Israeli Embassy
As she paces in the dimly lit room Ziva is unusually nervous. Long ago she learned how to mask her anxiety but alone in this room, she can feel the sweat building on her lip and her heart racing. Revealing anxiety gives your opponent an edge and she is already at too great a disadvantage.
"You are late little one." The familiar voice behind her is stern yet chastising.
"I'm sorry Papa." He did it again. For some reason, Ziva has never been able to know when her father was behind her. A master of the art of sneaking up on people, she always knew when others were approaching. Everyone except him. Focusing on his face, she is surprised at how much he's aged in the time since their last visit. Her mind flashes to a time when she thought him to be the most handsome and strongest man she knew, her protector. She has spent her life admiring him, never questioning his motives or loyalty, and, now faces being his greatest disappointment.
"Hmmm. Let me look at you." Director David knows he makes his daughter nervous with this ritual, knows that she hates it. What she does not know is how much pride it gives him to inspect his little soldier. That and the fact that he believes discipline is the key to staying alive and reinforces it at every opportunity. He is a father but their relationship is dictated more by their duty than blood. A man in his position cannot be a good leader and a good father. Years ago he made the decision to be the leader sacrificing his relationship as Ziva's father. It had been a conscious decision to prioritize his duty to the nation over his responsibility to his child. He knew it. They both knew it.
Ziva holds her breath as her father surveys her searching for an imperfection. She remembers when this ritual was accompanied by laughter and a hug or a kiss. After joining the military, it became an inspection resulting in multiple criticisms of her appearance or her actions. The difference was clear to her but she wondered if her father even noticed. As he circles her, a familiar nervousness overcomes her as she waits for his report.
Standing in front of Ziva, the Director grabs both of her arms and kisses her once on each cheek, "It's good to see that the Americans have not ruined you. Come, sit." He directs her to the chair as he sits on the desk.
As usual, Ziva feels a twinge of disappointment that her father does not include a hug in his greeting. It has been years since he's hugged her, and, she misses it but knows better than to ask. Seeking affection is a sign of weakness in the David household.
Their initial exchange of pleasantries is followed be silence. Deafening silence. She can speak to anyone except her father. At times, it seemed an impossible task. She was always closer to her mother, and, no matter how much she missed her father over the years she could not seem to communicate with him.
The Director is not blind to Ziva's discomfort. Although they have spent little time together, he has seen it many times before. Dinners, lunches, late night visits in hotel rooms and airplanes. Such small amounts of time would make her mother quite unhappy. "What is on your mind little one? Has my company become painful for you."
"No of course not. I…"
"I'm a busy man. Speak up Officer David." His voice is stern once again as he quickly loses patience with her. With a million things to do, many involving life and death he has no patience for those who hesitate. Director David is not a man who can afford to waste time even for his only living child.
"I want to talk about Ari." Every time she speaks his name, she feels a desire to cry. He was her only brother, her idol in many ways. The only person in life that she thought she could truly count on.
"Unless you are going to tell me that Jethro Gibbs is dead, I have nothing to say about this subject." The news of his son's death at the hands of the American had been difficult to accept. Americans are the allies of Israelis but some situations are not covered by alliances.
"Ari was loyal to Hammas not Israel. He admitted it. I heard him admit it." The words quickly leave her mouth as she reminds herself to breathe.
"That's enough." The Director is not pleased by this conversation. It is not what he expected from his daughter this evening and he hates surprises no matter who they are from.
"Ari was a killer." She forces herself to maintain eye contact to avoid irritating her father further by looking away. In his mind, he is always the Mossad Director first and she the Mossad officer first so she cannot let emotions drive her.
Director David laughs, "And you are not? We are all killers. Me, you, your uncles, cousins, your precious NCIS. It is how we have choose to protect our countries."
She disagrees but arguing is a waste. It's true that she has killed but she does not believe herself to be a killer. She is not a cold blooded killer like Ari, like her father. "His mother. He believed you killed her and made him a trained killer."
As if staring through her, the Director stands silent with disgust and anger on his face.
Experience has taught her that her father's silence is never a good thing but coming too far to retreat Ziva pushes forward, "You're not denying it."
"Ziva, It does not matter. You must grow up and realize what matters. This is none of your concern." In spite of his words, Director David can see that she has already grown up. She is different, stronger.
"He infiltrated NCIS and killed one of their agents. He would have killed all of them one by one for the sole purpose of satisfying his own revenge."
"Are you trying to protect Special Agent Gibbs. Trying to protect the man who slaughtered your brother? Is this why you're here."
Ziva tastes blood as she bites the inside of her lip and her nails pierce her wrist beneath her sleeve preparing herself to complete her task. "I am not trying to protect Gibbs, I am trying to tell the truth."
The Director shakes his head, "Sometimes I don't know where I went wrong with you Ziva. The truth, what truth? The truth is that Gibbs, this man you so admire, killed your older brother. By now you should have killed him yourself."
Her stomach nauseous she can feel her lip quiver slightly as the words come out softly, "I killed Ari."
"What?" There is shock in his eyes as he waits for her to speak again. His mind shouting that this cannot be possible. That the daughter who is the focus of so much of his pride would never have committed such betrayal.
Ziva lets out a breath, her voice stronger, "I killed Ari not Gibbs."
"He was your brother, your blood. Is this why you were so eager to create the liaison position with NCIS? Have you no shame, running to work with those your brother hated?"
"I could not watch him take an innocent man's life to avenge his mother." Having done the unforgivable, it is useless to explain herself further. While his voice had been an eerie calm, Director David's cold eyes stare back at his daughter. She's seen these eyes many times. They are the eyes that meet failure, death. These are the eyes looking at her now. Sitting under his intense gaze, she is reminded that she has seen these eyes more than those of a loving father.
"You could not watch him? It is not your place to decide. He was deciding not you. You were his protection and you failed. You should've been the one to die that day."
Rising to her feet, Ziva feels a stinging pain as the base of her father's gold ring hits her cheekbone. It is not the first time and she does not need to touch her face to know that there is blood.
"Murderous Whore"
"Papa," her voice is soft, embarrassed.
"Stop. Only my children call me papa and I have none." He spits on her before leaving the room as tears well up in Ziva's eyes.
She refuses to cry in front of him, chase him, or beg for forgiveness. She is a person with considerable pride but that is not why. She will not do these things because she knows it will only make him hate her more. Ziva, though, is not done, "I was raised to do what was right."
He turns around as he reaches the doorway, "Mossad officers do not have that luxury. You were trained to show loyalty to your country and its people."
In the instant that the door slams shut, Ziva feels lonelier than she ever has. She is not naïve but the reality of her father's response is more painful than she imagined and here she waits for Officer Bashan's appearance to learn her fate.
It is half an hour before the Bashan enters the room, "The guard will escort you out. You will be returning to Israel immediately for reassignment within the Middle East region."
Hearing news of her reassignment, Ziva understands that she is dead to her father. Officers assigned to this tour of duty have a life expectancy of less than a year. Being sent back to Israel and cutting all of her ties with NCIS is the punishment for her betrayal.
"When?"
"Tonight."
"You know that this is a mistake. He is being stubborn." Ziva's father yields an iron fist and she has rarely seen him change his mind but Bashan is different, more empathetic. He is her last chance.
"Are you too good to serve your people in the place where you are most needed?" Officer Bashan speaks knowing that her honor cannot withstand such an accusation and his question will put a stop to further arguments.
"Of course not."
"You knew this would be the outcome. Would you prefer to be charged with espionage or killed instead?"
"Yes." Ziva is defiant. In this moment, it's all she has left.
The older man laughs, "Stubborn like your mother." It is a rare lapse into familiarity with the young officer. He prefers to avoid such things as it makes it easier to maintain boundaries and carry out his duties but today he cannot resist. Watching her stand at attention with blood on her face, he too wishes things were different. "I never thought that you were foolish Officer David. Reckless perhaps but never foolish. Within the month, you would have received orders ending your NCIS assignment. You were losing sight of your mission, your loyalties."
"That's a lie. I am loyal." This, of all things, she believes of herself. Loyal to her country, loyal to her family, loyal to her values, loyal to her friends. As a spy, it's difficult to maintain values but she prides herself on her loyalty.
Glaring at Ziva with an accusatory look, "To who Officer David. The Israelis or the Americans?"
"To Israel and her allies."
Officer Bashan shuffles papers, "Even allies have limits to loyalties. You crossed the line and now you will live with the consequences."
"What about Special Agent Gibbs? Will he be protected?" Ziva refuses to lose sight of why she revealed the truth to her father. She is the only person able to stop Ari's actions from doing further damage. It is the last thing that she can take care of for NCIS and she is determined to see it through.
The older man hands her the handkerchief from his pocket, "It is being taken care of now."
"Toda." Ziva turns to leave the room.
Bashan speaks as she reaches the door, "Put the Americans out of your head. They will not help you to survive in the world you are returning to. That is what you must focus on now. There is no room for distraction."