Disclaimer: The characters of NCIS, sadly, do not belong to me. They belong to their respected creators, Don Bellasario and CBS. I just like to take them off the shelf and play with them a bit.

She walked through the bullpen and every male head in the place was left spinning, mine included. She wore a mini skirt and her raven hair in pigtails. She followed Tom Morrow up the stairs and I was curious to know who she was and what business she had at NCIS.

Stan Burley sat across from me still staring, his mouth open as if he was ready to catch flies. I flung a paperclip at him to get his attention. "Shut your mouth, Steve." I purposefully called him by the wrong name, had been doing so since Tom Morrow introduced him as my new partner.

Just then my phone buzzed and I looked at the caller ID. Stephanie. I swear the woman had ESP whenever another woman was in the same vicinity as me. I pushed the decline button, not wanting to deal with her right now. The divorce papers had already been signed and I had tossed my ring in the Potomac. The only formality was having a judge sign off.

When my phone buzzed again my first thought was that I should have sent that flying into the water too but then I noticed it was my lawyer. I answered, "Gibbs…" The thoughts of the mystery woman taking a backseat in my mind as I listened to what my lawyer had to say.

—-

Abby surveyed the Director's office. She felt out of place surrounded by the sickly orange walls. The whole office was painted the same color and she hoped that her lab hadn't been subjected to it. She had only gotten a glimpse at the agents as she and the directed passed through. Her eyes had zeroed in on a head of salt-and-pepper hair. She hadn't seen the man's face but she could tell from the curve of his shoulders he was muscular. She tried to listen to Director Morrow as he detailed what her responsibilities would be and thoughts of the silver haired man burrowed into the back of her mind.

—-

I heard the reverberation as I stepped from the elevator toward the lab. I could feel my ears start to ache at the ungodly sound. As I stepped through the door my eyes zeroed in on a pair of swaying hips that even the sterile white lab coat couldn't disguise. I reached for the volume button and silence filled the air. She went rigid and swirled around, pigtails flying, a scowl gracing her ruby red lips. My eyes swept over her appearance before returning to her face and a pair of the most beautiful emerald eyes I had ever seen. I felt my body start to respond, a reaction I hadn't felt in months. She was just a kid, though, as I mentally head slapped myself.

As her voice penetrated my brain it didn't help to cool my body down. There was a smoky twang that added to her sexiness, "Don't touch my stereo, ever."

Her command caused my temper to rise. I gave orders, I rarely ever took them, not anymore. "Keep that shit music at a minimum volume, kid, or else you won't have a stereo."

I watched as her hands twitched at her sides and her eyes flared with anger. She stepped forward into my personal space and I wondered if she knew what she was doing. She poked her painted fingernail into my chest and replied hotly, "Don't call me kid, Pops, and I won't call you dad. I happen to have a double Masters degree in Forensic Science and Computer Science.

So this was the new Forensic scientist that Morrow had hired to replace Wilson. She was going to be a distraction, of that I was certain. She was already causing my blood pressure to rise. She had lowered her finger from my chest, but she stood her ground and I could feel her breath against my cheek. "So what do I call you?"

She moved back just an inch and extended her hand, "The name is Abigail Scuito, but you can call me Abby. What's your name, Pops?"

I growled, "Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Everyone calls me Gibbs. I'm the team leader. I'm here for the evidence analysis."

I breathed a sigh of relief as Abby stepped away from me and towards the computer. "Don't have it yet, Gibbs. Test will take at least another few hours."

"You have one…and keep that shit you call music off while in this building." I turned to leave and as I did I heard her say, "You can't rush science, Gibbs…and I'll damn well listen to what I want while in this lab."

A small smirk spread across my face at her spirit. She was going to be a force to be reckoned with.