Birds sweeped across the open meadow, and Ziva looked up. To the sky, to the clouds that looked down at her. She stared for a while, wondering…. if he could hear her, see her. Memories flooded the woman's mind, and she could feel tears beginning to well in her eyes.
"Mama?"
She looked down from her heaven and rested her eyes on the little girl staring at her. Ziva could almost see her reflection in the child's eyes. No, she told herself. She had to stay strong. If not for myself, for my daughter. For our daughter.
"Mama, home. Home please."
Ziva understood, and with both arms she swept up her young daughter and began the short walk home. The young one soon fell asleep, and Ziva placed her gently in her crib.
After showering, Ziva threw herself down onto the left side of a large double bed, a bed that was once for two people, two people who loved each other deeply. The right side was still untouched. Strong as she was, she couldn't bring herself to use what wasn't hers. She stared up at the ceiling, tightly gripping the bed sheets. Turning her head to the side, Ziva found herself looking straight at a photo of the two on their wedding day. Where he was smiling, when both of them didn't worry or care about anything besides each other. That was it, she couldn't take it anymore. She burst into tears before she could even stop herself. They flowed uncontrollably as she sat up, hunched over as she wept for her only love.
"Oh Tony…"
From under her pillow, she pulled out a plain navy blue sheet of paper.
'In loving memory of Anthony Dinozzo Jr.' The page was already crumpled and stained with dry tears, but once again it became moist.
Hours passed, and she eventually fell asleep. He visited her in her dream, that night. They did not speak, just the two people staring at it each other, mesmerised by each other.
There was silence for a time, as they simply stared at each other. There was no need for words, just as there never had been. Finally, Ziva broke. Her voice was a child's whimper and he could tell she was doing all she could to not break down into tears.
"I miss you."
Something flickered in his gaze and his lips parted.
"I know," he answered softly.
She stared at him again in silence as his face shone with a peculiar golden glow.
"She has your eyes." Her lip and chin trembled as she spoke. "McGee taught her to say 'Probie'."
He grinned then, his whole body beginning to glow faintly.
He cupped her cheek with his hand gently. "Ziva, I'm always around, you know. Even if you can't see me." He winked, and the soft golden glow began to brighten, until it encased him completely. She wanted to hold on, to grab her lost love and to stay with him, yet she found herself immobilized and pulled back to reality with a sharp jerk. She woke feeling her face wet with tears once again, and their bed was still cold and empty. As she opened her eyes, she could see a faint golden figure standing in her doorway. A single phrase echoed in her ears as the shape faded away into nothingness.
Cherish her for me. Every day.