A/N: This chapter closes out this story and is dedicated to Mrs. Elizabeth Gibbs, a wonderfully supportive reader, reviewer and friend - even to the point of wrapping her head around a couple of pairings that weren't in her typical favs. =) Gracias, amiga! A sincere thanks also goes out to gosgirl for prompting my muse with the word "plane" when I was listening for the ending and to all of you who have read, reviewed, "favorited" and/or "alerted" this story; it really is greatly appreciated. Enjoy!

The two women lay together after they'd shared a third orgasm. Jenny was stretched out on her stomach nearly boneless and Ziva was half-lying against, half-rising over her, one hand tracing down Jenny's spine. Bending her head, she pressed her mouth to Jen's shoulder blade and the red-head smiled with contentment.

"Do not leave. Stay," Ziva whispered against the pale, beautiful skin under her lips. There was a slight pause and then she husked, "Please."

Jenny went completely still. She wanted nothing more than to stay – in fact, she was frighteningly certain that she wanted to stay with this woman forever. But how could she? If nothing else, NCIS was expecting her back at her job. Tomorrow. Well, technically, later today.

Ziva pulled back, eyelids dropping to hide the hurt she felt when the woman beneath her didn't immediately respond.

Jen turned so their bodies were facing each other and she caught the dark-haired woman close before she could physically retreat any further. "Look at me, Ziva."

After a moment, the Israeli did as she'd been gently but firmly commanded, though her eyes were guarded in a way they had not yet been with Jenny. In contrast, her lover's green eyes were awash with all the new-found emotion she felt for the remarkable woman in her arms.

"What we have feels like a gift that I thought I would never receive," Jenny began quietly, her words ringing with sincerity. "My first thought is that I want to stay here with you more than anything and find out if this is really as much about forever as it feels like it is. My second thought is 'What the hell am I supposed to do about my job?'"

Jenny smiled gently and caressed Ziva's cheek with one hand. The Israeli turned her head and kissed Jenny's palm. Her expression began to relax and she laid her head on Jenny's chest. She heaved a deep sigh that spoke volumes.

"Let's sleep on it for a while," Jenny suggested. "We'll figure something out." With that, she tugged Ziva's mouth up to hers for a slow, soul-searching, healing kiss, then Ziva settled her head back down on Jenny's chest and they drifted off to sleep.

A few hours later, Ziva awoke to an empty bed and the sound of a voice in the living room. She slipped on a silky robe and silently left the bedroom. She stopped just shy of entering the other room from the hall as she heard Jenny's voice say, "Thanks, Tom. Don't worry; I'll have the report to you from this mission ASAP. And thanks again for approving the month of leave."

With those words, Ziva's heart soared and starting beating double time. She padded quietly up behind her lover, who was pacing around in her panties and white shirt from last night with one button holding it closed. Ziva slid her arms around the other woman's waist and began kissing her neck. Jenny gasped not-quite-silently and Ziva grinned.

"What am I going to do?" Jenny asked distractedly into the phone. "Oh, you know, explore the country, enjoy the sights. Israel is a beautiful country … I've never experienced anything quite like it." She tilted her neck to give the other woman better access. "What? Oh, sorry, sir, I have to go …"

"You mean 'come,' do you not?" Ziva breathed wickedly into her ear, her voice almost soundless.

Jen bit back a moan and hung up her phone without even saying goodbye. Ziva immediately turned the other woman around in her arms and took her mouth in a heated kiss infused with all the elation she was feeling.

"You are staying," she murmured as soon as she let Jenny up for air, noting with intense satisfaction that the other woman's eyes were unfocused with desire. "You are staying!"

With the arms that were still locked around Jenny's waist, the Israeli lifted Jen's feet off the ground and she spun them both around in a circle. Her joy was contagious and they both laughed in delight.

As they came to a stop, Ziva allowed Jenny to slide slowly down her body until her feet reached the floor. Brown eyes gazed into green, somehow managing to question and answer simultaneously.

"I have an obscene amount of leave time accumulated. It occurred to me that I could use some of it," Jenny explained. Her gaze was searching as she continued to focus on Ziva's sparkling eyes. "If you really want me to, that is."

There was a hint of vulnerability in her voice that made Ziva rush to reassure her. "I want you to."

Jenny's bright smile rivaled the late morning sun shining in through the windows. "That's good to hear. Very, very good." She pressed a kiss to Ziva's lips. "So. We have a month for now and we'll see where we go from there. Does that work for you?"

"It works perfectly for me." Ziva cupped Jenny's face and leaned her forehead against the red-head's. Her whisper was full of feeling as she intoned, "Thank you."

Then, she couldn't resist kissing the American woman again.

"And now," she mumbled against Jen's lips as she began walking her backwards, "I think we should go back to bed. Does that work for you?"

"Most definitely," Jenny assented, grinning widely against Ziva's lips.

Ziva gently pushed Jenny back onto the bed and they divested each other of their clothing once more. And for a very long while, the only sounds that could be heard coming from that room were mews and gasps of pleasure and warm whispers of affection.

ZJZJZJZJZJZJZJ

One month later…

Jenny Shepard buckled her seatbelt in preparation for takeoff. She didn't want to leave Israel, but she had to – at least for now. She was already missing Ziva and the plane hadn't even left the ground.

She raised her left hand to the Star of David pendant at her throat. Her lips couldn't help but curve as she thought back to last night.

Ziva came up behind Jenny as the red-head was putting the last of her things in her luggage, except for what she would need tomorrow. She was borrowing a larger suitcase from Ziva for the trip home, as she'd had to buy some more clothes and things when she'd extended her stay for another month. But what a month it had been … Jenny could honestly say she'd never felt happier.

Ziva rested her chin on Jen's shoulder and heaved a heavy sigh.

"I do not want you to leave," she mumbled.

Jenny leaned back against her and wrapped her arms over Ziva's.

"I don't want to," she responded. "The only thing holding me together is that we've already bought your ticket for you to come visit me in two weeks."

"Are you sure you will not forget about me in the next two weeks?" Ziva asked, aiming for teasing, but not quite managing to hide the need for some reassurance beneath the question.

Jen turned in her lover's arms and cupped Ziva's face in her hands.

"I'm sure," she whispered. The depth of emotion shining in her eyes provided some comfort to her lover.

"Are you positive you won't decide it's not worth the effort to maintain a relationship with a girlfriend who lives an ocean away?" Jenny asked her.

"You are worth any amount of effort required," Ziva swore in a voice husky with emotion.

The kiss they shared was warm and soft and full of promises.

When they pulled apart, Ziva lifted her hands to the back of her neck and unfastened the chain holding the Star of David that had been her constant companion since her parents had given it to her years ago.

"Here," she husked, fastening the necklace around Jenny's throat.

"Ziva, I can't –" Jenny started to protest, though her fingers grasped the pendant protectively as though she was afraid that Ziva might actually try to take it back.

"Does it make you uncomfortable to wear it because you are not Jewish?" the Israeli asked quietly.

"No!" Jenny quickly assured her. "It's just that I know it's important to you … and that you touch it when you're thinking or worried."

"You are important to me, too," Ziva told her, looking directly into Jenny's bright green eyes. "And every time I reach for it, I will think of you … and every time you see it in the mirror or feel it, you will think of me."

"I'll be thinking of you, anyway," Jenny whispered, raising her other hand to caress Ziva's beautiful face, "but this will stay exactly where it is until you take it back."

"Who says I will be taking it back?" Ziva murmured with a meaningful smile, pulling Jenny in for a long, deep kiss.

They'd stayed awake all night making love and talking. Sleep was unimportant compared to making more memories to hold them over until they were together again.

They hadn't figured everything out about how to live a relationship while on two different continents, but one thing was for certain: this wasn't goodbye.

Still smiling and holding onto Ziva's necklace as though it were a lifeline, Jenny closed her eyes and began dreaming of two weeks from now … and beyond.

The End