"He is dead." Ari told Ziva.
Ziva took a deep breath. Dead? He couldn't be dead. She had just talked to him the other day.
"Are they sure it was him?" Ziva asked.
"Yes." Ari said sadly. "The attack was made on his car early this morning, and they found the body shortly after."
"Does this mean that I have to go back to Israel?" Ziva asked.
"Just for the funeral, then you are going to stay here, with me." Ari said. "They decided that we would be able to take anything with us, and then they will take care of the rest."
"Okay." Ziva replied. "When are we leaving?"
"Tomorrow night." Ari said.
Ziva nodded then went to her room.
"Hey babe," Tony said into the phone.
"Hey," Ziva said sadly. "Can you come over?"
"Sure. Why?" Tony asked. "What happened?"
"My father died, this morning in a bomb blast." Ziva said softly.
"I will be right over." Tony said hanging up and running downstairs into his car.
"Where are you going?" Tony's mom called after him.
"Ziva's." Tony yelled. "Her father died this morning. She just found out."
"That is horrible. Tell her I am sorry and if she needs anything, just to let me know." She said.
Tony nodded and hopped into his car and drove over to her house.
4:02 pm
Ari opened the door. "Hello Tony, I expected to see you here."
"Is she upstairs?"
Ari nodded, letting Tony inside then shutting the door behind him.
Tony went up the steps then knocked on the door softly before entering. Her desk had roses, new ones that he gave her the night they went out to dinner. She had destroyed the old ones when she threw the vase off the desk during their fight.
"Tony?" Ziva asked from her bed. She was sitting on the bed, her legs were Indian style and her back was to him. Her head was down and her hair fell over her shoulders, covering any part of her face he could have seen. Her hands were on her lap and as he walked over and stood in front of her, he looked at the picture and saw a family portrait. It was very old. He could see that Ziva was about 5. Ari looked 9 maybe 10. Ziva's mother was holding an infant and her father stood behind them all.
"This is the only photo of us together." Ziva said. "I remember that day. Tali couldn't stop crying and Ari was complaining of the nice clothes he was wearing. My mother was tending to Tali and then my father kept bickering with Ari about his clothing. Once my mother got Tali to stop crying, we quickly took the picture. The flash, of course had scared her so she was back to crying."
"It is a cute picture." Tony said resting his hand on hers.
Ziva looked up at him. "I do not know what to feel."
"He was your father."
"He was planning on ruining my life." Ziva said. "After this year, we both know that I was going to have to go back to Israel. He had told me that it was his decision and that he would decide my life. I do not understand what I should feel."
Tony took the photo out of Ziva's hands and placed it on her night stand. He climbed in to her bed and sat against her headboard. Ziva went into his lap, facing him.
"He was your father, no matter what he was planning to do, you have a right to grieve." Tony said. "You also know that you are allowed to feel relieved that you do not have to leave."
Ziva leaned her head against his chest. "You know, he called me yesterday. He wanted to know how everything was here."
"Did he know about us?" Tony asked. He placed his arms on Ziva's shoulders.
"No." Ziva whispered. "If he did, then I would have already been in Israel by now. He is not too fond of you."
"I never did anything." Tony said.
"You took his little girl away." Ziva said. "He knew before I did what was going to happen between us. He had told me to stay away from you, but I couldn't."
"Well," Tony said kissing her forehead. "When are you leaving. I am guessing that the funeral will be in Israel."
"It will." Ziva said. "Plane leaves tomorrow night."
"Okay."
"Tony, could you maybe...maybe could you come with us..me..could you come with me?" Ziva struggled to say.
"To Israel?"
"Yes." Ziva answered.
"I have to ask my mom. I believe it will be yes but I just have to check." Tony whispered.
"Thank you." Ziva said burring her face in his neck.
7:00 am Israel
"Shalom." Ari said to the guard that they met once they got off the plane.
"You car is awaiting, Mr. David." The man said in Hebrew.
"Ari. Please call me Ari."
Tony followed Ziva and Ari to the car. He was lost in the city. He did not know Hebrew and he was so confused listening to the knew language.
Once they were in the car Tony decided that he could talk.
"It is really hard to concentrate when everyone around you is speaking Hebrew." He said.
"Not really." Ziva and Ari laughed.
"Well, when you don't know the language it is hard." Tony said.
"And yet you still make fun of my English problems." Ziva said with one eyebrow raised.
"But yours are cute." Tony smiled.
Ziva couldn't help but smile. She shook her head and leaned against Tony's heart. Tony wrapped one arm around her and put his head on hers.
"So, what is first on the to do list?" Tony asked.
"Well, we will be staying at the house, packing anything we want to take with us, and the funeral ceremony will be tomorrow morning. We will have two extra days, to see any family while we are here, then we must go home." Ari said.
"Okay."
8:30am
"That is the last of them." Tony said bringing in the last of the luggage. "Where can we eat?"
Ziva laughed. "Tony, is that all you think about?"
"I am hungry." Tony whimpered looking at his stomach.
"I will show you the kitchen." Ziva said taking his hand and leading him through the house and to the kitchen.
"Zivaleh!" A woman said.
"Sarah," Ziva smiled.
"I have not seen you since you were this big." Sarah smiled, holding her hand close tot he ground.
"It has been a very long time." Ziva said hugging Sarah. "Sarah, this is my boyfriend, Tony."
"Nice to meet you." Sarah said holding out her hand towards Tony.
"Very nice to meet you," Tony smiled taking her hand. "You speak very good English."
"Thank you." Sarah said. "I have been taking classes."
"Well they are working," Tony smiled.
"Sarah, Tony is hungry, is their anything to eat?" Ziva smiled.
"A house that has nothing to eat? Now that is a disgrace." Sarah said. "Please, have a seat, I will fix you both something. Do you know if Ari wants something?"
"Probably not." Ziva said.
"Go have a seat." Sarah said shoving them towards the island and the stood in front of it.
Ziva and Tony sat down. Tony twirled Ziva's hair around his finger. "You okay?" He asked.
"Ya, I haven't been back here since Tali was alive." Ziva said. "It is just...different."
Tony held Ziva's hand in his. "I love you." He whispered. "I promise, everything is going to be okay."
Ziva nodded. Tears welled up in her eyes but never spilled over. She blinked them away and gave Tony a small smile.
"Ziva," Ari said walking into the kitchen, "I went through Tali's stuff that was left here. the only thing salvageable is her necklace."
Ziva reached out her hand to take the Star of David necklace. She handed it to Tony, who put it on her.
"Thanks." Ziva smiled."Anything else that you want to keep here?"
"Nothing that I want. Father never did keep anything personal." Ari said.
"Does he still have mom's old stuff in the box?" Ziva asked.
"I have that." Sarah chimed in. "You father gave it to me to throw away one day. He said he couldn't look at it anymore. I have it saved so that you guys could look through it later."
"Thank you." Ziva smiled.
"It was no problem." Sarah said. "Your mother was a wonderful woman. She always treated everyone she knew with respect. She would be very proud of you. You look a lot like her. She was a beautiful woman, and you are blossoming as well."
Ziva blushed and hid her face by looking down at the tile.
"Tony, could you help me move some heavy stuff around upstairs?" Ari asked.
"Sure." Tony said. "Call me when the food is done."
"I guess." Ziva smiled. "I mean, if I don't I will never hear the end of it."
"Exactly." Tony smiled kissing her cheek and following her brother up the stairs.
"He is adorable." Sarah smiled sitting down in Tony's seat.
"I know, he is so nice." Ziva smiled.
"I am sure your mother would approve of him. You look happy with him." Sarah smiled. "He know exactly what makes you tick and what makes you smile and everything."
"Well, we were friends to begin with. When I first moved to the US, he was nice to me, then we became friends and somehow, it turned into best friends. About a month ago, we decided to take things to the next step and now here we are." Ziva explained.
"He loves you." Sarah said. "He will do anything for you. He has proved that by coming here, to a unknown country that speaks a whole new language on such short notice."
"I am very great full for what I have." Ziva smiled.
"You are planning to wed?" Sarah asked.
Ziva busted out laughing. "No,"
"Why not, you are almost eighteen, I was married and with child by your age." Sarah said.
"Sarah," Ziva smiled. "America is a lot different then here, People do not get married until they are at least 24. And kid usually come about two to three years later."
"Ah, yes." Sarah said walking over to he stove. "It is safer there, many people live longer."
"A lot longer." Ziva said. She walked over behind Sarah. "What are you making?"
"It is your mother's recipe. She taught it to me." Sarah said. "Would you like me to teach it to you?"
Ziva smiled. "I would like that."
Upstairs
"I wanted to thank you." Ari said. "I do understand that this was not your idea."
"Huh?"
"Coming here." Ari said. "It really mean a lot to Ziva. She loves it here, I know she missed it when she lived in the US and that it hurts every time she comes back. I do not know how much about our past she told you, but, she took care of our little sister Tali after our mother died. Ziva was only eight years old and she took care of our four year old sister. When Tali was Eight, she was killed. Ziva took it the hardest. That is when our dad sent us to the US. He said it was safer there."
"She is really shaken up about this trip." Tony said.
"Yes, we have not been back since Tali's funeral." Ari said. "It does bring back memories. Our house was always full of laughter. Tali was very innocent, she never really cried, always smiling. I remember when I came home, she would always run down the stairs screaming my name, smile on her face."
"She sounds like she was happy." Tony said.
"She was." Ari smiled. "So was Ziva. She was always smiling, singing, dancing, she wanted to be a star. I wish i knew where that little girl went."
"You said she wanted to be a star?"
"Yes, Ziva wanted to be a superstar. Singing, Acting, Dancing, anything that involved her being in the spotlight. All the death has changed her, she no longer has the sparkle in her eyes that I saw when she sang. Now when she sings along to songs, it is like the dream has died." Ari said. "When we came to America, her dreams were possible. Only, she gave up her dream, vowing never to sing after Tali died. Sometimes I hear her, in her room. She thinks I do not listen, but i know that the little girl is inside her, really wanting to to sing again."
"I didn't know she had any form of musical talent." Tony said. "She never hinted or anything."
"She is talented." Ari explained. "She has the drive that most others do not."
Ziva walked into the room. "Tony, the food is ready." She smiled.
The boys starred at her, Tony in particular.
"What?" Ziva asked. She turned around then back to them. "What?"
"Nothing." Ari said. "Right Tony."
"Ya." Tony said snapping out of his trance.
"Ari, are you hungry?" Ziva asked.
"No. I am fine." He said.
Ziva nodded and grabbed Tony's hand, leading him back down to the kitchen.
"You okay?" She asked.
"Ya." Tony said.
Ziva and Tony went into the kitchen and ate their meal. Tony was happy, his stomach was full.
"I noticed that you have a grand piano." Tony said to Ziva.
"We do." Ziva said. "It was my mother's."
"Have you ever played it?" Tony questioned.
"Maybe once or twice..." Ziva said.
"NONSENSE!" Sarah interrupted.
"Sarah..."
"Ziva. Why would you lie to this boy?" Sarah said. "She can play the piano. And she can sing as well." She said to Tony.
"I do not sing." Ziva said. "Well, not anymore."
"Why not." Sarah asked. "You always had a beautiful voice."
"I just don't." Ziva said.
"Well that my dear is going to change." Sarah said. "Let's go. To the piano."
"Sarah, no." Ziva said.
"YES." Sarah fought back. "I am not letting that part of you die. Your mother loved singing, and then you started to sing. And now, i see that you have lost it. Well, I am taking it upon my self to bring it back."
"I have not sang for four years. I will sound horrible." Ziva said.
Sarah dragged Ziva to the piano. Tony followed closely behind.
"You could never sound horrible." Sarah said. "Sing." She placed Ziva's hands on the keys of the piano.
Ziva sighed and pressed a few keys. She played a few chords and melodies and hummed along.
"Play." Tony said sitting beside her. He leaned against her shoulder, as if he was holding her up.
Ziva softly stroked the keys, beginning a beautiful melody.
I always needed time on my own
I never thought I'd need you there when I cried
Ziva sang softly, a little self conscious at first. She had listened to this dong countless amounts of times when Tali died, but never sang it with the piano part she taught herself.
I always needed time on my own
I never thought I'd need you there when I cried
Ziva began to get more into the song, remembering every little hint she gave herself when she sang. To stay on beat, with the right rhythm.
"When you walk away
I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?"
The last sentence had came out as a plea, begging for someone to understand. She wanted everyone to understand that what happened was horrible and that she would always miss Tali.
"When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day
And make it okay"
Ziva sang soulfully. She poured her heart out into the music. Finally feeling free. Finally feeling like she was able to feel something.
"I miss you"
She whispered.
Ari came down the stairs at the sound of his sisters voice filling the house. It reminded him of when she was little, her feet not reaching the floor and her singing happily with the book their mother bought for her.
I've never felt this way before
Everything that I do
Reminds me of you
And the clothes you left
They lie on the floor
And they smell just like you
I love the things that you do
A single tear rolled down her cheek as the next verse came out. She gave it everything that she had. She smiled a little when she sang, finally feeling back to herself.
When you walk away
I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?
When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear to always get me through the day
And make it ok
I miss you
Ziva smiled as she sang now. The words flowed from her head, giving her freedom. She let the song crescendo, allowing the change in temp coming up to sound amazing.
We were made for each other
Out here forever
I know we were
Yeah, yeah
And all I ever wanted was for you to know
Everything I do I give my heart and soul
I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me
Yeah
Ziva breathed heavily, belting out the words, singing away any feelings that she could.
When you're gone
The pieces of my heart are missing you
When you're gone
The face I came to know is missing too
When you're gone
The words I need to hear will always get me through the day
And make it ok
As the song began to end, Ziva felt calmer than before, almost like it was soothing to sing again.
"I miss you." Ziva whispered, the song finally over. She now looked anxiously around the room to her family's faces, to see their thoughts.
She looked to Tony. "Was it that bad?" She asked.
"Ziva." Tony said. "That was...incredible."
"You have still got it." Sarah smiled. She silently walked away, happy to bring back the Ziva she knew as a child.
Ziva looked over to Ari. He walked over to her. Ziva stood up and hugged him. "Your voice, it is just like mom's when she used to sing to us." He whispered. "She would be so proud of you. And so would Tali. She would be jumping up and down right now, probably going on about how amazing you are. I am so proud of you."
Ziva nodded as tears fell from her eyes from her brother's kind and soothing words. Ari let go and smiled. "Go on, Sing another one."
"I don't know what to sing." Ziva laughed.
"Anything. You pick any song." Tony said. "I'll play the piano part. Sit, I promise you know this one."
Ziva sat down hesitantly next to Tony.
"I didn't know you played piano." Ari said to Tony.
"He also plays guitar but he wouldn't have told anyone else." Ziva smiled. She leaned against his shoulder, letting him play the beginning of the new song. When Ziva heard the music she smiled. She loved this song.
"Here we go!
You wear your smile like a summer sky
Just shining down on me and you
I swear your heart is a free bird
On a lazy Sunday afternoon" Tony sang freely, laughing a little as he went.
"I love the way that you were up for anything
Never worried 'bout what people say" Ziva sang with him smiling.
"That's right, oh that's right
What we got is" Tony and Ziva sang together in perfect harmony. They smiled and sang, Tony elbowed Ziva in the side, making her look over and smile brighter when seeing his face.
"Just like driving on an open highway
Never knowing what we're gonna find
Just like two kids, baby, always trying to live it up" They continued to sing together, the chorus filling the house, causing Sarah to come back to the piano to watch the two love birds perform.
"Whoa, yeah, that's our kind of love" Tony sang
"Mm that's our kind of love" Ziva smiled kissing Tony's cheek before beginning again.
"Skipping rocks and leaving footprints" Tony sang
"Down along the riverbank
Always holding hands, never making plans
Just living in the moment, babe" Ziva chimed in with Tony.
"You give me life and with those funny faces
You somehow always know just what to say
That's right," Ziva smiled. She bobbed her head along with the beat.
"oh that's right
What we got is" Tony followed along her singing.
"Just like driving on an open highway
Never knowing what we're gonna find
Just like two kids, baby, always trying to live it up
Whoa, yeah, that's our kind of love
Mm that's our kind of love
Oh that's right, baby you and I
What we got is
Just like driving on an open highway
Never knowing what we're gonna find
Just like two kids, baby, always trying to live it up
(Whoa, oh) Just like driving on an open highway
Never knowing what we're gonna find
Just like two kids, baby, always trying to live it up
Whoa, yeah, that's our kind of love
Oo, that's our kind of love (2X)
1,2,3, here we go!" They sang the rest of the song together. Smiling and enjoying themselves through music.
"That's our kind of love, girl, don't cha know it" Tony said along with the music. Finally the music ended.
Ari and Sarah clapped once they were finished. Ziva smiled and laughed along with Tony who had forgotten they had a audience.
"Wow, I didn't know that you could sing." Sarah said to Tony.
Tony smiled a little.
"It only does it when he is alone." Ziva said. "I can count on my fingers the amount of times he has sang in front of me."
"Well, you both should sing more often. You guys were amazing." Ari smiled.
Ziva looked at Tony and smiled at him. "Maybe." She said.
Tony laughed and pulled Ziva in for a hug. Ari and Sarah left the teens alone and walked into the kitchen.
"Why did you never tell me you could sing?" Tony asked pulling out of their hug looking into her eyes.
"It hurt to much." Ziva said. "I always sang to Tali and when she was gone, I just felt like it had no purpose."
"I understand." Tony said taking his hand in hers. "We make a pretty go team, I think we sounded pretty good."
"We sounded awesome." Ziva laughed.
"Come on," Tony smiled. "Lets go find the others, I want a full tour of the town."
Ziva laughed. "Tony, it might not be that safe to leave the house."
"Well, then, I want a full tour of the house. It's history and all." He said.
"I thought you hated history?" Ziva questioned.
"Well, this is your history." Tony smiled. He leaned down and kissed her. Ziva chuckled against his lips and brought her arms around his neck.
"You amaze me everyday." Tony whispered.
Ziva's eyes got big. "Your song." She smiled.
"Our song."Tony corrected.
Ziva couldn't help but smile.
"Baby I'm amazed by you." Tony sang softly against her lips before kissing her again.
Songs:
1)When Your Gone by Avril Lavigne.
2)Our Kind Of Love by Lady Antebellum