Author's Note: Any mistakes are mine. This story is set during season five of NCIS and around the second or third game of the Phoenix Wright series. I haven't played Apollo Justice and don't intend to involve any game beyond Trials&Tribulations in this story. The plot is taken from NCIS canon but a lot of sections are from a PW perspective. I've tried to keep everything accurate and in-character but to make it work some things may be inconsistent. It's a crossover so slight AU should be forgiven. I wanted to do some more in this chapter but it was already close to 2000 words. Sorry it's so long without much really happening. I needed to get the introductory stuff done here. I'll try to have chapter two up soon. I listed it as "any" characters for now because I'm not sure how it will turn out yet. Phoenix, Maya, and Pearl will be the Phoenix Wright characters but others will also appear, and for NCIS Jenny and Gibbs will be important as well as Abby. These are my best estimates. Based on the previous lack of crossovers for these categories I know this is an unusual fandom. I wouldn't mind feedback as I want to know if I'm successful at keeping in-character. And since this AN is long enough, without (much) further ado, my story:

Disclaimer: I do not own either the Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Series or NCIS. It might be cool if I did but it would end badly. I'm writing this fic based on a conversation with my brother in which we realized this would work really well. No intentions of profit.

Wright&Co. Law Offices

"Nick! Nick!" Phoenix Wright wondered what was going on.

"Huh?" He responded groggily to the 18-year-old girl who was shouting excitedly in his ear.

"Nick! Wake up!" Maya added, grinning impatiently. "Guess what?"

"What?" Phoenix asked, now unhappily awake.

"'Member I told you I have a penpal now?" Phoenix tried to recall. Maya and Pearl both said so much it was hard to keep track of it all.

"Um.. yeah."

"Yeah, her name's Abby, she lives in Washington, DC, and she invited us to visit! She said it's all worked out and Pearly can come! Great, huh?" Phoenix considered this. He knew the idea was completely crazy, but then a vacation might be nice. And apparently this 'Abby' was paying for it. One thing seemed weird though...

"Maya, it's five-thirty AM. Why was Abby talking to you on the phone just now?" Maya huffed.

"There is a time difference, you know, Nick!" she answered indignantly. Yeah, Phoenix thought. But I'm not sure that makes it any less of a weird time for a phone call over there... "Abby's great, we have lots in common!" Maya added. Great. Someone just like Maya...

Washington, DC

NCIS Headquarters

Abby was beyond excited. Today, Maya was leaving. Or maybe she had already left, the time difference was confusing. Pretty soon she'd finally be meeting Maya in person. Not only that, Maya's adorable cousin, Pearl, was coming along. And some friend of hers named Phoenix. Apparently he was a lawyer, but Abby could forgive that for someone who had such a cool name. She just hoped Gibbs could. She was worried about Gibbs, actually. Some file had arrived from the FBI for him and he'd been in a bad mood ever since. Abby took a sip of Caf-POW to clear the negative thoughts from her head. She could work on cheering Gibbs up later.

Tony, McGee, and Ziva stepped out of the elevator into Abby's lab. The look on her face alerted them to the fact that she was in one of her moods. "What do you guys want?" she asked impatiently. Slightly take aback, Tony responded,

"We need to talk to you about Gibbs. He's been in a ba- a worse mood than usual lately." Abby rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I know. But I've already tried looking into it, as far as I can get is that file Fornell sent over." Tony's face turned mischievous.

"I think it has something to do with the Director." This time it was Ziva who rolled her eyes. She voiced her complaint in accented English.

"Tony, we've discussed this before. Anything that may or may not have happened eight years ago is hardly relevant to-" Tony cut her off.

"But don't you think they've been acting...odd...around each other lately? Tense? Like something's up?" Ziva rolled her eyes again.

"They always act tense around each other Tony."

"She does have a point, you know," McGee chimed in.

"Thanks for the support McGeek. And that's not what I mean. They're always tense, yeah, but this is like, different tense, not normal everyday tense." Ziva sighed.

"I think you're reading too much into this Tony." Tony pulled up an expression of mock injury.

"What do you think, Abby?" he asked.

"I think that you need to continue this conversation elsewhere since I need to get going." Tony was incredulous.

"Where are you going?" Abby glared.

"To pick up a friend at the airport. I don't just magically appear here to do your bidding each morning, you know." Abby brushed past the team and out the door.

Washington, DC

Airport

Later That Day

Phoenix still couldn't believe he was doing this. He waited with Maya and Pearl by the baggage claim and wondered how Maya had convinced him this was a good idea. It probably had something to do with Pearl's pleading expression after Maya told her sheltered little cousin they had a chance to visit Washington, DC. "You know, Maya, you never told me what we're doing here with Abby..." Maya grinned.

"Well Abby's a forensic scientist, she works for a federal agency, so we can hang out there and get a tour and maybe after she gets out we can take Pearly around DC!" Forensics? That reminds me of... Ema. I hope this Abby person is more normal than that... but if she's friends with Maya I doubt it...

"Um... where does she work?"

"Oh, I forget. It was an acronym... three or four letters..." Pearl suddenly looked up, confused.

"A-crow-nim?" she sounded out helplessly. Phoenix blinked, speechless. Their explanation was cut short by the sudden arrival of a squealing girl in black.

"Hihihihi!" Abby shrieked in excitement. "Maya! I finally get to meet you!" A moment later Maya was encased in a bone-crushing hug. Beaming, Abby released her. She turned to Phoenix. "So, you must be Nick, right? Oh, that's funny, your last name is Wright and I just said right..." Abby continued babbling then suddenly turned serious. "You, Phoenix Wright, are very lucky that I like you, because you are breaking rule number thirteen!" Phoenix just blinked. Rule thirteen? What the hell is this girl talking about?

"Um..." Phoenix tried to think of something to say. "I'm not, uh, familiar with your rules..." Abby's eyes squinted.

"They're not my rules, Nick. They are my boss's rules. Number thirteen is never, ever, involve a lawyer." Phoenix thought for a moment. Why does no one ever like me?

"Um... OK." He responded, still not sure what was going on. "So, um, where are we going now?" Abby brightened again.

"Oh, back to NCIS. That's where I work did Maya tell you? I do forensics."

"NCIS?" Phoenix asked, visibly confused.

"Yeah, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and if we don't get back soon my teammates are going to cause the apocalypse or something and I don't want to miss that." Abby motioned for the trio to follow her. When they reached the fourth floor of the parking garage, Abby smiled. "I'm going to drive you back." Phoenix stared at the vehicle in front of him.

"Um... Abby? Isn't this a..."

"It's my hearse, yes."

"Hearse? HEARSE?" Phoenix questioned, visibly shocked.

"Yep, that's what I drive. I sleep in a coffin too." Phoenix stifled a groan. Why the hell had he agreed to this trip? Maya's reaction was different.

"That is so cool!" she exclaimed. Maya and Abby spent the whole ride talking about the Kurain Channeling technique, with Pearl occasionally interrupting to ask a question about something they passed.

NCIS Headquarters

Concurrently

Anthony DiNozzo glanced at his teammates seated at their desks in the squadroom. Bored, he tried to settle on something to do. His decision was made as his eyes lit upon Ziva concentrating on something displayed on her computer. A paper clip whizzed by Ziva's ear and landed with a clink on her desk. "Impressive, Tony, but you've just given me a weapon," Ziva pointed out. Tony cursed under his breath. It wasn't easy, playing pranks on a Mossad assassin.

"Whaddya think 'sup with Abby?" Tony asked her. Ziva shrugged.

"She seemed excited, and you know Abby, she wears her heart on her collar, you know when she's keeping secrets."

"Sleeve, Ziva. She wears her heart on her sleeve. And I agree, our Lady of Darkness actually is picking up a friend. Which moves the question from Abby to this friend of hers. Who do you think it is? Think we'll get to meet 'em?" Ziva sighed.

"Tony, I am curious as well, but perhaps we should wait until Abby comes back to start asking questions. Most likely we'll hear all about it." McGee chose that moment to finally chime in, his concentration having been interrupted by his colleagues' conversation.

"She's right, Tony. You don't need to be so nosy. I mean, Gibbs actually keeps secrets. Abby, on the other hand..." Tony pulled a face.

"Well, Probie, since at least some of us are experienced investigators, it's hard to turn off that part of our brain. We can't all be mere probies, you know."

"Tony," Ziva remarked, "I know exactly what part of your brain is involved here, and it is in no way work-related." Tony found himself in a position where retorts were difficult, so he resorted to changing the subject.

"Speaking of work, ya think we're even going to get a case today?" McGee looked thoughtful.

"I doubt it. Gibbs always gets the calls, and since none of us have even seen him since this morning..." Tony nodded in agreement.

"Think the Director's involved in this?" McGee and Ziva groaned.

"Tony..." Ziva began warily, "We've been over this. There's no reason to assume she's involved." Tony raised his eyebrows.

"Really? So, the fact that we haven't seen either of them isn't suspicious at all?" Ziva recited in her mind, I will not kill him, I will NOT kill him.

"The director of NCIS has more to her job than just coming across our road. In fact, now that we're not working that case anymore, we don't see her more than a few times a week."

"Path, Ziva. She comes across our path." Ziva looked angry.

"American idioms! Must they be so difficult?" she vented. The boys just shrugged. For once, Ziva's inability to master American figurative language was an advantage. Her expressions of frustration had interrupted their previous conversation at just the right time, as the next minute their boss walked around the corner and sat down at his desk, looking angrier than usual. Tony decided to try his luck.

"Hey Boss, we got a case?" he queried.

"No," Gibbs responded without looking up. Tony let out a sigh. This day was boring, even more so since his colleagues wouldn't try to unravel the mysteries of their workplace with him. His thoughts were interrupted by the *ding* of the elevator. Abby came running out, followed by a spiky-haired guy in a cheap suit, and two girls, a teenager and a little kid, dressed in an outfit even weirder than Abby's.

"Hey guys! Check it out! This is my friend Maya, her cousin, Pearl, and their friend, Phoenix, but you can just call him Nick. I'm gonna give them a tour of my lab but I want them to meet everybody first, and since you all conveniently work in the same room I might as well do it now." Abby squeaked this out while rapidly gesturing to the taller of the two girls first, followed by the shorter one and the man. "Well, anyway, we have a lab to see, you can get formally introduced later, OK?" Abby practically dragged her three friends back to the elevator. Chattering away, they descended toward Abby''s lab.