Tony had left the night before. He kissed Ziva quickly and told her he would see her tomorrow. Ziva had gone home and packed. Not sure on how long she would be gone for she packed for a week thinking that would be a safe guess. If she needed to she could wash clothes.
Tony had offered to pick her up from the airport but she declined saying that her father would have a car there to pick her up and take her to her hotel. They decided to keep things quiet between them where her father was concerned and Tony was going to talk to his team before she got there just in case this was about them. Neither Tony nor Ziva wanted to team to say anything about the two of them being together in front of her father if he showed up at NCIS.
Ziva had no idea why he would want her in Rota other than because he had found out about Tony. She knew he had been following her over the summer that Gibbs had been gone. That was the reason she had not asked Tony for help when she was accused of murdering the FBI agent. She had thought after she had backed off from Tony and had talked to her father about the inappropriateness of following her in that manner he had lifted the surveillance. Especially since Tony had been transferred to Rota. Ziva had told her father that he had been transferred when he specifically asked how Agent Dinozzo was doing. He couldn't possibly still think that they were together. Even though they were.
Ziva stepped off the plane and walked to baggage claim. She found her bag and walked to the front where she saw a familiar face. She looked somewhat surprised to see him. He walked up to her smiling and kissed both of her cheeks taking her bag from her.
"Shalom Ziva."
"Shalom Michael. What are you doing here?" She asked confused.
"Your father asked me to pick you up from the airport." He said.
"Do you know why I am here?" She asked. Maybe her friend would be able to give her some sort of warning as to what to expect.
"Your father did not tell you?" He asked confused.
"No, he did not. If he had I would not have asked." She said somewhat irritated.
"Ah, Well I think I will let him tell you then. Come. I will take you to him now." He led her out to the car.
On the way to the hotel Michael asked her how America was, and if she was ready to return to Israel yet. She deflected the last question. She really wanted to be here in Rota. With Tony. But she was not going to reveal that to anyone in Mossad. She heard her phone beep and she looked to see she had a text message.
U make it okay?
T
She smiled and texted her response.
Yes
Z
It wasn't even a minute later when she received a second message.
Good. Am I goin 2 get 2 c u?
T
She frowned a little. She didn't know whether or not she would get to see him or not. She would know here in a little bit after she found out why she was here from her father.
Dnt know yet. Will let u know n a little bit.
Z
It beeped one more time before they pulled up to the hotel.
K
T
She put her phone back in her pocket, and noticed Michael giving her a funny look.
"A friend lives here in Rota. Asked if she was going to get to see me." She lied. She could pass Nikki off as the friend if she needed to.
Michael nodded his head in understanding. America had changed her. She didn't usually socialize or keep in touch with people once they left. But she has a friend here in Rota. From what Michael had heard around Mossad, possibly a boyfriend. An American boyfriend. Catholic at that. But that had been a rumor. Michael really hoped she wasn't with anyone. She was looking really good. The last time he had seen her was after her sister had died. Since then both had been on missions and different assignments. They had been close when they were younger. Maybe they could be close again.
They walked into the hotel and Ziva saw her father there. He smirked a little when he saw her. He had never really smiled ever so a smirk was very unusual for him. He walked over and pulled her in to an embrace and kissed both her cheeks.
"Shalom papa." She said quietly. Still nervous about the reasoning behind meeting here.
"Ziva, dear. How nice to see you. I trust you had a good flight." He said.
"Yes. It was very nice." She answered.
"Good. Come. Come. Let us get you settled in to your room and then we will all go to dinner." She nodded and followed them to the elevator.
Once she was in the privacy of her room she pulled it out to text Tony. She figured it was safer than calling. If her father had bugged her room he would hear her call him.
Going 2 dinner with father. Still no idea y I am here. :(
Z
She sat her phone on the bed and pulled out her hair brush and tooth brush and toothpaste. She went into the bathroom to freshen up. She came back and saw she had a new message on her phone.
:( hope things go okay. Miss you.
T
She smiled and slipped her phone back in to her pocket. She decided that she would find a way to slip out after dinner to call him. That is of course if she was ever told the reason for her being here. There was a knock on her door and she went to answer it. It was Michael and her father.
"Are you ready to go dear?" Her father asked.
"Yes, papa." She pulled the door shut behind her
They all went down to the restaurant and settled in a booth. Ziva slid in and Michael sat next to her. Her father across from her. Once they ordered Michael laid her arm across the back of the booth. Ziva tensed a little. Clearly uncomfortable having Michael that close to her.
"So Ziva dear, I bet you are wondering why you are here." Eli stated.
"I will admit you do have me curious." She said. Trying not to sound nervous.
"Michael here is working on an assignment for me. He is working closely with the FBI here in Rota. I need someone I trust to be his handler and who has good relations with NCIS. So I Director Shepard and I are transferring you here." He watched her closely for a reaction. She knew he was watching so she kept her emotions in check and face blank.
"I guess I did not pack for long enough then." He smiled at her.
"Do not worry dear. Officer Tikvah is there. She is sending all your things to you. She will also be filling in for you in DC. Director Shepard informed me that with your old partner Agent Dinozzo being transferred here the team was short a member."
Ziva just nodded. Still careful not to show any emotion. Inside she was bursting with joy. She wanted to go over to Tony's and tell him. He would find out soon enough she thought. Hopefully he would be able to keep his emotions in check if her father was present when he found out.
"We will go over there after our meal and let them know you are here. Now who is this friend that Michael says you were talking to earlier?" He asked curiously.
Ziva looked at Michael careful not to show she was irritated with him but turned back to her father. "Agent Nikki Jardine. She worked with us on a couple of cases in DC. Her brother was a soldier. He was attacked in Iraq and is in a coma now. She is a little strange but very nice. Why do you ask?"
"So is she stationed here in Rota now?" He asked.
"Yes. She is part of the Rota team."
"With Agent Dinozzo?" She was starting to see where this was headed.
"Yes. I guess she is." She answered. Still careful of her emotions. She was starting to get angry with him. So was this the real reason he wanted her in Rota. So that he could watch her closer and see what was going on between her and Tony.
"How is Agent Dinozzo doing? He is proving to be an efficient leader?"
"Nikki seems to think so. I do not really know much. We worked with him on a case a couple months ago. But I have not talked to him much since." She answered hoping that was believable. Truth was she couldn't go a day without talking to him.
Eli nodded seeming to accept her response. "I hear he has grown up a lot. That he is no longer the immature womanizer he use to be." He was definitely trying to get some sort of response out of her but she was not going to give in.
"I guess putting him in a role of leadership forced him to grow up." Ziva stated.
"What was he like when he was team leader in DC? Before Agent Gibbs returned." He asked curiously.
"He rose to the challenge. I believe that is when he began to grow up. He had a long term girlfriend. That he seemed to care for. I think she was part of the reason for his sudden change." She said still showing no emotion.
"He had a girlfriend but was at your house at least once if not twice a week daughter?" Ziva bit her tongue hard. She had known that this was coming.
"Agent Dinozzo and I were friends father, nothing more." She stated with a little irritation. He smirked finally getting a rise out of her.
"I just want to make sure you two will be able to work together. Are you still friends?" He asked still smirked at her. She wanted to punch him in the face.
"I guess so. We send each other an email once a month." She said getting her emotions in check again.
"Good." With that the rest of the meal was silent. Ziva excused herself to the bathroom near the end. Once in there she pulled out her cell and called Tony.
"Hey! What happened babe?" She heard his voice and sighed. Ready to break down and cry.
"We are headed to your office here in a few minutes." She bit back the tears that threatened to fall. All she wanted was for him to hold her. She chastised herself for feeling that way. But she knew she could be herself with Tony. Even if it was weak.
"Ut Oh! Does he know? Is that why you all are coming here?" She sensed he was panicked.
"No, it is something else. Just ask Nikki if she will pretend to be my friend please. It is a long story and I will explain everything later I promise." She said quickly. "I have to go. I will see you in a few minutes." Before he could respond she had hung up.
She looked herself over in the mirror one last time and went back out to the table.
Her father and Michael stood up. "Ready to go meet your new team?" Michael asked.
"Yes."
With that they headed to NCIS headquarters. Ziva was suddenly very nervous again.
A/N: REVIEWS PLEASE!!!