Wow, you guys liked that last chapter. This next one is a bit slow, but necessary. I hope you enjoy.
I do not own any of NCIS, but if I did, I would have given Tim something interesting to do in the show by now ... sigh ...
All three awoke at pretty much the same time. They ate quietly and quickly, and were ready to head out a short time later.
They followed the same pattern, stopping twice a 'day', once to feed themselves and then not again until they were ready to sleep. They couldn't say that they were stopping at mid-day, sleeping at night, and getting up in the morning, because nothing changed. The sky stayed the same grey color, the landscape stayed the same flat grey rocky land.
After what the team considered the fourth day, they started to question their guide.
"Are we really going anywhere?" Tony grumbled. "I swear, I feel like I've been just marching in place."
Ari paused. They held out longer than I thought they would ... this team always did surprise me. He turned to them. "As I mentioned, we were on the very outer limits of the underworld. I did not wish to be around others and souls tend to ... congregate ... further in."
"Why?" Gibbs gruffed.
"Why what?" Ari asked back stiffly.
"Why did you want to separate yourself ... and Tim ... from everyone else?"
Ari smiled malevolently. "We have our reasons." He turned around and picked up Tim, this time carrying the boy in his arms while the child looked out over his shoulder.
Ziva was starting to think that this mission was going to fail. She sighed to herself then looked up ... and it seemed as though Tim was looking at her. Not through her, but actually at her. She took a chance and smiled.
Tim blushed and ducked his head down.
Ari looked at him, then over his shoulder to Ziva. He smiled then turned his attention back to Tim, very quietly talking to him.
Ziva stumbled when she realized that Tim had actually responded to her. She had tried to catch his eye again, but he wouldn't look her way.
"Ziva, you alright?" Gibbs asked as he caught her arm.
"I think he saw me." Ziva barely whispered.
The trio stopped and stared at Ari's back. "Really, Ziva?"
"I ... I am not one hundred percent sure ... but ..." She straightened herself and quickened her step to catch up with Ari and Tim, who had kept moving.
Tony and Gibbs exchanged a look. Not knowing if there was really progress, or if she was grasping at straws. Neither man wanted to voice what they really thought. Instead, they also sped up to catch up to the rest of their group.
Nothing else happened the rest of the 'day', and even Ziva started to question if what had happened earlier meant anything at all.
When they stopped for the second daily rest period, something different happened. Ari sat on a large rock and pulled Tim in front of him. He held his finger up, as if telling the child something, but no words were exchanged. Tim nodded and ran off.
Gibbs became concerned. "Should he be running off on his own?"
Ari watched after him before turning to Gibbs. "He will be fine. I will know if he is in trouble."
"Why are you two so connected?"
"Does that make you uncomfortable Gibbs?" Ari said in a teasing tone.
"Damn straight, it does!"
Ari leered at him, but didn't say a word.
Team Gibbs ate quietly, but on full alert, keeping an eye out for Tim. He suddenly appeared behind Ari, wearing a small smile. He stood on his tip-toes and whispered into Ari's ear. He nodded, put his arm around Tim's back and gave him an encouraging push forward.
Tim hesitantly walked over to Ziva, hands behind his back, as if he was holding something. He glanced at her, then down to his feet, then to her again. "H-h-hi!"
"Hello, there." Ziva wanted to jump up and grab him, but she knew that would scare him off. So she used all of her Mossad training to keep her emotions under control. "My name is Ziva. What is yours?"
He gave her a shy smile and blushed all the way to his ears. "Tim." He said very quietly. "These ... these are for you." He brought his hands forward and gave her a bouquet of Lily of the Valley flowers.
"For me? Thank you." She reached her hands out to take the flowers. When she grabbed them, Tim didn't let go right away.
He looked her in the eyes. "You're pretty." His face was now beet red. He then quickly let go and ran behind Ari.
Ari held a small smile as he looked over his shoulder to the boy. "Kol HaKavod!"
Tim peeked around Ari's arm, to see how Ziva was reacting.
Ziva was so shocked at the compliment that she didn't even realize he had ran away from her. "I ... thank you." She smiled at the child.
Tim smiled brighter and ducked back behind Ari. He looked at his sister and even his smile grew wider. "Progress is being made."
Ziva was lightly fingering the beautifully delicate bell flowers. "It is definitely a start."
"Oh, it's more than a start. I suggest you look closer at those flowers."
Ziva did and realized that she was holding three stems of flowers. Not one or two or four, but three; one for each of them.
When he realized his sister understood the significance of what she was holding, he had a suggestion for her. "If I were you three, I would hold onto those. They represent purity."
Ziva handed the flowers to Gibbs and DiNozzo. When Tony had his he looked over it with a suspicious eye. "Why are there flowers of purity in hell?"
"We are not in hell. It may seem like it, but this is not hell ... per say. This is the underworld or afterlife, or however you want to say it. There is both good and evil here. Are not the child and I proof of that?"
Tony looked thoughtful as he digested what he was just told. He placed the flower stem in his pocket that was already holding the peach tree bloom. This gives a whole new meaning to Flower Power, he thought to himself and promised to look more into it if they ever got back to the living world.
Gibbs accepted his without a word. Starting to feel for the first time that might actually succeed. He decided to weave it into his belt loops, on the opposite side from the peach tree blooms.
They continued eating, all with eyes on Tim, while he focused on Ziva as she wove the flower stem into her hair. She waived him over.
The child looked at Ari for permission, when he nodded, Tim made his way over to his former teammate.
"I have something you might like." Ziva reached into her backpack and pulled out a package of Nutter Butters.
Tim looked like he wanted to take them, but was afraid. He reached out for them but ended up pulling his hand back before coming close to touching them.
Ziva wasn't discouraged. She placed them on the rock beside her. "I will leave them here. You are welcome to them if you wish." She smiled brightly at the boy.
He ran back behind Ari, but kept his focus on the Nutter Butters. Ziva knew by 'morning', they would be gone and her smile deepened.
All three slept very soundly for the first time since their friend had been taken.
XXXX
In the 'morning' the three went about their normal routine and were ready to move. As predicted, the Nutter Butters were no where in sight, causing each of Team Gibbs to smile.
This time as they walked, Tim split his time running back and forth between Ari and Ziva. There were not many words exchanged, but each time he went to Ziva, Tim seemed to be more and more comfortable with her.
Right before he took off to join Ari again, Tim grabbed Ziva's hand and gently pulled on her along.
Ziva went willingly, letting Tim pull her to catch up to Ari. When they did, Tim did not let go of Ziva and used his other hand to grab one of Ari's.
Ari first looked down to him, then up to his sister. He gave a genuine smile before returning his attention to where they were going.
Ziva felt butterflies in her stomach. Not only were things going well with Tim, but the smile Ari had given her reminded her of a time when they were children, before they were corrupted by their father's scheming.
Behind them, Gibbs and DiNozzo looked on, feeling left out. Gibbs could see the anger building in Tony as his jaw clenched and unclenched; and the grip on his walking stick was turning his knuckles white. Remembering what Ari had said about negative emotions, Gibbs spoke to his senior agent. "You know, it makes sense that he would acknowledge Ziva first."
Tony's head whipped around to him. "What? Why?"
"Well, he was the first to accept her on the team."
"Yeah, so?"
"They've never had the antagonistic relationship that you and I have had with him."
Tony stopped and stared at Gibbs.
"Think about it. He helped her find a place to live; gave her all of the short cuts; worked on English with her. She may have had her doubts about him, but to his face, she always gave encouragement and support." Gibbs ice-blue eyes met hazel ones. "He always knew where he stood with Ziva."
"It's not fair! We knew him longer!"
Gibbs reached out and placed a comforting hand on Tony shoulder, then turned him and started walking again. "I know, our time will come."
"But ..."
Gibbs shook his head. "No butts, it was our own impatience and shortsightedness that got us into this situation to begin with."
Tony sighed deeply and started at the three people walking in front of him. "Yeah, you're right. You're always right."
Gibbs let his hand drop. "Not always DiNozzo. Not always."
They followed along in silence.
XXXX
During the 'mid-day' stop, something else new happened. A sound was heard. None of the three realized how quiet it had been until they noticed what seemed to be a humming in the background.
"Brother, do you hear ..." Ziva trailed off when she saw the expression on Ari's face, dread. "Ari?"
He had been standing, facing them, but his head cocked to the side as if he was listening to somebody whisper to him. He focused back on them and explained. "You are starting to hear the sounds of the lost souls. That means we are getting close. Be on alert."
"Why is that?" Gibbs asked.
"Lost souls are ... unpredictable. They could try to attack you, or latch on to you, or invade you, or any number of things. They are lost for a reason."
All three nodded their understanding. They ate quickly and resumed their journey. By the time they were ready for their second stop, the humming had indeed intensified to a low rumble.
However, instead of feeling good about the progress they had made, a growing feeling of unease was spreading. It was such a strong feeling, that it had a physical affect. Tony rubbed at his arms as if he had bugs crawling on him; Gibbs kept grabbing the bridge of his nose, trying to fight off a growing headache; and Ziva could have sworn that someone was just on the edge of her periphery vision, so much so that she pulled out a throwing knife so that she could be ready for an attack.
Even Tim had reacted. He no longer reach out or acknowledged Ziva. He stayed attached to Ari's leg, as if he could get close enough to meld into it.
Ari himself was looking around, as if waiting for something to happen. He kept a hand on Tim's shoulder and held the boy close to him, as if he too were trying to have Tim disappear into his leg.
Ziva quickly put up the protective barricade before they ate instead of waiting until they were ready to sleep.
Once it was ready, Ari peeled Tim off of his leg and pushed him into the barrier and towards Ziva. Tim turned around immediately, ready to run back to Ari. The older man put up his finger, like he had done earlier and Tim stopped.
The two stared at each other for a long while, before Tim slowly nodded and then sat down by Ziva. She reached out and placed a comforting hand on his head, like she had seen Ari do many times. "It will be alright young one. You are safe with me. I will protect you."
Big, innocent, green eyes looked worriedly into her brown eyes. "But who's going to protect him?"
Ziva smiled confidently to the boy. "Do not worry. Ari can take care of himself."
"That's what he says."
"Then it is the truth."
Tim studied Ziva. She knew he was looking for any doubt she might have, so she showed him none.
He sighed heavily, then leaned up against her.
Ziva knew this was a very big show of trust. She wrapped her arm around Tim and he snuggled into her side. She smiled down to him, started rocking, and without even thinking about it, started singing a lullaby that had been sung to her as a child.
Tim's breathing evened out and he appeared to be sleeping, which worried Ziva.
She first looked at Ari. He was outside of the barrier and his attention was elsewhere as he scanned the surroundings for any sign of trouble. Then she looked at Gibbs, he was wearing a soft smile. "I do not understand. I thought Ari told us that souls do not need any rest."
Gibbs stood up, unrolled his sleeping bag. Once his bed was ready, he did the same for Ziva. "I don't know for sure, but maybe its because he's not dead."
Ziva looked at the child curled up against her. "I suppose that does make some sense." She was surprised when Gibbs picked up her and Tim. He carried them over to Ziva's sleeping bag and got them settled in. He had done this on a couple of occasions with Shannon and Kelly. They use to have a 'girls night' by watching late night B-movies on the weekends. They would always fall asleep together, usually in a sitting position and it wasn't always a simple matter of sliding them down into a more comfortable position.
Ziva curled herself around Tim and he, in turn, nestled further into her until they both were comfortable. As she stroked his hair and held him close a wave of protectiveness hit her. She kissed the top of his head and for the first time ever in her life thought about what it would be like to be a mother.
Kol HaKavod = way to go, well done.