ziva to her feet as well, tucking an arm around her waist and quickly took control of the situation. "Whatcha got in the trunk Boy Scout? Know you were supposed to be off with your troop this weekend."
"Couple of air mattresses, some sleeping bags. Pillows. Gibbs?" He turned, asking for permission.
"Whatever you want." He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Tony's taken the lead on this."
"Grab your keys, I'll help you bring them in. Abs, there's wine and cheese in the fridge courtesy of 'Zivvie'... oof!" Ziva's retaliatory elbow was swift, and he let her go with a gentle shove towards their boss. "Gibbs, the Ninja's all yours. Time to make that bachelor cave homey, let's move, team."
"No one touches the fireplace." Gibbs called after their retreating backs, waiting till Tony had led Tim and Abby upstairs before pulling Ziva into a close hug, his arms over hers so there was no need for her to reciprocate, just be held. "Not just lip service when I call you kiddo, you know that."
"Yes, Gibbs." She leaned into his shoulder, the familiar red hoodie soft beneath her cheek.
"I know I can't fill the hole Eli's left any more than you could fill Kelly's. But having you around... well it's the next best thing. Makes the rest of it easier." He whispered gruffly, dropping a kiss on her hair. "I'm not gonna try to be him - even the bits that are worth missing. But do you think I might be enough to keep it from hurting so bad?"
"Mmm-hmm." She wiped her cheek, nodding. "You are more than enough. All of you are. I was trying to justify my life through his eyes, not my own. I am an NCIS agent, I have a beautiful apartment that I chose for myself, I have good, good friends and I love a kind man for the right reasons."
"And does all that make you happy?" He asked.
"Yes. Of course, there are small changes. I will finish my probation, buy a house with a garden. I want..." She paused, checking they weren't being overheard, "to marry Tony. But yes, Gibbs, I am happy."
"That last one's a given, kiddo. He's mad about you." He stepped back, tilting her chin up to meet his eyes. "As long as you're happy, that's what counts. Eli spent a long time moulding you to want what he wanted. You can't help missing him, but there's no need for guilt or shame in choosing your own path."
"Thank you." Ziva's voice was soft, sincere. "I had lost sight of what truly mattered... what was real."
"This is real. Here, now. You are home, you are safe, and you are loved by your family." He placed a hand on each shoulder, grounding her and emphasising his words. Her eyes closed as he kissed her temple, dropping his voice to whisper in her ear. "You're doing great, Ziver. As an agent, with the life you've made, even the guy you chose to fall in love with... all of it. I'm proud of you."
"Thank you, Gibbs." She slipped her arms around his neck, hugging him hard. He felt her shoulders shaking, and tightened his own grip, rocking her gently until she was still and her arms relaxed.
"Wanna go see what your boyfriend has done to my living room?" Gibbs glanced upward as the noise and movement above their heads lulled.
"Sure." Ziva wiped her cheeks once more, turning for the stairs.
"Hey, kiddo..." He called after her, collecting the empty beer bottles before he headed up himself. She paused, one foot on the landing looking back over her shoulder. "Love you." She nodded quietly, a smile lighting her face.
"I love you too, Gibbs."
Tony glanced over as Ziva and Gibbs emerged from the basement. He could tell right away that she'd been crying, but looked far more at peace than he'd seen for a while. Gibbs' shoulder was damp, but only slightly, tears of relief rather than a full scale breakdown. He and the others had been busy meanwhile, dragging in camping gear from the trunk of Tim's car to make the room more accommodating to their group. A double size air mattress occupied the centre of the floor space, and another single one was leaning on the wall for no reason other than Tony had wanted to inflate it. The coffee table, dragged to the side to make room, was laden with the contents of Ziva's pantry that Abby had served up.
"Looks cosy." Gibbs commented dryly, going over to build up the fire. Tony picked his way around the mattress to Ziva who offered him a gentle smile, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Hey, there's the Ziva I know and love." He grinned, sliding his arm around her waist. "Well, I love you no matter what mood, but it's good to see you smile."
"I know you made sure Gibbs and I were by ourselves just now." She leaned in, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you."
"Always got your six, Zi." He kissed her forehead. "You're good though... we're good?"
"I have never doubted your love, Tony." She replied softly, taking his hand and leading him back across the room. "I just needed to remember that I am right where I belong."
"It wouldn't be the same without you, Ziva." Tim said gently, holding out some wine. Actual wine glasses being an unknown quantity in Gibbs' kitchen, he'd supplied some enamel camping mugs instead. Ziva took it gratefully.
"Thank you, McGee." Ziva smiled, she folded herself into the corner of the couch, toeing off her sneakers and tucking her feet up. Tony wandered towards the food, grabbing a handful of pretzels.
"See, this is what we needed!" Abby cheered, sprawled out on the mattress by herself, her head propped on a pile of pillows, a small enamel plate - more of Tim's scout supplies - resting on her belly with her choice of food. "How much better is it when we actually communicate?"
"You mean when you verbally abuse us into good behaviour?" Tony smirked, pouring his own wine.
"Well, sometimes you just need to be told when you're being stupid." She replied with a grin. "But I love you guys."
"We love you too, Abs." Tony grinned back, loading up his own plate of snacks. "But next time you get on your forensic high horse, can you not scare me with the idea that Zi's pregnant?"
"I already said it was a bad example." Abby laughed, sitting up to make room for McGee as he sat down beside her, "But I wouldn't mind being Aunt Abby to a baby Tiva. Ow, your shins are bony." She'd tried to lean back on Tim's legs, and after some rearrangement with a pillow, made herself comfortable again.
"One day..." Ziva replied, sipping her wine when Abby stilled. "But thank you for putting things in perspective for me. Even if you aged Tony by 5 years in doing so." She smiled up at him with affection when he came to sit on the arm of the couch by her side, balancing the mug of wine on the side of his plate.
"That makes him what now? 23?" Gibbs laughed, straightening up from in front of the fire and putting himself on the far end of the couch from Ziva.
"I think 18 is generous, Gibbs." She cast a cheeky smile at her boss. "It is more like 16... on a good day."
"Hey!" Tony protested. Tim tried and failed to hide a smile, while Abby laughed openly. "You'll pay for that Ninja." He shoved Ziva's shoulder playfully.
"C'mere." Gibbs chuckled, raising the arm closer to Ziva. She accepted the invitation and slid across the couch to settle against his side, her feet still curled up on the cushion. "Be nice to her." This, directed to Tony, as his arm wrapped back around Ziva.
"Oh I see how it is." Tony griped. "You're going to use your position as the youngest in the family to get away with bad behaviour."
"Never get between a marine and his kid." Gibbs informed Tony. Ziva offered him a smug, half flirty smile from beneath the protection of Gibbs' arm. Tony made a frustrated noise in his throat, unable to resist the dimples that appeared in her cheek.
"I don't stand a chance now that you've teamed up, do I?" Despite the grumble, Tony slid onto the space that Ziva had vacated, squeezing her ankle gently, a silent "I'm happy you're happy." Ziva stretched her legs to rest her feet on his lap in response, and he dragged his fingers lightly along the arch of her foot the way he knew she liked.
"Be honest Tony. You never had a chance. Not from the moment I accused you of having phone sex five years ago." There was a collective laugh, Tim asking for more details.
"So, Abs." Tony decided the best defence was to deflect entirely. "Tell us what Sister Rosita's been up to."
"McGee, I think we'd better get those girls home." Tony nudged his partner and nodded towards the women in question. The team had lost a good few hours in talking, including tackling some of the tougher things they'd faced recently, generally chatting, and no one had been safe from a fair share of lighthearted teasing. They'd moved easily around the room as the mood dictated; switching places when one position got uncomfortable, Abby seeking or giving hugs when it seemed necessary, pouring more wine, and handing out food. Tony had attempted to cartwheel on the mattress, ending in two spilled drinks, with much coaxing Ziva had moved to the hardwood to prove her ability to perform an elegant sliding split which and with less resistance explained and demonstrated a particularly effective pin manoeuvre on a decidedly reluctant McGee. Gibbs had mostly stayed seated in his corner, watching the antics with a quiet smirk on his face, moving only to grab another snack, shift aside to accommodate whichever one of his team wanted to have a quieter word, and once hurl a cushion with impressive aim before Tony dropped an ice cube down McGee's neckline.
The last 45 minutes had been spent in comfortable silence with Tony, McGee, and Gibbs, sitting in a row on the couch each nursing a beer, and more or less lost in their own thoughts, but reflecting rather than brooding. Abby and Ziva were crammed into the armchair, a tangle of limbs and hair and companionship. Abby had pulled Ziva to sit beside her, ostensibly for the purpose of looking at photos on Abby's phone, but as it became obvious when the men had glanced over at Abby's suspicious giggles, it was actually to share the remaining half bottle of wine, passing it between them, taking sips directly from the neck. Now, the two dark heads had wilted against each other, both women blinking sleepily.
"Yeah," Tim agreed, looking over with a smile. "Haven't seen Abby this close to crashing in... well, a very long time."
"Speaking of crashing, I've been keeping count. None of you are driving." Gibbs waved his beer bottle at them significantly.
"Hasn't been that many Boss, I'm still fine... oh." Tony counted quickly. Other than being a bit sleepy and properly relaxed for the first time in a while, no one was actually seriously drunk, but by the same count no one was legal to drive. "Yeah, maybe I'll call a cab."
"It's 0100 already DiNozzo, stay put." Gibbs shrugged, casting another glance at the armchair. Ziva's hand hung limply off the side, both now clearly asleep.
"Got home later than this before, no biggie." Tony stood, feeling his pockets for his phone.
"My house already looks like a slumber party. May as well finish the job. Grab your gear." Gibbs headed for the stairs. "You too McGee."
A few minutes later the room was set up to Gibbs' satisfaction; the double mattress had been shoved up alongside the couch, its base acting as a bed head, and the single laid along the foot. Both had been made up, some of it Tim's camping gear, some of it appearing from upstairs - the long-abandoned master bedroom Tony assumed. They'd brought in the go bags they always carried, Gibbs had reclaimed his preferred pillow and blanket for the couch and the fire had been adjusted to a low, slow burn that would keep them comfortable but not hot. Ziva and Abby were still dozing in the chair, unaware of anything that had taken place. Before disturbing them, Tony had finally located his phone and snapped a photo, making sure to include the wine bottle Abby cuddled to her chest, their linked pinkies the last remnants of some whispered promise, and the way their legs tangled together in an effort to fit into the too small space.
"Cute." Gibbs glanced over Tony's shoulder at the photo on the screen. "Desk duty if that shows up anywhere at work."
"Wouldn't dream of it, Boss." Tony promised, pocketing his phone.
"Wake the girls and get ready for bed. That's for Abs to sleep in." He tossed Tim an oversized NIS shirt, understanding she didn't carry a go bag like the field agents, and headed back towards the basement. "I'll be up in 20. Make sure you're all horizontal by then." Ziva stirred easily, and being apprised of the plan to spend the night, went to change. Abby was harder to wake, refusing at first to relinquish her hold on the wine bottle. By the time Ziva drifted back downstairs, in one of Tony's shirts and a pair of leggings, Tim had pulled Abby to her feet and began leading her towards the bathroom.
"You want me to braid your hair?" Tony asked. He'd decided to change in the kitchen, brushing his teeth over that sink rather than wait for the bathroom to be vacant again.
"Please." Ziva yawned. They sat on the mattress, while Tony got to work. She was already sleepy, so the soothing effects of the brushing were not really needed to help her unwind, but the ritual was important to them both.
"Feel better?" Tony tied off the braid, pulling the neckline of her shirt away to kiss the back of her neck.
"Mmmm." He felt the shiver under his lips. "You are entirely too good to me, Tony."
"You deserve the best." He promised in a whisper. "How 'bout a goodnight kiss?" They were still alone in the room, so she moved into his arms. Ziva was sleepy and warm, and a little bit tipsy, the same combination of factors he had found so irresistible that first night in his apartment, only this time he was allowed to kiss her, so he made the most of it. He was mindful of the fact that he was still in his boss's lounge room, so his hands stayed in her hair, but all the same, the kiss was tender and deep, and before long Ziva's body melted against him, deeply relaxed. It seemed like only a second, but had probably been a couple of minutes, before an emphatic cough interrupted them.
"Know you're off duty DiNozzo. Not gonna complain if you want to kiss Ziva, even in front of me. But try not to make out in my living room." Gibbs leaned against the entryway to the lounge. Abby and Tim were at the foot of the stairs, the former sleepy-eyed and leaning on Tim who was trying not to make eye contact with Tony, a little embarrassed by the intimacy he'd witnessed.
"Isn't it like a parental rite of passage to find some jock playing tonsil hockey with your daughter?" Tony laughed, pressing one more kiss to her forehead, scrambling to his feet.
"You're right Ziva, 16 is more like it." Gibbs trod heavily across the mattress jostling them both and swatting Tony's head in passing. "Let's get some shuteye. Abby and Ziva, you're together on the double. You two duke it out for the single and the armchair." He stretched out on the couch. Tony lost the coin toss a few seconds later, and with a grumble, but ultimately good humour, grabbed a dining chair to rest his feet on. Ziva stretched out where she was sitting, closest to the fire, Abby climbing in beside her. They shuffled the duvet from upstairs around for a moment, getting comfortable before settling down.
"Night, Zivvie." Abby murmured, having never really been properly awake. She rolled to throw an arm over Ziva in the briefest of hugs, turned back the other way promptly passed back out.
"Laila tov, achoti." Ziva replied, sleepily. She rolled towards the fire, and was asleep almost instantly too.
"Gotta learn that trick." Tony commented, sliding into the sleeping bag and getting himself organised in the armchair. Once everyone else was situated Tim hit the light switch and climbed into his own sleeping bag at the foot of Abby and Ziva's bed. Tony waited a few moments until McGee's breathing had evened out, probably not asleep yet, but quiet enough that even if he overheard, he wouldn't interject. "Hey, Boss?" He whispered.
"Yeah, DiNozzo?" Gibbs' voice was low.
"Thanks." The dim light and quiet breathing of his friends as they slept made it seem safer to speak. "For Ziva, for being what she needs."
"Couldn't stop loving her any easier than you could, DiNozzo." Tony looked over at his boss, catching his silhouette on the sofa as he reached down and laid a hand on Ziva's head, she didn't stir, a testament to how safe she truly felt at that moment. "Don't need thanks for that."
"All the same, thanks." Tony repeated sincerely. "And for letting us stay, too."
"First trick to falling asleep is shutting your trap." Gibbs hinted, sleepily.
"Shutting up. Night, Boss." Tony grinned into the dark, and was surprised how easy it was to fall asleep when he wasn't talking.
When Tony woke the next morning, the first thing he noticed was a case of musical beds on the floor. Abby was now closest to the fire, tangled around McGee who slept on his back, snoring lightly. What was more surprising was that Ziva was on the other side, tucked neatly under his arm, her head on his chest. The single mattress Tim had occupied at the start of the night lay partially deflated and abandoned.
"Never thought it'd be McGeek waking up between two beautiful women." He mumbled to himself, rubbing his eyes, double checking his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. The couch was empty, but he could smell coffee.
"World's full of surprises DiNozzo." Gibbs whispered behind him, coffee mug in hand. "Let them sleep. I'll be in the basement." Tony padded to the bathroom silently, and then into the kitchen. He inspected the fridge, and discovered although Gibbs didn't keep milk, Ziva had packed the almond milk that she liked on her cereal. It wasn't his favourite, but it was better than black coffee. Caffeine sorted, he wandered back into the living area. Ziva was stirring slowly, she started slightly at the person she'd been using for a pillow, before gently freeing herself and rolling over.
"Hey you," Tony yawned, smirking. "Sleep well?"
"Tim's mattress had a leak. We agreed to share." Ziva whispered. "It turns out Abby is a hugger, even when she is asleep. I switched with Tim a couple of hours ago."
"It looks like you're a hugger too." He laughed softly. "Wish I'd got a photo of it. McGee's face if he woke up like that..."
"I did not realise I had rolled onto him." Ziva sat up slowly, trying not to jostle the others. "You are not worried?"
"Nah, McGee's got nothing on me. What's a cuddle between friends?" Tony shrugged lightly. "You're still mine after all."
"Always, my love." She came over to him, kissed him gently and stole a sip of his coffee. "Gibbs has almond milk?"
"You do. You brought it last night for some reason." Tony explained, with a soft laugh. "Good thing though, there's no actual milk in that kitchen. Come here." He invited, opening his arms.
"I think Abby and I fitted more easily last night," Ziva joked when she had settled on his lap, the sleeping bag now unzipped to a blanket covering their legs.
"You did." He reached to the dining chair he'd used as a footrest and grabbed his phone, opening the photo reel to show Ziva. "What were you two pinkie promising?"
"We were talking about the gift voucher, we will do a spa day together." She replied, smiling at the photo.
"Was probably her plan all along. What do you want to do today Ninja?" He set the phone aside and crossed his arms over her belly as she snuggled back against his shoulder.
"I need to go to the gym and do laundry." She mused. "And if we are not returning to your apartment, you need to do laundry too."
"I said 'want' to do." Tony laughed, doing a mental calculation of his wardrobe at Ziva's and realising she was right.
"Right now, this is nice." She tipped her head to nuzzle against his cheek. The fire glowed dimly, only the last few embers remaining in the grate and they could hear the gentle rasp of wood from the basement. "Things feel as they should be."
"Told you, this is where you belong." Tony whispered. They lapsed into silence for a while, Abby sighed and shifted in her sleep, nudging Tim until he rolled over away from her. She looped an arm around his waist, snuggled her head back into his shoulder blades and drifted off again. "Figures McGee would be the little spoon."
"Shh," Ziva gave a quiet laugh. "Leave them be." She sipped the coffee again before handing the last mouthful back to him.
"Hey, what did you call Abs last night when you went to sleep?" Tony asked after a few more minutes of quiet cuddling.
"Achot, it means sister. Achoti is my sister." Ziva explained. "I have not said that to anyone except..."
"Except Tali." Tony finished. "Abs would love it. Do you have words for all of us? McGee? Ducky?"
"Tim is similar to Abby. Achi. My brother." Tony could feel her tracing the Hebrew characters on his palm. "Ducky is like my Uncle I suppose, Dod."
"Uncle Ducky, he'd like that." Tony smiled. "What about Gibbs?"
"Gibbs does not like to be called anything besides Gibbs!" Ziva laughed. "But I think of him as Abba, father. And as for you, ahuvi..."
"I know that one," Tony added proudly. "It means my love."
"Very good." She twisted to brush a kiss on his jawline. "You could also be motek, or yekiri. Sweetheart, or my dear... ma cherie as you put it. But... for you my love, I like neshama best."
"What's that one?" He asked curiously. "World's greatest lover?"
"Ha! No." She scoffed. "It doesn't translate so directly. Literally, it means soul. Between lovers, it is more like you are part of me, and I of you. It is used more casually in Israel, but I liked the meaning too much... I have saved it until I found the one who was neshama sheli... my soul."
"Hmm," Tony hummed, lacing his fingers with hers. "Part of each other... I like neshama best too." Gibbs re-emerged from the basement at that point, and returned to the living area with a coffee refill.
"Morning, kiddo." He bent to kiss Ziva's head as he passed, before bending down to poke the fire. He was moving less quietly now, evidently wanting to stir the others and reclaim his house.
"We'll be out of your hair soon." Tony promised as Gibbs sat back down on the couch. "Once they're up, we'll help pack it all up and scoot." Abby woke a few seconds later, as though on cue, she stumbled up bleary-eyed and made a beeline for the kitchen. The water ran in the sink for a few seconds and the fridge creaked open.
"Yes! Thanks Gibbs." They heard her voice perk up and she returned with a Caf-Pow!
"Where did that even come from?" Tony laughed. Gibbs smirked mysteriously.
"Miracles don't need explanation." Abby's voice lost its sleep haze after a long sip. She plonked back down on the mattress with satisfaction, and McGee awoke with a jerk.
"Hey Casanova." Tony was the first to speak. "Enjoy cuddling my girlfriend?" He teased.
"What?" Tim blinked, looking puzzled. Abby thrust her drink under his mouth and offered him a sip. He winced at the sweetness, batting the straw away. "Ugh... too much."
"Woke up to find you snuggled up with Abs under one arm and Ziva under the other McGee." Tony informed him with a grin. Tim blinked again, still not quite conscious and glanced curiously at the space beside him, apparently looking for Ziva. "Really wish I'd taken a photo."
"Leave him alone Tony." Abby protested. "Rule... I lost count... of Gibbs' basement. What happens in the basement stays in the basement."
"This is the lounge." Tony smirked.
"The lounge counts DiNozzo. Coffee's in the pot, McGee." Gibbs rolled his eyes. There was a few minutes of shuffling around, bathroom visits, and resetting the coffee pot, before they all came back together in the lounge, coffee (or Caf-Pow!) mugs in hand to finish the waking up process. Ziva had ended up back on Tony's lap, and he noticed her finger moving along his palm again.
"What's the word this time?" He asked softly. Ziva looked up and glanced around. Abby was sitting cross-legged on the mattress, braiding her hair back into pigtails, Tim and Gibbs occupied the couch, one at each end, McGee checking emails on his phone, Gibbs simply watching over his team in silence. The fire still burned low, and the remnants of food and the empty wine bottle reminded everyone of the previous nights' companionship.
"Mishpacha" Ziva smiled gesturing. "It means family."
I have used the original airdate of S7E4 to set my timeline for Ziva's becoming an agent and everything that follows in the story. If you'd like it all written down to see how it fits, please DM me. But in brief, this story opens on October 13 2010 - one year after Good Cop, Bad Cop first aired.
The Hebrew is as always, courtesy of Google. I've done my best to be accurate.
Tony's reference to The Island of Misfit Toys is from Rudolph The Rednosed Reindeer, the 1964 stop motion version.
No, I don't know where the Caf-pow! came from either, it's one of those mysteries how he always manages to have one when Abby needs it most.
Sorry about all the dialogue and emotional-ness. I dunno what's going on with my muse lately. The truth is I really don't like writing cases. Crime isn't an area I'm strong with, never mind one of the intricate multi-episode arcs we're used to on the show, so there's a few drafts for chapters with cases that are getting worked on little by little, but they take a lot longer for me to be happy to post, and then the details need to be shifted to fit into the timeline. They're coming, just be patient.
As always, keep reading, following and reviewing. I love to hear from you.