Disclaimer: Roly poly fish heads are never seen drinking cappuccino in Italian restaurants with Oriental women. Yeah.

Spoilers: Guilty Pleasure.

Summary: Holly Snow tries to add to her stable.

"You've got a good look. A niche market if you're not willing to change it up, but…actually, the lab coat would probably be popular."

Abby jumped as she looked up from her monitor, almost knocking over her Caf-Pow. "Where's Gibbs?"

"I felt like getting away from all that orange upstairs." Holly Snow's heels clicked against the tile as she began a slow walk around the lab. "The blue in here is a lot more relaxing. The music, not so much, but I can't say I'm surprised. It fits."

"Are…are you allowed to be wandering around the building?"

"I'm sure someone is keeping an eye on me," she said with a wink and a demonstration of her ankle bracelet. "Besides, I doubt anyone here could afford the leash. Non-elected civil servants usually stick with the lower-end services, not that there's anything wrong with that. Even Barney's has outlet stores, after all."

Was she just going to keep talking? Because that could be really, really… Abby suddenly remembered that she was at work, in her own lab. "I'm kinda busy here, so…"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you." Holly leaned over Major Mass-Spec, turning when Abby couldn't stop herself from making a funny peeping sound. "I probably shouldn't touch this, huh?" She moved on to a collection of beakers Abby almost wanted her to ask about, just so she'd have something long and pointless to say, but Holly was now casually leaning against the fume hood. "I just thought that you seemed interested earlier and that I might be able to answer more questions for you."

She bit her tongue on one regarding dog collars. "I think I'm all set."

"It can stay between us." She pulled up a stool at the table between them. "Think of it as purely scientific inquiry if you'd like."

Half an hour later, Abby's purely scientific curiosity was only growing. "I mean, I like leather, but I don't know if…"

"It's not for everyone." Holly abruptly stood. "I should probably get back upstairs before Gibbs sends out his tracking dogs."

"But he's got you on your little anklet!"

"So…you want me to stay? I thought you had work to do, and I've really distracted you long enough. I'd hate to get you in trouble for no reason."

"Well, I skipped lunch and I'm maxed out on overtime, so I think I can afford a little break."

"Federal agencies don't pay very well," Holly said with a sympathetic nod. "At least not the people who do the actual work."

"Oh, it's not about the money. I could be making way more in the private sector. But it just wouldn't be the same." Abby waved her arms to indicate the entirety of the lab. "I love my job. Every single day, you see something different and even though you're pretty sure you can handle it, there's always that little bit of danger."

"Danger, huh?" Holly asked with a quirked brow.

"Well, not the same kind of danger that happens with, like, Gibbs and Tony and McGee in the field, though there are occasional shooting and kidnapping…heavily classified incidents that we'll forget I mentioned. Lab danger, aside from volatile chemicals and ballistics testing, is about failure."

"Your pay is docked if you don't produce answers?"

"No, much worse. If I don't figure out everything there is to know about the evidence, the bad guy could get away."

"I wouldn't worry. There are plenty of bad ones out there." Holly pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "You really like your work here, then?"

"Why else would I spend the majority of my time here?"

"Must be nice. Steady employment, I mean. Not that I didn't have enough to do, just…"

"Excuse me." Abby turned to answer the phone. "Forensics lab, Abby Sciu…"

"Holly Snow with you?" Gibbs interrupted.

"Uh-huh."

"Send her back up. No, I'll send someone to get her. Don't talk about the case."

"Oh, we're just talking about…" She shrugged as the dialtone sounded in her ear.

"I find it's simplest just to say 'business," Holly said. "Everything all right?"

"Gibbs has released the hounds."

"I should be going, then."

"He actually wants you to wait here for someone to…" She heard the ding of the elevator. "Wow, guess he's not messing around."

"Well, I guess you'll know where to find me if you'd like to know more."

Abby nodded, more to the anklet than anything else. "Uh, thanks."

Ziva pressed the button for the bullpen and folded her hands in front of her. "You missed several calls while you were visiting with Abby. Not that I blame you. She is certainly more interesting to talk with than the men I spoke to."

Holly Snow leaned against the far wall of the elevator. "I don't make you uncomfortable."

"Why would you?"

"No, it's just that it's rare for non-professional women to be so at ease around me. It's a nice change."

Ziva stiffened. "Why do you think I am not professional?"

Holly's eyes widened for the first time since Ziva had met her. "Are you independent or are you working for someone?"

"I work for NCIS."

The simple statement of the obvious was met with a laugh as they exited the elevator at the squad room. "I think we may have gotten some wires crossed. I meant professional in the, uh, working woman sense."

"I am…"

"…not a hooker," Tony interrupted, springing from the spot where he'd been waiting by the file cabinets. "And don't worry about it, Ms. Snow. English is always an adventure around here."

Ziva gave him a shove as she passed him on the way back to her desk. This was probably something inappropriate to Google at work, and even less appropriate to ask Tony for further clarification on. Best just to drop the subject.

Holly seemed less inclined to do so, as she repositioned her chair beside Ziva's desk after a reprimand from Gibbs about wandering around the building. In a lowered voice, she asked, "You don't have a problem with me?"

Ziva continued typing, not looking away from the computer screen. "Why would I?"

"I guess most women lack your confidence. But you really don't take offense to my line of work? Not even a little?"

"You seem disappointed."

"What? No. It's just that sometimes it seems like the only women who don't look down on me are already working in my field. You could really…"

Not needing a translation to understand where the conversation was going, Ziva stated calmly and slowly, "I have never slept with a man for money, only information."

Holly's eyes got wide once again, her voice dropping even further, "They encourage that here?"

"Not here. At Mo…my previous job."

"I hope it paid well, at least."

"Oh yes."

"Well, if you ever find that you miss the extra income…"

Ziva leaned forward. "Most of your clients are still breathing at the end of the encounter, yes?"

She was able to get back to work when Holly moved her chair back to its previous spot beside Gibbs' desk. Risking a glance across the aisle, Tony didn't appear to be leering any more suggestively than usual. She was almost disappointed; he probably would have bought her dinner to make up for the joke he undoubtedly would have made if he had overheard her conversation with Holly Snow. Ziva decided that perhaps she would mention it later and let nature take its course.