Ziva pushes open the large doors. She cannot believe she is invited to the Sciuto's Manor for the ball this evening. But she was. She smoothes out the wrinkles in her black dress and draws her mask band behind her head, making sure not to ruffle her curls. She is warrior, and would much like to join the army. But she enjoys fine things like this, too.

As she pushes open the doors, she sees the many couples, yet all are wearing masks. They are acquainting with pure strangers, but they don't care. This is how they make friends, meet people.

Ziva steps inside, and is immediately greeted by none other than Ms. Sciuto herself.

"Ziva!" she cries, greeting Ziva by her first name. Ziva smiles. Abby is wearing a black dress with a black, veiled shawl. She has a black and diamond-edged mask on, and her hair is up in a tight black bun. Classy, yet courageous. Just like its wearer. "So glad you were able to come!"

"Thank you, Ms. Sciuto." Ziva inclines her head. Abby waves her hand.

"No need to call me that! Just call me Abby!"

"Okay, Abby." Ziva chuckles.

"This way!" Abby takes her hand and pushes through the frontal crowd, to another pair of wood doors. She twists the handle.

The whole room is filled with people dancing and laughing. An orchestra in the back plays a classical tune, and the masked people dance and the couples twirl and spin.

"Go!" Abby cries, lightly shoving Ziva in. "Have a great time, Ms. David." Abby winks, bows, and closes the mahogany doors behind her.

Ziva makes her way to the middle of the floor, just as a piano solo starts. She looks around, but sees no one alone. So she stands in the middle of the wooden floor, looking around blankly.

Suddenly, her hand is seized by another.

She looks up. She is staring at a black mask, but, under the mask, two green eyes shine like polished emeralds.

"You looked like you were dancing by yourself." He says quietly.

"I was."

"Well, may I have this dance?" He asks. She nods and smiles. He takes her hand and bows, and leads her out to the floor.

Let's paint the picture
Of the perfect place
They got it better than what everyone told ya

He takes her hand, and guides her across the floor. Ziva wonders who is behind the black mask, but she says nothing. Instead, she lets him guide her with the skill and ease of nothing human.

They'll be the king of hearts
And you're the queen of spades
And we'll fight for you like we were your soldiers

"You are quite a dancer." She notes as he spins her and dips her. Her long curls bounce and fall past her shoulders. She chuckles. "And, still, I don't even know your name."

I know we got it good
But they got it made
And the grass is getting greener each day

"Well, it is a masquerade ball, after all." The masked man smiles at her. She smiles back.

I know things are looking up
But soon they'll take us down
Before anyone is knowing our name

He spins her around, and catches her by her waist. Ziva's ends of her dress flare around, but keeps it shape around her.

They got, they got
All the right friends in all the right places
So yeah, we're going down

They twist and turn, their bodies moving in time with each other.

"Now, how was such a beautiful lady like you dancing alone?" The masked man murmurs.

"Because I have two left toes."

The man chuckles. "I'm pretty sure it's 'feet', my masked mistress. And, anyway, you were a lot better than my previous partner."

Ziva raises an eyebrow behind her mask. "And who may that be?"

The green eyes glance over at the other side of room, where a woman in white swirls with her partner. She, however, seems sullen.

All the right moves in all the right faces
So yeah, we're going down

"Now that is a lady I wish I did not find the identity of. That is Jeanne Benoit. Her father is the rich merchant outside town. My father told me to make nice with her, but it's hard to make nice with a cold rock."

Said everybody knows, everybody knows where we're going
Yeah, we're going down

Ziva laughs at this.

"You are a joker, no?" She asks him. He smiles.

"I don't like to think of myself as a joker as much a mood-lightener. This event is supposed to be so elegant and serious. I choose otherwise."

Do you think I'm special?
Do you think I'm nice?
Am I bright enough to shine in your spaces?

Ziva loses herself, simply watching the masked man before her, now sincerely wondering who he was.

Between the noise you hear
And the sounds you like
Are we just sinking in an ocean of faces

"I'm so sorry, sir, but I must know." Ziva says. Her hand just inches the tiniest bit down the man's back. "Who are you?"

He smiles at her. "Why can't my identity remain a secret?"

"You are one of the most unique men I have ever met. I must know who you are." Ziva says, cocking her head slightly.

It can't be possible
That rain can fall
Only when it's over our heads

The sun is shining every day

His hand rests on the curve in her waist. "Hmmm." The masked man thinks about this. "I will think about it." He decides.

But it's far away
Over a world that's dead

Ziva inches forward. Her body is now dangerously close the stranger.

"Still thinking?" She purrs in his ear. Her warm breath tickles him, and he smiles.

They got, they got

"Patience." He murmurs in hers. She giggles uncharacteristically.

All the right friends in all the right places
So, yeah, we're going down

All the right moves in all the right faces
So, yeah, we're going down

His green eyes now lock with her chocolate brown ones, and, suddenly, Ziva feels something. This masked stranger is much different than the others. There is something different.

There must be, for her to feel this way with him.

Everybody knows, everybody knows where we're going
(Yeah, we're going down)

The piano goes into a smooth solo, the notes swirling around them in a pleasant cocoon.

It don't matter what you see
I know I could never be
Someone that'll look like you….

Ziva now fully presses up against the man, closing the gap between them. He chuckles.

"Do you want us to be kicked out?" He asks quietly.

It don't matter what you say
I know I could never fake
Someone that could sound like you

"You are the most unique man I have ever met." Ziva says softly.

All the right friends in all the right places
So yeah, we're going down

All the right moves in all the right faces
So yeah, we're going down!

"And you are definitely an extremely unique lady yourself." He says quietly, pulling her closer.

All the right friends in all the right places
So yeah, we're going down

All the right moves in all the right faces
So yeah, we're going down!

The song ends. Ziva stares at her masked partner.

"Please. I must know who you are."

Instead, he takes her by the hand.

"Come."

He pushes through the crowd, to a pair of white doors. He opens them to a balcony, white with white bars. It looks over a beautiful garden, illuminated by moonlight.

"Beautiful, isn't it? Ms. Sciuto showed it to me earlier."

"Balcony?" Ziva says, running her hand along the rail. "Classy much?"

He smiled. "Romeo knew what he was doing."

"Juliet." Ziva corrects him. "It was Juliet who called out to him on the balcony."

She sits on the balcony, crossing her legs. She stares up at the stars.

He sits next to her, swinging his legs over the side. Ziva shivers slightly.

"It's a cold night." She says in explanation to the masked man's concerned look.

He puts his arm around her. "Better?"

"Yeah."

She turns to him. "Please, stranger. I will not leave not knowing your name."

She looks at him, and, once again, the emeralds meet her brown eyes.

Suddenly, he leans in, and Ziva leans in. Their lips meet. His lips are so soft, and tasted sweet. She slowly closes her eyes, and lets herself teeter on the edge of bliss, not quite falling in.

They break apart.

"Ziva." She says, almost breathlessly.

"Tony."

Well? What you thinking?

Please, please review?

May be just a oneshot, or may turn into a multi chapter.

Depends on my crazed mood swings, LOL.

Please, please review, guys! If I get enough reviews, I just may continue this…

-Vi