"You should see your dad." Abby said suddenly.
Ziva's brows furrowed in confusion. "How would that help the case?"
"It wouldn't. Have you even spoken to him?"
"No."
"Okay."
"What does it matter to you?"
Abby launched into a rambled explanation that did make sense. Ziva made a mental note to herself. She had to come back and talk to Abby.
"There have been times I felt this job take a piece of me. Where I worried it might be gone forever." Eli David supposedly said how he felt.
"Sometimes life surprises you." His daughter replied.
"Those are the moments worth living for, my Ziva." He kissed her forehead, after which she watched him leave.
Director David had left the building, and Ziva had been staring at the close elevator doors beyond which she saw her father disappear into.
She couldn't shake off this feeling about her father. There was a large part of her that was so happy that their relationship had maybe changed for the better. He had even kissed her on the forehead. But was it real?
Or was it all an act? She didn't know if she could even trust her own father anymore. She certainly didn't forget that he left her for the dead in the desert. And it certainly didn't help that he had sent Malachi to push the murder of Daniel Cryer onto her shoulders.
And here he was, showing actual concern for her well-being. She couldn't help but feel that there was always an underlying ulterior motive behind each and every one of his actions. He had proved it to be true time and time again hadn't he? Such were the so many sides to one Eli David.
As she continued staring ahead, a flurry of brown came into her line of sight.
"What are you looking at?" Ah, Tony.
"At nothing." She ignored his presence as she punched at her keyboard, trying to type her report.
She was angry at herself. She didn't understand why her subconscious refused to let her believe that her father's concern for her was real. Why couldn't she just believe that her father had a heart? Why couldn't they have a normal relationship?
"Woah woah, hold on there. What did the keyboard do to you?" Tony asked with the usual charming smile.
Ziva just continued ignoring him. If she ignored him long enough, perhaps he'd take the hint and go away.
"Think of the poor keys on that keyboard." He gave a fake pout.
She didn't even spare him a look.
"You should just take a bat and hit the keyboard you know. More damage. Gibbs would do that. Smart man."
Nothing.
"Stab it with your knife then. That's original. Like you got your whole own style."
Still nothing.
"Use a gun?"
She was absolutely ignoring him.
Tony sighed. "Is this about your father?"
Ah, that got her attention. She stopped abusing the keyboard.
"For the record, no offence though, I still don't like him." Tony proclaimed.
"It is totally fine with me."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. He did almost strangle you once, I think."
"Oh yeah. Almost forgot that. No, not really. I remember."
"How could you not?"
"Yeah. I don't trust him."
"I cannot bring myself to trust him either." Ziva admitted as she cupped her chin with her hands, elbows bracing on her desk.
"Why?"
"I...don't know."
"I think you do know. But you know that's okay right?"
"What is okay?"
"That you don't trust your dad. Because it looks to me like he has given you many reasons to doubt him. Further than what I already know."
"You have no idea." Well, she really did have a tough childhood.
"I think it's okay to not trust our dads, you and me. Sometimes they aren't exactly father material."
"Sometimes?" She scoffed.
"Okay maybe more for your father. Hey, even I have to admit that I don't really trust my dad. Who knows, he might try to steal my girlfriend if I had one."
"Wait. You know what? He did try that once." He added as he frowned.
Ziva smiled at Tony in appreciation. He was doing the best he could to make her feel better about herself. "Thanks Tony."
"For what? For being me? Oh anytime." He winked at her.
She simply rolled her eyes at his self-flattering.
"See you tomorrow." Tony bid, giving himself a mental pat on the back for making his partner a bit more happier.
"Yeah bye."
Ziva still had her chin cupped, as she just stared forward. Just thinking. It was a good time to think, since it was quiet in the bullpen.
"What'cha thinking about?"
"Gibbs."
He responded to his name by sitting himself on the edge of Ziva's desk.
"Your father gave you this?" He asked as he toyed with the small Flag of Israel in her stationery holder.
"Yes."
He stopped playing around and looked at her. He knew she must have been affected by the whole tirade of her father for the past couple of days.
"What's wrong Ziva?"
"I do not know. I just...I do not dare to trust my father."
"What makes you say that?"
"He actually cared for my safety when I was trying to protect him. And he kissed me on the forehead just now. He has not done that in a very long time."
"So it makes you suspicious?"
"A little. His sudden display of human emotions made me wonder if he did it with an intention."
"What intention could he possibly have?"
"I am not sure. But I would not put it past my father to fake concern for a bigger cause. Better cause than me. There is always a better cause than me."
"I'm not going to speak up for him."
"What do you have against him?"
"I don't."
"I thought you would have been able to relate to him as a father."
"He's not a father. Not to me. He left you in the desert to die, Ziva. Even if I had to recognize him as one, he would be one heck of a sorry excuse."
"And might I add, he brushed it off simply by stating that and I quote, 'You are not dead'. Just like that." Ziva now felt justified for feeling the way that she did.
"I still stand by my opinion that your father isn't a good man Ziver."
"I know that. I do not understand why, but I cannot just stop caring for him altogether. He is my father." She sighed a heavy sigh.
"And you won't ever stop caring."
"How do you know? Maybe he might do something so bad that I cannot bring myself to care anymore."
"It's because you're a good daughter." Gibbs smiled and dropped a kiss on her forehead like her father did.
Only this time, Ziva could be sure that there were no hidden intentions behind the affectionate gesture. And to be honest, it was Gibbs that first came to mind when Eli gave her a kiss on the forehead. Looks like Ziva really did treat Gibbs as the closest thing she had to a father.
"Thanks Gibbs." She said as she hugged him, arms around his torso and her cheek pushed against his stomach.
Gibbs stroked her hair, secretly smiling at himself. He really did like being the main father figure in Ziva's life.
Ziva pulled back, saying "Do not tell anyone I just did that."
Gibbs shook his head and replied "Only if you don't tell anyone I did that too."
Both of them cracked up, as they weren't much ones for hugs. Only on some occasions.
"Hey Gibbs." Ziva called before he left.
"Yeah?"
"Do you have time?"
"Sure. What's up?"
"Let us go see Abby." She announced as she headed for the elevator, Gibbs following along beside her.
"Why?"
"She sounded sad when she was telling me to talk to my father."
"I see. You need me to cheer her up just in case."
"They made you leader of your own team for a reason." She smiled.
"Abby!" Ziva shouted over the loud music.
Abby was ignorantly still dancing around on the spot, back facing towards Gibbs and Ziva.
"Abs! Music!" Gibbs boomed.
"Oh! You scared me Gibbs!" Abby heard him and turned off her music.
"What brings the both of you down here?" She continued.
Ziva went forward and pulled Abby into a hug. Abby was surprised. Very surprised. Ziva let go and beamed at Abby.
"I usually hug people, not the other way around." Abby sounded confused.
"But what the hell." She laughed as she gave returned Ziva's hug with a tight hug of her own this time round.
"Thanks for the advice on my father. And for why I am here...You sounded sad." Ziva said.
"Wow, I must have sounded really down if you decided to come hug me." She mused cheerfully.
"And of course, I brought Gibbs." Ziva stood to the side and gestured to the man standing slightly behind her.
"C'mere Abs." He beckoned as she ran into his arms, giving him her usual bone-crushing hug.
"You know you'll always be my girl." He said softly beside her ear, loud enough that even Ziva could hear it.
He looked over Abby's shoulder to meet Ziva's eyes, mouthing 'You too'. Ziva nodded and smiled back, touched that Gibbs admitted that he saw her as a daughter too.
"I know Gibbs. I know you'll love me like a daughter forever and ever." Abby said adorably, causing Ziva to chuckle.
"Don't worry Ziva. Gibbs has room in his heart for you too!" Abby included Ziva gleefully.
"I know Abby." Ziva giggled at Abby's cute nature.
Ziva knew that come what may in the future, even if Eli wasn't there, Gibbs would always be. Because he would always be more of a father to her, than her real father will ever be.
Woo! I posted this for good luck. Kind of. Because I'm gonna get my posting results back today! It basically means which education institution I'm getting posted to next! Wish me luck!
Much more shorter than what I do usually...but yeah. The episode tag after this one will back to the longer kind! Leave me a review peeps! Sorry if this one doesn't manage to elaborate enough. I need more inspiration :( And I shall look under my blanket to find it! :)