I can only hope all of you will enjoy this story! Updates will be every Tuesday (maybe it will fill the gap for an actual episode of NCIS stupid hiatus).

Sam

Ziva stood outside it at first. The dark red bricks looked healthy enough (maybe just a slight chance the walls would crumble with one hit) the shutters...needed some work...the windows looked like something out of a horror movie and it didn't have a porch that she wanted. Tony had already told her to not focus on the negative. She had tried for his sake, but ever since he mentioned a house, having one without a porch was unheard of in her mind. He promised her one after a lot of complaining and whining that she did when they drove up. Just give me time, I'll take care of it. She did always win. He had done an awful lot of convincing the day before today. He told her about a house just outside of the city that was cheap. The trees drowned out any possible noise and if you walked straight through the woods from the back door there would be a lake towards your right. He described it, it's a longer drive into work but I think we need this. I'm telling you Ziva, I think this house is perfect. Honestly, she had trouble saying no to him already.

Inside, the kitchen was old but clean. The tile needed some work but even she could do that. She almost tore the wallpaper down with her nails when she stepped into the living room. The dark wood floors did take a liking to her. When she walked with her heels the sound echoed through the empty house, bouncing off the walls until it faded and left her alone with the silence. It was peaceful and with more furniture Ziva saw herself reading alone in this room. There was a large window looking back at the woods where beyond was the lake Tony had mentioned before. It would be easy getting lost in a story sitting there. She visioned the piano sitting in the corner and the well required television hanging in the center of the left wall. Tony's movies could be put over there...her bookshelf would have it's own corner...

"I can see you smiling."

Ziva snapped out of her mind and turned to see Tony staring at her from the front door that walked into the living room. Where he stood she knew her rug in the apartment would fit nicely in that small foot space. She tried to contain her joy as much as she could. Admitting he was right was never easy.

"You are not off the hook just yet. I have not seen the upstairs."

She followed him to the bottom of the stairs where he took her hand. Tony led her up the stairs towards the largest empty room. The hinges on the door had a high-pitched hiss to them but before she could say anything, "Nothing a little oil isn't going to fix. Now look!" He grabbed her shoulders and held her body so she could see the entire room. It would be their room. She saw everything perfectly. The way he was holding her told Ziva he could see it too.

"It is..."

"I know don't say it." Tony left her side and headed for the windows. "These will maybe need replacing." He hesitated tapping on the cracked glass but did it anyways. She swore the thing almost shattered. "Well, I'll definitely replace them. All the windows are pretty much like that... but I can get Timmy over here and help with some handy work...he's always talking about those stupid elf games and some man stuff would do him some good. Gibbs is always working on something in that damn basement I bet I could get him to fix up the shutters outside and Abby will help you with all the unpacking. She could stand to burn off some of that energy..."

He continued talking but she blocked him out. He was now walking around the room, pointing and turning and planning. The smile on his face hadn't left since the moment they drove up the long, gravel driveway and saw the very house they stood in now. She hadn't felt her smile fade neither. There was no need for convincing now, it was already theirs.

"Tony."

He was still talking. His name hadn't even phased him.

"Tony!" She said it louder and this time he faced her. His voice faded and she didn't talk until he had completely finished. "First, the wallpaper downstairs has to go."

"Ziva, I already told you I'm going to take care of everything. Before we both know it this house will be fixed up by winter and there will be normal wallpaper downstairs that doesn't make us look hundreds of years old and we'll shine the wood floors..."

"You did not let me finish." She laughed. She had never seen Tony this anxious or compulsive. His excitement was growing on her and his face practically screamed, begging her for mercy to let him keep this house for the both of them.

"Ms. David, would you do me the honor of telling me how much you are in love with this home I picked out for us?" He read her like an open book.

"I do love it very much."

If at all possible, the curve on the corner of his lips sharpened. He ran over to her and held her by the waist. "Ziva David are you ready to live in this house with me for the rest of your life?"

"You better not forget about my porch."

"Wouldn't even dream about it." He leaned in and kissed her. She could taste his happiness on his lips and feel the excitement in his body. He let go of her way to soon and bolted for the stairs leaving her standing alone in their new room. Ziva turned, allowing herself to see everything. The wallpaper wasn't so bad. It almost impressed her compared to the down stairs. Scrubbing the floors was inevitable but the windows would need the most work. She looked out one that faced the endless driveway. They were completely excluded and it felt rather peaceful. As she turned to leave the cold fall breeze blew hard from outside and she felt a cold draft blow through the cracked windows. They rattled slightly, making an unusual racket but then came to a quiet and sudden stop. The silence was eerie and it swallowed the room so fast it made her want to turn around and run. Ziva shivered before Tony's voice interrupted the trance. "Come on babe we have to pack!"