Fighting the Darkness

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Hey there, I'm glad that you are still with me. Now we jump to the end of Legend in season 6…

Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Out of Control

Ziva was lying in bed next to a man she once called a friend but whom she now despised. Over a course of time Michael Rivkin became the embodiment of all the things she wanted to leave behind. All the lies, the disappointments and loneliness… She just didn't seem to be able to get rid of them… They followed her everywhere…

And as she was lying there in the darkness unable to sleep, her mind wandered back to that time when everything had got out of control…

"What the hell did you tell Rivkin, Father?" Ziva stormed into her father's office clearly pissed off. Eli David, though, didn't show any sign of surprise or annoyance regarding his daughter's sudden appearance. He simply looked up from his work with a calm expression and regarded her fuming daughter while he took off his glasses.

"Watch your mouth, Daughter." He told her in an impassive voice, which made Ziva even angrier.

She slapped her hands on the table and leant closer to her father, her eyes throwing daggers at him.

"I will not do that and I demand an answer, damn it. Now."

"That is enough, Ziva. You are not to make a scene in this office. You are making me upset with this behavior. Have you really forgotten everything you had learnt from me?"

For several moments there was silence in the office and the two Davids continued regarding each other. The Director's eyes were deadly calm while his daughter's were burning with rage. Finally, as always when faced with her father, Ziva was the one, who backed off.

She let out a frustrated sigh then turned away from the desk. With her back to her father, she took several deep breaths to compose herself then turned back to him and posed her question in a different manner.

"Tell me, Father, why does Rivkin think that I am in any way interested in him?" It was a stupid question, she knew that, as she had a fairly good guess why her once good friend was thinking what he was thinking. She wanted to hear it from her father, though. She wanted him to come out with it openly and stop playing games with her.

"Why, Ziva…" The Director began patronizingly as he stood up and walked to his daughter. "Michael Rivkin is a good man and I know that you were such good friends."

"Father…" Ziva started to say but her father's lifted finger and his stern look made her stop.

"He is that kind of man whom I would be happy to see next to my only daughter. I would happily greet him in my family."

Ziva couldn't help snorting into his father's face.

"I see, Father." She leant closer to him. "I am sure you would like a son like him." She particularly spat at him. "He is quite easy to manipulate. You would have a much easier task than you had with Ari, yes?"

Ziva saw her father's fists curl into a tight ball and recognized the rising anger in his eyes, but she didn't even flinch. He wouldn't hit her. No, he would never get physical.

"Watch yourself, Ziva. I am your father. I know what is best for you and you owe me obedience." It wasn't only his eyes which lost their calmness, his voice also became dangerously low by that point. And still, Ziva didn't back away.

"So now I am to marry a man for whom I do not feel anything." It wasn't a question. She knew all too well what her father's intentions were. And she didn't like it one bit.

"As I said, Michael is a good man. He will do you good, of that I am sure."

"Of course you are, Father. But I am done playing the role of one of your puppets. I will not bend as you wish and I am certainly not going to marry Rivkin. Ever." The fire in her eyes was intense showing all the determination with which she was facing the older man.

Again father and daughter stood in silence, their eyes not leaving the others'. And this time it was the Director, who broke their staring contest. He gave her a knowing smile, which made Ziva's stomach twist in knots, then he turned away from her and walked to his window.

"Of course you are not. I was fairly sure that you would not be so easy to convince. But there is one thing, Ziva, that you should bear in mind when you make your decision."

Ziva narrowed her eyes. She had already heard enough. And this time she wouldn't let her father manipulate her. She was done with his games. Done forever. It had already cost her so much.

"You cannot say anything that would make me change my mind, Father." Now her voice was cold, the heat of her anger had disappeared. She felt exhausted. "Not anymore." And with that she started towards the door but her father's voice stopped her before she could open it.

"Just think about my granddaughter, Ziva." Director David's voice was measured, delivered very carefully just to make sure that they would get the desired reaction.

They did.

In an instant Ziva turned around disbelief written all over her face. The Director smirked satisfied.

"Have I mentioned that Rivkin is willing to take in your bastard child, to raise her as his own?" He didn't say anything else just watched as Ziva was trying to process the information that she had just been given.

She was stunned. Of all the things that she had expected her father to say, it didn't even occur to her. Avigail. Her baby girl… But she died almost four years ago. She saw the village with her own eyes after the attack… She went there… She spent weeks there looking for her daughter… She buried her daughter.

"What did you just say?" Her voice was weak and her expression was uncertain. One part of her refused to believe what she had just heard but the other part wanted to believe it so desperately.

"Think about it that way: Michael Rivkin is your only chance to have your daughter back." And with that final blow the Director sat back to his desk and continued working as if nothing had happened. He knew that he had won. Again.

Ziva's mind was still working frantically trying to find answers to the suddenly emerged questions. Then realization hit her and her features hardened. Everything seemed so clear at that moment… she felt sick… She had always known that her father always gets what he wants. Hell, she knew that he didn't play by the rules all the time. And she was well aware of the fact that she, herself, had been used countless times just to help her father achieve his goals. They had their share of fights about that over the years. But she believed in him, she honestly believed in him.

She didn't know what to believe anymore. Now it wasn't about just some withhold information… it wasn't about using his influence to achieve something. This time it was about her… and her baby. Was he really that heartless? Of course, he was.

Suddenly she couldn't recognize the man in front of her. He was a complete stranger. He was a monster and all she wanted to do was to pull out her gun and... Her hand unconsciously reached for the gun on her hip but when she felt the cold metal in her hand, she stopped. She couldn't do it, no matter how much she wanted to do it. He had her daughter, strangely enough that one she did not doubt.

And she could have her daughter back… all she had to do was to smile and accept Michael Rivkin's affection… it seemed simple enough…

For a moment she slumped back against the door and closed her eyes in trepidation then she straightened up and walked up to her father's desk… and waited. When finally the Director looked up, her features were schooled not giving away any of her inner turmoil. The Director's eyes were questioning as if it had been the first time that morning that he had seen his daughter. Ziva gave him a faint smile. The all too familiar game had begun once again…

"Shalom, Father." She began and shuddered when she got a warm smile in return. How could their relationship reach to that point? Was it always that way and she was just too blinded by her unquestionable admiration of her father? The warning words of her brother and her lover echoed in her ears now. They could see the real Eli David… and both of them were dead now.

"Come here, Daughter, give your father a kiss." Ziva stepped to his father and kissed him dutifully. "Now, I hope everything is all right and you are ready to leave for Morocco today." Ziva just nodded silently. "Good." The Director smiled satisfied. "Now, go and get ready." He patted her cheek affectionately. "And tell Michael that I send him my best wishes." With that he turned back to his work and Ziva slowly left the room. Defeated and worn but with such a hope that would help her through anything that would come… Her daughter was alive.

And now lying in the arms of Rivkin, the mere thought of her daughter brought a sad smile to her lips.

She was worried, tough. It'd been months since her confrontation with her father and so many things had happened since then. And not once did she hear her father mention Avigail again. At times she wondered whether Eli David had told her the truth and she really had a chance to see her daughter again. But she had to believe… She wanted to believe because at that moment it was the only thing that kept her going… Without that hope she had nothing.

TBC

Thanks for reading and, again, sorry for the mistakes!