A/N: Hey everyone, it's Soph! What, you didn't think we'd let Valentine's Day pass us by, did you? Okay, so for those of you who are new, this is a collaboration fic between myself (Anonymous033) and Ash (ZandVsupporter). We will alternate between chapters, and this fic will have 8 chapters. The first chapter is written by me.

Summary: Tony is desperate to get Ziva to spend Valentine's Day with him, and well...we'll see.

Disclaimer: Ash and I don't own NCIS...yet. We'll see about that too!

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Only You

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I. The Absence of a Presence

15 Days before Valentine's Day

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"Good morning, Tony," the sound of Ziva's lilt made Tony's eyes snap up and away from the game that he was busy playing on his cell phone.

"Morning, Zee-vah," he replied with an impish grin before looking down at his phone again. He was soon startled by the loud thud of Ziva's elbows landing on his desk, followed by appearance of her face one inch away from his and peering curiously at his phone.

"What are you playing?"

"Angry Birds," Tony informed her happily, "Best game ever."

A frown appeared on Ziva's face as she watched him play. "You are shooting birds at…pigs?"

"Yup."

Ziva shuddered. "I do not know if that is even kosher." She removed her elbows from his desk and headed over to her own, powering up her computer as she laid down her coat. She smiled at McGee when he sauntered into the bullpen, coat on one arm, bag on one shoulder, and a big grin on his face. "Good morning, McGee. You seem happy today."

"Well, it's fifteen days to Valentine's Day, Ziva, and I've just gotten a date for it." McGee announced proudly.

"A date, Elf Lord?" Tony's attention was momentarily diverted from his phone. He swung around in his chair to look at McGee. "What, with one of the Elf Ladies from the game that you play?"

"The term is Ice Queen, Tony, and no. It's not. It's with a girl that I met at the supermarket yesterday."

"The supermarket?" There was a tone of disbelief in Tony's voice. "You met a girl while grocery-shopping?"

"Yes, Tony." McGee replied calmly. "You might too, if you went grocery-shopping more often."

Tony looked horrified at the idea. "No thanks." He hastily returned his attention to the game.

"So tell me about this girl, McGee," Ziva said, gracefully deciding to ignore Tony's interruption.

McGee sat down at his desk. "Well, her name is Angeline, and she works as a Forensic Science professor at the George Washington University. She tutors children in community centres on the weekends, and she sometimes helps out at pet shelters."

Ziva froze, and she was debating whether or not to voice out her thoughts when Tony did it for her.

"Don't you think she's just a little like Abby, Probie?"

The smile slid off McGee's face and he looked at Tony bewildered. "No! Abby doesn't teach Forensic Science."

Tony shook his head sympathetically and went back to his game. Ziva smiled reassuringly at McGee and said, "Well, I think she sounds like a wonderful match for you."

"Thank you," McGee beamed at her as Gibbs walked in.

"Enough chatter, you two." Gibbs grabbed his gun and badge out of his desk drawer. "We've got a case. Hey, DiNozzo!"

"Yes, Boss!" Tony jumped, fumbling with his phone as he nearly dropped it.

"Turn off that damn game and come with us!" Gibbs began speed-walking towards the elevator, with Ziva and McGee following close behind. Tony caught up with them just as the elevator doors started to slide shut on him.

"Anything wrong, Boss?" McGee asked in confusion as Gibbs stared unwaveringly at him inside the elevator.

Gibbs never broke eye contact. "She is just a little like Abby, actually."

.::.

Loud music pounded out from inside Abby's lab as Tony stepped in, a full box of evidence in his hands. He was immediately taken aback by the various shades of reds and pinks that covered all flat surfaces, strewn about in a disorderly manner. He looked around for the goth. "Abby?"

"Up here! I'll be down in just a second!" Abby's voice called down from the top of a ladder. He looked up to see her stringing a large pink paper heart to the ceiling. She knotted the string tightly and climbed back down the ladder, stepping onto the floor with a bounce of her heels. "Sorry. Was decorating my lab for Valentine's Day. What can I do for you, buckaroo?"

Tony glanced at her warily. "Buckaroo?"

Abby grinned. "I've always loved that word. Use it as much as I can. It just rolls off the tongue, don't you think? Buckaroo buckaroo buckaroo -"

"Evidence." Tony held the box out towards her.

"Right." Abby cleared her table and took the evidence box from him. She peered eagerly into it and gasped. "It's like Christmas!"

Tony grimaced. "Yeah, there was a lot of blood at the crime scene…"

"So what are you going to do for Valentine's, Tony?" Abby interrupted cheerfully as she pushed aside the box and stared at him.

Tony shrugged. "I don't know yet. Haven't decided."

Abby gave a theatrical gasp. "You haven't decided? It's fifteen days to Valentine's! You usually plan way ahead of this, Tony. This is very remiss of you. All the good women will be taken by now."

Tony thought about it. "Yeah, but I don't just want a 'good woman' to spend Valentine's Day with. I want a great woman. I'm gettin' too old for this, and I need… a meaningful relationship…" He seemed to space out as he said this.

'Hello! Earth to Tony!" Abby waved her hands exaggeratedly. "Who's this person that you want to have this meaningful relationship with?"

"Uh, no one…" Tony looked warily at her again. "I'll see you later, Abs." He turned abruptly and left the lab.

Abby looked at Bert the Hippo, who was sitting on top of a pile of red paper hearts, with a mystified expression. She picked him up and hugged him. "Someone's got his heart, and she's got it good," she told him seriously.

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Tony sat pondering at his desk the next day, his mood uncharacteristically down for once. It was two weeks to Valentine's and he still had not found anyone to spend it with; it was looking more and more likely that he would be spending it alone. But the truth was that even that was preferable to the alternative of spending it with another woman in whom he had no real interest, and with whom he spent the day only because it was his habit to do so. He gave a sigh. There was only one woman he was interested in being with on Valentine's Day, and of course she was the most unattainable one.

Said unattainable woman walked into the bullpen just then, having returned from lunch with McGee. She threw a large packet onto Tony's desk. "Here is your burger, Tony."

Tony looked up at Ziva, startled. "I don't remember ordering any burgers."

"You did not. But you must not go without lunch; if you do you will be unable to concentrate in the field, and that can be very dangerous."

Tony was dumbfounded as he listened to her speech. Finally he said, "Thanks, I guess." He took the burger and unwrapped it. The fragrant smell of meat wafted up to him, making his pulse race faster. He eagerly bit into the burger. "Mmm."

Ziva smiled and sat down in front of her computer.

"So who are you going out with for Valentine's?" Tony asked her as he chewed noisily, the oily paper crinkling in his hands.

"No one, Tony." Ziva said as she began clicking on her mouse, staring intently at her screen. "I have not been asked out by anyone."

"Really? A beautiful woman like you…"

Ziva's eyes met Tony's. "Not all beautiful women get asked out for Valentine's Day. But I guess I do not mind. I can use the time to cook, and to relax at home."

"That's such a lonely way to spend Valentine's," Tony said disapprovingly.

"Do you have any better suggestions?"

"No. But I never would've taken you for the type of woman who would sit back and wait for a man to ask. I thought you would've gone and found someone to spend it with by now. "

"And who would I find to spend it with, Tony?"

Tony hesitated. "I don't know." The burger in his hands suddenly felt tasteless upon his tongue. He put it aside.

Ziva's eyes flicked to it. "Did I get you the wrong burger?"

"No; you always get me the right one." He picked up the burger again and reluctantly took another bite. It was still tasteless, but he would have eaten up soap before he admitted to her that it was she who had made him lose his appetite.

Ziva furrowed her brows at him and went back to her work. Tony watched her fingers dance across the keyboard, the concentration etched beautifully into her face and the curve of her back oh-so-tempting, and the misery in his heart grew because he couldn't figure out how he could love her so much and want her so badly, yet could never have the right to claim her as his.

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A/N: That's it for the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed reading it, because I certainly enjoyed writing it. Please review! They are much appreciated; they make our days. And because I'm sure you miss Ash, I'm happy to say she'll be writing the next chapter!