This was written for the prompt 'swear.' (225 words)
This is set shortly pre-series.
Summary: There are certain words Diane won't tolerate in her house.
Setting an Example for Emily
"Fiddlesticks!"
Gibbs gave Fornell a questioning look. "Come again?"
"Fiddlesticks," Fornell repeated. "It's a word used to express displeasure with something, a mild oath."
"Yeah, and you're saying it because ...?" Gibbs trailed off.
"Because I'm upset," Fornell answered. "Mildly," he added.
"Got that," Gibbs responded. "Why fiddlesticks?"
Fornell explained, "It's my favorite non-curse-word curse word."
Gibbs gave him an exasperated look, so Fornell explained further, "My mother didn't like cursing."
"Don't see your mother in my basement," replied Gibbs, handing Fornell a rag.
Fornell accepted the rag and shrugged, then said, "Emily's talking a lot more. She's like a little echo, repeats what she hears."
Gibbs nodded in understanding and raised his mason jar as a salute.
Fornell continued, "I figure Diane won't kill me if Emily says fiddlesticks."
"Unlike a different f-word," Gibbs finished for him.
"I thought she sounded kinda cute saying it myself," Fornell said.
"Diane didn't agree," Gibbs said, shaking his head.
Fornell dropped the rag over the puddle of liquid. "Would I be here spilling your bourbon all over your workbench if she had?" he asked.
"Diane really that upset about it to run you out of the house?" Gibbs asked.
Fornell grinned, "She probably wouldn't have been," he said, "but I joked that I was helping put Emily on an early career track for the Marines."