When Gibbs speaks to Zuri, he professes concern about his wife and child. Gibbs, totally out of character and reality, actually brought Sayda Zuri along to the ultimate gun battle with the assassins where she sensibly remained in the car. Once Thomas Zuri came up the driveway beside his house, Sayda approaches him for a happy reunion, except he is shocked to see her. The reason for his surprise and ultimately Sayda’s: Thomas Zuri’s new wife and child emerge from the house, revealing that Zuri had moved on with his life after leaving Burundi.

Thomas Zuri tells Sayda Zuri that he thought her and their son were killed when their village was destroyed in the Burundi civil war. That and the fact that she never answered his letters (she having only received one), Zuri assumed the worst. In a most painful apology, Thomas tells Sayda he is sorry at the same time indicating she will not part of his future. Sayda reacts gracefully, telling him that she is only glad he is still alive.

Earlier in the episode, Ziva had been moved by Sayda’s belief that Thomas was her soul mate. Sayda’s reaction to Ziva and Ziva’s to her made for an intriguing juxtaposition of Sayda’s love for her husband and Ziva’s unresolved feelings for DiNozzo. Ziva did query Tony about whether he believed in soul mates, receiving a toss-off typical of DiNozzo. The Ziva-DiNozzo dynamic shows no signs of clearing up anytime soon.

The show is making a human interest corner with “Designated Target,” and “Requiem,” and “Family” that is showing a softening Leroy Jethro Gibbs (but far from a complete softening). Season five seems the one where Gibbs will be the great revelation.