Epilogue

Ziva sat in her apartment and pulled out a single picture. Tali as she had been just before her death. Untainted as she had been by violence, it was a tragedy that Tali was the one who had been killed by the mindless cruelty. Ziva had thought of that time over and over, but now, when she thought of her sister, she was surprised that the image of her had changed from the teenager she had been to the adult she had seen for far too short a time.

And seeing her grown had been strangely comforting, as if the image of her sister changed from how she had been meant she still continued to exist in whatever form. Somewhere.

"Tali, I wish you were here," Ziva whispered.

She thought she heard something on the wind, snatches of a song, but before she could do more than turn toward the window, it was gone.

Still, she smiled.

As strange as the experience had been, Ziva felt somehow changed. For the better.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Tony was sitting and staring at a photo. It wasn't Kate, although he'd done his share of that, too. It was a forest with trees. Only it was still wrong. Nothing could quite match up with what he'd seen. Initially, he'd thought that the problem was simply one of color and changes, but it wasn't. Now that he was back in the world he understood, he could see that what he'd seen had been even more wrong than he'd realized at the time. It was completely wrong. Subtly wrong, but completely.

And that was okay. He was finding that he didn't mind it. It surprised him that he didn't, but he didn't. Maybe it was because Kate had still been so... Kate that he couldn't worry about it. He didn't know, but it was fine.

His phone rang. He looked at the display and grinned.

"Hello, Miss David. What can I do for you?"

"Convince McGee to come with us and get dinner tonight."

"Why? Something happen?"

"No. I just am thinking that this is the time to try."

"Why?"

Ziva sounded different. Good different, but different.

"Something in the air tells me."

"Something? Or someone?"

"Perhaps both. Call him."

"Why me?"

"You will be annoying enough that he will give in."

Tony laughed. "Okay. Sure."

He hung up and thought about what he'd say.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Tim was staring at the black photo again. He knew how digital cameras worked. They were designed to gather light. ...but what else might they also gather...if there was something else besides light? And yet, he had no idea of what that might be or how he might be able to bring it out. There was really no way.

Gibbs was right. He had to be willing to set it aside.

His phone rang.

Reluctantly, Tim set the photo aside and answered his phone.

"What's up, Tony? A case?" Tim asked.

"Nope. Time for you to rejoin this universe and hang out with us again."

"Huh?"

"Dinner, Probie. We need you to live in this universe, not the other one."

Tim smiled.

"Don't have any choice with that, Tony."

"Well, then, you could acknowledge it by doing something with us."

"You sure you want that?"

"Yes! Absolutely. You just have to stop trying to get back something you can't have."

"I don't really even want it, you know."

"Well, then, stop being stupid and have fun in this universe!"

"Well, with that kind of encouragement, how could I say no?"

"I can't think of any way. I'll pick you up."

"I can drive, Tony. It's been three weeks."

"I didn't say you couldn't. I just said I'd pick you up."

"Okay. I'll do it."

"Excellent. I'll be over in a few minutes."

"I'll be ready."

"Good."

Tim hung up and then looked at the photo again. He could never forget that moment of seeing something completely out of his world, completely alien and unintelligible.

But maybe Gibbs was right. Maybe it was okay that he didn't understand it. Maybe he could just treasure the experience and keep living here.

After a few minutes, there was a loud knock on the door. This was reality, and he was happy with it.

He set the photo down and headed out to join them for dinner.

...but he'd still keep an eye out for something.

...something more.

FINIS!