Six months after 'Aliyah' and Ziva still hasn't returned.Her absence has made a huge impact on the NCIS team, particularly Tony.


NCIS Agent Anthony DiNozzo was sitting at his desk, thinking. Today was the six month anniversary of Ziva David leaving NCIS, leaving him, for Mossad. The longest six months of his life. A few weeks ago, Tony had given up trying to make contact with her. After having every call answered with a dial tone, and every e-mail left unreplied. It was time he accepted the fact she was gone, and that she wasn't coming back. But still, his boss, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs had not replaced her, hoping that she would realise where she belonged and returned.

The past six months had been quiet at NCIS. There was no independent Israeli woman sitting opposite him. No-one for him to flirt with. No-one to correct their English or idiomatic errors. Tony's co-worker, Timothy McGee had been spending more and more time down in the forensic scientist, Abby Scuito's lab since he and Gibbs had returned from Israel, without Ziva. So much to extent that he was down there more than he was up in the squadroom. Tony couldn't help but wonder whether McGee blamed him for Ziva's absence.

Tony felt alone, a feeling he hadn't experienced in a very long time. There was not a day that passed where he didn't regret killing Michael Rivkin. He spent every waking moment wondering 'What if?' If he hadn't killed him, would Ziva still be here? He repeatedly relived the regretful confrontation they had in Israel. When they discussed Rivkin. When Ziva knocked him to the ground. When she had him at gunpoint. He remembered the tears of anger, frustration and confusion threatening to fall from her dark brown eyes. He had asked her if she loved Rivkin. Her reply, "I guess I'll never know," forever etched in his mind.

Tony blamed himself; he lost a part of him when Gibbs entered the plane without Ziva. When Gibbs said "Good to go", it didn't quite register with Tony. It was only when he saw the looks on the rest of the team's faces that it really sunk in that Ziva was still in Israel, and that she wasn't coming back. Tony sighed, snapped himself out of his thoughts and began working on the pile of long overdue paperwork sitting on his desk.

---

Special Agent Gibbs walked into the squadroom for the morning, coffee in hand. He was the first one there as usual. He took a long sip of his beloved hot beverage and sat down at his desk, staring at his computer. Ziva's absence had taken a toll on his team. McGee wasn't talking to Tony much; DiNozzo was more serious, not making fun of McGee or making references to the movies he treasured. No smart-alec comments deserving of a headslap. Now that he thought about it, Gibbs hadn't hit any of his team members in six months. Ziva had to return, he knew it without a doubt. That's why he hadn't replaced her with a new agent. He was waiting for to realise who she should be loyal to, and who's loyal to her, and come back to NCIS. He was surprised when his cell phone rang and broke the silence.

"Gibbs" he answered.

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