Ziva David glanced out the Director's window at a view she had not seen in so long, hadn't realized she'd missed such an intangible thing until this moment. The Navy Yard looked the same on the surface but she spotted small differences she didn't expect. For a moment a sadness crept over her; a memory of another time when this view had seemed familiar and foreign at the same time. But then she was struggling; trying to leave behind a harsh existence she'd endured for many months and begin anew...again.

She watched as the Yard was starting a new cycle in its day. As guards changed at the checkpoints, as personnel started to trickle into the buildings or get their early morning jogs in before work. It was early, she and Tony had arrived before 7am and the Director had them in his office as he attended to some FBI coordination in MTAC. She and Tony chose to pass that particular baton to McGee today since there were other things that had to be done.

"Ziva?" Tony stepped up to her, "hey, my ninja?"

She turned to Tony and blinked, "Yes?"

"Lost in thought, huh?" Tony peered at her.

"A little, I admit," Ziva patted his chest.

"Director wants us in MTAC," Tony explained, "shall we?"

"Would you mind going without me, Tony?" Ziva asked, "I need a few minutes before-"

"Before Gibbs comes storming in?" Tony nodded, "Sure. But don't leave this office, OK? I want to be with you when you see him again."

Ziva nodded, "I'll stay here."

Tony kissed her lips, "No matter what...we're going to be fine."

"I know," she returned the kiss before she nodded and he left for MTAC.

Ziva went over to the conference table and helped herself to a glass of water. Her shoulders were tense and she realized she should have shared Tony's breakfast burrito. She was suddenly fairly hungry. Maybe she could run down and pick something up at Jason's food cart. No, that was a bad idea. Gibbs was bound to be arriving any minute and she decided that it might be best to follow Tony's advice and wait for him to return before they faced Gibbs.

There was some candy on the director's desk, so Ziva sauntered over and helped herself to a few jelly beans and a lemon drop.

"Pardon, Director," came a woman's voice as the office door opened, "but your secretary isn't...oh. I'm sorry I thought Director Vance was in here," she said as she started to turn to leave but stopped and looked back at Ziva, "do you know where the director is?"

"He is in MTAC at the moment," Ziva answered politely.

"Ah," the blonde woman nodded. "I'll just wait for him to come out then." She started to leave the office again but turned on her heel once more and looked back at Ziva, "If you hear some yelling don't worry about it. My boss is just on a rampage now and since you are here with the Director ...well I don't think you should be left with a bad impression. It's a strange day here. I'm sure you've heard about all the spy arrests and NCIS's role. I'm rather proud to be part of the agency now. I mean, wow, so many spies and we caught them."

"Yes," Ziva grinned, "NCIS did a good job."

"Oh, yeah," the woman stepped closer and extended her hand, "I'm Agent Ellie Bishop."

"Bishop?" Ziva repeated and realized she was talking to her replacement. A momentary pang of she wasn't quite sure what? Tension? Filled her but it soon passed. "Nice to meet you."

"Leon?!"

Ziva stiffened as she heard Gibbs' voice, as she realized he was about to step through the door.

"That's my boss," Bishop said, "I'll try and head him...uh too late," she said as Gibbs barreled through the door. "Boss, this is a guest of the director's. He's in MTAC now if you need to see him right away."

Gibbs stared at her, his piercing blue eyes boring through her. His face was hard, unyielding as he stood his ground mere feet away. Was this a shock? How angry was he?

"Come on, Gibbs," Bishop took a step towards him, "Let's leave the lady in peace and find the director?"

Gibbs didn't budge and Bishop was suddenly confused.

"Gibbs," Ziva finally said.

"Oh," Bishop turned to her, "you two know each other?"

"Bishop, go downstairs," Gibbs ordered.

"Gibbs, maybe-" Bishop started.

"Go," he barked.

Bishop shot Ziva one last glance before she left the office, closing the door behind her.

"What are you doing here?" Gibbs demanded. "Was this..." he narrowed an eye at her, "did you have anything to do with this op everyone is talking about? That I was excluded from?"

"Yes," Ziva answered honestly. "This was my op, Gibbs. I was working with CIA for the past year. But it was not until Tony-"

"You dragged him in on this?" Gibbs accused.

"No," Ziva defended, "I mean..well yes in the end but I did not call him. He found me." She turned and stepped back before facing Gibbs again, "Kort told him I needed help and he found me."

"After you lied to us," Gibbs stepped closer to her, "all of us."

"I did not know how long it would take," Ziva stood her ground, "but I knew I had to do this. I had to help where I could. I did not want you, the team or Tony involved. I did not want any of you to be placed in such danger if it could be prevented, Gibbs!" she snapped back at him, held her chin high.

"You lied to me," Gibbs reiterated.

"I had to," she continued to defend, "this was not an ordinary case, Gibbs. This was an investigation that could take years and cost lives. I did not," she swallowed, "I did not want any of you hurt because of this," she empathized. "You all had enough trouble from my father and I did not want what he left behind to continue to harm any of you."

Gibbs stepped right into her, hovered over with a glower, "You should have given us the choice!" he bellowed in her face. "You don't lie like this to...to family."

"I had to protect you," she cried, "I had to-"

Gibbs embraced her and Ziva cried on his shoulder.

"I thought I lost you," he said as he placed his hand on her head, "I thought we would never see you again," his voice broke. "I thought Tony would never see you again," he held her as she cried on his shoulder. "I thought...I thought I had been too hard on you."

Ziva relaxed into his embrace. She understood now; understood what had happened and why Tony and McGee had been confused by Gibbs behavior. Gibbs had buried her. He buried her to protect the team...to protect Tony. It was the only thing Gibbs knew how to do, the only way he knew how to handle difficult emotions. She understood. Ziva often did the same. But it was Tony, the fact that she had Tony that saved her from burying everything.

Ziva pulled back and looked Gibbs in the eyes, "I am sorry, Gibbs."

"So am I, Ziva," he kissed her forehead gently. "You don't bury a daughter."

They embraced again, years of pain, sharing, learning, and trust falling right back into place. He was a second father...more importantly she knew he wanted to be.

"Hey," she heard Tony's voice, "Gibbs, are you strangling my wife?"

Ziva couldn't help her teary chuckle as she and Gibbs pulled out of the embrace. Gibbs kept his hand on her arm as he turned to look at Tony and Vance enter the office.

"You two have a lot of explaining to do," Gibbs said as he smiled at Tony.

There was a storm coming, she could see it on the horizon but Ziva felt safe. She smiled to herself as she thought about these last six months. Somehow she had weathered the storm her father had left her. She and Tony had weathered so many storms.

Glancing around as she waited for Tony to return home, it still surprised her. This new life, this life that somehow became perfectly suited to them. The house was wonderful, their Maryland Ocean view house that cost more than either of them would make if they worked two lifetimes for NCIS. For this luxury she had to thank Eli.

She had to admit, she loved this place. Tony said she was nesting and Ziva tried to explain to him that she did not nest; it was contrary to her training but she also knew he was right. Of course she was nesting. How could she not?

Everything had changed; for her and for Tony. There was a time when she truly believed they would all be working at NCIS with Gibbs until they each retired and Gibbs would still be at his desk barking "grab your gear." But no, it didn't quite work out that way.

SecNav had brought them in to her office to explain that she wanted to create a new special ops Intel unit and she offered the position to her and Tony. The unit was NCIS and still under Director Vance but it also had an autonomy that was unique. Both she and Tony agreed to head it with caveats. Ziva insisted Tony run it and she wanted flexible time – to raise her family. SecNav and Vance agreed and Team DiNozzo was born. They decided on offices in Maryland and bought this house. McGee left MCRT and joined them in Maryland to Abby's chagrin.

The new set up worked out perfectly for them. They only worked special cases which afforded them more time for each other. Tony was a natural leader to his own surprise, no matter the bluster he usually portrayed, and the new responsibilities fit him. They were in charge of two dozen personnel with varying assignments; and more could be called in at any time. Sometimes she and Tony chose to work a case themselves and sometimes they assigned it down the ladder. It was indeed the perfect set up for them. McGee was in his glory straddling the tech ops and field cases as he chose.

Gibbs was a frequent visitor and Tony knew that at some point he'd have to make use of Gibbs' talents. Gibbs was months away from mandatory field retirement age but with them at Special Ops the age limit could be waved. Tony wasn't necessarily looking forward to that day.

Ziva just laughed at the thought of Gibbs given orders by Tony and having no say… that was not going to happen. She fiddled with her Star of David necklace as she watched the road up to the house.

Tony had returned the necklace to her on their legal wedding day. It was a beautiful day. The entire team, new friends and old attended as she and Tony married legally right here in this house. It was before the house had been furnished completely, only their bedroom was done.

They'd had an event service put tables around the main floor and married in the backyard with the Ocean View. It was a perfect day.

Ziva left the window and made her way to the kitchen to check on the lasagna in the oven. It looked perfect when she opened the oven door and she lowered the temperature setting. She then turned to the kitchen island and picked up one of the resumes strewn across the granite. She'd have to make a choice soon. For most women it would be strange to hire someone to work in the house with skill in hand to hand combat and evasion tactics but Ziva wasn't going to take a chance.

"Where's my family?" Tony bellowed as she heard the side door close.

"Kitchen," she yelled out.

"Hey," Tony came right to her, placed his hand on her large belly and kissed her. "How are my girls?"

"Fine," Ziva kissed him back, "but the little one is throwing some kind of party in there. I think she takes after her father's frat days.

Tony started to laugh then blanched. "Remind me to go with her to college."

Chuckling, Ziva kissed him again, "I almost feel sorry for daddy's little girl."

"Any luck with nanny selection?" Tony peered down at the paper in her hand.

"Ugh," Ziva sighed, "it is difficult when all you have to go on is their word that they know how to defend."

"Ziva," Tony took the paper and put it on the island, "you cannot send them to Mossad training."

"I do not see why not," Ziva shrugged as she stepped away and headed to sit in the family room, "I spoke with Orli and she agreed to give my choice some training. It would be good for our nanny's resume? Yes?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "The only good thing in that sentence is that you and Orli are getting along."

"She has been surprisingly," Ziva rubbed her belly, "accommodating."

"She likes you," Tony plopped down on the sofa next to her, "admit it."

"She…she cares because of my father," Ziva relented.

"Well," Tony placed his hand on her six month round belly, "I spoke with her today. Had to confer on a joint op, you know our Hezbolla informants."

Ziva nodded.

"She told me she found the perfect nanny for us," Tony peered at her.

"Oh?" Ziva pursed her lips, "I am not sure, Tony. We would then have an Orli plant in our house."

"It's Malachi's aunt," Tony informed.

"Rachel?" Ziva was surprised, "I know her. She is…she would be…perfect."

"See," Tony smiled broadly. "Hebrew version of Mary Poppins?"

"Yes," Ziva blinked, "as a matter of fact. But would she want to come live in the US?"

"Orli said she was excited at the prospect," Tony leaned against her arm, "why don't you call her tomorrow?"

Ziva nodded.

"See," Tony took Ziva into his embrace, "everything is falling into place. I told you it would all be all right."

"You did," Ziva rubbed his arm, "it's perfect."

Well that's it! I hope you guys enjoyed Secret Love. Like I said before I have another fic coming up soon. The new one is another offshoot from Ziva's last episode. I am obsessed with rejoining her with Tony! But, I must warn the new one is total angst. Seriously; I am not kidding. There will be a warning before chapter 1.

Hope this ending satisfied! Hugs and don't forget to feedback!