A/N: Here's chapter 15! The final chapter of "Blessed." I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any original characters. I only own those whom I have made up.

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Over the course of the next week, work was rather uneventful, so Tony and Ziva were able to devote most of their time to focusing on packing. Finally, the day had come when they were moving from the apartment to their new house. They had rented a moving truck, and Gibbs, McGee, and Abby were there to help load everything. Aiden and Aaliyah were at Janice's apartment while everything was being loaded into the truck. Telling Janice they were moving had not been easy, but she had been happy for them. Janice was excited that they were moving on, and she knew it was best for Tony and Ziva as well as the children.

"What's left?" McGee asked, walking back into the apartment. The living room and kitchen were completely empty. As they walked down the hallway, they checked each room and saw the bathroom was empty as well before reaching the bedrooms.

"There are a few boxes left in the bedrooms," Ziva said, walking into hers and Tony's room. Gibbs and McGee went to Aiden and Aaliyah's room to gather the remaining items, and Tony joined Ziva in their own room.

"It's strange seeing it like this, isn't it," he said, breaking the silence. Ziva nodded.

"We have had a lot of good times in this apartment," she said.

"We sure have," Tony agreed. They each thought silently for a moment about the past several years they spent in that apartment. It was the first place they lived in together. That living room was where they spent several afternoons together just watching movies or talking. The kitchen was home to so many family dinners, holiday meals, and romantic evenings when Tony and Ziva had stayed in for dinner instead of going out. The room they were currently standing in was the room where their children had been conceived. It was also home to thousands of nights that they had just spent together. Ziva looked around the room at the empty walls and the empty floor. She turned around and left the room to walk into Aiden and Aaliyah's room.

Once inside, she stood in the middle of the floor looking around at all the walls, just like she had five years prior after losing their first child. She saw as the room transformed before her eyes and saw the blue walls and the baby furniture and toys that had been bought for Landon. As a lump formed in her throat, that image vanished and changed into the refinished nursery that had been created for Aiden and Aaliyah during her second pregnancy. Then, she came back to reality and the current view of the room set in. The walls were bare, and all the furniture had been removed. There was no sign that this room had just been the bedroom of two lively toddlers. Ziva was taking a deep breath when she heard Tony come in the room behind her.

"Ready to go?" he asked softly. Ziva stood for a moment silently before nodding her head and turning around to face her husband.

"Yes," she replied. They left the room and walked down the hallway into the living room where Gibbs, McGee, and Abby were standing.

"Looks like we got everything," Gibbs said. Tony nodded.

"We'll go get Aiden and Aaliyah and meet you guys at the house," he said. Their coworkers agreed and left Tony and Ziva alone in their living room. They took one last look around at the bare space before Tony reached over to take Ziva's hand and they stepped out of the doorway, pulling the door closed on their apartment for the final time.

They knocked on Janice's door and were greeted by their children who were excited to go see the new house. Tony left to take Aiden and Aaliyah down to the car while Ziva was thanking and saying goodbye to Janice.

"Tony and I want to thank you for all you have done for us over the past few years," she said.

"It was my pleasure," Janice replied. "It has been a blessing getting to know you."

"Well thank you," Ziva smiled. Janice returned the smile and wrapped Ziva in a hug.

"You know if you ever need any help with the kids you can call me at any time," Janice reminded her. "And we had better keep in touch."

"Of course," Ziva replied. She stood in silence thinking about everything Janice had done for their family.

"You'd better get going now, dear," Janice said. Ziva nodded. "I'm very happy for all of you."

"Thanks, Janice," Ziva said. She bid her goodbye and turned to join her husband and children in the car.

When they arrived at the house, Aiden and Aaliyah ran inside and started exploring while the adults began moving everything inside. There was a lot to be unloaded, but between the five of them, the task moved rather quickly. The inside of the house was now full of furniture and stacks of cardboard boxes. Over the next several days, Tony and Ziva would spend their time unpacking everything and turning this house into a home, and they were ready to embark on that adventure.

"Thank you all for helping today," Ziva said when the last box had been carried in.

"No problem!" Abby exclaimed. "It was so much fun!" She gave Tony and Ziva each a hug before stepping aside so McGee could hug Ziva and shake Tony's hand. Next, Gibbs stepped forward.

"It's a nice looking house," he said. "You two are going to be fine."

"Thank you," Ziva smiled and hugged her boss. After pulling away from Ziva, Gibbs turned toward his senior field agent.

"Come outside with me?" Gibbs requested. Tony was slightly puzzled, but nodded and followed Gibbs out the front door onto the porch. They leaned against the railing in silence for a moment as the breeze blew, causing the leaves on the trees to rustle. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

"What's that?" Tony asked. Gibbs sighed and looked Tony straight in the eyes.

"I know I haven't said this often, but I'm proud of you," he began. "You have always been one of my best agents, and you know that. You've grown tremendously over the years, and now there's nothing more I can do for you."

"What are you saying, boss?" Tony asked, a nervous feeling in his stomach.

"You're figuring things out, and when you feel something, you go with that feeling and prove it," Gibbs continued. "That's why you were able to solve this last case. You were right from the beginning when you suspected Marie. I got it wrong that time."

"Crystal was guilty too, though," Tony pointed out.

"But I missed what you saw when you were watching Marie," Gibbs said. "And I think that's a sign that it's your turn."

"My turn?" Tony asked. Gibbs nodded and turned his head to face the front yard, his silver hair fluttering in the breeze.

"I wouldn't leave this team if I didn't believe it'd be going to someone who could handle it," Gibbs said. "And you can handle it."

"You're leaving?" Tony asked. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I'm retiring," Gibbs replied. Tony had a quick flashback to the last time Gibbs had said that, and Gibbs realized what was going through Tony's mind. Gibbs added with a smile, "For real this time."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Tony asked. Gibbs nodded.

"It's what is best for me and the team," he replied. "I'm proud of you and completely confident that you can do what's right for this team and handle the position. It's yours now, Tony." The two of them remained silent as Gibbs allowed this new information to sink in for Tony.

"I don't know what to say," Tony finally said. Gibbs chuckled.

"You don't have to say anything. I know you'll do it," he said. Tony nodded.

"I won't let you down, boss," he said.

"I know," Gibbs said. "You never have."

Shortly after his talk with Tony, Gibbs and McGee and Abby all left to allow Tony and Ziva to begin unpacking. That evening, Tony told Ziva about what Gibbs had said, and Ziva was as speechless as Tony had been. She was happy for her husband and knew this meant that there would be changes at work. They would definitely need a fourth agent. But, Ziva knew that whatever was bound to happen at work would all turn out the way it should be, so she wasn't worried. She knew Tony could handle it, just like Gibbs had said.

The rest of the week went by, and Tony and Ziva had nearly all of the boxes unpacked and the house decorated. At work, they were training a new agent on their team, and Tony was handling the stress very well, like everyone believed he would. One day, while Ziva was at home with the kids, Tony was out on an errand. When he returned home, he came inside with a small, potted tree.

"What is that for?" Ziva asked.

"Well, I've been doing some thinking," Tony began. "When we left that apartment, we left behind a lot of memories, good and bad. Aiden and Aaliyah are obviously with us every day, but the only memories we had of Landon took place in that apartment. So, I thought we could plant this tree in his honor out back, and over time it would grow, just like Aiden and Aaliyah. That way, it can feel like we have a part of him here every day too." A lump formed in Ziva's throat and her eyes filled with tears.

"I think that is the most beautiful idea you have ever had," she said just above a whisper. She wrapped her arms around Tony's waist and rested her head on his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

"Get the kids, and we can do it as a family," he said. Ziva nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat down before leaving the room to get Aiden and Aaliyah.

Outside, they picked the perfect spot in the backyard for the tree. Then, Tony and Ziva let Aiden and Aaliyah take turns digging in the ground until the hole was deep enough. Tony and Ziva carefully removed the tree and roots from the pot and transferred it to the ground. Then, Ziva refilled the hole around the tree with the soil, and they were finished. Aiden and Aaliyah, then, ran off to play in the backyard, and Tony and Ziva stood from the ground to watch their children.

"Thank you," Ziva said. "The hardest part of leaving the apartment was leaving the only memories I had of my first pregnancy, and now I feel closer to him than I've felt in five years." Tony smiled and put his arms around Ziva's shoulders.

"You're welcome," he said. "I love you."

"I love you too," Ziva replied.

Just then, Sadie, the puppy from Janice that Tony and Ziva had surprised Aiden and Aaliyah with, ran outside through the back door that they had left cracked open. Sadie ran over to where Aiden and Aaliyah were playing and began jumping around, licking their faces. Tony and Ziva smiled at the sight; their children were happily playing and laughing, music to any parent's ears. Their family was complete, and with a new home and Tony's new job, Tony and Ziva were prepared to take on the next chapter of their lives together.

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A/N: Well, I hope you liked this story. Thank you so much to everyone who has read this and "For Better or For Worse." It means a lot to me that you have stuck with me throughout these two stories, and I really hope you stick with me while I write the remaining three stories of this series! Also, I'd like to thank Olivia, a reviewer of "For Better or For Worse" who gave me the idea of planting the tree in Landon's honor. I really appreciate it! So, I hope you all enjoyed this, and please review! And be on the look out for the debut of my third story of this series!