The sound of soft knocking on her door brought Ziva back to earth. She had been sitting on her couch, drinking a bottle of wine, silently waiting for Tony to appear. What she would tell him she didn't know. Nothing too important, of course. She didn't even know why she was telling the insufferable, annoying Italian anything.
Ziva secured her SIG in her waist band, just in case, and went to open the door. Tony was standing there, pizza box in hand, with a grin that would have charmed any woman.
"Tony," she nodded, stepping to the side as he walked in.
His head went back and forth as he looked around the apartment. Nothing about the apartment symbolized her staying was permanent. Perhaps that was how she liked it.
Tony set the pizza on the counter. "How 'bout we eat, then talk. 'Cause I'm starving."
Ziva let out a small laugh. Despite the ball of stress that had been placed on her, she found herself laughing at her partners pit less stomach.
"Sounds good to me."
They sat down at the table, neither speaking. When they had ate their full, Ziva stood and made for the couch. Tony followed dutifully.
Ziva didn't know how to begin. She swallowed.
"There once was a small family. The baby sister, Tali, adored her older sister, Ziva. As they grew, they began pursue different dreams, yet they remained friends."
Ziva paused, but continued at Tony's encouraging nod. "One day, when the older sister returned from training, they had scheduled to have lunch at one of their favorite restaurants."
Ziva smiled softly at the memory of the small shop where she had eaten so many times as a young Israeli.
"When the oldest sister arrived, Tali was waiting for her, just outside the shop. She never saw the car that stopped just to the right of her. She didn't live long enough to feel the pain of the exploding car hitting her body."
Ziva tensed as she described the scene she saw so well every night.
"And so, with anger and vengeance, the older sister set out to cause as much pain to those who had killed her sister as she had felt with the loss of her best friend."
Tony's eyes widened. The report she had been reading was of the bombing. He gazed at her, unable to speak. He watched her tense body as she reenacted possibly the worst day of her life. Her eyes were hard and dark. He noticed her gun hand twitch, as if she was ready to shoot the bastards who killed her sister.
"This went on for a year, until finally the father had to stop his daughter. Though he was only her father by blood, for when Tali died, they had separated. They only knew each other as officers, nothing more. He claimed that he himself had shot the man that had ultimately orchestrated the car bombing. Foolish, she believed him, and went on with life."
Ziva stood and refilled her glass of wine.
Tony spoke for the first time. "I'm guessing he didn't kill that bastard, and now you are going back to finish the job."
Ziva nodded. "Yes."
Tony stood to stand next to her. "I have no idea what you are going through right now, but any time you need my help, call. I don't care what time it is."
Ziva sighed. "Thank you Tony. You have no idea how it feels to get this off my head."
"Chest," he corrected automatically. "Off your chest."
Ziva let out a small laugh. "Yes, that is what it was."
"When does your flight leave?"
Ziva glanced at her watch. "In half an hour."
"Can I take you there?" Tony offered without thinking.
~*~
Ziva dropped her bag onto the bed and threw her sun glasses onto the small desk. Mid-day in Israel had always been scorching, but sitting in her air conditioned hotel Ziva was unaffected. Or perhaps it was the fact that she never truly allowed herself to adjust to her NCIS surroundings and she was used to the Israel heat.
A knock on her door brought her out of her musings. With the comfortable weight of her SIG secured on her waist, Ziva opened the door.
"Michael."
Michael Rivkin gave her a tense smile. "Your father would like to see you."
Ziva nodded. Of course her father would allow her only a few moments to settle in. Though Ziva didn't mind the rush. She hated when she had too much time to think.
"I will be right out."
Minutes later, the two old partners found themselves driving wildly on the roads. Rivkin grasped the handle. "I see your time at NCIS has not numbed your driving skills."
Ziva didn't look at her partner, but instead took a sharp left, causing Rivkin to bang his head against the window.
"My time at NCIS has not numbed my skills at all."
Michael gazed at her. "No, but it has made you soft."
The car came to a screeching stop. "We are here." Ziva ground out, frustrated at the man sitting next to her.
They climbed out of the car and entered the impressive building where her father ruled from his throne.
~*~
Ziva wasted no time knocking as she stormed into her father's office. If he thought including her on the assignment would help nullify her anger, he was severely wrong.
"Officer David." Director David welcomed as he sat back in his chair.
"Director." Ziva answered back without emotion. Feet shoulder width apart; hands behind her back, eyes straight forward, Ziva took her military stance. Her father had taught it to her long ago, and old habits die hard.
"What did you find out?" Ziva asked after a moment of silence.
"Enough to orchestrate a mission." Ziva smirked. When have they ever needed enough information to plan an assignment?
"What we do know is that Calib is meeting this man," Eli slipped a picture on the desk, "a week from today."
Ziva gazed at the picture. "Who is this man?"
"Li Se, a freelancer from China. Our mole informed us of a meeting between him and Calib, the man who is in charge of many Hamas bombings, including the one that killed Tali."
Ziva nodded. "Where will this take place?"
"We do not know. But we do know who Li Se is hiring for his protective services; a man who I am quite confident you know...Eon Beinisch."
Eli leaned forward. "This is very important Ziva; we need to find out what the meeting is about before you do anything else. Is that understood?
"Yes sir. Is that all?"
Ziva turned and left the room. She had some people she needed to call.
~*~
Alright, another chapter. Thank you to those who reviewed, they were appreciated. And remember, I love reviews; they make my day, right along with Gatorade and ice cream. And, as I forgot to mention in previous chapters, I OWN NOTHING!