Kia ora bros, again, I am so sorry I was so late with this one! And those that have read my last fanfic, Leaking Pain, you will know I used the name Lincoln Memorial College/School before, but just go with it!
Hasmia couldn't sleep. Her mind was replaying the past month in her head far too quickly for her eyes to become weary. She knew now that this was her home, with Tony and Ziva, but there was still anxiety, she didn't know what was going to happen next. Glancing at the clock on her bedside table and finding it to be past midnight she sighed audibly. Knowing she wouldn't be able to sleep for a while she silently slipped out of bed, quiet feet padding their way down the hall, finding herself seated in front of the computer in the otherwise moonlit room. She had gotten fairly good on the machines after the long days at NCIS learning English, enough to be able to easily navigate the internet. Mia inwardly smiled when she found it already logged onto, by Ziva. Since her aunt had returned she had spent a suspiciously long time on the computer, but had always changed screens when Mia walked past, hushed voices would still when she was around, Ziva and Tony were up to something.
Pressing keys slowly and deliberately like she had practiced Mia quickly found the history page. There were lots of different links, many she couldn't read, but they all had one phrase she did understand; high school. She cursed quietly for being so stupid, she couldn't just go to work everyday with Tony and Ziva, but she couldn't stay at home all day either. She had to go to school. Mia's cheeks reddened, she could barely read and they were sending her to school? It was almost as if they were trying to humiliate her. Sighing angrily she clicked the first link, and was diverted to a page, slowly she translated it to be an International school. Mia already had a Hebrew/ English dictionary at hand and quickly found the term. Slowly she deciphered the words on the page she didn't already know. English as a second language, exchange trips, language studies, special tutors for those who struggle with English, campus map, International Students. Creaking floorboards drew her attention away from the screen. Hasmia didn't have time to react before Ziva was illuminated by the computer, wearing a oversized varsity tee shirt.
"Mia, what are you doing?" She rubbed her eyes sleepily.
The girl considered lying, but Ziva had seen what was on the screen and was just giving her a chance to tell the truth. "You are sending me away," She quietly muttered.
Ziva's eyebrows narrowed, glancing again at the computer, Mia was on the boarding for international students page, "Oh, no tataleh we would never! Tony and I are just researching possible schools," She quickly answered.
Hasmia didn't reply, just stared at her aunt hard.
"I am telling the truth," Ziva stated evenly.
"Sure," Mia sighed, getting up from the computer, not attempting to keep the attitude from her voice. She had been lied to enough in her life, and couldn't be bothered with separating fact from fiction anymore. She was just walking past Ziva when the older woman stepped in front of her, blocking her path to the bedroom.
Ziva was sure to meet her eyes, "We will talk about this tomorrow Mia."
"Sure."
Despite herself Ziva smirked, almost enjoying the stubbornness and toughness Mia had just displayed, she knew from experience people seemed to have trouble arguing with her. She quickly turned to computer off and went to bed, surprised to find Tony awake.
"What was that about?" He asked as soon as she slid under the warm covers.
Ziva sighed, "She is annoyed and upset we are sending her to a school. She rolled her eyes and tried to walk away from the conversation!" Her voice rose slightly in frustration.
She was surprised however, when Tony chuckled quietly, wrapping a strong arm around his girlfriends stomach, "C'mon Zee-Vah, she's just being a teenage girl!"
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"Ok, so, my mum used to always to things in twos. She was pretty bummed that she didn't have twins I think," Tony began gently, sitting next to Ziva on the couch, Hasmia sat opposite, hands fidgeting. "So, why not follow through?"
He wasn't met by a response.
"Look, there can't be any arguing, you are going to enrol at a school. Legally we have to." Tony continued.
Ziva squeezed his hand, "We found one-"
"Actually I found it," He interrupted, grinning cheekily, Mia's lips curled up slightly.
"-and it has an international program." Ziva added.
"I know, I read the website," Hasmia replied, "I am getting better," She quietly stated.
Ziva smiled, "Of course tataleh, this school has programs made just for people who English are not their first language."
Her eyes slowly met her kind aunt's, "When am I meant to start?" She asked with a sigh.
"Well, interviews for openings next semester are in a few weeks," Ziva began.
"About another month Mia," Tony finished.
She nodded, accepting another change to her life, "You said you were doing it in twos."
Tony was briefly confused, then grinned, "Me and Ziva were thinking, if you'd like a dog called Rover or like Lassie, now that's a good dog movie!."
Hasmia glanced between Ziva and Tony, the small smile on her face growing, "Do I have to call it Rover?"
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
"Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh you're getting a dog?!" Abby excitedly cried, jumping up and down, black pigtails joining in on the action.
Hasmia nodded, grinning also, "Yeah, but I have to go to school." She found it impossible to not smile around the goth, especially during their little chats in the lab.
She paused, still beaming, "But school is so much fun! You make friends and learn stuff and go on field trips, sometimes even here! What school? Maybe they come here!"
"It's this international school, for people who speak more than one language," Hasmia didn't even know the name, but figured there wasn't that many schools in DC like that.
Abby nodded, quickly typing on the computer, bringing up a webpage for Lincoln Memorial International College, "Is this the place?" She asked over her shoulder to Mia.
The teen scanned the page quickly, "Yes, the picture," She pointed to one of two students laughing, "Was on the website at home."
Abby scrolled down, expertly navigating her way around, "This looks amazing! Their science department is awesome, I went there once for a lecture in university, and believe me, amazing!" She down glanced at Hasmia, who barely made it over her shoulder, "What subjects do you like? English, math, science, sport, technology?"
She shrugged, "Dunno, I like running I guess."
There was some clicking of keys, "Alright their brand new gym, multi million dollar gym, has running machines, both basketball and netball hoops, balls of any shape, weight machines, it looks amazing!" She enlarged the photos.
"It does," Hasmia quietly replied, more interested in the girls playing basketball in one photo, they looked her age. "How many people go there?"
"Uno moment," Abby answered, tapping furiously before finding what she was looking for, "Four hundred and sixty three kids."
"That's a lot," Mia stated.
"Uh hello, my college had two thousand, although I was only there for three years before going to university." Abby laughed, "You'll do fine, trust me, anyone who can beat Tony in a fight can make friends."
Mia nodded, then paused, "I've never fighted Tony."
"Fought my dear Israeli and if you're as much like Ziva as you are now, then you will."
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
"But Abba, even Air has a pet!" The ten year old girl had cried out, brushing her curls from her face, her younger sister clinging to her leg, rarely letting go since her mother left her world far too early. The tired man rubbed his eyes, jaw clenched, sighing deeply. Even in her tender age the older child tensed, recognising the hidden messages behind the movement, anger was about to boil over.
"Ziva, sit," He gestured to the adjacent seat, across from his desk where he sat. She nodded quietly and slid into the cool leather embrace. Her young sister tried to climb onto her lap. "TALI! Leave us alone, bury your grief, this is no way for a child of mine to act!" He cried out, a small gasp escaping Tali's mouth, tears filling her eyes, she ran out the door.
Ziva sat unnaturally straight, reminding herself of how she had seen the Mossad agents sit, speaking quietly she began, "Abba, it just doesn't seem fair for-"
"Zivaleh, do you think life is fair?" Eli gruffly interrupted. She considered it, people are meant to be nice and her Abba's job was to catch those who weren't, but if life was fair then why did he need to?
She shrugged slightly, "No but it should be."
He laughed, without a shred of happiness, "Ah yes, but fairness would mean that Ari would not exist and I would have two sons and a wife." He cooly remarked.
Ziva had heard him complain about daughters too many times for the comment to hurt, "Abba, just a pet, it doesn't have to be big, a rabbit for Tali."
"That child needs something to toughen her up, not a rodent, Ari has a dog, but not in this household," It was true, the boy didn't even live with them, other than for two weeks during summer. He glanced disinterestedly at the time, "There will be no more discussion about this, go and make dinner for us and remember the past is-"
"Past, dwelling on it only weakens the now," The girl finished in a quiet voice, turning and leaving her father alone in his study.
Ziva remembered all this and more of her attempts at a childhood pet. She glanced over a Hasmia who was sitting in the back seat of Tony's car as they drove to the pound, having briefly explaining what it was and why Ziva thought they should adopt one from there. The teen was sitting eagerly behind Tony, staring, as she always did, intently out the window. Watching a world she never knew existed pass by. She didn't seem nervous, but Ziva had learnt to not judge what she was thinking by mere facial expression alone. She turned back to face the front, smiling to herself at how the teen had changed after the few months she had lived with them. She seemed less guarded and secretive, more at ease, actually enjoying the simple things in life she had been deprived of. Tony had all but fainted when she asked what a bubble bath was, proceeding to fill her up one that was nearly overflowing, just like the ones he had every Sunday night after a movie, she had spent well over an hour in it. Hasmia was wearing a plain striped black and white tee shirt and some tight fitting jeans, even though she wasn't open about it Ziva could tell she was trying to hide her burnt legs, thankfully she was used to the heat or else the warm day would have been too much for the denim.
"Excited Hasmia?" Tony asked over the soft radio mdic drifting through the car.
She turned to look at him in the reflection in the rear view mirror, hair bouncing with the movement, "Sort of, I wish Abby could've come."
"She volunteers there every second weekend, I'm sure she will be fine about it," Ziva chirped in.
Tony grinned, "Do you know what you're looking for Mia?"
She shrugged, "Whoever needs me I guess."
FINALLY! I UPDATED! YAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!
Enjoy y'all!