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Chapter VII - Try Me


With Tony out for a walk and Anthony hanging out in the Forensics Lab, Ziva was alone in Tony's office for the first time in days. She absentmindedly hummed her favorite Hebrew lullaby as she looked at the family photos that Tony kept on the windowsill behind his desk. Picking up a solo picture of Tali that they'd taken of her a few days after she'd been reunited the the two loves of her life, she traced the outline of the little girl's face. I lost you once, I won't lose you again. Quickly her mind traveled back to the day that they'd found each other —


May 17, 2017

It had been a year since Ziva was pronounced dead in the mortar fire and Tali, she'd hoped, was with Tony. Everyday was a struggle of not knowing if Orli, Director of Mossad, had followed her instruction on what to do with Tali if something should ever happen to her. It wasn't like she could just stroll into Mossad and ask. And she couldn't make any calls to NCIS. She felt she was still a target and would continue to be one until the threat was neutralized. Although, she didn't exactly know who the threat was but she'd bet all the money in the world that Tony would figure it out and then come find her when it was safe. That is, if he'd gotten Tali's go bag and payed attention to the details hidden in plain sight.

Every other month, she had alternated her stay between Israel and Paris. This month, she was back to Paris. Keeping a low profile was hard, but Ziva had figured out ways to do so so that she wouldn't be easily recognized. She only wanted one thing, her family back. Well, hopefully her family. It was all predicated on if Tony could ever forgive her for keeping Tali a secret and wanted to find her. This day felt different though. Her hope was at an all time high that he'd come for her. Call it a gut feeling, but she just knew. She could feel his presence near so she went to the spot. Their spot. The little café where they had dinner right before the first night they'd made love. Neither of them had meant for it to happen but it did, and they vowed never to tell anyone. Nevertheless, it was the morning after at that same café and then the proceeding plane ride home with a high profile witness that had made them realize just how much that night meant to them. It was the start of a very different relationship. Far from the dynamic of just being partners. That café, the one where Ziva now sat in wait, was where they had their first official date and where she prayed Tony would come looking for her.

And as if all the stars had aligned, after 12 months of praying and an hour of sitting at their table, she looked up from her book and there he was.

"Tony?"

Tears had begun to well up in both their eyes. A small breeze blew between them as the sun began to set.

"I knew you'd come", she barely got out the words before he had lifted her up and kissed her passionately.

She didn't care who saw. She didn't care if people stopped and stared. She didn't want to let go.

As he let her feet come back to the ground and pulled away from her, he spoke, "we have been looking for you."

The fact that he'd said 'we' clicked in her mind quickly and she looked down beside him to see her angel. "Tali", she exclaimed as she lifted the smiling toddler.

"Ima", Tali giggled and wrapped her arms around her neck. It was that moment when she swore she'd never lose her again ...


Ziva was jottled out of the beautiful memory when she heard a knock at the door. She sat the photo down and turned, "come in."

The door opened to reveal Tony's secretary, "Agent Dinozzo, the director of the South African Secret Service is here to see Director Dinozzo. Is it alright if he waits for the Director to return in here?"

"Oh God, with everything that's going on, I'm sure Tony forgot about the meeting. Please, Chelsea, call Tony quickly", Ziva instructed, "and, yes, have Director Amadi wait here."

Chelsea nodded and did as instructed. A moment later, Director Amadi entered with his wife and greeted Ziva.

"My husband will be back shortly", she insured. "Please have a seat, can I have Chelsea get you anything?"

"No", Director Amadi said, "we only need a few moments with Director Dinozzo to reschedule this deal signing."

Although she was no longer an active field agent, Ziva was still very much so a part of the NCIS team as a Intelligence Specialist. It was her work that helped draw up the negotiation between the two agencies to make the deal. Despite what was going on in her and Tony's personal life, it surprised her that Director Amadi wanted to reschedule. "Sir", she felt an uneasy tension in the room, "we've been planning this for months, why reschedule now?" The older gentleman looked to his wife and suddenly it dawned on Ziva that she was an unauthorized party to this meeting. This is supposed to be a classified meeting. Something wasn't right with the situation.

Before she could pry further, Tony entered his office and greeted the South African director, "Director Amadi, sir, I do apologize for being late. Things have thrown us off course in the last few days."

"As have things on our end, Director Dinozzo", he responded. "My wife and I won't take up much of your time. We've only stopped by to reschedule the signing."

Tony looked at him quizzically when it also dawned on him that the director's wife was in the room. He spoke the exact words that Ziva had just been thinking, "Um, Director, excuse me but this meeting is supposed to be classified, why is wife here with us?"

"Yes", Ziva voiced, "I too was wondering the same thing."

"We have a problem", Director Amadi explained, "I was forced to brief my wife on the nature of this meeting as it involves our son."

"Now that you mention it, where is Officer Amadi", Tony asked. "I expected him here but certainly not your wife. She should not have been briefed in without my knowledge either."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. The four stood staring at each other until Mrs. Amadi pulled her phone from her purse and showed them a disturbing video.

Ziva's eyes widened in horror. "Tony", she said breathlessly, "that's ... Ta ... Talileh". Tears forced their way from her eyes.

Tony pulled his gun and aimed it towards them. "Where the hell did you get that!?"

"Director, lower your weapon before you have an international incident on your hands", Director Amadi demanded.

"You have my fucking daughter you son of a bitch", Tony yelled as he moved closer.

"What", confusion now hitting Director Amadi.

"Please", Mrs. Amadi pleaded, "look closely." She herself was now in tears as she slowly moved between the two men, "they have our son!"

Tony reluctantly did as requested and began lowering his weapon. Sure enough, he spotted Hunter Amadi in the video, the young man that was supposed to be under his authority after the deal was signed. What the hell is going on? He looked at them as he took Ziva in his arms, his eyes demanding an explanation.

"Director and Agent Dinozzo", Director Amadi spoke, "we received this video three days ago while still in South Africa. I was coming here today to delay the signing because my son has been kidnapped. We've received no information other than this video. My people tried to trace it but they hit a dead end. We did not know that the young woman was your daughter. We are sorry."

"This must be a coincidence that they've taken both of them", Mrs. Amadi chocked out.

Ziva pulled away from Tony and locked eyes with the weaping mother, "Rule number 39".

They looked at her confused but Tony knew exactly where she was going. "There's no such thing as coincidence." He let out a sigh, "this was deliberate. A plan made to get both our attention."

Things started to click in the other director's head, "so these men must know about our meeting today. This must be a plot to stop the deal for South African and North American military coming together in alliance."

"Yes", Ziva's breathing became level again and her voice now determined, "but they messed with the wrong people. Mrs. Amadi, I need your phone so my people can study that video. And we need to leave our husbands so they can sign that deal."

"We can't sign it knowing our son could die because of it", the director protested.

"And my daughter could die too", Ziva spat. "This is what they want! I do not know exactly how things are working these days in your country, but in America we do not negotiate with terrorists! So get the job done and sign it! Then we continue on as agreed with a press release this evening."

"Are you crazy? How is that going to help either of us? Maybe you can spare one of your children but Hunter is our only child!"

The words 'crazy' and 'spare' triggered something in Ziva. In a quick move, she took Tony's gun from its holster and pushed the barrel straight against the director's chest, "do you want to see an international incident director? Do you want to see crazy? I am a mother who will most definitely go crazy over her daughter whom she's not willing to spare! So try me!"