"Good morning, guys!" Abby exclaimed whenever she passed people as she skipped through the hall of her beloved workplace. She stopped in front of the group of desks where her friends were and started chatting casually with the team, mostly talking about random things. While they were talking, Tony noticed a young girl standing behind Abby, looking out of place.

"It seems you picked up someone on the Metro this morning, Abs" Tony said, with a slight sense of curiosity as to why this was happening.

"Tony, you know I haven't been on the Metro since I got my car fixed!"She said, rolling her eyes. "And besides, she's my shadow for the day." Abby then pointed to the girl who was beside her. She had long, strawberry-blonde locks just a little below shoulder-length, which was waving softly off her head, where her bright-green-and-blue hair streaks were displayed. She wore a pair of worn-in skinny jeans to highlight her multi-colored hi-tops, and a t-shirt encompassing a funny saying like "just because you love me doesn't mean I love you back". Kate would have said she was about 13 or 14, because of the way she held herself: she was trying to look more mature but it wasn't quite working. She looked like Abby, at least an 80's interpretation of her.

"Her name's Hope. She wants to do exactly what I do! " Abby exclaimed, obviously feeling pride for herself.

"She's amazing! I wanna be just like her!" Hope added with a luminescent smile, reinforcing Abby's especially rosy cheeks and smiles bigger than usual, which showed how much she loved having that girl follow her around all day. Yeah, she definitely was her mini-me.

"She filled out some long forms, went for an interview, and took a lie-detector test just to come here and see what I do today." Abby said.

"Pardon me for asking, but what is the reason behind you coming to NCIS today?" Ziva asked, with a peculiar expression still fixed on her face from seeing the girl's distinct outfit.

"Actually," Hope explained, returning Ziva's odd look with one of her own, "I'm here for school. Since its the end of the year, I am required to follow someone with a certain career around all day or two, and then write a report about it for our final grade. I've always wanted to work in forensics, so a few months ago, my mom and I sent an E-mail to the director of NCIS and Miss Scuito to see if that could my assignment. After an interview, and nearly a ton of forms and tests, I received a letter saying I could come and shadow her." She then smiled at Abby, in turn making her smile also.

At that time, a man walked by holding not one, but two cups of coffee and had an expression of both anger and irritation. Hope felt a sudden burst of fear rush all about her, but opposite of her, Abby looked like she was eager to see him.

"You two should better go- she might make him worse." Tony said, conveying both his and the rest of the agents' thoughts. For them, he meant.

"Bye guys. Come on, Hope." Abby and Hope then went towards the elevators away from the desks, since the team was probably going to get a case. "

We should wait until things settle down before I introduce you. He's usually pretty nice to me… but I don't think today is a good day to spring something on him like this right now..." She casually explained to Hope, "But I promise, you'll meet him sometime." Abby smiled kindheartedly to her protégé. They approached the elevator and Abby reached out and pushed the down button. When the doors opened, they got in and began talking casually.

"Have I mentioned I love your hair?" Abby asked the girl who eagerly stood next to her, riding the elevator. Obviously, she wasn't getting tired of Hope anytime soon.

"Well thanks Ms. Scuito, but these are just extensions. My mom would never let me have anything like this permanent." Hope let out a giggle. "She said 'no child of hers is going to be a traveling rainbow' so we agreed on this. But she makes me take them out for serious things like church, but I just never feel like me without them in so I had to wear them." Hope gladly replied to her mentor. Like Abby, Hope was feeling extremely delighted for the experience she was going to have today.

The elevator then stopped at the floor where the lab was located. As they walked through the threshold, hope's eyes lit up.

"NO WAY!"Hope practically screamed. "THISis your lab? This is AMAZING! And these pictures?! I love it all! It's perfect here! Wow!" Hope stood in awe, though far from speechless. As this happened, another one of those warm fuzzies engulfed Abby as she saw the childlike amazement that she herself loved.

This is what life is all about, isn't it? Abby thought to herself, with a huge smile on her face as she and Hope started the day's work, I could get used to this…