A/N: Right, this is it. The final chapter. It actually makes me kind of sad because I enjoyed writing this story – every new chapter was a surprise for me as well. But anyway, I hope you like the way it turned out and one last time thank you so very much for reading, reviewing and first and foremost, enjoying this story!

"Ziva! Did we miss it? How are you? No, scratch that. Stupid question. You must feel awful, of course! But don't worry. Everything's under control. Right, guys? Right. Anyway, I…"

"Abigail, my dear girl, why don't you take a breath and allow Ziva to do the same?" Ducky interrupted Abby's rambling and gently pulled her back a little to allow Ziva some space.

Ziva gradually overcame her surprise and even smiled a little. "Thank you," she said softly. "To both of you."

Abby beamed at her. "Timmy wanted to be here as well, but he can't even stand on his own two feet right now. Oh, and Gibbs was held back by Vance just when I was about to drag him into the elevator, but he told me to give you a hug."

Tony frowned in disbelief. "You sure you heard that right, Abs?"

"Well, perhaps that weren't his exact words, but it's what he meant to say, anyway," Abby replied and although the Goth was pretty much always as cheerful as this, Tony was still surprised by her seeming lack of anxiety. He envied her a little.

And his envy only got worse. Tony was glad that Abby and Ducky had come because it seemed to mean a lot to Ziva that they all wanted to support her. But Abby was so busy giving Ziva hugs from McGee and Gibbs and even from the autopsy gremlin that Tony had no chance to talk to her himself, not alone, anyway.

Abby even accompanied Ziva when she went to the ladies' room. But that was probably a good thing because if Tony had followed her in there in a building full of female lawyers and judges who could all drag his ass to court, that might have been unpleasant.

Finally, the recess was over and it was time for the closing arguments. On the one hand, Tony was beyond grateful for that because it meant that this whole disaster was almost over and that this was the last time that Ziva had to listen to other people talking about her. But on the other, it scared the hell out of him because it also meant that the verdict was close.

Tony was only able to remain seated here because he knew that the death penalty was not an option, although, knowing Ziva, she probably would have preferred that to life imprisonment. Tony shook his head. Neither one of them was acceptable, not even a year in prison would be acceptable – not for Ziva.

He couldn't even stand the thought of it. Even when she had still been his crazy ninja chick, she had probably been more afraid of being locked up than she had been of dying. But now, after everything that had happened, putting Ziva in prison would be like throwing her back into that hell pit, at the mercy of Saleem and his men.

No, he wouldn't allow it. And Tony found himself contemplating something he'd thought he would never ever do – calling Director Eli David. But if worst came to worst, Tony would even accept the help of their Israeli 'friends'. Better Ziva was back in Israel than locked up here in America…

Tony sighed. He was getting way ahead of himself here. He had to stop making up horror scenarios and start listening instead. So far, Ms. Senate had handled this case very well and before he decided to ask the devil for help, he should rather trust her and the legal system she represented.

But it was Henderson's turn first. "Ms. Ziva David is a former Mossad officer. Her own father testified that she played with knives instead of dolls and mastered a whole arsenal of weapons before she could even drive a car. When she grew up, it was her job to kill people. And even though Ms. David left the Mossad, surely what is said about Marines is true for Mossad officers as well. They do not forget their training.

Proof of that are the two dead bodies which were found in Rock Creek Park, both killed with the precision of a professional assassin – like Ms. David. She testified herself that she had recently been tortured and is now driven by the need for revenge. So she went to the Park that night and did what she was trained to do – she made the kill."

Henderson sat down again and Tony was yet again amazed by how much he wanted to hit that guy. Thankfully, Ms. Senate rose to her feet now and slowly walked towards the jury, looking absolutely confident.

"Is Ms. Ziva David a former Mossad operative? Yes. Was she part of the Kidon unit that allegedly specializes in assassinations? Yes. But is that what she has been doing for the last four years? No. Ms. David left the Mossad and works for NCIS instead. All of her team members, including her superior Special Agent Gibbs, testified on her outstanding courage, decency and loyalty.

During her brief return to Mossad she was captured while trying to destroy a terrorist training camp and was then tortured for several months. Dr. Mallard testified on the psychological consequences of such a traumatizing experience. So when Ms. David was attacked in Rock Creek Park, she did not do what her Mossad training told her to do. She did what every woman would have done – she defended herself, her sanity and her life, which her NCIS team members had only just saved at their own personal risk.

Ms. David did not kill intentionally that night. She killed those men because she was lucky enough to be able to defend herself against the horrors of sexual assault." Ms. Senate walked back towards her seat and Tony thought she had got her message across – at least as far as the female Jurors were concerned.

But all they could do now that the jurors left to make their decision was hope for the best.

Ms. Senate assured them once again that she was confident that they would get an acquittal because, if nothing else, there was more than enough reasonable doubt when it came to intent. Afterwards, she politely excused herself for which Tony couldn't blame her since Abby was still every bit as hyperactive as she had been before.

"Well, you heard the lady. Now, who wants to get something to eat? My treat," she offered as if it were already decided that they had something to celebrate.

Ziva shook her head. "Thank you, but I am not hungry."

That at least caught Abby's attention. "But I told you not to worry, Ziva. We have a plan B in case the jury goes bonkers."

"We do?" Tony asked, thinking of his unfinished plans of staging a prison breakout.

"Yah!" Abby replied as if that was totally obvious. "Ms. Senate will appeal, of course, and I will frame that Henderson guy for murder like Chip tried to frame you, Tony. But since I am twice the forensic specialist he was, no one will notice this time. Then no one will believe anything Henderson has ever said and Ziva will be set free."

Ziva, Tony and Ducky all stared at her for a while. Finally, it was the latter who said, "Come on, my dear girl, let's find you one of those Caf-Pows."

"But I already had five of them today, Ducky," Abby told him.

"Yes, I noticed. Then perhaps a decaf…" He continued to lead Abby gently down the corridor, giving Tony a curt nod before they disappeared. Apparently, Ducky had not missed the looks that had passed between Tony and Ziva ever since Ducky and Abby had joined them. Tony made a mental note to thank the Scottish ME later.

But before Tony had actually decided what it was that he wanted to say, Ziva turned towards him. "Tony," she said quietly. "If I get convicted, I do not want you to do anything stupid like… punching the DA in the face, yes?"

"I don't know. I might do that even if the verdict's not guilty," Tony replied because it was true and because he hoped it might make her smile a little.

But it didn't. Ziva looked deadly serious. "Why do you insist on risking your entire career as if it were not important to you? But I know it is, which is way I do not understand. You have to stop doing this, Tony."

Realizing that this was a serious conversation, Tony stopped kidding around and just told her the truth. "I already told you when we were in Tel-Aviv, Ziva. I only do that for you and I always will."

Ziva looked at him and her gorgeous, brown eyes almost seemed to spill over with emotion. "I know," she finally just said.

Tony was trying to decide whether to say more or to kiss her already when another voice interrupted them.

"Hey, you two busy with something?" Ziva and Tony both winced and spun around.

"Uh, hey, Boss!" Tony called, trying not to look guilty.

Ziva, however, seemed to even brighten up a bit. "Gibbs! Abby said the Director kept you."

"Well, I'm here now."

"Great, we were just waiting for the jury to announce the verdict," Tony told him.

Gibbs nodded. "DiNozzo."

"Yes, Boss?"

"Get me some coffee."

Tony hesitated for a few seconds because he didn't like being sent away like Abby had been (without her noticing, though). But he didn't have much of a choice really and since Ziva looked happy to see Gibbs (compared to the way she had looked before, anyway) he sighed and nodded.

"On it, Boss," he said, but while he walked away to go looking for a vending machine, Tony couldn't help wondering where that conversation would have led them if Gibbs hadn't shown up.

"Thank you for coming, Gibbs," Ziva said because she really was glad to see him. She knew it was pathetic, but somehow it made her feel as if Gibbs would be there for her even if Eli was not.

Gibbs shook his head. "No need to thank me, Ziva."

"No, there is," she insisted. "But I feel that it is even more important that I apologize to you. I know you must be… disappointed in me and what I did…"

Gibbs put a finger on her lips to make her stop. "You didn't disappoint me, Ziva. I might have preferred it if you'd come to talk to me instead of going off to the park… But if anyone else had to endure what you've been through, they wouldn't even be here right now."

"No, because they wouldn't have just lost control and killed someone. But I did because I was too weak to…"

"Hey!" Gibbs interrupted her and Ziva winced, looking up at him in surprise, "you are not weak, Ziva. No matter what's going to happen in there, don't you ever believe that, okay?"

Ziva only nodded because she didn't know what to say. But she felt like a last piece inside her had finally been put back into place. Perhaps she had failed to get Eli's approval, but Gibbs accepted her the way she was – even now.

When Tony returned, together with Abby and Ducky, she felt the support from all of them and it made her strong enough to go back into the courtroom, although she could only mask her anxiety, not suppress it completely. But Ziva realized that she wasn't worried about herself, rather about what the others would do if she was declared guilty.

The judge looked impassive when he addressed her. "Ms. David, will you and your counsel please rise?"

They did as they were told and Ziva stared straight ahead, trying to ignore all the eyes she felt on her, but especially Gibbs' and Tony's even though she would have liked to look at them very much.

The judge turned towards the jury. "You may publish your findings."

A middle-aged guy rose to his feet and he looked a little nervous, too. Ziva had just enough time to think that, hopefully, he wasn't nervous because he was sending her off to prison, before he began to speak.

"Ms. Ziva David, on the charge and specification of premeditated murder this court finds you… not guilty."

The juror sat down again and the judge reached for his gavel. "This court is adjourned," he announced matter-of-factly.

Ziva was left standing there, unable to believe that this was it. The quick uttering of a few little words after all the fuss that had been made in this courtroom before and now it was all over. People started leaving the courtroom already. No one cared about her anymore, now that there would be no sentencing, no appeal – now that she was free.

Well, perhaps it wasn't exactly no one.

"Congratulations, Ms. David," Ms. Senate was the first to say and offered Ziva her hand and a smile.

Ziva took her proffered hand and although she was still a bit dazed, she felt that she was smiling, too. "Thank you… for everything."

"You're welcome," her attorney replied.

And that was the end of their conversation because Abby was back to hug her again. "I knew it! I knew we wouldn't need Plan B, which is good because Gibbs didn't really like it, not that this would have stopped me from doing it, but anyway…"

"Abigail…"

"I know, Ducky, taking a breath," Abby said while stepping away from Ziva. "But I've been doing that since the day I was born so there's really no point in reminding me…"

"That was not my intention, my dear. But there are others who would like a moment with our soon to be Agent David and you are hogging her attention, so to speak," Ducky replied, but he smiled kindly at both women.

Ziva allowed him to hug her as well, but she still felt a little like being on autopilot when she thanked him again for coming.

"Ah, don't mention it, Ziva, and if you ever feel like coming down and having a cup of tea, my door is always open."

"Thank you, Ducky," she said earnestly this time.

Gibbs was next. He locked eyes with her first. "You okay now?" he asked.

"I think I am… getting there," Ziva replied carefully.

He nodded and kissed her on the cheek. "Well, you know where to find me if you need something stronger than tea."

"I do," Ziva confirmed and hoped that Gibbs could see in her eyes how much his mere presence here today had meant to her.

Judging from the look on his face, he did, but Ducky pulled his attention away from her, telling him that he had yet to taste Scottish tea before he could judge it.

That left only Tony.

"Shoot, I left the champagne in the car," he joked when her eyes fell on him. "Would you mind accompanying me while I go get it?"

Ziva knew he only wanted to talk to her outside of this courtroom since the rest of their team was still standing close by. So she nodded and tried to steel herself for what was about to come.

They had only just left the courtroom when Ziva stopped. "Tony." He realized that she wasn't next to him anymore and turned around to look at her. "It's alright. You don't have to do this."

"What? Getting the champagne? That's good because that was actually code for let's go make out in the backseat of my car." Apparently, the old Tony had returned even sooner than she had anticipated.

Still, Ziva said, "I'm serious, Tony. You're off the hook. The impending catastrophe has been averted. I am not going to prison."

"It sounds like your speaking English, but strangely, I don't understand a word of it," Tony replied and he actually looked a little confused.

Ziva sighed. He was already beginning to get on her nerves again. "I think you do, but if you want to pretend otherwise – fine. All I wanted to tell you is that you can stop doing… what you have been doing the last couple of days. Since you also got the sex with me you always wanted, I guess we're even, too."

She was about to turn around, but Tony wouldn't let her. "What?" he called and the shocked look on his face did seem too real even for his acting skills. "Now, wait a minute! I didn't do all of this only to keep you out of prison! Well, no, actually I did, of course, but… that wasn't the only reason. Plus, you were the one who started ripping my clothes off the other night if I may remind you, Zee-vah!"

"So?" Ziva asked.

"So?" Tony stared at her, his eyes honest and open wide. "So the reason I did all of this – from knocking on your door with Chinese take-outs to almost getting a heart attack waiting for the verdict in court today – is because I love you, Ziva, even though that apparently will reduce my life expectancy by a couple of years."

Now, Ziva stared right back at him. She hadn't expected him to say that. So all she could reply at first was, "You… love me?"

"Damn right, I do. I know not many people have said that to you in your life so far which in itself is proof that you didn't have the life you deserve because I mean, look at you. You're a gorgeous, smart and funny (albeit, not always intentionally) kick-ass kind of woman and every man who spends some time with you and does not fall in love with you is a complete idiot."

Ziva opened her mouth and closed it again so Tony went right on, "Why do you keep looking at me like that? And why the hell did you think I would stop caring only because you were found not guilty? Because I have a newsflash for you, Ziva, I do care about you. And after going to Somalia to safe you, there's nothing you could do to me that would make me go away."

There was a short pause. Then Tony sounded much calmer and a little subdued. "Unless of course, you really don't want me."

Suddenly he looked like a dog that had been abandoned at the roadside and Ziva couldn't help herself. She hurried to close the distance between them, took his face in her hands and kissed him.

"I am sorry, Tony. I just assumed that you would go away again because good things usually do not tend to… stick with me for long. But I should have known better. I should have known you. You gave me absolutely no reason to doubt you. But I guess it was a force of habit. The people I love have always left me at some point."

Tony's eyes lit up when she said that last part and he gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "But I already told you, Ziva. I won't go anywhere." They smiled at each other and their lips met eagerly for another kiss.

But they were interrupted once more when somebody cleared their throat behind them. They separated quickly and Ziva thought she might die on the spot when she saw who it was.

"Director Vance?"

Vance had his usual poker face on. "I assume there's cause for celebration?" he asked.

"I was found not guilty," Ziva nodded.

"Good, then your suspension is lifted and I expect to see you back at work in a few days. Use that time to find a new apartment. Your stay at the Navy Lodge was supposed to be of a transitory nature, after all."

"Yes, Director. Thank you. I will take care of it."

Vance pulled another toothpick from his pocket and started chewing on it. "Where's Gibbs?" he asked.

"In there," Tony replied and pointed at the courtroom.

The Director walked past them, but stopped once more. "Oh, and I don't want to see any more stunts like this one, Agent David!"

"Yes, Director."

Vance disappeared into the courtroom and Tony and Ziva looked at each other, stunned. "Okay, moving on," Tony finally said and kissed her. When their kiss came to a natural close, he said, "So, seems like you need a place to stay."

"It does," Ziva nodded, though that was nothing new of course. But looking for a new apartment had been pretty much last on her to-do list for the last couple of days.

Tony seemed pretty enthusiastic about it, though. "Well, until you find a new apartment, you could just dump your stuff at my place."

"Thanks, but I don't really have any 'stuff'. Everything I had was blown to pieces with the rest of my apartment," Ziva reminded him, a trace of regret in her voice. Back when all of this had started, she had told Gibbs that it hadn't been her real home, anyway. But she had been very upset at the time. Now, she did wish that she had been able to save some of her personal belongings.

"Right," Tony said, although Ziva was pretty sure that he hadn't actually needed the reminder. "In that case, you can just move in with me completely."

"What?" Apparently, things had no intention of slowing down just yet.

Tony started playing with a strand of her hair – a sign that he wasn't as casual about this as he sounded. "You need an apartment and furniture and clothes and I have all these things. Well, you can't really have my clothes, but then, if you move in with me, you won't need any."

He gave her his trademark smile, but before Ziva could say anything, he added, "I will even make some room for you to start a new knife collection if you want. Although… perhaps we should wait with that until your nightmares are less frequent and violent."

Ziva had originally intended to tell him that they were going to fast with this – that this would all end in disaster. But yet again Tony had managed to surprise her with his love and concern for her that hid behind all that juvenile nonsense. And it reminded Ziva of how much she had enjoyed those days and nights they had spent together lately and that she wanted that, too.

"But I will not watch those stupid movies with you every night," she finally said.

Tony's grin broadened. "No need to worry, Zee-vah. I'm sure we'll find other things to do at night." And he gave her a demonstration by pulling her into his arms and kissing her until they both had run out of air.

But for once, that was good timing, too, since the others finally left the courtroom as well. Ducky was immersed in a conversation with the Director, Abby sucked happily on another Caf-Pow and Gibbs brought up the rear.

Ziva glanced at him and then whispered to Tony, "If I move in with you, however, we will definitely break Gibbs' rule nr. 12."

"Let me handle that," Tony replied, took her hand and pulled her towards Gibbs'. "Uh, Boss, we have something to tell you and it may appear as if we finally did break rule nr. 12, but we didn't because we went from being friends to living together, having incredibly great sex and arguing over the remote control. There was never actually any dating involved so that shouldn't be a problem then, right?"

Gibbs looked from Ziva to Tony and back again. "You sure you love this guy?"

"It appears I do," Ziva replied, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

Tony looked affronted. "What kind of an answer is that?"

"The kind of answer you get when you behave like an annoying juvenile delinquent," Ziva told him.

Tony's brows furrowed. "But I always behave like that!"

Ziva shook her head. "If that were true, we wouldn't even have this conversation right now."

"Uh, okay, whatever, as long as you still love me." He smiled at her.

Ziva opened her mouth to reply, but Gibbs beat her to it, "Do whatever the hell you want, but don't bother showing up at work if you act like that."

Tony was still grinning, but he tried to sound serious when he said, "Don't worry, Boss. We'll behave."

Gibbs shrugged and started walking down the corridor. "Alright, and Ziva, if you change your mind about staying with DiNozzo, my door is never locked."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Boss!" Tony yelled after him, but Gibbs just smiled and left. "Well, that wasn't so bad," he said when they were alone again. "And since the Director kind of knows, too, I'd say…"

"Tony," Ziva interrupted him. "Could you just shut up for a few seconds?"

He looked surprised and perhaps a little worried, but he nodded.

"I know we have talked about a lot of things, most of which I did not expect. But there is something left that I need to say to you." Ziva paused and looked into his eyes. "Thank you."

"There's nothing to thank me for," Tony replied, but then hesitated. "Uh, was I allowed to… speak again?"

Ziva smiled. "Yes, you were, but what you said is not true because I do not think that I would have made it through this trial without you, certainly not through the testimony today if I hadn't talked about it with you before and if you hadn't allowed me to find the way back to myself in your arms… last night and the nights before that as well."

"So you're feeling like yourself again?" Tony asked her, looking serious now.

"I am beginning to," Ziva nodded. "And I think that what still needs to heal will do so in the imminent future." As long as he was a part of that future, she added mutely.

Tony smiled and Ziva allowed herself to be pulled into the arms of the man who had made her whole again.

A/N: So, what do you think? Hope it wasn't too much (I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic so that can happen sometimes). Oh, and in case you wondered, you didn't miss Ducky's testimony. I only mentioned that now because it fitted in the closing argument.

Once again thanks to Candy77, Tiva4eva95, GrassyNight, Someoneslove, pbfn242751, Robern, Jedi Kay-Kenobi, Jennifer Catlin DiNozzo, love is only a dream, Lavender Angel-96, ChEmMiE, BrightlyShining, pirate-princess1 and ForeignMusicLyrics for reviewing! Your amazing comments always made me very happy ;)