Family Ties Part 1

Ziva left her father's office to find Tony waiting for her. She sighed and shook her head indicating she didn't want to talk about it. He understood. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear the bloody duty of her family troubles. They headed out of the main building and through a courtyard in to the setting sunlight.

"So what are we going to do for the rest of the day?" Tony asked Ziva stretching his arms before him.

"I don't know. I believe Taylah probably has plans for us." Ziva sighed. He could tell she wasn't keen to go.

"I am going to call Gibbs and give him an update." Tony said and wandered off leaving Ziva to be alone to wallow in her thoughts.

She took a seat on the side of a small fountain and thought of her father's words. He hadn't been close to Nettie. They had fallen out about Ziva's mother many years ago, Nettie liked the woman and was outraged when Eli sent her away with the girls. He was however formally remorseful for the woman's passing. He had also talked with her about the child Taylah. He was trying to raise her as he had raised Ziva. But better so she wouldn't leave to America and become a citizen. Ziva however knew how it felt to be raised like her, the pressure, and the need for appreciation. She had fought with her father about the girls' welfare. But he had not listened.

"Ziva you awake?"

It was Tony. She smiled and nodded then stood up.

"Had a hard day?" He asked

She yawned and nodded.

"Yes Tony, it has been a hard day." Ziva said "I am just glad it will be over soon."

They walked through the corridor and in to a car park. Ziva approached a motor bike and took a helmet off the back. Tony took the other and went to get on first. She laughed and shook her head.

"I'm driving." She said grinning and climbing on to the front of the bike. Tony sighed and got on behind her unwillingly. "Hold on tight."

They zoomed at to speed out of the parking lot. Tony held on tight with fear for his life; they zoomed round hair pin corners and tipped laboriously on roundabouts. Tony hated to lean on her when they braked; he was scared of squashing her in to the front of the bike whenever they tipped.

"Stop wriggling." She said when they hit the brakes at the lights

"I'm sorry I just didn't want to squash you." He replied muffled with a sarcastic tone.

They zoomed off again and less than 10 minutes later they reached a Mediterranean designed house just on the edge of town. They dismounted just outside a garage on a paved driveway and approached the front door. The sun had almost set and it was becoming cool.

"Ah this is where Ziva grew up?" Tony asked looking around the darkening garden.

"Um… No. I grew up further out of town. My father bought this house when he became director of Mossad." Ziva replied opening the side door.

"Oh," Tony grinned feeling stupid "Of course."

They walked in to an empty room with some tables and chairs. They could hear some voices from the next room. Ziva let the way through a narrow door and in to the next room. In there they found Taylah, her body guard Lee along with a couple of women dressed in black, deep in conversation in Hebrew. Ziva approached them and greeted them as Tony stood by the door observing.

A few minutes later Ziva walked over to him.

"Are you alright, Tony?" She asked

He nodded

"Goodnight everyone" Ziva said to the room in general in English. Everyone waved as she left. Tony nodded and smiled at them and then followed her. He took the spare room just across from hers.

Ziva was sitting by the window reading a Hebrew book when Tony walked in. He was still dressed but he was tieless and his shirt was un-tucked. Everyone was in bed and Tony had cleared all the rooms of the house.

"Hey," He said and sat across from her on the window seat. "You should get some sleep."

She shook her head and lay down her book, rubbing her eyes.

"I can't. I have too much to think about. Plus I could just be murdered in my sleep."

"Not while I'm around." He said simply and she rolled her eyes at his cliché "I am not sleeping so you might as well, get some sleep for all of us."

Ziva stood up and crossed to her bed and climbed in to it, yawning.

"Are you going to watch me sleep?" She asked

"Yeah I am." Tony smiled and made himself comfortable on the seat. She rolled her eyes again and pulled the blankets over herself.

They didn't speak again that night because she fell asleep shortly after getting in to bed. Tony watched her for a few hours tossing and turning and once or twice mumbling to herself in her sleep before he also slipped off to sleep.

He was walking across Tiva's room towards her bed. She was in there but something was wrong. Her eyes were closed but her face was pale and cold. He pulled the sheet off her and saw the crimson bloodstain in her chest. He looked across the room and saw Eli wearing black. He shrugged at him and said. "It was necessary." He wanted to run at the man. But his legs were refusing to move and in fact he wasn't sure he had legs.

"Tony? Why are you sleeping? You're meant to be protecting Ziva." A child's voice said

"What-?" He mumbled and sat up. Taylah was standing in front of him with her arms crossed. She was wearing a black dress and her hair was half done as if she had escaped her stylist.

"Where is Ziva?" She asked

Tony sat up and looked around franticly. His heart sank. She was not in the room.

"Ziva?" He called walking out of the room cautiously

Then he heard laughter behind him

"Tony, do not worry! She is in the bathroom having a shower." Taylah laughed

"Don't do that!" He said frowning at her. "This isn't a game it is real life."

"Hey calm down it was just a joke!" She laughed "Silly feds!"

He frowned as she flounced off down the hall towards her room.

He went back in to his own room to change and when he came out Ziva was in her room fully dressed and brushing her wet hair.

"Have you seen Taylah?" One of Ziva's aunts asked in hevily accented English, She walking down the hall way towards him. He pointed the way she had gone and the woman smiled in thanks and went that way. He walked in to Ziva's room.

"Sleep well?" He asked checking out the windows for any sign of an eavesdropper.

"Yes. You certainly looked like you did." She grinned

"Yeah don't tell Gibbs I dozed off." He said pleadingly "I did have jet lag."

"Yes I know. Don't worry I won't bob you in."

"Dobb, Dobb you in" Tony corrected her. "We better start getting ready I'll check the perimeter."

Tony left and Ziva finished her hair. She crossed to the dresser and picked up a pair of earrings. She was wearing a black dress as you generally do for a funeral. While she was putting on her makeup Taylah ran in to her room and shut the door.

"Taylah, what's wrong?" She gasped as the small girl ran up to her.

"Aunty Cefa is trying to do my hair!" She panted "Help me escape!"

"Taylah you have to look nice." Ziva sighed and pulled the girl up on to her bed with her. "Why don't you let me do your hair?"

She nodded after thinking about her proposition and turned her hear so Ziva could plait her hair. After she was done the child pushed it and nodded in approval, looking at herself in the small hand mirror Ziva had handed her. Not long after Lee came up to the door to take Taylah to the car. Ziva met Tony in the corridor and they walked to the garage together.

They took two cars, one driven by Ziva with Tony and Taylah as passengers and the other car driven by Lee with Ziva's elderly relatives with him. They had left early to avoid traffic. But the roads of Tel-Aviv were still busy. Ziva honked and swerved, Tony was used to her shenanigans by now and Taylah seemed accustomed to it. The child was laughing and enjoying the ride. While Tony was trying to tell Ziva that he valued his life and didn't want to die here.

They arrived at the church and Ziva and Taylah got out of the car first while Tony stayed in. Ziva tapped on the window and he un-winded it.

"Tony you can get out of the car now." She said indignantly.

"I don't want to. Your father is looking at me funny and I think he wants to kill me again." Tony muttered looking passed her at the man near the church doors who was indeed looking his way.

"Don't worry I won't let him hurt you." She laughed "Just don't annoy him."

"How do I do that?"

"I don't know, try not speaking." She laughed.

Okay I hope you enjoyed Part 1. Part 2 is coming soon. I am sorry there isn't much Tiva I am trying to keep it realistic. I should really stop writing Fanfiction in my S+E class. *Sighs* Any way READ AND ENJOY!