A/N: Sorry for the delay with getting this chapter up, so to my recent followers/favourites, welcome, it's nice to know people are enjoying this story.

Let's see how Ziva & Ari go back in Israel..

They had been out of the country for almost 4 days, they knew their father would be waiting. Mossad would have questions, so they were expecting a greeting party awaiting them at the airport, but there was no one waiting for them, from the Mossad at least, waiting for them was however was their cousin Moshe.

Moshe was 21, a Sargent in one of Israel's elite paratrooper units, he and his younger sister Rivka were like siblings to Ziva and Ari. Moshe embraced Ziva in a warm family hug and shook Ari hand "Your father wants me to find out what you two have been up to, but if I don't ask and you don't tell me, then I can not know."

Ziva smiled, she knew Moshe knew the stakes in these kinds of situations, as he continued "All I will ask is was the trip worthwhile?"

Like Ziva, Ari knew Moshe knew where they had gone and why, but also knew that this would be the only question he would ask.

So Ari put his arm around his cousins shoulder, smiled saying softly "Very".

As they were driving out of Tel Aviv's airport Moshe turned to Ari "Where do you want to go?"

Ziva was thinking, that was a catch 22, if they went home then they have to deal with Ziva's mum and her endless hysterical questions but if they went to the office then it would be like they were admitting guilt and reporting for sentencing, especially given that they were still technically on 'shiva' leave, though Ziva thought that could have been revoked as soon as they 'went off radar' as such…..what to do.

"Ari, where should we go?" she asked her brother who was obviously in another world.

"Moshe, where is father?" Ari asked, Moshe smiled, they often played this game

"Ari….your father is…somewhere…I don't know where…but you would!" Ari and Ziva waited, they knew Moshe knew more, but was trying to word it correctly, as he wasn't supposed to know. "Lets forget that for the moment….I've been meaning to ask you two…do you remember when we were younger and we went up to Haifa for holidays?"

Ziva and Ari nodded, their's was that type of family who always had the apartment next to each other. Moshe continued as he drove, "We would play with the kids Esther & Nathan who stayed next door on the opposite side." Ziva nodded, Ari was trying to remember, he never really liked those trips, Moshe smiled and continued "…do you remember where they were from?"

Ziva smiled as she answered "Ramat Gan."

Ari smiled, then Moshe smiled "Moshe, could you drop us off at the bus station in Ramat Gan, we haven't been there in quite a while." Moshe was still smiling as he answered "You haven't indeed cousin".

Moshe dropped them off "I'll take your stuff back home, Ziva!" He beckoned her closer. "You did what needed to be done for our family…for Israel, don't let them tell you any different."

Ziva smiled "Thanks Moshe, shalom" She replied as she closed the door of the vehicle and watched as Moshe drive off.

Ziva had started walking, she wanted to get this over and done with, but Ari held her back. "Ziva, before we get there I want your word that you won't put up a fight for what I am going to do"

"And what are you going to do Ari?" Ziva asked curiously

Ari looked at her with the most seriously look she had ever seen on his face."Your word Ziva"

"Ari how can I…" Ziva started.

"Ziva, do you trust me?" Ari interrupted quickly.

"Of course I trust you" She gave him an incredulous look.

"Well then, I want you word please" he said as she looked into her brother's eyes.

She knew that what ever it was he was going to do was not totally in his interest, but she trusted him whole heartedly "Ok Ari, you have my word, now what is it that you are going to do?"

They started walking as Ari replied "I and I alone, will take responsibility for Cairo Ziva, you can't object, because you gave me your word and we always keep our promises to each other"

The look on Ziva's face told Ari just what she was feeling; utter shock and disbelief, he wanted to reassure her "Don't worry, father won't let them kick me out"

Ziva knew this to be true, father wouldn't let it happen. Ari also knew it to be true, but for a very different reason to that which Ziva thought.

They arrived at a plain office building, at least that's what it looked like from the outside. As they entered the foyer, they nodded to the 3 'receptionists' who all nodded back. As they approached the lift, Ari placed his right eye over a small glass window, which was actually a retina scanner, the doors subsequently opened.

As they arrived on the 3rd floor, they didn't even have to step out of the lift to see their father waiting for them, he was right there, standing in the lifts opening. Ziva could tell his was not happy at all; he didn't utter a single word, just turned on his heels and walked swiftly down the length of the office. Ziva and Ari following in his wake silently.

As they passed the various workstations, which were fitted with numerous devices including radars, hi-tech listening devices and multiple screens were monitoring covert activities. Their fellow agents all looked up at the pair as they passed, some gave a smile, some mouthed "Kol Ha'Kavod" ("With Honour/well done") while others shook their heads in dismay.

They entered the office at the very end of the hall, it was large, just like the directors one in the main office, and it too had many screens and controls. The door had barely closed when their father started at them "What on earth were you two doing, what were you thinking, you were given a direct order, you gave me your word! And obviously an order and your word isn't good enough to stop you two"

Ari interrupted his father, something Ziva had never seen happen before "Father, I take full responsibility for what happened, I asked Ziva to come, she is in no way responsible for any of it, what ever Mossad chooses to do, I will accept."

Ziva was stunned, her father also seemed rather taken aback from what his son had just said, "Why did you not answer any of my communications?" David asked his son looking directly into his eyes

"Because father, I didn't want to risk my remaining sisters life, it was too dangerous, if I had answered but one of them, we would have lost Ziva as well," Ziva was utterly bewildered, she had no idea what Ari was talking about, but she saw that her father knew exactly what he was saying.

It looked like a light had just gone on inside of Eli's head as he turned to her "Ziva, please go wait in the squad room, I need a word with your brother."

She looked over at Ari, who nodded his approval, so she went, though she didn't want to, she knew she wouldn't win an argument against both her father and her brother.

A/N: Why did Ari take responsibility, and why would Ziva have been at risk? Could there be something else going on? Hope you're enjoying this story, let me know what you think :) More up soon.