FALLING LEAVES
By
Ashleigh Anpilova
Tony is watching his children play in the falling leaves and remembering.
An established relationship story.
Warning: Major character death mentioned.
Written: May 2010. Word Count: 300.
He watches the twins run through the carpet of brightly colored leaves: golds, oranges, reds, browns. He hears them giggle and call to their grandpa. He sees them catch more leaves as the trees release them. They're happy; and finally he's content.
It's taken three years, but he's found peace within himself. He knows she'd have been angry with him for taking so long, but he'd loved her; he still loves her; he'll always love her.
He wishes she was with him. But she isn't. Yet she is. She's in the twins: Sarah Caitlin Tali and Anthony David Timothy.
Sarah: a good Hebrew name. Also named for Tim's sister, as it'd been Tim, tired of watching them dance around one another, who'd told Gibbs Rule #12 should sometimes be broken. Gibbs had listened.
Anthony: because she'd said tradition was important.
She'd left him and the twins long before she should have; but at least it'd been quick. Two months after the diagnosis, he'd held her hand as she'd slipped away. The team hadn't been able to comfort him; so he'd done what he'd never thought he'd do: he went home.
With the help of his dad, who was a better grandfather than father, he brought up the twins. They'd exchanged the city for the mountains and busy evenings out for quiet evenings in.
"Daddy, Daddy, look. My leaf's the same color as Mommy's eyes!"
He swallows hard as he swings Sarah up into his arms and hugs her. The leaf isn't the only thing that's the same color as Ziva's eyes; Sarah's are the perfect match.
"Yeah, honey. It is. You want to take it home?"
She nods and snuggles against him for a moment before wriggling to be put down; she runs back to join her brother and grandpa.
Feedback is always appreciated
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