episode one: Undercovers

Chapter 1- Enter the Third Degree Black Belt

Thirty-five-year-old Aislynn Rachael Fanale walked briskly through the Naval Yard in Washington D.C. She was to be the newest member of the NCIS Major Case Response Team. Her commanding agent was Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a man she was all-too familiar with. Aislynn found the government agency's building easily and flashed her NYPD badge to the security guard at the elevator. Following the strict orders given to her, she rode the elevator up to the offices.

When the elevator doors opened, Aislynn was greeted by an older, graying man in a forest green, cotton t-shirt and a tan blazer, with piercing blue eyes. Immediately, she flew forward, dropping her black handbag in the process, and hugged the man. "Gibbs!" she exclaimed.

Gibbs reciprocated the embrace. "Good to see you, Aislynn."

"Boss, I…" a tall, dark-haired man started, jogging towards them. "Who's the chick, boss?"

Gibbs smacked the man in the back of the head. "Aislynn, this is-"

"Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo," the man said, holding out his hand. "Call me Tony."

Aislynn shook Tony's hand. "Aislynn Rivers."

"Aislynn will be working with us for a while, DiNozzo," Gibbs told Tony.

"A new Probie, huh, Boss?" Tony asked, following Gibbs through the offices to his desk.

"Actually, no, Tony," Aislynn pursued the two men. "I have eleven years' experience in the NYPD."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Really? What department?"

"Special Victims."

"Six years, huh?" Tony leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up.

"Yes. Is there a problem with that?"

"No. No problem, although, I would picture someone who spent eleven years with rape victims and child molesters to be a bit more…" he paused, looking at Aislynn's yellow skirt, silk turquoise blouse, grey cardigan, and three-inch pumps, "hardcore."

"Would it help your image if I told you I was a third-degree black belt in karate, hapkido, and taekwondo?" Aislynn crossed her arms.

"Yes."

"Well, I'm not."

Tony sat, dumbfounded, for a minute, before turning his attention to Gibbs. "So, how do you two know each other?"

"Care to guess, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, scribbling something onto a piece of paper.

"Well, she's too young to be one of your ex-wives, so, I'm going to guess family friend?"

"Nope," Aislynn shook her head.

"Daughter of your mother-in-law's crazy ex-husband?"

She raised her eyebrow at Gibbs, who rolled his eyes. "She's my niece, DiNozzo."

Tony looked taken aback for a minute before simply saying: "Oh."

Gibbs stood and motioned for Aislynn to follow him. He walked back toward the elevator, which he, DiNozzo, and Aislynn took to another floor. When the silver doors opened, she saw many different computers and pieces of crime solving technology. Heavy-metal music was blaring through the lab and a girl with black hair and a red, plaid skirt was dancing while drinking a Caf-POW.

"Abby!" Gibbs barked. Immediately the girl stopped.

"Oh, hey, Gibbs. What's up?" she asked, looking at Aislynn curiously.

"You wanted to meet our newest team member," Gibbs posed this statement as more of a question.

"Oh!" Abby rushed over to Aislynn and shook her hand. "Hi! I'm Abby Sciuto."

"Aislynn Fanale," she replied, smiling. Aislynn could tell she was going to like Abby.

"That's Tim," Abby pointed to a man with short, light brown hair sitting in front of a computer, trying to make it not obvious that he was looking at Aislynn.

"Does Tim have a last name?"

"McGee," Tim said, standing and walking forward.

"Just call him McGeek," Tony interjected happily.

"It's nice to meet you, McGee," Aislynn said, shaking Tim's hand. He looked familiar. "I'm sorry, but have we met before?"

McGee looked confused. "No, I don't believe so."

"I know I've seen you somewhere before…" Aislynn thought for a second before the answer came to her. "Deep Six! Of course! I've read your book."

Tony started laughing and McGee looked sheepish. "You did?"

"Yes. One of the rape victims I worked with recommended it to me. It's very good."

"Well, thank you," McGee smiled and walked back to the computer.

"Has she met Ducky yet?" Abby asked Gibbs.

"Not yet," Gibbs replied, turning and beginning to walk out the doors to the elevator. "He's next on the tour."

"What's a 'Ducky'?" Aislynn asked Tony as they both followed Gibbs to the elevator.

"Ducky is our medical examiner, Dr. Mallard," DiNozzo explained.

"Oh!" Aislynn chuckled. "I get it! A mallard is a type of…"

"Duck, yeah," Tony interrupted her as they got into the elevator.

Gibbs and Tony took Aislynn to meet Ducky and his assistant, Jimmy Palmer. Their next and final stop was the director's office. The director, Leon Vance, had an exclusive office on the upper level of the MCRT's office. When the trio arrived, the director greeted Aislynn with a firm handshake.

"It's good to meet you, Agent Fanale," Director Vance said, motioning for Tony, Aislynn, and Gibbs to sit.

"It's nice to meet you, as well, Director," Aislynn replied, continuing to stand.

The director looked at her for a second before chuckling lightly. "You really are related to Gibbs. Very well, then. I suppose you want to get down to business."

Aislynn nodded. "Please."

Director Vance nodded. "Right. Well, here are your badge and firearm. I hope you don't mind that we used the same photo as is on your NYPD id."

"Not at all," Aislynn said, taking the black leather id sleeve and holstered 9 mm.

"Is that all, Leon?" Gibbs asked, opening the door for Aislynn and Tony.

"Well, no, but-" Aislynn heard the director start to speak before the door clicked shut, cutting him off.