Two Worlds

Take strength from those that need you

Two worlds, One family

Sharp fragments of spinning color and sparks smoothed into the dappled sunlight of a wild jungle. Vines draped across knotted, twisting trees so closely intertwined it was hard to tell where one ended and another began. The jungle floor was far below, littered with a nest of leaves and twigs.

Whoa. Tony blinked as he realized just how high up he was. How in the world was he going to get down?

As he pondered his predicament, he saw a huge silverback gorilla lead a small family to the tree below him. There were two red-haired females, one of which was clearly the mother. A third, lighter red female followed a respectful distance behind. She was heavily muscled and constantly watching the trees for trouble.

Last came a black, spikey-haired female in the company of an elephant that eyed the shadows as anxiously as the third red stared at the trees.

"Hey guys!" Tony waved. "Give me a hand?"

The silverback did a double take upon spotting Tony overhead. Then, the great gray brute laughed harder than he had ever laughed in his life.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs shouted when he could finally breathe again. "You're wearing a loin cloth!"

Tony looked down at himself for the first time. He had assumed he would be a gorilla too, but no…he had turned into Fabio.

"Tarzan afraid of heights!" Tony yelled back. "Tarzan want down!"

"Go get him, Jen," Gibbs said, gesturing with his bulbous head.

The more muscular of the red females took a running start and scaled the trees in quick, easy leaps until she reached the branch where Tony had appeared. Smiling, she grabbed him in one arm and slid back to the ground.

"You're a born monkey there, Director," Tony said, taking a moment to hug her back before stepping out of her arms. "It's good to see you again, Jenny."

"You too, DiNozzo," Jenny said.

"That Kate?" Tony asked, looking at the smaller female and her young daughter.

"No," Gibbs said. "Tony, I'd like you to meet Shannon and Kelly."

Dumb stricken, Tony could only stare at them. The family Gibbs had lost so long ago, the family that Kate had hidden from Ari so they would be safe from his evils in their afterlife.

"Kate's nowhere to be found," Abby the black gorilla said as she shuffled closer. "We figure whatever Ziva did…Kate is in control again."

"It's over?" Tony shook his head. "Not sure I buy that, but this getup certainly matches her sense of humor."

"Right now, I don't much care one way or the other," Gibbs said.

"I'm here to protect Gibbs and his family in case things aren't as stable as they appear," Jenny said.

"You don't know?" Tony asked.

"No. I haven't heard anything from Kate either," Jenny said. "And that…should make us all a bit nervous."

"But Ari didn't know where we were," Shannon assured. "It had to have been Kate that led us here."

"I'm sure it's fine…" McGee the elephant said, sounding very unconvinced. "Especially with Jenny to guard you."

"You guys stay here and enjoy this time together," Abby said. "You deserve it. Tony, McGee, and I will scout ahead and see what we can find out."

"Not gonna argue with that," Gibbs said.

"Do any of you know where Ziva might be?" Tony asked.

"Well, you Tarzan…" McGee smirked.

"She Jane?" Abby finished.

"Oh, I've had this dream before." Tony mock-chuckled. "No, seriously. I hate you both right now."

"She'll probably be somewhere with other humans," McGee said.

"C'mon, DiNozzo. Let's go get your girl." Abby picked a direction and started walking.

"My girl," Tony mumbled to himself.

Is that what she was? If the unified heartstones were any indication, they were certainly more than mere partners. More than friends. He remembered a time, not so long ago, when Ziva asked him if he believed in soulmates.

You'll never get it.

Tony's jaw dropped. How had he missed it for so long? How deep had she had to bury those feelings to deny anything close to affection now? Was there any way to undo the damage? To answer the question the way he should have so long ago?

McGee shoved Tony with his trunk to make him start walking.

A/N I apologize for the delay between postings. I just moved from South Dakota with my whole family (3 households plus a family business) all the way to Florida in a crazy cross-country caravan that resembled something out of the movie Vacation. We were then without internet for another week and in dire need to settle in a bit before I returned to posting fanfiction. We should be more or less back on schedule again now as we head into the finale!