A/N: early season three musketeers at a pumpkin patch, I'm European, the closest I've ever been to a pumpkin patch is that one (1) tiny butternut pumpkin growing in my backyard (I don't think it's gonna make it, but then, I don't know where it came from either...)

Prompt: Pumpkins pumpkins pumpkins

As they exited the Dodge Charger, they were greeted by a seemingly infinite sea of bright orange pumpkins. They grabbed their bags from the trunk and walked from the parking lot down the gravel road, straight through the pumpkin patch.

Ziva slowed down, eyeing the pumpkin pyramid on their left. "What are they doing?" She pointed at the couple in front of the pyramid.

Tony and McGee stopped and turned to look. "Oh, pumpkin patches are really popular for photo shoots," McGee said.

Ziva narrowed her eyes, focusing on what the couple was so excited about. "Is that a...dog?"

"Oh yeah," McGee said smiling as he spotted the little dog. "It's a pug dressed up in a pumpkin costume."

Ziva tilted her head. "Why?"

"It's cute," Tony said, then shrugged, "you wouldn't understand."

She made a face at him, and they resumed their walk.

"A pug pumpkin," McGee said with a chuckle. "A pugkin? A pumpug!" He looked at his coworkers hoping for a positive reaction, but Tony solemnly shook his head, and Ziva had gotten distracted by rows and rows of meticulously carved pumpkins.

Tony pointed at a small barn on their right. "There's the haunted house where they found the body "

"Did the 'haunted house' banner tip you off?" McGee said sarcastically.

Tony looked at him with mock excitement. "Timmy, you can finally read at a first grade level!"

McGee's glare did nothing to dissuade Tony from taunting him further.

"Hey Ziva, guess what, McGee can..." He turned to look at her and found her staring at a catapult.

She glanced at him, then tilted her head as if to get a better look at the wooden contraption. "Why?"

"To launch pumpkins."

Her face brightened, and she turned to him excitedly.

As soon as her lips parted, he held up his hand, and firmly said, "No!"

"Why not?"

The almost pout surprised and distracted him for a moment. "Because there's a dead petty officer in that barn."

"Oh," she said quietly, "I forgot."

"You forgot?" Tony said in disbelief.

"I got distracted with all the..." She gestured around her.

"First time at a pumpkin patch, huh?" McGee asked after greeting the police officer standing guard outside the barn.

"Enjoy the sights and sounds of this fine example of American culture, Officer David." Tony said, jutting out his chin.

Ziva looked at him dubiously. "You said that about Metrorail two weeks ago, and basketball a month ago."

He raised an eyebrow. "Yes, but a pumpkin patch smells better, the fresh air, the hay bales, pumpkins and apples." He sniffed audibly, then looked at the small stall down the road. "Pumpkin pie and apple cider," he added with a smile.

Ziva sniffed the air as well. "Decaying body."

He glared at her, and led them into the barn quietly. In the back, next to a large haystack, stood what looked like scarecrow. As they approached it, they noticed the blue Navy service dress uniform, and a ghastly carved pumpkin covering the petty officer's head.

Tony sighed, and dropped his backpack on the dirt floor. "Don't know about you guys, but I've had enough of pumpkins."