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Dear Ziva
Ziva was in her apartment sorting the boxes that she had shipped over from Tel Aviv. All her items that no longer belong in Tel Aviv near her father, but with her, in her possession. She opened the last box. She began emptying the contents when the two boxes at the bottom caught her eye. One was a pale lilac with Tali written on top in a scripty font and the other was a pale blue with Ari written on top in the same scripty font of her mother's handwriting.
She opened Tali's box first inside were so many pictures that Ziva had taken of Tali and the picture that her mother had taken of the three of them. The picture she had lost when Amit had her place blown up. She turned it around to see in Tali's handwriting the words: My life, My world, My family. We are the lion, the radiance, and the noble of the world. We will live on. At the bottom of the box was a letter.
Dear Ziva,
Today is your 12th birthday. Happy Birthday! I love you oh so very much. Tonight Ima is taking you to see the ballet that you wanted. Sshh I didn't tell you though. I can't wait till I'm 12 and then Ima will take me too, and we can see the ballet together. Then we go out after and have coffee like Ima does with her friends. We'll see the world together and laugh and move away from Tel Aviv. It'll be you, me, and Ari. We'll be unstoppable. I love you, Ziva. Don't tell Ari, but I still say you were my Ziva first.
Tali
Ziva put down her letter and looked at the photo. She then took out Ari's box. He had only one picture the same picture only on the back of his picture it said: The two out of the three people I would die for and kill for. The entire box was filled with letters according to date. The oldest on the top and the newest on the bottom. The letters were all addressed to Ziva, telling her about his adventures, his conquers, his dreams of return to his mother and working side by side with her, taking her out when he got back for some brother – sister bonding time. The last letter was on the bottom and Ziva didn't recognize it. She looked at the date it was mailed the day she had killed him. She opened the envelope; the first letter was addressed to her mother.
Dear Ima,
You are the only mother I have left. I want to thank you for what you've done for me and trying to keep me in the family even when Eli could care less. Thank you for being at my mother's funeral when Eli wasn't. I have written today to confess to you that the son you helped raised is a traitor. I am a Hamas operative. After my Ima's death, I traced the orders of the attack back to Eli and ultimately made the decision join Hamas. He took away my mother, he took away my life. Although, I would like to say that I killed the operative in charge of the attacks that killed Tali. I'm sorry for the pain I have caused you. This will be my last letter. Ziva has been ordered to kill me and she will, after she has learnt of what I have done. I hope that you will forgive me and if you can't I will understand.
Your son,
Ari
So he knew, Ziva chuckled hollowly, of course he knew. He kept his promise. He killed for his sister, he killed for his mother, and he died for his mother. Ziva read the second letter addressed to her.
Dear Ziva,
You were nineteen when you lost your sister and now at twenty three you have lost your brother. Your orders are to kill me and I have no doubt you will follow through after you have learnt of what I have done. I am a Hamas operative and I became so to hurt and torment Eli. I avenged Tali and I will die in the process of avenging my mother. I am proud to say that I was killed by your hand, as much as you may not like it. I love you Ziva and I'm sorry that I was not at your final ballet recital before you joined Mossad. One of the many things I regret when it came to spending time with you and Tali. The last advice I leave you with is that live your life the way you want to. Do not take orders from Eli. He made is choice a long time ago between family and career. I should have left when I had the chance, but by the time I found a reason to it was too late. I will tell you this much Ziva that it was not love but at the same time I have never felt that way before about any woman, and if I had met her earlier I would have left everything behind. She was the only one who saw straight through me the first time she looked at me properly. I hope that you find that reason to leave Eli behind. I hope you find that person that will give you the strength to move on after Mossad. I wish I could have met him, sat with him, had a drink with him, done what most brothers do when it concerns their sister. I was never there for any of those and I will never forgive myself for it. Shalom Ziva. You don't have to forgive me if you can't, but do forgive yourself.
Your brother,
Ari
As Ziva finished the letter, there was a knock on the door. Leaving the letter where it was, she went to open the door wiping the tears from her face.
"Tony." She exclaimed surprised.
"Hey, surprised to see me?" He said with a cheeky grin.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
"Just came to help you unpack. I'm sorry I was not there for your ceremony." He explained.
"It's okay Tony. I understand."
"No it's okay. I feel horrible."
"Tony," she said touching his arm, "It's okay. We get orders; we may not like them but that is why they are called orders." She smiled.
Tony nodded and smiled back, "So, are you going to let me in?" Tony asked.
Ziva stepped aside to let him in. "I was almost done. That is the last box." She pointed to box that had held Tali's and Ari's boxes. "Do you want something to drink?"
Tony nodded his head and Ziva went to the kitchen to fetch him one. He stared at the pictures and letters strewn across the floor. "Ziva, what is all of this?"
"Memories." She answered shortly, handing him his drink. She did not want to lie to him, but she did not want to tell him the truth either.
Tony didn't bother to ask about it further. "Do need any help?"
"No, just stay."
Ari had been right. She had found her reason to live beyond Mossad and she wasn't going to give him up, not this time.
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