Disclaimer: I own nothing. Not Gibbs, not Ari, no one do I own. This is all for amusement. There I said it, now can someone have Ari put the gun down slowly…
STORY INFORMATION
Summary: Evelyn Matthews came to NCIS with one goal in mind, to get close to Agent Gibbs. But how exactly do you go about telling a man that you're his dead daughter?
Pairings: EVENTUAL Ari/Evelyn(Kelly)-ARLYN SHALL RULE THE WORLD-
Tate
Tony/Evie friendship
Ducky/Audrey (Other pairings will appear when I decide)
Warnings: Greyish! Eli, Neutral! Ziva
NOTE: Things I lack knowledge of I have researched from the internet, and while I do try to make sure information is accurate as can be determined some things may not be, so I apology before hand for any mistakes or ignorance on my part.
I also want to thank, athena9090, 777musiclover, UKgirl17, Tig442, Thedarkstorm,asdfaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, UnknownFlux, HannahbananaJane, JainaSyal, skeeter88, stargatesg1973, Notheronebitesdadust21, smilin steph, bulletproofdeath, Leonarange, torontogirl12, wisergirl71301, LovelyxLittlexLauren, Rayne90, janno, Kendra29, Hope'sFace, lexilia, Annie016, KrisShannon, StarlightShivers, MismatchedSocksandKnickers, 1956johndeere50, Amelia Jessica Pond Williams, BrianB1126, calliegirl63, leoniebroeder94, Sirius7, byLunaA, SecretsAreHiddenByMe, Too Hard to Be Called Love, BurnedSpy, NikkiAlex, adrienmaciel, Annie016, bakaprincess85, spikewil, thelauers918, Animanga-smile14, Nicole1314, Trance20666, Viivs0612, sophiemom01, Rika92, Callipygian, EisForElephant, EzziBA, Curiouser-and-Curiouser101, Annika Sparks, CryDevil, Monochrome13, PayShaFan, Cosmos89, doggy bye, goldengloss, GibbsTonyZivaTim, CSIflea, FictionWriter09, ange1993, RedRiver21, winterhail, Tenshi of Heaven, MusicLover500, TwilightLover162, Romantic Journalist, JrSnape, xLyraCharlottex, JamesBond2007, Lizzy2586, SkullKey4758, Shades-Soul, lightningx94, ihateyoubaby, GryffindorWolfSlytherinHybrid, I am One with the Wind and Sky, OzNCISLover, Suddenly Psychotic, ElizabethMartin101, summercampgoddess, LTree16, RedEyedSurprise, katgirl9585, EmeraldFox01, Flausch, RAD092515, LegalAddiction20, ginny917, Som3on3, dogsrme, Hikari no Hoshi, thedarkrstorm, Tig442, UKgirl71, 777musiclover, athena9090, The Italian Rose, bera0053, LadyPheonixKnight, saji235, ljcolic, Ella-Zoe, newbeth, dallas1990, Mermaidmom, klosteca, Tsadras, coffeee, DarkWolf80, JibbsRibbsNCISMOTIVELover, DoodleBugNY and andrewjeeves for the favs!
I want to thank, Dricsj, Gibbs Girl Kelly, HannahbananaJane, JainaSyal, Lady Knight Aria of Haven, Notheronebitesdadust21, Probie girl1717, UnknownFlux, cheether, chrissypotter, Leonarange, lexilia, pavinet, torontogirl12, skeeter88, stargatesg1973, wisegirl71301, OzNCISLover, Kendra29, andrewjeeves, Fantasyfictionwriter, XxstarburstmonterxX, alterangirl, cookie62, kc5mzr, LovelyxLittlexLauren, Rayne90, faith1430709, jbn42, jrfan2383, yadoonkeenjaani, BONES-LOVER-94, FourHorses, IwouldrockJoshuaJacksonsWorld, lauram314, Angel-Lilly16, Captain Kathryn Janeway98, Jeremy Kelly, TivaBelieva.x.x.x, KrisShannon, Tris Holmes, Jenna Craig, MismatchedSocksandKnickers, jtr1812, Amelia Jessica Pond Williams, BrianB1126, calliegirl63, leoniebroeder94, CSIflea, MDDC26, Sirius7, amurdock42, byLunaA, buffy1242, Too Hard To Be Called Love, starchild295, swimgeek2007, Lady Isabelle Black, vampireacademyrulz797, Arkansas Sweetheart, Sweetest-Time, janno, Russian Flower, SimplyReBECca, GraceSong, Marauders Twilight, NikkiAlex, horsegirlrule, adrienmaciel, Alpha Centarus, Angelus320, Dreamspirit47, MrsScott323, bakaprincess85, mitchievw, potiongirl1992, Nicole1314, Trance20666, Viivs0612, cwatker222, Mal4Inara, sophiemom01, Pandora'sBox11, Callipygian, EzziBA, Curiouser-and-Curiouser101, leFlame, LadyMary33, swanqueen4, PayShaFan, Angelhaggis, starwarsfan1000, goldengloss, GibbsTonyZivaTim, Irjuni92, pinkrangerforever, persephone829, Forest Angel, RedRiver21, Nightwing's Gal, Emerald Pixie Dust, peacesista123, RogueShadow94, TwilightLover162, x-xLittle-Miss-Brown-Eyesx-x, x-X-x-Donna-x-X-x, xLyraCharlottex, Danielle89, Dark Alana, JamesBond2007, Lizzy2586, SocietyMember, SkullKey4758, Shades-Soul, tomboy4997, ihateyoubaby, lachicarebelde22, D3ANwasH3R3, othlvr16, GryffindorWolfSlytherinHybrid, Firecrane930, Dreamsb223, I am One With the Wind and Sky, Paddy and Moony's Angel, Suddenly Psychotic, gotta-love-acheron, Ugla, Willow Tree 26, Soccergirl0388, Collingwood39, Jowin28, sammyboyaldaway, BoredZero, RedEyedSurprise, katgirl9585, EmeraldFox01, Stars2008, Darkwitch716, NavyGirl05, bloodshadows, LegalAddiction20, Skyagon, jowhity, Som3on3, Rianna Hunter, dogsrme, Hikari no Hoshi, Souls of the Blue Fire Pheonix, thedarkrstorm, MeliaAlexander, Tig442, BlackIce33, silkly0670, Ladycat21201, 777musiclover, , jessgreenslade, animefreakv23 the beast, FarmerLiv, hummingbird23, Limetka.111, LadyPheonixKnight, saji235, Daniellee217, Emerald Pixie Dust, Jay O-Niell, newbeth, solarangelsuki, Archyrr, AlexJMP, klosteca, K8Y, jcena'sgirl557744, laurabhouse7, Tsadras, JibbsRibbsNCISMOTIVELover, SnowLeopard167, Sir-Tannin, SlySn4ke, DoodleBugNY and zebraclrgard for all the follows!
I apologize if I missed anyone, if I did just give me a shout out like 'Mirror, how could you?' Seriously all PMs are welcomed. :D And I know I lost some favs, and follows, but I'm keeping y'all on here anyways.
Wanna give a special thanks to, JibbsRibbsNCISMOTIVELover2014, cwatker22, OzNCISLover, RidingAngelxspy, Buckeye Am I and guest for the reviews! THANK Y'ALL! If I have missed you and your review, or follow, or fav, just PM and I'll fix that.
Guest Reviews:
RidingAngelxspy:
Well…the trouble isn't over yet, but the upside is everyone is together. I know, I didn't want to portray her this way (I potray her better side in the Girl In Memory: Spooks Edition) but she hasn't been Director for long and hasn't come to appreciate NCIS or have strong ties to them. Go for that one-shot, I would love to read it if you post it. :D Ziva does a crucial decision to make in the next few chapters. You'll have to wait and find out. Ah, thank you so much. I'm glad you like my writing so much.
I do have another NCIS fic up right now. It's the alternate universe of the Girl in Memory where Evelyn never met Audrey, or anyone to take her in. It's a bit darker storyline, and it's crossed with Spooks. I am having a blast writing, and if you like this fic so much, you'll love that one, too! I can practically guarantee it. I might do a one shot for Ziva or Abby, but with my two NCIS fics and Hobbit fic, that sadly won't happen anytime soon.
Your virtual hugs have been most helpful. And I send a lot your way too. :D
Semper Fi, ThroughtheMirrorDarkly.
PS. I enjoy your reviews, and I enjoy answering them. They make my day seeing them and always make me itch to finish up my stories. Thank you for your review.
HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYS! :D
CHAPTER TWENY-EIGHT
"The Broken Path"
Death, and near death experiences did something to a person. Makes them reevaluate, makes their hearts break. More often than not it was mixture of both. Evelyn slid her small hand into Ari's and grip it tightly. His hand just laid there at his side, loose and unresponsive. Just like the rest of him. He looked peaceful, she mused inside her mind. Like he was sleeping. Except he wasn't. The constant beat of the machines near by and the tight bandage wrapped around his skull were reminders of that. "You know I lied, right?" She asked, her voice trembling ever so slightly. She had known her father lingered in the doorway for several minutes, not wanting to intrude, but not wanting her to be alone. "When I said I didn't care about my job."
"I know," Gibbs acknowledged, softly.
"I really liked working with you. All of you," Evie whispered out. "It made me feel important to be a part of that, but I wouldn't…I wouldn't let her use it against me like that. Turn into something bad. Besides…I…I really don't like people telling me how to live my life," she said, resting her head against the door frame. Her face was pale, sickly so and her blue eyes that had been brimming with anger were now filled with exhaustion.
"You never did," Gibbs smiled slightly, grasping her shoulders in silent support. Not for Ari. For her. "You were always so independent as a child. Always trying to do stuff on your own. More often than not you ended up in trouble. Remember the time you tried to get Mrs. Daisy's cat out of the tree?"
"And got stuck up there until you got home," Evelyn remembered with a fond smile. "Yeah, I remember."
Gibbs chuckled, then let out a soft sigh. "You know you aren't alone. Not as long as I am around. Not as long as the team is around," he stated, very serious. He needed to let her know that he wasn't going anywhere.
"I know," she sent him a soft smile. "And you're not alone, either."
"You're never alone when you have kids," Gibbs retorted, lightly. He then pressed a kiss to her forehead gently. "You need some sleep, kid."
"I can't sleep," Evelyn whispered out. "Not with everything that is going on."
"You can't help anyone right now, Evie," Gibbs told her, bluntly. His words weren't unkind, just a simple truth. "There is not point in making yourself sick with worry."
Evelyn opened her mouth to contradict him, but then her shoulders slumped. "You're right. You usually are," Evie gave
Ziva waited, standing on the hospital steps. The wind was cold, and harsh, but she did not shiver. Her jaw was clenched and her dark eyes narrowed as a familiar unmarked sedan pulled right up to the hospital. As soon as the guard opened the door and her father got out, she was there right in front of him. Eli looked at his daughter with little surprise. "Ziva," he said, rigidly.
"Leave Ari alone," Ziva did not bother with pleasantries. There were a moot point, and she had no pleasant feelings towards him at all.
"That is none of your concern, Ziva," Eli told her, sharply.
"Ari is my brother, of course is it my concern!" She snapped, angrily. "You have taken everything from him," Ziva stated, she stared at her father who could not quite meet her eyes. She wanted to scream at him. To rage at him. It was only her self control that held her back from doing so. "You took Tali, you took his mother, your tried to take Evelyn," she hissed, getting right up into her father's face. "And now you are trying to take him away."
"Ziva, it is not that simple," Eli tried to argue.
"Yes, it is!" Ziva said, firmly. "You have taken so much from him. He has given you practically everything. You would demand his soul if you could! He had done so much for you, he has asked for so little…" Her postured slumped, and she looked at her father, heartbroken. "Father, if any part of you has ever loved Ari…please let him have this. Let him stay, and just walk away."
Eli raised his gaze and looked at his daughter. He looked old. Older than she had ever seen him look.
"Please," she begged.
Eli David closed his eyes, bowed his head and sighed. "This no longer concerned you, Ziva," Eli repeated, firmly. "There is a plane waiting. Get on it, and go home."
Ziva stared at him, something like disgust rolled through her dark eyes and she shook her head slowly. "No," she said, simply. "I will not."
"You disobey an order?" Eli looked at her.
"I've disobeyed many, or have you forgotten?" She replied, a hint of a cold smile on her lips. "I will not leave. I will not obey so blindly, nor give my loyalty to someone who holds it so cheaply as I am merely a pawn on some board game for his amusement." She turned on her heel and marched away from him and back towards the hospital doors. Her mind raced a mile and minute, with ways out of this and she kept coming back to one option. One option that once taken, could never be undone.
Gibbs was still amazed by Evelyn. She was his daughter. She was alive, and she had turned out to be an amazing young woman. He only wished that the chance to raise her, to watch her grow up had been taken away from him. Shannon would be so proud of her, the thought ran through his mind as he looked down at her with a fond smile. He took off his jacket and laid it over her gently. She stirred silently, and snuggled with her cheeks resting on her arms just like she did when she was child. Gibbs gave a half smile when he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned and found Audrey standing in the doorway with a stricken expression on her face.
"Oh, Evelyn. I was really hoping you'd have more sense than this," Audrey breathed out, and shook her head lightly. Her eyes looked at Evelyn who was asleep in the chair with her legs tucked up beneath her, and her father's jacket was laying over her. She then looked at the man lying still in the bed, and closed her eyes tightly.
"Miss Webster," Gibbs greeted, quietly.
"Agent Gibbs." She turned towards him. "I'm surprised that you are letting this happen," she gestured towards the pair.
Gibbs frowned, heavily. His blue eyes were filled with mixed emotions, and the turmoil twisted in his gut. "And how do you suggest I stop it? Forbid her? She is a grown adult, able to make her own decisions," the grey haired man crossed his arms over his chest.
"How about you shoot him?" Audrey suggested.
"I did that. He just came back even worse than before," Gibbs said, gruffly.
"You shot him?" Audrey's eyebrows shot upward.
"Yeah," Gibbs admitted, unashamed.
"Huh…" The older woman smirked slowly. "I think I owe you a drink, Agent Gibbs."
"Please call me, Jethro," Gibbs said, with a half smile. "After all, you did raise my daughter. Practically makes us family."
A sheepish expression crossed the older woman's face. "I do apologize for the farce. Evelyn…Evelyn wasn't sure what to do when she remembered and she was so scared," Audrey commented, softly. "I have to admit I just wished she would have went to from the beginning, but this wasn't about what I wanted. It was about her. She had to chose her own path, and I supported her. I just don't know if I can support her in this. Does he even truly care for her?" Audrey tossed the unconscious man a dark look.
"I don't know," Gibbs stated.
Audrey ran a boney hand down her tired face.
"Can you stay with her?" Gibbs asked. "There are some things that I need to take care of."
"Of course, of course," Audrey nodded without hesitation. She moved to carefully take the seat beside Evelyn, and when Gibbs went to leave, she added, "Take care of yourself, Agent Gibbs. Evelyn needs you more than she knows."
Gibbs inclined his head, before he made his way out of the room. His footsteps sounded loud against the floor for he was one of few people there. FBI had secured the area, and only patients and the doctors were allowed. Visitors had to be cleared before they could enter. Spotting Fornell, he walked towards him. "Have you found out who your mole was reporting to?" He demanded.
"Nice to see you too, Jethro," Fornell said, dryly.
Gibbs just gave him a dark look.
"No. I haven't, but I have my suspicions," Fornell said.
"Who?" Gibbs asked.
Fornell grimaced.
"Who?" Gibbs asked, louder.
"My father." Gibbs whirled around to find Ziva there. Her dark eyes were dull, and her expression was blank. He made out a tension that ran through her from head to tone, and she raised her eyes to meet his. "My father is behind this all," Ziva announced, her hands clenched at her sides. "And he is not done yet."
"Agent Gibbs," Jenny said, to get his attention. He turned and saw Jenny standing there with a severe looking grey haired man beside her. "This is-" Jenny began, but Gibbs cut her off.
"Eli David," Gibbs said, his voice flat and betrayed nothing of the anger boiling in the pit of his gut. "No introductions are needed."
Evelyn drew in a slow breath as her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks for a split second before her eyes peeled open slowly. She glanced around the room confused, then slumped back done into the chair as reality came crashing down. She pressed her palms to the flat of her forehead, and groaned as she sat up. Her blue eyes instinctively looked at Ari, and she felt the same painful surge through her chest. She closed her eyes and swallowed thickly. Running her fingers through her hair, and she looked over at her grandmother that sat beside her. She knew Audrey was here the second she opened her eyes, she smelt her grandmother's familiar perfume. "Hey…when did you get here?" She asked, tiredly.
"About ten minutes ago," Audrey told her.
Evelyn looked at her for a long moment. "I don't suppose that we could…skip the lecture," she stated, her expression wary and exhausted. "It's…It's been a rough day and even worse night, and I really don't need a lecture right. I just…I just need someone to have my back. Please?"
Audrey had a stubborn expression on her face, but it softened when Evelyn pleaded with her. "You stubborn girl. I should be twisting your ear and chewing you out. You deserve it for all that you've put my heart through."
"I do," Evelyn agreed.
"And just because I don't lecture you right now," Audrey wagged a finger at her. "Doesn't mean I won't lecture you in the future or forget about it. I have the memory of an elephant."
"I remember," Evie said, with a half smile. "Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there for me and took me in. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't found me."
"Oh, darling, you would have found your way," Audrey assured her. "It might not have the same path. You might have ended up somewhere else, or with someone else, but you would have found your way nonetheless."
"You sound certain of that," Evelyn laughed, breathlessly.
"I am," Audrey stated, firmly. "Now, when is the last time you ate or drank something?"
"Nana, I think the last thing I need to-" Evelyn began, but Audrey cut her off with a stern look.
"Evelyn," Audrey said, her voice like steel. "I will not have your forget you own wellbeing in this whole…mess. If I cannot trust you to go and take care of yourself then I will have to go have a chat with your father."
"You wouldn't!"
"I would," Audrey stated, smugly. "Now, please go get something to eat. An actual meal, not something out of a vending machine. You look like a stick, and I know that you haven't had a decent meal all day."
"I don't want to leave…" Evelyn looked over at Ari, and her lips dipped downward. She knew that no one, but Ari and her could understand what was between them. Ziva understood better than most, but Evelyn could tell she had some confusion over it all as well. "I don't want him to be alone," Evie said, her heart clenching in her stomach. "Not like I was."
"He won't be," Audrey sighed. "I will stay."
"You will," Evelyn whispered out, her face full of shock. She could describe the emotions that hit her, but she was grateful most of all. The older woman's shoulders slumped, and she looked at Evelyn with something akin to resignation.
"Yes, I will stay with him," Audrey said. "For you," she felt necessary to add.
"Thank you," Evelyn hugged her, gently. "I'll be right back." She got up and walked over to Ari's bed. She stared at him with soft eyes, and leaned down to press a kiss to his cheek before she walked over to the door. She twisted the knob, and walked out only to be confronted with a hallway full of people. She froze for a half a second, before she slowly shut the door behind her. "What is going on here?" Evelyn demanded, her shoulders ramrod straight as she eyed the group in front of her with confusion. It did not take a genius to see the tension in room, and she looked to her father for answer. Gibbs glanced at a man she had never seen before and she gave him a suspicious look.
Eli David's expression went artic when it fell on Evelyn. This girl who had managed to unravel his well laid out plans, and he could not for the life of him understand why. What was about this girl that inspired such loyalty, especially from his son and daughter? His son and daughter who had been trained and taught to be loyal to Mossad and him over all. She was such a slight thing, and nothing remarkable at all aside from the fire burning in her gaze as she regarded them all. "Why was she in my son's?" Eli asked, his voice low and dark as he glared at Evelyn.
"Father," Ziva's tone was filled with warning while Jenny rubbed her forehead with the heel of her hand in exasperation.
"Father?" It took a half a second for Elizabeth to register the word and her glare fixated on Eli David. "You bastard! How dare you show up here?"
"Evelyn," Gibbs came to her side. Just in case she did something impulsive which she was likely to do.
"You're nothing to Ari, Evelyn Matthews," Eli continued, straightening his spine and raised an aloof eyebrow. "You have no right to be here. You're not his family, you are not his wife—"
"Evelyn is here because she loves Ari," Ziva cut in, sharply. "And Ari loves her. That gives her every right to be here. If anyone has no right to be here, it is you father."
"So you blame me like Ari does then?" Eli swept his eyes over to his daughter and searched her cool expression. Ziva had been disobedient before but something about this time felt different.
"Is this really the time?" Jenny interrupted, before things could get further out of hand. "Director David is here to secure custody of Ari and take him back to Tel Aviv."
"You can't do that!" Evie looked stricken and angry. "He has made a deal with the FBI! He has asylum!"
"On the condition that he relinquish certain information to them. Information he may no longer be able provide," Eli David pointed out, with a tight smile thrown in her direction. "I am well within my right to contest the deal that Ari has made, and by tomorrow morning I am certain the US Embassy shall see that Ari would recover better at home with his family."
"His family? You think you're his family?" Evelyn snapped, taking a step forward. She would have taken a few more, but her father's hands clasped around her arms holding her back. "The only people that Ari has ever thought of as family is Ziva and Tali."
Eli David expression was artic, and chilled her to the bone. "You should teach your Agents, Director Sheppard, how to hold their tongue in matters they hardly have any understanding of," he bit out, harshly.
"I'm not her agent," Evelyn spat. "And seeing how I am one of two people who actually is concerned about Ari's well being, I will talk to you how I damn well please."
"How dare you-" Eli looked livid.
"No! How dare you! He told me everything," Evelyn said, her eyes welling up with angry tears. She was angry. Angry for Ari, and angry at herself for letting herself become so emotionally attached to him. "Everything you did to him, everything you put him through. Ari would recover best in a place without you."
If any words could ever hurt Eli David, those were the ones. There was a flicker, almost indecipherable, of regret, guilt and pain that cross his features so quick that if Evelyn hadn't been staring at him she wouldn't have seen. It was covered over with a mask. "It does not matter what you think or what you say, Agent Matthews," Eli said, his voice carefully even as the young woman just glared up at him. "All your words, all your efforts will be a moot point. So continue to bluster about. It will not change the fact that my son will be coming home with me. Now, I am going to go see him."
"No you aren't," Fornell stated.
"You cannot deny me access to my son," Eli snapped.
"No, I can't," Fornell acknowledged with a nod. "But his emergency contact could, seeing how they are also his power of attorney."
"And who is that?" Eli narrowed his eyes.
"Evelyn Matthews," Fornell stated, smugly. Evelyn jolted and looked at Fornell with wide shocked eyes. "He trusted you more than you knew, kid."
Evelyn felt her heart twist in side her chest, and she wrapped her arms carefully around her stomach. Ziva placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly.
"That cannot be right," Eli denied.
"I'm afraid it is, sir," the doctor replied, hesitantly.
Evelyn tossed a dark look in Eli's direction before she placed a hand on her father's arm. She looked up at him, and tried to muster up some kind of sympathy for the man. After all, Ari was his son so he must be feeling the grief, the anger, even the guilt. She just couldn't to do. "Ziva and I will be taking care of Ari."
"I—" Eli shook his head. "Absolutely not. I want to see the paperwork."
"Go ahead," Evelyn shrugged her shoulders. "But while your are doing that I am going to sit with Ari, and actually be with like he needs."
"You're just using this situation—" Eli hissed.
"I don't need to use anything," Evelyn pointed a finger at him, threateningly. "I love him. And I know him better than you ever cared to. So if it's okay, I'm going to support him."
"Ari is my son," Eli pressed a hand to his chest.
"I think you lost the right to call him that a long time ago, don't you?" Evelyn arched an eyebrow, and turned her back on him in clear dismissal. She walked back into Ari's room with Ziva by her side, and shut the door behind them.
"Well," Eli straightened his suit. "I think we are done here. I will go-"
"You are going nowhere," Gibbs glared, hard at the man. "Not until we make a few things clear."
"Jethro," Jenny hissed out.
Gibbs ignored her. "You talk about the good relations between Mossad and NCIS, then you get this son of a bitch under control." Jenny took a step back, surprised by the vehemence behind Gibbs's words, but Gibbs did not take his eyes of Eli David. "If you ever go after my daughter again, if you ever suceed in harming a single hair on Evelyn's head, there will be no saving you from my wrath. I will take great pleasure in removing you from this world. Slowly, painfully, in ways you couldn't even dream up in your nightmares."
"Bold words, Agent Gibbs," Eli said, quietly.
"There is nothing bold about the truth." And with that, Gibbs disappeared down the hall.
"Evelyn?" Audrey looked at her granddaughter worriedly.
Evelyn didn't say anything. She just came to a halt beside Ari's beside. Her eyes burned for all that Ari had went through, and all the things that he had lost. Her hand slipped into his and she stood there for such a long time. "Hey…it's me," Evelyn whispered out. "I'm back. And Ziva is here, too."
"Yes…I am," Ziva whispered out. She did not know if Ari could hear them, but part of her hoped he could. "We are here to take care of you, just like you did for us."
Evelyn nodded. "I know I left for a few moments, but I am not leaving your side until you wake up. The doctor said you are going to wake so…so you really need to wake up," she managed to get out passed the swell of emotions in the back of her throat. She let out a long breath, and wiped her eyes with bandaged hand. "Cause I love you…and I miss you…" A thumb brushed the back of her hand, and she gasped with a jolt.
"What is it?" Ziva was immediately alert.
"Evelyn, what happened?" Audrey asked.
"He…he just squeezed my hand!" Evelyn looked up at Ari's face and leaned forward. Her hand reached up to brushed against his cheek. "Ari? Air, can you hear me?"
Ari's chest rose and fell. His head shifted back and forth slowly, his eyes twitched. Slowly, they cracked open and he stared dazed out at the world.
Evelyn let out a noise between a laugh and sob. "Oh, my God! Ari, can you hear me? Please, honey, say something!" The relief was so great that it almost sent her to knees and her heart felt so full inside her chest. There were so many emotions spiraling through her as she looked down at him, lovingly.
Ari did not say anything right away. His dark eyes just stared up at Evelyn's face, blankly. Slowly, his brows furrowed and he looked very tired and very confused. "Wha…" He tried to sit up, but Evelyn placed her hand on his chest to gently urge him to stay lay down.
"Don't strain yourself," Ziva came to the other side of the bed. Ari's blinked at her, his brown eyes searched her face. "You were shot. You are at the hospital right now."
Ari's dark eyes narrowed as he looked back and forth between the two women, suspiciously. "Who…who are you?" He asked, a look of frustration on his face. "Where am I?" His expression dropped and he looked lost. "Who am I?"
END OF CHAPTER!
Please go check out The Girl In Memory: Spooks Edition. If you like this story. You definitely will love it. It has let me take a whole new angle on Evelyn (Kelly) and I'm having so much fun writing and I think you all will have fun reading it. :D
Rrs are appreciated.