Chapter 7 A lost soul in need of love

As Ducky carried on with his work, Tony tried to comfort Aminah. "So that is Tali? Ziva's baby sister? Ziva's 'dead' baby sister? I don't suppose you had played a part in her 'death'!?" Aminah did not miss the malice in his voice and smiled. 'He truly cares for her.' She thought.

"Tony...It is not our place to revisit the past of others." Ducky warned. "It is fine..." She reassured Ducky as she focussed on Tony. "... We did not plan it. We had a different plan. It just happened. One minute we were chatting. The next, we heard an explosion behind us. A homeless girl got caught in the bombing and Tali thought it will be the perfect opportunity to 'disappear'. I do not blame Ziva for what she had done. She had to do what needed to be done. You have to remember her father had gain back MOSSAD's trust and had now climbed up as Deputy Director and she was young fresh out of the military. They both had a lot to prove. We saw the girl she was unrecognisable so we... uhm heh... took off Tali's necklace and placed it around her neck. We figured everyone will be in shock to remember what she was wearing. But if they saw the necklace which was expensive and one of a kind...A present from Ziva, no one would question about the identity. Not even Ziva."

"Why would Tali want to do something like that? The way Ziva speaks of her..."

"Tony..." Again Ducky warned. Aminah just smiled at Tony. "That is something you have to ask Tali yourself."

"Fair enough..." He paused as Aminah gripped harder on his hand. Seeing her fighting the pain he did not want to push her but it was part of his job he asked her a question about her mother. "Why does your mother want Eli David dead? I know he has many enemies just because he is the head of MOSSAD, this seems too personal."

Again Aminah gave a warm smile knowing what he was doing. "You would not be doing your job, if you did not question me. No?"

"I'm sorry but I..."

"I know..." She paused before carrying on. "...I do not know how much Ziva knows. She does not get in anyone's business unless you go to her and parents hides certain things from their children; for 'their' protection. You are right! It is personal, very personal. It is about family...Ari Haswi you see, was my cousin. His mother was my aunt, my mother's sister. My mother never got over her death and the fact that she had given Eli David the benefit of doubt made her even more pissed on what happened. I do not know the whole picture. "

"Your mother blames Eli for her sister's death?"

"She turned Ari against him, brain washed him using what his hatred towards Eli to her advantage. She also try to turn him against Ziva and Tali but I do not know if he would have caused them any harm. I remember him being protective over them."

Tony could not believe what he was hearing. It was like a plot straight out of a movie secrets just keep coming out. He had to keep a clear head as he looked down and saw how much pain Aminah was in and try to calm her down as Tony would. "I love your jean all blue and denimy well apart from the blood... and your shoes... Are they Jimmy Choos? ... Does your name mean anything?" He said all in one go.

Aminah had to laugh at his boyish charm he had a hard but compassionate exterior on the outside but inside she knew he meant well.

"It means loyalty...My father gave it to me."

"I believe that..." Tony smiled at her. "Dinono..."

"Dinozzo, but call me Tony, it's much easier..." They both smile at each other. "Tony...Ziva was not always like this...At one time she was a free spirit, carefree no weight of the world on her shoulders. We get older, people change. You see things you do not what do see, been ordered to do things that you do not want to do. No longer turning a blind eye from what is happening around you. It changes you. She's a lost soul that needs love and someone to understand her..."

"Why are you telling me this?" Tony asked. "Because I think you are...Agh!" Aminah broke as pain was ripping through her body. "Ducky...?" Tony saw Ducky battling in vain to control the bleeding. "Your new wound has opened an old one. You losing too much blood..."He cut off and stared into her eyes not wanting to say the words but knowing it has to be said. "I don't know how long..."

"It is okay Doc I know you did your best..." She try to hold back the tears as she excepted her fate, but still found their way down her cheeks. "...But both of you promise me something."

"Of course..."

"Do not tell Ziva or Tali the cause. They must not know Tali will blame Ziva and Ziva will never forgive herself." Having Tony and Ducky agreed, Ducky went on to try his hardest to stop the bleeding.

Aminah's attention was no longer on Ducky, but hearing the fighting outside. "I knew it was too much to hope for...Tony..."

"I got it...What about you?"

"Do not worry, I have Alex..." Hearing her name Alex took over from Tony and she gave Ducky everything that she could find to aid him to stop her bleeding.

Tony seeing that Aminah is in good hands, went out and risking his own life to try and stop the fight between two sisters. 'A fate worse then death.' He thought.