"Tony?" McGee asked, walking over to him and trying to peer at the letter in his hands.
Tony yanked the letter from his sight and folded it quickly and shoved it unceremoniously back inside its envelope. He looked at McGee and turned quickly away from him, to hide the tears that were falling down his face. He turned to his desk and picked up his phone. He dialed the numbers as he walked up the stairs and toward the conference room with it.
McGee turned back to Bishop. "That's strange," he said with a soft shrug. "He doesn't normally act like that. What are you looking up?"
"The new girl," Bishop said. "I'm sorry, but I don't trust Israelis."
McGee shook his head and headed toward the elevator to go inform Abby of what was going on, since Bishop was not the best company and neither him nor Tony really liked her yet, though they hoped she would grow on them, because it would make work difficult if she didn't.
"Ah, hello, Hetty," Gibbs said quietly. "I found someone that belongs to you. More like she found us, though."
"Special Agent David," Hetty said quietly. "I hope you are well. I have managed to cover your absence until last week when Director Vance paid us a visit. What was it all about?"
"Family matters, Hetty," Aria said quietly. "I had to go and I cannot tell you the reason at the moment. But, Vance knows them already. I have stopped and talked to him before talking to the team here in Washington. I will need to remain here for some time. I am sorry Hetty for not talking to you about this sooner."
"Me too," Hetty said. "I thought you could trust me?"
"You know me, Hetty. I act before I speak," Aria said.
"Just like your father," Hetty remarked.
"Please, do not say that. I do not want to be compared to him. It was for my sister. I apologize if it has upset you. Really, I do."
"You had a phone call yesterday. The boy said his name was Jeffrey and you would know how to reach him. He told me that you have been gone longer than he expected you to be," Hetty said quietly.
Aria looked away from the screen for a moment and glanced at Gibbs and then back to Hetty. "Thank you for the message. I shall call him."
"Good. Take care of her, Jethro. She's important and highly skilled at her job. I hope she is an asset to you while she's there. I know we miss her here," Hetty said.
"I'm sure she'll be an asset," Gibbs said with a smirk. "Thanks for your time, Hetty."
The screen went blank and Gibbs turned to Aria. They were sitting in the chairs. "I need to know everything, Aria. I need to know everything that you know about whatever threat is facing Ziva. Start talking."
"Can I make my phone call first?" Aria asked nervously. "I have not called him and he will be worried. If I can reach him at all."
"Go ahead," Gibbs said quietly and watched the girl pull out her phone and dial a number into it and put the phone to her ear.
The phone rang three times in Tony's ear. He looked at the clock. If Ziva was still in Israel it was nine at night there. He hoped she would answer the phone. Suddenly, the ringing stopped, but it was not a voice message that caught him. It was a gasp of breath and no words. He knew that she really had no idea what to say, especially after pouring her heart out in a letter that was sent with her sister that she had spent nine years not telling any of them about.
"Hello, Ziva," Tony said, and his voice cracked with emotion as he spoke to her.
"Hello, Tony," Ziva responded, her voice just as thick with emotions.
"I miss you," he said quietly. "I got your letter. I will trust her. I trust you. I love you. I will come for you."
There was the soft sound of a sob coming through the phone and a moment of silence in which Tony simply waited for her to say something. He stared out the window as he waited for her to speak, watching the cars pass by below.
"I love you too," Ziva said. "Thank you."
"Always, ahava," Tony said quietly, "always."
His voice was only barely over a whisper and he knew that he had only spoken Hebrew to her once and she had no idea the extent of his Hebrew, especially since he had gotten more into it after leaving Israel, because it gave him something to hold onto. He reached in his pocket and toyed with the necklace that was sitting there. The tears were thick in his eyes once more as he remembered the silent argument that their eyes had as she had placed it inside his coat pocket before they went to the airport.
"Ahava," Ziva whispered back to him, half surprised that he had used a Hebrew word and half pleased at what word he had chosen. "I will be waiting, right here."
A/N - Ahava means love in Hebrew.
