Shazia gave a heavy sigh as she entered her house. She dumped her bag on a nearby chair, flicked the TV on, made a call to Mr Hao the local Indian takeaway ordering her usual Vegetable Masala before heading to her training room until her food arrived.
Plating up her food and pouring a glass of wine, she settled down in front of the TV. Most people would get bored doing the same thing day in day out but she didn't care, she found there was comfort in keeping to a routine.
2030 came, but Shazia couldn't focus. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation she'd had with Doctor Mallard, and the behaviour he'd displayed towards Gibbs. In fact it wasn't just him, it was everyone else too. She didn't normally like poking her nose into other people's business, even though she had to do it for work, but she couldn't help wondering what was going on.
No one had seemed at all happy with her, and she wanted to know why. Tilting her head, and tapping her chin she sat thinking before coming to a decision. She nodded to herself, grabbed her keys and headed out.
Gibbs was working in his basement when he heard the floorboards creak. Knowing that he wasn't expecting any visitors, he grabbed a gun from his work table. "I wasn't expecting any visitors."
Shazia came down the basement steps. "Nice to see you too."
"How did you know where I live?" Gibbs placed his gun down.
"I looked it up," She replied, glancing at the boat he was working on.
"You're not going to ask how I get it out?"
She frowned. "Why would I? If there was no way to do so, you wouldn't have built it down here in the first place."
"Why are you here? Don't you have a film to watch?"
Shazia shrugged. "It's one I've seen before, it's no big deal. Something about today has been bothering me, and I felt you were the best person to ask."
"What exactly is bothering you?" Gibbs turned some screws out of a jar and poured some bourbon into it before handing it over.
"The attitudes of everyone I met today. Why were they so insistent that I've made a mistake? The way they were acting, anyone would think I couldn't take care of myself."
"You haven't heard?" Gibbs raised his eyebrows.
Shazia took a drink before replying. "I've been in Colorado for the last five years, we don't hear much news from headquarters unless it's urgent. And I don't pay attention to scuttlebutt so I wouldn't have heard anything there."
"I'm sure you've read my file, so you know I had a family. Long story short I killed the s.o.b who murdered them. I didn't tell anyone what I'd done and I planned to keep it like that. Until his son and daughter turned up wanting revenge and then they found out the hard way. Once the trouble was over, my team decided they could no longer trust me as my actions put them in danger."
"Let me guess, your team used to be what is now DiNozzo's."
Gibbs nodded and took a drink. "They've clearly decided that, whilst you're on my team, you're in danger too so are trying to convince you to change teams."
"And without even asking me first. Well I'll take my chances." She walked around the boat,running her fingers along it as she did so, feeling the rough texture of the wood.
"So, what made you decide to transfer?" Gibbs asked.
Shazia hesitated before replying. "Oh, well I...fancied a change of scenery." There was a few moments of silence. "I'd better get moving. I'll see you tomorrow, boss. Thanks for the drink."
Gibbs watched her leave, arms folded and eyes narrowed.
Meanwhile in Colorado
Doctor Daniel Jackson was at a computer doing some research. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't hear someone enter behind him until they spoke.
"What are you doing, Daniel?"
Banging his knee on the underside of the desk and cursing, Daniel turned to the newcomer. "Jack, don't sneak up on people like that. And to answer your question, I'm not doing anything."
Colonel Jack O'Neill folded his arms and frowned. "Do you seriously expect me to believe that? Every evening you stay behind to use the computers. Why can't you do that during the day or at home?"
"I can't do it at home because it's not allowed, and I don't get the chance to do it at work with all the missions we do."
"We don't do missions all the time, in fact we haven't had one for a while now so there's been nothing to stop you doing...whatever it is you're doing." He stopped and thought for a few moments before his expression changed to a glare. "You're still looking for T'Miel, aren't you?"
"Yes I am. You got a problem with that?"
"Damn straight I've got a problem with that. General Hammond and myself have told you countless times to stop trying to find her."
Daniel shook his head as he stared in disbelief. The guy just didn't understand. "I have to, I made a promise. How many times have I told you that?"
"And how many times have I told you, some promises aren't meant to be made? Besides, the guy you made it to is dead; and even if you did find T'Miel, she won't be the five year old child you remember, she'll be a grown woman with her own beliefs, thoughts and opinions and will have probably put the past behind her."
"That doesn't make any difference. Besides, what if I told you I have found her."
"You did?" Jack's eyes widened and he unfolded his arms.
"Yeah, I did. But then I lost her again." Jackson's shoulders slumped, and he bowed his head.
"Well how did you find her?"
"It doesn't matter how." His head jerked up and he glared at O'Neill. "Just that I found her."
Jack sighed and shook his head. Daniel could be too stubborn for his own good sometimes. "How did you even know it was her?"
"I knew it was her because of the tattoo on her left forearm."
"Well, was she happy to see you?"
Daniel's shoulders slumped again and he looked at the floor. "No, she wasn't. The moment I told her about the promise and what I wanted her to do, she told me where to go. It happened two more times. Then a couple of weeks ago I paid her workplace a visit, hoping to speak to her, only to be told that she'd transferred else where. Oh, and she no longer goes by the name T'Miel."
"Then what name does she have?"
"Shazia Malik."
