Instead of posting the two Chapters at night as I was doing before, I'm just doing the one massive one. It's easier on me for posting!
"Malachi," Ziva began shaking her head softly, not knowing exactly what to say. "I… we… she asked us not to tell you." She swallowed hard with new tears in her eyes, "She didn't want you to know and we respected her wishes." She felt badly for keeping it from him but it wasn't their place to reveal such personal details that Liat wanted kept private.
"Why wouldn't she tell me?" Malachi asked with features falling even further to know she delibertly kept him from knowing about her being pregnant.
"Because she was afraid." Ziva answered honestly, "Afraid for her child."
"I would never hurt our child!" Malachi fired back with anger in his tone, "Never! How could she believe that I would?"
"You were already using your new authority to order her around and make demands of her that were personal, Malachi! You sacrificed what love you had with her for your position! How could she trust you with her child? When she could not even trust you with her heart?" Ziva fired back finding her own rage at him and this situation, angry tears flowing from her eyes that she was forced to have this confrontation with him about the baby when it should have been Liat there, discussing this. Not her. Now Liat was gone and Ziva had to explain and defend Liat's actions. "If you were already abusing your position now, how could she trust you with this child's life in the future! That you wouldn't use it for your own gains in Mossad!"
Malachi's mind raced back in time just two weeks ago to Liat saying nearly the same things when they'd last spoken. When she accused him of already becoming like Director David in abusing his authority with her. And how could she ever have a life and a family with him if she couldn't trust him even with her own heart. Her fears that he would end up doing what Ziva's father had done to the woman he loved and then using his children for the greater good.
"My God," He scrubbed his hands over his face, knowing Ziva was telling the truth about Liat's reasoning. He had abused his authority with Liat and given her every reason not to trust him. "She should have told me. It is my child! My child! We could have figured something out."
"Figured what out, Malachi? What would have changed knowing this? Would you have given up Mossad?" Ziva asked him knowing that he most likely wouldn't have, had not even thought of it as an option so focused on his position that he was willing to give up Liat for it even. "You broke her heart." Ziva added quietly shaking her head, "You made love to her and then left her, choosing your new position over her. You already made it clear you did not choose her. So why would she tell you about the baby? If you came back to her just because she was pregnant now, she would have believed you only wanted the child and founded her fears of your becoming like my father!"
"But I am not your father!" Malachi shouted back at her and Tony took a step in, knowing that Ziva was fully capable of defending herself but it didn't stop his instincts to protect her from all threats.
"You are acting like him!" Ziva returned with passion, "You can deny it all you like Malachi but you have been acting just like him, especially in regards to Liat! He claimed to love me and my mother and look what he did to us both!"
"I love her! I would love our child! I could have been with her if I had known! Protected her! And now she is gone!" Malachi was feeling his world spinning once again out of control that it was too late to change what he'd said and done in the past.
"Gone?" Asa asked with wide-eyes feeling a new panic rising at watching the exchange, "What do you mean she is gone? Where is Liat?"
"She never made it back, Asa." Tony was the one to finally speak when silence reigned for a moment too long with no one wanting to break the news to him, "Liat was taken on her way here at the airport in Tel-Aviv last night. She's gone. We don't know where they've taken her. We're sure its Bodnar."
"Gone…" Asa repeated in a gasp, stumbling back with hand over heart, "Why? Why would he take her?" His heart was pounding with fear and shock.
"He is using her as bait." Ziva spoke feeling responsible for Liat being taken in the first place, "He is using her against me. He knows I will come for her." Of course, she would come for her. How could she not? She had underestimated Bodnar and now Liat and the baby were paying for it.
"But why her?" Asa asked shaking his head looking around at the others, not understanding, "Why Liat and not Tony or…" he was thinking of the others in Ziva's life whom she loved and would have been better targets. Her family.
"Because she's my sister," Ziva answered quietly with new tears and voice laced with emotion. "Liat is my full sister, Asa. And he knows that I will come for her."
"Your sister?" Asa asked in disbelief not understanding how that was even possible and in shock at every thing that was suddenly happening.
"It is a long story. One I do not have time to explain right now. But, she and my sister Tali were twins. My father had Liat removed and placed with another family to raise as part of a larger project. I only learned of this myself this morning. Liat, to my knowledge, does not know any of this either." Ziva tried to give him the quick version of events.
"Has he made any attempt at contact? Do we know anything at all about he's planning?" Asa asked slowly finding his mouth dry and feeling as though time were now standing still.
"He has not made any contact. We have nothing to go on except that she went missing in Tel-Aviv. That is where we will start looking. We were just about to leave for Israel." Ziva answered him feeling badly for the look in his face at having his world utterly devastated for the third time: first to learn Liat was pregnant with Malachi's child, second that she had called off their engagement refusing to marry him under these conditions and now, to learn that a madman had taken and she was gone.
"Well then I'm coming back with you. I will do whatever I can to help find her." Asa was immediately all in. Standing more tall and with a posture that said he was ready for a fight.
"We should get moving." Gibbs motioned for everyone to grab their gear and bags. Looking at the two emotional Israeli men before him he knew they should get moving before they came to blows again. Both just been rocked to their cores by two separate pieces of information dealing with the same woman. One to learn that he was in fact the father of Liat's child and the other to realize that she had been taken.
"Boss, Abby wanted to say goodbye." McGee spoke up as everyone began collecting their things.
"Well where is she, McGee?" Gibbs asked impatiently not wanting to have any more emotional scenes before they'd left. The situation was emotionally charged as was.
"I'm not sure, Boss. Said she had something she wanted Ziva to see before we could leave." McGee swallowed hard at Gibbs expectant stare. "I'll call her." He decided to make the move before Gibbs ordered him to. He was mid-dial when Abby stepped off of the elevator.
"Abs, we've got to get going." Gibbs looked at her striding towards them with purpose. She had that look about her that told him she was in her own mission mode.
"Not now, Gibbs." She brushed him aside with a tone that said she was in no mood and stare only at Ziva. "You promised that you wouldn't go back to Israel. Not when you were still in danger." Abby stare at Ziva with a hard look in her eyes and edge to her tone.
"Abby, I-" Ziva felt badly trying to defend her actions.
"No! You don't get to justify your reasons. She's your sister. I get that." Abby interrupted Ziva's defense, "But you're mine, Ziva! You are my sister in this family and I've already had to go through losing you twice! We all have!" She waved around the small space to Gibbs, McGee and Tony. "Play it, Timmy!" She wheeled around to McGee handing him the flashdrive. "Play it!" She commanded when he just stood there looking at her shellshocked.
McGee snapped to, doing what she asked and the televisions suddenly came to life with the ZNN footage of the day Ziva was shot. She was mid-speech on the screen during the press conference.
"Abby," Tony began knowing that Ziva had never seen this, avoided it intentionally and it was something he never wanted to see again either.
"No, Tony! She needs to see this! See what we saw! See what we went through! The people who love her!" Abby fought back with unshed tears and anger.
Ziva felt her heart start to pound as she watched herself on screen. The moment the bullet pierced her chest and her eyes and hand pulled away covered in bright red blood. Her moment of staggering to catch herself and then collapsing onto the floor. The blood running from her nose and mouth as Malachi screamed and came running, pressing into her wound and yelling at her to stay conscious, the dip in the camera and then nothing.
"We stood right here. Watching that LIVE on this very television, Ziva! That is what happened the last time you went to Israel. The last time you thought you had to do 'this' alone and without any help." Abby immediately focused back on Ziva, grabbing her shoulders and forcing Ziva to look at her with tear stained cheeks, "I want you to think about this and remember it when you feel tempted to go after him alone! We can't handle losing you again! Do you hear me?" She shook Ziva's shoulders slightly with upset and fear, "If you go to Israel, Ziva David, you come back again! And not in a bodybag this time! You promise me… promise me, Ziva! That you will not go after him alone, no matter what demands he makes of you! We are a team! And we love you! You are our family! We need you! Don't forget that!" She demanded and then pulled Ziva tightly to her in a smothering hug, feeling her own tears rain down her cheeks. "Promise me!" She ordered still not hearing Ziva's answer.
"I…I promise, Abby." Ziva answered quietly feeling choked up. Her mind and heart on emotional overload. She held Abby more tightly feeling badly for causing such fear in all of them, she knew as she looked around to see the look in McGee's eyes, Gibbs and especially Tony's hearing what Abby had said. Abby may have been the one to voice it, but they were sentiments they all carried and felt with her return to Israel. "I love you too." She added before Abby pulled away.
"And you!" Abby wheeled around to Malachi with a pointed finger and stern tone with tears in her eyes, "You take better care of her this time! You take care of all of them or I will hunt you down and make you disappear!" The look she was giving Malachi made him swallow hard and acknowledge her with a soft head nod. "Okay," Abby relaxed and moved quickly to hug him, "Now work together and find her! Find our Liat and bring her home!" She hugged him tightly and then moved to do the same to Asa, giving his cheek a kiss, still firmly on his side. She moved around the room quickly to hug Tony, then Ziva, E.J., Gibbs and finally McGee.
"You come back to me, do you hear me?" She held him tightly with arms wrapped so tightly around his neck, McGee could barely breathe. "I love you, Timmy. Please come back to me in one unharmed piece."
"I will, Abs." McGee promised quietly as the others began to walk towards the elevator giving them a soft smile and head nod, acknowledge the moment alone. "And I'll look after Ziva. I promise." He added with a smile knowing that she was worried about losing her again.
"And Tony, he's such a tough guy but if anything happens to Ziva…and don't let him try to be the hero either! Don't let him do anything stupid to protect her from Bodnar like put himself in danger, because he's already done that before and we were lucky!" Abby rattled with frazzled nerves pacing back and forth with hands clenched in front of her in tight circles, "And Gibbs, make sure he doesn't do anything too Gibbs like either! You can't all try to be the heroes! You have to work together if you're all going to come home in one piece! I wish I could go with you, I could just keep everyone from doing stupid things in trying to do what they feel is right."
"I know, Abs." McGee smiled pulling her back in for one more hug with a smile, "I wish you were coming too. If only because I'll miss you. But you're safer here and I'd just worry about you if you were coming with us."
"Just come home. All of you. Alive. Promise me, Timmy?" She asked holding onto him more urgently knowing he needed to go seeing the others waiting for him by holding the elevator.
"I will." McGee promised hoping that he would live up to that promise. "I'll call you when we land." He pulled back, kissing her soundly and reached quickly for his bag. Not wanting to linger and make it worse.
He strode quickly towards the elevator, not looking back until the elevator doors were closing and they all held a hand up to wave at Abby as the doors were closing.
"Well this will certainly be more comfortable then riding in the back of a military transport." Tony gave Ziva a soft smile as they boarded the Mossad Lear jet that was now at the use of Malachi as the Director. "No wonder your father didn't seem to understand my plight when I said I was less then thrilled to speak with him after a 12 hour flight my last trip to Israel." He added tossing his backpack into the empty seats across from where he and Ziva were sitting. Everyone else had chosen a spot and were getting comfortable for the long flight to Tel-Aviv. "Comfy and soft and still has that new leather smell," He shifted down into the large seat trying to make small talk and break the unease and silence, "Now this is the way to travel. I could get used to this. Just think, Zi. This could have all been yours if you'd taken the job as Director."
"It's not worth the price you pay." Ziva added quietly taking her seat next to the window. She knew that Tony was trying to lighten the mood as he always had, but she couldn't help the overwhelming negative feelings this day had brought. "I'd rather fly military transports for the rest of my life with you, Tony…then in this lavish luxury alone." Her eyes flashed to wear Malachi was sitting in the seats near the back of the plane, alone and staring out the window.
Her mind was thrown back to the day she'd been shot. Abby's personal video message of the ZNN footage now running in a contant loop in Ziva's mind. Her point had gotten across in typical in your face Abby fashion. She remembered talking with Gibbs and Tony that morning of her press conference, to hear Gibbs remind her of what she would be giving up, losing if she had accepted that position as Director. His intentional shifting of his eyes towards Tony. As Ziva looked at Malachi now, alone and with deep regret and sadness in his eyes for making the wrong choice, she felt blessed that she hadn't made the same mistake in choosing the position over those she loved.
"Likewise, Ms. David." Tony answered quietly, giving her a small smile and threading his fingers with hers, lifting their combined hands and kissing her fingers near her ring. "Ani ohev otach, Ziva." He whispered with heart starting to pound looking at her as the plane engines surged and they felt it beginning to move.
The idea of Ziva returning to Israel so soon, and especially in knowing that the man who had tried to and had nearly succeeded in killing her was the one to lure her back, made him feel sick to his stomach with a near crippling fear. He was happy to hear she hadn't regretted her decision in choosing him and them. His eyes fell on Malachi as well watching where Ziva had been looking. His heart ached for the man seeing the look on his face and knowing exactly what kind of hell he was in, to know the woman you love is missing and in danger. Worried you may never have the chance to make things right. He wondered briefly if he should try to talk with Malachi, but knew he likely needed the time alone more. And Tony didn't want leave Ziva. He wanted to hold on tightly and never let her go, reminding himself how lucky he'd been to have her still living and breathing beside him.
"I love you, too, Tony." Ziva leaned over and kissed his cheek, holding his hand more tightly. "Thank you for coming with me."
"There is no place else I would ever be." Tony held her eyes intently and speaking quietly, "I am here for whatever you need, Ziva."
"I just need you," She answered reaching up to cup his face softly and then dropped a quick kiss to his lips, "You keep me grounded. Remind me that I have a future."
Tony knew what she wasn't saying. That he was her reason not to go after Bodnar alone and be so careless with her own life anymore, even with good reason.
"We'll get her back, Zi." Tony cupped the side of her face in turn, holding her gaze with a soft smile that he hoped held more reassurance then he felt. "We'll work together and we'll get her back."
"I am afraid, Tony." Ziva swallowed hard with tears building in her eyes at so many unknowns, of all the things she'd learned today about her life and history that only brought more questions without answers. "What if…what we do is not enough?" She pulled him in more closely, snuggling into his chest as the plane took off and Tony wrapped his arms around her where they sat side by side. Ziva didn't want to break her promise to Tony, or Abby or any of those she loved to not go after Bodnar alone. But she couldn't shake the gut feeling she had that in the end, that would be exactly what she would be forced to do in order to stop his madness. Give him exactly what he wanted: one on one with just her.
"We can't answer the what if's, Ziva. You know that better then anyone." Tony spoke quietly, holding her tightly and rubbing the bottom of his chin over the top of her head as he spoke, "I just know that whatever we're up against, stands less of a chance if we're working together. You cannot divide and conquer what refuses to be separated." He raised their combined hands and kissed it once again, having taken to this as his own form of comfort and reassurance of late as Ziva had taken to thumbing her ring band back and forth. "I refuse to be separated from you ever again, Ziva David." His heart pounded in thinking of what Ray had told them today about this mysterious group still after Ziva. That they would never let her go and he held her more tightly. "I would rather die then let anything ever happen to you again." He added quietly, kissing the top of her head.
"And that is what scares me the most," Ziva answered with her ear over his heart, feeling it pounding with life beneath. She lay her palm over his chest near her face. "I can't lose anyone else I love, Tony. You most of all." She sniffled back her tears, "Please promise me…that you will not do anything to put yourself in harms way for me. Please?" She asked thinking of the Cohens and how it was their love for each other that ultimately got them both killed in trying to protect one another.
"I can't promise you that, Ziva." Tony answered honestly running his fingertips up and down her lithe fingers that lay sprawled over his chest and heart. "You are my heart." He spoke quietly wanting to give her the truth and knowing that it was true. "Without you…I have no reason for living. I told you once…that I couldn't live without you. I meant it." He smiled to himself trying to ease the tension, "Remember? I couldn't lie. Not with Saleem's truth serum. I warned you not to ask me any questions you didn't' want to hear the answers to. Oh, the answers I would have given you." He kissed her head again.
"Tony," Ziva chided him softly with tears in her eyes to have heard what he said about being his heart and reason for living, and then knowing he was now trying to mask his own nerves and distract her from what he'd said, just as he had that day they rescued her from that camp, "I know you feel that way," She pulled back and looked at him through blurry eyes and held his face with one hand speaking only inches apart from where she was still mostly leaning against him and on his chest, "But do you not understand, that I feel the same?" She searched his beautiful green eyes hoping he would see the truth in her own eyes, "You are my reason for living, Tony. If something happens to you-" She shook her head with more tears flowing as she looked down unable to finish the thought of what life would be like without him.
Tony caught her chin with his fingers and tilted it back up to meet his gaze, understanding what she meant and the fear he saw in her eyes was the same he felt in his own heart. He smiled at her softly, "Then we make a pact, my beautiful, brilliant, fierce, Ninja… we promise not to go at this alone, no matter what. We protect each other's hearts, by reminding ourselves that if we do something nutty and crazy and stupid by, I don't know…running off alone to take on the bad guys," His smile widened still carrying a bit of a tease knowing that description had fit them both in the past, "That if we die in the process, our sacrifice will have been in vain…because the other cannot truly live a live worth living…without the other in it."
"Did you get that from a movie, Tony?" Ziva asked with a twinkle in her eye, smiling softly through her tears and even more in love with the man who seemed to know just what to say these days to make her feel better about the most trying of circumstances.
"No," Tony smiled brushing her hair back from her eyes, "I got that, Ms. David…from a book…that was originally written as a Play and then made into a movie." He teased thinking back to just a few months ago when he was surprised she'd quoted the Little Prince back to him and revealed it wasn't from the movie, but in fact the book that had been made into one.
"And which one would that be?" Ziva asked slowly catching his eyes and remembering that day in the breakroom as well. When she first saw a photo of Tony's mother and found out the truth behind his love of the movies.
"Romeo and Juliet,of course." Tony gave her a small nervous smile, running one finger down her jawline. "Neither wanted to live without the other. I think we can do better. Be smarter. Figure this out together."
"I would hope so, Tony. Drinking vials of poison is one of the least favorable ways to die." Ziva countered with a soft smile. "Extremely unpleasant and painful."
Tony kissed her head immediately to stifle a small laugh at her honest response. It was so Ziva. "I love you." He smiled whispering against her head as she snuggled in close again, "You should try to get some sleep. I have a feeling we'll be getting very little of that once we hit the ground in Israel." He encouraged her, knowing she was already exhausted having not slept hardly at all the night before with a night filled with love making.
Tony was amazed at how long ago that seemed now, given all that had happened in just the last day. Waking up with her lying next to him in his bed, all smiles and happy about the future that included her saying yes to moving in with him…to holding her closely now on a plane bound for Israel by nightfall. Life could change on a dime. He was learning this lesson over and over again and thankful that he'd listened to Gibbs, learned from those past mistakes and was taking nothing for granted ever again. That his time with Ziva was precious, and he'd cherish every moment they had together. Even if it was now, snuggled together headed into the face of danger. For the next 12 hours, he would simply relish hodling her close, feeling her heart beat against his own through their chests, the slight rise and fall as she breathed and feeling her warm skin against his own. Whatever they were heading into, was bound to be ruthless. He wouldn't waste a second of this calm before the storm. "Ani ohev otach, Ziva David." He whispered against her head, wanting to tell her ever chance he could. "Always."
"As I will always love you." Ziva answered closing her eyes and snuggling her face into his shirt, inhaling his scent and cologne and listening to his steady heartbeat as she felt her eyes drifting close, to exhausted from the day to fight it anymore and feeling safe, for now, in Tony's arms.
It was several hours into the flight when Gibbs looked around at his team spread out around the plane. E.J and Asa were sitting next to each other in the seat across and a few seats behind him. E.J. had fallen asleep with Asa against the window, staring out the window in thought with E.J. having fallen against him as she slept. McGee was directly across from them and sleeping as well. Gibbs looked ahead and noticed Malachi had traded staring out the window lost in thought, to staring at his two agents instead. Tony and Ziva were passed out as well, sleeping against each other and yet still holding each other close. Gibbs had taken the seat behind them and had heard everything they'd said to each other just prior to falling asleep. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop but given his seat location just behind them, it was impossible not to hear. What he had heard from them, made him smile and feel slightly more at ease.
He'd been concerned about Ziva eventually going off on her own, believing she needed to finish it with Bodnar that way. To protect those she loved. So when Tony had reminded her that her sacrifice would be in vain, as he couldn't live without her and made her think, Gibbs was happy to hear the same reply from Ziva, ending in the both of them making a mutual promise to each other, that they would react as a team, with no one being the hero or martyr and instead, act like the partners they were. Working together and trusting that relationship to get them through.
They were taking care of each other, just as he knew they would and it made him smile as a proud parent and mentor, that they were learning from past mistakes and taking serious the Rules of Engagement: to never waste what was good between them and never take it or their love for each other and the time they had together, for granted. He only wished now looking over at Malachi, that this man hadn't begun to learn these lessons the hard way as well. He could only hope, that it wouldn't be too late for him to make it right.
Gibbs knew there wasn't anything he could say to Malachi in this moment to make any of this better. The man needed time alone with his thoughts to think about what had happened that brought him to this point in his life. Reflection was good when it brought about a positive change. If staring at Ziva and Tony and thinking about their relationship and what they'd been through, in comparison with his own with Liat, helped bring some things about his life into focus, then it was exactly what he needed to be doing.
Tony had the same look on his face as they flew to Israel last time, not knowing the outcome of Ziva once they landed after she'd been shot. He'd watched the younger man spend hours reflecting on his life and past mistakes with her. What he would do differently if given the chance. Sometimes you had to lose what you need most to understand its value in your life. Unfortunately, most people never got the second chance to make it right. Tony and Ziva had by some miracle, been give three chances to get it right. Gibbs could only hope that another miracle would be granted to those he cared for, and that Liat would be found and get her second chance.
He was deeply troubled by the information given to them today by Cruz. Hearing the man say this was something Gibbs was going to have to accept he'd never be able to solve. That he had to accept the inevitable outcome. That wasn't something Gibbs was used to doing. He was the man who came in and changed the game, he didn't believe in odds. To hear that there was nothing he could do to protect Ziva in the future from whatever this group of individuals wanted with her, made him feel an unease he'd never known. His first instincts were always to protect his team, protect the ones he loved, especially when they couldn't protect themselves. To be told there was nothing he could do to protect her from whatever they intended wasn't something he was ready to accept. He knew she had too much on her mind today with the constant barrage of life-altering information she'd been given today, that she likely wasn't considering her future after her immediate need to get Liat back. But Gibbs was. He focused on the task at hand, finding Liat and making sure Ziva survived whatever Bodnar had in mind for her. But he also couldn't help but be concerned about what came next now that he knew there would be something else.
When he'd gone to speak with Vance, he found out the man had taken his children on a vacation, needing to get away for awhile. Gibbs had wanted to ask him what he knew about this group and their intentions for Ziva, believing that Vance had known more then he was letting on. For now, those questions would have to wait.
One thing at a time, Gibbs had to remind himself feeling overwhelmed as well, something else he wasn't used to. He was used to handling one kid of his in trouble at a time. Now he felt as though all of them were in jeopardy in oneway or the other right now, plus a new one. Liat. Being Ziva's biological sister had only cemented her place in their group. Gibbs felt the need to protect her knowing Ziva would go to the ends of the earth to protect her sister. She was more then a special member of their team now, she was family. Bodnar had set this trap for Ziva, endangering Liat and because they weren't willing to let Ziva go it alone, McGee, DiNozzo and Barrett were also along for the ride and in danger as well. And he couldn't let Abby down if things didn't go well. She was counting on him to bring them all back to her in one piece. He was counting on himself to do the same. They were there to protect each other and he was there to protect them all.
It was nearly 7:00 P.M. when they finally landed in Tel-Aviv some 12 hours later. Most everyone but Gibbs, Malachi and Asa had slept some and were now renewed with energy. Anxious as the plane landed and began taxi-ing down the runway. The fierce line of black SUVS glinted in the moonlight, forming a protective barrier where the plane would come to rest gave Tony cause for anxiety as they looked out the windows. The last time he'd seen this same scene it had been at dawn and ended very badly. He reached for Ziva's hand and held onto it tightly as the plane finally came to a stop and everyone started moving to get their things.
This time instead of deplaning on the tarmac, the plane had entered a large empty hanger to shield Ziva from any potential sniper attempts in the open air and Gibbs was thankful to Malachi for thinking ahead in regards to her safety.
"I know you want to go to Mossad right away, Ziva but I cannot let you do that tonight." Malachi spoke when they were all standing on the ground, huddled near each other as two SUVs entered the hangar preparing to take them to their destination. "I need to go first and make sure it is safe for your arrival. I won't let you down like last time." He added quietly picking up his own duffle and swinging it over his shoulder. Not letting his guard carry it this time, needing to feel useful again. He'd grown too comfortable in letting others do things for him he'd realized along with many other things during that long flight. One of those realizations was that he relied on his team to make sure all areas outside Mossad had been covered before Ziva's press conference when he should have triple-checked himself. He'd promised he'd keep her safe then and he'd failed.
Malachi felt a renewed duty to keep that promise this time, knowing that is what Liat would want, even if he were angry with Ziva in this moment, unjustifiably he knew for being the cause of Liat's disappearance to begin with. Bodnar was really after her in all of this, and Liat was part of the fallout.
"You go onto your house. I'll have members of my own personal security team escort you there." Malachi nodded towards the heavily armed men and women who came forward from the shadows.
"Fine, but I'm driving my team." Ziva answered him with steely eyes, seeing the anger at her lurking in his own brown depths and not trusting the safety of those she loved with anyone but herself. "Gibbs Team, I meant." She corrected herself with a flash of apologiy to Gibbs realizing what she'd said.
"No," Gibbs smiled shaking his head slowly, "I think you had it right the first time, Ziver. We're your team on this one. You take point for us." He gave her an encouraging head nod. Smiling inside to once again be standing in this airport with her, and this time, to have her fiercly defend her team not trusting anyone else with their safety whereas before, she said she couldn't trust any of them and didn't belong.
Ziva was slightly stunned with Gibbs trust in giving her Point and acknowledge the moment for what it was, her mind flashing back to the last time she stood here with him and Tony and said goodbye, saying she could not trust them. Their continued faith in her only made Ziva all the more determined not to let them down this time. Gibbs had given her point and control over their team, but she would respect what he had taught her and all of them by not taking this responsibility lightly. They may be in her home country now, but these people were still her home in every sense of the real word.
"Fine." Malachi relented knowing that Ziva was more then capable of driving herself with her training. "I'll come by the house when I know that Headquarters are Secure for you. If you need anything, please call me directly and I will make certain you have it. Do not trust anyone else, Ziva. You speak only directly to me about anything."
Ziva nodded in understanding. "Asa, are you coming with us?" She asked looking over to the exhausted man standing beside them and wanting to know what his plans were in all of this.
"I would like him to come with me." Malachi spoke before Asa had a chance to answer and all eyes flashed between the two.
They hadn't spoken a single word to each other since Asa informed him he was the father of Liat's baby and shoved him in the chest for daring to accuse him of being the reason for Liat's broken heart. The group now weren't sure what Malachi had planned for Asa given that interaction but his tone was not in contempt or anger, rather slightly apologetic.
"We need to speak of some things." Malachi added and swallowed hard, "Alone." He looked directly at Asa, wanting to speak with him about all that had happened, and all of the things Malachi had come to realize in the hours since they'd boarded that plane. They didn't need an audience for what needed to be said and spoken of.
Asa answered only with a single slight nod of his head and picked up his own bags.
"Be safe, Ziva." Malachi moved forward and kissed her cheeks inspite of beign angry at her in this moment, he still cared for her and didn't want anything bad to happen to her. "I will be in touch." He added in Hebrew.
He walked off towards his own SUV with Asa following beside and Ziva's team moved towards their own.
Tony looked at Gibbs when they both came to the Passenger side of the vehicle, unsure of where he should sit. He wanted to sit up front with Ziva having never ridden in the same car as her before in Israel, their previous visit they had purposefully been kept separated, but knew that was likely the place that Gibbs belonged as their team leader.
Gibbs saw the look in Tony's eyes and gave him a small head nod and smile to go head, sit in the front with her, knowing the reasons why. He was still smiling slightly when he piled in the back with he and McGee squeezeing E.J. in the middle.
"I've never been to Israel." E.J. spoke as Ziva snapped her seatbelt into place and everyone else got settled.
"I've only been once. Never made it off the tarmac." McGee added quietly and swallowed hard meeting Ziva's eyes flashing to his in the reflection of the rearview mirror.
Ziva felt her heart start to pound and opened and closed her hands several times before gripping the steering wheel, trying to shed her nerves and took a deep breath. She'd never expected to be this nervous returning to the place of her birth. Had not expected that her being shot the last time she was here and the way she left to have such a lasting effect but it had. Especially being in the car with the three men who had come to bring her home, believing she had died and said goodbye to her in this same space. She saw the look in McGee's eyes of fear and anxiety about her being back in this place and saw it in Gibbs and Tony's eyes as well. E.J. thankfully, was the only who didn't have those memories and the anxiety in her eyes was more about what was to come rather then what already had.
"Well, I've been twice now. Neither was very fun I can assure you both you haven't missed much." Tony spoke up and shook his head staring out into the blackness as Ziva drove out of the hanger, "Broken bones, bullets, body bags and bad memories." He knew he couldn't look at Ziva right now and was thankful when she instead, reached to turn on the radio cranking the music loudly covering his sarcastic scoff as Rob Zombie's Living Dead Girl drown out any further conversation. The irony of this song, with Ziva in Israel was just too much for Tony. Both times he'd left the country before, he'd thought he lost her for good only to have her come back to life.
E.J.'s eyes went wide the moment Ziva's foot hit the gas pedal and sped out into traffic, whipping and weaving around like a bullet from a gun as the city lights flew by outside. She was forced to lean forward slightly to hold onto the seats in front of her as their bodies sway dramatically from side to side from the rapid momentum change.
McGee, E.J. and Gibbs all shared a knowing look in the backseat with the temperature in the car falling and icy silence in spite of the hot temperatures outside and loud music inside, the passive aggressive actions spoke volumes as to the tension that had suddenly begun to suffocate the two passengars in the front seat the further into the city they drove.
"It's beautiful." E.J. awed looking out the window. They had been driving along the coast for a while, watching the moonlight coming off the sea and the view was breathtaking and mesmerizing, something they could actually stand to enjoy if not for the reason they were there.
Ziva turned the music down as she slowed towards a driveway with an immense wall surrounding eitherside and huge metal gates. Two guard towers on either side with military men posted waited as she approached.
She rolled down the window and greeted the man in Hebrew. He smiled when he recognized her instantly and waved her through after speaking into neck piece, authorizing her entry.
The security looked like something surrounding the NSA they all thought and swallowed hard as Ziva hit the gas again and the SUV began moving quickly up the stone driveway, weaving its way up the hill towards the most impressive looking house any of them had ever seen standing at the top.
When she pulled to a stop under the covered parking near the front entrance she nervously shut the engine off. "We have arrived." Ziva turned to look first at Tony and then quickly away towards those in the back, "Please make yourselves at home while you are here. Just do not wander out of the house or you may be shot." She worried the perimeter security would shoot first and ask questions later as they were trained to do.
"Good to know." McGee swallowed hard with a swift head nod, as did E.J. with wide eyes.
Tony didn't say anything as they all stepped out, looking up at the immense beautiful home before him that was already lit and awaiting their arrival. This was not what he was expecting at all. A mansion on the hill over looking the sea as he turned around and took in the night view.
He took a breath and followed her inside, waiting for E.J. then McGee to pass through the massive double doors into the foyer and then finally Gibbs, who shared the same raised eyebrows of astonishment that he had as they entered and stood under the diamond chandlier, having never known that Eli David had this kind of money and wealth.
For them to know that Ziva had grown up in this house, was mind boggling, even to Tony who had grown up in wealth himself. There was wealth and then there was beyond imagination wealth and Ziva had given it all up, to work for measly pay as an American Special Agent with a mostly unheard of branch in NCIS. The woman was full of constant surprises.
Ziva was nervous, she knew what they must be thinking as they followed her inside the massive house and up the enormous staircase leading towards the bedrooms. She couldn't see them but could imagine the wide-eyes of astonishment as they walked behind her, circling upwards around the chandileir towards the second level. Their silence spoke volumes as they moved across the stone steps.
"The spare rooms are all down this way." She finally spoke wanting to break the unnerving silence, "Feel free to explore and choose one. There are enough that no one has to share. Unless they want to." Ziva added quietly, looking at Tony and giving him a nervous smile. She wasn't sure how to read his mood or if he wanted space. This was unfamiliar territory for them both, to be here and together in Israel and in her father's house. Her house. She had to remind herself. She wouldn't allow her father to influence how she reacted around Tony or any of them in this space. His opinion of her and those she loved no longer mattered.
"If you would like to shower or change," Ziva added knowing they'd been on a long flight after an already long day at work, "Help yourself to the towels in the linen closests in your respective bathrooms. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask." She knew she couldn't wait to wash the grime of the day off of her. Let the hot water run over her body and wash it all away, soak up the tears she would undoubtedly shed. "If anyone is hungry, I'll have the chef prepare something or…" She paused seeing their eyes widen even further at the mentioning of a chef, even at this late hour, "I could just put out snacks for people to snack on." Ziva shifted nervously on her feet at their continued silence and wide astonished eyes. "Okay, I will be going to my room now." She quickly moved towards the end of the long winding hallway, past the open balconies looking down in the main rooms of the house and winding around.
Tony hesitated only a moment and quickly moved after her, nodding at Gibbs on his way by excusing himself and swiftly caught up to her. He followed her through the door and into the Master Bedroom that was now hers.
Ziva had her father's things removed on her last visit, wanting to put the past behind her and had her things moved over from her own room.
Tony stood in awe in the doorway looking at the bedroom that was bigger then Gibbs whole house. The biggest bed he'd ever seen sat near an open balcony looking out at the beautiful sea with moonlight cascading in. The soft breeze flickering the curtains only added to the scene of surrealness. Ziva dropped her bag at the end of the bed and moved towards the balcony doors, closing them and stoping the cool breeze before turning to face him.
"So…" She finally spoke staring across the immense space, daring him to say something. Tony hadn't said a thing since his line in the car about Israel being nothing to him but broken bones, bullets, body bags and bad memories. It upset her that though she knew he was justified in feeling this way, that the country of her birth had left such a bitter taste in his mouth that he loathed being here. She had wanted him to love it.
"Sufficient, you said." Tony answered, remembering Ziva having described her house as such to meet the teams needs. The word didn't quite cover it adequetly.
"Tony," She shook her head, not in the mood to hear him mock her word choice and started peeling her clothes off. Kicking her shoes off as she tore her shirt off over her head.
"You never mentioned how wealthy you were, Ziva." Tony walked slowly forward, watching her undress and dropping his bag beside her own.
"I am not wealthy, Tony. My parents were." She answered with a deep sigh, undoing the button of her pants and wiggling them down her body, eager to get in the shower and just let go of all the emotion threatening to consume her right now with everything that had happened and being back in this place, knowing now what she did about her life and family.
"Well, you are now, Ziva." Tony answered quietly realizing she'd said she inherited all of this.
"Does it matter?" Ziva asked finally looking at him with building tears, emotionally exhausted and not wanting to fight about this with him, have it be something else for him to hate about Israel and be angry with her for. "If it bothers you that much I will sell it, Tony. Have nothing left in Israel of my former life. Not even my childhood home." She added bitterly herself standing fiercly before him in nothing but her bra and underwear, blinking back her tears. "Then there will be nothing left here of me for you to hate and despise. Everything that is… or ever was in Israel for me…will be gone. Nothing left to bring me back. Nothing to show my children one day, that I ever existed here once. That I was ever in this place." She waved her hand away from her and spun on her heel stalking off towards the bathroom door.
Tony jumped slightly when the door slammed behind her and then he slumped when he heard the nearly immediate sob Ziva let loose, having held it back until she was out of his sight. So far they'd been in country a little less then an hour and things were already off to a great start, he sighed flopping back onto the bed.