Time heals wound - Family first alternative version

it's not too late for us

"I can't stay here... if that's Ziva I gotta go" was the last words he said before leaving NCIS for Tel Aviv. Tony was on the plane. The only thing he could think of was Ziva. What happened ? Where is she ? Is she alive ? Does she wants him to come ? Suddenly he was roused from his thoughts by the flight attendant. She asked him again if he wanted something to drink. He thanked her and looked back through the window. He was incapable of drinking, eating or sleeping. Every time he closed his eyes he could see her face. Her face when he left her at the airport. He took her necklace out from his pocket and clenched his fingers around it. This could not be the end. This could not be their end.

After a 13 hours flight, the plane finally landed in Tel Aviv. Tony was tired but he did not had time to rest. He got out from the plane, got through security and grabbed his bag. Where to start first ?Ziva's phone was not answering, it was probably one of the casualties of the explosion. Schmeil ? Adam ? Orli ?.... Orli ! She must know something, she was the director of Mossad, if she did not know anything about it then nobody else would.

--- Mossad Headquarter ---
Tony was arguing with two men, he was trying to explain them that it was very important for him to speak to their director but there was nothing he could say that was helping. Suddenly a woman's voice rose from behind them, in Hebrew she asked them to let him in. Tony was relieved, finally something was going the right way.

She led him to her office. She sat on her chair:
-"I guess you are not here to talk about work..."
-"tell me she is fine..."
Orli took a moment before answering:
-"she's fine.."
Tony tilted his head back. He felt as if he was breathing again for the first time since the news of the explosion.
-"I need to see her"
Again she took a moment before answering:
-"she is safe agent Dinozzo, she is staying in one of our safe house until the threat is eliminate.."

-"where ?"

Orli did not answered, Tony was loosing his patience:

-"I will find her... even if I have to search every house in this country. I did it once, I can do it again...."

Orli chuckled a bit. He was determined. She pushed a button on her phone and called one of her officer into her office. The officer walked in less than a minute after. Orli said:

-"officer Allon, please escort Special Agent Dinozzo to the safe house" she did not needed to specify which safe house, he knew what she meant. Orli stopped him right before he left her office and said:

-"don't be too harsh on her.... she was just trying to protect you...".

Tony was confused. On his way to the safe house he kept wondering: Why would he be harsh on her ? What did she meant ? Protecting him from what ? Those questions were about to find their answer as the car stopped in front of a house. It was located outside of Tel-Aviv. Two black SUV were parked in front of the house. Probably Orli's men. They were there to ensure Ziva's safety. He got out and took a deep breath. He had pictured their reunion so many times, but he had never imagined it that way. He glanced at the mossad's SUV one last time and walked to the front door. He gathered all the courage he had and knocked. She half-opened the door, he could only see the half of her face. She looked tired. She did not even looked surprised. Orli has probably called her after he left her office. She opened the door wider and he stepped closer. He cupped her face with his hands. She touched his hand on her face. He took her in his arms and hugged her. Her eyes were full of tears. Tears of joy first, because she was happy to see him, touched that he came all the way down to Israel for her after all this time but also tears of fear for what was to come. They were still hugging each other when a small voice saying "ima" rose from behind Ziva. Tony opened his eyes and saw the little girl. She was standing in the middle of the corridor, she was holding a stuffed dog in her tiny hand. Ziva pulled away from Tony to look at Tali. The little girl was shyly smiling at Tony. Ziva turned back to Tony and said:

-"there is a lot we need to talk about..."

They walked to the living room. Tony was stunned. Ziva sat on the couch, tony next to her and Tali on Ziva's lap. Ziva moved a lock of hair away from Tali's face and said:

-"Do you know who this is Tali ?"

Ziva pointed at Tony. Tali nodded and answered:

-"Aba!"

Tony knew what this meant. He has been haunted for days by the sound of Ziva's voice crying for her father when he died. Tali could not stop smiling at Tony. He smiled back. He was expecting a lot from this meeting but he could never have thought about this. Ziva kissed her daughter and asked her to go play.

They both looked at the little girl running away from them. Ziva started to talk without being able to look at Tony:

-"I wanted to tell you.... I wanted to call you but it's not something you say over the phone and.... going back to D.C.... I didn't think I had the strength. Every time I picked up my phone to call you I thought: you have no right to turn his life upside down now..."

-"I would have been there in a minute" he paused "come on Ziva you know me better than that..."

-"you have made you choice Tony... and I have made mine... and I regret it every day.."

-"so do I"

Tony grabbed Ziva's hand. Ziva was surprised by this. She was ready for him to scream, for him to blame her and hate her but not for him to have that kind of gesture.

-"it's not too late Ziva..."

Ziva nervously stood up and started pacing to soothe her stress away:

-"yes it is... we can't go back in time Tony..."

Tony stood up to. And stopped her pacing. He grabbed her waist and locked his eyes into hers.

-"this morning I thought you were dead... I thought I had lost the only thing I ever cared about and here you are... with Tali... it's not too late for us Ziva..."

Ziva's eyes were locked on Tony's. She was lost. Tali called her mother. It took Ziva out from her thoughts. She pulled away from Tony and walked to her daughter.

A few hours later. Tony and Ziva were walking between Olive trees around the house, Tali was a few feet away from them, walking with her stuffed dog in her hand. Tony and Ziva were quiet. Tony was remembering the last time they took a walk like that in Israel. Tony's phone rang. He looked at the name on the screen and said: "gibbs... I have to take this..."

Ziva smiled and answered: "I know"

For a second Tony felt stupid. Of course she knew. He stepped away from them and answered the phone. A few minutes later he walked back to Ziva. He was looking more serious than before. Ziva was looking at him with a questioning look. Tony said: "they found something..."

Ziva looked at Tali and said with a sad look: "and you have to go back..."

Tony looked at Tali too, she was playing with her doggy: "I am not leaving without you Ziva..."

Ziva closed her eyes, swallowed hard and sighed: "it's too hard... I can't..."

Tony took a step closer and cupped her face: "you can do this Ziva... there is nothing left for you here... come with me to D.C, I am not asking you to come back to NCIS I just want my family back, I want you and Tali..."

Tali rushed to them and grabbed her mother's leg. The little girl was hungry. Ziva kept her eyes on Tony's for another moment and finally draw her attention to her daughter. She grabbed her and lift her up. She kissed her forehead. Tali grabbed her mother's necklace between her fingers. Ziva took that opportunity to draw her attention back to Tony. She whispered: "I need time..." And walked back inside the house. Tony stand for a minute in the middle of the garden. As he knew, she would be hard to convince. He walked back inside.