NCIS One Shots

Comfort For Crying

Pairing: Z/G (Father-daughter Relationship)

TW: Past Childhood Trauma, C-PTSD, Daddy Issues

Leroy Jethro Gibbs POV (Third Person)

____________________________________________________________

Summary:

Comfort, lots of comfort

Ziva calling Gibbs crying in the middle of the night cos she had a nightmare...

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

"Gibbs?" a small, timid voice came from Gibbs' phone when he hit receive in the middle of the night. A woman's voice, he didn't know many women, only a few had his phone number, he did a double take at the phone screen to see who was calling.

"Ziver." He muttered into the phone with a sleepy, low voice. He then heard a few sniffles from the other side, immediately he was worried. Ziva was calling him in the middle of the night crying? "What's wrong Ziver?" He asked, sitting up on his bed.

"Can I come over?" She wiped her teary eyes with the sleeve of her shirt as she requested. His little girl didn't answer to his question or concern. There was a shuffling of the blankets heard and the sound of heaving breath like Ziva was trying to stop crying. 

The clock beside his bed had the hands pointed at three. "It's 3 am." He stated simply, rubbed his face with one hand and turned to look out the window, it was still dark outside and the sun had not come up yet. 

She asked softly. "Please?" She sounded terribly vulnerable, like a little kid would come looking for comfort when something bad happened. And Ziva used the magic word? She must be really desperate, something was definitely wrong.

"Okay." He sighed. "See you soon Ziver." He shut the phone and laid back on his bed, he was so tired but he couldn't stop worrying about his little girl so stared wide awake at the ceiling as he waited for Ziva to show up.

5 minutes later, he heard the car screech into the driveway and the door open and close ever so lightly. "Up here, Ziver." Gibbs called out from his spot. Soft footsteps ascended the stairs from below and soon after door pushed in and in came a weary Ziva in navy blue NCIS sweats. 

Gibbs moved over and patted the spot next to him, inviting her to join him on his bed and silently Ziva walked over to the side. She grabbed the extra pillow beside him and hugged it close to her chest as she curled up, sitting beside him. She was like a child who climbed into her parent's bed at night.

The father figure looked at her in the dim lighting of the streetlight and saw her eyes were puffy from crying. She looked so delicate like a gust of strong wind would make her fall apart. "What's wrong Ziver?" He asked as he gently swiped a piece of her tear-soaked curl out of her face. 

But instead of answering him, to Gibbs' surprise, his little girl broke into tears and fell into his arms. Without a second thought, he wrapped her in a loving embrace and kissed the top of her head tenderly, shushing her with soft, affirmative words as he rubbed small circles into her back.

Slowly, the tear subsided and the crying died down into soft sniffles. But Ziva was still shaking slightly in his arms, her body flushed against his like she was afraid to lose his touch. Gibbs didn't understand what was happening but he hugged her tight, letting her know that he was there for her.

"Ziver, what's wrong?" The father figure asked again. But Ziva shook her head against his chest and nuzzled further into his shoulder. "I know something's wrong, tell me Ziver." He said in a hushed, calming voice, hoping she would trust him and open up as he stroked her hair tenderly.

In a wavering, small voice, she murmured, "I had a nightmare." She confessed as she looked up into his calm, blue eyes. He was so warm, so comforting, she didn't want to leave his arms. She was so glad that he was there for her, it made everything better. "I was so hurt... I need you..."

"Oh, Ziver." He continued to cradle her in his arms, comforting her. He felt bad for his little girl, whatever nightmare could send Ziva running to him must be a really terrifying one. What happened in the nightmare? "What was it about?"

But thinking about it seemed to have triggered her again and her bottom lip started quivering as tears slowly welled up in her eyes and she buried her face back into his chest. "Oh no, Ziver, don't cry, I'm here, you're safe with me." He hushed gently trying to soothe her.

"He... he... was awful." She finally said in a trembling voice as she slowly choked out each individual word. She couldn't stop crying from the fear even with the father figure consoling her, letting her know that she was safe.

Gibbs' brow furrowed in anger, someone hurt his little girl? "Who's he?" Carefully, he used his finger to tilt her head up so he could look at her face and she let him and on her tear-streaked face, he saw two brown eyes filled with terror.

"My father... He hurt me..." Her voice caught in her throat, words unable to come out. Gibbs could hear the jagged breaths as she tried to cease the uncontrollable tears falling down her cheeks. "It felt so real... I was so scared..."

Damn! That son of bitch Eli David, the things her father did to her still haunts her in her dreams. It saddened him to know that after all her hard work of trying to heal childhood trauma, a simple nightmare and the mere thought of him hurting her again could make Ziva come undone. 

"Oh no, it's okay Ziver. It's only a nightmare." He kissed the top of her head and they cuddled snuggly together. Slowly, the tears subsided into soft sniffles and her eyes were starting to droop from drowsiness as she stifled a yawn into his shoulder. "Let's get some sleep before we have to go to work. I'm here if you want to talk about anything okay?" 

She nodded against his chest, "Hold me?" she asked with a hopeful look in her eyes, pleading as she slid down under the covers beside him. Gibbs didn't say anything but opened his arms and welcomed her in. In his arms, she took a shaky breath and sighed in content, savoring the warmth and comfort from the father figure. Sometimes she just wants someone to care, she needs someone to love her.

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

AN:

Do you know how hard it is to write a fic without saying sorry? ... 🙄

Awww... Fluffy

I really like to make my characters cry... Sorry for making Ziva look weak, I really needed some hurt/comfort in my life... I feel like crying all the damn time

Literally me just needing comfort cos I had a nightmare about my childhood trauma

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