Following Tali

49 - Without her

"We're sorry Miss David" "but we have to call off the search for your daughter" PC Bridges apologised with that look, you know the one they give when they apologise but don't really care

"why" she asked pure horror written across her face

"Another case has come up and now the weather has improved her survival rates are much higher than before"

"Thank you" Ziva smiled closing the door, Tony was out searching and Tali was at school so she was alone, Kai was her baby, her daughter, her light and her life, it was all gone... all of it.

"Zi" Tony yelled he had spent the whole day searching for Kai then picked Tali up from school, she was still in a mood because Kai was after all her twin and they would always share everything

"Tal, go play in there okay" Tony smiled "and take the paci out" he said pulling it slightly from her mouth but she just shook her head and ran off to play

"Zi" he called again walking up the stairs and into their room "hey Zi" he smiled at her she was sprawled out face down across their bed, "hey" he said turning her over to see her cheeks bright red and clear tear tracks "oh baby" he whispered climbing into their bed next to her "what happened sweetcheeks" he smiled at her kissing her hair

"PC Bridges came round earlier, she uh" "she said that they" "they had to" "stop you know" she stuttered crying again

"its okay Zi" he said wrapping his arm around her and pulling her into his chest "but I don't know" he hugged her

"they stopped looking for Kai" she cried into his shirt

"it's okay we'll find her without them okay" Tony promised her with tears starting to form in his eyes too, they stayed there together for what seemed like an eternity "we need to tell Tali" Tony said eventually speaking, "go freshen up, I'll start dinner" he said kissing her tears and leaving her to go downstairs.

"Tali sweetheart we need to talk to you" he called from the kitchen, Ziva had changed and the pizza was in the oven

"okay abba" she said or mumbled the paci still firmly stuck between her lips

"so Tali" Tony started, his right arm was wrapped around Ziva and Tali stood in front of them "the police can't find Kai, they can't look any harder" "Babygirl, she might not be coming home for a long time" he finished explaining hugging the only two of his girls her still had.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TIME SKIP

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been weeks since they lost Kai, her body hadn't turned up which gave both Tony and Ziva hope that one day their babygirl would be able to come home. Tali was still attached to her paci but only at home and occasionally at NCIS but not for school.

They were finally starting to get back to their routines minus one child in the mornings Ziva would throw up then go out jogging when she got back Tony would've gotten Tali dressed and they would be sitting at the table eating breakfast so Ziva would join them, then Tony would drive Tali in his car to school while Ziva drove her mini straight to work and start trying to find Kai until they got a different case. After school Ziva would drive to pick Tali up and either take her to Gym, Ballet or back to NCIS with her. At the weekends if they weren't working then Ziva would usually take Tali to the park where she would show Ziva all the new moves she had learnt or Tony would take her out to the movies where they would buy more popcorn and sweets than they would tell Ziva and watch whatever Tali wanted to. But if they were working then Tali would bring some of her dolls up to the bullpen and play either behind Ziva's desk or in Abby's lab, although some days she would dress up in all her gymnastics gear and beg Tony to let her go to the NCIS gym which he usually would so she would happily run off to the gym to practice her stretches or play games on her phone.

"Ima" she yelled running out of school, it was finally Friday and she got to go Gymnastics, she obviously missed Kai but she somehow knew she must be okay wherever she was and for now she needed to learn as much as she could so she could teach Kai when she gets back

"Hey Tal" Ziva smiled helping her into the car "your gym bag is in the back, and Gibbs is going to be picking you up afterwards for ice creams" Ziva explained as Tali sang along to the radio typing oon her phone "Tali are you listening"

"yeah, imm" she trailed off

"Talia" Ziva said again

"sorry ima Katie was telling me about this app her sister showed her"

"okay so what was I saying" Ziva asked, Tali was obsessed with that phone ever since they bought it for her

"that my bags in the back and Gibbs is picking my up for ice cream later" she said still tapping her phone

"Tali, thats right but please put your phone down for more than 3 seconds" Ziva warned

"sorry Ima, Emma is planning a shopping trip next week" she said switching her phone off and leaving it on the seat next to her

"okay, we're here anyway don't forget"

"Gibbs is picking me up today I know Ima" she smiled grabbing her bag and running into the gym as Ziva drove away.

"hey kiddo" Gibbs smiled ruffling Tali's hair

"Gibbs" she complained fixing her hair

"you ready to go" he asked

"yep" she grinned slipping her shorts over her leo

"lets get ice cream then" he smiled leading her to his car

Gibbs got plain vanilla with about a thousand brightly colored sprinkles thanks to Tali and Tali decided on cookies and cream for herself, they sat together in the food court eating and talking for over an hour until Tali got a text

"Ima says you have a lead and abba wants a burger" Tali laughed as Gibbs groaned and headed over to the queue for food "I'll ask what everyone else wants" Tali giggled, they paid for the burgers and headed back to Gibbs car, they were only a couple minutes away from NCIS HQ so they got there pretty quick, Tali went around handing out everyones burgers then as Ziva was out chasing up a lead she sat at her desk and started her homework.

They went home pretty late so Gibbs let them all take the Saturday morning off

"Ima, please can I get Musical.ly" she asked over breakfast, Tony had made them all pancakes with berries and chocolate milk

"what's that" Ziva asked taking another mouthful of pancake, it was weird she had been gaining weight een though her diet hadn't changed

"you get to lipsync to songs and send them to people, I did one one Caelas phone yeterday and everyone really liked it" Tali smiled almost begging

"sure, I don't see why not" Ziva smiled

"thank you" Tali squealed getting out her phone to make her account "Thank you" she smiled again giving Ziva a hug.

A/N - I know it's not the best update but it's been six days (I try to update every three) so you guys get a unedited update, sorry :)