Rifiuto: Non Miriena

A/N: It looks like this is going to be another over 30 chapter story. Sorry guys...

She snuck down the stairs, being careful not to wake her parents. Once she reached the kitchen, she checked the time on the stove.

Four a.m.

Her parents were sound asleep- something told her no one would be up at four or five today like the family usually was. Taking a deep breath, she slipped into the living room and scanned the floor, finding who she wanted. Being careful not to wake Keavy and Devin, she tiptoed towards the third occupant and knelt down, shaking him gently.

"Liam. Liam!" He sat up, shaking, and she reached out, gently taking his hand. "It's just me! You're okay, you're safe." Several minutes passed before he realized who it was, and relaxed.

"Zipporah? Wh... what are ye-" She swallowed.

"Couldn't sleep. I... I woke up and found Abba changing the bandage on his arm and..." Tim had tucked her into bed, sitting beside her and letting her talk as she wrapped her arms around his neck and apologized for everything she could think of that she'd done wrong. He'd held her, knowing it was partially because of the explosion, and partially because of the nightmare that plagued her and her siblings. Eventually, she'd calmed down enough and let her father tuck her back in. He'd talked to her for several minutes, promising that everything would be okay, and that he and Ima weren't going anywhere, that she and her brothers would be safe. "C... can we talk?"

A moment passed before he nodded, pushing the blanket aside and pulling his knees to his chest. "Sure."

"Not here. Somewhere private?" Liam froze; if she was suggesting her bedroom, there was no way in hell he was going up there unless he wanted Mr. McGee to break his neck and preserve his organs for winter stew.

"Where?" She swallowed.

"Outside? In the backyard?" He thought a moment, glancing around, before nodding and climbing to his feet. Zipporah grabbed the blanket and the pillow and led him outside, shutting the backdoor softly behind her.

Once they'd spread the blanket on the grass and laid the pillow down, they settled on their backs, watching the stars twinkle above them. Silence filled the void for several minutes, before Liam choked out, "I know Chloe's dead but... it doesn't seem real... she's my twin sister..." Zipporah took his hand, lacing their fingers. He took a deep, shaky breath, sniffling.

"Abba found her body, or... what was left. I'm sorry, Liam." He nodded, meeting her gaze, tears slipping down his cheeks. Gently, tenderly, she reached up, brushing the tears away. She sighed, turning back to the stars.

"When we came here, we left everyone behind. Tali and Sarah, my Dodas, and Damon and Michael-"

"Your uncles?" She nodded.

"And our Savta, Penny and... and Mr. Gibbs and Tony and Mr. Ducky and everyone at NCIS."

"NCIS?"

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service." Liam nodded, understanding. "Ima and Abba worked for NCIS, and then they resigned, and we moved here." She swallowed. "I miss them. Especially since, Sarah Doda's having a baby soon. Around Halloween. She wants us down there with her when the baby's born, but... we can't leave. Especially since they closed the airports. And Ima and Abba, they try to protect everyone but... they know." She sniffled softly. "I just want everything the way it was. Ima and Abba fight, they never fought before... we were happy, and then that man was murdered and the grocery store blew up and..." She broke down, unable to stop her tears. She'd written everything down, used up eight journals, but writing didn't compare to talking with someone.

Liam watched her, unsure of what to do. A moment passed, before he lifted her chin. "It'll be okay..." She shook her head, burying her face in his chest and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Liam froze; he wasn't used to girls crying around him- except his sister- and this unnerved him. The only sound was her heart-wrenching sobs, and after several seconds, he awkwardly patted her back. "It... I'm sorry, Z... Zipporah. I..." She sobbed harder, murmuring something about recurring nightmares and losing her parents and brothers and being left alone, but Liam didn't catch the rest.

He glanced at the sky; Chloe was probably watching, and he could hear his sister's voice in his head, loud and clear.

"Don't jus' let her cry! Ye were raised better than that! She's nearly lost ev'rything that mat'ers t' her! I know ye really aren't that heartless to let her cry like she is."

Slowly, carefully, his slid his arms around Zipporah, holding her close. If her father caught them out here, in this position...

He wouldn't have to worry about being killed in a riot or by an explosion because Mr. McGee would kill him himself.

Taking a deep breath, Liam slowly began to rub her back, whispering softly to her. "It'll be okay. Ev... ev'ryone will be fine... you'll see... we... all of Ireland, we'll be fine..." But Zipporah just sobbed harder, unable to stop the worry and stress she'd lived under for the last several months. How her brothers didn't implode was beyond anything Liam could understand- hell, how that whole family didn't self-destruct was confusing in and of itself.

Eventually, Zipporah looked up at him, tears still streaming down her face, sobs still wracking her small body. She hiccupped, searching his eyes to see if he was lying to her when he promised that everything would be okay. Trying to crack a smile to calm her down, he asked, "Ye better?" Her lower lip quivered, and she choked on a sob. Taking a deep breath, Liam took her face in his hands. "Hey, we will be okay, Zip? We'll all be okay."

"P... p... promise?" He nodded, tears in his own eyes. A moment passed in silence, before she leaned close and kissed him softly. Then, she pulled away and laid her head back on his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist, her sobs getting harder and more heartbreaking.