Here we go with a new chapter & I really hope you like it. I think writing this brought some peace to me, maybe because I quite liked the last part of it.
Anyway, enjoy reading!

"In one of those stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night. And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me. You will always be my friend...I shall not leave you."

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Right after the appointment Tony suggested to go grocery shopping since they were slowly but surely running out of food.
Ziva had reluctantly agreed and now they were standing in one of the aisles discussing what they would need for the next week.
"What about lasagna for dinner today?" Tony now asked her after already putting some essentials into their cart.

"Sounds good." She simply replied but he could tell that her heart wasn't quite in it.
Ever since they had entered the store she had seemed distant and let him make the choices but he knew he had to involve her into the decisions.
"Hey, look at me Ziva. We can cook anything you like, but you have to eat something." His tone gave away that this wasn't something to discuss and when she didn't respond he began looking for the ingredients for their dinner.

"I think I would like some salad as well." Ziva finally spoke up again after some moments and shot him an almost insecure look.
"Well then, salad it is." He now replied with a smile on his lips and with that they went over to the fruit and vegetable section.
Half an hour later they had paid for their purchases and were on their way home to make dinner.

Once back in the apartment they started packing away the food in silence.
"How about you prepare the salad and I make the lasagna?" Again he was the one to take the initiative, trying to involve her and lighten up the mood a little.
She thoughtfully bit her lower lip and nodded in reply at which he smiled at her.

"You have to know that I make the best lasagna thanks to my great grandma's special recipe." He boasted and it finally elicited a smile from Ziva as she shook her head at his child-like behaviour.
"Of course Tony. But you should let me taste it on my own first." She slightly teased him and the air around them didn't seem that heavy anymore.

Tony served dinner some time later and sat down facing her as he started eating.
Ziva however was reluctant again and barely ate anything of the lasagna in front of her.
"That bad?" He jokingly asked her as she picked on her food.
Not wanting him to draw wrong conclusions she quickly shook her head.

"I am just not really hungry." Tony however would have none of it and turned to look at her seriously.
"Please eat something Zi, your body needs it." He pleaded. It was only now that he realized how thin she had gotten throughout the past weeks.
Of course she had always been more of a small person but she had always looked healthy and he had loved the curves that were gone now.

"Listen, I know it is hard, but I'm here to help you and you really need to take care of yourself." His words seemed to get through to her and she slowly started eating again.
A few bites later she spoke up with tears already pooling in her eyes. "I really want to eat, it's just not easy." She almost whispered.

The day had been hard on her and it made eating even harder since she was both emotional and physical drained.
Sensing that she had to let go of her negative emotions first he stood up and walked over to her to pull her into a hug.
"Hey, it's alright, I just need to know that you're trying to eat something." He gently murmured into her ear.

"Do you want to talk? Come on let us relax a little, we can finish dinner later." By now the tears were silently trickling down her cheeks and she willingly followed Tony to the couch and easily melted into his chest to let him comfort her.
Once she had calmed down a little she quietly spoke up again.

"You know, my father always made us eat up everything on our plates, no matter if we liked it or not. Tali would often start to cry when she was younger and so I would try to eat some of her meal as well." She had problems bringing those words out because she would take a shaky breath ever so often.

"I won't force you to eat Ziva, trust me. I just want you to see how important it is." He softly told her as her body began to tremble slightly.
"Now let's do something positive, alright? What would help you right now?" Dr. Parker's advice was still on his mind and he would try everything to get her mind off things for a while.
For a moment Ziva seemed hesitant to voice her thoughts but after a reassuring smile from Tony she found the courage to tell him about it.

"Could you maybe read something to me? I think that would help a little." She blushed slightly at her request but Tony remained serious and nodded at her wish.
"Of course sweet cheeks, if that is what helps you. What book would you like me to read?" At this Ziva slowly made her way over to her bookshelf and started looking for a book.
Her fingers soon stopped their search as she pulled out a worn out book and walked back to the couch to hand it to Tony.

"The little prince." He read the title and inspected the book he now held.
"Tali and I loved it as children. It is actually one of the only things I have left from my old life." She smiled gently at the rare fond memory she had.

Before opening the book he pulled at the blanket that was lying on the back of the couch and tenderly draped it over them and slightly tucked her in.
Ziva instinctively shuffled closer, rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes as soon as his words started to lull her in, taking her into another world, where for at least a moment she could be carefree and content.

So how was that? Anyone noticed the relation between the quote and this chapter? ;)
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