BLACK ORCHID (8/13), GIBBS/ZIVA (NC-17)

[zabby]

Title: Black Orchid
Author: Victoria (starshines)
Fandom:NCIS
Genre: Het
Pairing:Gibbs/Ziva
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers: Last Man Standing, this actually occurs post LMS
Summary: Someone's out for Ziva. Will Gibbs be able to find out who before its too late to save Ziva?
Warnings: Reference to rape and torture, steamy love scene
Disclaimer: NCIS, all characters belong to the big D.B. Though I might wish otherwise...
Feedback: Yes, please! Love constructive criticism, just be nice. It's my first.
Special thanks and love to Bree for the beta!

Chapters: Prologue / Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5 / Chapter 6 / Chapter 7 / Chapter 8 / Chapter 9 / Chapter 10 / Chapter 11 / Epilogue


Chapter 7


After Ziva’s announcement and subsequent revealing of what she could now remember, the team was in upheaval Each one wanted to protect Ziva. While at the same time, each wanted to find the man who had harmed her. Tony needed to protect his partner who had done the same for him countless times, but wanted to interrogate each and every agent at the NCIS headquarters. The information Ziva had shared had fired his gut, telling him that the perpetrator must work in the building with them, and in fact could be someone they all knew. Tim wanted to stand outside, gun drawn, while needing to hack into every computer he could get his hands on. And Abby, she needed to keep hugging Ziva, to keep touching her face, even as she protected her with whatever firearm happened to be ready to check out. Abby wasn’t the firearms expert for nothing. Throughout the arguments and debates, Gibbs remained silent.

During all this, Ziva watched, too drained from her talking to say much, reaching around to touch the words carved into her lower back. The doctors had promised they could get rid of it, but a disfiguring scar of some sort would always remain; the cuts were too deep to vanish when they healed. When Abby saw her worrying it, she promised to take Ziva out after the surgeries to get a tattoo to cover any evidence of what had been done to her. All Ziva could do was smile at her friend, knowing that the tattoo would end up symbolizing more that just a way to cover her scars.

But when Tim, Tony and Abby started to debate where she should go, she finally spoke out.

“No, I cannot go back to my place. It…it is not my home anymore. I will not sleep there. I cannot sleep there.” The utter panic on her face instantly convinced the team to eliminate her apartment as a possible safe place for her to be. Tim and Tony had both seen the state of her place: the overturned furniture, the slashed walls, the blood on the floor. Even though she was physically healing, the wounds in her memories could not as easily be forgotten.

In the end, despite his silence, Gibbs won out. The team decided that the best protection for Ziva was at Gibbs’ house, with FBI agents in cars outside providing additional support. He had plenty of rooms, and after what had happened the night before, Gibbs was not likely to sleep for a very long time. The coffee in his hand being constantly refilled would ensure that.

------------------------------------

While Tony made arrangements for Ziva’s additional protection detail, McGee and Gibbs went back to her apartment to gather some items she would need, leaving her in Abby’s care and Tony’s protection. Using Ziva’s own key, Gibbs took his first step into the location of her abduction. Looking around, he didn’t know what he should expect.

From her few descriptions of what she remembered, he thought to see her home contaminated in some way, to see evidence of evil oozing black down the walls. Instead, the rooms resembled every crime scene he had ever investigated. Broken lamps, shredded pillows and fabric strewn around, destruction poured over every surface.

McGee and Gibbs shared a look of understanding at the devastation and ruination of Ziva’s home. This was no longer Ziva’s retreat, her place to let go and be at peace. The rooms were contaminated, the invisible stench of putrefaction overwhelming the mind.

Moving through the rooms, the two men picked up items they knew she needed, like clothes and toiletries, as well, as items they knew she wanted, precious memories and photographs. But nothing that had been touched by her perpetrator was picked up by either of them.

When Gibbs entered her room, he was once again overpowered with rage at the sight of her spilt blood. As he clenched his fists, McGee had the foresight to usher him out of the room before anger and guilt got the best of him.

“Come on, Gibbs. Let’s get out of here.”

Focusing on the younger agent, he responded. “Okay, Tim. Let’s get back to NCIS and the rest of the team.”

------------------------------------

The more Ziva remembered and the more she revealed, the more her old self began to return. She still couldn’t remember the man and not everything that had happened over the last two weeks. What she could recall simultaneously terrorized her and fired her determination to never have that happen again. Ziva David was no victim, and she resolved to never be one again.

Standing up from her protected position on the floor, she turned to a worried, hovering Abby. “It is okay, my friend. I will be okay. Thank you for that,” she said, gesturing to the floor. “It helped more than you could ever know.”

Giving her a big hug, Abby smiled and returned to her equipment, still trying to extract whatever lay on the stem of the orchid. Reaching for her ever-present Caf-Pow, she was shocked to see she was empty.

“Tony!” she exclaimed. “I need more Caf-Pow, stat. And I’m sure Ziva could use a coffee or a water or something.”

As Tony turned to protest, Abby held up a hand to stop him. Pulling out the gun she had at her waist, she answered his unspoken question. “I will protect her. She’s not going anywhere, and no one is going to take her while I’m packing this baby. But I need my Caf-Pow, now!” Putting the gun back in its holster, she raised an eyebrow waiting for his reaction.

Holding up his hands in surrender, Tony started backing out of the lab. “Okay, okay, Abby. I’m on my way. What would you like, Ziva?” he asked tentatively.

“A water would be fine, Tony. Thank you.” She returned the smile he gave her before he left, though a tremor of fear shuddered through her as the numbers around her dwindled.

Turning back to Abby, she asked, “Have you found anything yet, Abby? Anything at all?”

Sighing, Abby answered. “No, not a thing. Whoever this is knows his stuff. I mean, he cut the tags off the hairs, left no identifying trace on anything he touched. Its like he’s a ghost or something. If we didn’t have video of him, I’d wonder if her was even there.”

Quickly turning toward Ziva, she stammered, trying to cover over her fumble. “I mean, we know he’s real. We know what he did to you was real. But I mean…I’m sorry, Ziva.”

“Its okay, Abby. You did not mean any harm by it. I understood what you meant. I may be fragile right now, but I am not crazy. I will be okay.”

“Of course you will, Ziva,” Abby cried out as she hugged the other woman again. “Of course you will.”

After that awkward moment, the two remained silent until Tony returned from his sustenance run. “I got a Caf-Pow for you, Abbs.”

“Thanks,” she said, taking a huge, long sip from the caffeinated beverage.

“A water for Ziva,” he continued, drawing out her name like he did when he would play with her, making it sound like Zee-vah.

“Thank you, Tony,” Ziva responded, taking the water from him.

“And a coffee for me. I did grab some cookies and chips, figuring someone may be hungry.”

“You mean you were hungry, Tony.” Abby teased, hoping the lighter atmosphere would help her injured friend.

“Well, that too.” Tony replied, tearing open a bag of chips.

“Did you find anything, DiNozzo?” Gibbs asked, grabbing Tony’s coffee as he walked by.

A potato chip halfway in his mouth, he pulled it back out and said sheepishly “No, not yet, Boss. But I have arranged for a protection detail for Ziva.”

Popping it back in, he asked McGee, who followed Gibbs inside “Did everything go okay at Ziva’s place?”

Looking over at Gibbs before answering, McGee pulled Tony aside and whispered, “Yeah, it was rough. Gibbs didn’t handle it well. But we got some of Ziva’s stuff.”

McGee showed Tony the suitcase and pack he had brought along. He and Gibbs had not wanted Ziva to go back for awhile, so they made sure to bring back enough of what they thought she would need. Tony nodded in understanding, feeling a bit proud of McGee, in a big brother sort of way. Not that he would admit that, of course.

Seeing that Ziva was now standing up, McGee walked over to her. “Here’s your stuff. I hope we grabbed what you needed,” he added, blushing slightly.

“Thank you, Tim,” was all she said before giving him a slight kiss on the cheek. Taking the bags from him, she set them on the floor next to her makeshift sanctuary.

Deciding it was time for her next revelation, she said, “I have been thinking, “ to a chorus of eyes turning her way. “He…” she paused, taking a large gulp of air, “I think he has insects in the computers.”

“Do you mean bugs, Ziva?” McGee asked encouragingly.

“Yes, bugs. I remember him telling me information about all of you, what you were doing while I was…gone. Things only the team would know, unless he had eyes and ears where he should not. I believe he may work in that area.”

Before Gibbs could say a word, McGee called out “On it, Boss.” Dashing upstairs he made his way to his computer, where he would have a greater access to his hacking network.

“That’s good, Ziva. Real good.” Gibbs said, walking up beside her. “Are you doing okay? Do you need anything?”

Shaking her head in the negative, she responded “Tony went and got me a water when Abby needed her Caf-Pow. I do not need anything.”

“Tony…” Gibbs started, menacingly.

“Easy, Gibbs.” Abby said, intersecting him before he could start threatening Tony. “Ziva was safe. I was here, and I know how to protect her.” She gestured toward the gun next to her keyboard.

Gibbs eased off, not just for Abby’s reasoning, but also for Ziva. His normally fighting warrior had flinched slightly at the aggression in his voice. Turning his attention back to her, he noticed her stifling a yawn.

“Are you ready to go?” he asked softly.

Though panic momentarily overcame her, Ziva mentally armed herself for more changes. “Yes, Gibbs. I am ready to leave.”

Putting his arm around her, Gibbs sought to comfort the fear he saw crowding her eyes. “You’re safe now, Ziva. We’re all going to make sure of that.” He gestured for Tony and Abby to join him. Abbs grabbed her up in a hug; Tony put his arm around her. “And you know Tim is working as only he can to find the bugs, to find some trace of him. We’ll get Ziva. We promise.”

“Yes, Gibbs,” she replied, wishing that were true, knowing it could not be.

Because the man who took her was already ten steps ahead of them. And Ziva knew he was coming for her.

------------------------------------


He watched the data pour in from his connections in Abby and McGee’s computers to his personal computer. So, his Orchid was starting to remember, and using the information to try to help her team find him. She must know how futile that would be. No matter, He thought, laughing.

He was not afraid of what she may reveal to the NCIS team. The precautions already in place would only give them enough information to tantalize, not to actually expose who he was. The information was gone in any case, just a name. No face, no address, nothing to actually give them anything of value. Just enough to edge them farther into carelessness. Then, his time to play would come again.

As information regarding her protection details started coming in, he knew it was almost time to act. Soon, both of his flowers would be in his lovely, dark chamber. One to watch and blossom. Another to wither and die.

------------------------------------


Gibbs pulled into the garage of his place, turning off the engine. Ziva had been unnaturally quiet the entire drive. Reaching over, he took her hand to reassure her, unnerved by the jolt of electricity that went up his arm at the contact. Mentally shaking himself, he said, “We’re here, Ziva. Time to go inside.”

She shook herself to consciousness, the car ride serving to almost hypnotize her the length of the drive. Giving him a slight smile, the best she could do in the circumstances, she pushed open the passenger door, swinging her long legs out on to the concrete.

As Gibbs went to the trunk to grab her bags, she watched him with haunted eyes, needing to keep him in her sight. Not because she was scared of him, but because he was her only hold on sanity right then, her hold on reality for that matter. Following him inside, she shook her head no when she asked if she was hungry.

“I am okay, Gibbs. Just tired.” Once she had started feeling safe, exhaustion had pulled at her bones, begging her for a respite.


“You’re going to be staying in my room, Ziva. There are two unmarked, FBI cars outside, with two agents in each one. I will be either outside your door, or patrolling the house to make sure no one gets in. I promised you safety. And I will deliver that for you.”

“I know, Gibbs. I trust you.” But I trust him to be more determined to retrieve me, she thought but did not say, as she fingered the words carved into her back. She didn’t want him to worry about her more, because the devastation when she disappeared again might be too much for the team to comprehend. Fingering the shard of glass in her pocket, she steeled herself against the possible pain from the shower and followed Gibbs upstairs to his room.

As he held the door open for her, he could almost feel the fear coming off of her in waves. There was nothing more he could say or do to convince her of her safety, so he would have to prove it.

“The bathroom is there, behind those doors. There’s a shower as well if you would like one.” He saw her perk up a bit at that. Deciding a shower would probably help her spirits, to wash the memories from her skin, he put down her bags and looked for something comfortable for her to wear. That’s when he realized he and McGee had forgotten to pack something for her to sleep in.

“Um…I guess I’ll have to get something for you to wear tomorrow. But for now, would some of my clothes do?” When she nodded yes, he pulled out a t-shirt and boxers from the dresser. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her inside of the bathroom.

Turning on the water to a nice, soothing heat, he placed the clothes on the sink, along with her toothbrush that he had grabbed from her bag, and turned to her.

“There’s shampoo and soap inside. Do you need anything else?” He needed to get out of there before the thoughts of her inside the steamy shower undid his determination to leave her in peace.

She blushed as she considered what she needed help with. Her pants were no problem. Washing her hair was also not going to be a problem. But lifting her shirt over her head, she didn’t think she could do it. Keeping her eyes on the floor in her shame, she asked “Can you…can you help me with my shirt? I do not think I can do it by myself.”

Walking towards her, he lifted her chin so that her eyes would meet his. “You don’t need to be ashamed for needing help, Ziva. You’re the victim here. I will help you with whatever you will need.” He didn’t realize how those words would come back to haunt him so soon.

Trying to keep his mind blank, he reached underneath her shirt, his hands brushing the soft skin at her sides. His blank mind was not helping, as he took in a quick breath in the same moment she did. Her skin heated under his hands as they skimmed over her, pulling the shirt gently over her head. He realized too late that she was wearing nothing underneath.

Seeing the supple flesh exposed, his blue eyes darkened as he lingered his gaze over the soft mounds. Tracing the skin up with his eyes, he met the intensity of her own dark eyes. Leaning in, his lips seemed to seek out hers, a life of their own. Pulling her to him, he deepened the kiss, needing to feel more of her against him. Her breasts pinned between them, her nipples pearling in her passion. At the first heat flooding them, her knees buckled, no longer able to support her. He reached behind her to steady her against him, not wanting to let her go.

But when her cry of pain finally pierced the curtain of his desire, he pulled away. His arm behind her back had come in fierce contact with her brand. “Ziva…god…Ziva…I am so sorry. I didn’t mean…I’ll leave. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to touch you like that.

While Gibbs had meant to apologize for putting pressure on her injuries and adding to her pain, Ziva mistook it to mean that he regretted touching her and did not want to again touch someone as damaged and scarred she was. “It is okay, Gibbs. I know you did not mean for that to happen. I can handle my shower now. Thank you.” With shaking legs, she turned unsteadily from him, making her way to the steam and water.
“Ziva…I…” he didn’t know what to say to make the situation worse, so he turned around and left, closing the door between them. Leaning back against it, he heard the whisper sound of the shower door shutting. “Oh, Ziva. What have I done?” He couldn’t regret the feel of her against him, the passion that had ignited a burning need he didn’t know how to ease.

But he did regret hurting her, because his words had been as callous as his handling of her. The pain in her eyes evidence of that. He would find a way, to say or to show her that he did not care about her scars, inside or out. That for some unknown reason, her situation had woken up a protectiveness and caring that he didn’t know he still had. She had marked him, and he would see her marked in the same way.