Here is a little backround about how I came up with this story. (It would have been nice to post this a while ago, I know) I start with a story about Taliah Caitlin Dinozzo, Ziva and Tony's daughter. She was 17 and is unnerved by how little she actually knows about her parent's past (they have understandably told her nothing about Mossad and Somalia) so she goes on a journey to figure it out forherself. She meets Kate's family, she tracks down Jeanne, and is eventually lead to Israel and her grandfather. But then I realized how little I actually know about Ziva's past, so I scrapped that and moved on.

The next one I started was how Tali could potentially show back up in Ziva's life if she was still alive. (It was sort of like a "catch me if you can" fic ) But THEN I realized that I didn't know anything about Tali and how she could still be alive.

So then I wrote this to fill in both Ziva's past and Tali's character! Woo! In the seconf fic I mentioned, this little annecdote is how she explains her life to the police when they capture her.

When I first got back from my year as an exchange student, I awaited Ari's visit every day. He had business to attend to with our father and Ziva, and on the day that was set for him to come home, I waited for him on the front step. Just as the sun was setting, he pulled up on a brand new black and silver Ducati and I ran to meet him.

"I am so lucky to have such a beautiful sister. My only regret is that all the boys are always chasing you. I can't count how many inquired about you at the bases I have visited." He grins at me.

I laugh and hug him. "I have missed you so much!"

"And I you." He replies sedately, wrapping his arms around me. He paused. "Are you still seeing that douche bag?"

I pull away from him. "As a matter of fact, yes! I am! And you shouldn't care as much as you do, I can take care of myself!"

"I am not doubting you, Taliah, I'm just saying that Michael is the worst ass hole I have ever met. You should break up with him." He declared bluntly, as always.

"Hmm… I guess I never really liked the sound of Mrs. Taliah Rivkin." I rolled my eyes.

"I would say I'm proud of you for making good choices, but I think that would be hypocritical of me."

"Oh yes it would! And right now it would probably be a good idea to go inside, Eli and Ziva are waiting for you."

Ari groaned. "How about I take you for a ride around the city?"

I crossed my arms. "Eli already won't be too happy with your new bike, and he most definitely won't be happy if you're late.

"Our father is rarely happy with anything I do." He reminded me.

The whole city saw my bra that night. The wind had untucked my shirt from my jeans and it was blown up by the wind. We wove through the traffic and barreled through the city as fast as the bike would carry us. I screamed and Ari laughed, then I only held onto him tighter. We knew our father wouldn't approve, but it was the last thing on our minds and that was a rare moment indeed.

I remember the date because on the same day, exactly one year later, I would be dead.

It's all downhill from here :(

Tali will change, the realization that no one can survive with her optimism, in her world, is a little too much for her heart to bear.