Thanks to zats and oracle_981 for reviewing chapter 9

I own nothing. All rights go to Donald P. Bellisario. No copyright intended and I make no money from this story.

I am so sorry that it took so long. I have had no internet connection for days.

This is the last chapter, so I hope you enjoy it.

Ziva was in Willow Banks, getting ready for the night out. Mel had come to help her choose an outfit, and was preventing Ziva from feeling nervous about what she was going to say that night.

She had a shower and then washed and dried her hair. For the first time since her accident, she straightened it.

Having run the straighteners through her hair, it almost reached her shoulders. It was a nice feeling and she actually quite liked it this length. She couldn't wait to grow it out again though.

She sat and stared at the clothes in her wardrobe. She didn't want to wear a dress. Even though she had daily exercises to prevent muscular atrophy, she was very self conscious about them.

After 10 frustrating minutes, she decided on smart black trousers and a long, red wrap-around top. Heels were annoying in her chair, so she settled on black flats. The overall effect was not too bad, she thought to herself as she applied some nude makeup, while looking i the full length mirror.

Mel walked Ziva to the front doors where she was going to wait for Tony who was going to give her a lift.

If asked, she would deny it but Ziva was pretty sure that Mel had a major crush on Tony. He was running a little late, but when he arrived, he presented her with a flower. It was cute.

Watching her tired arms struggle to lift her weight from the chair to the car had been embarrassing for both of them, but they ignored it, as the car sped down the motorway.

The journey was nice as they chatted about stuff. They teased and joked with other, slipping into their familiar banter of their love hate relationship, which was more love than hate, but Ziva fell silent as they drew nearer. This would be her first social outing with the team as a whole and she had a big announcement to make.

There was no time left to ponder, as Tony pulled up outside the restaurant, in beside Abby's hearse, in one of the three disabled spaces. Ziva put her blue badge on the dashboard, and they went in.

The restaurant was small. McGee, Ducky, Abby and Gibbs were already seated at a table by the window waiting for them.

She positioned herself between Abby and Tony, where a chair had been removed for her.

A waitress came over and took their orders. She had decided on chicken with a spicy sauce and potato wedges. The food at Willow Banks was always really bland. Next to her, Abby was having the same thing.

It was a very companionable evening, as they relaxed and chatted over their meal. Abby was a little hyper as they told Ziva and McGee about a completely ridiculous case that they had caught, before either of them arrived.

It was a nice evening, and everyone was relaxing over their coffees when Ziva cleared her throat.

"There is something I have been wanting to tell you all." She blushed slightly as she paused for dramatic effect. "I have decided to come back to work on a trial basis, starting next Monday"

She sat for a moment while her team processed the information. It was a wonderful feeling when everyone realised what she had just said and she was engulfed in hugs from her family.

They had been through a lot in the last few months, but they had completed a circle. She was out of rehab, going back to the job she loved and a hand controlled car was on the horizon for a few months time.

Life was good. Different, but good.

Well that's it. I hope you enjoyed it. I felt that this was an appropriate place to end my story, even though she has not gone back to NCIS.

I will write a sequel if there is enough demand, and people give me clues about which direction it should go.

Thanks for reading right till the end.

REVIEW. You know you want to.