Recap: Monday right after Chapter 16.

~ McGee meets M'Goo ~

'Ding'

Gibbs stepping out of the elevator, with a coffee cup from Starbucks firmly held in his hand, wasn't an unusual sight for any NCIS employee.

Today though he gave a strange picture to every onlooker. With a coffee in one hand, a big stuffed dog under his arm and little Ziva clutching his other hand, Gibbs walked calmly into the bullpen.

The team leader thereby wisely ignored most of the stares he received. An angry outburst would only lead to problems he didn't needed right now. However, Gibbs made sure to sent a few glares to the curious crowd, causing them look away instantly.

With a satisfied smirk on his face, the unlikely pair made their way over to Gibbs' desk when Director Vance approached them, effectively bringing them to a halt just in front of the large window.

"Gibbs."

"Vance."

After the curt greeting, both man silently stared at each other, willing the other to give in.

In the end it was the Director who averted his eyes and looked first at the stuffed animal and then to the little girl on Gibbs' hand.

"She already got you wrapped around her finger?"

"Uh huh." Gibbs smirked, not the slightest bit uncomfortable about admitting this. After all he enjoyed it, most of the times. Though, he would never let her get away with everything. Like ignoring an adult.

"Ziva," his tone and eyes telling her to be polite.

Taking the hint, the little girl mumbled a "'ood mornin'" while still partly hiding behind Gibbs' leg.

"Shalom, Ziva," Vance gave her a honest smile upon which the small child's frown only deepened.

"Why don't you go and say hello to McGee," Gibbs suggested gently, giving Mini-Ziva her dog before he removed the visitor's tag around her neck.

The little girl nodded and with a last unsure glance at the Director she walked to the team's area.

"You think removing the tag is wise? If she wanders off again,..."

"I hate to see that thing around her neck," grunted Gibbs as he interrupted Vance, "Besides she won't go very far."

"Alright," Vance gave in, knowing better than to push the subject further, "If I remember correctly though, I told you to stay away for two weeks. Not only one."

Gibbs smirked, "I don't plan to work, Leon. We're just stopping by to get some things. Like the files of the Probies you want to put on my team."

With a slightly annoyed roll of his eyes Vance continued his way upstairs, "Don't make it long!"

Looking back at the visitor tag in his hand, Gibbs was momentarily lost in thought, "I didn't like it the first time either."

(Meanwhile)

"Goo!"

Startled, McGee looked up from the file on his desk, a smile instantly coming to his face as he saw Ziva standing next to his chair.

"Hey, you're early," he helped her climb onto his lap. The stuffed animal, which she still held, making it a difficult task.

"Look," she knelt on his lap and proudly held the dog into his face, "M'Goo!"

"That's a very nice dog you have there. He sort of looks like Jethro."

The little girl nodded. Her smile reaching her eyes easily.

"Does he have a name?"

Mini-Ziva furrowed her eyebrows and looked at him with wide eyes, "M'Goo!"

"Ziva, I'm not..."

"Dogs' name is M'Goo," Gibbs declared, smirking as he came to them.

"Oh," McGee gaped. Every other single word he knew was suddenly gone from his mind.

"Nee's no food," Ziva chatted animatedly, stroking the dark fur lovingly.

"I bet he doesn't need to bath either," Tim smiled at his friend.

"Didn't kept her from trying to give him one," Gibbs commented, smiling as Ziva craned her neck to look questionably at him.

"No bath," Ziva shook her head, her attention gone from the team leader back to the stuffed animal.

"Do you mind watching her for a few minutes?" The gray-haired agent then asked McGee.

"No, not at all."

All to happy to have an excuse not to work on the cold case further, he looked forward to spent some minutes with the miniature version of his partner.

The silence of the - normally with banter and jokes filled - bullpen had caused him to feel the absence of his team more than ever.

Even though Abby, Ducky and even Palmer came by whenever they found time.

"Ziva?" Gibbs' voice broke through McGee's train of thought, "I'll be right back. Stay with McGee. Okay?"

"'tay. Bye 'ibbs!" She replied happily, her attention already focused on Tim. Remembering what Gibbs had said before, when she was left with Ducky, she was determined to show Gibbs what a good girl she could be.

"I'll be back soon." With a nod to his temporary senior field agent, Gibbs disappeared around the corner.

(Different part of NCIS Headquarters)

A knock on the door frame alerted Nikki Jardine that she had a visitor.

"You got some time?"

"Sure," Jardine answered after a moment, a bit stunned that Gibbs would ask before taking up her time.

"You got something for me?" he looked expectantly at her.

"Oh," Nikki's eyes widened and she quickly searched her desk for a file, "Right, I got the file somewhere here..."

(Bullpen)

"I have an idea."

Ziva looked up at him, perplexed. Even though her English was slowly improving, she still had some trouble understanding a few things.

So she watched with great interest as McGee adjusted his web cam, making them both appear on the screen before the agent opened one of his favored websites.

Ziva giggled as she saw all of the funny faces and expressions on the screen.

"This is what me and Tony used to do, it's lots of fun, you want to try it?"

The little girl nodded and giggled again when she saw her face on the screen in front of her, "Me! Look!"

McGee grinned and laughed when she waved at herself and stuck her tongue out at her 'reflection'. He then selected a category and Mini-Ziva's grin widened at all of the pictures down the side.

"You have to make a face like that,'" explained McGee, pointing to them.

His small friend nodded and took in all of the pictures of people sticking out their tongues. Ziva experimentally made her face while McGee's finger rested on the mouse.

"Ready?"

With the small girl humming yes, McGee took the photo, causing both of them to laugh as the picture of Ziva - sticking her tongue out - came up.

"Me!" exclaimed Mini-Ziva excitedly.

McGee nodded and thought for a minute, '' Do you think we should see what number it gets to?''

The little girl squinted at him, not having understood what he had said. But mindful as McGee was he noticed it and explained himself with pointing at the screen and simple words.

"So," he asked again, "What number do you think?"

Mini-Ziva looked thoughtfully for a few seconds before she pointed at the one at the top.

"One." The agent laughed.

"That's the spirit Ziva!" McGee praised with a smile, clicking a button and grinning when it went to number three.

Although, Ziva wasn't as happy as he about it and pouted.

"No Ohn'," the little girl mumbled unhappily, causing McGee to tickle her so she would laugh again.

"It might be tomorrow. Let's do another one." He reassured her and Ziva nodded gloomily, pointing to another category.

"Smiley faces?"

The little girl nodded yes and she did her best smile, but not before wheedling McGee into joining her, "You too!"

"Ok," Tim agreed, smiling with Mini-Ziva, he took a picture of them together. After that he sat back to admired the shot.

In it, McGee had his chin on Ziva's shoulder and her head was tilted a little towards him and she was smiling a really cute smile. The smile stretching to her eyes as her eyes were sparkling, something he seldom saw in the grown up Ziva.

"That is a super cute shot!" grinned Abby as she looked at the picture, having quietly sneaked up on them without any of them noticing.

Mini-Ziva smiled at her, nodding her head rapidly, "Yay!"

With Abby back in her lab, Ziva and McGee continued to take photos for some time, till the agent felt someone watching him, causing him to still his movements abruptly.

"Boss?" He asked uncertainly.

A small laugh escaped Gibbs' curled lips, "Oh, don't let you be bothered by me."

"Uhm," McGee stumbled, embarrassed to be caught, "We were just..."

"'ibbs!" Ziva, finally taking her eyes away from the screen, gave the agent a toothy smile.

"Having fun?" Gibbs asked his shrunk agent as he came around the office divider.

-"Ken!"- the little girl beamed and slipped off McGee's lap to run towards Gibbs.

After a quick hug, for which Gibbs tortured his joints as he knelt on the office carpet, the energized girl dragged him back to his agent's desk.

"You," she pointed at the web cam.

"Oh no, kid." Gibbs gave her another smile.

"'ibbs!"

The team leader just shook his head, silently laughing at the girl's pouting expression and her continuing attempts to tug on his hand, "Let's go home, Ziv."

Mini-Ziva furrowed her little eyebrows, "'leease." She whined pleadingly.

The agent in question just rolled his eyes and turned towards McGee, "We'll see you tomorrow afternoon."

"Tomorrow?" Tim looked puzzled.

"Ask Abby," smirked the team leader and used the grip Mini-Ziva had on him to haul her into his arms, settling her against his hip.

"Gotcha!"

"No-o-oh," she giggled, gasping to breath between her laughter.

"Say bye to McGee." Gibbs smirked and took M'Goo from his agent, giving him a nod.

"By-e M-Gee_ee" Ziva managed to squeak out, still trying to catch her breath as her arms wrapped around the enormous stuffed animal, which Gibbs had handed to her.

~ Fin ~

Ken = Yes