All roads lead to Paris

Part 8

3 hours later. School was over, Tali was on her way back home. She had decided to walk to school that morning, so Tony didn't have to pick her up. Tali walked down the street with her school friend Charlene. Her friend was asking her questions about her family since they had that subject in school. "So, you are not from Paris and none of your parents either?" Tali proudly answered: "Yes. My dad is from America and Ima is from Israel." "That's so cool. I wish my family would be like that." Tali smiled. They went over a bridge and crossed the street. Charlene said: "OK, I will go alone now. See you tomorrow." They hugged each other. "Yep. See you tomorrow!" Tali waved her goodbye as she walked down the street. She continued her way home. She watched the people on the opposite sidewalk rushing through the street. She loved that time of day, where all people are rushing home from school or work. She walked past an old house which seemed lonely. She stood there for a second and searched for the little dog she saw a few days ago, but he wasn't there. She just wanted to walk as someone grabbed her arm and pulled her into the alley. She tried to scream, but that someone hold a hand over her mouth. Tali tried to escape, but she was too scared to open her eyes. She calmed down a bit and tried to open her eyes. As he saw the woman in front of her, she was no longer scared. "Hey Tali. I'm sorry I had to scare you like that, but I need your help." Tali put the hand away from her mouth and said: "Ima!"

Tali could not believe that she was there. She rushed into her arms and hugged her." Ziva was surprised, but she hugged her tightly and a tear rolled down her cheek. They released their hug and Ziva said: "I'm so glad to see you, but as I said I need your help." "Why? Ima... Is that blood on your face?" Tali took her finger and tapped the bloodstain. Ziva shrugged in pain. "Stop that Tali. Yes, it is blood, but I'm all right. Please listen to me." Ziva took Tali's hands to make sure she had her attention. "I need you to go home and tell Tony that I got my memory back and that I need his help right now. Some men are after me. They tried to kidnap me. I could escape, but I need to hide under. Please tell him that." Ziva gave Tali a piece of paper. "Give him that as soon as possible, please." Tali nodded with sad eyes. Ziva said: "I know it's hard. I want to be with you as well, but I need to go now. And you have to go too." Tali whispered: "I love you Ima" and went away. Ziva watched her go and went away as well.

As Tali came home she called her dad. "Wait a moment Tali. I come to you." Tony put all the things away he had on his desk, but he got interrupted as Tali came in the room. "Aba. Something happened. You need to help Ima." Tony was confused. "What? What do you mean?" Tali handed him the piece of paper. "She gave me that. She said she needs your help as soon as possible. PLEASE help her!" Tali's voice trembled as she said the last sentences. Tony grabbed the paper and put it on his desk. He opened his arms and said: "Come here." Tali rushed into his arms and started crying. Tony said: "I will help her. Ima will be fine. Ok? You will see her again soon." Tali got back to look him in the face: "You promise?" "I promise. You need to tell me what happened."

Tali and Tony sat on the bed. Tony said: "So, tell me what happened. As detailed as possible please!" Tali wiped her tears away and said, still with a tumbling voice: "I walked down the street with the cafes in it and as I walked past this old creepy house Ima grabbed my arm and pulled me aside." Tali still had sobbed as she told Tony this and tony rubbed her shoulder to calm her down. She took a deep breath and continued: "She said she needed your help and that she needs to hide. She told me that someone is tracking her down and tried to kidnap her." "Did she told you who is tracking her down?" "Yes, but I have forgotten the name." "Was it Aaron Agbari?" She nodded. "Ok. Did Ziva told you anything else?" "She got her memory back and that you need to help her." "I will help her." "Oh... and she said that she loves me, and she wants to spent time with me." As she said that Tony was relieved. That was the proof that Ziva could remember everything, she was healthy again. They could be together from now on. Tali interrupted his thoughts by asking: "Aba... Will you find Ima and get her back to us? I miss her so much." "Yes, I will Tali and I miss Ima as well." Tony hugged her, but Tali ended it quickly: "Do you start searching now? She said as quick as possible!" "Ai, ai captain!" Tali laughed and went out to her room.

A few days had passed. Tony was still searching for hints where Ziva could be but didn't found anything. The note he had from her made no sense to him. There were just a few numbers and letters that didn't matched to another. He thought about it for the last days, but as longer as he thinks about it, as dumber he feels. He had no clue what this could mean. He had spent almost all his time with searching and thinking. He had not much time left for Tali. Tali noticed this earlier. She was worried about him. All he would do was to make her food and drive her to school. The rest of the day he was in his bedroom. Tali wanted to spend more time with him, but, as the clever girl she is, she knew that he needed this to find Ziva.

Tali opened the door of the apartment and walked in the empty living room. She heard Tony's voice coming from his bedroom. Tali shouted: "Hey Aba. I'm back from school." No answer from Tony. She walked to her room and put her backpack away, then she walked back to the living room and stood in front of the door to Tony's bedroom. She heard him saying: "...PLEASE, here me out! I need you here.... How is that more important than my case?! How can you do this to me?!" Tali wanted to know what's going on but was too scared to open the door. Tony's voice became louder: "Stop lying to me. If you can give me a reason for that its ok, but don't try to lie to me! I told you what I need and what I want from you. Now talk to me. Why can't you come to Paris Mcgee?!"

In Washington D.C, Mcgee tried to calm Tony through the phone. "Tony, I told you I can't come to you... I have to work on that case." Tony's anger grew. "I heard that Mcgee! But how is that case more important than Ziva?! Mcgee... Ziva could be in pain right now. What if these guys got her and hurt her right now?! I need to find her, and I need you to help me because I can't think clearly. And you know that it's not enough for me that this case is sooo important. Tell me a better lie." Mcgee didn't know what to say: "Tony, just listen to me ok. I can help you from D.C as well, I don't need to come to you." Tony paced around the room. He couldn't think clear. He was so emotionally exhausted that he didn't know what to do. He knew he couldn't stand this any longer. He needed help and the fact that Mcgee didn't give him that, hurt him more. He sat down in front of the wall and tried not to cry. He hit his head against the door and closed his eyes trying to calm down. "Tony? Tony?! Are you there? Can you hear me??" He didn't answer Mcgee. On the other side of the door, Tali tried to hear what he was saying. She stood against the wall with her ear on the door. She heard him sobbing. She didn't want him to be sad. She tried to open the door, but it did not open. She said: "Dad? Are you ok?" The door opened slowly, and Tony came out of the room. Tali saw the tears in his eyes and asked: "What is wrong? Why are you sad?" Mcgee shouted through the phone: "TONY!!! Answer me!" Tali pointed on the phone. "I think you should answer." Tony smiled slightly and went back in the room. "Yes Mcgee, I'm here, but do you know who isn't?! Ziva. And you." "Tony, I've tried to tell you this. I don't need to come because someone else is on their way." "What?" The doorbell rang. Tali shouted: "I open the door!" Tony turned around and went to the living room. As Tali opened the door he saw two very familiar faces. "Boss?" "Grandpa Gibbs!!" Tali ran to him and gave him a hug.

The woman behind Gibbs went to Tony and hugged him: "Tony! I was so worried. I could not sleep at the plane because I thought about how horrible this situation must have been for you. How are you?" "Hey Abs... I'm ok. Ziva is the one we should worry about." He looked at his phone. The call was still going. Tony said to Mcgee: "I see what you meant. I'll call you later." He put his phone away. Tali asked, still on Gibbs arms: "What are you doing here grandpa?" "I'm here to find your mum Tali. And of course, to spend some time with you." Gibbs tapped her nose with his finger which made her smile. He let her back down and went to Tony. They starred at each other. Abby looked at Tony and Gibbs staring at each other and asked: "Should we leave you alone?" Gibbs finally went to Tony and gave him a hug as well. He said as they hugged: "We will find her Dinozzo, she will be alright." Tony felt better after these words. But he wondered how Gibbs always know hat he needs. They ended the hug and Tony said: "Thank you, Boss." Gibbs raised an eyebrow and asked: "For what? I didn't get started yet." "For coming. I really needed this." "Stop that. We have time for that after we found Ziva." Tony nodded. As usually Gibbs gave orders: "Abby, take care of Tali. Tony, show me everything you have found."