A/N: Here it is! The chapter we've all been waiting for! This is more than just a episode recap, which definitely is more in sync with the rest of this story. I had fun writing it, and I hope you have fun reading it!

And for the record, this was an awesome episode.

Gibbs tossed the form on the large stack of files that stood on Ziva's desk with an air of triumph as he strode past.

"Get started," he said casually. "Probie."

He took a seat at his own desk and watched as Ziva grabbed the paper in puzzlement and quickly scanned its contents. Her brown eyes lingered on the blue stamp for a split second before they lit with excitement. She turned to look at Gibbs, and for a moment, he thought she was going to question the document's authenticity. But to his surprise, she smiled.

Gibbs felt his heart skip a beat as he took in her joyous grin. It was the first honest to goodness smile he had seen in months. Her eyes were wide and bright, and her smile equally so. Gone was the shadow of the past few days, as was the carefully crafted mask of guarded neutrality she had worn since her rescue.

Gibbs smirked. If he had known that the approval letter was all it would take to solicit that smile, he would have done it weeks ago. As he watched, her expression quickly turned serious.

"Yes, Boss," she said. With that, she sat and pulled the first file off the stack, opening it without delay. Gibbs bit back a chuckle; the smile had disappeared from her lips, but not her eyes. Her excitement was still tangible, mixed with newfound enthusiasm.

All things considered, Gibbs realized as he turned to his own work, he had the better end of the deal. He had made Ziva happy, which was a triumph in and of itself. He had found a way to keep her permanently in the United States. He had filled the empty slot in the Major Case Response Team, which appeased the Director. And on top of all that, he now had a Probie who already knew "the rules".

"Special Agent David," McGee said theatrically, "would you like a ride home?" It was the end of the day, a blessedly quiet one, and the team was preparing to leave the Navy Yard.

"That would be extremely helpful, Special Agent McGee," Ziva responded in kind. "Thank you."

"Actually, how about a celebratory dinner?" Tony spoke up. "As Senior Field Agent, it is my duty to welcome all of our newest Special Agents into the ranks of Team Gibbs. My treat," he added.

"You didn't offer to take me out to dinner when I started here," McGee accused indignantly.

"Oh, stop being so selfish, McGreedy. You're lucky I'm offering now!"

"I'm in," Gibbs interjected, much to the others' surprise. "Where?"

"How about that new Italian place down in Foggy Bottom?" Tony suggested, quickly recovering quickly.

"That'll work." Gibbs snatched his keys from his desktop and strode purposefully towards the elevator. "Tell Abby and Ducky. Agent David and I will meet you there." A moment of silence followed his directive as Tony and McGee processed the words. Ziva immediately began walking in his direction.

"Sounds good boss!" Tony called as the elevator opened and Ziva and Gibbs stepped inside. "We're right behind—" his words were abbreviated by the sound of the doors dinging closed, "…you."

The ride to the restaurant was spent in silence. So much had happened in the past week, both agents welcomed the quiet. This stillness was light and comfortable, not tense and oppressive like it had been when Ziva had first returned from the desert. They made it to the restaurant with time to spare, thanks to Gibbs' uncouth driving methods. It had been a while since he had comfortable enough to drive in his usual style with Ziva in the car—he had subconsciously considered her to be too fragile for it, until now.

Gibbs pulled into a parking spot and turned the car off. For several long moments, neither of them moved to exit the vehicle. Instead they sat patiently in the continued silence. Finally, Gibbs turned to Ziva, a question poised on his lips, only to be surprised as Ziva had already made the first move.

All movement on Gibbs' part ceased as soft lips captured his in a heated kiss. A gentle hand came up to rest against his cheek, as if to keep him in place. If his brain hadn't gone blank with shock, he would have noticed the absurdity of the restraint—he had absolutely no intention of being the first to pull away. Before Gibbs even had the presence of mind to kiss her back, Ziva pulled away. Her hand remained on his cheek, her thumb brushing tenderly against his flushed skin as she gazed into his eyes.

"Thank you," she said finally. "For everything." As he looked back into her intense gaze, Gibbs could see that her words were not simply a formality. In fact, he could see that the words barely began to describe the emotion she was working to keep within her. The sight was a welcome one, one he had been looking for ever since Rivkin had come to town.

Again, before Gibbs had a chance to react, she pulled away, this time exiting the car and closing the door behind her. For a long moment, Gibbs sat motionless as his mind worked furiously to process what had just happened. Then, a slow grin graced his features as he sat back in the driver's seat. Another moment passed, and then he nodded once before undoing his seatbelt.

"Better than the chisel," he decided aloud. He shook his head once in mild disbelief, and then opened the door to join his newest agent.

It was well past 2300 by the time Gibbs drove Ziva home. The dinner had been pleasant, with lots of laughter and good-natured jokes being shared by all. Ziva had still been a little reserved, but it was impossible to deny the vast improvement that had seemed to occur in the space of only a few hours. Situated between Gibbs and Abby, she had been relaxed and content, even joining in on the conversation when she was able to get a word in edgewise.

Now, as Gibbs pulled the Challenger into the driveway, she was obviously drained, but hadn't lost the cheer of the night's festivities. Soon they were inside the house and as Gibbs started a batch of coffee, Ziva joined him in the kitchen, sitting at the table with her now-bare feet crossed beneath her. Just as in the car, neither felt the need to speak. It wasn't until Gibbs thought back to the case of Staff Sergeant Cryer's death that he realized something didn't sit well with him. He didn't doubt her story, but he wondered if she might have left something out. After a short internal debate, he decided to risk asking her about it.

"Ziva," he said slowly, trying to decide how best to phrase his question.

"Yes?" Her voice was calm and smooth, the huskiness of her post-Somalia days gone.

"You were on the Damocles for several weeks."

"Yes." Her tone was still light, but the slightest bit of wariness could be heard.

"You knew your liaison with the crew was a Marine."

"Yes."

"Did you…?" Gibbs' voice uncharacteristically trailed off as he realized he had absolutely no idea how to proceed.

"You want to know if I slept with Daniel Shalev." Well, blunt and to the point was always one way to go. Ziva's candor took him by surprise, as did her adept perception.

"Yes." It was his turn to revert to monosyllabic responses. Ziva sighed as she shifted on her chair. Gibbs turned to look at her, and found she was now looking at him intently with one arm wrapped around her left leg as her opposite foot rested squarely on the ground.

"I have not lied to you about anything that happened on the Damocles after I was no longer required to protect Mossad operations," she informed him.

"I know that," he responded truthfully.

"And are you sure you want to be asking that question, knowing that I will not lie to you?"

Gibbs' gut twisted painfully. It wasn't an admission, he reminded himself, not a confession. He considered her question. He didn't really need to know, he admitted. It wouldn't make any difference to him at this point. She could have slept with the entire Kidon unit and he would still love her. But did they need any more secrets between them, more unanswered questions? No.

"Yes," Gibbs answered with finality. "I do." Ziva looked at him intently for a long moment before giving a nod in acceptance. Not breaking eye contact, Gibbs waited with bated breath for her answer.

"No."

Gibbs blinked.

"No?"

"No." Her lips curved in a tiny half-smile. "I did not. I thought about it," she admitted with a tilt of her head, "but I did not." Elation filled Gibbs as his gut relaxed and he watched Ziva stand and approach him. "I remembered what happened the last time I slept with someone who was a poor substitute for you," she admitted. She took one of his hands in hers as she gazed up at him before reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. Gibbs wrapped his free arm around her, quickly joined by the other as she released his hand to return the embrace. He held her tight for several long moments, reveling in the feel of her touch. Her warmth seeped into him and he welcomed it. It was then that he discovered that she no longer carried that familiar scent of flowers and spice about her. It made sense, as the apartment that had helped create that scent had been destroyed after Rivkin's death, but it was just another distinct change that could be detected in her. But Gibbs knew that it was one more thing he could help her find, to go hand-in-hand with her new life as an NCIS Special Agent.

When the coffee machine beeped the end of its cycle, they pulled apart. Ziva leaned against the counter beside him as he pulled out two mugs and filled each with the fragrant brew. He handed one to Ziva and stood next to her against the countertop, and for several minutes they sipped in silence, shoulder to shoulder. Gibbs was once again the one to finally break the silence.

"You only thought about it, huh?"

"Mmhm," she responded simply. Both agents looked either straight ahead or at their mugs, neither feeling the need to glance at the other.

"Well," he responded amiably as he raised his mug for another sip, "at least you only thought about it with a Marine."