Ziva felt the presence of Kate at her desk. She was acutely aware that it had been her brother who had killed the previous occupant of her position and any new life that she forged here would have been crafted by her miscreant brother. It was thanks to Ari's murderous actions that she was sitting at the desk, staring across at Tony, cracked up with laughter. She wondered whether he would be laughing harder with Kate, had her brother not extracted her from life.

If Ziva did ever make anything of her attraction to Tony, she would owe it to Ari. If she became happier at NCIS than she had been at Mossad, she would have to thank Ari for her contentment. If she stemmed her loyalty to Mossad, she would be following in Ari's footsteps in betraying both her country and her father. If she stayed away from Mossad, she would be breaking the family tradition of dying due to the conflict in Israel.

When she was sent back to Israel by Director Vance, she could feel Ari with her on the journey back. Ari had done exactly the same as her. They both returned to Israel with no evidence of their betrayal apparent, except in their hearts. Every time her father spoke to her, she forced herself to answer as truthfully as possible, not wanting any excuse for her disquieted mind to make comparisons between herself and her wayward brother.

When she saw Rivkin lying on the floor, bleeding out onto the carpet, she saw Ari there too. It was the same situation just with Tony's bullet in the body instead of her own. Both had died due to her incompetence, either to recognise the treacherous behaviour or to control her own emotions so that other people would not have to step in to clear up the mess she left. Gibbs had been her scapegoat with the NCIS team for Ari and Tony got dumped with the blame for Rivkin.

The moment that she had her gun pointed at Tony's chest, she could hear Ari urging her to pull the trigger, just as he had done to Kate and she had done to him. If she could just squeeze it now, the circle of blood and death would be completed and maybe Ari would let her continue her life in peace.

Even when she abandoned NCIS to stay with Mossad, she couldn't shed Ari's presence. She had swerved from his example in rejoining her childhood allegiance but her heart remained with NCIS just as Ari's had stayed with Hamas while he was duping her.

In Somalia, Ari had time to manifest himself properly in her mind. Everyday thoughts of him, Rivkin and Tony would all swirl in her head. Saleem mutated into Ari's form often and it would be her brother who would slice her, whip her and strike her. But it was also Ari who would whisper soothing words into her ear and remind her to keep strong and resist her tormentors.

It was Ari's story that kept her from forgiving her father and accepting the story that Gidon laid out for her. Eli's control over Ari had driven him to commit devilish crimes and she wouldn't allow that.

Ari had been the one haunting her since she had sent out the bullet that zipped through the air and stole his life. Ari had been there encouraging Saleem in his torturing of her, taking delight in her pain.

Ari had been the one to give her the nudge she needed to return to NCIS and pull through the horrifying memories of her actions on the ship taking her to her imminent death in Somalia.

Ari had been the one to kiss her goodnight and remind her of all the love they had shared before he finally left her in peace.