A.N. WOO look at my kick-ass updating skills =) I just want to give out an AWESOME thanks to all the fantastic reviewers who reviewed last chapter. i was really worried about the length between updating but I still got heaps of reviews (which is good) so please don't disappoint me this time!!

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything...

SPOILERS: Season 7 Episode 9 (Childs Play)

Song: Okay so it doesn't really relate to the chapter at all but it was the song that inspired me to write this and that kicked my muse into gear. Another "The Fray" song (they are awesomely inspiring) Look After You

Look After You

She wasn't sure exactly why she had lied about killing someone but looking into the young girl's accusing eyes she was wishing she had never said anything.

"Are you sure that was your first time killing someone?" she had asked, her eyes harder than most kids her age and for the first time since she was little Ziva was thrown off.

"I-I," she stammered, not certain where this nervousness was coming from. She had been made to live a lie so many times; each undercover story was for that moment in time, her story but here she was stammering over one question delivered by a little girl.

"Yes," she managed to get out, her happy and carefree mask quickly replaced by one she thought she had chucked away after Somalia. Yet here she was digging through her crowded closet to find the blankness that she had worn for so many years.

"I don't believe you," she girl said, mad now that Ziva was lying to her.

Ziva quickly realised her mistake and the emotionless 'killer' mask was replaced by the smiling 'I'm just your average NCIS worker' one and careful not to look too deeply into the young girl's eyes she replied.

"Why would I lie about something like that?" Cool, calm, collected, happy; but of course Angela didn't believe her for a second.

-

"How many people have you killed?" Angela asked, walking extra fast to keep up with Ziva's long paces as she made her way back to the car, Gibbs inside talking to the girl's mum.

"I told you, none," she growled, getting annoyed and having to keep up this charade and even more annoyed by the fact that it was annoying her. She kept her paces even and her breathing in check and she wasn't surprised when Angela stopped her.

"I saw the way you killed that man," she said, her eyes clouding up with fear at the memory- she was only twelve. "You didn't react at all. If that was your first time killing someone you would have had a reaction, you would have hesitated if only for a second- but you didn't. That's why I know you're lying."

Stupid perceptive child prodigy.

"So how many people have you killed?"

Her tone was definitive. Final. Like she knew that Ziva was going to give in, like she knew Ziva wanted to get it out.

"I don't know," she said flatly, resuming her walk to the car. Since when did they park so far away?

"What do you mean you don't know?" the girl persisted. "Have you blotted them from your mind? Were you with someone else so you don't know who did it? Did you-"

"I mean I can't count because there are too many!" Ziva yelled, swinging around to face the suddenly stunned girl. "I lost count many years ago and I do not care to remember."

Angela was silent now, staring at the floor instead of intently at Ziva's face like she had been for the past interrogation.

"So what, like ten?" she started, not wanting to drop the subject until she had an answer. She always got an answer.

Ziva exhaled loudly. This would be a lot easier if she wanted to keep the truth a secret, but the young girl's eyes were strangely understanding if not a little scared and as she felt her resolve slipping she saw the fear grow in Angela's eyes.

What was she thinking? She couldn't tell a twelve year old girl that she had killed hundreds of people. People who she didn't even know the name of, people she had slaughtered not killed. She couldn't tell the girl no matter how smart she was for her age, that she was a highly trained assassin.

"Yes," she said, her eyes looking into the young girl's. "Ten."

Review and make me as happy as you did last chapter!

Jules.