Recap: Tuesday, 20th October 2009. Plays directly after Chapter 23.

~ Thunderstorm ~

It was late in the night when Gibbs arrived back home. He had returned to the office the evening before, right after he had tugged Mini-Ziva in for the night and had made sure that she was fast asleep.

Now, after having finally solved the latest case, the agent longed for some hours of uninterrupted sleep. There were only so much hours he could go without it.

Gibbs had just opened the front door of his house when the first lightening illuminated the eery quietness of the night. Even the dog from across the street wasn't patrolling the lawn like he did most of the nights.

"They probably had mercy and let the poor bastard into the house," musedGibbs as he thought about the weather forecast.

(A couple of minutes later)

By the time the storm raged with full force outside, Gibbs was ready to turn in. At least till his gut started to work overtime.

So instead of getting in between the blankets, he bypassed his bed and silently made his way through the house in order to check on his shrunk agents.

His gut was proved to be right as he opened the door to Ziva's room, just in time to find the room illuminated by lightening. In the short time in which he could see clearly, he was able to catch a glimpse of the bed, on which Mini-Ziva had curled up into a ball under her blanket and quilt.

"Where had this come from?" he briefly wondered as he saw the white and purple quilt.

The moment he turned the overhead light on, a loud thunderclap caused the little girl to jump. Her small frame shaking in fear.

As quick as the lightning flashed, the reason behind her deep-seated fear suddenly fell into place for Gibbs.

"How did she hurt her ear drums?" wondered the scientist.

"Explosion," Vance stated from the doorway. ''...she was caught in an explosion at the age of three."

Ziva whimpered under the covers and she quickly closed her eyes as another flash filtered through her protective layering.

The little girl's mind traveled back to how she was shopping with her parents in the market place and they were caught on the tail end of an explosion. Her ears had hurt for a long time afterward and her hearing had been gone too. An experience she never wanted to live through again.

Mini-Ziva jumped as a loud rumble sounded in her room. Another whimper escaped her lips as she closed her eyes to see rumble, dust and bloodied people in front of her. Ziva's fearful, brown eyes snapped open and she sniffed pitiful.

"Ziv," Gibbs called gently while he made his way over to the bed. He didn't want to frighten her any more than she already was. He carefully sat down and he tried to remove the blanket from where the little girl had pulled it over her head.

"Hey, it's okay," he soothed, laying a hand on where he guessed to be Ziva's back.

She tensed a little at the contact but soon removed the tension from her tiny body as she realized that it was only Gibbs who had come to comfort her. She trusted the agent as she had no reason to be afraid of him. In fact Gibbs had said that he would always help her, maybe he could get rid of the horrible noises and lights with his badge and NCIS. Those thoughts were soon gone from her mind as another low rumble sounded, not long after a bright flash of light.

-"Aba, ta'azôr li bevakashâ,"- she mumbled, her words muffled by the bed covers as she wished to be back at home.

"Ziva," Gibbs picked her and the blanket up at once, "It's just a storm." He gently removed the blanket from her head, "Nothing is going to hurt you. I promise you." He stroke her cheek before letting her bury her head into his shoulder, holding her tight as he felt her shaking against him.

(Flashback – Tel Aviv – about 25 years ago)

Eli observed the people around them. It was Friday afternoon and his wife, oldest daughter and he had decided to go for a walk. Ever since Ziva was born it was like a ritual for them. In the beginning it was just to sooth his seemingly always fidgeting baby girl to sleep, but soon it also heralded the start of the weekend, where he was finally able to spent some quality time with his family. The duty as Mossad Officer leaving him little time weekdays. Sometimes even those sacred moments at the weekend were denied by undercover operations, which separated him from his family for days, weeks or even months. Not today though.

On the fateful late summer day they had soon reached the market, their usual destination of their walks through the streets of Tel Aviv.

"Will you stop acting as if something bad is going to happen!" Ziva's mother exclaimed, frustrated with her husband checking their surroundings every few seconds.

It was then when Eli noticed a man who kept fiddling with something inside his jacket. He seemed nervous about something. The Mossad agent frowned. The man was acting very suspicious.

Lost in thought he didn't noticed as his daughter wandered off on her own. Something she was only allowed rarely and only while they were not far away.

"Where is Ziva?"

His wife laughed, "An good officer you are. Not even noticing how I give our daughter some money so that she can buy some apples." She pointed to where their little girl has run off to.

"Ziva!" Eli yelled.

His daughter was standing right next to the nervous looking man. A fact that chilled Eli to the bone.

Upon his yell, the man had looked at him. His eyes weren't boding well for the Mossad Officer. Besides radiating nervousness they were also emitting hatred and anger.

Eli's heartbeat quickened. He only knew one reason why the man would have such a look on his face. On top of this, his daughter still hasn't reacted to his yelling.

"Damn it," he thought, "Ziva! Come here! Now!"

Finally the little girl turned around. A small frown lining her face. She hadn't thought that her father would be angry with her out of the sudden. It wasn't as if she hadn't asked first before running off to buy an apple or two.

"Ziva!"

Eli yelled again. By now other passersby had stopped to watch, giving him disapproving glances. Still frowning the little girl left the apple stand behind and slowly walked to her father.

However the extensive shouting had also made the man even more nervous. On the spur of the moment he opened his jacket, revealing a self-made bomb underneath.

"Run," Eli yelled at his wife and all bystanders for that matter before he sprinted to his daughter, who had stopped in her tracks and looked even more confused as the people around her suddenly broke into panic.

Before she could fully progress what was happening her father had grabbed her and held her firmly against his chest as he leaped behind a small wall, seeking shelter behind the old piece of architecture.

Even though Eli protectively covered her with his much larger body he couldn't prevent the piercing pain ripping through her small body as her world instantly became deaf.

What felt like ages to the little girl were only seconds before her father eased his grip on her, holding her an arm's length away as he studied her features, which were stricken with pain.

Eli was starting to talk to her, but as she wasn't able to make out any sound and he started to realize this, he just pulled her close to him again, not wanting her to see the chaos which once was a busy market place.

Also it was already too late, the little girl having caught glimpses of the wounded and dead people around them.

(Flashback end)

"Come on, let's go to my room." Gibbs whispered to the bundle in his arms, "You can stay with me tonight."

In his arms Mini-Ziva sniffed slightly, -"Toda."- she mumbled, the prospect of not being alone easing her fear slightly.

"You can always come to me," replied Gibbs as he placed her on his bed, tugging her blanket around her with practiced ease. The little girl nodded, Gibbs unconsciously reminding her of one of his previous statements.

Ziva watched him do so through dropping eyes.

"I know it's loud and scary outside, but try to get some sleep," he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before he started to sing a soft tune to her. The melody relaxing her. Reassuring her that he hadn't left her alone and lulling her to sleep

Knowing that no matter how long he kept singing to her, the stormy weather outside would wake her soon, he wracked his brain to come up with a solution to ease her fear and might help her to ignore the chaos outside enough to sleep through it.

"'ibbs?" Ziva, once again woken by a rather loud thunderclap, watched him from his bed as the agent dug through his wall closet.

"Searching something," grunted Gibbs, lifting a heavy box from the top shelve of his closet.

"What?" She groggily sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"You'll see," He momentarily turned to her in order to give her a reassuring smile.

The little girl had already calmed down a great deal but still cringed every time when a thunderclap was heard.

"Here," Gibbs handed her a flashlight, "The light may go out," he gently warned her, "But this flashlight will give us light anyway."

Mini-Ziva studied the flashlight, a frown on her face.

"You can turn it on by pressing this button," he showed her which button to use before he let her try it herself, grinning as she copied his movements and shined the light directly into her own face in the process.

"Cool huh?"

The little girl looked up from the light, blinking rapidly as she saw some strange white dots no matter where she looked.

Gibbs smirked, "Happens when you look directly into the light."

Ziva grimaced and let the flashlight drop onto the mattress.

As the dots faded Gibbs was still searching through his closet, so Ziva climbed off the bed and quietly walked over to him.

When he didn't showed any sign to have noticed her, she pulled on his pant leg in order to get his attention. Suddenly clutching it tight and whimpering as another thunderclap echoed through the quietness of the night.

"It can't hurt you," Gibbs picked her up and hugged the small child, "You want to help me search?" he asked in hope to distract her.

Mini-Ziva nodded.

"There's a little green book," he explained as he pointed to the top shelve of the closet, even with a standing high of with his 6'ft he couldn't quite reach it without using a chair or something similar, "You think you can find it?"

-"Ken,"- Ziva mumbled into his grey NIS-shirt.

"I'm going to lift you on my shoulders, okay?"

"'shohler?" Mini-Ziva squinted at him.

"Shoulder," he patted his own shoulder, eliciting a nod from Ziva.

"You ready?"

"Uh huh."

With a small grunt from him and a giggle from Ziva, Gibbs had placed her on his shoulders, his hands holding her secure.

"It must be in the back somewhere," the team leader directed as he stood close to the closet.

"Ziv, that's my eye," he grunted smiling as the little girl had placed her finger directly into it.

"Sowry," Mini-Ziva giggled, instantly moving her hand to his forehead.

Gibbs grinned, "No problem. Do you see the book?"

"Uh huh!" The little girl wriggled her free hand to the reach it.

Though, just as she got it, her grip loosened and it dropped onto the floor – not before hitting Gibbs' bare foot first.

The agent let out of low growl.

"Sowry!" exclaimed Ziva tremulously.

Gibbs exhaled. "Not your fault, kid." He gave her thigh a gentle squeeze before easing her back off his shoulders. "At least the book is there," he grinned at her and breathed a sign of relief as Mini-Ziva craned her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of it, her panic for hurting him, completely vanished.

"Come," with the book in hand Gibbs returned to his bed, making himself comfortable against the headboard, his legs stretched out in front of him.

His shrunk agent soon joined him and snuggled into his side as she too sat against the headboard, while the team leader put his arm protectively around her small frame. He smiled down at Ziva as she gave him a toothy smile before she turned her gaze back to the book in the older agent's hand.

Gibbs traced the book cover in thought. It had been a very long time since he had this book last in hand.

"'ibbs?" Ziva quietly inquired. She sensed that it must mean something to the agent.

"This book," he paused to steady his voice, "It will explain what's going on outside."

He turned to the first pages where dark clouds could be seen, "You see," he momentarily looked at her to see her squinting at the page, "It starts with this. A dark, puffy cloud."

"Clouwd," Ziva frowned.

"Uh huh," he grinned, "Inside this cloud," he made sure to pronounce the word clearly for her, "There are tiny pieces of ice and water."

"Ice cream?" The small girl's eyes dilated.

Gibbs kept a chuckle to himself as he knew that the thought of a frozen treat was certainly distracting his shrunken agent, if the slight excitement in her voice was anything to go by.

"No, just ice," Gibbs smirked, "Like those blocks Tony puts into his cola every time."

The little girl slowly nodded.

"When those tiny pieces of ice and water bump into each other they cause electricity. Electricity is what makes the TV, lamp or car work." He explained as he saw her looking at him.

"Just the electricity used for the lamp and other things isn't made by thunder," Gibbs clarified as his shrunk agent tried to find the words to form another question.

"Now when the electricity in the cloud is too much for the cloud to hold, it needs to go somewhere."

"Where?" Mini-Ziva furrowed her tiny eyebrows.

"The sudden bright light outside, the lightening, is the electricity which leaves the cloud. It either jumps to another cloud or goes to the ground."

He turned another few pages which showed the lightening and how it leaves the cloud.

"The lightening," Gibbs continued, "Is very hot. So hot that it's even hotter than the sun. Since the air around such a lightening is colder, the warm and cold air mix, causing those thunderclaps we hear."

"They loud," complained Ziva, she pointed to a lightening in the book.

"Uh huh," Gibbs kissed the top of her head, "But they can't hurt you while you're inside a house or car."

As he said this a bright flash of light illuminated the room.

"No loud?" The little girl furrowed her eyebrows, jumping when a thunderclap boomed through the night a few seconds later.

"Sorry Ziv. I forgot to tell you that because of the very big distance," he momentarily spread his arms before hugging Ziva again, "The sound needs some time to be heard."

"How long?" Ziva mumbled, looking warily at the window.

"That's different. It can take only a few moments if the storm is near but also minutes if it's far away."

"O'tay." Mini-Ziva yawned widely. Comforted that the noise outside really weren't any bombs or people killing each other, she snuggled deeper into Gibbs' side. Exhaustion taking over.

"Your father really screwed up," he whispered as he stroke Mini-Ziva's hair while the little girl slept peacefully.

Outside the thunder had turned into a low rumble and the rain was pouring down.

It went on for a few minutes before it got eery quiet, only to start all over again. Introduced by a loud crack of thunder, the storm woke the little girl in Gibbs' arm up with a start.

"'ibbs," whimpered Ziva as the rain got so loud that you would think that you were standing outside.

"It's only the storm." He tightened his hold on her. Grateful when she relaxed again. "Now that it rains there won't be many thunderclaps."

"Gibbs?"

The team leader smirked as the disheveled form of his agent entered the room, "Can't sleep?"

"It sounds as if a metal band would be playing over my head," grumbled the teenager as he made himself comfortable at the end of the bed, sitting cross legged on top of the covers.

"Uh huh."

"How long do you think it's going to last?"

"Hard to tell. Weather forecast said it could last all night."

Tony grumbled in displeasure, "Can I watch TV?" he asked after a few minutes of silence from outside.

Just then a very loud crack of thunder was heard. Gibbs instinctively pulled Ziva closer to him. The little girl's eyes were transfixed on the bedroom window. With the curtains not drawn close, you could watch the rain as it dripped off the glass and how the night was illuminated every now and then by a sudden flash of light.

"Never mind," sighed the tired teenager.

"Seems to have come back," Gibbs smirked. His fingers continued to run through Ziva's hair in a reassuring manner.

"Great, so this is going to last..." Tony suddenly stopped and listened closely, "Or not! It stopped!"

"Maybe, but still keep the TV switched off. I'm not sure if the conductor is still working correctly."

Tony looked at him as if he had grown a second head.

"I'm kinda busy with other things." Gibbs defended with a smirk.

"You go into your basement, right?" Tony questioned dryly.

"That too." Gibbs smirked, "Since you're both awake, how about you tell me about your afternoon?"

"Tony fall," giggled Ziva from beside him, knowing that she was safe when Gibbs was around, even if it was just a bunch of lights and noises, he would always protect her. Ziva wiggled even more into his side as Gibbs raised an eyebrow at the teenager.

"Tried to jump of a swing but my foot got caught in the chains..." explained Tony with a roll of his eyes, "But you learned something, right bug?"

The little girl bobbed her head eagerly, "Uh huh!"

Gibbs closed his eyes, the 'Uh Huh' would haunt him for a long long time, "And what did you learned?"

"No jump!" Ziva gave the men a toothy smile.

~ Fin ~

Toda = Thank you

Ken = Yes

Aba, ta'azôr li bevakashâ = Daddy, please help me.