Wow thanks for all the reviews keep them coming please, updating as soon as I can as I promised, hope you still like it, loads of exams at the moment, but have some days off so will try to write then.

Hope you still like it

Chapter 19 –

Gibbs looked at them, horror and dread consuming him, Tony pressing the now red shirt into the dying child's chest ignoring the blood coming out of his own side, calling to her to stay with them, Ziva cradling Tali's head sobbing and screaming for her to stay with them, and Tali lying there in the dirt, the life they had saved now being drained trying to save them, he watched as the ambulance pulled up, Ziva begging her to not leave her, the brave little child, exhausted, allowed her eyes to slowly close.

"no, please no Tali" Ziva sobbed as herdaughter's eyes closed, she heard the ambulance pull up and paramedics leapt out pushing her aside, she saw Tony get pushed away and he stood up dazed staring at Tali, his hands stained in her blood, he looked at them blinking staring at them. Gibbs looked at the paramedics, they had paddles out and were trying to shock the life back into her, they were still trying as they loaded her into the ambulance and it drove away.

A second ambulance had appeared and the paramedics were trying to care for Tony and Ziva. Tony got into the ambulance still dazed as they began to look at his side, Ziva protested saying that she was fine, refusing to get in the ambulance, she needed to go, Gibbs could see, she was beaten badly and could have internal damage and her leg would need to be sorted, he walked over and took her arm and began to pull her towards the waiting ambulance Tony, looked at her, as though suddenly seeing her "no, Gibbs I am fine" she said struggling "Ziver" he said "just go get checked out, Tony needs you" "Tony" she mumbled looking for him and spotting him in the ambulance "come on Zee" he called "it will take us to Tali faster" she didn't argue after that she scrambled in, and hugged Tony, he hugged her, both of them allowing their tears to fall. Gibbs watched as the ambulance was closed and the sirens screaming it took off after the other one, carrying the DiNozzo daughter.

He got into his car to find McGee already in there staring after the ambulances too, "call the director" Gibbs said "let him know what happened" McGee nodded and Gibbs took off driving after the ambulances.

XOXOXOXO

When they arrived at the hospital the whole family was being looked after, McGee sat in the waiting room, glancing at the doors nervously, and Gibbs paced back and forth worried, he was just beginning to loose patience when he heard a shriek of "Gibbs" from behind, he spun round to find Abby, somehow sprinting in her platform boots (how she managed to do that he would never know) towards him, she looked frantic,

"ohmygosh you found them are they ok, are they alive, what about Dayan and Kedar, what did you do to them, how is Tony how is Ziva and how is Tali, nobody at NCIS would tell me anything"

"Abby" Gibbs said quietly "stop take a breath and calm down before you end up in surgery too after having a heart attack" Abby took a deep breath and then looked at him confused "what do you mean in surgery too" Gibbs looked at her long and hard before telling her what had happened

"when we got there we had no time left, so we went in after hearing a gunshot and a scream, the backup wasn't to far behind us, we will have to wait for one of the DiNozzos to tell us what happened in that time it took for us to find them, but when we got there, Tony and Ziva were surrounded by guns and Tali was lying on the floor a gun in hand with Dayan standing over her a gun pointing at her head, when Dayan realised we had found him he tried to kill Tali but I shot him, the back up team dealt with the guards, we completely forgot about Kedar until he tried to shoot up, McGee shot him twice and he open fired at us, it was Tali who shot him, she still had the gun in her hand and I saw her, she didn't even aim, her instincts took over and she shot him" he looked at Abby who stared at him in fright "why are they in surgery" she asked "during the open fire Ziva got shot through the leg and she had been beaten up before hand anyway, Tony got shot in the side protecting her and Tali…" he drew in a shaky breath and saw Abby's eyes fill with tears "…Tali got shot in the chest Abs, she was barely alive when we got her out of there, and she is beaten up bad, her back is torn open, she is covered in bruises and her ankle is broken, I am amazed she was still sane and alive after that, she must have been in so much agony"

Abby stared at him tears rolling down her cheeks smudging her mascara "so is she going to make it" she whispered "we don't know Abs" Gibbs said and then wrapped her in his arms as she began to sob "they cant die" she cried "Tony we cant live without him and his jokes and pranks, Ziva is invincible, and Tali, oh but Tali is just a child she is to young to die, she hasn't even become a teenager yet" Gibbs hugged her he felt the same way. At that moment a doctor came out and told them that Ziva was out of surgery and was absolutely fine "what about Anthony DiNozzo and Talia DiNozzo" Gibbs asked, the doctor paused "Anthony DiNozzo, I know is still in surgery and will be fine, as for Talia DiNozzo, I cant say, she was barely alive when she came in and if you want the truth, in my opinion after seeing the state she was in, I wouldn't get my hopes up on her surviving" he looked at them sadly and then told then that they could go see Ziva and gave them her room number.

They all went and looked through the window, they had obviously knocked her out with drugs and she was out cold still, they slipped in and closed the door after them, and Abby began to sob again seeing her friend in the condition she was in, bruised and beaten, with pain written all over her face even when she was unconscious. Gibbs took her hand gently "it is going to be ok Ziver" he said "you are going to be fine and Tony is going to be fine," he stopped "and we are going to do everything we can possible to make sure Tali is fine I promise"

They stayed with her until they heard that they could go see Tony, like Ziva he was unconscious and they were told they would keep him like that until tomorrow, now slightly worried about what he would have to tell Ziva when she woke up Gibbs asked again about Tali "she is still in surgery" Tony's doctor said "I am sorry that is all I know" Gibbs thanked him, and they spent time going between the two rooms, they were in Tony's when a doctor came and found them and told them Ziva was awake and asking for them.

Gibbs stood up and looked at McGee and Abby who looked scared "I cant go in there Gibbs" Abby said "I cant go in and see her pain when she asks for Tali" Gibbs moved forward and kissed the top of her head "its ok Abs you and McGee stay here with Tony, I am her boss I am the one who should tell her" he looked at Tony one last time before going down to Ziva's room.

XOXOXOXOXO

He stood outside for a minute looking at the beautiful Israeli woman who was like a daughter to him, she lay curled up, back to the window. Slowly he took a deep breath and knocked on the door, as he entered Ziva rolled over, "Gibbs" she mumbled sleepily "Ziver how are you feeling" he asked kissing her forehead "swept out" she mumbled making Gibbs chuckle "wiped out Ziver" she smiled weakly before her face went serious "Tony and Tali" she asked in a whisper, worry on her face, Gibbs sat next to her and took her hand "Tony is fine, he came out of surgery a couple of hours ago, he is still unconscious but, he is expected to make a full recovery, I don't think I have ever been in the same room as Tony and had it so quiet though, it is kind of worrying" Ziva smiled "same" she whispered "he snores at night, but I do to apparently so I cant complain" Gibbs chuckled and then his smile slipped as Ziva gazed at him, now he knew where Tali had got the ability to hold him with her gaze.

"Gibbs" she whispered "do not lie to me, you deliberately did not mention Tali, I want to know, I have the right to know, tell me Gibbs, how is my daughter" he squeezed her hand tighter "I don't know much" he said honestly, "I have asked to be notified when she comes out of surgery as I was for you and Tony but they haven't said anything yet, the last I heard they were struggling to stop the bleeding" Ziva's eyes filled with tears "what are the odds" she demanded "damm it Gibbs tell me what are her chances" "oh Ziver" Gibbs whispered "I am so sorry, they are not high", Ziva let out a sob and fell into his arms, he held her as she sobbed, "why" she cried "why my Tali, why not me, I would trade my life for hers in a heartbeat Gibbs, I was willing to die, I would die for her" "shhh" Gibbs whispered "Tali feels the same way Ziva she would die for you too" "but she is so young, I have lived my life, she still needs to live hers" Ziva sobbed.

Gibbs gently raised her head to look at him "Ziva, crying isn't going to help her, you have to stay strong, not just for her but for Tony, he is going to need you and you need him, don't push him away or you will loose him too" Ziva sobbed "I cant go in there and tell him that his baby girl, his little ninja is most likely going to die" "hey" he said firmly "Rule 8 Never take anything for granted, you thought she would die at noon, but no she fought and you fought and she didn't die at noon, you thought that you and Tony would die in that warehouse but no you fought and Tali fought for you and now Dayan is dead and you are free" he hugged her as she sobbed, he thought back to the crazy assassin who had first started working for him, she had been so strong and always in control but that strong emotionless part of her had died in Somalia and she had come home more human though still a ninja as Tony had said, and then Tali had came along and her ninja self had completely disappeared except when she needed it, she no longer threatened to break Tony's fingers if he ever came into her private space, she no longer took him out if he tried to tease her, but that might have been because she lived with him now, so she couldn't.

She had already been through so much, "I will tell Tony Ziver, you don't have to, all you have to do is get better now" she nodded and then began to calm down slightly, "Tali will get through this Ziva" Gibbs said, "how can you be sure" she whispered, Gibbs looked at her long and hard "because she is yours and Tony's daughter" he said, "you are strong, a fighter, determined and so is she, she hates to see people in pain like Tony so she wont let you be in pain any longer than necessary, she is also like Tony in the way that you cant get rid of him" Ziva smiled at that last part, and he kissed her forehead "now rest" he said "get better for tomorrow when Tony wakes up, that is an order DiNozzo" "yes boss" she said quietly and he watched her slowly roll over tears still falling, a nurse came in to check on her, her doctors had already been told that they would tell her about Tali otherwise she would not stay in the bed and she would not be easy to treat, they hadn't been to keen thinking it would cause her more pain until Gibbs had pointed out that there was more pain not knowing, he watched as she gave her more painkillers and she slowly drifted off to sleep again, he touched her cheek before he left, his finger came back wet with her tears. Looking down he saw tears soaking the pillow proving that even when you were asleep you can still feel pain.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

The next morning he woke up back in Ziva's room, he had told Tim and Abby to go home but had spent the night there himself, he yawned and looked at his ninja agent, she was still sleeping soundly for now, he heard a knock on the door and looked up to find Director Vance standing in the doorway, "director" he acknowledged "Gibbs" Vance said as he entered "how are they" he asked looking at Ziva, Gibbs sighed "Ziva is fine, distraught about Tali but apart from that she is fine, Tony had successful surgery but they have kept him unconscious, till sometime today, and I don't know about Tali, I asked to be notified which is why I stayed here but I have heard nothing". Vance frowned "I will go ask in a minute about her, they had better tell me" he looked at the team leader "did you have to tell her" he asked nodding towards Ziva, Gibbs knew what he was talking about and nodded "I couldn't tell her much but I hated what I could tell her, how slim the chances are and all that, it was horrible, I told her I would tell Tony too, I am dreading that".

Vance sat down in the chair opposite him "what exactly happened" he asked "McGee was rather vague on the phone" "he was in shock" Gibbs said "we don't know much about what happened before we got in there, I didn't want to question Ziver last night, not when she was in that much pain already" he told Vance what he had told Abby but in more detail, when he finished Vance looked grim. He didn't speak, neither of them did until they heard a small whimper from the bed, they both looked down to see Ziva roll over, pain still in her eyes.

"Gibbs" she whispered "is there any news" Gibbs shook his head "I am sorry Ziver", she looked over and saw the director "how are you feeling Ziva" he said gently, her look answered his question, "I know what you must be going through Ziva, and I cant imagine how much pain you must be in, and I am sorry to ask but, please can you tell us what happened in that room until Gibbs came in"

Gibbs took his agents hand as she looked at him, she took a shaky breath before answering "Tony and I were held at the back of the room surrounded by guards …Tali… was so weak they didn't surround her, they didn't expect her to try anything, he counted down and said 'goodbye tateleh' he was just about to pull the trigger when Tali moved, she used her leg to knock his leg out from underneath him, he shot anyway, I screamed because Tali fell and didn't move, I thought she had died anyway, he was taunting me, laughing at my pain, I think he was planning to shoot Tony straight after, he tried to stand but Tali leapt at him, it surprised us all, we all thought she was dead, Dayan tried to shoot her again but she managed to pull the gun out of his hand, he knocked it away before she could do anything with it, I used the guards' confusion to try and free myself and Tony."

She took a shaky breath again "Dayan was trying to throttle Tali, he was choking her but she grabbed his knife and stabbed him in the back forcing him to let her go, she tried to run but he had broken her ankle the night before so she couldn't, he grabbed another gun and tried to shoot her, I warned her and she knocked over a table made of metal and used it as a shelter, Dayan was furious by now, he said that if she didn't come out he would shoot me and Tony, I think he actually meant it, Tali came out but attacked him, kicking him in the gut and diving for the gun she had wrestled from him earlier, she pointed it at him and he laughed at her, he mocked her, he said she couldn't shoot so she shot him in the shoulder to prove that she could, she tried to get him to release is but he just laughed, that is when Gibbs came in and shot Dayan and…" she broke off fighting back tears Gibbs squeezed her hand "it is ok Ziver we know thee rest" "thank you Ziva" Vance said "I truly am sorry about Tali and she will be in everyone's thoughts as we pray for her recovery" he left then and Gibbs saw him stop at the reception to obviously ask about Tali.

"I will be back Ziva I want to go see if Tony has woken up" he said and left quickly, Vance looked at him as he approached, he looked sad, and Gibbs felt a crushing sensation "she's not…" he asked hoarsely and sighed in relief when Vance shook his head "she came out of surgery at about 0100 after being worked on for about 10 hours, but things are not good, she is in ICU and has to have help breathing, they are planning to put her into a medically induced coma because of how much damage has been done" Gibbs swallowed "what are the odds" he asked, Vance looked at him, "if everything goes to plan they say that she will have a 20% chance of ever waking up again" he watched for Gibbs reaction "you don't seem that upset Gibbs" he commented "I have seen people pull through with worse odds and she is a DiNozzo" he said "with a Mossad mother, don't you think those increase the odds" Vance smiled at his optimism "if you say so" he murmured just as his phone rang.

Gibbs left him talking and slipped up to Tony's room, there was a doctor in there "are you going to wake him up" he asked the doctor nodded "you can stay as long as you don't get in the way" Gibbs nodded and moved over to the corner of the room.

Tony's eyelids fluttered and then closed he grumbled and squeezed them shut murmuring something that sounded like "five more minutes sweet cheeks" the doctors frowned and Gibbs bit back a small laugh before bending over Tony taking his shoulder and saying "DiNozzo, up NOW" Tony's eyes flew open and as Gibbs expected he shouted out "on your six boss" he tried to sit up but Gibbs help him down "don't move Tony, lie still" his agent looked around confused and then winced "oww where am I and why does my side feel like it is on fire" the doctors moved forward to give him more painkillers as carefully Gibbs replied "you got shot remember Tony", the senior field agents eyes widened as he remembered "oh my god" he said trying to sit up "Tali, Ziva where are they, are they ok, is Tali…" his voice trailed off "Ziva is fine Tony worried about you and Tali of course and Tali came out of surgery not to long ago" he paused looking at him "what" Tony asked panic in his eyes "well I don't know much, but she is in ICU because she struggles to breath on her own and they are going to have to put her in a medically induced coma if she doesn't get the hang of breathing on her own again soon" Tony closed his eyes and his head slumped back

"oh my god" he mumbled "not Tali, not my ninja" there were tears in his eyes now "she has a good chance though" Gibbs encouraged not wanting to bring him down even further, he thought she had a good chance anyway "buck up Tony, crying isn't going to help her" "sorry" he muttered "Rule 6 DiNozzo" he said, making his agent smile "does Ziva know" he asked "no" Gibbs said "I knew nothing when she woke up last night, she was still pretty upset though", Tony sighed "can I see her" he asked, "I will see what I can do" Gibbs promised, he clapped his agent on the shoulder "get some rest Tony, you look like hell" "thanks that is just what I needed to hear" Tony muttered as he left.

He shut his eyes and sighed, he prayed that Tali would be ok, his little ninja, Ziva would never be the same without her daughter, and neither would he. He must have dozed off because the next thing he knew someone was sitting in the chair next to his and was squeezing his hand tightly, he knew that grip, he would know that anywhere, it was not as strong as the time during child birth that grip had nearly fractured his hand, but it was just as desperate.

He opened his eyes to see his beautiful wife sitting in the chair next to his bed, she looked exhausted, but much better, "hey beautiful" he whispered, out of the corner of his eye he saw Gibbs slip out of the room "hello my little hairy butt" he smiled and then held out his arms, Ziva leant forward and still sitting in the chair snuggled into his chest, he hugged her, until he felt her sob.

"hey, hey" he said looking at her "what is wrong Zee" "nothing I am sorry I am scared for Tali" she pressed herself tighter against him "shh it is going to be ok" he said "Gibbs told you huh" she nodded "then you know that she will be fine, Gibbs hasn't given her permission to die, it worked on me all those years ago" she let out a shaky laugh "come on Zee, look on the bright side, we survived, we all did and Dayan is never going to bother us again, nor is Kedar, we are safe Zee" she looked at him with her warm chocolate eyes full of hope "you think so" she whispered, he kissed her "I know so" he said firmly and with that they drifted into a doze together content for the first time in what felt like forever.

XOXOXOXO

Gibbs walked down the corridors of ICU, he didn't like the feeling of this place, it was to dark to gloomy, it had a feel of death to it, he spotted the room he had been told and went inside, there was a nurse bending over the patient in the bed, she looked up as Gibbs entered, and smiled sympathetically "who are you" she asked "her grandfather" he said "how is she", the nurse sighed and looked down at the patient "still struggling to breathe, but I can tell she is trying, she looks like a little fighter" Gibbs smiled, remembering what Ziva had said she had done "she is" he said "her father calls her his little ninja" the nurse smiled "your son" she questioned, he nodded "in – law but he doesn't really have a father so I guess I took over when he um married my daughter" he was making this up as he went along but he had to so that he would be allowed to see her. "I heard what happened to this family, I cant believe that anyone would be so cruel to hurt a 12 year old" the nurse said looking disgusted "and try and kill her" Gibbs sat in the chair and looked at the girl in the bed "it takes more than a few bullets and a beating to take down our girl"

The nurse smiled and Gibbs had to ask "what are her chances if she manages to start breathing soon, I know they are low if she has to be put in the coma", the nurse finished checking the drip and turned to him "higher" she said "about 40%" Gibbs nodded and the nurse gave him another smile, and told him not to touch anything, and then she left.

When she was gone, he looked at the girl, it hurt to see her there, lying so still, unmoving, pale making her bruises and other injuries stand out vividly. Her lips parted making way for the tube to go down her throat, the only thing that was keeping her breathing, the only thing that was keeping her alive. "come on sweetheart" he said taking her hand gently "you can get through this, you need to get through this, I know how much pain you must be in and how peaceful it would be to stop, to just let go, but you cant, I know you must be exhausted but you must keep fighting" he looked at his goddaughter, clinging on to life by the tips of her fingers, "don't you ever let go sweetie, keep holding on"

He stayed there for a while gripping her hand, she had to make it through this, no he knew she would make it through this, she was a fighter, and she was a DiNozzo. He had faith, "Talia Kaitlyn DiNozzo" he said "you may be named after two dead people, but you are not going to die, you are going to keep their memories alive, your parents gave you those strong names, of two strong women, and I know that might have seemed like big shoes you had to fill, but believe me kid, you have filled them over and over again. You were named after two fighters, so that is what you must now do even though you have already"

"Fight, Tali. Fight."

He looked at her and smiled, the beeping on the monitors seemed to have gotten stronger, "good girl" he whispered "we are all here Tali, behind you every step of the way" he carefully kissed her forehead

"And we are all so very proud of you, I am so proud of you baby girl, we have faith in you kid don't let us down now" he had to leave then, and he looked over is shoulder at her one last time before walking out, but before he left, he spoke two words to her, words of power, and strength.

"Semper Fidelis Tali"

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Spoiler Alert: I am not going to make Tali die, I enjoy writing about her too much

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