I usually keep my stories to the parts of the series where Ziva is with the team (best seasons and team dynamic, in my opinion), but I have also enjoyed Ellie Bishop on the show. It wasn't her fault she came behind such a majorly loved character, and on her own she really is a great character. I think that the show became popular because of the transition from team to family when Ziva joined, but after she left it went from close family to familial team. Here is my one-shot at that junction of transitioning from close family as Gibbs takes on the training of Bishop and how it is different than how McGee and DiNozzo have experienced him.
Unspecific mention to consequences in this story. Can be read as a reference to spanking or not, depending on your preference.
I'm working on getting back to a consistent creative flow, so here's a little one-shot. I have chapters of "Echoes" in the editing stages, and will try to come up with an ending for "Half of the Story" soon, and then get back to "Cable Concussed". I expect to try a few one-shots along the way, as they can be rewarding and fast. :)
I hope you all enjoy, and please know that I have appreciated the support, even in my unplanned "vacation" there. :)
MM
Gibbs nearly stomped out of the bull pen, completely consumed in his frustration at the new junior team member's actions.
"In the future, act as smart as you are. Until you can, you're benched," he growled with a blistering glare as he passed Bishop's desk. McGee and DiNozzo, following close behind their boss, could not help but hear the open reprimand. McGee averted his eyes from her empathically while Tony took a different approach, mouthing "It'll be okay, Ellie," to the flushed, thoroughly embarrassed blonde. She shrunk back, watching them go without protest although clearly disliking being left behind.
DiNozzo and McGee got into the elevator with the seething Gibbs - an experience both generally tried to avoid unless refusing to do so would result in more anger. Today was definitely a day that waiting for the next elevator or even taking the stairs would end in head slaps that would nearly take their heads off of their shoulders.
"It was just a probie mistake," Tony ventured to say as he and Tim stood behind Gibbs during the slow descent.
"That nearly got her killed," Gibbs snapped back, out of patience for any and all probies.
Tim shot Tony a look that said, "Really? Intervening now?!" but Tony just shrugged. It was part of his job - and more importantly, personality - to stand up for others if he felt it was necessary.
Suddenly Gibbs stopped the elevator - an occurrence that only became less startling with repetition - and wheeled around on his two agents. The two of them expected sudden death for some unremembered misdeed, and were startled when Gibbs intensely said, "I just couldn't treat her the same."
It only took the two agents a couple seconds to decode what Gibbs was saying. If they had done anything remotely like Bishop had today, they would be treated to standing for the rest of the day, at the very least. Probie or not, Gibbs did not tolerate stupid. Who could attest to that better than the two of them, who had engaged in it enough to know that it never paid. At this point, they needed very few reminders, but plenty of experience still had them wincing whenever they perceived they were getting close to the boundary lines of what was unacceptable to Gibbs.
But years of being with Gibbs had also alerted them to other facts - facts like family could take time to build and that not everyone was destined to be included.
Abby, Tony, Tim, Ziva - they had all been family. Almost siblings. But now Ziva was gone, trying to somehow redeem her soul through whatever form of penance she had created in her still-broken mind and heart. She was once again caught in a cycle that left them on the outside with no way to reach her despite their persistent and on-going tries. Ziva's going had not just hurt her though. Everyone else was grieving, and no one more than Gibbs. It did not take a psychologist to see that losing that connection with her had been a form of losing connection with himself. If the younger form of Gibbs could not drag herself back to emotional sanity despite the support network lovingly embracing her, how could he be expected to find redemption?
How could he be expected to add to his family when he had failed to connect with the daughter he had understood better than any of them?
"It's ... okay, Gibbs," Tony said, breaking the tense silence.
"It's different," Tim agreed, supporting as well.
Gibbs sighed. This was not what he had chosen, but once again the world had taken his first choice from him. Ellie Bishop was not a bad choice. She would make a good agent if she took the correction to heart, and he knew that she would. He knew how to choose good agents, even if that was not always apparent to observers. She just would never be the daughter he had lost. Neither of them.
He reached out and pressed the well-worn button. The elevator rattled back to life and continued moving. So did he.