Epilogue

Six months later….

Dear Master Miyagi,

I'm sorry if I'm just writing to you now, I know I promised to do it soon, but it's been really busy months in which everything has happened. And in fact, there are many news that I want to tell you, even if you certainly know some of these already. Let's start step by step so I gradually explain what happened. I went back to work a few days after I arrived, even though I had to take several exams: I must admit that it was more difficult than I expected. The journey I took to find myself changed me so much that it made me choose another specialization if we can define it as such. I always work at NCIS, but this time I decided to take care of the families of the victims, a psychologist help for those who need it, often I go to the field, but not as before. Tony accepted this decision easily, in fact he was almost relieved because he didn't want me to risk his life so much: he was the first to support me, while I can't say the same about Gibbs at all. He was particularly upset; he's stubborn and he had to realize for himself that this is what I wanted to do and needed for myself. So my work, as you well understood, is mostly office work, but that's fine with me. Of course it can be said that I don't lack adrenaline, but I couldn't go back to doing what I did before.

As for my slightly crazy family, it always remains so even if, after my return, they were all close to me, I think they were afraid that I would go away again. It was no coincidence that I had to promise that I would never leave: my absence, for all of them was truly traumatic, just as it was for me. Tony found a loved one during my absence; they are still excellent friends and colleagues as well. Ellie Bishop is a fantastic woman, in fact we almost immediately made a beautiful friendship even if it was not easy and I confess that, even today I am jealous of the relationship she has established with Tony. As soon as I see them laughing and joking together, a strong jealousy assails me to the point that I would like to go there and separate them, immediately; and when he discovers me he laughs, he makes fun of me, but then he approaches and kisses me and all the jealousy and fear disappear, leaving room only for love and affection.

So speaking of Tony, my husband… oh god it still has a certain effect on me to call him that, it happened so fast it's taking some getting used to. Since we met six months ago, on that bench - our bench - we have talked a lot about ourselves, about our future and everything has started to make sense; everything has started to fit together just like the pieces of a puzzle. Tony is wonderful, I had never seen him from this point of view: he always fills me with attention - sometimes too much -, he takes nothing for granted, even if at the beginning it was not easy: we had to find a way to go d agreement and being together, not just any one but our way of living together. We had a bad time, it was difficult to see each other after a year, more painful than anything else. We had suffered so much that we could not overcome it naturally: we hated ourselves for what we had done to ourselves and to our love, for not having had the strength to give ourselves a chance. We fought as usual, but every time I thought I couldn't make it, your teachings, your words came into my mind and I made myself strong.

What do we do now? Well, we are married, we love each other like all couples do and we fight like only we know how to do, but as soon as we make peace we can love each other even more. Sometimes when we fight I put Tony to the test, sometimes I enjoy it and sometimes I do it because I'm afraid of losing him or ruining what has been created between us, because I'm insecure about us, but it always ends in the best way; even though he doesn't know it, he shows me, every time, that we can do it, especially if we are together. When he asked me to marry him with a Tony - or James Bond - style proposal, I literally freaked out: I reacted very badly and if it had been another person he would have left me. You know how I am, for what little we have been together you have learned to know me, so you can imagine my reaction, despite this he was fantastic: he let me "boil" and then with his ways, as soon as the waters have calmed down he managed to convince me. The best part, besides obviously the wedding, was telling Gibbs: he didn't take it at all well, but after giving Tony a slap, he hugged me and told us exactly: "Finally! You were able to understand what we have always known "making us laugh and wonder at the same time. I never believed Gibbs knew this: I know he misses nothing, but I never thought he was rooting for us; it was he who accompanied me. A day full of emotions that I will never forget, perhaps the best day of my life: we had few guests, it was an intimate ceremony, with all the people most important to us; Tony's father even came and, after not a few insistence on my part, he decided to invite him. I learned that whatever pain your family has caused you, your family still remains: perhaps with a thousand problems, with many difficult situations to face or with a not so bright past, but it will always be the place where we come from, it will always be our mark , the past one and the future one, wherever we will be. Not surprisingly, that evening, Tony thanked me for having insisted so much: it was a new beginning for us, for our family.

After six months, however, this was not the only surprise, we decided to adopt a girl, not because we didn't want our own children, we will have them but I felt that it was something I had to do. Tony was initially upset because he believed we were too young, that it was too early, but the truth was that he believed he couldn't be a good father, how to blame him? He didn't have a good example, much less me; we're so scared of this big step, I'm sure we can make it. For you this is not new, is it? In fact, we decided to adopt Marleen, even if due to all those bureaucratic procedures to follow, it was not easy at all. Anyway we sent all the documents of her and as soon as everything is ready we would come to pick her up: I am no longer in the skin - so you will also have the opportunity to meet my Tony. She is ready: we have written to each other several times, I could not abandon her; the first time I saw her, something clicked inside me that I can't explain and, even though it took us a while to establish contact, I knew she was my little girl.

I still don't know how to thank you for what you have given me: know that you have given me more than an inner peace: you have given me a new life, a new myself, a husband and a daughter, a family of my own and the love that I thought I didn't deserve. Thanks to that trip and to you, I started living again.

P.S.

Wait for me, we'll see you soon. I told Tony about that magical place and I told him that we will go there, I can't wait, he will not so much but he will do it for me, I hope you don't mind, but he is my life and with him I want to share that enchanted place.

Author's space:

Here I am again at the last chapter ... this is very short, but precisely because it is an epilogue, which I hope you enjoyed. If I have to be honest this understanding was not even taken into account, the story had to end with the 3rd chapter, but how could I leave it like this? As a fan of Ncis, of Tiva I thought they deserved a better conclusion and therefore how this part was born. I tried to answer a bit of all the questions that chapter 3 left open, giving that touch of sweetness that is expected from an epilogue, and while it is true that this leaves some questions (what will their life with Marleen be like? Will it happen? Will they be able to make their work coincide with their family?) at the moment I leave these questions to your imagination, but it is not certain that I do not do a continuum of the story, never say never is my motto.

I am happy to have reached the end of this story, even if sad because they have accompanied me for quite some time, and I will miss writing about them, but I'm not going away .... keep following me;)

And now it's the time of thanks, now as always I thank my cousin Viviana for helping me make the story fantastic, then I thank my sister who has been with me from the beginning and finally, no less caring thank you two unique friends;) Alice ( on EFP life before his eyes) and Lucrezia (on EFP _Fire) who loved this story as much as I did, and their words gave me a great boost, especially in moments when I had gaps. Finally, I thank all of you, my readers I hope you liked this adventure of Ziva, this story and this conclusion, at least a little and if you go, leave a negative or positive review that will always be welcome =)

Kisses and see you next time