Ziva had to take a deep breath before stepping off the elevator, just a quick moment to call on her strength before she felt stable again. It was harder than she thought considering how off kilter her world had become lately. She caught a few double takes in her peripheral vision and smiled, that same smile widened when she reached her desk and found a gaily wrapped present on her desk. It was harder this time to not look to Gibbs but somehow she managed. The box was long and thin, she lifted the lid and inside was a long silver tube ornately engraved. Her hands shook as she recognized the gift she'd been given.
Opening the end of the tube she slid the paper on the inside out and gently unrolled it. The paper was far more ornate than she might have expected. Gold gilded the edges, the writing was bold and as tradition demanded written in Aramaic. As she read she felt tears lodge in her throat. When she looked up she expected to see Tony standing by her instead Liat approached. Her hand went to her side, even as she felt the men around her stand.
Liat held up her hands to show she was both unarmed and meant no harm. She had to swallow hard when she saw the way Ziva watched her. More than that she had to hide her shock over Ziva's pregnancy and what she held in her hand. "I just wish to speak with you. Please."
Ziva couldn't stop the way her eyes turned to Gibbs, if it gave them away she no longer cared. She would gladly meet with Liat she had no fear of her but Gibbs had been far too close to the edge last night. Not seeking his consent would disrespect all they were together. She saw him blush slightly and almost smiled.
Gibbs was surprised when Ziva looked to him first. He managed a stern expression as he focused on Liat. "You can speak to her here just fine." He kept his voice low but he knew that rumor had already gotten out about a tense meeting between Ziva and her father. He'd started it to ensure no one suspected Ziva's mystery man was abusive.
Liat stuck her hands in her pocket. "It is a private conversation perhaps…."
Tony stood behind Ziva and nodded toward Liat. "You can speak with her in the conference room I'll follow you there." It was clear he wouldn't accept any other answer. A quick glance at Gibbs told him he'd done the right thing.
As Tony shut the door behind them Ziva held tightly to the paper she still held in her hand. She saw Liat glance at it and smile. A real smile that caught both her and Tony off guard. "It's beautiful Ziva."
Tony glanced at the paper in her hand saw the softest sweetest smile on Ziva's face and wondered. The question must have been clear on his face because Liat fixed her gaze on him. "It is a Ketubah. For someone not familiar with Jewish culture it would be understood as a marriage contract. However it has a far deeper meaning than that. It is about protection, safety and tradition."
Ziva saw Tony look to her and despite how much she disliked Liat she nodded in agreement at the other woman's description. "It is a beautiful gift Tony. When you go to your Google and research it you must understand it is about tradition far more than anything else." Fixing her gaze on Liat she lifted her chin. "Why are you here Liat?"
"I have a message from your father. He would have delivered it himself but he was certain he would not be welcome here again." Liat watched a parade of emotions cross Ziva's face from anger to sadness.
"In that he is correct." Ziva knew Tony was leaning against the wall trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, yet still there to back her up if needed.
"Will you allow me to pass along his message?" Liat had not expected Eli's mistreatment of his daughter, it had altered her view of the man and she was still struggling to come to terms with it. His regret deep and pain inducing had almost allowed her to forgive him.
Ziva bit her lip and finally nodded. "Yes."
"He asked me to tell you he was more sorry than words can express for his behavior. He was caught off guard and behaved badly. He is not asking you to excuse his behavior only consider forgiving him. And he wanted me to assure you that he will not share his knowledge of your relationship with anyone." Liat watched some of the tension leave Ziva's shoulders so she continued. "You have the same assurance from me."
Ziva let her breath ease out. "I cannot give him the forgiveness he asks for Liat but please thank him for the assurance to keep our secret that is worth something to me."
Liat nodded. "And the baby do you wish me to keep that from him?"
Ziva swallowed hard. "I doubt you could the news will be common knowledge soon enough. But this." Ziva held gently but tightly to the paper in her hand. "I prefer you not mention." She saw Liat's surprise but the other woman nodded in agreement.
"I will go now then. You should know Ziva I have heard Eli speak of Gibbs on more than one occasion and he considers him a formidable adversary, one not to be crossed. A worthy man for one like us." It was a risk for Liat to say such a thing to Ziva but one she was willing to take for the man she loved.
Ziva wanted to shout she was nothing like Liat, to argue that what her father thought meant nothing but both would be a lie. Until her time in the U.S. she'd been very much like Liat and however angry she was with her father he was still in fact her father. In the end all she could do was nod. Liat left the room as quickly as she had appeared leaving Ziva to face Tony alone.
Tony watched as Ziva looked down briefly at the paper clutch carefully in her hand. Then she was looking at him, uncertainty and shyness in her eyes.
"I am sorry I fell asleep last night. The baby makes me tired." Ziva fought the blush and instead smiled.
Tony ignored the twist in his gut as she spoke. She looked beautiful, more so than before. "It's okay you had a long day Ziva. You look good but I have to admit I'm surprised I didn't notice before." He watched a dark shadow cross her eyes, a shadow of something that reflected doubt and fear.
"We have had to be very careful, must continue to be." Ziva wanted to tell him and knew at some point they would but not here in this place with too many ears. "But we were to the point that it was not going to be hidden much longer anyways."
"I understand Ziva." And he did, for the two of them to be together was a huge risk regardless of what else they were hiding. They both had enemies that wouldn't hesitate to use the knowledge to hurt them. "You've raised some eyebrows though." He grinned when she raised an eyebrow.
"Will not be the last time, I imagine. Thank you Tony, for always being there for me, for your understanding." She watched him nod and hold the door for her.
Tony had a lot more he wanted to say, questions that begged asking but he bit them back needing to take a mental step back. "Anytime Ziva."
Ziva returned to her desk noticing again the looks she received. They were subtle a glance from her belly to her cheek but they couldn't be missed. When she glanced toward Gibbs she saw he held a package in his hand and his eyes held a wealth of worry. A shiver crawled down her spine she knew what he was holding hadn't forgotten that Haven would be making a delivery today.
Gibbs had known what the delivery was about even before the courier had placed it in his hands. Now watching Ziva he saw just the faintest hint of fear in her eyes. He knew if she looked close enough she'd see it in his own as well. He wanted to take her in his arms hold her close for just a moment, ask her about what Liat had said but none of that was an option. Instead he broke the seal on the package as she carefully put away the Ketubah.
As he slid the contents out of the package he found multiple file folders. On each held the carefully embossed H associated with Haven. Also included was a letter. He'd already donned gloves but he was still careful as he opened the letter. The typewritten note was brief and concise.
We have provided as much information as possible please know it is our hope that the following people are found alive and well. Please use this information to aid your investigation.
He read it aloud and watched the surprise on the faces of McGee, Tony and Abby who'd just arrived. Placing the letter inside an evidence bag he sealed it carefully. He wanted to get to the files but doing things slowly and methodically was what kept evidence intact. Only after he'd initialed the bag did he move on to the first of the files. It was clear that Haven knew what they were doing had been clear when he and Ziva had submitted to the process. But for the sake of those in the room he feigned surprise.
The first file held the name of Lara Fields. It held most of what they had already found but also included the names of some of the people she had been blackmailing. Something they hadn't yet been able to discover. There had been no notes in the many files on her computer. Nothing to indicate who she'd been targeting, and while they'd wanted to interview all of them it would have taken more time than they had and likely yielded nothing. They would run the names provided and do interviews but they would have to do so cautiously.
The next folder covered the life of Simon Phelps. A strong military man for all intents and purposes a good man except for the infidelity. There were papers and photographs indicating that Simon had even begun to pull away from Laura. It looked as though perhaps he'd considered leaving her; notations of cancelled reservations for hotel were noted in the file Abby had picked up on that.
The next file held information on Ryan Stevens. His military career had been outstanding an honorable one until you followed the rest of the paperwork and saw various meetings with people from other countries he had no business meeting with. His bank accounts showed nothing suspicious however there was a statement from another bank that showed large deposits and cash withdrawals.
It was easy with the next file on Amy to see where that money had gone. For the past five years the couple had been trying to conceive a child for the past three through the process of IVF. Each procedure was expensive and even with an officers salary had drained their bank account quickly. Amy had been active in her community, and various charities filling her time helping others. Gibbs felt a wave of sadness as he thought of the uselessness of their deaths.
The next two files held faces and names he didn't recognize. This time it was a man and a woman having an affair. They weren't as discreet as they should have been and the file noted that the woman's husband was a Senator. As he finished reviewing and reading the files to the team he saw the alarm in Ziva's eyes. A Senator could be a huge problem which was likely why the couple had gone missing. He would search for her, and if he ever found a connection to Haven it could get very ugly.
"So it's about protecting Haven…whatever that is?" Tony saw Gibbs nod but what he noticed more was the way both Gibbs and Ziva reacted as they looked at the photos. They knew more than they were letting on. Suddenly it dawned on Tony what had been going on, the reason for their secret relationship. They knew about Haven had always known. His hand clenched around the papers in his hand tightening as anger bit at him. Breathing deep he hid his anger as best he could. There had to be a reason.
Gibbs heard the rough texture of Tony's voice and his eyes met his. The younger man was angry and Gibbs suspected he knew why. Sighing he glanced at his watch, it was nearing seven and none of them had eaten dinner. He wanted to stay and begin working on the case immediately but his team deserved answers and he couldn't give them here. "McGee bring a laptop, we'll bag the evidence and meet back at my place in an hour."
Gibbs almost smiled as they showed varying degrees of surprise but he didn't say anything just started gathering the evidence. Tony was still watching him and his team deserved answers. Tonight they would get them and he couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of relief.
Gibbs stepped into the house, flipping on lights as he did. There was a chill in the air so he set about making a fire. He brewed coffee, pulled out the card table and pulled out a white board he kept in the closet. Running a hand through his hair he made his way upstairs to change.
Ziva pulled in front of Gibbs' house and smiled as Tony and McGee carried the poker table top through the door. It was a good ruse and one that wasn't completely out of their norm. Abby pulled up as she was getting out of her car and bounced over to her. Ziva's smile was genuine as Ziva gave her yet another hug. "I'm so excited for you." She tugged at her braid and Ziva couldn't stop the laugh.
"Thank you Abby." As they made their way up the stairs she saw Ducky pull up. Heading in the house she was thankful she had stopped at home to change. Her maternity jeans were comfortable as was the simple t-shirt she wore. Gibbs had changed as well and their black shirts matched. She giggled and that caught everyone's attention. A quick glance around told her Gibbs had already pulled all the shades and had a fire going. From the outside it would look like a poker game. Reaching in her bag she set out a scrambling device so their conversation couldn't be heard with any listening devices.
Gibbs watched her walk in and for a moment and despite her laughter she seemed uncertain, even as she set out the scramblers he saw a tense set to her shoulders. They hadn't had much time to talk and yet they both knew the last of their secrets would be known to the group this night. Ducky closed the door and with the rest of the world shut out he felt even more of the weight lift from his shoulders. He was standing just next to her waiting for her to turn to him, aware that the team might not be actively watching but was at the very least in the room. Gently he took her chin and turned her to face him. "You ok?" perhaps her conversation with Liat hadn't gone well. Tony had given him a nod to indicate that all was fine but he could have been mistaken.
Ziva saw Gibbs' concern and realized she'd given the wrong impression. Her nerves over speaking with the team had simply gotten the best of her. The team was her family what if they didn't understand? "I am fine just a bit nervous." He smiled and she couldn't help but smile back. Without warning he kissed her, not a simple peck on the cheek or forehead, it was just deep enough to mean business and then already it was over. He whispered into her ear "Mine" so softly she almost didn't catch it but when she did she couldn't stop the flush on her cheeks.
Gibbs had to fight a bit of a blush himself especially when he turned back and found the team openly staring at the two of them. He fixed them with a hard stare "What?" He had to shake his head when the whole room burst into laughter. "Yuck it up I'm pouring coffee."
Ziva watched him walk into the kitchen, felt a rush of love when he looked back over his shoulder at her and smiled again. She felt tears threaten in her eyes and had to work to not let them show. "Be nice to him." She pointed specifically at Tony who had an ornery grin on his face. Beneath the surface something in his eyes still worried her but she let it be for now.
"Well at least we know why you stopped kicking my ass during workouts." McGee saw her blush and laughed again. Ziva had opted out of training at NCIS saying instead she preferred to work out with the man in her life.
A knock on the door and Ziva jumped slightly, cursing softly she opened the door. There to her surprise was Vance and his wife Jackie. In their hands they held multiple boxes of pizza and her stomach rumbled even as she greeted them. "Director I did not know you would be here." She ushered them in shutting the door and was immediately pulled into a hug from Jackie. She was startled at first but accepted the hug.
Jackie held Ziva at arm's length and couldn't fight the smile. "You look beautiful Ziva. Congratulations." Ziva glanced briefly at Vance and the look he gave her told he hadn't yet shared with his wife all he knew. She felt bad hating that he had to keep such a thing from her.
"Thank you Jackie I am very excited." She took their coats and set them on Gibbs' couch.
"So is that man of yours coming tonight Ziva? I've heard rumors about how good he is to you." Jackie couldn't figure out what she'd said when everyone went quiet in the room. Leon threw a look at Gibbs and Ziva couldn't quite meet her gaze. "You two are still together right, he didn't leave you did he. I'll…." Jackie closed her mouth as she watched Gibbs walk over to Ziva sling an arm around her waist and offer her a smile.
"I'm right here Jackie." It was a risk sharing with Jackie but Gibbs had made the choice knowing he would never want to be forced to keep secrets from Ziva.
She knew her mouth was hanging open and she didn't care. She saw happiness in Gibbs' face true joy and that wasn't something she'd ever expected to see. "Well I'll be damned it's about time." She felt everyone look at her. "You can't tell me none of you saw it?" she didn't wait for anyone to answer just walked over and Gave Gibbs a hug. "Congratulations to you to Jethro."
"Thank you Jackie." He accepted the hug and then everyone began getting drinks and serving up food. Only once everyone was seated with Ziva next to him did he grab her hand and face them. "We know you all have questions and we intend to answer most of them. But first we'll start with telling you how this all began." Ziva's hand squeezed around his offering him reassurance something he shouldn't need but did.
Apologies for the wait on this update and the pace will pick up soon but for now some actual work has to be done by our team. Also I know the inclusion of Jackie seems a bit OOC but she forced herself in so I had to listen. :) Thank you as always for reading and please review it feeds the muse.