She reaches for her phone. She reaches too far, and ends up on the floor. She searches the coffee table for the phone. Finally she finds it. She pulls the phone to her ear, as she attempts to get off the floor.

"Hello?"

"Is he ready to come home yet?"

"He is home."

"Did I wake you?"

"It is only 0530," she points out.

"You're usually up."

"What do you want?"

"I am leaving here in an hour."

"Leaving where?"

"The airport."

"Why?"

"I'm coming to get him."

"No, you're not."

"I'll be there in a few hours, make sure that he's ready."

"He is not going anywhere."

"Ziva you can't stop me from taking him."

"He is my son."

"You know that it is better this way."

"No. I do not know that. Just because it is your way, does not mean that it is better."

"He is coming home, with me."

"No. He isn't. Your way is not the only way. I have allowed it to be the only way, for far too long."

"And now what? What are you going to do to stop me?"

"Whatever I have to do."

"Ziva you don't want to do this. You don't want this responsibility. You have a career that you love. You work all the time. There is no time for him."

"I am his mother."

"Ziva, stop being so stubborn."

"I am not going to let you take him."

"Ziva, please be reasonable. Let him come home with me, and we can work out a visitation schedule. It is better that way."

"I don't believe you."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't believe anything that you say, anymore."

"Have I given you reason to doubt me?"

"Maybe you should ask Eli," she hangs up the phone.

She looks up, and finds Caleb standing in the doorway of her room.

"I am sorry that you had to hear that."

"How are you going to keep her from taking me?"

"Get dressed, I have some phone calls to make."

"I don't want to go back with her. I want to stay with you."

"I know. Go take your shower, and get dressed. I am going to try to figure this out."

"Ok," he agrees.

He slinks back into her room. She dials a familiar number. It rings several times.

"Hello?"

"I am sorry to be calling you so early."

"Something wrong, Ziva?"

"I think that I need to break rule number 13."

"Why is that?"

"Rivka is flying in later, she is going to try to take Caleb back, with her."

"I've got a better idea."

"What's that?"

"There is a judge who owes me a favor. Let me give him a call," Gibbs replies.

"Ok."

"I'll call you back."

Five minutes later her phone rings, "David," she answers.

"You need to meet him in his chambers at 0730. Judge Grant Peterson. He's expecting you."

"Thank you."

"Ziva?"

"You're taking the day off."

"No, I want to be there."

"Not a question."

"It's better if I'm there," she hangs up, having the final say.

Caleb comes out of the bedroom, and makes his way to the kitchen. Ziva heads into the bathroom, to take a shower. Fifteen minutes later she returns dressed, and ready to go. She grabs her keys and her phone, and heads towards the door.

"Come on. We've got to go."

"Go where?"

"To fix this," she replies.

She's sitting at her desk, when the force of nature, that is her mother, steps off the elevator. She tries her hardest not to make eye contact. Tony, McGee, and Gibbs, all stare up, at the woman, who stands before Ziva. There was an uncanny resemblance. It was obvious that the woman standing in their squad room, was her mother.

Rivka clears her throat. Ziva looks up, from her computer screen. She smiles, and asks, "Can I help you?"

"You know that you can. Where is Caleb? I have come to take him home?"

"He's currently at an undisclosed location."

"Ziva, tell me where he is. He is coming home with me."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"About Chris."

"What's to tell?"

"Is he trying to get custody of Caleb?"

"So what if he is? It will never happen. I have the best team of lawyers, that money can buy."

"Why didn't you mention it?"

"I didn't think that it was important."

"There are a lot of things that you don't think are important."

"Ziva just tell me where he is. Don't make this any harder than it has to be."

She opens her desk drawer, and pulls out a stack of papers. She hands them to her mother.

"Did you bring your lawyers?"

"No, why?"

"You should probably have them look over that."

"What is this?"

"It is a copy or a legal document that grants me temporary custody of Caleb, until a custody hearing can be arranged."

"You can't be serious."

"I can. Now, if you don't mind, I have work to do."

"He is not going to stay with you."

"He is old enough to decide for himself, now."

"And you think that he will choose you?"

"He already has."

"Ziva, this is not a road that you want to go down."

"And why is that?"

"You won't win."

"Why not? I am his mother."

"Where have you been his entire life? You haven't been there for him. I have taken care of him, his entire life. I have provided him with clothing, shelter, and an education. I have given him all the best things that money can buy."

"And you forgot about the most important thing."

"What is that?"

"Love."

"I love him."

"You are not his mother."

"Giving birth to a child, does not make you a mother."

"Do we really have to do this here?"

"Why not? Are you ashamed of him, Ziva? He is your son."

"There is a more appropriate place to do this. There are conference rooms."

"We will do this here, and we will do this now."

"You are not taking him."

"Try and stop me."

"If you lay one finger on him I will personally see to it that you never see him again."

"Is that a threat?"

"No," Ziva shakes her head, "Mother, it's a promise."

"Ziva, I am not afraid of you."

"Then that is your mistake."

"Why are you making this so difficult?"

"Because he is my son. He is not your son. He belongs to me."

"You have to do what is best for him."

"I agree."

"You need to send him home, with me."

"It is best for him, to stay here, with me."

"In your tiny apartment? If he stays here what do you have to offer? You work all the time, you will never see him."

"I don't see him now. I haven't seen him in years. You do not let me see him. You do not let me see my own son."

"I didn't want you to upset him."

"You upset him. You hurt him. You did all of that, by keeping me from him."

"If you had showed up on my doorstep to see him, I would not have stopped you."

"That's not true, and you know it."

"Ziva why are you doing this?"

"Because he needs me. He is my son. It is my job to protect him, even if it is from you."

"Ziva, you are being unreasonable."

"You made a deal with the devil, to ensure that I would not be an obstacle."

"I..."

"You made a deal with Eli."

"I had no choice."

"Are you planning on making a deal with Chris, too? Heaven forbid he drag your name through the mud, or expose who you really are."

"I don't know who you think that I am, but..."

"You took my son from me. You moved him out of the country. What kind of a mother does that?"

"I was trying to protect you. Why can't you see that?"

"Because you weren't protecting me. You were protecting yourself. You didn't want anyone to know the truth. You thought that people would judge you, because of the choices that I made. What kind of mother allows her teenaged daughter to spend three months abroad? Only to have her come home, pregnant? That would reflect badly on you."

"I have worked hard..."

Ziva cuts her off, "You have never worked. You screwed up the only thing that you have ever done."

"I am a good mother."

"You used to be a good mother."

"Ziva..."

"Please, leave. Do not make me ask twice."

"Fine, but I will be back."

"I know that you will."