Hi, sorry it's been a while but here is an update, hopefully some brighter stuff in this chapter. As always reviews are appreciated!

Chapter 4

Time had passed, Tali was celebrating her ninth birthday and looking more and more like her mother every day. Tony had taken Tali to the live production of Annie and the young girl loved it, she adored the theatre almost as much as her mother! Tony loved to watch his daughters eyes widen in awe of the bright, confident girl on the stage. She wanted to be up there singing, and Tony believed she could be, he believed she could be anything she dreamed of being.

The hours passed and Tali still hadn't stopped singing, the lyrics flowing so beautifully of her tongue, sounding like she's been practising for decades yet the girl was so small, so innocent, so much like her mother.

The enthusiasm in the young girls eyes told Tony what he needed to know. It was time for him to give her the second part of her present and she was going to love it! He pulled the envelope out of his pocket with ease, although he knew the girl would be grateful what ever he gave her but it wasn't that simple, he felt a duty to give this girl everything and more, it's what Ziva would've done and that's what matters most to him.

Tali's small hands carefully peeled back the paper seal on the envelope, engrossed in the suspense and excitement of what the small gift could hold. She slowly revealed to herself a small piece of card on which there were some small cursive letters. "Professional singing lessons"

Tali squealed with the excitement at the sheer thought of the chance to sing on a bigger stage, express her love, joy and pain through beautiful melodies. Make a living though song.

Later that evening, after people had gone home from Tali's birthday meal, Tony was alone in the kitchen, clearing the dishes while Tali and her friend Faith were preparing the blankets and pillows for their first sleepover. Tony was certain he had heard Tali describe every single moment of the production to faith, all the tiny details she had picked up. Tony felt his insides lift, he knew he picked the perfect gift for the girl. He made her happy and that's all he really wanted for the girl.

[In the front room]

Tali and Faith had finally decided on a movie, Pocahontas, due to the fact is was Disney which faith loved and the Music which Tali craved, she felt that the film had one of Disney greatest sound tracks yet was underrated, not many people know all the lyrics. It was something small yet it irritated the girl in a similar way it would her mother. Her frustration was one of the things Tony loved most about her, it reminded him of Ziva and how much he loved her.

[3 hours later]

Tony was sat in his bedroom, giving the girls the space they needed and looking back through old team photos, specifically her, the women who turned his life upside down all those years ago. He thought about how different his life would be had here not met her. Would he have stayed at NCIS for the rest of his life? Would he be married? He would never know, but he did know that if he had not have met her, he wouldn't have had the most beautiful daughter in the world. With that thought Tony laid down and drifted into a light sleep.

Tony awoke to his little girl snuggling into his bed carefully. Tali tried so carefully not to wake her father yet she was grateful to the fact he was there with her. She was feeling emotional and Tony could tell however he did not know what had caused these feelings in the child. He sat up and pulled his arms around the girl, hoping the warmth and love of her father could fix some of the pain she was feeling. Several moments later Tali had composed herself and she turned and looked into her father's eyes. "Am I an orphan like Annie... because I don't have a mum"

Tony's eyes welled, he wanted so much to show how much she was loved, Howe much he needed her "no hunni, you have me, Abba, and I promise you will never, ever be an orphan" Tali took a breath and kept listening "You know how Mr Warbucks adopts Annie? She doesn't have a mummy either" Tali nodded in agreement.

"Okay" she said "so what was Ima like? Am I like her?"

Tony smiled and replied "in so many ways"

"Like what?" The girl replied, still slightly emotional from her earlier emotions.

"Like your singing, you both have amazing voices. And you both get annoyed at the little things."

"What else?" The girl asked, needing to know all the information.

"Like how much i love you" Tony responded "I love you both so much more that you'll ever know. I've got an idea" Tony smiled and left the room, careful not to wake Tali's sleeping friend in the room next door.

When Tony returned he has a disk in his hand, a DVD that he had put away 7 years earlier, one he himself had never watched. A video Ziva made for Tali to watch when this time came.

The screen flickered for a few moments before the picture became clear, she was there, clear as day, the women he lost all those years before. She was only a metre away on a screen but looking just as he remembered, wavy hair, deep brown eyes and her skin, tanned but smooth. She was beautiful. Tali listened to her mother's words, the encouragement her mother gave, persuading her to follow her dreams. Telling her never to forget how much she loved her. At the end of the video both Tony and Tali were drenched in tears. Tony forgot how much here lived to hear her voice, very he loved it so much it hurt but Tali had some closure and that's what mastered. Then the screen flashes and Ziva face returns to the screen. "Hey Tali, Tony if you're there, I have to go now but i know how much you liked to hear me sing, so before I go here is one last song.

Tali turned the volume up as Ziva sings. It was not a sing Tali had heard before but it was beautiful, it was called 'lullaby' and it was just the lullaby she needed. With the sound of her mother's voice Tali curled up and closed her eyes and didn't wake up until morning.

"Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)" by Billy Joel

Goodnight, my angel

Time to close your eyes

And save these questions for another day

I think I know what you've been asking me

I think you know what I've been trying to say

I promised I would never leave you

And you should always know

Wherever you may go

No matter where you are

I never will be far away

Goodnight, my angel

Now it's time to sleep

And still so many things I want to say

Remember all the songs you sang for me

When we went sailing on an emerald bay

And like a boat out on the ocean

I'm rocking you to sleep

The water's dark

And deep inside this ancient heart

You'll always be a part of me

Goodnight, my angel

Now it's time to dream

And dream how wonderful your life will be

Someday your child may cry

And if you sing this lullabye

Then in your heart

There will always be a part of me

Someday we'll all be gone

But lullabyes go on and on...

They never die

That's how you

And I

Will be