Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS no matter how much I wish I did.
A/N: Very bad play on words for the title I know. A quick one-shot that popped into my head earlier and was begging to be written... I don't really know. Interpret it as you want. Just a quick note, Shalom is a Jewish greeting, it means peace and wholeness and is used as a sort of hello and goodbye of sorts. That's the concept I've used it in. So, anyway enjoy. Reviews and crits are very much appreciated.
She stood there, staring at the gravestone in front of her. She supposed she should have felt awkward. She didn't really know the woman whose grave she was visiting, but because Gibbs and his team knew her, because Ari knew her, she felt that she knew her too. She needed to come here, to visit the agent who they so admired. To visit the woman she refused to believe her half-brother had killed,
"Agent Todd..." She began formally, to speak informally when she didn't really know her didn't seem right, "Kate..." she corrected herself, speaking formally didn't seem right either, "I didn't know you, and it must seem strange to you that I am visiting you here... but I need to ask something of you." She laughed, how strange she must look right now, "Before that I must apologise. I made a mistake. I allowed myself to believe that Ari was innocent when truly I knew he was not. For that I must apologise. He killed you in cold blood and I was wrong to believe in him." She sighed, "I love it here, in America, working with NCIS." She revealed herself to the headstone, "But it is hard. Gibbs, DiNozzo, McGee, Abby, Dr. Mallard, Palmer – they all miss you, they can't let you go and I must live in your shadow. They cannot see me for who I am." She began to pace, "Can you help them to let go Kate? For their sakes. They cannot grieve forever; it will be the death of them." A soft breeze rippled across her clothes and through her hair and she took that as a sign, "Thank you Kate." She murmured, "I am Ziva, by the way. Officer Ziva David." With that she placed a small flower on the headstone, muttered a prayer and walked away.
Later that evening she returned to the grave. It seemed strange, but she wanted to thank the fallen agent. Today they had accepted her as a member of their team, albeit a little begrudgingly. The Director had helped of course, but somehow she felt as though Kate was to thank,
"Shalom Kate. I believe I owe you a thank you." She smiled a little, "They allowed me in today, accepted me for me. Gibbs even allowed me your desk. I hope that's alright with you." At this Ziva allowed herself a small laugh, "I also gave Gibbs your sketchbook. I believe you would have wanted him to have it, no?" There was a short silence, "You were quite the artist Kate and quite the agent too. Your friends speak very highly of you and I believe every word." She said a short prayer, as she had earlier and then turned to leave, "Goodbye Kate. I hope that one day we may meet, but until then, shalom."