She hides her heart in stainless steel casing. It's love she's been afraid of, and it's why she appears pistol cold. "In Mossad . . ." she says, or, "In Israel, we have a saying . . ." It's just a front, a wall to hide behind, an excuse for being the way she is. So cold, emotionless, like Officer Lisa in Deep Six.

It's not that Ziva lacks emotion, but rather that she's not sure how to express it in the "appropriate" way. It's a cruel double-edged sword, the life of a woman in law enforcement. Show emotion and feelings, get accused of being weak and unequipped for a cop's job; be a snarky bitch, get accused of being,well, a snarky bitch. Such is the life of Ziva David, and she tries with all her being to tread the fine line between weak and strong.

Today, she trusts her team, knows she won't be judged by them, and foregoes the statue act. These people are more than co-workers to her – they're her family. She smiles and laughs, screams and cries, shows the spectrum of emotion deeply embedded in her passionate soul. She still isn't entirely comfortable with Abby's hugs, but most people aren't. She will, however, take the chance to unexpectedly kiss McGee on the cheek, because if there's someone on the team more uncomfortable with random physical shows of emotion than her, it's McGee.

It hasn't always been easy, her time at NCIS, but she's pushed against her obstacles, and has prevailed. She's proven to Gibbs her loyalty in the hardest way possible, and shown the rest of the team she trusts them, and loves them, even if it is difficult for her to say. Her devotion will never falter, her faith in the team remain true, and perhaps, when she's finally ready, her voice won't tremble when she tells each and every one of them – Gibbs, Jen, Tony, McGee, Ducky, Abby, and even Jimmy and Agent Lee – know just how much they mean to her, how she appreciates the chance she's been given, how much their trust keeps her going.

When she climbs into bed each night, Ziva looks up to the ceiling and says the words she'll work up the courage to say to them all:

"Thank you."