Authour's Note: So I may have lied when I said that the next update won't be coming out as quickly since I have homework and projects to do. Guess what got neglected... Hahaha...

Also, I realize that some of you might think I am spelling some words wrong but I'm not. I just switch between American english and British english. Usually I stick to British english.

Thank you mprmusings for your delightful response to my story. That is all for now.

Enjoy.

Night turned to day. Day drifted slowly into night. She was floating, hovering on the brink of consciousness, just barely aware of what was going on around her. Someone was holding her hand in a vice like grip, barely letting her blood circulate. Another pair of hands were smoothing a blanket over her.

She thinks, this must be a dream, and sinks even deeper into herself. And that's when they came. Snippets and flashes of memories hurtled back to her- her mission, her being captured, her being in pain and just so much blood- making her gasp and flutter her eyes open in a panic. She was greeted with the humming sounds of the aeroplane and barely visible surroundings due to the dim lights over head.

The person who had been fiddling with the blanket hovered over her, blocking out the light, propelling his face into the shadow. She tensed as the man reached over to softly touch her forehead.

"Relax, Ziver. You're safe now. Sleep."

As the voice droned on in a low murmuring voice that almost blended in with the sounds of the aeroplane making an out of place lullaby, Ziva David finally relaxed. And in the first time in almost three months, she slept unguarded and unhindered, knowing she was finally safe.

Abby Scuito likes to think that she understands people and the inner workings of their mind.

Take Gibbs for example. He might portray himself as a gruff and almost inhumane super special agent with his astonishingly rapid healing powers and appear to never give a damn about authority but that wasn't so. She knows that he actually gets along quite well with Vance because they think alike; it's just that Vance puts the agency first while Gibbs puts his team first and that pits them against each other sometimes. And whenever Gibbs smacks one of his subordinates in the back of the head, it wasn't because they did something bad or anything. It's the just a way for him to show affection. It's a sign of recognition, telling them, Good job, or, Take a break, you've earned it. Words don't come easily for him and Abby understands that so everytime she sees him smack Tony, she just smiles even more brightly, because she can practically see the pride shining in Gibbs's eyes even though he tries to hide it.

And Tony. He always acts so goofy and laid back but he was actually quite the deep thinker and notices the small details that she thought someone like him would never detect. Like that the one time she was upset when her brother, Luca, landed himself in the hospital trying to prove himself a man by jumping off the fourth floor balcony and ended up in a neck brace. He also had a broken femur, reducing him to a pair of crutches for three months. She hadn't told anybody about what happened, not even Gibbs, and went through her days with much normalcy, and so, was pleasantly surprised when a chocolate cupcake mysteriously made its way on her desk along with a note that said Cheer up. I missed your smile today. Don't worry. Things will get better. There was no signature, only a badly drawn winky face, but considering the scrawl of handwriting, she knew it was from Tony. But then again, it was just like him. Affectionate, passionate Tony who cared about his friends and family more than anything in the world, even if he was always teasing them, especially McGee.

And speaking of McGee, he was also another one of those people who wears his heart on his sleeve. When Abby first met him, he particularly oozed nervousness. He stammered and tripped over things constantly. Dubbed a walking and talking hazard by Tony didn't help things much. People judged Tim on his experience and cowed by that, he is soft spoken and apprehensive in front of others. He still acts timid at times but she knows that deep down, McGee is strong. Perhaps not the type of strong that Tony is, the brawn, for McGee is strong mentally, in spirit. His will and determination never wavers. Mayhap it slips once in a while but McGee always manages to pick himself back up. And that's what she loves about him, the fact that no matter what, he will always do things his own way and forge a path for himself, even if he has to defy orders- just like he did when he helped Abby poke around around Mossad's database to find the whereabouts of Ziva.

Ziva… Abby ponders that name and what it signifies to her. Abby had thought she had understood the girl well but considering the events that happened, she thinks maybe she doesn't know her that well after all. Ziva had always been a very private person, only offering tidbits of information when pressed, and usually only to get Abby off her back. She had cringed and stood stoically when Abby first hugged her, almost as if she was not used to being hugged which was an absurd thought for Abby; after all, surely everyone had to get hugs at some point in their lives. But apparently, this was not so for Ziva. It took four months for her to return the gesture of embracing Abby back when enveloped in a hug. Another month for her to fully relax in the other girl's grip. And yet another month for her to finally start initiating hugs. Those moments were rare and few in between but Abby had cherished those moments, just as she had treasured the moments when she catches a glimpse of Ziva smiling a true smile.

The first time she had noticed Ziva smiling was when Gibbs had smacked her in the back of the head. Her lips had curved upwards ever so slightly before it opened to send a retort to Gibbs but it had been there, a fleeting smile that had lit up her face.

After that, Abby sought after Ziva's blissful expression with a hungry passion, and could count on just one hand the many times she had seen the bright smile grace Ziva's features.

The last time she had saw the joyous look of wonder on Ziva's face was when she had been taking a private phone call underneath the shadows of the stairways. Abby had been passing by when she heard the unmistaken sound of mirth laced within the sing song language of Hebrew whispering themselves from Ziva's mouth. The person on the other line had been Michael Rivkin.

And this was where Abby got confused. She didn't understand why Ziva would trust the guy and believe him over Tony. Tony. The one who would give up his limbs, or even his heart if asked, to make the people he cared about happy.

And why Ziva had left, staying behind in Israel, leaving a gaping hole in both the team and Abby's heart. She just doesn't understand why Ziva would do that; doesn't she understand that she was so much more loved here rather than back in her home country where her own father just prompt her to go on a suicidal mission instead of letting her mourn the loss of someone she was intimate with? Eli David was an evil man, a corrupt man, and Abby is at a loss on why Ziva doesn't see that when she can clearly see a map for just five seconds and be able to memorize it down to the ink stains of what it looks like. Or maybe it was just that Abby didn't want to see.

Her musings were interrupted when the elevator finally reached the floor it was destined for and the doors opened, revealing a quad of people: Gibbs, tired looking, but smirking, staring at Vance, having a silent conversation with him- Vance giving a nod of approval in return before initiating a rousing applause that threatened to make the roof crash down upon them; Tony, hair disheveled, somber looking, if not for the grin he had on his face, joy radiating off him; McGee, bandages peeking out from under his slightly ragged shirt, swaying a bit, but equally as cheerful, his eyes dancing.

And in the centre of the group was her. Ziva. Thin with her cheekbones jutting out of her delicate face. A baggy outfit that made her figure look two times smaller than it actually was. Reeling back from the mountainous applause, head tilted as if the sound was hurting her ears.

And then she was in Abby's arms, hands around the forensic scientist's back, grasp tight. And as Abby whispered into Ziva's limp hair, crying -Welcome home, Welcome home, Welcome home-, everything was all right in her world as Ziva's voice filtered through, her voice cracked with disuse but still strong, powerful: I'm home.

As always, reviews are much appreciated.

If you are reviewing, please tell me your reactions to the story itself so I may grasp on how the story can lead from here. Or tell me what your favourite part has been so far!

I'll be waiting~ (Not creepy or anything)

Another note real quick: I know I've been saying that updates won't happen that quickly cause of work and I know I've been contradicting myself by posting chapters like the world is going to end or something but really... I think this will be the last time. The next update might be in a week or so.

... But then again, don't trust me on that. ;D