AUTHOR'S NOTE :D

I don't own NCIS. If I did, Jenny would still be alive and Ziva would have a more Mother/Daughter style relationship with Jenny.

I have no affiliation w/ Mossad. I have never even been to Israel, so feel free to correct if I get anything wrong about Jewish tradition/culture/etc.

This is fanfiction. Don't like, don't read.

TRIGGER WARNING

Possible self-harm, eating disorders, and violence. Maybe a cuss word or two. Contains (possibly major) CHARACTER DEATH

Constructive criticism is welcome, of course! Hate and rude comments aren't.

Rated T to be safe, contains violence and death in some chapters.

My first fanfic! Enjoy.

~AF~

Ziva goes to Cairo to track down her brother, Ari, who ran away from home. She meets a woman by the name of Jenny, and grows a strong relationship with her. However, what will happen when something terrible happens to Ziva's family, and she has no where to go? Will she go back to the states with Jenny, head back to Israel, or stay in Cairo? Will she ever find Ari?

I am studying Hebrew, but I do make mistakes, so feel free to correct.

Boker Tohv-Good Morning

Laila Tohv-Good Night

Ken-Yes

Lo-No

Shalom-Hello

Abba-Father

Ima-Mother

Toda-Thank You

Chapter One - "And I Heard You"

Sixteen year-old David looked out the window of her bedroom in Tel-Aviv. It was nice outside, but Ziva was barely ever allowed out. She was pondering slipping out when a knock at the door shook her from her thoughts.

"Ken?" Ziva asked.

"It's me, Zivy." was the response.

"Come in, little one." Ziva replied.

"Boker Tohv, Zee-vy."

"Shalom, Tali."

"Abba says you're going on a trip."

"Ken, I am." Tali was too young to know about Ari, so Ziva tried to avoid the real reason she was being sent to Cairo.

"I hear you are starting school today."

"Ken! I'm excited."

"Are you nervous?"

"Lo..."

"Tali."

"Okay, maybe a little bit, but you can't tell Abba."

"Oh, Tali. Come here."

The two hugged and Ziva kissed her younger sister's forehead.

"Everything will be fine. It's okay to have compassion, to show emotion."

"But Abba says-"

"Tali. It's okay to show emotion. It is what makes us human."

"But, Zee-vy, you don't show emotion. Why?"

"Some day, little one, I will tell you. But, for now, it is very complicated. You must get ready for school, so that you can learn."

"Ken, Ziva, and thank you. But, why don't you go to school?"

"I am homeschooled."

"How come I can't be homeschooled?"

"You will see, one day."

Tali hugged Ziva one last time before heading out the door. Ziva went with her to the market to meet their mother, who would be taking Tali to school.

Ziva had just dropped Tali off with her Mother when she heard a bomb go off.

"TALI!" Ziva screamed, running back to the market, and kneeling by her sister's injured form.

"Zee-va." Tali breathed out with a wince.

"I am here." Ziva said with tears in her eyes, running her fingers through her sister's hair.

"Zee-va." Tali said again.

"Save your strength, Tali. It's gonna be okay."

" Zeevy, I'm gonna be okay. We're all gonna be okay, maybe not in the way you want, but you will know when I am here."

"Tali" Ziva said, crying.

Tali met her sister's eyes.

"I will be in the rain, in the sun, I will be here for you. I will be beside you. And, when you call my name and need my comfort I will send a ray of sunshine and you will know that I am there and have heard you. I love you, Ziva."

"Tali, my baby sister, no!"

Tali's eyes drifted closed, with her last words:

"And I will have heard you."

1 week later

Ziva was a mess when she left for Cairo. She hadn't had a meal since Tali died, she just didn't feel like eating anymore.

"Welcome to Cairo, Miss Day-vid." the flight attendant said, showing Ziva through the airport doors. Ziva didn't bother to correct the mispronunciation of her name, as she was used to it.

"Toda" Ziva said. A second later, realization hit her, and she quickly added "Thank You"

She walked to a woman with red hair, who was holding a sign that said "Ziva David". She looked to be around thirty or forty.

"Ziva David?"

"Ken...errrr I mean yes."

"Jenny Shepard, NCIS. Your brother was friends with a missing marine who ran away around the same time as Ari. You can call me Jen or Jenny, whichever you prefer."

"Right, I'm Ziva, but you can call me Zee if you want."

As they started walking to the car, Jen asked

"So, do you have any other siblings?"

"My little sister, Tali, but she, um, died a week ago."

"I'm sorry, sweetie."

Ziva thought Jenny was nice, and reminded her of her mother, who went missing during the bombing.

Jenny put a hand on Ziva's shoulder, and she flinched at the contact. "Is something wrong with your shoulder?" "No." was the quick, blunt answer which seemed a bit too fast to be true for Jenny, but she didn't push the matter any further.

As they drove away from the airport, Ziva put her head on the window and closed her eyes.

Tali's angel-like voice filled her thoughts. Tali's laugh. Her smile. The innocent way she said "Zeevy" played through Ziva's mind.

Jenny could see that Ziva was obviously grieving, but she did her best to hide her emotions with a mask. But, Jen could see the cracks. How when Ziva's eyes closed she let loose a single tear. How she looked out the window with a longing that Jenny knew she wouldn't be able to fix.

That night, Ziva woke up screaming. Jenny ran into the room and tried to snap Ziva out of her trance, doing the only thing she could do, hug and hold Ziva like a mother would hold her daughter. Jenny ran her fingers through Ziva's hair, saying that it was going to be okay. When Ziva stopped crying, she looked up and said "I am sorry." "For what?" Jen asked, dumbfounded as to what Ziva would be sorry for.

"For crying..." "Ziva-" "...it is weakness"

Jenny was heartbroken, watching a sixteen year-old girl cry her heart out, only to apologize and say she was sorry. She wanted to find whoever raised her like this, and confront them as to why. But, she just continued cradling Ziva's head and saying "you have nothing to be sorry for"

Ziva stuck her hand out in the air and watched as a ray of sunshine came over it.

"Tali."

"What?"

"My sister, her name was Tali."

Tali's last words played through Ziva's head. She silently said "Thank you, Tali, for hearing me."

Jenny looked at Ziva with a sad look that she could not decipher.

"I'm so sorry, Ziva."