"Agent Gibbs, in the short time we've known each other it has become clear that you hate me and, quite frankly, I hate you too. No, that's too strong."
The young Asian woman looked at herself reflected in the large mirror in the women's washroom, clasped her hands behind her head and ran her fingers through her long,thick black mane of hair, as she contemplated what words might sound better directed at the bane of her life.
"Sir." She stamped her foot in frustration. "No! He hates it when I call him that."
She shook her head and then suddenly became aware someone else was in the room with her. Surprised,she turned around quickly and saw Abby Sciuto, standing there, arms folded, appearing mildly amused.
"Are you talking to yourself Michelle?"
"No." lied Special Agent Michelle Lee, miserably. "Abby, how long have you been there?"
"Long enough."
Michelle sighed. "Abby, you've known Gibbs a long time. What do I have to do to stop him treating me like I was something he just picked up on his shoe?"
Abby thought about what she'd said and replied, "Well you can stop bumping into him every time he's got a cup of coffee in his hand. Amazing how that keeps happening. Are you like a coffee seeking missile or something?"
Michelle just shook her head. "Not helping Abby."
"No? well you could stop being a lawyer, like in the next two minutes."
Michelle frowned. "I'm not doing that for him. That's my vocation, and, besides, I'm a better lawyer than I am a field Agent. Did you hear? I nearly killed him the other day during weapons practice. Nearly hit him with a knife."
"Yeah I heard that." replied Abby. "Of course if you had killed him then I would have killed you where you stood."
Michelle found it a little disconcerting the way Abby actually smiled as she spoke the words.
"You didn't do it on purpose did you?" Abby continued, sternly.
"Of course not!"
"I mean, you don't really hate Gibbs do you? Because if you do then our friendship is over. Bang! Dead, buried, finished, over, right?"
Michelle looked off into the distance, remembering something from her past that she was now willing to share. "The only person I ever really hated in my whole life was Scott Dixon."
"Who?" asked Abby.
"He was a boy in my class. He used to pull my pig tails and call me a slanty. I was ten. I wouldn't have a problem about sticking him with a knife If I ever met him again."
Abby smiled. "Ah, a little fire in the belly there. This is the kind of stuff you should share more, then maybe more people would..." Abby broke off suddenly.
"Like me?"
Abby found herself backtracking fast. "No, I mean, well people DO like you. I like you. McGee likes you, I think, and the way Jimmy looks at you sometimes, I think he likes you too."
Michelle averted her gaze suddenly at the mention of Jimmy's name and hoped Abby hadn't noticed, then asked, "But not Gibbs, right Abby?. I suppose I Should really talk to Director Shepherd about it first, but I don't want people thinking I'm a snitch."
Abby raised her eyebrows and rolled her eyes at this, but chose not to say anything.
"I mean, doesn't he realize I'm only trying to do my job to the best of my abilities?"
Abby tried to be helpful. "It's not really your fault. It's mostly to do with Rule 13".
"Rule 13?"
"Never, ever involve a lawyer." Abby spoke the words and knew she'd said the wrong thing. Wishing she'd kept her mouth shut, she found it hard to look Michelle in the eye as she sensed the young woman's mild fury.
"He has his own rules?"
"Er, yeah. Which he made up himself." said Abby, uncomfortably.
"Well I live by a set of rules too, the rule of law, and not any made up by him. Mine would stand up in court too, I'm happy to say. Would his?" she snapped.
Abby tried a different approach. "Well, it's not like it's all one way traffic. Didn't you say the service would be better off without him. That's a big no-no by the way. Do you remember saying that?"
"Yeah, just before you said you could kill me without leaving any clues."
Michelle folded her arms, defensively, causing Abby to go onto the attack somewhat.
"And the way you dress, like a Hall monitor. I mean,come on,lighten up Michelle. You don't have to look the job to be good at it. Just look at me."
"Well, Abby, it just so happens that there is a certain dress code that goes with being a lawyer. One I simply can't just ignore."
She said this while she buttoned up the dark Brown jacket, part of the suit that she always seemed to wear every single day, almost as a gesture of defiance.
"Well this isn't going well." thought Abby, who decided it might be prudent now to ease the growing level of tension between them before it escalated.
"Look Michelle, I don't want us to fight."
"Me neither." sighed Michelle, unfolding her arms. "It's Gibbs I have a problem with, not you."
"Will you still talk to him?" asked Abby.
"No." Michelle replied, resignedly. "Thanks Abby, but there's really no point is there. I just can't win with him. I can never tell Gibbs anything. He'll never accept me, no matter what I do, or respect me either."
Abby spread her arms wide. "Oh, the negativity!"
She stood over Michelle looking down on her as Michelle looked up, Abby's huge boots adding extra inches to her height.
That, of course, was something else for Michelle to be depressed about. "Is there no one in this place shorter than I am?" she thought to herself.
She then went back to concentrating on what Abby was saying. Something about Gibbs being a great guy.
"OK," Said Abby "I appreciate it's gonna need work, and the whole lawyer thing just doesn't help, but one day it's gonna happen. You two are gonna get along."
Michelle gave Abby a look that said, "You've got to be kidding", but Abby would not be put off.
"No, seriously. A day will come when you and Gibbs are gonna look each other in the eye, and both reach some huge understanding. You'll actually agree on something,and that'll be a great day. A real turning point in your relationship. And it'll all just take off from there. He'll respect you and you'll be happy to know him. It'll be like none of this ever happened."
Michelle stared into space,and just shrugged. "In another life perhaps."
"Oh just you wait, it'll happen." said Abby,confidently. "Just you wait and see."

The End

Duderank