NCIS: Ziva David Leaves Town in Episode 2 after Surprise Return to the Show

Ziva David's return to NCIS was short-lived as she prepared to leave the town alone at the end of episode two.

When season 17 of the hit CBS show "NCIS" returned, it came with a delightful surprise — the return of Ziva David, played by Cote de Pablo. For five years, Ziva's friends and colleagues thought she was dead, and she returned hot on the trail of the woman who swore to kill her, Sahar.

The second episode kicked off from where the first ended, with Sahar's arrest, and the team's quest to uncover her plan.

She planned to leave while the team was still dealing with the paperwork from Sahar's death

Like in true "NCIS" fashion, the group soon discovered that the terrorist had help, and their quest into finding who the traitor was, led them to a police sheriff they had worked with. The next twist came with Ziva's faux terrorist activities, and near arrest until the team discovered she was playing Sahar.

When the terrorist saw that she got played, she killed herself to protect her partners, and the men who worked for her followed suit. The team stopped the attack, and Ziva, after watching her enemy die decided it was time to leave town.

She planned to leave while the team was still dealing with the paperwork from Sahar's death but got approached by "Gibbs," played by Mark Harmon.

Fans can expect to see her return for two more episodes this Fall or during Winter

Ziva explained to Gibbs that she plans to continue, and finish her mission alone, and to do that; she had to leave. While the "NCIS" man would miss her, he understood enough to let her go.

Cote's character's return might have lasted for only two episodes, but going by the words of the CBS showrunners, Frank Cardea, and Steven Binder, fans can expect to see her return for two more appearances this Fall or during Winter.

The second episode also saw Ziva reunite with her friend, Doctor Donald Mallard, who is fondly called "Ducky." The two got to reminiscence about old times and shared a hug to show how much they missed each other.

Fans of "NCIS" missed their friendship and took to Twitter to comment on how sweet the reunion was. One person wrote,

"Ducky! Ziva! The sweetest; I'm crying,"

While another tweeted,

"It warms my heart to see Ducky and Ziva."

Cote's character might not return for a while, but "NCIS," continues to air on CBS on Tuesdays at 8 pm ET.