I had meant to upload this three days ago, and didn't have the time, and I feel horrible about it. It's completely AU, and set in 2002, so just imagine that NCIS never took place. But read and enjoy.

Every year, he would go to school with his daughter. Career Day. With her long brown hair and green eyes, she was the apple of his eye. He would do anything for her. Since she was seven, he would go to school with her. Five years later, for the first time, he wasn't there with her.

Year after year, she walked up in front of the class with her father, practically glowing with pride. She would listen, enraptured, as he spoke about his job, his eyes shining. It was like hearing it for the first time, every time. All her classmates would watch her enviously, parents glaring indiscreetly at him for having stolen their children's attention.

This year, her classmates watched her curiously, parents looking confused. Where were her parents? Why were they not there? Finally, it was her turn.

"Liana Antonia DiNozzo. You're up."

"Mommy lost her voice."

"Where is your father?" her teacher was confused. Did he not know that today was Career Day? No, that wasn't possible. He would never miss it for the world.

"Daddy…" her voice broke slightly. "Daddy's gone."

"What do you mean, gone, Liana?" she stood in front of the class, alone, and looked up, her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Last year on 11 September, my daddy was in the World Trade Centre. He was working a case. He went alone. Mommy was at the office. She went to the bathroom, and when she got back, she had a message on her phone, from Daddy. She played it and what Daddy said had broken her heart. He had said "I love you, Ziva, I love you and Lia. Take good care of her. Do it for me." Then the line went dead. Mommy saw what happened on the television just mere moments later. And with that, she knew Daddy was gone." She broke down crying. Everyone had tears in their eyes. Her friends slowly got up from their seats one by one, patting her on the back, telling her that everything was going to be fine.

She walked home that day, proud of herself, yet miserable. She had told her daddy's story. His legacy. It had taken so much courage to do so. Her mommy would be proud.

She opened the door, slipped in, and closed the door quietly. Her mommy sat on the sofa. She put her bag down and curled up next to her mother. She watched as her mother watched Titanic, one of her daddy's favorite movies. Then, the first tear fell. Slowly, the tears streamed down.

"I'm proud of you, Lia. I know it was hard." Her mommy stroked her hair.

They went through the day doing things her daddy had liked to do. They had Italian for lunch and dinner, and had a Magnum and James Bond marathon. Few words were exchanged between the two.

That night she stayed in her parents' room.

"Goodnight, Mommy," she whispered, kissing her mommy on the forehead, before climbing into bed. She said a prayer, took a shaky breath, and began.

"Hi, Daddy," she whispered, "I miss you. Today was the first time ever that I've had Career Day without you. It felt strange, knowing that you were here with me less than a year ago. So I was alone. Mommy was sick. Besides, it would never be the same without you. So I told them about you. I told them your story. It was so hard, but I did it, Daddy, I did it." she was sniffing again. Nothing prepared her for the emotional instability that she was experiencing. She lay in silence, getting sleepier. Finally, she muttered the last few words. The four most important words of all.

"I love you, Daddy." I'll see you again, one day. I promise.

This is my tribute to all those who died in 9/11. May they rest in peace.