Time Gone By ✡ NCIS TIVA Fanfiction

Epilogue

Aba sheli,

I'm still sorry you couldn't be there to lead me down the aisle, but on my wedding day, I had both Gibbs and Anthony DiNozzo Sr. at my side. Abby says I was the most beautiful bride she's ever seen, and I believe she means it. My dress was simple, but stunning and I've never felt more radiant in my life. Tony couldn't keep his eyes off me. And I remember looking at him then the same way I still look at him now, thinking This is the man I want to spend every day I am alive with. There weren't many guests at our wedding, but I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. We got an apartment a bit outside the city, Tony gave up his job to have time for Kelly and me. The team visits us regularly. Eleanor Bishop, the newbie (which she isn't any more, I suppose), has become a close friend to me and she helps me with all the shopping we need to do. Who could've known that living together with a tiny human would be so much effort? This is by far the biggest challenge in my life, but I'm proud to be facing it at Tony's side. Kelly's three years old now. She's learning so quickly, already walking and singing in Hebrew. Every day I marvel at her, not able to believe that this bundle of smiles and beauty came from us. Did you feel like that, too? Does everyone? Within so little time, she's become our everything and the past seems so far away. Tony is the best father imaginable. He plays with her a lot, doing all kinds of stupid shenanigans. The three of us have so much pointless fun. It's a simple life. All of us have accepted that no one else can compete with Gibbs when it comes to reading stories and fairy-tales. You would cringe at the spooky socks Abby knits for her regulary, but Kelly refuses to wear anything else. I already see her growing up as a hilarious, clever, mysterious gothic ninja. She'll get the best from each of us. One month ago, I got a job in an orphanage for little migrant girls. Most of them have a military background like I do, but they don't want anything to do with it in their future. I teach there half-time, offering self-defense lessons like Krav Maga and ballet classes. Each one of them has such a bright future, just like my Kelly. Never before have I looked at the world with such light in my eyes. We get a lot of financial support from Tony's dad, who's become quite close to him again. Our lives are so chaotic and simple, and I never would've thought of such a future for myself, but now that I have it, it's the best. Growing old now doesn't seem like such a threat to me. I always thought I'd die in the field, almost did that often enough. Now I don't care how my life will end, as long as I spend all of my time left at Tony's side, and as long as I get to see my baby girl grow up happily.

It's so weird. I really don't want to let her go, we're putting her into a Jewish kindergarten this summer. I feel like I need to protect her from everything, since the world has been so cruel to every one of us. But she's a tough one, I can already tell. She'll bite her way through life, shape her way so she comes out on top. And what she doesn't know yet is that she'll soon have a little sister. Tony and I have already agreed to name her Tali Arya, honoring both of my dead siblings I have sworn to never forget. Coming back to America was the best decision I ever made, since it all started this beautiful mess.

Oh, and how could I forget to tell? We got a dog! Abby found him in the streets, only three years old and abandoned by its family, a German shepherd who she insisted on naming Ducky, first off because it clearly isn't a duck and that's kind of her humour and secondly to remember everyone's favorite medical examiner who retired last year. He's moved to England, but we regularly get letters (who even sends those any more?) and he gets pictures of Kelly cuddling her pad-footed new best friend in return. It feels like this is the only thing mattering in the world. I know there still are a lot of awful things going on, but I've had my fair share of violence and now I'm focusing on helping people while living my stunningly mundane life. And I love it and every one of the people in it.

Ani lo levad, Ziva David.