The young woman sat outside the office, patiently waiting to be called through. She looked up at the director's PA and smiled politely before looking at her watch again for the fifth time in the space of a couple of minutes. Finally the door to the director's office opened, with Director Shepard standing in the doorway.

She wore a snappy pin-striped suit with a skirt, a salmon coloured shirt and neat high heels. Her short red hair, recently cut, was neatly arranged into a slightly spikey style. She collared the young woman inside her office and indicated for her to sit at the large table in the centre. An older man was already sitting at the table, with short peppered hair and wearing smart trousers, jumper and a jacket over the top.

'Penny this is Special Agent Gibbs, you will be joining his team and he will be your commanding agent.' Jenny introduced the new probationer.

'I'm pleased to meet you Sir.' Penny said as she held out her hand.

Gibbs smiled and shook the young woman's hand.

'She's a lot like you Jen.' Gibbs said to the director with a smirk.

'Hmm… well hopefully she'll have the same Shepard intelligence and wit.' Jenny replied.

'You think you can handle working under your sister?' Gibbs asked the young probationary agent.

'You kidding? I'm used to taking orders from Jen; she's just as bossy at home.' Penny replied as she referred to her older sister.

Penny Shepard, twenty-one, average height, slim build, shoulder length red hair, greatly intelligent with dry wit and razor sharp instincts. She had aced all of her exams to become an NCIS agent, and excelled in her training. She loved bright colours, favouring a bright, lime green coloured shirt, and black pants.

'You show great talent Special Agent Shepard, so let's see what you got.' Gibbs said as he got up and walked out of the door.

Penny looked confused at Jenny with a questioning expression.

'He expects you to follow him.' Jenny said with a smile.

'Nothing like hitting the ground running huh?' Penny replied. Her facial expression then changed as she looked after Gibbs. 'Paris?'

Jenny tilted her head in response and smiled coyly. Penny smirked back before heading out of the door in the direction Gibbs had disappeared.

'Right what've we got?' Gibbs asked as he rushed down the stairs to the pods where Tony, Ziva and McGee had been arguing about something. Penny closely followed behind.

'Well Boss the body of a marine has shown up in the middle of a school playground; shot three times, close range. So far there are no witnesses, but the area has been cordoned off, Ducky's already there.' Tony explained.

'Well what you waiting for? Let's go!' Gibbs replied as he grabbed his gun from his top drawer and walked quickly out the door. He stopped briefly and looked at Penny who was standing in the middle of the office looking confused. 'Shepard, with me.' He added before disappearing into the elevator.

Penny followed Gibbs, who was closely followed by DiNozzo, Ziva and McGee.

'Shepard?' Tony asked Ziva in hushed whispers as they walked quickly after Gibbs and the newbie.

'It's a common enough surname Tony, doesn't mean anything.' Ziva replied just as they reached the elevator.

The five agents all travelled down to their vehicles in silence. Tony's mind whirred as to the identity of the new, hot probie. Gibbs and Penny went in one car, with the other three in the second vehicle.

Arriving at the crime scene Ducky could be seen bent over the bloodied body of the dead marine.

'Ducky what you got?' Gibbs asked.

'Ah Jethro, it seems our young man has been dead for approximately five hours, putting his time of death at 3.00am. He's been shot three times, twice in the chest and once in the head. I can't tell you any more than that until I get him back to autopsy.' Ducky explained.

Penny began taking photographs of the body and anything else that she believed to be out of place or may prove to be useful. Ducky looked up at her inquisitively and then at Gibbs.

'Ducky this is Penny Shepard our new special agent.' Gibbs introduced the new colleagues. 'And yes DiNozzo, she is related to Director Shepard.' He added irritably.

'I'm her sister.' Penny explained with a coy smile.

'Ha see I told you Ziva.' Tony shouted triumphantly, pointing at Ziva, before receiving a well-deserved Gibbs-slap. 'Sorry boss.' He replied as he gingerly touched the back of his head.

Penny turned and began to search the parameter, following a trail of blood and coming across three bullet slugs. She placed a number card beside them and then took two or three photographs of them at several angles. The trail of blood continued past the slugs and under the yellow crime scene tape.

'What've you got Penny?' Gibbs said as he walked up behind her.

'Well we have three slugs over there and a trail of blood. Judging by the victims injuries I'm not sure that this can be his blood. I doubt the blood came from him because it appears to go away from his body, completely in the wrong direction. I think there might be another victim, or at least another injured party.' Penny explained as she assessed the situation.

'Good work.' Gibbs said as he walked back to the rest of the team to explain Penny's beliefs.

Penny continued to follow the trail of blood out of the school to the road side, where suddenly it stopped.

'Err…Special Agent Gibbs?' She shouted.

'What?' He replied irritably.

'Sir, the blood trail just stops here. I think whoever was shot got in to a vehicle.' She explained.

'It's Gibbs or boss, not sir.' He replied.

Penny numbered and photographed the blood drops just as she was joined by McGee.

'I'm McGee, err…Tim' McGee introduced himself.

'It's nice to meet you. Have the other two stopped gossiping about me yet?' She replied with a smile.

'Don't worry about Tony, he talks like an old woman sometimes but he's harmless. Although be prepared to be interrogated about what it's like to be the director's sister.' He joked.

'You not curious?' Penny asked mischievously as she swept the floor with her foot and scanned for any other evidence.

'Well, err…it's not really any of my business.' McGee said sheepishly.

Over by the body DiNozzo was still discussing their newest probationary agent.

'You think the director has brought her in to keep an eye on us?' He asked.

'I doubt it Tony.' Ziva replied.

'Yeah but it's a bit weird don't you think?' He added.

'No Tony it's not, she's here to do a job, just like you should be doing now.' Gibbs said as he walked back towards the rest of his team. 'Penny's found three slugs and a blood trail. We have a second injured party who may or may not have got into a vehicle willingly.' He added.

The team re-grouped whilst Ducky and Jimmy transported the dead marine in to the medical van.

'Have we got an ID on our vic yet Duck?' Gibbs asked.

'Not yet Jethro, but I'll send blood and samples to Abigail for DNA analysis when we get back to base.' Ducky replied as he climbed in to the van.

The team all went back to their own vehicles with Penny joining Gibbs once again. Gibbs couldn't believe how much like Jenny she was, from the same emerald green eyes to her nervous giggle. He knew that Penny and Jenny meant a lot to each other, particularly after Jen had talked about her baby sister incessantly whilst they were undercover.

'So what made you want to be an NCIS agent?' Gibbs asked her, breaking the silence.

'I always wanted to be a special agent like Jen. I've always looked up to her and I used to miss her dreadfully when she was away working undercover. When I was younger I said that I wanted to be an agent so I could spend more time with her. As I've got older that has remained my goal, but so that I could investigate crime, not so that I could spend more time with Jen. Not that there is anything wrong with wanting to spend more time with her…but what I mean is…' Penny stammered slightly as the hole she dug for herself got bigger and bigger.

Gibbs smirked before putting the agent out of her misery.

'It's OK Penny, I got what you meant.' He said, hearing a sigh of relief from the young woman.

Both cars pulled in to the navy yard and the agents all rushed inside to begin their enquiries. Penny had her own desk next to McGee's. She felt all the nerves she had previously been experiencing melt away, realising that the team she had joined were alright.

The team worked endlessly making phone calls, using cell site analysis and other techniques to identify their marine officer but to no avail. Before they knew it, it was 1900 and they all felt tired and mentally drained.

'You should all go home, get some rest, and be back here for 0700 tomorrow morning.' Gibbs said as he referred to his tired team.

There was a chorus of 'night boss' as each team member made their way to the elevator. Penny moved up the stairs to Jenny's office instead, gently tapping the wooden door before entering.

Jenny looked tired as she sat behind her desk, her red, glitzy glasses resting neatly on her nose. She glanced up at the person who had just entered the room and smirked as the exhausted Penny made her way to the sofa and dropped dramatically on to the cool leather.

'Tough day?' Jenny asked, placing her glasses in front of her.

'No it's been great, I just wasn't ready for the mental fatigue.' Penny replied. 'Are you just about done?' She asked.

'Yeah, to hell with it! The rest of my reports can wait until the morning.' Jenny said as she stood up and turned off her lamp. 'How do you fancy Indian tonight? I'm assuming you haven't eaten yet!' She added as he younger sister dragged herself from her seat.