"Why would you let someone get away with rape?" McGee was intrigued.

"Perception. Burrows is in the military. If a woman cries rape, no man on that ship would ever totally trust her again." Ziva replied, getting a distant look in her eyes.

"Well, you're a woman. What would you do?"

"I am different. After torturing them until they cried like babies, I would castrate them and give them what they deserve." Ziva said straight-forwardly, barely sparing a glance at McGee.

"Hmm. Spoken like a true almost-American." Tony sidled up next to her.

She barely acknowledged his presence when Gibbs came striding in. Ziva was upset. It wasn't obvious, but from her slightly downcast eyes Tony could tell. McGee was gonna get it so bad later. Not from Ziva. From him.

The case was closed, the truth was out. And Tony had something on the top of his To-Do List. All he needed was an opportunity.

The three agents on Team Gibbs had to finish up their case reports before they could go home. Tony had just returned from a wash of the face in the restroom to find Ziva missing from her table. "Where's Ziva?" Tony asked his geek.

"Coffee run. She's done with her report."

"How long has she been gone?"

"About ten minutes."

"So that means I still have time."

"Still have time for what?" McGee asked, faking disinterest.

"For this." Tony started walking closer to McGee.

"Tony...what are you doing? Why are you walking towar-" McGee was cut off when Tony's hand collided with the back of his head.

"Ow!"

"You deserve it." Smack.

"What did I do!" McGee exclaimed as he tried to dodge Tony's hand.

"What did you do?" Smack.

"You asked Ziva-" Smack.

"-a stupid question!" Smack.

"What did I ask!" McGee shot out of his chair, rubbing the tender back of his head.

"You asked her what she'd do if she was raped! Didn't think that one through, did ya?" Tony threw his hands up.

McGee's eyes widened when he came to terms of what he had asked Ziva. That was unchartered territory. "I-I...god I didn't- Shit." McGee stuttered.

"Shit is an understatement. We don't even know what happened to her that summer."

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologising to me? You should be apologising to Ziva."

"Then I accept your apology McGee." A feminine voice reached their ears.

"Ziva!" Both male agents straightened up in surprise.

"I got coffee." Ziva raised her hand which held a few more coffee cups.

Tony took the coffee from her awkwardly and sat back at his desk. McGee was standing uneasily at a side. His face was obviously plagued with guilt.

"It is okay McGee." Ziva said as she handed him his coffee.

He held the warm coffee cup in his hands, the shame of being tactless still rising. Seeing his McGee's expression, Ziva continued "I am over it anyway."

Tony and McGee's head snapped up. "You mean...you really got uhh..." McGee was taken aback slightly by the revelation.

"Yup." Ziva replied as she sat back in her own chair, while McGee had to take a seat too for his legs were getting weak.

"Was it umm...in Somalia?" Tony treaded as lightly as he could.

Ziva's face hardened at the mention of that hell hole, but answered with a "No."

"Then when?" Tony ventured further, now a bit confused.

Ziva didn't plan on the conversation getting so far. But since she started it, she figured she might as well spill the rest of the beans. "Well, I was fourteen."

Flashback

It was the year 1996. It had been two years since her half-brother had graduated from Edinburgh Medical College and he had been working in Edinburgh ever since, as far as she knew. He came back to visit his favourite sisters often when he was free, to which the two girls were always looking forward to.

Ziva David had been training for a long time, but not yet in any unit or team. But one day, a partner was introduced to her. Not an official one though. He was a guy that her father had assigned to mentor her. Uziel Lazar. He was in his teenage years too, eighteen to be exact. He was quite a good-looking young man. His jaw line was angular, his shoulders well-built and his eyes a nice shade of surprising dark blue. They got along well pretty quickly, forming a firm partnership and friendship.

End Of Flashback

"I got my first partner back then. His name was Uziel Lazar. He was very handsome. A charming eighteen year old." She continued.

"Was he the one who..." Tony asked, upon the mention of her inaugural partner.

"No, god no. You did not even let me finish!" She exclaimed.

"My bad, my bad."

"He was more of a mentor at first. I did not trust him since he was assigned to me by my father. But over time, I found him to be one of the people who were the closest to me."

Flashback

"You did good Ziva." Uziel smiled, hand slung over her shoulders.

"Thanks." She replied, proud of the praise.

The two had been tagged together for a few months. Uziel always looked out for his young partner, and had grown to be quite protective of her.

As they walked past a few of the cheeky men in the force, a flurry of whistles came about. "Looking hot Ziva!" One of them called out.

Ziva didn't like them. They were honestly sick in the mind. Although she was indeed a beautiful girl, she was fourteen for crying out loud. Ever since she joined the force, they made inappropriate remarks at her and it made her quite uncomfortable. But Uziel was always there to defend her. He would always be on the alert, trying his best to protect her without getting into any trouble.

This time though, one of the men overstepped the boundaries. Of course nobody knew who Ziva was. If they did, they wouldn't even dare go near her. Her father, Deputy Director David felt that it would be good for her that no one knew of their direct relationship. Only very few people knew about it. Uziel was one. He was also coincidentally quite well-aquainted with Ari.

The daring man walked up to Ziva and before she could move away, trailed his calloused finger down her face. Uziel was furious. The guts of this man irked him. He felt the rage surge through his veins as he shoved the man away roughly, giving him a strong and good-aimed punch.

"Do not touch her!" Uziel shouted, gathering the attention of spectating men and women.

The man had a thin streak of blood at the side of his mouth, caused by a split lip. He didn't believe the audacity of the teenage boy. He came back at Uziel with full force, to be held back by the group of men he had been hanging with before. He was a strong man, at least more developed and experienced than Uziel.

"Let go! Let go! Okay I am calm. Release me." The man eased himself and said to his comrades.

He pulled himself out from their grasps, and walked slowly towards Ziva. Instantly Uziel was by her side, scowling at him. "I am Adir Brahm, remember my name. You will regret what you did." He threatened quietly, either to Ziva or Uziel.

With that, he walked away. "I could have taken care of myself." Ziva complained.

"I did not like what he did." Uziel said, staring holes into the back of Adir's head.

"Come on. Stop staring. Let us just go." Ziva persuaded as she pulled her partner's arm.

End Of Flashback

"Uziel was a protective partner. There was this man called Adir Brahm. He was a few years older than Uziel, I think. He was very cheeky and I didn't like him. Uziel hated him." Ziva narrated.

"Why? Was it some strength contest?" McGee raised a question.

"No. Adir touched me, on the face to be exact. Uziel was angry and punched him. After which Adir threatened us. He said we would regret it."

"Is Adir the one who-" Tony asked, to be interrupted quickly by Ziva.

"Yes. That was what he meant by regretting what we did. He was a very strong man." Ziva didn't want to think about the details even though she was over the incident, but found it necessary to admit that she wasn't able to defend herself that well then.

"Oh."

McGee was silent.

"That is why I said what I said. If a woman in the military cries rape, no man would ever totally trust her again. Because that was what Adir told me."

Tony was angry beyond description. What sick bastard would do such a thing! Ziva really did have it hard when she was young. He wished he could be the one to wring the neck of Adir and torture him till he wished he was dead. "Did Uziel know?" He asked.

"He found out. I did not say anything at first because I believed what Adir said. But Adir was too proud. He taunted Uziel just a day later, which made Uziel suspect what had happened."

"Then what?"

"He came to ask me."

Flashback

"Ziva!" Uziel stormed into her sight.

"Yes?" Ziva answered as nonchalantly as possible.

Of course she was affected by what had happened. But wasn't it her father who forbade weakness?

"Did something happen with Adir?" Uziel's eyes were burning.

"No." Ziva couldn't meet his eyes because if she did, he could see the emotions in her eyes.

He grabbed her hand and pulled up her sleeve, revealing a darkening bruise around her wrist. Ziva yanked her hand back.

"I knew it. I knew it! He touched you! He bragged about it in my ear, that arrogant piece of trash! I did not believe him at first. I had to see it for myself." He forced his words through his clenched jaw.

"Touching was the least he did." Ziva added on, looking down.

Uziel was her partner, her friend, her surrogate brother. He deserved to know. Upon the revelation, Uziel eyes widened in shock and anger. "He...did he- he did not." He stammered with fury.

"Yeah."

"Dammit did he use any protection?"

"Thankfully yes."

"He is going to get it. I am going to kill him right now." Uziel said in a low menacing voice.

"Do not bother. I do not want you to get into trouble. He is stronger than you anyway."

"We have to tell your father."

"No! That is worse. He will think I am weak."

Ziva was right. Eli David saw the woman body as a useful weapon if used effectively. And all young Ziva ever wanted was to be accepted or praised by her father. Telling him what had happened would throw all of that down the drain.

Uziel realised that his young partner was right. He felt sorry for her. Being Eli David's daughter was maybe more of a curse. "Please do not say anything." Ziva asked Uziel with pleading eyes.

"Okay. Okay I will not. Adir will get what he deserves. But you are not leaving my sight anymore."

"What if I need to pee?"

"Simple. We pee together." Uziel said it like it was obvious.

Ziva punched her partner in the arm, and he hugged her in return. Uziel was probably the only other person that made her feel safe, other than Ari.

Uziel tousled her messy hair. "Come on I need to pee now. You are coming with me." He dragged her along.

"I thought you were joking!" Ziva stumbled along behind him.

Uziel laughed openly, keeping up his jovial responses to cheer Ziva up. But inside, there was a storm brewing.

End Of Flashback

"I told him the truth in the end. He was going to confront Adir, but I stopped him. I did not want him to get into trouble." Ziva went on.

"Where is Adir now? Because I would gladly chop him up into pieces for you." Tony asked, his heart smouldering with resentment.

"Count me in." McGee piped up.

Ziva chuckled. "Thanks guys. But I would not worry about that. I think he has already been taken care of."

"What?" Tony said.

"Why?" McGee echoed at the same time.

"He just dropped off the face of the Earth."

TBC

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