Time heals all wounds. Or at least that's what people said. Apparently they had only had small wounds. Because to Tony and Ziva, time only made the wounds worse. The longer they were away, the harder it was to get up in the morning. The longer they were away, the harder it was for them to smile. The longer they were away, the harder it was for them to live. They rarely smiled anymore, they only spoke when spoken to, and even then they were short one word answers. They did their jobs, and did them well, but everyone could tell that they were running on autopilot.
Tony sat on the floor of Jacob's room and slowly folded the tiny clothes and placed them in a suitcase. The house was no longer theirs. It was going up for sale and they had to be out of it as soon as possible. Jacob's toys were already packed away in large Rubbermaid containers that McGee helped him put in the back of a small moving truck. Ziva and Abby tackled Daniela's room, the girl's clothes placed in a suitcase and her toys wrapped and labelled. And stored. For when they were coming back.
He essentially lived over at Ziva's now. Her place was larger, nicer and closer to work than his. They spent the evening reading the real estate websites and giving Ziva a crash course in America History. They even had two more houses to see after they finished packing.
"Are you almost done, Tony?"
Shrugging, he looked at the empty room. "I guess. I just wish...that they had a house to come back to."
"They will. And more. They will have a home." Ziva walked over and wrapped her arms around Tony and placed her chin on his shoulder.
"Why are you so certain that we're going to get them back?" Tony mumbled softly, staring at the empty house that held so many memories, both good and bad.
"I just know." She stood up and brushed the front of her pants off. "I will see you at home Tony."
He nodded and watched her leave the house. With a sigh, he picked up a few boxes and placed them in the back of his car and started to drive. He drove until he pulled up in front of a large church. He stared at it, and shut off the engine. He couldn't remember the last time he stepped foot in a church, maybe for a wedding of a cousin five or six years ago. He picked up one of the hot bride's maids.
The front door was open and he walked in, sitting in a pew in the back he closed his eyes.
"Must be pretty important for you to come in here." A soft voice said, causing Tony to jerk and open his eyes.
"Pardon?"
The elderly priest sat down beside him. "You don't look particularly comfortable being here."
Tony fidgeted in the pew. "I'm not. I...should be going."
"Why are you here, son?"
He sighed, and looked skyward. "I'm really not sure...I just drove and this is where I ended up."
"What is troubling you?"
"We lost our kids." Tony said quietly, the words tumbling out. "We lost them and I don't know if we're going to get them back." He pulled a picture out of his wallet. It was taken their first week together at the zoo, Daniela clutching Ziva's leg and Jacob grinning in his arms. He stared at it before handing it over.
"Lovely family." The priest handed the photo back. "Do you mind me asking why they got taken away?"
"They weren't ours, really. Their parents...they were killed. We were just taking care of them. I guess we didn't do a very good job of it." He looked away, wiping his eyes with the collar of his shirt.
"You can't give up hope, son." The priest looked at the younger man beside him. "Have you and your wife, have you tried every avenue?"
"It just feels so hopeless."
"Nothing is ever hopeless unless you give up hope."
Tony laughed dryly. "There is no hope."
"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies. The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears."
Silence.
Tony could feel the emotion bubbling in his chest. He didn't go to church as a kid, he wasn't even sure he believed in God until he met Ziva. He wasn't sure if God would forgive him now, after everything he had done, and his years of womanizing and partying.
"Son, all we can do is hope and pray, and pray and hope."
Swallowing hard, Tony stood up and extended his hand. "Thank you, father."
"I will pray for you and your family. We're open whenever you need us. God doesn't have working hours." The older gentlemen said with a wry smile. "It was nice meeting you..."
"Anthony. Tony DiNozzo."
"It was nice meeting you Tony. I'm Father Patrick."
"Thank you Father Patrick." Tony turned to leave the church, slowing down only to cross himself at the door.
#
Dr. Parker frowned at the file she held in front of her. The young girl had been improving, though recently the regression had been significant. She had essentially shut down and closed herself off from the rest of the world. She came into the meeting with her parents until recently she had been attending alone.
"Daniela?"
The young girl, her hair pulled back in pigtails didn't look up at her, but turned her back and stuck her thumb in her mouth.
"Daniela, you have to look at me."
Slowly, the girl who seemed smaller and younger than ever before turned and faced the therapist. Her thumb didn't move from her mouth, her eyes stayed downcast.
"What's up, Daniela?"
Silence.
"Do you want to draw?"
The girl shrugged but grabbed the pad of paper off of her desk and a box of crayons and pulled out the black one. A few minutes later she shoved a picture across the desk and went back to staring out the window. The picture only held four people, all in black with sad faces and tears spilling from their eyes. The two smaller ones were on the left side of the page and the two larger on the right side with a line separating the two groups.
"Daniela?"
Swiftly the girl reached across the table and tore the picture up and threw it all over the small office.
"What happened?"
"My Mummy and Papa don't want us anymore!" She screeched knocking over the pencil holder on the desk. "They do not want us! They do not care!"
"What do you mean?" Jordan frowned and read the file.
"I mean we got taken away! We are living with other people." She kicked the desk and began walking around the office with an agitated gait.
"Taken away?"
"Yes. We were taken away." The girl pulled the pillows off of the sofa and threw them on the floor. She launched herself on them and hid her face, her fists pounding on the floor and kicking her feet.
Jordan walked around the side of the desk and squatted in front of her, waiting for the girl to calm down. "Daniela...if you sit on the chair and talk to me, I will see what I can do."
"You can do nothing." She mumbled, pulling herself to the chair. "No one wants us."
"That's not true Daniela. Now, can you start from the beginning..."
#
"Special agent Anthony DiNozzo." Tony mumbled into his phone that was cradled underneath his chin. He yanked at his drawer, finally freeing the Snickers bar that was wedged inside of it.
"Sorry, I think I must have dialled the wrong number."
"Who're you looking for?" Tony asked, ripping the wrapping open with his teeth.
"Tony Della Rovere."
"...who's calling?"
"Dr. Jordan Parker."
Tony sat down and cleared his throat. "Dr. Parker...it's...Tony."
"But you just said your last name was..."
"I know...I know." Tony sighed. "It's a really long story, but I can assure you that I am Tony. What's wrong?"
"It's about Daniela. It's necessary that I speak with you and your wife." She flipped through her date book. "As soon as possible."
Tony stood up and shoved his keys in his pocket and waved at Ziva. "We'll be there as soon as we can." He shut the phone and turned to Gibbs. "Boss, we gotta go."
"DiNozzo!"
"It's about Daniela and Jacob, Boss. We've gotta go."
The senior special agent gave them a look before nodding. "Alright, but give us a call when you know something."
Tony nodded, grabbing Ziva by the elbow and pulling her into the elevator.
#
"She's digressed. I really don't know what to tell you." Jordan shook her head. "Her behaviours are getting worse, she's acting out..."
Ziva frowned. "We are trying Doctor..."
"I realise that, but you should also realise what this is doing to this girl. She went through hell and back...and she's reliving it now." She put the file down and sighed. "She's told me that she has nightmares that she and Jacob get blown up...that you two get kidnapped and shot...McGee and Abby die...Gibbs and Jenny die in a fire. She's carrying a lot of anxiety with her. She feels like it's her job to protect everyone...and now that she doesn't have you two..."
"She DOES have to protect herself and Jacob." Tony filled in, pressing the palms of his hands against his eyes.
Ziva's eyes lit up. "Doctor Parker, in your opinion, would having Daniela and Jacob move again, to another upset her further?"
"Yes. Terribly. Her life is already thrown upside down, but changing her environment even more..." She gave a brief smile. "If this goes in front of a court, you will have my support."
"Thank you Doctor." Ziva smiled to Tony who returned the stiff smile.
"I think we have a phonecall to make..." Tony said standing up and shaking the doctor's hand. "We'll be in contact."
"You're very welcome. And, the sooner the better." She watched as Tony ushered Ziva out and shook her head slightly. "For everyone."
Tony opened up his phone once they got to the parking lot and dialled McGee's cell phone. "McGee, it's Tony. I need you to make a phone call. You know how you found Daniela and Jacob's grandparents? Yeah. Give them a call. It's time for us to talk." He closed the phone and pulled Ziva into his arms. "We're going to get our kids back Zee. We're going to get them back."
.
Okay, here's the lastest chapter. Sorry for the delay. It's been a looooong past two weeks. I got bit today by a 10 year old. Can anyone beat that for an awesome day?
I DIDN'T THINK SO!