A/N: Well folks this is the final chapter. I'd like to thank everyone who has followed the story especially those who have reviewed and I'd really like to encourage those of you who have been reading but haven't reviewed to leave a review this time, cos I'd absolutely love to know what y'all think :) Thanks!

"Do you really think Gibbs would do something like this Zee-vah?"

She frowned at him.

"Not that it matters whose idea it was, we just need to figure away to get out of here"

"I do not think it will be possible" she sighed backing up against the back wall of the elevator again.

Tony hit the emergency switch angrily, "they can't keep us in here forever."

"No. They can't. But I would imagine that they could keep us here for quite a while."

"Maybe we should talk things over?" he said gently taking a step towards her tilting her face up by the chin.

She suppressed a shiver at his touch and she felt her heart skip a beat at the feelings he evoked in her but she turned her head out of his reach.

"There is nothing to talk about Tony. We just sit and wait."

"Ziva. We need to talk." A beat passed and he went to raise his hand to her face again but stopped midway through the movement his hand falling instead dejectedly to his side, "You ever lied to someone you loved Ziva?"

Her head snapped up at the familiarity of his words, recalling the last time they'd had this conversation, but very aware that the situation, the person, and the intent were all very different and that her answer held a much greater significance.

Abby drew in a deep breath, "c'mon Tony just say it already"

"Abby…"

"No McGee, I don't want any of your logic"

"Abigail…"

"Ducky" she whined, "you guys aren't helping"

She looked at him, his eyes were burning with something that she was afraid to name, and she couldn't find an answer. So he continued on.

"It wasn't a mistake"

She swallowed hard, but her mouth and throat had suddenly gone dry.

"Yay! See I told you" Abby bounced up and down, pulling Ducky and McGee in a hug.

"Abby, all Tony said was that it wasn't a mistake, how does that--"

"Don't you know anything McGee?" she asked incredulously.

"Obviously not" he muttered below his breath as she turned to watch the plasma screen again.

"It wasn't just a dare. And I am sorry that I was not there in the morning, I just felt… so confused" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

His face broke out into a smile, it was a sad smile but sincere all the same.

"So where does that leave us then?"

She shrugged her shoulders, her eyes darting between his.

"Ugh" Abby groaned, "since when are either of them this shy? Ever?"

"Abigail my dear, these things take time."

"No they don't Ducky. Not with Ziva and Tony"

"Timmy give me your cell phone"

"Why?" he picked up on her deadly glare and fumbled in his pocket pulling out his phone and handing it over wordlessly.

They stood in a deadlock, eyes fixed on each other.

Tony broke the stalemate first and took a small step closer, entering her personal space.

She felt him invade her senses and she felt drawn to him. The past two days slipping away. She felt like she had done standing in front of him in the bar, with Abby's dare ringing in her ears.

Tony's cell phone rang shrilly breaking the silence.

She breathed a sigh of relief when he took a step back again pulling his cell from his pocket at the same time.

"DiNozzo"

"DiNozzo"

"I dare you to kiss Ziva."

She hung up quickly before he had the chance to question her.

Tony looked down stunned at the phone in his hands.

"Who was that?" Ziva asked, her voice breaking into his thoughts and bringing him back to the present.

"Abby" he said still staring at the phone.

"This is her doing, yes?"

He nodded his head up and down slowly, before looking directly into her eyes.

"What did she say?" she asked quietly.

"I dare you to kiss Ziva"

"Oh"

"What's goin' on Abs?" Gibbs barked as he walked into the lab.

"Gibbs! You're here" she cried in delight, "quick, it's just getting to the good bit"

He quirked his eyebrow at her and dragged his glare to McGee and Ducky, both of whom had the good grace to look slightly ashamed at spying on their co-workers but Abby bobbed up and down in her chair and patted the empty chair beside her.

They stood toe to toe, neither quite knowing what their next move was going to be. The tension in the elevator was palpable and both wanted nothing more than to concede to the dare and get lost in the sensations that the other brought. They were staring at each other steadily and as they did so, an understanding passed between then wordlessly.

"Maybe that's not such a good idea." Ziva said after a moment.

Tony involuntarily took a step back at her words, "yeah, I guess; besides that's what got us into this mess in the first place."

"And there is Rule 12 to consider"

"And Gibbs would kill us probably."

"And this isn't one of your movies, things aren't that easy"

"Yeah. Definitely not a good idea…Friends?"

She smiled warmly and stepped into his arms, embracing him tightly.

"Of course Tony. We are partners. We are friends."

"We can think of this as a learning experience"

She stepped back and looked at him curiously.

"I mean I learned that you really are a screamer" he laughed.

She chucked too, "And I learnt that you do get a 5 when you shave, My Little Hairy Butt" she said patting his cheek.

"No. No. What are they saying? Have they gone crazy?"

"They're coming to their senses Abs"

"Why?"

"Rule 12" he said confidently with a grin.

"Gibbs" she drew his name out, punching him gently on the chest.

"So. Now we are just stuck here until they release the elevator?"

"Yup" he said, slamming his hand into the control panel of the elevator.

The plasma screen went blank.

"Looks like the show's over now anyway Abs" Gibbs said pointing out the monitor behind her, black and white lines jumping around on the screen.

"Yes. Well I'd better get back to work anyway." Ducky said pushing himself out of his chair.

The remaining three watched as he retreated out of the lab.

Gibbs swiftly slapped the back of McGee's head.

"Ow. I mean, uh, I better be getting back to work too Abby. See'ya later" he said scurrying out of the chair and following Ducky out of the lab.

Abby slumped back into her chair, "that's twice Gibbs" she sighed.

"Twice what?"

"Twice my plans didn't work"

He smiled as he leaned over to plant a kiss on her cheek.

"You can't fix everything Abs"

"But I should" she said frowning, folding her arms crossly.

He chuckled, "you better let them go now"

"I s'pose" she sighed, her fingers rapidly flying over her keyboard.

"Nice hit Agent DiNozzo"

"Why thank-you Officer David" he grinned at her.

They reverted back to the silence that had consumed them earlier.

"So where were we huh?" Tony asked, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her in towards him.

"I think we were just about" she leaned forward, standing on her tiptoes her lips hovering over his.

The elevator jerked into motion.

They fell apart at the sudden movement and broke out into a burst of laughter.

Tony leaned over and hit the button again, regaining his hold on her; he kissed her lightly on the lips, his just brushing over hers before he took a step back and smiled. It had been fleeting, soft and gentle, tentative but full of promise.

"Good job Abs"

"What're you talking about Gibbs? The plan didn't work."

He just smiled as he walked out of the lab.

"Gibbs!" she called out after him futilely

"So Sweet Cheeks. Are you up for this?"

"What is this?" she asked, her voice amused but with undertones of seriousness, as she released the emergency button and the elevator once again began its ascent back to the bullpen.

"I don't know exactly what this is" he said pointing a finger from himself to her, "but I wanna find out. I'm tired of telling myself I don't feel the way I do. I'm tired of pretending." He said, his face looking down, his words quiet.

They sounded strange coming from his mouth, but then, she reflected, this whole situation was strange. It was rather like a movie she thought with a smile.

"Me too."

He gripped her hand tightly when the elevator came to a halt, and let go after squeezing it affectionately when the doors began to open in front of them.

Gibbs was making his way up to the squad room; his thoughts were swirling around in the past, flickering through the years.

"Jack, I've gotta know some things. I've got a lot of questions."
" You can have two DiNozzo."
" Where do I start?"
" You've got one left."
" Well that doesn't count…okay. The rules? Did he learn him from you? Did you teach him the rules?"
" Sorry son, I didn't teach him much of anything."

...

"Rule number three; don't believe what you're told. Always double check"
"Should I write these on my Palm Pilot, or crochet them on pillows?"

…

"Just to be clear, are there any more of these rules I should be aware of?"
" About 50 of them."
" And I don't suppose they're written down anywhere that I could..."

…

"But I guess you're not a lumberjack."
" No."
" Well I have a rule. It's either rule number one or number three, never date a lumberjack."
" You've got a rule for everything?"
" Working on it. Everyone needs a code they can live by. What's your name?"
"Leroy Jethro Gibbs."
" I'm just going to call you Gibbs."
" You can call me anything you want".
" I'm Shannon"

His mind wondered back to the present and as he thought about his two agents he reflected that sometimes rules really were just made to be broken and that his mistakes in the past shouldn't deny Ziva and Tony their shot at happiness. That didn't mean he couldn't reinforce the rules a little harder in the future…

His cell phone rang cutting into his thoughts as he neared the bullpen.

McGee was sitting at his desk, working studiously on something and Gibbs was just emerging into the squad room, cell phone held to his ear. He closed the phone and pulled out his badge and weapon when he reached his desk.

"McGee" he shouted, throwing the keys at the young agent, "gas up the truck."

"Yes Boss" he answered whilst grabbing his own gun and badge.

As he walked past his two colleagues he glanced between them but hurried on toward the elevator as he felt Gibbs eyes on his back.

"You two waiting on an invitation?"

"No Boss. On your six.

As they snatched up their own gear he slapped the back of their heads in turn.

"Gibbs?!?" "Ow, Boss, what as that for?"

He looked pointedly between the pair of them, the expression he wore was serious and his eyes were boring into theirs.

"Thinking you could fool me" was all he said before breezing past them, leaving them staring at each other, mouths gaping open, he smiled to himself as he strode towards the elevator.

"He doesn't know" Tony whispered as they stood side by side, still in a semi state of shock.

"Of course he does Tony" she replied as they turned to make there way over to the elevator.

"I know, knowing the Boss he--"

"DiNozzo. David" Gibbs called from the elevator "you stand around much longer, you'll be fooling yourselves too" he scolded himself for the way his voice sounded almost cheerful at the sight of them, standing that little bit closer, their heads bowed slightly together with their hands just brushing against the others in time with their step "into thinking you both still have a job!"