Foreboding hung heavy in the air and the light was fading fast as the young couple made their wary way forward.

"Em," said the man, "Let's leave it. Come back tomorrow!"

"No," came the firm reply, "I'm sure there's something here … I'm sure I saw it. Come on!" She tugged at her companion's hand and he, unwillingly, followed her.

The hoot of an owl nearby added to the gloomy atmosphere and it seemed almost as if the light faded a little at the sound.

"Em …" said the young man again, "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes! I can see something. Look!" She pointed to the tangle of brambles and branches which lay in their path.

"What? I can't see anything." For answer, Em pointed again. "I see it too," he exclaimed, "What is it?" He peered at the grey shape which lay huddled in the midst of the briars.

"I think it's …" Em trailed off doubtfully.

Now it was the young man who took the lead, "Let's find out!" He looked around him and, finding a tree branch lying on the ground, seized it and used it to pull away the undergrowth which was obscuring a shape which had been long hidden.

The long shape finally revealed, he turned to Em and asked, "You ready?"

Em nodded, "I guess." She stooped and reached out a tentative hand to touch the greyness. "Oh!" she exclaimed as she drew her hand back immediately.

"What?"

"It's cold … and damp …"

"Let me see …"

"No," said Em, "I'll do it." She leaned forward once more, and steadying herself, brought out a torch. The light from the torch seemed to make the surrounding shadows even darker … the owl hooted once more. Em cleared away some clinging ivy and then swallowed as she shone the torch on to the grey object. She gasped as the light revealed the end of their search,

Here lies the body of Anthony DiNozzo: 1972 to 2069.

There was a sudden glare of light,

"Cut!" shouted the director. "Good work, Em … and Pete! I think that's all we need. We'll go for some close shots but that's you done for the day."

"You OK, Em?" asked Pete.

"Yeah. Of course," said Em, "I mean, I knew what we were going to find … I guess I got wrapped up in it a bit too much."

"You sure?" asked Pete, "I mean, they made it pretty spooky. I think the owl might have been a step too far …" he gazed at his companion, "Hey, you sure you're OK?"

"I'm fine," insisted Em, "But … you mind if we …"

"Miss Mark!" came the producer's voice.

Em sighed but her professionalism won out and she summoned a welcoming smile, "What is it, Malcolm?"

"Wanted to know if you need a ride back to the pub? The crew's winding up for the day."

"No," said Em, "I'll stay here a while … then walk back. You know, clear my head?"

"You sure?" asked Malcolm.

"I'm sure," smiled Em.

"Pete?" asked the producer.

"No, I'm fine. Thanks."

It wasn't long before Pete and Em were alone in what, away from the shrouded woody area, was actually now quite a bright summer afternoon.

"You sure you're OK?" asked Pete again as he put an arm around her shoulder.

"Yes … or, I will be. It's just been more emotional than I thought it would be."

"You've seen Greet the Greats on TV … you know what it's like," Pete pointed out. "Some celebrities find it to be a real emotional roller coaster."

"I know," admitted Em, laying her head on Pete's shoulder, "But I guess I thought I'd be more in control. I'm an actress for God's sake, I thought I'd be playing a part."

"So, you thought it would be Emilia Mark, Oscar winning actress, on display rather than Emily DiNozzo?"

"I guess. But it's a great chance to dig back into the family history. I never knew my great grandfather – he was 97 when he died and that was nearly 30 years before I was born. I've spoken to my grandparents … to my parents and Auntie Nicky … and I can tell they adored him but that perhaps there was something they didn't know about him. Greet the Greats seemed a heaven-sent chance to find out more. After all, the show has resources I can't tap into."

"I know," said Pete soothingly, "And I understand … I just don't want you getting upset. Not now!"

"I won't," promised Em. "Don't worry!"

"Well," said Pete, "If you say so … but you have to admit that that scene was set up like something out of a Hammer House of Horror movie!"

"I know," giggled Em, "The toppled over gravestone, lying in a deserted wood … they'll probably shop in some footage of clouds scudding across a full moon as well!"

"And I'm not sure the church … or the rest of the family … will be pleased when they see it," said Pete.

"I'll explain," said Em, "Tell them that it's a feature of the programme. They always have to have some dramatic disclosure at the beginning. And I figure that, as we're in England, they thought that mist, fog and damp were pre-requisites."

"I'll leave that in your capable hands … now, let's head back. There's a pint of bitter waiting for me."

"In a minute," said Em, "Can we can go and have a look at the real grave?"

"Again? Em?" said Pete with a hint of a whine.

"Please? I just want to look at it again. I don't want to go to sleep with the vision of that neglected headstone … it was too sad." Em's voice caught on a sob.

"You know," said Pete severely, "Method acting is all well and good … but …"

"Idiot," said Em fondly, "Come on. It's on our way anyway."

Pete and Em turned their back on the mocked up grave stone and walked towards a corner of the country church graveyard. Near the hedge, they saw two well-kept graves with rose bushes flowering over them.

Em knelt and traced the wording on one of the gravestones, "Catherine Sophia DiNozzo, born 1985, died 2070, beloved wife of Anthony. Hello, Great Granny," she whispered. Then she stretched out a hand to the other stone, "Anthony DiNozzo, born 1972, died 2069, adored husband of Catherine. Hi, Great Grandpa … I've heard so much about you," she chuckled, "And some of it is good … and from what I hear, you'd be surprised to know that people had a high opinion of you. Like great-granddaughter like great-grandfather, I guess! You know, I think you'd be proud …"

"Em!" said Pete, "Come on, it's getting late. You can come back tomorrow and talk to him. And you know that tomorrow is when they start telling you what they've found out about your great!"

"I know," sighed Em, "Hey, help me up, why don't you?" When she was standing again, she touched the grave stones gently, "Au revoir! I'll be back tomorrow," she sighed, "Hey, Pete, you think I could buy some flowers in the village? I'd like to bring them something."

"Sure," said Pete. "You'll need to check you buy something rabbits don't like to munch on!"

"What?"

Pete pointed to the droppings around the hedge. "You forget – I did a voiceover for Peter Rabbit in the Beatrix Potter remake … I know about these things!"

"Idiot!" said Em, "And I think it was a remake of a remake of a remake …"

"All right, Miss Pernickety … and don't forget, I brought you a Peter Rabbit plush toy!"

"Yes, you did, my McHero!"

Peter McHugh groaned, "I thought you'd given up on the mcnicknames!"

"I know," said Em with mock penitence, "I don't know why but they just seem right! Come on, McHusband, let's go and get you that pint of bitter!"

"Now you're talking!"

As they walked hand in hand along the English country lane, Em found herself wondering what she would find out about Anthony DiNozzo …

AN: in the UK we have a programme called 'Who Do You Think You Are?' in which celebrities are helped to find out about their ancestors … I thought inventing a similar show designed to help stars find out about ('greet') their greats (great grandparents) would be a way of Emily finding out about her great grandfather …

So yes, I 'killed' Tony off but at the age of 97 … so perhaps that's not so bad?