Title: The Sound of Her Grief
Pairing: None.
Rating: K+
Genre: Gen
Cat: Angst, Episode Tag
Spoilers: Tag to 10x11 Shabbat Shalom
Warnings: Canon character death.
Summary: He feels numb. The events at the end of the episode, from a different perspective.
Author's Note: I had started an actual McGee & Ziva tag to this ep, but I had no idea where it was going, so I started this this morning, and it's short, but it was much more effective.

She transforms from feral cat to scared kitten in a matter of seconds.

He knows it's coming the moment she asks of her father's whereabouts, but he can't do it, finds himself unable to speak even if he wanted to.

And she knows, though denial crawls over her face as she stares into his eyes, begging him to tell her otherwise.

He can only return her gaze.

I'm sorry, Ziva. I'm so sorry.

She turns and runs into the house then, and he and Gibbs follow, their feet moving by sheer instinct.

None of them want to see her go through this. But she shouldn't be alone. She shouldn't have to. . .

Her scream pierces the silence, lodging itself between his ribs. It is just as painful to listen to her, watch as she falls to her father's lifeless side, wrap her arms around him and babble in her native tongue, as it is for her at that moment, realizing he is gone.

He feels numb. He can only stare, until someone forces him to turn away, but the sound of her grief will never leave him.

It occurs to him then that Eli was the only family she had left. And he wants to turn around, run to her and make her look at him, tell her that he'll never leave her, that she'll always have them, but he hears the quiet order in his ear and nods, walking away from the house.

He climbs into the driver's seat of their car and waits for Tony to join him. His chest hurts and he still feels empty. This job is rarely easy and he is already sensitive to the plight of others, but this is different. This is personal. Ziva's pain is as much his own, and Director Vance. . .

The passenger door opens and Tony slips inside, quiet. He closes the door and buckles his seat belt. "Bethesda."

His hand lingers over the keys in the ignition and he finds himself saying, "Ziva. . ."

Tony's jaw clenches. "Just go, Tim."

He swallows and turns the key, starting the car and backing out of the driveway.

Even after they reach the hospital, even after Ducky and Abby arrive, and Vance tells Gibbs. . .

He can only think:

She shouldn't be alone. She shouldn't be alone. . .

end