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, deanambrosewife2014,deadbyapril122, juniper81182, celticicegoddess, DABraning 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, Setsuka Neko, Tehya Riddick, TheGirlWhoWaited, Nessa Faelivrin, juniper81182, celticicegoddess, DABraning 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, smilin steph, ByLunaA, and RidingAngelxspy 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: I know. As everything is coming together, I decide to throw a wrench into the plans. Didn't you know I'm evil that way? Lol I do apology for that. I do get a kick out of luring readers into safety before stealing it away. Thank you, I'm glad you like it. Oh, if Evelyn was real I would fear her. She could be terrifying if she really chose to be. Which she kind of does in Spooks Edition. :D Ah, thank you. I will definitely look forward to reading it. Glad you like Spooks Edition. I was a little worried about the turn out for it in the beginning, but slowly its getting more and more favs and stuff. I had Spooks planned when I actually started this one, so I've had more time to develop it and it will go further into NCIS and character development and all that good stuff. Lol
He can be kind cruel to new people, can't he? If I was an agent assigned to his team, I would definitely cry. I really think I would. Glad you are enjoying. Reading your review always makes my day.
PS. Don't worry. It's happened to me a couple of times, too. I kind of figured it out at the second half of your review. Lmao
ONLY ONE CHAPTER LEFT AFTER THIS! Go check out The Girl in Memory: Spooks Edition, and give it some love people. Pretty please with a cherry on top? :D
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
'The Long Awaited Storm'
"Do you think I'm being punished?" Evelyn asked, her hands clasped together and set in her lap. It happened so fast. Like a blur as the doctors ushered them outside, and were no checking Ari over. They had been in there for so long while, and no answers had been given. Her mind felt fuzzy with shock, and her heart was a constant ache that would not go away.
Ziva drew back from the window where she watched the doctor shine a flashlight in Ari's eyes to shoot her a puzzled look. "Punished? Why would you be punished?" Ziva asked, her voice filled with confusion.
"For lying. For all my lies," Evelyn said, numbly. Her gaze was fixated on the wall in front of her, but she didn't really see it. She was too lost in the emotions that threatened to pull her under to understand the world around her. "I told myself they were innocent. Just little white lies I'd tell before I could tell the truth, but sinning by silence…it's not innocent. It's just cowardly. And it's what I did. So is God punishing me for it?"
Ziva hesitated. "I…do not think that God is punishing you," she finally spoke up, her brow furrowed as she walked over and collapsed in the chair beside Evelyn. "We all lie to protect those that we love. I do not think a God, whichever you may believe in, would punish you for that."
"But I wasn't lying to protect anyone, but myself," Evelyn shook her head. "I told myself that is what I was doing, but really I only end up hurting those that I love. Maybe that is what I'm being punished for."
"You cannot…blame yourself or anyone," Ziva told her, with a sigh. "Blame is a child's way. Life happens. It is not always what we expect. More often it turns out the complete opposite of what we imagined. It happens, and it isn't always fair. It isn't always nice, but it usually takes us where we belong. You cannot doubt that this is where you are meant to be. That this is the way things weren't meant to unfold, because if you do…" Ziva took in a deep long breath. "If you do the 'what ifs' will drive you insane."
Evelyn twisted her fingers together before she heaved a sigh and got up out of her seat. She wrapped her arms around her waist, and walked over to the window. Through the lines of the blinds, she saw Ari look at all the doctor with a bemused and lost expression. "God, I know exactly what he is thinking right now," Evie breathed out. "When I woke up with my memories, I felt like I was empty. Like I was broken. Like there was something wrong with me. And the fact that Ari had been put in this position because of me…it just makes it all the more worse."
"Hey," Tony walked up to them.
"Hey," Evelyn turned to face him. "Did Ducky and Audrey make it home alright?"
"Yep," Tony said. "They are safe as houses. Fornell even loaned out a few of his men to help keep an eye and make sure everything stays that way."
"Great…I owe Fornell a thank you," Evelyn groaned.
"Always nice to know I'm appreciated, Matthews," Fornell stated, more than a little smug as he and Gibbs walked up to them side by side. "How is the patient? Awake?"
Evelyn and Ziva shared a glance. "He is," Ziva stated.
"And that's…not a momentous occasion for the pair of you?" Tony asked, confused. "I thought with him being your brother and him being your…" Tony halted when Evelyn narrowed her eyes at him. "Something the pair of you'd be happy."
Evelyn ran her hand through her hair warily. Gibbs frowned. "What is it, Evelyn?" He asked.
She looked up at her father, and felt her jaw quiver against her will. "He doesn't remember," she dropped the bomb, and the hallway went silent.
"He doesn't remember?" Gibbs said, in disbelief.
"Doesn't remember what?" Fornell barked.
"Anything!" Ziva exploded, then pressed her hands over her face. Her exhaustion and worry had her so out of sorts. "He doesn't remember anything. He does not remember the attack, he does not remember Mossad, he does not even remember his own name."
"That is not good," Fornell said, bluntly.
"Thank you for stating the obvious, Fornell," Evelyn scoffed, harshly. "It's so helpful."
Fornell glowered. "You don't get it, do you?" He stated, darkly. "The only thing that kept Ari's deal good was the information he could provide. Information he no longer has!"
"His memories could come back," Evelyn defended, her voice wavered. Her heart jolted in her chest and she shared an alarmed look with Ziva.
"We don't have nineteen years to wait to find out," Fornell shook his head.
"What…what's that supposed to mean?" Evelyn stated, heatedly. Her eyes narrowed, angrily.
"It means that Eli David may get his wish after all," Fornell said, with a heavy sigh.
"Over my dead body," Evelyn snapped.
"Don't say that!" Gibbs yelled. Evelyn jolted, and looked at him with wide startled eyes. His hands were clenched into tight fists at his side, and his eyes were narrowed. "Do you know how close you came to dying last night? Have you completely forgotten? Don't you dare say that again."
"Dad, I…" Her voice faltered.
Fornell shifted, uncomfortably. "I have to go make sure ," he coughed behind his hand. "They couldn't transfer her to a nice little cell right away because apparently someone beat her face in so badly."
Evelyn shot him a glare. "Are you expecting an apology?"
"Dear God, you are his daughter," Fornell blanched, his gaze flickered between Gibbs and Evelyn. He then turned around on his heel and walked away.
Ziva's dark eyes flickered between the father and daughter. "I need to go make a call," she rose from the seat gracefully. "I shall return promptly."
As she walked away, Evelyn ran the finger through her hair and looked up at her father. "I'm sorry," she stated, then she closed her eyes and shook her head. "I've been saying that a lot lately. Guess you owe me a few head slaps for breaking rule number six," she tried to joke, but it fell flat. Guilt filled her eyes, and she sighed heavily. "I should have thought before I spoke."
"Yes, you should have," Gibbs stated, with a sigh. "I thought I had lost you. When the gunshot sounded, and you fell forward…I thought I have lost you all over again." His voice was raw with emotions, and he allowed her to see emotions that he had suppressed for so long. The untold grief that could never truly be healed.
"But you haven't," Evelyn said. "And you won't. I'm not going anywhere and no one is going to change that. I promise."
Ziva found him in one of the hospital board rooms sitting at the desk as if owned it. She shut the door behind her quietly and watched her father raise his gaze towards her. He muttered a goodbye into the cellphone and shut it with a snap before he rose from his chair. "What are you doing here, Ziva?" He asked, his eyes narrowed over his thick rim glasses.
"Ari has amnesia. He does not remember anything," Ziva informed him, her hands clasped behind her back and her brown eyes were blank.
"I know. I was informed by one of the nurses on staff, but I do not believe that you came here out of the goodness of your heart to tell me how your brother is doing. You've come to me on Ari's behalf once more," Eli huffed, his chin resting in his head as he studied a painting on the wall thoughtfully.
"No, I haven't. I do not think words will sway you nor do I have any hope that they will," Ziva stated, with conviction. "I am here to tell you that you will not be taking Ari anywhere."
Eli arched an eyebrow. "Is that so?" He asked, lightly.
"It is," Ziva narrowed her eyes. "It takes years of training to become as good as Ari and I are. Years of learning how to fight, how to deceive…years that have all been washed away by a bullet. A bit ironic, if you ask me."
"I do not follow," Eli stated, brows furrowed.
"His body might remember all he has been taught, but his mind does not. It would take years to retrain Ari. Years that you do not have," Ziva lowered her gaze for the briefest of seconds before she met her father's gaze head on. "I will take Ari's place. I will become your mole, if you allow Ari to stay here in the US."
Eli looked shocked. "Absolutely not," he denied.
"I can be a mole," Ziva stated.
"No, I will not entertain this ridiculous idea of yours," Eli shook his head violently. "Ari spent years training to gain the ability to shed one skin for another. To adapt to any situation, and you my dear Ziva are a creature of habit. The role of a mole is ill suited to you."
"And it is now ill suited to Ari," Ziva said, her expression hardened. "Ari remembers nothing. He does not remember his training. He does not even remember his own name. He cannot be a mole for you. Why don't you understand that?"
"Do you think that is all that I cared about? Ari being a mole? Do you think me so much of a monster that I do not have a shred of compassion for my son? My boy?" Eli drew a weary hand down his face. "You do don't you. You think that all my actions means that I do not care? I had you trained, I had you put through all of that so that you may survive when the worst times would come, and they would! I was Mossad, my father before me. I had made enemies and they would always look for ways to hurt me. I would not let them use my children if I could help it," Eli breathed out, harshly. "If that means that I had to be cruel in order to be kind then so be it."
"I understand that!" Ziva snapped. "But despite the fact that you may have started this out with the intentions of protecting us, but you lost that along the way. Other things became more important than us, your children!" She took in a deep ragged breath, and pressed her fingers against her lips as a sob threatened to bubble up. She would not allow it. She would not allow him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. "You saw Ari," she whispered out, thickly. "You saw him on the edge of the abyss, ready to jump in and become the monsters that he had fought against his entire life and you should have helped pull him back! Instead, you stood by and did nothing! You were going to let him jump because in the end it would have given you what you wanted! And that is why you hate her, isn't it?"
"Hate who?" Eli said, quietly. The lines of his face more pronounced as his lips were turned downward into a deep frown.
"Evelyn Matthews," Ziva stated. "You deemed Ari a lost cause. A causality of war, but she proved you wrong. Something about her…about her heart helped pull Ari back. And there is nothing more than you hate in this world than to be proven wrong."
Eli stayed silent, staring at his daughter as if he had never seen anything like her ever before.
"Think about my offer, father," Ziva said, her voice calm and collected once more. "If you accept, at least you will have one child still by your side. If you choose to fight…I will make sure you lose both of us forever."
It took Evelyn a long time to muster up the energy to walk into that room. Her heart pounded in her chest as she fought to compose herself so that her expression gave nothing away. She felt like she was swallowing glass, and trying to gather the pieces of her heart. She had been through some hard times in her life, but this was probably one of the toughest. She knew exactly what he was going, but she felt so utterly helpless. Running her hands through her hair, she gathered as much courage as she could muster up before she walked through the hospital door quietly. She held her breath when Ari looked up and saw her.
She supposed she had hoped for some flash of recognition. Some glimmer of it in his eyes, but she saw none. She felt pain spike through her skull and she felt her knees threaten to buckle right from underneath.
"Hello," Ari gave a hesitant smile.
Evelyn couldn't help, but to be taken aback. The Ari she knew had never been anything, but sure. But this isn't your Ari, now is it? A cruel voice that sounded suspiciously like Eli David's came from the back of her head. "Hello," she said, softly. Her footsteps were silent across the tile floor, and it was all too soon that she came to the bedside. "How…how are you feeling?" She asked, quietly.
"Good." She nodded, lightly. "I'm glad. Do you need anything? Any water?" She asked, quietly. She mentally winced recalling all the doctors and nurses asking her the same thing. How she got so angry at those question. To be treated like she was fragile.
Ari for a long moment just looked at her. As if trying to figure something very hard out. "No. I am fine," he stated, his voice sounded the same. His expression were not. It was more open. Like he wasn't trying to hide anything, as if the shadows she had seen in him had never existed. "Are you okay?"
"Me?" Evelyn looked at him, surprised.
"Yes, you," a teasing smile tugged at his lips. "You've been pacing outside in the hallway to my room for quite some time. Something is bothering you. I don't suppose it has to do with me, does it?" He asked, lightly.
Evelyn flinched. "I shouldn't be…" she tried to back away from his bed side when his hand jerked out, and grabbed hers. She jolted, and looked at their entwined hands. A pang went through her so sharp and sudden it stole her breath.
"Don't go," Ari said, his voice soft and his expression abashed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean…it's just that…I don't know anyone. I shouldn't have made a joke like, but I'm trying to process all…all of this." His honeyed eyes drew upward, and looked straight into hers. "You are the first friendly face I've seen, don't go."
Evelyn drew a breath. "Okay…I'll stay," she said, quietly.
"Thank you," he smiled. Evelyn had never seen him smile so carefree before and she had to blink hard against the wave of tears that threatened to come up. "Who are you to me?" Ari asked, curiously. "If you don't mind my asking?"
Evelyn felt her heart clench in her chest, because she did not know how to answer that right away. She looked down at her hand in his, and swallowed the lump in her throat. "We're friends," she said, quietly.
"Friends?" Ari's brow furrowed. "Just friends?"
Evelyn hesitated.
Evelyn lazily traced a scar on his hip with tongue, while Ari lay back against the bed. The window open brought in a gentle breeze as well as the sound of the rain. She could feel his breath, hear the soft variations in his breathing change as she moved further and further up his chest. When she got to his neck, she nipped at his pulse and felt him tense.
"Careful now," Ari's hand slid up her back. "When I get bitten, I tend to bite back."
Evelyn let out a breathlessly laugh as she pressed her lips to his. "I know. I have the marks to prove it," she hummed, contently underneath her breath.
"Yes, you do," Ari said, with a masculine pride as he studied the marks upon her neck.
Evelyn eyed him for a long moment. Her smile of content sliding off into something far more serious. "What are we?" She asked, lightly.
Ari reached out, his hands framing her face. His brown eyes were so serious and mesmerizing. His thumb brushed across her lips, and leaned forward to press his lips to hers gently then he pulled back. His fingers gently moved the hair out of her face, and tucked it behind her ear. "I do not know," he said, with a trace of a smile upon his lips. "I do not know a word adequate to define us, but we are something."
Evelyn wrapped her hands around his wrists, and shifted up she was pressed chest to chest to him. Her eyes stared into his and for a long time, she was quiet. Then she leaned forward, her nose brushed against his. "We are," she said, quietly then sealed her words with a kiss.
But they didn't get a chance to talk about it anymore. Everything had went to shit, and everything had become so bad so fast that she didn't even get the chance. She drew in ragged breath, and tried to pull herself together even though it felt as her heart was being torn to shreds inside her chest. Her jaw clenched then unclenched, and she blinked her blue eyes rapidly. "Look you are in a complicated situation, and I don't want to make it worse. I've been where you've been," she started, trying to find the right words.
"You do?" Ari said, surprised.
"I do," Evelyn nodded, her blue eyes solemn.
"So you know…what nothing feels like," Ari said, his eyes searched her face. His expression was borderline hopeful, and it made her heart stutter inside her chest.
"Yes…I do," Evelyn said, her thumb tracing circles on the back of his hand. Her hand was shaking despite how much she tried to make it stop, and she swallowed thickly.
"Are you sure we are just friends?" Ari asked, shifted towards her slightly. He eyes were narrowed ever so slightly, and his hand tightened around hers. "It's that…I have this feeling when I look at you."
Evelyn "Feeling?" Her voice sounded faint to her own ears.
"Yes. A feeling," his voice . "Like spending the rest of my life with you would be a pleasure."
Evelyn eyes widened, and she took a step back from him as if physically struck. "Please don't," she begged, her voice thick with emotions. "Don't say something like that…" The door burst in and Evelyn whirled around alarmed when Fornell burst through the doors. "What…what is going on, Fornell?" She demanded, her heart hammering inside her chest.
"Paloma Reynosa," Fornell panted out. "She escaped."
Evelyn and Ari gave him both blank looks. "Who?" Evelyn asked, her brows furrowed.
"The bitch you beat the crap out of? Remember her?" Fornell reminded, darkly. Evelyn said the one word that could summon up the situation entirely.
"Shit."
END OF CHAPTER!
Hoped you all enjoy! Thanks!
I've complied a list of songs and made a Soundtrack for this fic. The Girl In Memory Soundtrack, tell me if you think it works. I have room for five more songs if anyone has any suggestion.
1.) Call Me by Shinedown
2.) She Don't Want the World by 3 Doors Down
3.) Best I Can by Art of Dying
4.) Skyfall by Adele
5.) Ghosts of Days Gone By by Alter Bridge
6.) Everything Burns by Ben Moody
7.) How Can I Not Love You by Joy Enriquez
8.) Talking to the Moon by Bruno Mars
9.) Landslide by Dixie Chicks
10.) Haunt by Bastille
11.) What If by Emilie Autumn
12.) Almost Lover by A Fine Frenzy
13.) Remember Everything by Five Finger Death Punch
14.) Shake It Out by Florence and the Machine
15.) Comes and Goes by Greg Laswell
Also please go check out The Girl in Memory: Spooks Edition, and show it some love. Soon it'll be my only NCIS fic. Only one chapter until this story is complete.
Rrs are appreciated.