Title: A Long Way Home (Chapter Twelve)
Author: LizzieInk
A/N: Thank you all for the encouraging feedback. I just want to warn you that I am extremely scatter brained right now, as I just found out that I have been offered a job at a Ski Lodge for the winter season. Hopefully I won't make any major mistakes, but if I do please forgive me. I feel like Abby after a million caf-pows i.e bouncing all over the place and talking a mile a minute. Ha-ha. Anyway thanks for all your follows, favourites and kind words. You are all amazing.
Disclaimer: still stands…I hope you like this chapter!
Gibbs stood outside the interrogation room looking at the two agents that stood before him. He should have known that Tony would have insisted on joining them. He was as loyal as they came, and always looked out for everyone, Ziva especially, although she didn't necessarily always need it.
"Okay," said Gibbs, drawing in a large breath. "Yaniv has refused to cooperate with me. He merely refuses to speak, and rarely looks me in the eye. I am sorry I had to bring you in on this so soon Ziva." Gibbs gave her an apologetic look as he continued, "At this point I think that you're our best shot. He knows you. We have the Director of Mossad breathing down our necks, so if we want to get any information out of him we need to do it now."
Ziva lifted her chin, and a determined glint flashed in her eyes. "He will speak to me." She said simply.
Gibbs didn't even question it. Nodding once at Ziva, he turned to Tony. "I don't know if you should be in there. He might be more likely to speak if he and Ziva are alone."
Tony's shoulders lowered a little in defeat, but he too nodded his head. "Got it boss," and turning to face Ziva he said "I will be in observation if you need me."
Tony opened the door to the observation room, only to find someone was already in it.
"McGee!" Said Tony in surprise. "I thought you were trying to track down the hit and run driver?"
"Yeah, I am Tony. I just wanted to check in and see how the two of you are. Plus I was a little curious about Yaniv. You think he'll talk?"
"If anyone can make him talk it's her," Tony replied, nodding his head towards Ziva through the glass, as she entered the interrogation room next door.
Yaniv looked up as Ziva entered the room. His expression did not change, but his eyes trailed her as she slowly crossed the room and sat down carefully in the chair opposite him.
"I was sorry to hear that you are injured," he said quietly, his expression unreadable.
Ziva sat quietly for a moment, as if contemplating the truth in this. "I believe that you do not feel comfortable with my having been hurt. We have known each other for a long time Yaniv. I know what it is to feel as if you must protect your family at all costs, believe me I do, but if this goes on I may be injured a lot worse than this."
Ziva looked at him imploringly, her head tilted slightly to one side. "My father treated Ilan like his own son, and yet Ilan showed my father no mercy. He also came very close to killing myself and my partner. He has gone completely off grid on this Yaniv."
Yaniv Bodnar still sat as before, his eyes fixed on Ziva's.
Ziva paused a moment before continuing, her words full of gravity, "You know what happened with my brother Ari. I would have given my life for him. I continued to protect him when no one else did, even though I was beginning to see the truth at last. I tried my hardest to protect him as much as I could." Ziva said, blinking away the tears in her eyes, "But their comes a time when we ourselves must make a choice, Yaniv. When I realised that my brother Ari was beyond saving from himself, I chose to save others instead. It was the hardest choice I have ever had to make in my life, but I would do it again in a heartbeat."
Ziva wiped the tears away from her eyes, and looked down at the table in front of her. She gave Yaniv a moment to think about what she had said before she looked up again.
"The Mossad has a new Director now." She said slowly. "Ilan's plans to take over have failed, and he will have not only the Mossad, but also Homeland Security, the FBI and NCIS looking for him for the rest of his life. He will never be free no matter which way this goes. Nothing you say can buy his freedom, Yaniv. But it can buy freedom for others. If you tell me where he is, then I can stop him before he rips even more families apart."
Yaniv unclasped his hands and looked at Ziva disbelievingly. "And what will happen to me then Ziva? If I speak, I will become a traitor to my own blood. He would never let me walk away from this if I did so. He would kill me Ziva. Is that what you would have happen?"
Ziva stood angrily, "Ilan has the power to destroy many more lives than just yours Yaniv. If you cooperate with us then we can hold you here, and keep you under our protection. We would not need to hand you back to the Mossad. It is if you do not speak, that worries me. Trust me it is better that you do."
And with that Ziva turned on her heel and left Yaniv in the interrogation room alone. She would give him some time to think things through before she continued, Ziva thought to herself.
Ziva opened the door to Observation to find Tony alone, waiting patiently near the glass, a proud smile on his face. He extended a hand to her, and she took it hesitantly, as she stepped towards him.
"You did good, Ziva" Tony said comfortingly.
"Our situations are somewhat similar, I know." She said with a sad smile. "I hope that he tells us what he knows."
"He may not know anything at all…" Tony warned carefully.
"Oh, I think he knows something," Ziva said, narrowing her eyes, as she watched Yaniv curiously through the observation glass.
After what felt like hours Yaniv walked across to the door of the interrogation room and tapped on it lightly, while looking towards the glass behind which Tony and Ziva where concealed.
Ziva squeezed Tony's hand before heading back into the interrogation room to speak with Yaniv Bodnar.
It only took one look for Ziva to know what he was about to say.
"I am ready to talk."
A/N: Thoughts? ;)