A/N: Since you guys have been so patient with me submitting stuff late all the time, I thought I'd do this one while the episode is still fresh in my head. Enjoy!

Tony couldn't help it.

He could never help it.

He was staring at the empty desk across from him.

What is wrong with you, DiNozzo? She's only been gone a couple days. It usually takes weeks for you to get this bad.

McGee looked compassionately at the older agent, who he considered to be one of his closest friends. It was obvious that whenever Ziva was gone he was hit the hardest, even if it was just for a few days.

"So..." Tim began, startling Tony a little. He had obviously thinking deeply about something. More like someone. "Where is she?"

"Who?" Tony asked, immediately cursing himself for not being able to come up with something better. "Who?" Really?

"Tony, Ziva's been gone since Thursday."

"Oh! Zi...Ziva...gosh, I hadn't noticed," Tony stuttered.

Tim rolled his eyes and smiled to his paperwork. Tony always noticed. Today was no exception. "You are lying."

"McGoo, I have better things to do than to obsess over the whereabouts of our little miss fancy-pants Ziva."

"Yeah, like what?" Tim asked sceptically.

"Well for instance, there's lunch. Today I'm thinking falafel."

Lies, Tim thought. Trying to pass off the fact that he was thinking more about lunch than Ziva was untrue on any day.

"Tony," McGee said in a caring but no-nonsense voice. Kind of like Gibbs, but less scary.

"Alright," Tony replied as his brows shaped his eyes into an unhappy expression. "She spent the weekend with him."

"Him who?"

"The Sire of South Beach, the King of Key West, the man with the...Mr...running out of things to call him," Tony answered with a disapproving look on his face. "She won't even tell us his name."

Tim sighed. Tony really needed to get a life. Or a wife.

...

McGee was the only one who heard the elevator that evening as the two discussed the case. Only after a brief slap to the arm did he realise just who it was.

Ziva walked into the bullpen with a big smile on her face and waved a gloved hand happily at the two men.

"I thought you were in Miami! You look positively alpine."

"He came to me," Ziva explained. "We went skiing again, this time in Vermont."

"Vermont, that's..." Romantic. "So quaint. With all those little country inns," Probably only one bed, "and cosy fires," nothing more romantic than a warm fire on a cold night, "and sticky maple syrup that gets everywhere."

"He enjoys nature. And I discovered he's a fantastic cook, he made this delicious dinner," Ziva continued, smiling fondly at the memory.

"So he's a real Renaissance man, huh?" Tony asked, knowing she was in the mood to be divulging information.

"He is an experienced man who knows how to appreciate life. There is a difference."

"So when do we get to meet him?" Tim asked. "And please tell us his name."

"Oh, no, wait, let me guess: Zeus? Thor?"

"His name is Ray," Ziva said, clearly enjoying the taste of his name on her tongue.

"Ray," Tony said in such a fake, high voice that he wasn't sure if he even believed that he sounded remotely happy, let alone Ziva. But he didn't stop. "What a nice little name! Ray, like Ray Crock or Ray Charles."

OK, so we know this much about Miami Man: he lives in Miami, obviously, so he must be tan. Ziva really likes his company, he loves nature and he's a great cook. And his name is Ray. Ray like a drop of golden sun. And Tony knew how much Ziva loved The Sound Of Music.

Ziva could see how uncomfortable Tony was getting. She knew he cared and was just trying to protect her. It was, after all, part of his job.

"I promise you, Ray is a good man," Ziva said reassuringly.

Tony shrugged it off like he didn't care but he couldn't help keep his eyes away from hers.

...

The next day, Ziva wore her hair straight.

Tony liked it when she wore it straight. She looked so pretty. But Ziva always looked pretty.

Of course, he would never tell her that.

But why not?

He remembered after Jenny died Abby was so upset because she never told Jenny that she was a snappy dresser. She would have smiled. Ziva would smile if he told her that.

And he loved it when Ziva smiled.

Enough, he told himself. You spent the last three days at work worrying about her, now she's back and she's fine and you need to think about something else.

"Hey, Tony," Tim whispered when Ziva went to the bathroom. "Do ya think Ziva kinda looks like Salma Hayek?"

Tony groaned. He was never going to get that image out of his head.

A/N: So, what did you think? I know it was a bit of a stretch in places but I'm happy with it. I hope we get to meet Ray soon, and now we can call him something other than Miami Man. Let's hope Tony doesn't shoot this boyfriend, it didn't turn out so well last time.