Chapter one

I sat at my desk like I do every morning, paperwork shuffling around pretending to be getting done. It has been almost 10 years since the love of my life disappeared. 3 since the state of New York officially declared her dead. I dreaded coming into work this morning knowing that my team expected me to be the carefree happy go lucky Tony that they see every day. Ziva was the first to arrive her headphones stuck in her ears as she bounced around to the music that was no doubt not in English. She sat at her desk and got to work on her paperwork completely ignoring me. Normally I would bug her about that but today I just sat back and let my mind wander to the first time I met her, the girl who stole my heart and never gave it back. Her mother was recording her on an old school camera, which only seemed to irritate her. Memories of her stuck in my mind like they happened only yesterday.

Flashback

"Kelly, what do you think of the new house? I know you miss home but this is going to have to do for now." Her mother started. I stood by listening as I pretended to play my game of basketball. I wasn't really good at the game but I loved to play.

"Its fine mom, when is dad going to join us?" For a kid she sounded very intelligent. Beyond her years for sure. Her voice stayed steady and even.

"Kelly please not this." Her mother sighed. From my place next door I could see worry lines etched into her face surrounding her green eyes.

"I'm sorry mom, I miss him."

"Me too sweetie." She went on. "Why don't you go over and talk to that boy." She suggested. I turned around like I had been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. I didn't expect the young girl named Kelly to waltz over and start talking to me but Kelly did just that.

"Hi, I'm Kelly" she said as she neared me. A small smile on her lips. Her eyes big and blue like saucers stared up at me as though I had an answer to all of life's mysteries.

"Anthony, but you can call me Tony." I told her.

"Do you think I could play?" she asked looking me right in the eyes, not a lot of people did that, it's like they were afraid of something. It scared me a bit that she did. I didn't let on that she was intimidating me with her stare.

"I don't know." I stated wearily. She looked like a young kid. What could she possibly know about basketball?

"I promise you I know how to play." She told me bluntly never loosing eye contact.

"Alright then." I agreed hoping she couldn't tell how much I sucked at the game myself.

And we played basketball for hours, I had to admit she was damn good, for being a girl. By the end all I could say to her was "Wow"

"Told ya." She laughed. It was musical and probably the happiest she had been in while. We stood around telling jokes for a bit and we laughed so hard we fell to the pavement tears streaming down our faces. When we finally recovered she asked, "So how old are you Tony?"

"I'm 13 next month. You?"

"I just turned 8."

"Why did you move here?" I questioned.

"I'm not allowed to say and I don't know what I'm supposed to tell people. I'm probably not supposed to say any of this either." She said in a small shy voice.

"Sounds complicated. Oh well. I'm glad your here." I told her and I meant it. Even though I barely knew this girl and she's a lot younger than me, I couldn't help but feel a connection to her. Something I hadn't felt in a very long time.

"Me too." She smiled a sun shaming smile.

End Flashback

Too see her smile again would mean the world to me.

The rest of the day was very uneventful. We solved a case involving an ex-marine breaking into his old CO's home to retrieve a disc that had incriminating information on it. Nice and easy day. Ziva seemed lost in thought all day and ignored me for the most part, McGee was out sick with the flu and Gibbs being Gibbs was as quiet as normal. For once I was happy no one noticed my silence.

When I arrived back at my apartment that night I couldn't sleep so I sat up in the living room with a bottle of bourbon and drank my sorrows away. Memories of her kept flooding back into the forefront of my mind. No matter how hard I tried to push them away they just kept attacking me.

Flashback

"Hey, you wanna come to my aunt Betsey's wedding with me. I'm the only kid in the family." I asked her as she tied her shoes for our weekly game of basketball. She had been living next door for a month now. We mostly played ball, avoiding talking as she didn't really know what she could tell me. I still didn't understand why but I let it slide.

"Sure, I'll ask my mom." She replied. "But let me whip your butt in basketball first." She finished.

"Oh we will see about that." I challenged.

As our game finished a few of the other kids my age walked towards us. "Playing games with little kids now DiNozzo? Can't find any real friends." They taunted.

"She is my real friend unlike you jerks. Go away." I snapped.

"I'm not a little kid." She spit out. I could see a crease forming on her overhead as she grew angry at them.

"Oooh, I'm so scared." The one boy said sarcastically.

"Leave us alone Drake."

"Or what? You gonna run and tell mommy? Oh wait you can't." I stepped back getting my arm ready to throw the first punch when Kelly beat me to it. Drake fell to the ground clutching his jaw as Kelly stepped backwards shaking out her hand. Drake and his friends took off running down the street.

"I can't believe you just punched him."

"Well he was being mean and I saw your face when he talked about your mom. Did she leave?" She questioned.

"No she died when I was 8. Cancer." I told her. She gave me a solemn look before responding.

"I'm sorry Tony, I know what it's like to lose a parent." We stood there quietly for a while.

"I thought your dad was going to join you." She gave me a look before she walked towards my house. We sat in the living room quietly for a few minutes before she started to talk.

"My mom and I are in witness something and my dad couldn't come because he's a marine fighting some place. I don't know if he is alive or not."

"So you could leave here anytime?"

"I guess but they don't wanna move us too much since I'm in school. You can't say anything, I'm not supposed to tell anybody."

"Your secret is safe with me." I promised.

End Flashback