Author's note:

Hey, people! I hope you are all doing good. :)

Thanks for all those reviews and support since the latest chapter, you are amazing and I'm truly thankful for it.

Dear Celine, you should already know how evil I can be when it comes to cliffhangers. :D Thanks for reading and your review, now go to read what will happen, so you could sleep peacefully. ;)

Oh Guest, I so agree with you. I wished to see the wedding on screen very much. But things turned out how they did, so I'm trying to fix it in my way. Thanks for reading. :)

Aw Debbie, my dear Debbie. You and Rachel hold a very special place in my life, too, and I just love you both so much. Those little ones are actually based on real kids from my family. I just find them so adorable that I had the right inspiration. Thanks for the review, and enjoy the new chapter. :)

So glad to welcome you to my crazy world, Libby! You made me really happy, I'm so glad you enjoyed reading the story. Now, go read what will happen after Ziva caught the bouquet. ;)

As for you, second Guest, finally someone who loves cliffhangers! :D Thanks a lot for the review. Here's the promised update.

Although I was asked not to, this chapter is dedicated to the one person in my heart. Thanks for all the support during the last week, darling. It was hell of a shitty week and you made me smile for which I'm eternally grateful. Love you :*

Now go read the last chapter of this story! :) Let's wrap it up a bit.

Disclaimer:

I do not own NCIS or the characters.

Towel – Chapter 26

Ziva sat at the table, staring absent-mindedly in front of her at the bouquet of flowers that was lying there. She didn't like what it meant. She wished she hadn't caved in and hadn't participated in the stupid wedding custom. What even kind of tradition was it? It was forcing people to get married just because one of those people had caught the bouquet. It was making a decision for her, and that was what bothered her the most.

She didn't even know why she attributed so much importance to the stupid wedding superstition. She could have easily brushed it off, since she was Jewish. Tossing the bridal bouquet wasn't a typical custom for a Jewish wedding. Although, with the blending of cultures, many Jews living outside of Israel had adopted some Western wedding customs. She had to admit that. And that was maybe the reason why she was giving so much thought to it.

However, it seemed too soon to consider marriage with her current boyfriend. Sure, she had imagined the wedding and the life of marriage for the last year or so. And she had envisioned Tony next to her, or someone who looked like Tony, at least. But to fantasize about it and to really do it were two entirely different things. She wanted to settle down, of course, but when it was going to happen should be her choice.

She wasn't afraid of the married life itself. She was afraid that Tony might propose to her just because the bouquet symbolized that he had had to do it. That it would be a requirement that he had to fulfil. And she hated that thought. She wanted to marry him because she loved him, because she wanted to share her life with him in that way. But she didn't want him to feel obliged to do it if he didn't want to. She was content enough with the fact that they were together.

Now, their relationship was endangered and she didn't know what to do about it. She was tense, because it just wouldn't leave her be. She couldn't enjoy the wedding party as she should have been. The food had certainly been amazing, but she had only poked at it with her fork a few times before pushing the plate away. To be honest, she was like a robot – all smiling on the outside, absentminded on the inside.

The only soothing thing that had always brought her back to reality was, paradoxically, Tony's touch. Every time his hand brushed against her skin, every time his fingers found her hand beneath the table, every time his leg gently touched her own, she felt a huge wave of relief go through her. He was all the comfort she needed, even though she felt troubled mostly because of their relationship.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of music, and she smiled genuinely, because the first dance of the newly married couple had just started. Both beaming, Jimmy led his beloved Breena across the dance floor, swaying her into the rhythm of a soft song accompanied by a piano. It was magical, and Ziva felt a tug at her heart again. That didn't make her condition any better, but those unfulfilled desires of her heart were getting clearer and clearer. If she only knew the right way to make them come true.

When the song ended, other couples joined them on the dance floor. She just watched them, not really knowing where Tony was at the moment. She wasn't even sure whether dancing in front of other people was a good idea. They could accidentally reveal a lot through standing too close to each other. With all the thoughts running through her mind, she, remained sitting.

"Will you give me the pleasure of dancing with you?" The sweet voice of her lover pulled her out of her thoughts as his hand landed gently on her shoulder.

Involuntarily, she smiled at his courteous behaviour. He could be so adorable sometimes, and he was aware of his charm. She turned her head at him to look into his expectant face. How could she ever resist that? She nodded in agreement and let him help her to stand up. It was obvious how much he struggled with himself not to envelop her in his arms right away. But he managed to control himself and, when he took her by her hand, he put his 'we're-just-co-workers' facade.

She followed his lead in every way, pretending that they were only two friends who coincidentally fit together while dancing. Stepping into his embrace, she let him to sway her into the melody of the song, trying to ignore the warmth she felt because his hands were touching her. She didn't have to pay attention to their movements, because Tony was a magnificent dance leader and they were natural.

Tony knew, however, that something was wrong with her. She seemed to be in a different world and, even though he had tried to bring her back a few times, she had gotten lost in her thoughts again. Even Abby had tried to get her attention, but Ziva had either pretended that she didn't hear her, or she truly had had no idea that Abby had been speaking to her. He didn't have to guess what had disconcerted her so much. He had noticed her unease immediately.

"I don't mind it, you know." He told her in an assuring tone, making an eye contact with her to prove his sincerity.

She gave him an ostensibly uncomprehending look, as if she didn't have any idea what he was talking about. Sure, she knew very well what the was trying to bring up, because she was aware that all his touches had been meant to calm her down. She had expected that he would avoid it, though. It was surprising for her that he was so brave and started to talk about it. Because, to be honest, she wanted him to sweep it under the carpet.

"That you caught the bridal bouquet. Actually, I'm very happy about it." He clarified, loving the opportunity that had presented itself. The moment they had gotten together for real, he couldn't resist the tempting idea to marry her right away.

Sure, considering his past, it was very hard for him to actually want to settle down again. To build a strong and loving relationship with a woman he would love to marry. Ziva had always been different for him, though. The love of his life, without a doubt. There was no wonder that the secret desires of his heart had resurfaced once he had stopped fighting them back. There was no point in it. He wanted to be with her for the rest of his life.

She shot him an incredulous look as her eyes narrowed. Was he doing what she thought he was doing? He couldn't be serious. All the time she thought about how she didn't want to push them into the marriage, just because some wedding superstition was telling her to do so. And he was doing exactly that. Exactly what she didn't want, what she was afraid of, what she hated to face at that moment.

"Is that supposed to be a proposal?" She asked him, scrunching her nose at the weirdness of it. He seriously couldn't think that she would start to scream 'yes' after what he had just said.

"What if it is?" He countered back, his voice calm. He knew that he irritated her, and his relaxed nature had to drive her crazy. But he was sure about the way he was handling things.

She glared at him, hating how laid-back he was about the whole issue. If he thought that this was the best moment to tease her, then he was seriously wrong. Although, he seemed genuine. She just couldn't read him and she didn't like it, because she couldn't tell how serious he was. And the fact he was proposing to her at the moment wasn't helping, either. She just didn't know what to think about it.

"Then, I advise to you to change the way you're doing it. A woman dreams about an entirely different kind of proposal than that." She snapped, starting to get angry with him.

She had a feeling that he was just making fun of her and her uneasiness over the bridal bouquet. It wasn't a coincidence that he had brought up this topic right now. He had done it intentionally to tease her, nothing more. The soft smile that graced his face didn't disappear for even a second. But she really was in no mood to respond to his attempts to make her relax this way. The only thing he could achieve from this was his death or injury.

He didn't change his behaviour, even though he sensed that the blood in her veins was starting to boil. "OK, I just thought you might be into an unconventional way of proposing. Or do you want to tell me that you didn't like the way CIRay proposed to you?" He asked her, making a spin to get them further away from the others. He knew that his question might bring some argument.

Her ears couldn't believe what they were hearing. She completely didn't understand what was happening with him. He had confused her so much that she failed to notice the jealousy in his voice. Of course, he was jealous. Some man-a man he hadn't liked since the first moment he had seen him-had proposed to his love sooner than he did. And he hated that fact more than anything.

She deserved something special. She deserved everything he could ever give her. And what that CIA's idiot had offered to her? At first an empty box of empty promises? And then a rash proposal when he had realized that he was losing her? He would never comprehend how Ziva had even considered marrying him. But he was sure that deep down, Ray wasn't a bad man. Despite all of his wrongdoings. He just wasn't the right one for Ziva.

"Do we really have to talk about it?" She asked through gritted teeth, annoyed beyond description. She stepped on his foot to get him back to his senses.

"Did you like it or not? It's a simple question." He didn't miss a beat and continued swaying her body with the rhythm while handling this conversation.

She furrowed her eyebrows contemplatively, wondering what the hell was going on. The grip of his hands around her body tightened, as if he were afraid that she might run away from him. She did notice the jealousy in his voice this time, and it threw her off balance a bit. It was a change, since he had always supported her in her relationship with Ray. Not that he liked him, but he had helped her psychologically every time she had needed it.

Paradoxically, his jealousy helped her to calm her wild temper. Even though she was still mad at him for bringing up the topic, she knew that he wouldn't be talking about it if he didn't have a good reason. Moreover, they were dancing with other couples around them, and she couldn't afford to make a scene. Plus, she, in fact, enjoyed dancing with him. They could touch each other without being scolded by anyone.

"No, I didn't." She answered sternly, but more coolly. An argument wouldn't lead them anywhere, and she could only blame herself for her anxiety because of the bridal bouquet. "There are many more romantic ways to propose to a woman." She added, hoping that this topic was closed and they could enjoy themselves.

His face broke into a wide grin, the traces of the green-eyed monster gone. The only thing his green eyes showed was love. "So, there is a romantic side of Ziva David, after all." He teased, pressing her body tighter to him to feel the warmth her body emitted. He just couldn't resist to see her all angry, because she looked so cute that way.

She sighed and rolled her eyes, knowing that she had to put up with this, because that was Tony. "Of course that side of me exists. Just because I don't show it often doesn't mean I can't be romantic." She answered, ceasing their dancing because the song had just ended. Some of the couples exchanged their partners before the new one began.

"OK, I'll rethink that." Tony said, looking around himself warningly to lure away any possible person interested in dancing with his girlfriend. She was only his for the time being.

She huffed, but stayed in his arms. For some reason that she couldn't comprehend, his touch was still soothing her. And she wasn't even interested in dancing with someone else. It was easier to dance with someone with whom she could have a little talk and not need to pay attention to the movements. No matter that the talk was about things she wanted to forget about.

When the music started and they resumed their dancing position, she tried not to look into his face too much. She wanted to show him that his teasing had been inappropriate. The more she was surprised when his question reached her ears. "What would you say, if I proposed to you?" He asked her curiously after it seemed that they had fallen into a comfortable silence.

She shot him a weary look, not quite believing that he was pulling out this topic again. Her reply was clear – she wouldn't tell him 'yes', not after the proposal he had performed and because he had done it just because of the stupid wedding custom. She wanted to marry him and she probably wouldn't hesitate to agree with the proposal, but she wanted a real, romantic proposal and only if he asked because he truly wanted to marry her.

"That maybe I think it's too soon for us to consider wedding? We haven't even been together for 24 hours, Tony. And we don't have to get married for real, just because I caught the bridal bouquet." She reasoned with him, trying to get rid of the topic once and for all. She knew why he was doing this, so they could finally stop with it.

He froze for a little while, but then continued swaying her body with the rhythm. He now understood her aversion to this topic. Because she thought that he was asking her these things because the bouquet was hers. But that wasn't true. Sure, he had seen an opportunity in it to start a dialogue about it. His only reason was, however, that he wanted to marry her for real.

His features suddenly softened as he raised his hand and put a strand of her hair behind her ear. "It's not about the bouquet. It has never been." He assured her quietly, his voice full of seriousness and sincerity. She looked up at him, and her eyes narrowed upon seeing the heartfelt expression. She gulped, realizing that maybe she had been wrong about his intensions.

"I love you, Ziva. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know that there are plenty of things couples do before they get married, but we've known each other for years. We've been spending every free moment together lately and we're getting along pretty well." He told her. He just didn't want to waste his time anymore.

"I really and honestly want to settle down. And I know you are the best choice I could ever make. I want you to be my wife." He continued, looking deeply into her eyes that she didn't dare to close in fear that his words might be a dream.

She momentarily forgot how to dance, but he still managed to lead her. It was something she hadn't expected, to be honest. But she had been so engrossed with the bridal bouquet that she hadn't considered that he might have meant it seriously. Now, she had to admit that the gleam in his eyes she had seen while he had been watching Jimmy and Breena at the altar was real and not imagined.

He had thought about it, just as she had, over the last few months. And the thought hadn't come out of the blue. It hadn't been caused by this particular wedding they were attending. He was ready to take this big step. He had proven his maturity by not fearing to pursue this relationship and convincing her about his love. He had seriously considered settling down and he had been thinking about her to do so with.

It shocked her, but also pleasantly surprised her. She, again, had to wonder how similar their fantasies and desires were, and what a shame it was that they often misunderstood each other. Considering how much time they had lost due to the lack of their will to accept what they felt toward the other, it wasn't that surprising that they both thought about marriage.

"You're serious." She stated the obvious, taking a deep breath, because she struggled with it. He wasn't teasing her.

"Sure, I am. It sounds crazy, I know. But I love you and that's all I need to know." He said, his heart skipping a beat when she beamed at him. She liked the idea, he could see that. "So, what would your answer be?" He repeated his question without hesitation. After all, she had the answer written all over her face. But he wanted hear those words.

She sighed like a lovesick teenager, her eyes never leaving his. Not only her heart screamed 'yes'. Her whole body was practically shouting the agreement. The blood in her veins, the energy that flew her nerves, simply every fibre of her being wanted that marriage. Only her brain had a slightly different opinion. It agreed, but it also warned her that things were happening too fast for her liking.

She smiled at him raising her hand to caress his cheek in a loving gesture. "Well, I have to admit that I like the idea very much. And it's also very tempting. But..." She paused, trying to figure out how to reason with him that they had plenty of time to consider these things.

He cut her off as the wide, Cheshire cat-like grin spread across his face. "Is that a 'yes'?" He asked her hopefully, his heartbeat speeding up and reaching staggering heights. He knew what that 'but' was about, that was why he was only interested in her words before the one he so much hated.

She chuckled, not at all minding that he had interrupted her as she let her fingers touch his handsome face. "It's not 'no'." She stated carefully, hoping not to disappoint him. But she had her reasons for turning him down at this very moment. "You haven't officially proposed to me in a proper way, after all." She added immediately when she saw his face fall. She wanted to do this right, because she felt that this relationship was the true love she deserved. That was why she demanded a proper proposal.

He calmed down a bit, his mischievous mind already formulating a plan as to how to make her his wife. "And when I do?" He asked her, just for the fun of it and to assure himself that he had a chance for success.

She smiled at him widely, shaking her head at his unrelenting effort to betroth herself to him beforehand. "Do it, and I'm certain you will get the answer you so much want to hear." She replied, covering her 'yes' behind vague words.

His grin got wider than ever, not quite believing the luck and happiness that had filled up his life. He had a girlfriend who had just agreed to become his wife, once he came up with an appropriate and romantic way to propose to her. In that moment, he stopped caring about what people would think and how they would react to this relationship. No one had the right to rob him of this. And he would never give this up for anything.

The fact he didn't care anymore made him lean his head forward. To his surprise, she followed his lead, capturing his lips with hers without any sign of fear or doubt. The kiss was one of the sweetest he had ever experienced. It was another seal of an agreement they had reached together, and proof of the love they felt for each other. It was very easy to get lost in her and stop perceiving the world around them.

She wrapped her hands around his neck to bring him closer, effectively deepening the kiss. He stopped moving and ceased their dance so he could embrace her tightly and focus on her delicious lips. He needed to properly devour them and taste them, to show the passion inside him and enjoy the way she had decided to prove her feelings. After all, she had initiated the kiss, so he couldn't deny her that.

To say that the people around them were shocked would be an understatement. It wasn't like all the people at the wedding stared at them unbelievingly. But those who knew those two were completely stunned. Breena almost squealed in happiness as she opened her mouth wide. But then she remembered that she should behave properly and covered it with her hand to hide her astonishment.

Jimmy dropped the microphone he was holding in his hands, as he had been preparing to sing a love song to his bride. Even though the meaning of the Bette Midler's song 'Wind Beneath My Wings' didn't have much to do with Tony's and Ziva's situation, he couldn't help but think about one line. It might have appeared to go unnoticed, but I've got it all here in my heart.

And yes it fit. Because no one had had any idea that they had grown so much together that they had become a couple. Not to mention that the couple, themselves, had been unaware of their feelings for each other for the last few years. So, it truly might have appeared to go unnoticed. But, as the song said, they had had it all there in their hearts. The kiss he was witnessing couldn't be anything but full of love. It was quite evident, because they were pouring their hearts out at the moment.

His natural reaction was to be happy for them. Looking over at his wife, he caught her staring at them with a crafty smile on her face. He had to wonder whether she wasn't part of the whole picture in some way. But he could leave that for now. Singing the song in a few minutes in front of the wedding guests and mainly, the love of his life, was now the hardest task he needed to focus on.

Shocked to no end were Abby and McGee. They had been in the middle of a conversation about Abby's clash with Ziva on the hallway earlier. Abby had just been describing Ziva's reactions to her questioning when McGee had suddenly nudged her, stopping her mid-sentence. When she had looked at him quizzically, he had only nodded in the direction of the couple with words, "I don't think we need any more evidence".

She had almost fell off the chair when she saw those two kissing each other so unabashedly and passionately. As if everyone knew about the change in their relationship. They were so dauntless and apparently without any sign of fear of being judged, caught or reprimanded. And that was what she had needed to see to know that her family was safe. They obviously loved each other and had come to terms with it. No moment of weakness. The thing between them was real.

Tim put his arm around her in a soothing gesture, not having any doubts or fears about the couple. They were strong as partners, stronger as friends and, without a doubt, even stronger as soul mates. He approved of this relationship because he knew that if anyone deserved such happiness, these two were on the top of the imaginary hit parade. And if they experienced the happiness together, then he could describe it with only one word – perfection.

"And what do you think about this, Jethro?" Ducky's voice snapped Gibbs out of his reverie as he stared at the kissing couple with an unreadable expression on his face.

He didn't answer, because he didn't feel that any reply was needed. He wasn't a man of words, and he saved the important ones that needed to be said for later. Because the need to talk with his two agents was quite urgent and necessary. He knew, though, that he would take it lightly. After all, if they weren't afraid to kiss in front of him before they actually announced that they were a couple, then they were prepared enough for facing him.

He just smirked and looked over mischievously at Ducky, rather stepping out of the scene as he took Samantha Ryan's hand and went to enjoy the nearby beach with her. No need to solve these problems now. They were on a wedding of a man they all cherished a lot, so he had plenty of time to deal with Tony and Ziva once they got back to DC.

As for the couple, once their mouths started to hurt, they broke the kiss. The love haze didn't disperse, despite the fact that they began to perceive the world around them again. They were just too immersed in it, not wanting to go to back to reality. So, they only kept nudging their noses with closed eyes, savouring the sweet moment of intimacy between them.

"Are you aware of something?" Ziva whispered, resuming their slow dancing as her eyes fluttered open and her eyes met his.

"Of what?" He asked her in the same secretive whisper, kissing her nose lightly and gently rubbing her back.

"We've just kissed in front of everyone." She stated, unable to wipe the smile off her face. They had just given themselves away. There was no possibility that no one had noticed the kiss and the apparent fondness of each towards the other.

Tony pulled away just a little bit to see her face properly. He looked deeply into the chocolate brown orbs that he loved so much and tried to read her thoughts. He didn't see anything but love, affection and devotion. The smile on her lips had reached her eyes. It didn't seem that she regretted the kiss, or that they hadn't been careful enough and, instead, let the passion between them explode.

"Are you OK with it?" He asked, squeezing her hand as he took it and put it over his heart so she could feel how strongly his heart was beating. It was beating for her, after all. She had captured it a long time ago.

She looked down on her hand on his chest and felt his erratic heartbeat for a little while. It might have seemed impossible, but her heart had the same frequency. She felt more connected to him than ever before. And considering that she had just agreed to marry him-after a proper proposal, of course-she relished the warm feeling that flooded her from head to toe.

It was love. The real, true, genuine kind of love she had read about in fairy-tales, heard in the bedtime stories her mother was used to tell her, seen in movies and so on. The type of love she hadn't believed that it was destined for her. That type of love she had thought she would never experience. Yet, it struck her and she fell for it. Willingly. And she was proud of that.

"I am. I love you and I don't have any reason to be ashamed of it." She replied, placing her free hand on his face, ready to be over with this farce. She wanted to show the world that she was in love and who her chosen one was. Not that it mattered, anyway, because everyone had already found out.

He smiled at her, letting the smitten look to take over his face, as he leaned down and kissed her once again. He squeezed her hand as their fingers intertwined over his heart and they carried on dancing while their mouths slowly moved against each other. This was the love they had been both looking for and they had finally gotten it. Their lives were complete.

Neither would have ever guessed that a small towel covering her body not even 24 hours ago would be able to cause this. In the end, they couldn't be happier that it had. It had brought them where they had wanted to be for years. It had made them to give in to their mutual desire and finally accept the love and reveal their true feelings. It had brought them into the arms of one another. And thanks to that, they had become a couple.

The End of Chapter 26

The End of Part 4

Well, the secret is no longer a secret, as you can see. ;) Everybody knows and our couple is sort of engaged. Gosh, I'm so happy I got this point.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter, even though it seems a bit disjointed, I know.

Anyway, although I'm not glad to accept it, this was the last chapter of this story. Only epilogue remains. I will update again in 14 days to give you the final look into the life of our couple.

But don't worry, another story is in works. Christmas themed and even though is selfishly made for my own pleasure and probably out of the canon of Season 13, although it takes place during Christmas 2015, I really hope you will like it.

Love you all, have a nice October and take care! :)