Nuclear Family

13

Even with painkillers coursing through her veins, every part of Ziva's body ached.

She couldn't have killed Rechter even if he showed up in her hospital room.

So she settled for imagining how exactly she would end the man's life when the time finally came.

It was these thoughts that filled her mind when she heard footsteps outside her room.

Tony stepped in and crossed to her bed. He made quick work of the locked handcuffs, giving her a stern look as he did so.

A warning, perhaps?

She didn't know what that was about—

She froze as a little hand peeked around the doorframe.

"Come on in, motek," Tony said. He sat down in one of the chairs next to her bed.

Tali shyly entered the room. She looked at Ziva through long lashes.

Ziva's pounded frantically in her chest. "My Tali," she whispered.

"Ima."

Emotion overwhelmed her; tears flowed freely down her cheeks as Tali approached her bedside.

It hurt to move, but she reached out to touch her daughter's face.

"You're so beautiful. My beautiful Tali. My sweet Tali."

Tali was clearly still bewildered, but as much as her detachment hurt, Ziva was too happy to see her to care.

Tony picked Tali up and set her on his lap.

She clung to him, suddenly looking very much like the scared toddler Ziva gave up three long years ago.

And just like that, reality washed over her again.

Tali was uncertain of her. Scared. This wasn't the same Tali, nor was she the same Ziva.

Her baby had grown up without her.

Ziva's heart twisted painfully, and she instinctively reached for the PCA button. Maybe these were different kinds of pain, but the morphine would take her away from it at least for a little while.

"Ima is tired," she heard Tony say to Tali. "How about we go get dinner, and come back tomorrow?"

Tali whispered something that Ziva's ears couldn't catch over the slur of her heartbeat.

One last thought crossed her mind before the darkness consumed her: Tali had been better off without her.

***

Tali didn't speak to him during dinner. She didn't speak in the car on the way home, nor when they reached the apartment and Tony asked her if she wanted ice cream.

She simply took her backpack from him and dragged it into her bedroom.

Tony sank down on the couch, burying his face in his hands.

He'd known Tali wouldn't take it well, but he wasn't expecting this.

He didn't know what to do.

How to make it better.

What to feel about Ziva.

Did he send Tali to school tomorrow, or did he keep her home?

He didn't know.

He got up and went into the kitchen. He opened the freezer and got out the ice cream, set it on the counter while he dug around for a spoon.

No sooner did he close the silverware drawer than Tali appeared in the doorway.