He looks at her sleeping peacefully on the uncomfortable bed after sitting in silence for an hour. He could still hear the ringing in his ear as her words kept bouncing back.
Her father hurt her.
The same father who was going to hurt his mother. The same man who was the reason he was hurt by his grandparents (mother's side).
He used to get urges to hurt her father every single day for the things he went through along with his grandparents. Yet, somehow, after she merely confessed a little, he had a strange urge to leave this room and track down her father just so he could finally get rid of him. Not for himself, for her. He wanted to hurt people for her.
Nothing else matters.
If what she confesses is true, they are not different from each other. While he had gone through something similar so has she. That will also mean that all the hate he had bottled up for her was for nothing. That all the hurt he give her was for nothing. For once in his life he felt insignificant and out of control. He didn't know what to do and what to feel. Mostly, how can he apologise to her? How can he ask for forgiveness for everything he did it to her? Will she forgive him?
He knows he doesn't deserve it. He doesn't deserve her. But, the thought of her leaving was just as painful. He heard a knock on the door and he saw his guards with the food he had ordered. He opens the door taking the tray from them as he arrange it for her.
He didn't hesitate to place his hand on her shoulder shaking her gently and she opens her eyes, blinking.
"I ordered some food". He explained at her confusion, "Not sure when you last ate".
"I ate this morning". She mumble
His head snapped at her direction, "You haven't eaten anything for over 15 hours?"
She looks guilty, "I was busy. You know how slow I eat since you mock me about it all the time and if I took a break it would be waste of time".
He clench his jaw because this just shows how much pain he brings to her.
"My love". He said gently sitting on her bed and her eyes widen as she moves away from him
Catching a disease from her was the farthest thing from his mind. Groveling was the main priority.
"Go on. Eat something and take as much time as you want. Your results should be back in another hour".
She frowns looking at him and the confusion and the hint of hesitation almost tore him apart.
He takes a spoon filled with spoon moving it towards her. The hesitation was still there as she tilts her head.
"Are you going to throw it on me?" She asked confused
He clench his fist on his lap, "Never".
"You are acting weird. Is this because I confess and you feel pity?"
He closes his eyes placing the spoon back on the tray, "I don't pity you". He looks directly at her, "I will never pity you, baby. You didn't go through all of that to be pitied by someone like me. You deserve to be admired and respected".
She tilts her head making her hair fall on one side and he moves his hand to collect them so they don't fall in her food. He thinks she looks adorable. Her eyes were beautiful and too big for her small face. He felt it when he looks in her eyes that she was after his heart. He wouldn't mind it though.
"So you admire me?"
"I do".
"Why?"
"Because I can".
"That makes no sense. You can't admire a person you hate".
His heart clenched.
"I don't hate you".
"You do!".
"I don't. I may have been unreasonable and absolutely shit to you but I couldn't hate you even if I wanted to".
"Why?"
"I will tell you that some other day when we are not locked in a compound and scared half to death".
"But what if I get my results back and they are positive? I may just die here".
He snapped at her words, "Don't say that". He can feel the anger rising inside of him as he takes a deep breath, "Just don't say that".
"Why do you care?"
He frowns, "Are you purposely picking a fight with me?" He must've hit the nail because she looks stunned so he chuckles, "Now that I know you can try everything to annoy me or piss me off but I am not going anywhere".
"I hate you".
"Ok".
"I will eat this food very slowly and I will not share it with you".
"Ok".
She grumbled something before she started to eat the food. He continues to observer her looking at her every reaction feeling intent. Somehow, as much as it used to annoy him, he finds these small things endearing. She purposely took almost an hour to finish her food while chewing loudly which made him grit his teeth to stop the itches he was feeling.
He heard the knock on the door only to find all of his family waiting outside. He takes the phone which was installed inside the compound that connects to the reserver outside.
"How is she doing?" That was his mother and father words ignoring him
He rolls his eyes, putting the phone on speaker, "My parents are worried about you".
"Not just them. We are here too, Ziva". He heard Kabir voice as he turned to find him standing in the crowd, "Don't worry too much. I will get you out soon, ok?"
She nodded and he can see that she was struggling. The only reason she was fighting with him was to distract herself from being locked here. Now that she hears the concerns from everyone outside, it must be overwhelming. He place his hand over her hand as he watches her eyes brimming with tears. He ends the call and wipes her eyes.
"What's wrong?"
She gulps, and hiccups, "I never had this before".
"What?"
"Family. Someone who cares and stays with you when you are suffering".
He tightened his grip on her, "What do you mean by never?"
"Exactly what I said. I never, not even once, had someone who cares or worry about me. Who wants to stay when they find me in pain or suffering".
"What about Kabir uncle?"
"He was the first one who helped me. But he has his own family to care and look after especially since his daughter is sick. He was there, but, he faded away too soon. Everyone leaves".
A painful sob breaks through her and his chest tightened feeling the weight of it. He pushes the tray away not caring about some disease - even when she tried to move away from him - he wrapped his arms around her body bringing her face to his chest.
"I will always be here, Ziva". He mumble, "We all will be here for you".
He heard the loud bang of the door and everyone rushes in with the results.
"What is it?" He asked as his heart beats a mile
"It's negative". His father said joyfully
He looks at her as a smile grace his lips and he gather her in his arms kissing her forehead, "See? Everything is fine".
She turns her head upwards on his chest and smile even when her eyes were red, "It sure is".
He relases her a moment later turning to Kabir, "Can you ask the three new doctors with all the interns to watch the hospital for a day". He wasn't asking, he needs time away from here
As much as he used to love being here and deal with patient to revive his stress and depression, he was no longer eager to be here when he can be with his wife instead.
"We will be off for a day so ask them to not call us unless it is very urgent". He added as he grabs her hand
She tries to take her hand away as everyone starts to exit the room after speaking to her for a few minutes and giving her reassurance. His mother even wiped her face with her scarf and asked her to stop by her place to eat some food. She wouldn't say no to that.
He didn't let go of her hand instead looks at her, "Why are you trying to take your hand away?"
She turns her head upwards as she saw the frown on his face, "I am trying to wear my shoes".
"I will do it for you".
Her eyes widen, "You don't have to".
Before she could move away from him he was on his knees. He takes her feet placing it on his thigh as he wraps the shoes for her.
"There. All done". He said raising his head looking at her
She was still bewildered as to why and what was happening. She tilts her heads thinking how long before he will snap which she knows too well he will. Maybe he was doing this since everyone is watching.
"No one is watching us now". She said turning to find everyone gone which was nice because it was becoming overwhelming
"That's good then. You will know that I am not doing this for anyone anymore".
"Why are you doing this then?"
"Because I am selfish". He stands up offering his hand, "I need all of you for myself. I am greedy".
She frowns as she place her hand in his hand and he starts to move them out of the compound. Lucky they took the back exit so they were able to quietly leave. He didn't let go of her hand when they reach the car instead he opens the door for her helping her to sit properly then moving to his side. As soon as he was in the car he took her hand in his holding it in his lap while he drives.
This was all too weird and too good to be true.
Anyways, she allowed it to happen for now. She wasn't going to believe him. She wasn't going to fall for it.
"Do you want to go to my mom's place to eat or do you want to go home?"
"Did she already cook for us?"
"That doesn't matter. What I asked is if you want to be around them or do you want to go back home?"
She hesitated as she looked at him, "I do want to go to them if you don't mind. I won't say or do anything that you don't want me to do".
His hand tightened around her hand and she winced as she waited for his facade to break. His parents were always the reason he gets mad at her.
He took a deep breath, releasing the grip on her hand but not leaving her hand, "You don't have to do anything that I ask you to do. You should and will do everything that you want to do". He looks at her once he stops at the signal, "I will make sure everything that you want to do, happens, if someone tries to stop you from it, they will deal with me".
"You won't get angry if I get close to your family?"
"No. If that's what makes you happy then that is what you will do".
She narrows her eyes at him, "You are playing some games again".
He wasn't. There was no way he could prove that to her. His behaviour had been unacceptable. He was a jerk. Cruel and mindless. He just need to make sure he can make it up to her. He also needs to make sure that she was with him at all times. Now that he thinks she is his wife. He needs to make it official for the world too. The need to make sure everyone knows was deep now more than ever.
She enter his house with him and tried to take her hand away from him which was a fail. He didn't let go of her hand when his parents greeted them. They didn't seem to mind it either. They were just as cosy as him. His sister was next who was a quiter version of him. Yet, she had expressed how she was worried for them and was glad they were ok.
She moves to the dining area when he pulls the chair for her and she sits on it still looking at his strange behaviour. His father and her husband served the food to everyone. Once they were done they sat down and her husband was by her side. She was a little nervous about how she takes longer than everyone to eat. As the conversation flows which mostly involved the childhood of her husband she was content as she listens carefully to everything.
"You are not eating". He whispers in her ear, "Eat, love".
She nodded a little blush appearing on her face when his mother smiled widely at her. His father just seem happy to be there.
Just as everyone was done, she decided to leave her plate full of food too. Before she can stand to help everyone with the dishes her husband spoke.
"Leave the dishes, Mama. Ziva needs some more time to eat so I will accompany her and join you once she is done".
His mother nodded and with a smile his family moves out of the area.
"You don't have to do that". She whispers as she takes another bite
A grin appears on his face and she almost felt like she was dreaming all of this right now. There is no way this was all real. He wasn't smiling at her? Was he?
She blinks her eyes a couple of times to make sure she wasn't just imagining it and he was still smiling as he takes a bite of his dessert.
"Go on, love". He said gesturing to her food
She continues to eat as he starts to take everyone dishes to the kitchen and then place the food in fridge. He started with the dishes as she watches the whole thing, amazed. Once she was done, she stands with her plate but he was right in front of her, taking her plate from her hand and handing her the dessert.
"You ate from this". She said looking at the same bowl and the small bite he took from the dessert
"I heard a relationship becomes strong if you eat from the same thing as your partner".
"But you didn't eat anything from my plate".
"No. But I shared your water. You were just in your head to notice". With a last grin he turns back to cleaning dishes
There was something very wrong with him.
After spending time with his family and making sure she takes her medicine before sleeping, he closes the door of her room when he was sure she was asleep.
He dialled Kabir's number, "I want to move up the wedding date".
"What are you thinking?"
"Preferably a week from now".