Sun beat down upon her white clothing as she stood in the sandy desert abyss. It was not fair.

Ari was dead now too.

Ziva had never been a woman to be saddened by death or to fear inanimate objects. So it was of great surprise that every time she thought of her brother she felt her heart shake a bit, like earth that is hardened by time but so ready to break in half at its weathered down core.

This trip to Israel was not planned, nor called for. But it was worth it. Ziva had never seen her elder brothers grave, and had only seen Tali's a handful of times since her death. Her too tragic death.

Birds circled high in the sky and heat invaded every sense she had. Her face felt hot, although she doubted that would go away even if she were in a cooler environment. The ring on her left hand sparkled much like the metal of the nearby rental car.

Tony DiNozzo stood only a few feet behind the ebony curled woman. He watched as her eyes grew distant and the slight hot air blew her hair around a bit. Tony hated that his wife was in pain.

Since they had first began as lovers, only three years prior, he had felt a connection take hold, as cliche as it sounded. He felt as though if she were happy, he was happy. If she felt awkward, he did not want to be involved in the situation. And if she was upset, he certainly was as well.

His muscular form moved closer to her to stand right beside her, moving his hand to hover over hers. Tony could feel the energy there, like a shockwave of comfort. Placing it into Ziva's and squeezing it lightly, he rubbed a thumb in a circle on her dark-skinned palm.

This was all they needed to know that the other was there.

They had been through almost everything together.

Kate. "I lost my little sister, Tali, in a Hammas suicide bombing."

Roy. "Well, we got another dead man walking."

Paula. Though there were never any true words, the comfort was a mutual thing, only interfered with by her.

Jeanne Benoit."Tony, even if by some miracle Jeanne did forgive you, would you be willing to be Tony DiNardo full-time? To leave your entire life behind for her? You did not think this through."

Jenny. Oh, Jenny. "It was inevitable," he mutters.

"Nothing is inevitable."

Michael. "You jeopardized your entire career, and for what?" She spits out furiously.

"For you."

Somalia. "Couldn't live without you...I guess."

Paris. That's all there is to say.

Her father. Gibbs retiring. Mr. Miami. Her mother's death. A first James Bond movie.

Abby and Tim's wedding. A first undercover operation together. A naturalization ceremony.

Life. Just life. Learning. Idioms. Faith. Pain. Jealousy. Acceptance. Healing. Love.

Words. Touches. Looks. Smiles. Nods. Silences.

Ziva turned away suddenly, walking back towards the car with her head held high, her eyes squinting against the bright light. Tony hurried to catch up with her fast moving form, bracing himself for her attitude. She was always so unpredictable.

"You okay?" He asks lightly, getting in the passenger's seat, waiting for the quick surge the car would make as she took off quickly. Tony would have usually begged her to drive, but he knew she was emotionally stressed at the moment, and would argue profusely.

Her swollen stomach being mere inches from the steering wheel also made him on edge, understandably.

"Fine." Which he knew was a lie. She knew it too.

Ziva did not cry. The burial spots for her siblings saddened her immensely, yes. But she did not cry. Seeing them, though in the ground, at some type of peace, gave her a new outlook. A positive one. Coming to the realization that this was just life, she looks at Tony, brown eyes warm and a tad glossy, and says words that make him believe it's okay. In a way.

"Really, Tony, I am. Things will work out in the end, yes?"

He stares at her for a beat, gauging her exterior, before smiling slightly, and nodding, rubbing a soothingly on her thigh. That's all they'll ever need.

A touch to know they're there.

"Yeah, Zee, it is."

Okay? Please review, they're mucho appreciated! Thanks. :)

-Alivia Alise