INT, ZIVA'S APARTMENT HALLWAY - EVENING

A shot on the bathroom door, slightly open with a glimpse

shining outwards. Some internal COUGHING is softly heard, but it becomes more violent and louder.

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FOOTSTEPS are heard walking towards the bathroom. ZIVA stops in front of the door and KNOCKS on the wall next to the slightly open door.

ZIVA Is everything alright in there?

No response as the coughing continues.

ZIVA Okay I'm getting worried, so I'm coming in!

VOICE (O.S.) (continues to cough) No, don't! I'm not decent!

Too late as Ziva barges inside the bathroom, opening the door all the way. We see SHADOWS in front of his litter box - coughing.

ZIVA What's going on?

SHADOWS Was just a hairball is all. Kinda

got stuck in my throat.

KG

ZIVA Are you sure? Because that didn't sound like just a hairball situation.

SHADOWS Dude, I'm fine.

Shadows walks out the bathroom, trying to hide his pain. Walking through the hallway, he ends up in front of Ziva's open bedroom door and enters, as Ziva follows along.

INT. ZIVA'S ROOM - EVENING

Shadow jumps up to the highest tier of his cat tower. Ziva stands in front o

front of the tower, arms crossed, and stares at him. Shadows licks himself, trying to ignore Ziva's gaze. After what felt like an eternity, he finally looks up.

DP

SHADOWS What is it?!

ZIVA Are we gonna talk about it?

SHADOWS Talk about what?

ZIVA You know what I'm talking about!

Ziva pulls her phone out, and looks through her voicemail. She plays the most recently received message.

H UH

DOCTOR ANDERSON (through voicemail, sounding very joyful) Hi, Miss Jones, it's Doctor Anderson from the Vet Clinic. We're not too sure yet, but from the looks of our diagnosis earlier today, your cat has cancer. I suggest you take him back in for more testing just to make sure, but remember, the tests may or may not be one hundred percent accurate. But it's always good to take the test. Call back the clinic to make an appointment. Hope to see you soon! Have a cat-astic day!

The voicemail slowly becomes muffled near the end of the message and is almost unhearable. All while Ziva is staring at Shadows, waiting for his reaction.

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SHADOWS The Doc said may or may not. I definitely don't have it. I'm indestructible.

have y no m

ZIVA No, you're not! We need to make an appointment real soon. If anything happens to y...

SHADOWS You're worried about nothing. I'm always gonna be here.

A silence between the two.

SHADOWS Cheer up. I'll let you pet me tomorrow first thing in the morning.

P.HU

More silence.

SHADOWS Alright if it makes you happy, we'll run more tests. Geeze.

Shadows jumps off his tower and walks towards Ziva. He rubs up against her leg and PURRS.

As Ziva is about to bend down and pick him up - Shadows : begins to cough. And continues to do so until blood begins coming out.

ZIVA Shadows?!

Ziva cradles him in her arms.

ZIVA Shadows no! Please no!

An aerial, slow spinning shot as Ziva begins to shake an unconscious Shadows and everything becomes muted and turns to black and white. As we cut to...

INT. ZIVA'S ROOM - MORNING

Ziva wakes up with sweat on her head and a slight SHOUT. An aerial shot as she stares up at the ceiling. She does not want to look around her room. After a moment, she turns

down towards her feet. There lies a sleeping Shadows. She quickly grabs him and nestles him on her chest.

ZIVA You wouldn't believe the nightmare I had...

Shadows purrs with eyes closed.

As she continues to caress her cat, her phone RINGS, but

she pays no attention to it. It goes to voicemail.

A close up shot of the phone.

DOCTOR ANDERSON (joyfully) Hi again Miss Jones. It's Doctor Anderson. Do ignore my last message, I actually had another pet's test results. Your cat is fine, his tooth is just in bad shape. We'll need you two to come in so we can extract. Have a cat-tastic day!

We slowly zoom out from Shadows face to a wider shot of the

girl and her cat.

FADE OUT TO BLACK