Pst, hi, hello! This might be a spoiler for those who haven't seen the episode 10x07!

Ziva sat alone in the squad room. The opera filled her every thought and the memories of a happy home and family rose up into the surface – and made a lonely tear fell on her cheek. She would do anything to get even one of those days back – the laughs, smiles, jokes and the careless childhood with no knowledge of deadly weapons and bombs. It kills her everyday to know, how easily everything can be taken away from her. She was a taken prisoner in Somalia, she lost her hope and will to live – and it didn't took any more than a failed mission. It didn't take anything more than just a bomb and her sister, their memories and their bond was taken away. Life lost one of it's meanings and the promises made as they were kids, faded into the darkness – all that was left wes a grave stone. And before Ziva realized, the love that was never supposed to die suddenly went away and never came back. Losing a mother is something no one should never want someone to experience. A thought of the day she lost her sister and her mother, shakes her to the core and breaks another piece of her fragile but strong heart.

It had been a long day and ever longer life, filled with death and endless piles of case files. Maybe it was time to go home.

Next day was a rare day, since there was no work. No phone calls from Gibbs or from anybody else for that matter. It was just wine and book and Ziva herself. She lied on the couch and played the opera on a low volume in the background. She yawned and looked at the clock – it wasn't not even 9 PM yet and she already felt tired.

Then she heard the knocking from the door. She swore that if it was McGee or Gibbs or Tony or anybody else, she would shut the door to their faces, because today she just wanted to be alone.

"Hi," Tony said when she opened the door, "I know that it's our day off, but I have a suggestion for you."

"And I have a book to finish and wine to drink," Ziva looked impatient.

"Here," Tony handed over two sets of tickets to her.

"What are these?" she asked and furrowed her brows.

"Tickets to opera. I know the surround sound isn't the same as an actual concert hall, so I did a little research and used my friendly discounts and I got these," he explained, "And I am not wearing a tuxedo for nothing."

Ziva hadn't notice what he was wearing until he mentioned it himself.

"I will be your avec, if you want to come," he offered.

"I have nothing to wear, Tony and I have - " she shook her head and looked like she had been caught in a very bad time.

"You have an hour and a half to get started, we can make it in time," Tony said, "Go, get ready, I will make myself coffee while you're at it."

"I -," she hesitated but then agreed to his offer, "Thank you."

"Get ready," he said and walked to the kitchen.

After an hour and fifteen minutes, she was finally ready. She wore a simple, red dress that she liked for some reason and for change, she wore her hair up. Tony admired her from afar, because even he sensed that she was in emotional mood.

"Shall we go, Miss David?" he offered her his hand.

"Thank you, Mr. DiNozzo," she smiled.

The concert hall was full and everything and everyone looked sophisticated. Tony and Ziva tried their best to fit in, but they still felt like everybody knew who they were and what they did for living.

Seats 86 and 87 were quite far from the stage, but they both agreed that what they heard was more important than what they saw.

"I know this isn't the show that you love, but I hope this still cuts it," Tony said to her before the show started.

"I am sure it will. Thank you," she smiled.

"Don't mention it," he smiled back.

Halfway through the concert and during a moment, in which the soprano raised her voice in such level, that the whole audience sighed with absolute adoration, Ziva shifted in her seat and Tony noticed it. Slowly he turned his gaze to watch her profile and felt his heart skipping a beat when he saw her face.

She was about to burst into tears.

He felt like he needed to say something, so he looked away from her and opened his mouth, "I know what it's like – to lose someone so close to you. When my mom died, everything changed."

Ziva turned to look at Tony and saw the deep longing for his mother in his distant gaze.

"I asked my dad when will mom come back and read me a bedtime story, but he just looked at me and went back to his drinks and to his way of grieving. I was left alone. And still, today," he drew a deep breath and tried to stop the tears that were burning in the corner of his eyes, "I wish my mom was here. She wouldn't need to read me a bedtime story anymore, but I wish that she would just tell me, that..."

"Tell you what?" Ziva asked when he stopped his sentence.

Tony turned to look at her, "That she would be proud of me," he smiled sadly, "And who I have become and who I will be one day."

Ziva felt so sad for her partner, but also knew that he wouldn't want her to pity him, "I am sure she would be proud of everything that you are."

"You think so?" he looked away again.

"I know so," she said and looked away too, "And I wish my mother and Tali and even Ari were here to see me now. I wish they could see how much I have changed and how much I have gone through. I would give up so much to get one more chance to talk to them, even for just one minute."

"They would be proud of you too, Ziva," Tony looked at her profile.

She was silent and he saw the glistening tears in her eyes, when the soprano once again opened her voice and carried on a powerful but sad melody, "I miss them so much."

"I miss my mom too," he confessed, "And I miss how things used to be. I miss my mom and dad together and me being just their little kid with no worries of being a better agent or anything like that."

"Me too," Ziva agreed, "But why are you telling me these things, Tony? You so rarely speak about your family, except if it is about your father and his adventures."

"It's because I trust you, Ziva," he said and smiled as he looked at her, "Isn't that enough of a reason?"

She smiled back, "Thank you."

They went silent and listened the soprano singing along the melody. They could almost share the longing sound of her voice, since it came from deep within the soprano – just like the longing of a passed away beloved one came from deep within Tony and Ziva.

Suddenly, he silently took her hand in his. It was a sincere action that nobody else noticed, just the two of them. Ziva looked at their joined hands and smiled.

"Although we have been through so much, we are not alone anymore, we have each other and that," Tony turned to look at Ziva, "Is something I wouldn't change for anything."

A lonely tear fell down on her cheek, but she didn't care, because all she could think about was how the painful memories of the opera that Tali used to perform, created now another memory beside it. The memory was about Ziva and the man next to her, holding her hand and smiling at her.

She kissed his cheek, but he kissed her on the lips and right there, in the concert hall, in the middle of an opera, they finally knew what was it like to be falling in love.

Hello, again! I have been busy and I just hate to admit, that I have also been neglecting the show. I still love it very dearly, but there aren't enough hours in my day! But anyway, here's another little fic of Tiva and it sets in the season 10!
Hope you enjoyed it. I see you all in the next story!

~ L