"Gibbs?"

The older man sighed deep and tiredly. Whipping a hand over his face, he looked at Tony, "It won't take much to manipulate certain documents. We do it all the times..."

"So he's going to take her? Just like that? Only some fake documents? That's all it takes?"

Gibbs shook his head, "It's complicated. Ziva was under NCIS jurisdiction when it happened."

"Which gives NCIS control over it, right? So he can't..."

"He can, Tony. The whole thing was swept under the rug by NCIS. There are no official reports. If Eli presents manipulated documents and wants her back, there's nothing we legally could do against it."

"But there's a catch, right?" Tony followed Gibbs with his eyes as the agent stood up to get the freshly brewed coffees.

Gibbs placed a cup in front of Tony, resuming his seat, "More or less..." he sighed, "The relationship between NCIS and Mossad isn't the best since we rescued Ziva. It's more strained than ever. The daughter of the Director of Mossad leaving their agency, in order to become an American citizen and NCIS agent, caused an uproar. On both sides."

"Still, NCIS let her stay..."

Gibbs smirked slightly, "Old men... fathers..."

Tony laughed hollowly, "Softies..."

"Fact is neither, NCIS nor Mossad, can afford to damage the relationship further. Otherwise, heads will be rolling." Gibbs continued, warming his hands on his cup of coffee.

"So what do we do, then?"

"I'll talk to Eli..."

Tony frowned, "You think that's a good idea?"

Gibbs smirked and shook his head, "Nah... but what else is there to do?"

As Tony kept silent, Gibbs quietly continued, "You should head back, upstairs. She'll probably wake up soon."

The teenager nodded. "Right.." He was about to stand up when a thought struck him, "What do I tell her?"

"Tell her that the man really was her father."

"Just like that?" Tony's eyes were wide open.

"Just like that... " Gibbs confirm with a slight smirk on his lips. "Though, she might wants to know why I got into an argument with him..."

"So?"

The team leader drained the last of his coffee and stood up, "Disagreement. Not her fault. Nothing to worry about."

"Toney?"

Hearing the sleepy question, the teenager looked up from his laptop. He carefully set his computer aside and walked over to his bed.

"I'm here, bug." He gave her a reassuring smile.

"'m no feel good," mumbled Ziva, turning from her stomach to her back.

"Headache, strange feeling in your tummy?"

Mini-Ziva slowly nodded, closing her eyes as Tony reached over to check her temperature once again. His cool hand feeling good on her aching head.

"We need to get something to eat. You'll start feeling better with some food in your tummy."

"I no wanna leaf'"

Tony sat down on the edge of his bed, "Gibbs isn't at home. He'll be away till tomorrow. We're all alone in the house."

Ziva contemplated this bit of information, before her eyes filled with tears again, "Why he mad wif' Aba?"

Tony sighed and went to lie next to Ziva, "You know, sometimes adults get into arguments..."

"But I no want t'at... They friends..."

"Them arguing really scared you, huh?" Tony pulled the little girl close.

"Uh huh... No nice," Ziva mumbled into his side.

"No it's not," agreed the teen, "Though, they're really feeling bad about you seeing them like that..."

Ziva propped herself up a bit, looking doubtfully at Tony. "Rweally?"

Tony nodded. "At least Gibbs does," he thought silently.

It took them another half a hour before they were in the kitchen, preparing a hot meal.

"Keep stirring, bug." Tony commanded as he whirled around, checking on the noodles, getting spices for the sauce and plates for the table.

Ziva looked at the red mass in front of her, before her gaze drifted back to the living room.

Suddenly, Tony took the wooden spoon out of her hand, "Ziva.. You really need to stir the sauce. It will burn if you don't stir." He sighed, "Gibbs really won't come home, tonight."

"Why?" Ziva asked quietly, directing her brown eyes to Tony's.

The teenager frowned slightly, "He doesn't want to upset you..."

Ziva momentarily looked back at the saucepan in front of her, before she climbed off the chair, walking out of the kitchen, while whispering something that Tony nearly missed. "But I sad..."

"Oh bug," he thought with a sigh, hoping that this nightmare would soon end.

~ TBC ~