Tony let the door slam behind him, he threw his groceries on the counter, and collapsed onto the couch. He knew that Gibbs would be by later. He knew because Gibbs had straight out told him. He wasn't sure why today was so bad for him. He had double checked his calendar and there was nothing significant about the date. It wasn't his and Kris' anniversary, it wasn't her or Justin's birthday, it wasn't the anniversary of the accident. It was just one of those bad days. He had been doing so well the past few years but sometimes things just got to him. He heard a knock on the door and wondered who it could be. Gibbs never knocked. He forced himself to the couch and drug himself to the door. The good news was that he wasn't hoping for a murderer or somebody he locked away seeking revenge. At least he was doing that well. He looked through the peephole and saw Jimmy standing on the other side.
"Hey Jimmy" Tony greeted.
"I just came by to check on you." Jimmy replied.
"I'm fine." Tony insisted.
"You are not fine." Jimmy rebutted.
"Today has been rough. I don't know why. It's just a bad day." Tony admitted.
"It's nothing compared to you but I get the same way with Michelle and Breena lost her boyfriend in college." Jimmy explained.
"It's never easy to lose somebody like that." Tony replied, knowing what Jimmy was getting at.
"I know you probably just want to be alone but if you feel like coming out in a few days. A friend of mine is moving to DC. She will be in tomorrow or the next day. Breena and I are going to meet her when she arrives." Jimmy explained.
"I don't think I can handle a club or a bar. When I get in one of these funks. If I see people drinking and planning on driving. It just gets me." Tony replied.
"She has a four year old son. We won't be going out anywhere like that. We are planning on a family friendly place. Where we can take the children." Jimmy explained.
"I don't know. It's hard being around kids." Tony sighed.
"I know I was just offering. I really want to help but I don't know what to do." Jimmy replied.
"Don't worry about it. Just go spend time with your family. Be glad you have the chance." Tony insisted.
"Call me if you need anything." Jimmy replied.
Ziva David tightened her grip on her young son's hand. The airport was crowded and unfamiliar. Elijah looked up at her with his big blue eyes. She knew that he was scared, because she was scared too. Scared and nervous as well. Of course that was to be expected. Given that she was about to leave behind her home and start a new life. She had lived in America once before but that was over twenty years ago. She had taken a job as a nanny in that time. It was after her year of service and she thought that was what she wanted. She had loved America and she adored the boy she was charged with caring for but her job was temporary.
She came to America to care for a young boy. His father and older brother had been killed in a car accident. The boy's mother had survived but had fairly serious injuries and needed assistance while she recovered. That was Ziva's job for most of the year. She and the young boy got along extremely well. Because she had just lost her own sister two years before. Once the boy's mother recovered. Ziva's service's were no longer needed. She moved back to Israel but she kept in touch with the boy.
"What is your friend's name again?" Elijah asked.
"Jimmy Palmer, we will be staying with him, his wife Breena, and their daughter Victoria." Ziva explained.
"Are they nice?" Elijah asked.
"Very nice I used to take care of Jimmy when he was not much older than you." Ziva explained.
Tony stepped into the room. He had not stepped foot in his son's room for years. When the accident first happened, he would go in there every day. He would sit on the bed and hold his son's treasures in his hands. He continued the habit until he saw how worn everything was becoming. After that it was just on Justin's birthday and the anniversary. Somehow he lost track of the tradition and now five years had passed since the last time he entered. He switched the light on and looked around the room. He ran his hands over the dresser and the desk. He studied the photograph that hung on the wall. He stood before the shelf of trophies and ribbons. He focused on the County Spelling Bee trophy. Justin had won first place in that one. He should have gone to state. They had made a special mention of him and presented Tony with a plaque. It was touching but it was not how it should have been. Justin's dream had been nationals. Every year when the national spelling bee was held. Tony would become nauseous and depressed. McGee had put it on when year when Gibbs was out following a dental surgery. He had begged him to turn it off but McGee did not know. Eventually Tony had enough and ended up vomiting all over the bullpen. Tony couldn't remember if he had told the story or if it was Jimmy or Ducky, but somehow he knew. From then on he didn't even say the phrase spelling bee in Tony's presence.
It was still surreal that so much time had passed. Fifteen years seemed almost impossible. Seven years ago Justin's classmates had graduated high school. A few of his friends honored him at the ceremony. Over the years he heard of them graduating college, starting careers and families. Juan Perez had even given his daughter the middle name of Justine. It was touching but it broke his heart.
A/N: What will bring Tony and Ziva together? New chapter will be up soon. Thanks for reading and please review.