A/N: I know this is set really long ago, but everyone loves a good old fashioned NCIS episode. This is set at the end of Series 4 and is 2 years since Kate died. I have had this idea for ages but only just got round to actually writing it. Hope you enjoy :)
Italics mean Hebrew for the whole story.
Disclaimer: If I owned NCIS, I would not have let Cote de Pablo leave :)
NCIS DC – 24th May 2007
The usual banter in the bullpen was missing. Instead a rather sombre silence filled the air. Tomorrow would be the 2 years since Special Agent Caitlin Todd died. Nobody was looking forward to the painful reminder and guilty thoughts that the anniversary of her death always brought.
Gibbs sighed wearily. "Go home, there's no cases and no one's working properly."
Ziva shot out of her chair, snatched up her bag and was gone before anyone could even say bye. The remaining team stared after her, a little worried at the abrupt departure. Maybe she still misses her bastard brother, Tony thought bitterly and by the looks on McGee and Gibbs' faces they too had thought something similar.
"Five years, huh?" Tony broke the tense atmosphere.
McGee made a noise remarkably like a sniff. "Feels like yesterday when we were all together and she was alive and happy."
"At least we have Ziva," Gibbs reminded his team of the great newest member.
Unfortunately Abby chose that moment to appear. Her eyes were red and her mascara was streaked on her pale cheeks. "But Ziva's not Kate and it was her brother who killed Kate!"
"Half-brother," Gibbs frowned. "And Ziva is NOT Ari. She is probably going through something even worse than us; a dead family member who she has to mourn silently as her co-workers hate his guts."
Abby scowled glumly, knowing Gibbs was right but unable to stop a snide, "Since when does Ziva have feelings?"
"Every human has emotions," a horribly familiar accented voice said. "Just some people have learnt how to hide them better than others. I will be going now, I forgot my keys." With that the silent ninja left again, nobody missing her hand brushing against her cheek to eradicate the evidence of the single tear that trailed from her eye.
Abby felt awful. She wanted to run after the Israeli and hugged her tightly but she had another matter to organise. "I'll fix that Gibbs," she vowed as soon as the elevator doors closed on Ziva. "But first you promised."
"Promised what?" the ever nosy Tony asked.
"Gibbs promised we'd all go and visit Kate's grave since we were too busy last year with all that bomb kerfuffle. All of us means me, Gibbs, you, Timmy and Ducky," Abby explained in a rush of words. "I don't want to go alone," she added in a small defeated voice.
The three men immediately agreed, hugging the upset Goth briefly before leaving for the night. Once alone, Gibbs glanced with concern at Ziva's unoccupied desk. Knowing he couldn't leave the woman hurt in such a distressing time he snatched up his keys planning on a quick detour past her apartment. Just to make sure she's okay, Gibbs rationalised his actions.
But when he arrived in front of Ziva's apartment building, her red mini cooper was missing from its usual spot in the parking lot. To be sure, he parked his car and hurried to Ziva's door. He knocked on heavily but she was definitely out. Gibbs let another weary sigh slip past his lips. What had Abby done?
Indiana – 25th May 2007
The next afternoon found 5 members of Team Gibbs stretching in the warm air of Indiana. After an early morning flight on a rather cramped plane the team were more than glad to be able to move about again. They quickly got to the hotel Abby had pre-booked to check in and freshen up.
Another 10 minutes passed before they arrived at the graveyard they'd last seen 2 years earlier. As they neared the place their good friend and co-worker lay at rest, Abby began to sniffle. She still missed Kate and wished she hadn't had to die.
But when they started along the path that would lead them to Kate, Tony stopped hastily causing McGee to bump into him. "He-!"
"Hush Probie!" Tony shushed. "Someone's at her grave."
The group looked past Tony. Sure enough in the golden setting light the silhouette of a slim petite woman could be seen. Her head was bent solemnly and her lips were moving in a prayer the 5 could not hear.
Ducky suddenly realised with a sharp jolt that her cargo pants, combat boots and wild curly hair was very familiar. "I do believe," he began quietly. "That this woman is our dear Ziva."
Tony couldn't stop a gasp. McGee's mouth dropped open. Gibbs' eye twitched as if it was fighting the surprise response of widening. And Abby's head dropped low feeling even worse about what she'd last said to the Mossad Officer.
Ziva heard footsteps. She did not however take her eyes off Kate's grave, continuing her yearly prayer ritual, writing off the steps as some other mourners visiting their own lost loved ones. As the people got closer, she sank to her knees, pressing her forehead against the cool stone, trying hard not to let the tears fall. Her Hebrew song flowed gently from her lips, straight to the ears of her co-workers.
"Rest forever in peace, Katie," Ziva whispered, the only line in English.
"Ziver?"
Ziva shot to her feet as though an electric bolt had struck her. "Gibbs," she choked out.
"You called her Katie," Abby exclaimed almost accusingly. "She didn't even let me call her that! What's going on? Why are you her?"
"I do not think here is the right place to explain," Ziva said gently. "You are here for Kate, not me."
"Don't think this conversation is over Ziva," Gibbs warned.
Ziva merely nodded her understanding. Bowing her head slightly to Kate's grave, she slipped away soundlessly; leaving her friends with confusing questions they wanted answer too. But Ziva didn't know if she was ready to share the truth, the pain of losing Kate still a fresh wound for all of the team and herself.
TBC