Disclaimer: Sadly I don't own the show NCIS but I do own Miss Pierce. This takes place awhile after the episode Jackknife and Gibbs isn't wearing his sling anymore.

Vance is in his office, looking absently at the family photo on his desk when Cynthia beeps in.

"Director Vance, Director Morrow of Homeland Security is one line 1 for you. He says it's urgent." Leon's eyebrows rose heavenward, curious of what the second former NCIS director had to discuss.

"Thank you Cynthia." He replied as he picked up the receiver.

"This is Director Vance."

"Hello Leon. Are you busy today?"

"No. Crime has been kind of… quiet here lately." He heard the other man laugh in surprise.

"Really, what, did Agent Gibbs retire?"

"No he's still terrorizing my agency." The two chuckled. The sudden silence on the other end made alarms go off in Vance's head. He stayed quiet, waiting for his colleague to speak.

"Listen, I'd like you to come down to the Pentagon as soon as you can. There is some information you need to hear that can't be said over the phone." Going back to business mode, Vance stood from his chair.

"Of course, I'll be there in fifteen." After saying their goodbyes, they hung up. Vance grabbed his trench coat and pocketed his cell phone as he left the office.

"Cynthia, I'm going to a briefing. If anyone asks for me, tell them I'm in a meeting."

"Yes Director." Replied Cynthia the moment the door began to fully shut.

Two Days Later…

The elevator doors opened with a 'ping' as a fidgety Abby stepped out. Being the first to notice her anxiety, Tony furrowed his eyebrows as he rose from his chair.

"What's the matter Abbs?" At that comment, Ziva and McGee looked up from their computer screens.

"Vance called me up from the lab…"

"I wonder why he did that." Ziva thought aloud.

"What if he called me up because something happened to my parents? Or something happened to Billy?" Abby gasped suddenly, her eyes growing wide.

"Or maybe he wants to fire me!"

"Over my dead body!" growled a low voice. Tony and Abby swiveled around to see their boss clenching a large Styrofoam cup of coffee in one hand and his cell phone in the other.

"Vance wants both of us up there." Gibbs notified Abby, his tone softening a little.

"Well Vance would be insane to take your badge Boss. So it can't possibly be that." Commented DiNozzo.

"It could be related to the high-jacking case" Guessed Ziva. Gibbs took another sip of his coffee. His gut was yelling "Warning! Warning!" and he never liked it when his gut told him that. It was the same feeling he got when he entered that deserted diner to see Jenny… laying there in a pool of her own blood.

"Come on Abbs." Gibbs started to the staircase, knowing the forensic scientist was reluctantly following.

"This better be good." Gibbs said to himself. Director Vance looked up from the file he was reviewing when he heard his door open.

"Good Morning Agent Gibbs, Miss Scuito."

"Please don't fire us!" squealed out the nervous Goth as she clapped her black gloved hands over her mouth. The corners of Vance's mouth twitched. His reaction was to laugh at the absurd outburst but he knew he had to stay professional.

Rest assures Miss Scuito that was not my intention." His eyes watched the forensic scientist's posture relax as she smiled. Gibbs' ice cold stare remained.

"Two days ago I got an urgent call from Homeland security Director Morrow. He warned that the forensic scientists from agencies such as the FBI, ICE, DEA, CIA, Army CID, and NCIS are being targeted. We don't know specifically who yet so I'm ordering every NCIS forensic scientist to have a body guard or in undercover terms, a lab assistant."

"What! No!" hollered an infuriated Abby.

"I can have my team rotate security." Gibbs stated. Vance shook his head.

"I knew you would say that. The LA team requested the same but SecNav won't take any other suggestions. So the agencies are mixing their undercover specialists that have no connection to the forensic what so ever." Picking up the file he was skimming, he handed it to Abby.

"This is your new assistant, Miss Pierce. "

In the Lab

Abby slammed the manila folder onto her desk.

"Humph! New assistant!" she grumbled. "What's gonna happen this time? Is she going to be the attacker and kill me the moment she comes in?"

"I don't think so." Abby spun around in fright as she heard an unfamiliar voice. It came from a woman 5 inches shorter than her (probably 2 if she wasn't wearing platforms) with her hand tied in a tight ponytail and wearing grey tailored pants, a violet top and what looked like black Danner boots. On her neck, Abby noticed she was wearing dog tags.

"You almost gave me a heart attack!" Shrilled Abby. The woman took a sip of the coffee in her hand and shook her head.

"Not likely. Even if the blood vessels in your heart did have problems, a heart attack wouldn't have been caused by my frightening you." Abby blinked a few times. Her posture unmoving as the atmosphere began to get awkward, the stranger walked up to Abby, and her hand out.

I'm Miss Pierce, your new lab assistant." Abby's body grew more tense and her nostrils flared. Not intimidated, but aware of the sudden mood change in the other woman, she lowered her hand and stepped back.

Listen, I don't want to be here anymore than you maybe even more but we both can't disregard SecNav so I'm stuck. If we just get through this, soon this whole thing will blow over and I can get out of here. Alright?" Abby eyed the woman. She certainly had a lot of spunk for such a small woman.

"I wonder if she knows Ziva at all." She thought to herself.

"If you are going to be my new assistant I need to know what you can assist in."

"Ballistic analyzing is something I did in my old job. I'm a strict organizer as well." was her reply. Slowly nodding, Abby scrutinized the woman more. She noticed that not once in their conversation did the woman fidget, hunch or even slouch. She shifted her eyes cautiously, survey the area. Something within Abby began to trust her but Abby's mind simply couldn't. She had a rough past with assistants after all.

Author's Note: So did you like it? Please review. I would LOVE suggestions. Thanks!