It was a warehouse along the Anacostia, and when NCIS got there, FBI had their team positioned and at the ready.
"Tobias, got a visual?" Gibbs asked, unholstering his SIG.
"Not exactly. We didn't see the girl, but we spotted some movement in a room in back. We've found four other rooms that she could be in. We have visual in the main warehouse, though. She's not there, but there are guards walking around and there're crates full of weapons and ammunitions."
"What's the plan?"
"Flash-bang and ambush the five rooms at once, then from there move to the main room."
"McGee, room five. DiNozzo, room three. David, with him." The team dispersed. Once everyone was in position, Gibbs gave the signal to start the ambush. After that it was all a blur. Shots were fired, people were yelling, and nobody could see anything thanks to the flash-bangs. Once the fog cleared, Gibbs saw Emma tied to a chair. He quickly cuffed the leftover dirtbags then rushed to her. He untied her and quickly looked her over for injury and saw blood coming from a wound on the side of her head. He called for an ambulance, picked her up, and carried her out of the building.
McGee walked into the hospital waiting room, "Boss, we have five guys in custody, four are dead. There were twelve, according to one of them, so that leaves three unaccounted for. We have every resource looking for them now."
"We know their motive?" Gibbs asked.
"No, but I'm suspecting terrorism. Maybe it was Hamas, thinking Ari snitched on them to Mossad and are taking it out on his daughter?"
"Yeah, seems like our best guess right now."
"How is she?"
"Before we stormed the place, one of them hit her with a gun. Needed six stitches but only has a mild concussion. Ziva, the Keatings, and Dr. Cranston are with a social worker trying to sort everything out."
"Ziva wants custody?"
"I don't know. It's just standard procedure when family turns up."
"I think she should." Tony said from behind them.
"She just buried her father. She's still mourning. How do you expect her to support a kid?" Gibbs asked.
"I don't know. I was thinking…Emma could support her. I mean, Ziva needs family other than us and people say there's no greater joy then children."
"They say the same thing about dogs."
A door opened and Ziva and the others filed out. Dr. Cranston got on her phone, the Keating's sat aside to talk it over, and Ziva walked over to them.
"So, how'd it go?" Tony asked cheerfully.
"They are giving me the option of custody over her. Her foster family wants her to be with actual family, and I'm the only one in the DC area."
"Ok. So what do you want?" Gibbs said.
She sighed, "Honestly, I do not know. A part of me says I should, but another part of me says no- I mean, how can I… I wouldn't know what to do."
"Ziva, she's fourteen. She can tell you what she needs unlike a baby and you just have to keep her out of trouble." Tony said.
"But she is injured and just went through a very traumatic event. She is going to need me more, and I have to work."
"Take a vacation, then." Gibbs said. "I doubt this is the first time you've had to take care of a teenage girl."
It was silent when Gibbs brought up Tali. Ziva thought everything over, and Tony interrupted her thoughts. "Besides, you won't be doing this alone. Especially after Abby meets her. You have all of us for backup- you're not alone."
After another minute or so, she finally spoke. "Ok. She will stay with me. I will have to get a bigger apartment soon, though."
"Why don't you both stay with me for now? I've got plenty of room, and my house is closer to her school." Gibbs said. She paused. Did she really want to live with her boss? He was Gibbs and that was different, but still, did she want that?
"Uh…ok…" She said automatically.
"Now, go home and get some rest. Emma's sedated until tomorrow." He told her. Once she was gone, he turned to Tony and McGee. "Same goes for you two. It's gonna be a long week."
"And you, boss?" Tim asked.
"I have to clean up my house. It's been a while since I've had two girls living with me."