So I'm writing some of the e-mails from the ten years Ziva and Ilana were apart. I got the idea from another fic about the time after JD, sorry I don't remember the name, but if you find it you should read it, it's really good.
Zee,
I'm writing to you now that I'm settled here in London, but I'm not even sure you'll get this with the mission you're on. You didn't say it but your eyes told me it's dangerous. Be safe. And I thought I should tell you that I intend to learn Gaelic and Welsh while I'm here. And I'm going to attempt learning to do an acceptable British accent. Good luck and stay safe.
Infinite X's and O's (do they use those in Israel?)
Ilana
November 17, 1998
Zee,
Well you haven't responded so I will assume that you are still out. I hope you are doing well. Email me as soon as you can. I don't have much news for you accept that, thanks to you, I am the expert of my class on the middle east. I am pretty far ahead of everyone else in my class in other areas as well though. My roommate is Irish and her family is inviting me for the holidays. I really like them and they are teaching me Gaelic and being around them is helping me to be able to pull off an Irish accent as well. I miss you a lot though. Please email me soon.
Lots of love, XOXO
Ilana
December 20, 1998
Lan,
Yes I was busy with that mission. I will be leaving on another one soon, but this one is not secret. I will be traveling with an American from NCIS across eastern Europe. I will be able to stop to email you sometimes though. I miss you a lot and I am glad you are settled in and doing well. I think you will be proud that my German is getting much better. Soon I will be able to understand you when you speak it. Did I tell you that you speak German much to quickly? I do not know what X's and O's are. I hope to get another email soon. I will try hard to reply quickly.
Ani Ohevet Otcha
Zee
January 31, 1999
Zee,
Finally! I was beginning to worry. Well first of all, yes I am proud of your German. Second, X's are hugs and O's are kisses. So X's and O's means hugs and kisses. I really don't know why they use those letters, it's a weird American thing. I miss you tons! Take pictures of any places you see that you think I might like. My roommate keeps asking about you, and she said to tell you 'hi' and that you sound very cool. I hope your driving trip with the NCIS agent goes well. Good luck and be careful. Try not to kill anyone with your driving, though on the Autobahn it really wouldn't matter. I'm taking an Italian class now, and I'm thinking about learning Russian, too. Hope to hear from you soon.
Ich liebe dich.
Lan
February 12, 1999
Lan,
The trip is going good so far. The agent is nice and she does not act the way most Americans do when I drive, more like how you act. Her name is Jenny. She likes my stories about you and she told me to tell you 'hi' as well. Tell your roommate that I say 'hi back' and I am glad you are learning Italian and Russian. You will soon know as many languages as any Mossad Officer. Tali would be proud, I know I am. I drove on the Autobahn yesterday and you are right. Everyone drives faster there. It is much better than some of the other highways I have driven on. I miss your smile and your laugh. It is so dull doing these assignments that my father keeps giving me. This one is alright though. I will have to tell you some of the stories she has told me about another agent she worked with just before this mission. I think I remember him from the Gulf War. I think he was in Israel for a short time after the first rocket attacks, but left for the front lines. But those are for another time. We have to get back on the road. Ti amo.
X's and O's (I think)
Zee
March 2, 1999
Ziva,
It's good to hear that you and your mission are doing well. Things here are good too. Finals are soon and then I will be going home for a few weeks before leaving for a dig in Mexico and then for a short trip to Egypt. I went to Stonehenge yesterday and took some pictures for you. I also have pictures of Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, though I am sure you have been in places just as nice. Good luck on whatever your next mission is, and I hope your father isn't giving you too much trouble.
Love you lots,
Lan
May 9, 1999
Ilana,
I have been back at home for a while now, and I did a little research and found that I do know the man Jenny talked about. He helped me and Tali find our friend after the first rocket attack. I took a lot of pictures for you too and I can't wait for us to trade. Your summer sounds like it will be fun. I have a mission this summer in Cairo. It is just surveillance for now, but I think it will evolve into a longer op by winter. All I know is that Jenny will be the American end of it. I am glad for this. Email me when you get to Egypt and maybe we will be able to see each other. Good luck with your finals.
Miss and love you,
Zee
May 13, 1999
Zee,
I did really well on my finals and my thesis was very well received. I got my degree. I am home now and Pete, my boyfriend, says to tell you 'hi' from him. We have gone to the beach almost everyday this week. I hope you are able to enjoy at least some of your time away from home and can rest a little. I miss you and I will be in Mexico very soon. I hope to see you when I am in Egypt. Good luck on your mission.
Hugs and Kisses,
Lan
June 17, 1999
Lan,
I am so proud of you. I knew you would make it so far. Tell Pete I say 'hello' as well. I am trying to relax a little now and then but it is very difficult. I hope your trip to Mexico will be great. I am so sorry Ilana. I will not be able to see you when you come to Egypt. The mission here in Cairo has taken a turn and I will not be able to contact you. I should not tell you much but it is not going well and I have a feeling I will be undercover by the time you get here. I will not be able to email you, so take lots of pictures and wait for my next message. I am so sorry. I miss you very much and I hope to talk to you soon.
Lots of love
Zee
June 24, 1999
Zee,
Thanks. Be careful, please. I promise to take lots of pictures and I'll have a good time in Egypt while trying to keep myself from looking for you. I'll wait for you to email me. Good luck on your mission and, again, be careful. I miss you. Love you tons.
Infinite X's and O's
Lan
June 30, 1999
Ilana,
How I have missed our communication during my long stay in Cairo. I am now sitting at home in Tel Aviv. It has only been a few days since I came home. I was in a Cairo hospital for a week. I know you told me to be careful. You have already had your birthday. Happy Birthday! I am sorry I missed it. I missed mine, too. What is going on with you now? Did you finish school? Do you have a job? I feel like I have missed so much. I miss you very much and I hope to hear back from you soon.
Lots of love,
Ziva
July 18, 2000
Zee!
Oh my goodness! Finally I hear from you. I miss you, too. I can't believe you got hurt! No, wait, I can. You never really listened to me. Happy Birthday to you, too. Well, I did finish school. It's Dr. Ilana to you now. Just kidding. I'm starting in a lower position as an apprentice of sorts to an anthropologist at a museum here in Los Angeles, and I'll get to do a lot more travel and international digs. Maybe even get close enough to visit if I drive like you do. Things have been going good. I can guess that things have been hectic for you, but I'm glad you're home and relatively safe.
Love always
Lan
July 20, 2000
Lan,
Good to hear you are doing so well. Nothing much is going on around here, I am glad for that. Congratulations on your degree and job. I hope you get close enough to come for a visit, but I think I will be doing a mission or two in France or Germany before too long. Thank you for encouraging me to improve my German. I have to go to a meeting with my father. Miss you.
Love
Zee
August 29, 2000
Zee,
Happy Hanukah. I'm bringing together my family and my boyfriend's family for the holidays. They don't know he's coming. I'm excited. I hope you get the chance to celebrate with your family and friends. I miss you a lot. Happy New Year, too.
Love
Lan
December 15, 2000
Lan,
My holidays were very nice and I did get to celebrate. I hope the surprise went well for Pete's family. I will be in France at the end of the month so I will not be able to email you. Then I will be in Germany for a little while after that. I hope to be back before my birthday, but I do not know. Give my regards to everyone there. Miss you tons.
Love
Zee
January 10, 2001
Zee,
I'm glad you had a nice holiday season. The surprise went very well and everyone was really happy. Everyone here told me to tell you 'hello' and that they hope you are well. Good luck in France and Germany. I'm glad I could be of help with your language skills. Mine have been getting quite good, might I add. I am fluent in seven languages other than English. I'm working on Gaelic and Arabic now. Well I'll stop blabbering and let you go. Good luck and be careful. Miss you.
Love
Lan
January 14, 2001
Lan,
I am back finally. I can not believe it has taken me this long to get back home. My father decided to give me a birthday present this year: a new position. I am not a control officer. For Ari. I was so angry with him I did not speak to him for three days and I still have not spoken to Ari. I wish you were here to make me clam down and think about this logically, how you would. I am quite proud of your language skills. I miss you.
Love
Zee
April 21, 2001
Zee,
I'm sorry I haven't answered you. You were gone when I found out I was leaving. My mentor and I went to assist on digs all around the world. I have been to six of seven continents. It's been a long time since I've been home. Now I'm the one that's missed both birthdays. It's almost Christmas, but not quite Hanukah yet. It comes late this year. I miss you. How has being Ari's control officer been going?
Love
Lan
December 22, 2001
Lan,
I was beginning to worry. I am glad you were able to go on such a great adventure for your career. I am very happy for you. I hope you have had a nice holiday. Being Ari's control officer has been interesting. I feel like a maid. I keep cleaning up his messes. I think my father bred him to be his illegitimate mole in Hamas. He found out that Hamas was responsible for the suicide bombing that killed Tali, but he has yet to pass any information on to me. He leaves me out of the loop. I learn everything from my father, which means I learn almost nothing. Some bad things are going on though and I will have to go silent for a while. I am not sure how long, but think of me often and do not ever forget me. Take lots of pictures. I promise to email you as soon as I am able.
Love
Zee
January 3, 2002
Zee,
I will not take the time to agree to each of your requests, I will just say, ok. Be careful and stay safe. I will miss you.
Love
Lan
January 9, 2002
Lan,
It has been much too long since we have talked. I was able to come back to full duty and communication quite a while ago but Ari and his missions have kept me busier than I thought possible. I am sorry it has been so long but now one of Ari's crazy missions is taking me to America. I do not know what kind of trouble he may cause but that seems to be all he is doing lately. I hope you are doing well. I miss you, and I still thought of you often. I am sorry for my lack of free time though.
Love
Zee
May 20, 2005
Zee!
It has been much too long my friend. I forgive you for getting busy. I have been busy myself. I have a new job at another museum in a different city. It's been really good here. It figures that Ari is causing trouble for everyone, especially you. I'm glad you're coming to America, even if it is Ari's fault. Good luck on your mission. I hope Ari doesn't cause too many problems. Miss you.
Love
Lan
May 22, 2005
Lan,
It is too late. Ari has gone far beyond causing problems. He has been up to his old tricks in Hamas again and now he has killed someone! He killed an NCIS agent! And now I have to go in, on my father's orders, and tell them all that I do not believe he did it. I know he did it. It is just like him. I do not know what to do. Help me!
Love
Zee
May 24, 2005
Zee,
I heard about the agent who was killed. I think you should do what you are ordered and then figure out a way to make it right. It is better than going against your father and have a fellow assassin come after you. Just be calm. You will be fine.
Love
Lan
May 24, 2005
Lan,
There are two things I need to tell you. First, Jenny is the new director of NCIS. Second, I shot Ari today. I killed him and now I have to escort his body back to Tel Aviv. Oh, and that man that Jenny talked about, the one I knew from the Gulf War, well he is the leader of the team I have been working with. He is taking the blame for killing Ari, because it happened in his basement and his life was threatened. I am shocked. I do not know what will happen when I get home but I do not think my father will like this very much. I did what you said and I think it worked out as good as it could. Thank you. I miss you and will write again soon.
Love
Zee
May 25, 2005
Zee,
Well, not to be insensitive, but I never liked Ari much to begin with. He was terrible to you and Tali. I hope your father does not act too harshly. Good luck with that, and good for Jenny. Well I have a World War I soldier waiting for me, so I have to get going. Talk to you soon.
Love
Lan
May 26, 2005
(italics from here on mean it is in Hebrew)
Lan,
Happy Late Birthday! I was a bit busy in Tel Aviv but now I am back in America. I have been given a liaison position at NCIS on the team I assisted during Ari's case. The forensic scientist is a hyperactive goth who plays loud music. One agent is very good with computers and he is called Probie and there are lots of nicknames made out of his last name. The leader is tough and gruff, but he cares about the team like they are his family. And then there is my partner. He is an immature Italian playboy who is -- I reluctantly admit-- easy on the eyes. They are a good team. But I really like the medical examiner. He is a very nice older gentleman from Scotland who has a million stories to tell. How is your job? Any interesting people? Well I have to get back to working. I will talk to you soon.
Love
Zee
October 20, 2005
Zee,
Sounds like a fun place to work. I'm glad you're finding a good place to be here in America. Maybe I can visit sometime when things die down around here. It just keeps getting busier and busier. Good luck with the new job. There are a few interesting people at the museum. They all have their quirks, but I love them all. I have been there for a while now and in no time you will see what your team leader feels about his team. You will understand how they feel like a family. Things around here are good, but, like I said, very busy. Hope to talk to you soon.
Love
Lan
October 21, 2005
End Communications