Never Had a Chance

A/N: Mann-centric, one-sided Mibbs, Established G/J/A

The joint investigation with NCIS had her working closely with Agent Gibbs and his team. She'd never worked with NCIS before, but she'd heard of Agent Gibbs. It was a standard work day: collect evidence, get evidence to both Autopsy and Forensics, investigate some more and wait for results. And if Gibbs' team seemed uncomfortable with her presence, well she brushed it off. And if Director Shepard was a bit colder than normal, she would chalk that up to jealousy.

Autopsy was a quick in and out, Dr. Mallard and his weird assistant having nothing of value besides evidence that had already been taken to Forensics. Instead of heading straight to Forensics when a call came in, he instead went to the elevator, returning minutes later with coffee and a Caf-Pow.

The music bouncing off the walls was excessively loud, but the Gothic scientist standing at her computer monitors didn't seem at all fazed. Or maybe she was deaf. The racket was giving her a headache. And what was she wearing? The end of her lab coat was barely longer than her skirt and her shirt was decorated with red skulls. She looked like she was seven with her ridiculous pigtails and all the rings on her fingers. And that dog collar?

Jethro didn't seem to mind it at all, a gentle smile on his lips as she turned when they entered. She was more shocked the girl had heard the elevator over the racket.

Her emerald eyes lit up as Jethro placed the extra-large Caf-Pow on her desk, but she noticed how ungrateful she was, not even thanking him, prattling on about the case instead. Sure, his team was loyal, but how could he let her get away with such disrespect? How could anyone put up with her? The music was one thing, but her style of dress? Didn't NCIS have a dress code?

"How do you hear in there?" she asked as they entered the elevator.

He smirked, "You get used to it."

"And Director Shepard is okay with it?"

"Yeah, Jen doesn't mind it. She's secretly a rock fan."

She couldn't picture the woman listening to the music, let alone wearing anything the Goth wore, so she figured that he was joking. As they finished relaying the information about the case to the Director, she heard the music coming through the vents, just a whisper of sound. As Jethro made his way out of the room, she paused, cocking her head towards the vents as she addressed the redhead.

"That doesn't bother you, does it, Director?"

"Abby's happy, and the music is relaxing when it's not played at full volume," the redhead replied with a soft smile.

She tried not to seethe at the comment, but honestly, that answer was bogus.

A few nights later, after the case wrapped up, Jethro invited her out for drinks. She hoped that meant they could end with a nightcap. Her hopes were dashed when they walked into the bar and found not only his team but also Dr. Mallard, his weird assistant and Abby. It was strange to see the agents relaxed. She didn't think she'd seen them like that since she joined for the joint investigation. Dr. Mallard and his assistant sat on one end of the booth, followed by Agents David and Todd. Abby sat on the other side, next to Agents DiNozzo and McGee.

"Gibbs, Gibbs, Gibbs!" Abby's voice held an air of excitement, and she could barely make out the words because the girl was talking so fast, "You made it! Come sit!" Did she not even see her there? He chuckled as Abby jumped out of the booth, and he sat next to DiNozzo to sit beside her. She frowned, sitting opposite him, beside Dr. Mallard. She was surprised the booth was so big, but she didn't think they'd fit anyone else, not with nine people.

"Sorry I'm late." You've got to be kidding me. She had to suppress her glare as the redheaded Director walked up to the table. It was one thing to see the woman at work; it was another thing altogether when the man's ex-girlfriend seemed to always be around outside of work.

She sneered inwardly, her annoyance at the situation bubbling up. She could understand his team being here; she could understand Dr. Mallard and his assistant. Hell, she could even understand the annoying Goth who was hanging all over the man she wanted. But she drew the line at the ex-girlfriend with attachment issues. How much clearer did Jethro have to be for the redhead to see he didn't want to be with her? Hell, hadn't she heard them arguing when she'd met up with his team in the bullpen?

She hid her shock as Jethro pulled Abby closer to him, the Goth practically sitting on his lap, so the redhead could sit beside the girl. No one at the table seemed bothered by it, and she saw the other woman's arm come up to wrap around her waist. The girl seemed all-but plastered, and she appeared to be even more affectionate and bubbly than before; it was inappropriate to be so clingy with your boss like that, even more so with your subordinate, but no one at the table said a word; still, there was something weird in the air as she observed them from across the booth.

By the time an hour passes, she was sure she was in another dimension. Dr. Mallard and his assistant have already left, McGee and DiNozzo not long after. Abby had moved from between her two bosses, and she, Kate and Ziva were sipping beer and sharing stories, laughing their asses off. She sipped at bourbon, blinking at Jethro's arm around Jen's shoulders. There was something domestic about it.

So focused on her inner musings, she didn't realize Kate and Ziva had left until Abby slips between her two bosses again, relaxing back into them. She had another bourbon, Abby grabbing another beer. Jen rolled her eyes, Gibbs smirked, but neither commented otherwise, sipping coffee instead. DD, she told herself. As they stood and collected their things sometime later, she frowned. This night couldn't get any weirder.

Except Jethro was placing a kiss on Jen's lips and Abby's cheek, and Abby was giggling like a schoolgirl as Jen wrapped an arm around her again, keeping her upright. And she's sure she heard the words "See you at home," from Jen, but she had to be mistaken because there was no way…

"Let me drive you back to your hotel," Jethro said.

The car ride was silent for the first few blocks, her thoughts a mess.

"Are you…" she started but the words wouldn't come out.

"Mhmm," he answered anyway.

"Are they…" Maybe she shouldn't have drank all that bourbon.

"Mhmm."

She felt like she was going to be sick, "So, the three of you…"

He parked outside her hotel, turned to face her, "Good night, Hollis."

She wasn't sure she'd ever felt so humiliated and annoyed in her life. How could she have been so blind? She swallowed the wave of indignation she felt, slowly making her way into the hotel lobby as the last few day's events played in her mind.

A/N: I wasn't trying to bash her character too hard, so hopefully I didn't. Please review!