THIRD TIME LUCKY?
By
Ashleigh Anpilova
Ziva is thinking back to the time she broke a mirror and the things that have happened to her since that day. Dare she take a chance on finally being happy?
An established relationship story.
Written: January 2012. Word count: 500.
2013
She stares around the hotel room; it's opulent; too opulent; what is she doing here? Why did she let Abby and Breena talk her into spending the night here? It is not her; yet part of her dares to allow herself to revel in the luxury, to enjoy the opulence.
Her dress is beautiful; plain and simple. The hairdresser has been and gone. Again, she wonders why she allowed herself to be 'managed'. Why she had not simply spent the night in Gibbs's spare room and got ready in his bathroom? Except in the end even Gibbs had been supportive of Abby's plans - just as he always was.
So here she is.
This was it.
The happiest day of her life - or so she has always been told.
And yet she is having last minute doubts as she remembers . . .
2007
"Seven years bad luck, Ziva!"
"What?"
"You broke a mirror; that's seven years bad luck, right, Probie?"
"Well I don't know that I - It's one of those saying, Ziva."
"Well I do not believe it."
"You should, Ziva. You can't mess with fate."
2009
"I had no choice."
"That is a lie."
"Why would I lie to you, Ziva?"
. . .
"He was playing you, Ziva."
"For some reason, you felt it was your job to protect me?"
"I did what I had to do."
"You killed him."
"If I hadn't, you'd be having this conversation with him. But maybe that's the way you'd prefer it."
"Perhaps I would!"
. . .
"You. Weren't. There.
"But I should have been!"
"You loved him."
"I guess I will never know."
2012
"It's okay to ask for help, you know."
"Do not need help, Tony. I am fine."
"I can see that. Give it to me. Listen, don't beat yourself up. There's no way you could've seen it coming. No way any of us could've seen that coming. You'll find somebody, someday."
"I am not sure I want to. I do not think children and marriage are part of the plan for me right now. And I am fine with that. Perfectly . . . perfectly content with my life.
"Content, but are you happy?"
"Are you?"
2013
She shakes her head, banishing both conversations.
She had lied about Michael; he had loved him.
Just as she had loved Ray.
Two men; both loved by her; both in their own way destroyed her.
And then there is Tony; always there; looking out for her; watching her back; loving her despite what she did and said. Always there; always loving; never letting go. But was it right? Could she take the chance? Was it going to be third time lucky or . . . ?
"I do not believe in broken mirrors."
"Nah, neither do I, Ziva. You ready?" Gibbs holds out his arm to her.
She looks around the room; Abby had been right to insist she spent the night there. It had banished her ghosts; her spirits; her past. "Yes, Gibbs," she says, picking up her bouquet and putting her arm though his. "I am ready."
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