Ziva: What about your Mother Ducky?
Ducky: Mother is comfortable. Thank you. Staff take good care of her, poor dear, she barely recognizes me when I visit.
--
Ziva tried her best to be subtle as she washed the dishes, and Ducky dried.
"Did your Mother usually dry?"
He smiled slowly. "If by dry you mean sit comfortably in front of the television."
"It must be…different without her here, yes?"
"A bit." He focused his eyes on the task at hand. "But being alone is a running theme in the story of my life Ziva…it's simply the cards I've been dealt."
Her heart literally ached. "You are not the only one who's been dealt them."
"Now then, let's not go and put a damper on such a festive occasion…we are amongst friends, and we should cherish these moments."
Ziva nodded in agreement before handing him another plate. "Well said."
"Mother always said I had a way with words."
She smiled. "You certainly do."
They continued their task before moving back into the living room where Abby was curled up close to Gibbs side, and Tony and McGee were fighting over which movie to watch. The two friends shared a smile and quickly joined them. Because whether or not each of them returned to empty homes…right now they were with family. And right now is all they had.
