Chapter 4, Changes and Choices: May 2016
As the team watched in horror, flames consumed Eli David's farmhouse, the last known residence of Ziva. Tony was a mess. He did not know whether to cry or scream or curse at the universe. The news of a single survivor of the fire had him packing his bags to go to Israel and find Ziva. His packing was abruptly cut short by the message Leon Vance received from Orli Elbaz, director of Mossad, that Ziva was dead. After the initial shock, Tony broke down, sobbing. Senior, Abby and Tim tried to console him, but he could only feel that his entire world had shattered into a billion pieces and it would never again be "right."
As an escape, Tony went to work, but ended up breaking down in the squad room with Senior and Gibbs left to pick up the shattered man. After a fitful night, Vance called Tony in to his office. Orli was there and Tony had to resist the urge to rip her apart. She was the damned head of MOSSAD, she should have protected Ziva. He managed to keep it together so that Orli could deliver her message to him.
A child, a little girl, HIS child, Ziva's child. THEIR CHILD. She had her mother's curly hair and his smile and eyes. At first, he did not want to believe it; hoping all of this was a nightmare from which he would awake and Ziva would be alive and with him. Vance insisted on DNA testing to be sure Tali was Tony's child, but Tony already KNEW in his heart that she was his.
Taking some time to get to know his daughter and using accumulated leave time allowed Tony and Tali to start building a bond.
Tim called Tony when Trent Kort was found, and Tony went to the team to help in the take-down. Kort snidely mentioned that Ziva was collateral damage in the destruction of the farmhouse. "No, Ziva was family," responded Tim. "MY family," exclaimed Tony. Kort went to reach for his gun and shots let loose from every agent on site. Tony felt that he had avenged Ziva's death, but a huge hole remained in his heart and soul. Tali was all that mattered to him now. He was going to make sure she had a normal childhood and a father who did not risk the possibility of not coming home. He turned in his resignation from NCIS the next day.
A picture that Tali had in her go bag of Tony and Ziva in Paris became a way for the father and daughter to connect. Tali would point out "Ima" and "Abba" and look at Tony. His heart broke for his little girl; losing her mother and being taken half way around the world to a man who she only knew from a picture. One afternoon, as they were again looking at the picture, Tali pointed to Ziva ("Ima") and then to Tony ("Ima love Abba. Tali love Abba. Tali love Ima.") Tony, with tears in his eyes, scooped her into a hug, saying, "Abba loves Tali," but knocking the picture on the floor.
As he bent to pick up the picture and broken glass, he noticed a blue piece of paper behind the picture.