"Faithful"- Epilogue
Dr. Mallard was sitting in the living room of his new home, about to read the newspaper. However, he reached for the nearby envelope with his name printed on it. "Let's see what message you've left, my dear girl," he said to himself. He pulled out the letter, and began to read:
Dear Ducky,
It was a true pleasure working with you these past few weeks. I learned more about pathology and psychology than I could ever imagine! I hope that, after I am transferred back, we will be friends. You're a sweet man, and I am honored to have worked with you.
Sincerely,
Charity N. Bernard
"The honor was all ours, Charity," the Scots man said, looking upward. "Rest in peace."
M.E. assistant Jimmy Palmer could not concentrate. He had read and re-read his study material, but nothing seemed to stick. He decided to take a break, picked up the note Charity had left him, and began to read it:
Dear Jimmy,
Thank you for helping me out during my time as a field agent. You've been extremely kind to me, J.P., and I'll never forget that. I plan on remaining friends with you as long as you want me around. Don't let Gibbs, Tony, McGee, Vance, or even Ducky talk down to you- you're an asset to the team, and they're lucky to have you! Good luck in med school- I know you'll do well!
Sincerely,
Charity N. Bernard
"I'll always want you around," Palmer said with a smile, and he folded the letter, and stuck it in his binder. "Thank you, Charity."
Forensic Scientist Abigail Sciuto stood in the middle of her lab as she opened her letter from Charity. Her green eyes widened as she read the note:
Dear Abby,
Believe me when I say that I've never anyone quite like you! I had an awesome time working, and learning about forensics. I'm still amazed that I finally met someone else that signs. My cousin, Joy, is visiting in a little over a month. If it's okay with you, I'd like to introduce her to you. I know it was difficult getting used to me at first, but I'm glad we were able to become friends. I'll see you around!
Sincerely,
Charity N. Bernard
She looked over at the back wall in her office. Over the past year, she had begun to take all the postcards from Tony's time as Agent Afloat, and various pictures she had taken over the years, and create a collage. She grabbed a couple of thumbtacks, and placed the letter in the collage, next to the bat drawing Kate had given her years ago. "I hope you guys get to meet each other," she said, wiping her eyes. "You could be best friends. I miss you guys so much!" She let out a sigh, turned off the lights, and left the lab.
As much as Probationary Agent Ziva David wanted to, she could not relax. Her leg was still a little sore, and she couldn't get it in a comfortable position. She propped her leg up on the couch, and the letter from Agent Bernard fell out of her new bag, onto the table. She picked it up, and read it:
Dear Ziva,
I regret not being able to work with you more, and getting to know you better. Despite what's gone on with Tony, you've treated me with respect, and you've been very gracious. Maybe we can be good friends in the future- I know that would make Tony happy. Actually, I know of something that would absolutely make him excited. You're lucky to have him, Ziva. I know how it feels to lose someone you care for deeply. Don't lose him. I wish you good luck in obtaining citizenship. The U.S. would be lucky to have you.
Sincerely,
Charity N. Bernard
She folded the letter, and smiled. "We were the lucky ones, Charity. I promise not to lose him, or the memory of you." She curled up on the couch, and drifted off to sleep.
Special Agent Timothy McGee typed furiously into the evening. His experiences with the young translator inspired him to create a new adventure for "Agent McGregor". After a few hours, though, his fingers began to cramp up. He stood up, stretched, and picked up his suit jacket to hang up in the closet. The envelope printed with his name fell out onto the floor. When he emerged from his bedroom, and picked up the letter, and opened it:
Dear Timothy,
I have to be honest with you. I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to get to know each other better. You were extremely kind to me when I first started working with you all, and can't thank you enough for that. I know Tony and I were very close, but I would like the chance to get to know you, as well. Maybe after get settled back into Linguistics, we could get a cup of coffee together, and hang out. It was awesome working with you, Tim.
Sincerely,
Charity N. Bernard
Tim let out a sigh. He should've known… she seemed to be rather shy, so it must have taken some courage to write that note. Oh well, he thought to himself as set the letter aside. At least she enjoyed working with him. "You were awesome, too, Charity," he admitted as he sat back down at his typewriter.
Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo was settled onto the couch, watching the copy of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" that Charity had loaned to him over a week ago. During the scenes with Jacob and Bella, his stomach began to growl, so he headed into the kitchen to make a sandwich. He'd left his backpack on one of the chairs, with the letter sticking out. After he had made his sandwich, he settled back onto the couch, and opened the letter before he ate his dinner:
Dear Anthony,
I have to be honest with you, man. When I first started working with you guys, I was very intimidated. Not just because you all are field agents, but because you have very distinct personalities that I had heard about. I was afraid that you wouldn't be welcoming towards me. Was I ever wrong! Especially about you- I've never met anyone, other than Silas, that I connected to so quickly. You really became like a big brother to me. You're truly a wonderful person, Anthony- just let it show more, okay?
Especially with Ziva- you should give her a chance, for me. I'll miss working with you everyday, but I know we'll remain friends, hopefully forever. Love ya, big bro!
Sincerely,
Charity N. Bernard
Tony was never a crier, but something about this girl had made him tear up more than ever had before. He sighed, wiped his eyes, and picked up his sandwich. "Love you too, little sis," he said as he took a bite.
Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs rubbed his temples. It had been a long morning, with the funeral and burial ceremony. Everyone else had left- he was alone in the squad room. That was fine with him; he wanted to be alone when he opened his letter from Charity. He would never admit it, but he, too, had taken a shine to the young translator. He opened his letter, and began to read:
Dear Agent Gibbs,
I know you're a man of few words, so I'll keep this short. Thank you for everything, Boss- even the head slaps! Working for you was an unforgettable experience, in the best way! See you around, Gibbs.
Semper Fidelis,
Charity N. Bernard
A rare smile escaped his lips, and an even more rare tear escaped his eyes. "You're welcome, Charity," he whispered. "We'll miss ya, kid."