Title: Magen David

Summary:It had been taken from her along with months of her life. She had returned broken and without it. And now after one of the most important moments of her life it is returned to her…and without knowing it those that give it to her obey two things her mother once told her. And the decision behind giving her the necklace. Ziva/Team.

Date(s) Written: June 4-14, 2010

Challenge:Ziva's Star Challenge (on NFA)

Challenge Issuer:Ziva_Kate_Abby

Notes: Ziva/Team. Season 7 AU. Hints of Tiva.

"Remember my Ziva, only family should give you a Magen David," said her mother pointing at the Star of David that rested on her chest, "And a woman should always have a new one when she enters a new stage of her life."

It was that bit of knowledge that Ziva truly remembered her mother giving her. She was sure there were more interesting and important things that her mother had said but that phrase was what stuck with her. And now she was glad because she was following that knowledge to the letter. She chose when she entered a new stage of her life and she hadn't had one…until now. She smiled faintly as she lifted up her hair so that her boss, the man that was more of a father to her than her own, could place a new Star of David around her neck.

Her old one had been taken from her during her time in Somalia and she had not had the desire to replace it but here she was a newly naturalized American citizen and the people she cared for and who cared for her were gracing her with a new necklace. She remembered hearing Jimmy once say "I always say, you can pick your nose but you can't pick your family.*" But she disagreed with that statement. You could not pick your blood relatives but family are the people you chose to love and who chose to love you. And the people surrounding her—Abby, Tim, Tony, Ducky, Jimmy, Gibbs, and even Director Vance—were her family now and had been for a very long time. She had let them leave her behind to prove to herself that her father was her family…but she had quickly been proved wrong.

He had sent her on a mission that he knew she would end up dying on. And he had never even thought about saving her or about getting retribution. But her co-workers—no her family at NCIS had fought to make her supposed sacrifice (since they believed she was dead until Saleem had ripped the cover off of her head) not be in vain and had gone after the terrorist camp—risking their own lives to make her death worth something.

"To Ziva!" Tony said raising his glass of Prosecco in the air. "Our newest citizen."

"Ziva!" everyone said clinking their glasses with Tony's.

"Thank you." she said raising her glass as well.

Their food arrived then and everyone dug in before she could say more to them. The plates were soon being passed back and forth the table as everyone wanted to try everyone else's dish. It was some of the best Italian food that Ziva had ever had—outside of Italy. All too soon the desserts were being served.

"I want to thank you all," Ziva said, "And not just for being me here today. But for my necklace as well. When I was young my mother once told me that a woman should only receive a Star of David from her family and that when she enters a new stage in her life that she should get one. Without knowing it you all did that. I once told Tony that I had been Mossad for far longer than my sister Tali's death. I had been Mossad since her birth and so I never felt the need for a new Magen David until now. And you are all my family. So I want to thank all of you for that."

No one knew what to say after her small speech but she didn't need any words because the smiles on their faces told her exactly what they were thinking. Tony's hand found hers under the table and squeezed. She was with her family and no longer broken…and she had her Magen David back.

*Quote from Light Sleeper (3.14)