So I was wondering, why does Ducky call everyone by their first names, but calls Jimmy Mr Palmer all the time? It's a mystery! Oh and when I say hair covering someone's face I mean more like small strands, not like in The Ring or anything!
Hasmia was having a full body X-ray when Tony finally got up the nerve to met his girlfriend. Ziva was waiting outside the door as her niece lay on the cold table, allowing the doctors to categorise her injuries. The girl had just given a formal statement of what had happened; kidnapping, the beating, the questions and backstory, along with the attempted rape. Ziva had shuddered to think what Mia had endured with only one night, any longer and she would not have made it. But thankfully this was the last procedure she would have, before she would most likely be discharged. It was a good thing too, Hasmia had nearly fallen asleep on her way over to the X-ray unit. Ziva sighed, she was so confused over the nights events, her niece was kidnapped and tortured, yet they wanted her, so why didn't they just go for her? She barely even noticed he was there until he slipped his hand into her's, sitting down next to her.
"How're ya holding up?" Tony asked gently.
Ziva ran her free hand through her hair, "I am fine, but confused," She admitted.
"That makes two of us. Like why would they want you, but get her? It doesn't make sense," Tony mused out loud.
"I think though, based on what Mia said, they are looking to hurt Abba, by hurting me."
"You mean kinda like how Ari wanted Gibbs dead, but he killed Kate to hurt him more?" He asked, ignoring how tender the topic of her half brother was.
Ziva paused, thinking about it, "Possibly, but it is easy to find a place of residence, the phone book would give them that."
Tony leant back in his chair, "It doesn't make sense, maybe Kadin will tell us something. But it is as if they just did it all for a laugh"
"Some laugh," Ziva huffed. "I want him to be difficult, then I can be rougher with him," She muttered.
Tony laughed, "Easy ninja, you're NCIS now!"
The door opened and a make nurse wearing scrubs walked out, pushing Hasmia on a wheelchair. Her arms were crossed protectively around herself, hunched over slightly she was again allowing her hair to partially cover her face. She refused to look at either Tony or Ziva.
Ziva stood, letting go of Tony's hand, "Any fractures?"
The nurse nodded, "A few of her lower ribs and her left thumb, I am taking her now to get them set and bandaged, you are welcome to come."
"Of course I will come," Ziva assured, she turned to Tony, "You can go back to work if you want."
He shook his head, "Sorry can't."
Her eyes narrowed, "Why not?"
"Uh, well you see," He faltered, "Gibbs told me to stay with you."
"What?! I can take care of myself!" Ziva cried out angrily.
"We know," Both Tony and Gibbs, who had just appeared in typical Gibbs fashion, stated. He bent down in kissed Hasmia's tousled hair, producing the smallest of smiles, coffee in hand he continued, "But we want everyone else alive for questioning Ziva. They are terrorists."
Ziva sighed, "Fine. But why are you here?"
He cocked a grin, "I'm taking over from DiNozzo."
Tony huffed, kissing Ziva gently and smiling a bye to Hasmia, then hurried off from the spewing argument that was due to come.
"Can we get her set now?" The nurse asked quietly.
"Go for it," Gibbs gruffly replied as he took a long swig from his coffee.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
Ziva quickly answered her beeping phone before it woke Hasmia, who was oblivious to the world in her deep slumber, Abby's number showed on the screen, "Hello Abby," Ziva greeted in a hushed voice, glancing at Gibbs, who didn't look up from his paper.
"Ziva! Oh my gosh! Finally, you missed my other calls and I have had too much work to come and visit and I don't blame you for not answering with Hasmia and everything else. But how is she?! Those bastards! I want to kill them. AND leave no evidence, but you'll have to help me with the killing-"
"Abby, what do you want?" Ziva asked kindly, glad to hear the familiar rambles after hours of silence, filled only with doctors saying ten syllable words she could never understand.
"What makes you think I want anything, I have just missed your voice!"
"Abby!" Ziva warns. "What do you want?!"
"Oh, can I visit Hasmia in the hospital?"
Ziva glanced at the still sleeping teen, "She is resting Abby."
She heard a audible "Dammit!" From both her phone and the hallway beyond Hasmia's door, she sighed and got up, opening it quickly.
Abby jumped with fright, "Ziva! Can I come in?"
She saw no point in sending her away, so Ziva stepped aside, allowing the leather clad goth to enter. An audible sigh escaped Abby when she saw how frail and weak Hasmia was. Abby noticed Gibbs and smiled broadly, despite the situation, to him.
She paused, "Wait why is Gibbs here?"
Ziva sighed, "Apparently the Brotherhood were not after Mia, they want me and now I am not allowed alone." She angrily stated.
"Oh," There was a soft murmur as Hasmia's long lashes flickered gently open.
She gazed around the room, seeing both Abby and Gibbs, "Hi," She quietly greeted.
"Hey you!" Abby pulled out a vivid, "Can I please sign your cast?"
Hasmia glanced at her left hand, which was tightly wrapped in a white cast, that missed her fingers but spun around her thumb, down just below her wrist, "Sure," She went to sit up but winced, her free hand finding her wrapped rib cage.
"Easy tiger," Gibbs mused.
Hasmia answered quickly, "Tony says lion."
Gibbs grinned, "With hair like that I'm not surprised."
She bit her lip slightly, "Sorry for running off, I didn't want you guys getting hurt," She softly apologised.
"All is forgiven Mia, just remember your dodah is here for you," Ziva kindly replied, holding her niece's free hand, slowly warming it.
Hasmia's eyes filled with tears that she blinked away, "I didn't tell them," She mumbled.
Abby looked up from her artwork, a skull with bats wings, "Didn't tell them what?"
"Where you live."
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
To anyone else their home would look completely normal, nothing strange at all. But most people were not Ziva David. When she told Tony she was staying the night with Hasmia, because the doctors had decided to keep her overnight for observation, saying she needed to grab an overnight bag he had been torn. Stay with Mia, who no one wanted to leave by herself, or go with his girlfriend. Ziva had managed to convince him however that she was a former Kidon Officer, she could and would if she needed to, take care of herself. Stepping inside their clean home, Ziva could feel something was wrong. She quietly made her way into the living room, gun in hand. She checked every room, outside, even the attic, but no one else was with her.
"Crazy ninja senses getting out of hand," She joked to herself, mimicking Tony's nickname for her.
"Yes it would appear things never change do they Ziva?" She froze, not turning around, listening for additional breathing that would indicate more than one person was in her home. "What's wrong Ziz, forgotten me?" The man teased.
Ziva spun around, finding a tall man, in simple clothing, dark hair and eyes, a charismatic face, "Sorry who are you?" She lied, hiding the recognition that screamed at her.
He laughed, "Come Ziz, don't you remember? The weapon carrier? We were just children, but I am sure that-"
"I was just a child, you were not," Ziva corrected through her teeth, resisting the urge to blindly attack the man, but she knew he had a gun, she could tell by the position of his hand behind him.
He shrugged, "Ziz, I am certain that you enjoyed it."
"Do not call me that. You know what you did, no matter how many times you have tried to convince yourself that what you did that night was love, you have never been more fucking wrong," Ziva spat, trying not to let the hate and fear in her words show.
The man tilted his head, talking as if he was scolding a disobedient child he continued, "So you do remember me."
"Betzalel Nassar, of course I do," She felt her hand raise the gun slightly, but his reflexes were as sharp as ever, he was near her in seconds, his cold metal against the crook of her neck.
"Maybe you should give that to me Ziz, wouldn't want anyone getting hurt now would we?" He purred.
Ziva didn't know why, but she had almost become the child he treated her to be, handing her pistol over without a fuss.
He smiled, removing the bullets, scattering them across the floor. "Do you know why I am here?"
"Does it have anything to do with kidnapping and torturing a fifteen year old girl?" She snapped.
Again he grinned, walking back to the kitchen table and sitting down, "Now all I wanted to know was one little detail, anyway I took no part in any of the technical stuff there."
Ziva glared coldly at him.
"But I suppose you should probably know why I am here yourself."
Her mind crossed to Tony complaining about how all the baddies confess their life story to the hero when they think they are winning.
"Anyway I have always hated my name. Betzalel, in the shadow of God, and it seemed, I was always in the shadow of you. I was older, yet made to do stupid things for the spoilt David daughter." Ziva had never told anyone that whilst it may have appeared her father had favoured her and Ari, it was behind closed doors where she was neglected, not cared for, left to cry alone when her Ima and Tali had died, slapped when she wouldn't stop. "I hated Eli, still do. Now ask yourself this, how do you hurt someone? You hurt those they love. So by hurting you, I hurt him. By humiliating you, I humiliate him. The business with Ari's daughter is unfortunate, I did rather like the bastard, but it had to happen, now you are hurt."
Ziva was confused at what he meant by humiliating her, instead though commented, "I am expected back at the hospital in about ten minutes, if you don't want to raise any alarms I would leave."
Betzalel glanced at his watch, "Very true Ziz, it was a pleasure seeing you." He got up and walked calmly out the front door as if he owned the place, almost insulting Ziva further.
Once the door was shut she slammed into it, locking it as quickly as she could. Ziva couldn't breathe, she could feel him on her skin, inside her, his purring voice danced in her head. She ran to the bathroom, retching up the meagre amount of food in her, the very memory of what he forced her to do ravaged through her mind, leaving her shaking on the cold tiles. She sat there for as long as she could, contemplating how she could get to Tony, to his safe arms. Eventually she pulled out her cell, clicking her first speed dial number.
There was a paused, "Ziva what's up?" He asked cheerfully.
She wanted to explain everything, from the beginning, years ago in the weapons carrier, when she first danced with his knife, but the only word that would come out was a small squeak of his name.
"Ziva what's wrong, where are you? What happened?" He quickly asked, concern in his voice.
She had to take a deep breath to steady her voice more, "Please just come home, I need you."
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
He was there in minutes, kicking open the door when it was found to be locked. He ran around frantically in their home, before finding Ziva huddled on the bathroom floor, tear tracks visible down her flushed cheeks. Tony was immediately at her side, "Ziva! What happened here baby?" He asked, pulling her into his arms as he sat next to her.
Ziva drew a deep breath to steady herself, "You remember when I said my first time was in a weapons carrier?"
Tony was confused but answered anyway, "Uh yeah."
"It wasn't consensual. Betzalel, the guy, he is one of the three brothers. He was here," She stammered out, trembling slightly.
Tony couldn't believe his ninja, who could kill him with the towel he was sitting next to, had been raped. Nor why the bastard hadn't been arrested or even assassinated when Eli found out. Unless he still hasn't. "Did you manage to get a weapon?"
Ziva nodded mutely, "But, but he also had a gun, he was a better fighter than me."
Tony paused, "What did he want then?"
"He said he wanted to hurt and humiliate Abba, by doing so to me. Betzalel, he implied he had already hurt me with what happened to Mia." She replied weakly.
He didn't want to think about his ninja being humiliated, his arm tensing protectively around her small frame, "C'mon, I'm taking you to Gibbs'."
"But who is with Mia?"
Tony grinned, "McBabysitter, when I left he was teaching her how to play poker, I reckon she'll win." He was surprised she agreed so readily to going to Jethro's place, but assumed she was tired of arguing. He helped her stand, noticing that once she got moving she seemed more, like Ziva. She left and grabbed some overnight clothes, then he drove her to Gibbs' home quickly.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
"Goddammit DiNozzo! I said to not leave her side!" He angrily yelled when Tony briefly stated what had happened, Ziva left to have a shower, she didn't say but Gibbs saw immediately she needed some time alone to battle her closer demons before facing both her lover and the Marine.
"She is Ziva boss, I assumed she would be-" He was interrupted by a smack to the back of the head, "Right, never assume."
Gibbs glared at him, "What happened?" He would also ask Ziva, he just needed to know she wouldn't under exaggerate the effect on her.
Tony rubbed the back of his head, "Well from what I know there are three brothers."
"Yeah, Ahmed, Kadin and Betzalel Nassar."
"And they all used to work for Mossad before going off the rails. One of them Betzalel, he is who we are looking for. He broke into our place and threatened Ziva, then just left. He wanted to humiliate and hurt Eli, he has a grudge against him. So he wants to hurt and humiliate her, he already hurt her by messing with Mia, he hasn't humiliated her, yet." Tony stated, trying to keep the anger from his voice.
Gibbs face hardened, "Go, find out who this bastard is, find everything you can about him, put out a bolo, everything DiNozzo."
Tony glanced at the door down the hallway, "What about-"
"I've got this Tony," The Marine tenderly answered, Tony was too shocked at his kinder tone he left without arguing.
Ziva reappeared a few minutes later, brown curls damp, over sized tee shirt and shorts on her small body, she eyed Gibbs suspiciously before her tired frame met the couch opposite him. They sat in silence for a brief moment, before Ziva couldn't take it any longer.
"Gibbs I am fine I was only shaken and now-"
'Cut the bull Ziver, what happened earlier?" He gruffly interrupted.
She broke eye contact, staring at her fidgeting fingers, "When I was sixteen my instructor in Mossad was Betzalel Nassar. He, he threatened me by threatening Tali. So one night I was practicing knowing which bullet was with which gun when he came in, we were alone, he was twenty, I couldn't fight him. He was stronger and faster. It occurred over a four month period. Then Tali died. Two months later he left Mossad, I never saw him again until tonight. It was like I was sixteen again, I couldn't fight him, he said he wanted to hurt Abba, and use his family to both hurt and humiliate him, and I am his only family." Her voice faltered and she stopped talking.
Gibbs' hardened heart broke slightly, "Honestly Ziver, by humiliate do you think he means rape?" It was a terrible question, but he needed to know if she was in that sort of danger.
She stiffened at the mention of her possible violation, "I, I do not think so, he had a certain expression, when it, happened. Tonight he didn't have it," She stammered, cheeks reddened with embarrassment.
The Marine nodded, "You should tell Hasmia what happened."
Her eyes shot up to his, "No, other than you and Tony no one else knows it happened! Even Abba, no one. How can I tell her I was grateful that my sister had to died, then a man could to stop hurting me?!"
"I don't know, but she said she still feels dirty. Help her see it isn't her fault," Gibbs reasoned, standing up.
Ziva nodded, "Am I meant to go be with her?"
He shook his head, "Fix yourself tonight, then you can help her tomorrow, she's tough, she can cope for one night." Scratching the back of his head, he added, "You can have my bed."
"No Gibbs, it is your bed, I do not want to-'
He gave her his best 'Accept it Goddammit' glare he had, she stopped talking, just nodding mutely, she paused, as if waiting for him to say something, he didn't. So she just left, needing to rest her tearful eyes.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
It was nearly midnight when Tony finally decided to ring Gibbs, assuming he would be up working on another boat. "Not assuming, just using my investigating skills to assure a reasonable uh, pattern!" He muttered to himself as he dialled his boss's number.
"Yeah Gibbs," He answered gruffly, leading Tony to rethink his boat theory.
"It's me boss."
"I figured that DiNozzo, what ya got?" The Marine replied, sitting up from his bed, which was his couch.
Tony quickly found the notes on a bit of paper, "Kadin, Ahmed and Betzalel Nassar, aged 19, 20 and 22 when they left Mossad after a incident, they basically killed a guy when they could have taken him into custody. After that there was no activity until three years later, there was a bombing in Tel Aviv, fourteen where killed. A new terrorist organisation named The Brotherhood of War took the blame, after that there was a string of attacks throughout the Middle East. Then last year Ahmed died in a car accident and nothing was heard of his brothers."
"They were looking for Hasmia," Gibbs stated.
Tony replied just as quickly, "They are probably now looking for Ziva."
Sorry for the wait, I lost my muse! Anyways, I'm off boarding tomorrow, so expect less frequent updates, sorry but c'est la vie!
Hope y'all enjoyed it!
REVIEW!