What did you say your name was ?

Chapter One:

Gibbs was relaxing in his basement and feeling unusually content. The Gothic Wildflower, also known as Abby, had just left with her newly discovered brother Kyle, and her happiness had eased a worry in Gibbs' heart. All in all, he
mused, Abby's visit had rounded off a good day. Midge's killer had been arrested although it was a shame that it was someone who Tony had been making sheep's eyes at.

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He poured himself a glass of bourbon but then paused as light screeching of feet started coming down the basement stairs.

"Gibbs" said the Spirited Warrior.

"Ziver" replied Gibbs.

Ziva didn't reply immediately. She looked for a while, in a puzzled fashion, at Gibbs' latest woodworking project,

"I'm worried about Tony" she announced, "he told me that 'his head is still stuck in the elevator'.

"Hmmm" said Gibbs noncommittally.

"And then there was the aromatic facilities manager who played him" continued Ziva.

"Uh, uh" nodded Gibbs.

"And he thinks the Director is displeased with him for being a 'chatterbox'. Huh!"

"What does he say?" asked Gibbs.
"I've not spoken to him about it" Ziva said.

Gibbs watched as she paced around the basement and waited for her to get to the point. He didn't have to wait long.

"I don't think it was appropriate for Dr.Cranston to have those 'bullet point descriptions' of each of us. It wasn't professional."

"Aahh" Gibbs said. "I thought Gothic Wildflower was kind of appropriate for Abby."

"I suppose it had a kind of superficial appeal" Ziva explained grudgingly.

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you didn't approve of 'Spirited Warrior'" observed Gibbs.

"Spirited Warrior" said Ziva contemptuously, "although I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose, that she made such a... a... shallow judgement".

"I'd have thought you'd like it, Ziva" Gibbs said.

"And you would've been right a few years ago, Gibbs. There was a time when all I wanted was to be a warrior but now, now I want to be more than that. I though I'd learned to be more than just a fighter".

Gibbs sighed and went into battle, "It was just a bullet point, Ziva, not a full character analysis".

"I know. But to pick up on 'Warrior' is too, too ... I".

"Ziva you are a warrior, it's part of who you are. Only part, but it's a big part. You fight for what you believe in, you stand up for people you care about I don't think Dr.Cranston was suggesting that you were obsessed with fighting".

"Possibly" Ziva said a bit more calmly.

"And your forgetting about 'Spirited' Gibbs pointed out. "Ziva, you are full of fire, full of life. It makes you what you are".

"So, you don't mind having a 'Spirited Warrior' on your team" Ziva asked hopefully.

"I can't imagine what it would be like not to have a 'Spirited Warrior' on the team". Gibbs said. "but you're more than that, much more".

"Thank you, Gibbs" said Ziva and she patted his arm briefly, "I expect you will have the 'Brilliant Chatterbox' down here soon so I had better leave you to prepare".

"Night, Ziver" said Gibbs. He picked up a sanding block, ready to resume his work. Ziva was wrong, however; his next visitor was the 'Pensive Academic'

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