Author's Notes: Wow, yay...5 reviews in 2 days! I'm very happy...hence the earlier update! :D Thanks to my reviewers: merderdreamy5 (I did not get your review via email oddly, had to access it here), shirik, Oktober TM, Dee and ScottishCheeseRollinCabaiste. I'm so happy that you all really like Claire, I put a lot of work into her at times and I adore her too. But whatmade me most happy was that several of you said the characters were right and I have Gibbs nailed. Very motivating and happy stuff! Thanks, I'm glad I got it right. Claire is starting to build her friendships now and things are pretty tough for her, but hang in there...no ones justgoing to let her "crash and burn" then entire time :) Anyhow...onwards with the story and the same thing applies: the more reviews the faster the updates. Thanks for reading, enjoy and let me know whatcha think!

Chapter 3: At the end of the day

After Claire's mostly unsuccessful trip to her first crime scene, she followed the team into the office several hours later and sat at her desk with a sigh. She didn't know if she should feel relieved to the fact she'd left the crime scene or if she should feel nervous because the day still wasn't over.

'McGee, take the evidence up to Abby!' Gibbs gave out orders. 'DiNozzo, contact family members and our victim's superior officer…find out if anyone else was living at that house'

'On it boss!' Tony said loudly and enthusiastically while McGee rushed from the room.

'Ziva, phone records, credit card transactions-'

'Background checks, got it' Ziva nodded and picked up her phone.

'Claire' Gibbs then rounded on her, trying to figure out which job would be best for her. 'Sit here, do nothing' he said and left the office. 'I'm going for coffee!'

Claire didn't feel any better with her request and looked over where Ziva and Tony were working fast and they clearly knew what they were doing. She wondered if they'd made any of her mistakes when they'd started but if Ziva was from Mossad then she highly doubted that Gibbs would have her sitting there doing nothing like Claire now was.

She sighed and booted up the computer that had recently been placed on her desk. It seemed that while they were away, Jenny had taken away the dividing board between her and McGee's desk and replaced the desk and equipment altogether. Now Claire's desk was still beside McGee's and was slightly diagonally facing Gibbs's desk but otherwise looked the same as all the other desks in the office. A sign of her more permanent stay, but Claire wondered how long she'd actually last…desk or no desk.

It was well after eight that night then Gibbs dismissed them and sent them home as they had covered a lot of ground on their case. Tony, McGee and Ziva packed up their things and Claire quickly followed suit. She took a breath and decided she still had a chance to make friends with the members of her new team. Claire wanted to be friends with them because then maybe it would be easier and she'd feel better if she actually fit in. But it was also because she wanted them to like her, not just tolerate her being there.

'Goodnight' she smiled at everyone as they started to leave. McGee smiled back but there was a tiny hint of sympathy there as well. Claire felt defeated and very left out as no one else so much of acted as if they'd heard her at all.

'Good-' Claire stared to say to Gibbs when he walked past but he was gone before she could even finish. The elevator doors shut soundly and Claire was now standing alone in the dark and empty office of NCIS. She lowered her gaze to the floor miserably and then turned, heading up the stairs and past MTAC.

--

Cynthia wasn't there so Claire went right up to Jenny's door and knocked.

'Come in' Jenny's tired voice came through the door and Claire opened it.

'Hey' Claire sighed. 'Can I talk to you for a moment?' she wondered and saw Jenny was also packed up to leave as well.

'Go right ahead' Jenny smiled and listened to Claire describe the day she'd had and how tough it was for her.

'It's just your first day' she said to her niece, but somehow felt that wasn't going to give much comfort.

'But I'm always like this, clumsy and mucking everything up' Claire sighed as she sat in the seat across from Jenny. 'What if it doesn't get better? What if I don't get better'

Jenny was going to tell her how it's mostly up to her to sort her way through it and have confidence in herself but instead decided to give her more tips than advice. Stating that it was more the little things she did that mattered rather than how they perceive her.

'You need to relax, they're mostly testing you' Jenny said. 'You will learn, and after a few days they'll start to warm up to you. You're this new person that has come into their tight-knit and well established team, give it time'

'You really think I can do this?' Claire asked; surprised in the level of faith her aunt had in her, even when Claire seemed to be failing so miserably.

'I know you can' Jenny smiled. 'I wasn't easy for me when I first worked with Gibbs either, and I was one of the few female agents in the world then…let alone on a team with men. At least you've got Ziva and Abby'

'Ziva hates me and who's Abby?' Claire replied.

'I doubt she hates you, she just…takes longer to warm up to people than most' Jenny said, putting it politely. 'And Abby is the forensic scientist, I'm sure you'll meet her soon enough'

Claire nodded and stared at her hands for a moment and then got up. 'Thanks' she said and left, feeling that she was taking up Jenny's time and there was nothing Jenny could really say that would make the team like her.

Jenny wanted to comfort Claire after hearing the defeat and misery in her tone but knew that she just had to learn the hard way, like she had…like they all had.

--

Claire left the office and bumped right into Gibbs but didn't bother to apologize or even say anything as she continued to avoid his gaze.

'Is there a problem?' he wondered.

Claire looked at him and was about to say how hard it was for her but chose against it. She didn't need him thinking any less of her than he probably already did.

'No sir' she lied. 'No problem' she sighed and walked away.

Gibbs knew Claire was lying but once she'd left and ceased out of sight, he barged right in to talk to Jenny.

--

Claire got to her desk and grabbed her stuff. She gave the gloomy office another glance before walking away and then called for the elevator, tapping her foot softly as she waited. As Claire got into the elevator, she saw Jimmy standing there.

'Oh hey' he said and she smiled briefly at him, not really feeling in the mood to be around anyone that works at NCIS. 'Tough day, huh?' he guessed.

'You could say that' she sighed with a light nod, gripping her bag tightly as it was heavier than she remembered.

'I've been there, it's not fun' Jimmy replied. 'But you get used to it'

'Apparently' she muttered dully in reply.

Jimmy stared at her for a moment before talking again. 'I know it seems impossible'

'Yeah' Claire nodded and looked at him as he turned his gaze away. 'McGee saids it gets better, is that true?'

'You get used to it, learn to ignore most of the comments thrown your way and then you learn what not to do' Jimmy shrugged. 'Yeah, it gets better…they warm up to you eventually' he added as the elevator stopped and they got out.

'Thanks Jimmy' Claire smiled a little and they separated, heading for their own cars.

Claire arrived at her apartment in Georgetown and locked the door behind her before turning on the main lights. She sighed and dumped her keys, jacket and bag. Claire went for a shower and watched some TV while eating take-away, trying hard to just relax and let the events of her first unexpected day ease from her mind.

But by ten later that same night, she still could not distract her thoughts, so she switched off the TV. While making her way to the hall Claire paused and closed her eyes, trying to think of something more calming but all she could see was how the team seemed to hate her, the looks of sympathy she continuously got and how her nerves made her ruin things. She kicked the back of her couch lightly but that seemed to trigger her anger as she hit it harder. Claire lashed out at her furniture and then the wall behind the couch, being so frustrated and stressed over the ordeal that her first day had brought and her own self doubt.

--

After five minutes of hitting and kicking, Claire let out a growl of exhaustion and slid down the wall, just sitting on the floor as she wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her head against them. She didn't cry because she wasn't upset…just frustrated, defeated and felt very left out about the entire ordeal of her first day at NCIS.

'It will get better' she tried to tell herself in her mind, hearing McGee's voice and then Jimmy's. 'It will get better…no it won't!' she took a deep breath and just stared straight ahead as she remained in a curled up sitting position on the floor.

Author's Notes: Sorry if this chapter may seem a bit short, but it's because the next one is bigger and it would be too long if I included them both as one chapter. Oh and in case anyong is waiting for it...Claire will meet Abby next chapter :). Please review and let me know whatcha think about any aspect of the chapter/character/fic! :)

-Mel