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Author's Note: This is the last chapter! I want to thank all of you for keeping up with this story and for ALL of the awesome reviews! There will be more Zibbs from me very soon, so if that sounds like something you would be interested in, keep an eye out. Thank you for reading my story and giving me more inspiration than I ever could have on my own.

Disclaimer: NCIS is NOT my property.

Summary: Gibbs and Ziva address some issues, both at home and work.

Rating: K (Perfectly safe!)

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Waking the next morning, Ziva found herself lightly treading down her stairs. Finding her bed empty panic had ensued. However, it subsided when the smell of coffee hit her senses.

She had put on her robe before she went downstairs and when she entered the kitchen, she found Gibbs sitting at the kitchen table, cup of coffee in front of him. Dressed in a Marines T-Shirt and sweatpants, Gibbs is comfortable and wide awake.

His back is to her which gave her the perfect opportunity to come around him from behind and and out her arms around his neck, pulling him back into her. His hands run up and down her arm affectionately, his tone is warm when he speaks:

"Was gonna let you sleep."

Ziva kissed the top of Gibbs' head, smiling as she did so:

"So I noticed."

Gibbs knew what he wanted to discuss and he knew he wanted to take it slow. Now seemed as good a time as any:

"Come. Sit."

She moves and takes a seat in front of him, not wanting coffee. Looking at him, Ziva knew that there was a conservation somewhere in him he wanted to speak of:

"Am I missing something?"

Gibbs smirked:

"Somalia."

He had to say it to get any other doubts she may have had out of her mind. Gibbs was afraid that if he'd said something like: 'We need to talk.' she would panic. Ziva would take the worst to heart, more than likely thinking that he regretted last night.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Ziva's back instantly stiffens when the name of her temporary Hell had been mentioned.

She knew this was coming:

"I was waiting for this. You have been…more than patient on this subject."

"Ya need to talk, Ziver."

She knew he was right.

He knew he was right.

It was time.

And Ziva made the first move:

"I told you most everything when I was in the Interrogation Room. I was in Hell. That much I know you know."

She looks away, her voice having becoming thicker than she thought it would have.

Gibbs takes both of her hands in his:

"Keep going. I wanna know it all."

The word want was true. He wanted her to be happy and he knew they couldn't possibly go any further if she kept this part buried:

"I was beaten. I was pushed to every limit possible. I was without food and water. I was surprised."

"Surprised?"

Ziva stayed calm, not growing angry or breaking into tears:

"When they first captured me, Saleem told me he wanted information. Which he never received from me during my…stay. I was not raped, Saleem told me that would only be a distraction from gaining the intel he looked for from me. I thought for sure that kind of…pain would be part of their methods. I was surprised,"

Gibbs can only squeeze her hands lightly, showing he was there. Ziva continued:

"For three long months, I was accused of being a traitor and a liar. I was called every name in the manual and brought to what I thought were the limits of my physical strength. I accepted the fact that NCIS couldn't find me."

After that last statement, Ziva hangs her head, not wanting to look at the man in front of her. Gibbs was supportive, but the last comment made her cringe at herself.

NCIS did find her and while she was in Somalia, she doubted their capabilities.

That was wrong of her.

Gibbs lets go of one of her hands and puts a finger under her chin, pulling her back to his eyes:

"Ya did what you had to. You survived."

His hand returns to her palm, her voice finding some level of confidence again:

"I realized while I was over there that I never…truly loved Rivkin. I was lonely and wanted someone to talk to. He was never the man I deeply wanted. You found me. You saved me. NCIS had my back. I only wish I knew how to repay them. And you."

Gibbs smirked and shook his head. She had been put through Hell and she wanted to give him something. The woman was loyal to a fault:

"Don't have to repay us. Just get through this."

Ziva couldn't help but smile and she finally began to feel the sting of tears at the back of her eyes.

Her life had certainly changed in the past few months. And now she was sitting across from a man she honestly trusted. And a man she would do anything for.

She lets go of his hands and stands, motioning for him to do the same. Gibbs does and is surprised when Ziva springs into his arms, pulling him as close as she can manage.

He smiles and holds her just as tight, knowing that sometimes the best thing was action when you didn't know how to form the words.

Gibbs has her in his arms and he knows this might be all he'll hear about Somalia. But maybe not.

Either way, he's going to be there.

Something would have to be told to the team…eventually. And Gibbs and Ziva would let them in when the time was right and when they knew what to say.

Until then, Gibbs and Ziva had the weekend off. And enjoying it was at the top of their list.

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Four Weeks Later

Over the course of the past four weeks, the Gibbs team had received a lot of news.

They were told about Gibbs living with Ziva and most were happy.

When asked about their relationship status, Gibbs and Ziva had decided to leave things as they were. They each wanted to keep the pressure off and let things happen naturally.

Ducky said he was glad it finally happened, Abby was excited and McGee and Palmer were each supportive.

Leon Vance…well Leon didn't officially know anything. But un-officially, Vance said they should be happy-and careful.

Which left Anthony DiNozzo.

Tony didn't say a single word on the subject.

He still made his film references, still called McGee anything he could think of, and still hit on any hot woman that walked into the room.

But when it came to Gibbs or Ziva, it was strictly business.

No Mossad jokes, no cracks about her English examples, mentions of Gibbs' ex-wives were long gone, and all headslaps had stopped.

DiNozzo didn't receive a single headslap.

That fact alone was scary enough.

So when Ziva walked into the bullpen, seeing McGee and Tony already there, a surprise greeted her on her desk.

And there was something on Gibbs' desk as well:

"Where did this come from?"

A large and beautiful bouquet of roses, tulips, and orchids were carefully arranged in their glass vase.

There's no card to read, but McGee knew that:

"They were here when I got here."

"Really?"

Standing admiring them, Ziva had a thought of who they were from and it wasn't Gibbs, who was now behind her, seeing the flowers over her shoulder:

"They're nice, Ziver."

Walking over and sitting behind his desk, Ziva couldn't help but agree:

"Yes. But it appears you have something as well."

Gibbs nodded at her motion to the wrapped, long box siting in front of him. He gets out his knife and opens the box quickly and carefully at the top.

And when he realizes what's inside, he can't help but lightly chuckle:

"Think I know where these came from."

McGee and Ziva look at each other, both puzzled:

"What is it Boss?"

Gibbs pulls out a very vintage bottle of bourbon, one that was aged with experience and grace. Definitely a brand to be consumed on special occasions:

"This, McGee, is a bottle of the best bourbon I've ever had."

"How long ago was that?"

McGee knew very little about bourbon and anytime Gibbs was telling a story, it was usually a good one:

"When I first met Mike Franks."

McGee nodded, Ziva smiled, and Tony-who had been quiet through the whole exchange-finally looked away from the computer screen and to the three people in the room.

Rising, he stands in the center of what was their adoptive home away from home and spoke to both Gibbs and Ziva:

"Look, I know I haven't exactly been happy about the arrangement you two have going on. But it's not up to me,"

Tony scratches his head, trying to form his words. Ziva glances over at Gibbs and when he looks back at her, he's greeted with concern and worry in her eyes.

When Tony first started shutting them out of anything that wasn't case-related, Ziva spoke to Gibbs.

She told him she would do whatever was necessary to get he and Tony back to the way they were, even transfer teams.

The way Ziva put it, Tony was there before she was.

Stunned by her theory, Gibbs told her to not worry about it. Tony would come around one way or another, that he just needed some space.

The last thing Gibbs wanted was anything to happen to any of his team members, especially transferring.

And now, it appeared to Ziva that Gibbs was right.

She just hoped the sinking feeling in her stomach was one that would go away due to good news and not linger due to bad:

"You two are my team, my family. Family I've known for years. Family I care about. The gifts are meant to be peace offerings, I know I haven't been too easy to handle these few weeks. But if this, this living together thing, is what you want you two have my support. On one condition,"

McGee and Ziva looked surprised, Tony had just given his blessing to Gibbs and Ziva.

Gibbs wanted to know what the condition was:

"What's that?"

DiNozzo finally let emerge a huge grin:

"Ziva's gotta cook dinner for me and Probie here. I mean Boss, she's had dinner parties, I want in!"

And just like that, the old Tony was back. And he got Tim in on the benefits as well, and he had no idea what was going on.

Gibbs smiled and Ziva moved from where she was standing and gave Tony one of the best hugs she could.

Saying in his ear:

"Thank you Tony."

He hugged her back, smiling all the way:

"If it's what you want, you should have it."

Ziva kisses his cheek and their hug ends with her moving back, looking to Gibbs for his response. McGee has joined the standing group, not wishing to miss any part of what could happen next.

Walking around to stand in front of DiNozzo, a smirk plastered all over his face, the curse is finally broken.

Anthony DiNozzo receives a headslap and Gibbs answers:

"Bought time you came around."

All four erupt in laughter and Tony gets the last line as he rubs the spot that Gibbs just refreshed in his own natural way:

"Yeah, I've missed those. Thank you Boss."

And so they're left, all standing around one another in the bullpen, with smiles on their faces and relief in their hearts.

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Over the next two months, cases came and went. More often than not Ziva cooked dinner for the team and Gibbs was getting used to having their apartment full of energy and company.

As he sits at the head of their dining room table, he looks around and sees…family.

Ducky has Palmer and Abby listening to a story, DiNozzo is talking to McGee about some film and Ziva is sipping her coffee while listening to Tony.

Their lives were risky enough, dinners like these kept them grounded, gave them an example and a reason to keep their heads on straight.

Nights like tonight reminded them of who they really were.

Consumed in thought over the recent changes to his life, he didn't notice Ziva looking at him:

"Jethro? Are you okay?"

Snapped out of his thinking by the woman sitting next to him, he takes her hand in his:

"Yeah,"

He looks at Ziva, his Ziva.

Then, motioning to the evening and the people around them, Gibbs has one last thing to say:

"This is good."

Smiling broadly, Ziva knew what he meant. And she couldn't agree more:

"Very."

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:) :( May I have one last review for this story?