A.N. So here it is, THE FINAL CHAPTER!! I'm so excited. Okay, I guess I've got nothing else to say other than thanks to everyone who read this (yes, even if you didn't review) but especially my reviewers, your reviews make me so happy!! Thanks also to all my riends for putting up with me when I was grumpy and had writers block and for when I was happy because I finished a chapter =P Thanks to Black24 for helping me with my Hebrew and thanks for Casey for helping me with ideas. Everyone has been great so here it is, I wont delay too much longer- only to say REVIEW! It' your last chance!!!!!

Epilogue

"Come on Mum, we'll be late for Ziva's plane!" an eight year old Kiara yelled out to her mother, running down the stairs carrying a bundle of pictures she had drawn especially for Ziva.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Emily replied, opening the front door for the excited girl. Together they walked down to the dark blue car waiting on the curb.

"Hi Tony!" Kiara said as she climbed in the backseat, waving to him and Gibbs as Emily slipped in behind her.

"To the airport!" Tony yelled as Gibbs took off with the tyres squealing. They got to the airport in record time thanks to Gibbs's crazy driving which had Kiara screaming for joy and Emily clinging on to the door,

They all jumped out of the car, walking in the door before spotting Abby, McGee Palmer and Ducky and running over to them.

"I can't believe Ziva's coming home again!" Abby squealed while hugging Kiara. "I checked her flight, it arrives in five minutes so come on, it's gate eighteen!"

They all walked down the airport, Abby and Kiara running ahead until they reached security. They all went through with little delay (Gibbs wouldn't give up his knife) and soon they were off again.

"Come on!" Abby and Kiara yelled. "She's arriving any second now!"

They all broke into a run, wanting to be there when Ziva arrived from Tel Aviv.

-

Ziva got off the plane, her body aching with the flight and the lack of sleep over the last few days.

She changed her hand luggage to the other hand as she entered the large airport, the cold air blowing in her face.

She tried looking through the security lines to see if she could see anyone she knew; she was hoping to see Kiara and maybe the team but she couldn't spot anyone.

She breathed out and tried to stop the tears that were burning behind her eyes. You're just tired, she scolded herself. It was her fault she was sad now though; she had too high expectations and once again she was let down.

She went through security on auto pilot, picking up her bag when she was through. All of a sudden she was tackled around the waist by a young girl.

"Kiara!" Ziva yelled, hugging the little…well not so little anymore, girl back.

"I've missed you so much Ziva," she whispered.

"I've missed you too Perach Katan. Did you come here alone?" she asked, pulling away from Kiara and looking around the airport.

"No my mum's here. MUM!" she yelled at the end, running into the crowd and coming back with a familiar woman by the hand.

"Hello Emily," Ziva said politely, trying hard to be nice for Kiara's sake.

"Ziva," the woman replied warmly, taking Ziva's hand in her's and shaking it. Maybe Ziva's first assumption had been wrong; the woman seemed stronger than she had in the school car park. Did she become stronger for Kiara? Or was it just that Kiara had so much energy and strength that Emily had changed without realising? Ziva didn't really care though; she smiled back at Emily this time really meaning it.

"Have you talked to Tony recently Perach Katan?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course she had," a deep familiar voice answered from behind her. A voice she hadn't heard for ages except over crackly phone lines.

"Tony," she whispered, not wanting to turn around in case she was imagining things and he wasn't really there.

"Ziva," he whispered back, his warm breath tickling her neck.

She stood completely still for what felt like hours but was really only a few seconds, feeling his familiar presence, his smell, his voice before slowly turning around to face him.

"TONY!" she screamed, jumping onto him and holding on so tight she thought she might choke him but he was holding onto her just as tight. She wrapped her legs around his waist, the force of her hug sending them flying to the ground, landing on a bin which fell over, causing them to topple onto Ziva's bag, then roll off, hitting a pot plant and sending dirt flying everywhere until they rolled to a stop in the middle of the chaos. Suddenly Gibbs's head appeared above them.

"You've only been here five minutes and you manage to make a mess," he said sternly but with a smile on his face. "It's good to have you back Ziver" He helped her up, pulling her into a quick hug.

"It's good to be back Jethro," she replied cheekily, squeezing him tightly before being rugby tackled by a tall, bubbly goth who was hugging her so tightly she couldn't breathe.

"I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!" Abby squealed, holding onto Ziva until McGee pulled her away; Ziva was starting to gasp too much for his liking.

Abby stood next to all the others as Ziva and McGee embraced, sharing words of welcome.

"So good to have you home my dear," Ducky said, as he and Palmer hugged her.

"It's been way too long," Abby said, unable to keep the smile off her face. "Is everyone ready for dinner?"

Everyone nodded except for Ziva who was looking confused.

"You haven't been home in eight months. We're all having a big dinner so we can catch up!"

Truthfully, Ziva just wanted to go home and sleep; she had had a rough few days and wasn't sure if she COULD make it through dinner but she had missed everyone so much so she put on an enthusiastic smile.

"I can't wait."

-

She could feel her eyes closing but she could also feel Gibbs's comforting touches, Abby's tight warm hugs, McGee's friendly smiles, Palmer's awkward high fives, Ducky's many stories and Tony's warm hand running up and down her thigh; so she focussed on those things instead.

She turned to smile at Tony who was sipping the last of his drink and she couldn't help but giggle when she saw the remains of the cream from his dessert all over his face. Everyone at the table soon joined in laughing except for Kiara, who was asleep.

Abby handed him a napkin and he wiped the cream off his face, grinning down at Ziva as he did so.

"Hey Sweetcheeks." His voice was suddenly right next to her ear and she sighed, closing her eyes at the feel of his warm breath on her skin. "You look tired. Are you ready to go home?"

Ziva sighed out loud at the thought. She would give anything to go home with Tony and fall asleep peacefully, his large frame enveloping hers, keeping her safe and warm.

"Yes please," she whispered back and she could almost feel Gibbs's eyes boring into the back of her head. Even though they weren't partners anymore, Ziva's father had brought her back to Israel, Mossad needed her; he still glared at them when they showed too many signs of personal affection in front of him. Ziva didn't mind, she wasn't much of a holding-hands person anyway but it was times like this where she wished she could just reach up and kiss Tony gently without Gibbs's growling in the background.

But today she was too tired to worry what Gibbs thought.

Their lips met briefly. It wasn't passionate, it wasn't desperate, it wasn't lust filled. It was just a kiss. It was simply for Ziva to feel him, to know that he was really here with her.

"Ziva's tired from the flight so we're going to head off," Tony announced to the group and Ziva barely noticed him sliding her out of the booth and guiding her towards the door.

"Goodnight everyone," she mumbled but the door had already shut and she was in Tony's arms, being carried gently to his car.

She didn't remember the car ride, only waking up when Tony was trying to get her out.

"Come on Ziva," he murmured. "Give me a hand here."

They managed to get out of the car and into the apartment before Ziva collapsed on the bed that felt so strange yet so achingly familiar at the same time.

She felt someone pulling off her shoes and her uncomfortable clothes, slipping a large OHIO STATE t-shirt over her head and tucking her in.

She didn't really think about the fact that Tony was there, the fact that the bed smelt completely like him and that any minute he would be joining her in the warm bed. She didn't think about that tonight because she didn't have to. What she had to think about was every other night; the fact that Tony wasn't there, that the room smelt foreign without his comforting smell and the fact that she would be sleeping alone again. She didn't have to think about anything tonight though. She just had to feel.

Feel his skin against hers, feel his warm body around hers, feel the large t-shirt slip off her shoulders and for the first time in eight months, feel completely and utterly happy.

YAYYYYY! It's finished. I hope everyone has enjoyed it as much as I have. Remeber to review!!!

Jules.