Doppelgänger: The Beginning- An NCIS fanfic

Chapter 3: Adjusting to Change

"Now," Jen replied, answering AJ's question.

"Abs, turn around," Gibbs said. She did and froze when she eyed AJ.

"Who's the kid Gibbs?" she asked, confused.

"His name is AJ DiNardo and he just appeared here earlier. But he's gonna be in NCIS custody for a long while," Gibbs replied.

"Awww!!! This is sooo much better than another dog!! He's sooo cute!!!!" Abby squealed picking him up and squeezing him.

"Was....this...what you...were talking...about?" AJ grunted, his face paling.

Tony nodded. "Abs? He can't breathe,"

Abby let go and all the color came back to his face.

"I'm Abby Sciuto, Forensic Specialist Extraordinaire," Abby introduced, extending her hand which AJ took.

"I'm AJ," AJ answered.

"Nice to meet you," Abby remarked with a smile.

'Hmm...she's not scary! She's actually really awesome!' AJ thought to himself.

"There is something I have just noticed," Ziva stated eyeing AJ.

"What?" Gibbs asked.

"AJ resembles Tony a bit, no?" Ziva answered.

Everyone eyed AJ who blushed. "I agree Zi...as a matter of fact, I actually thought that TONY wasn't telling me something," Abby said, eyeing Tony who put up his hands.

"Nope!" Tony commented, backing away from her gaze.

"Well, welcome to our strange little family AJ," Jen said with a smile.

"Thanks for including me. I just wanna say that I trust you all. You guys are nice. I'll try not to cause any trouble," AJ answered shyly.

"Nonsense, we don't expect you to be an angel," Jen said with a chuckle.

"Oh, um Director ma'am? I was going to take AJ to get some pizza," Tony asked.

"Not a problem," Jen answered. She suddenly took out a navy blue debit card with 'NCIS' printed on it.

"Uh, Director? I have money," Tony stated, confused.

"AJ is in NCIS custody. That card is for the stuff he needs," Gibbs explained. Tony nodded and took the card.

"Thank you Jenny," AJ remarked grinning.

"You are most welcome young man," she answered pinching his nose softly.

"Now, off you go! Only get what you need!" she commented, waving them off. They left and shut the door.

"I'm guessing that Tony's found his little doppelgänger," Gibbs said, smirking.

"I'm amazed that you actually know what that means, Jethro," Jen answered, raising her eyebrow.

"I'm not as illiterate as you think Jen," Gibbs stated, rolling his eyes.

Jen smiled. "Yes and if you weren't as illiterate as I envisaged you to be, you would have understood what I just said," she said sarcastically.

Gibbs was silent. "...Yes?" he answered.

"I stand corrected," Jen said with pride.

Gibbs chuckled and shook his head. Abby had left for her lab. "Well, I'm leaving for another coffee...you coming, Ziver?"

Ziva shook her head. "Alright then," he replied leaving.

Ziva and Jen looked at each other then laughed. Ziva suddenly turned serious.

"What is it, Hun?" Jen asked in concern.

"Oh, I just had a thought," Ziva answered. She was glad that she and Jen were alone so they could talk. Jen was like her surrogate mother to Ziva, so talking to her was always enjoyable.

"Which was?" Jen asked curiously.

"AJ is so adorable...and like Tony, he has had a horrible past. I could not dream of spanking him," Ziva explained gravely.

"I understand. But the main problem of his horrible past is that he never had anyone around to care about him enough to spank him. He just got abuse and neglect," Jen said softly.

Ziva nodded. "I suppose. When he first got here, I wanted to put him across my lap,"

"Why?" Jen asked, confused. Ziva told her what AJ said to her earlier and Jen raised her eyebrows.

"Wow, what held you back?" Jen asked.

"Tony did. And I have never seen him talk to a child, or ANYONE that patiently," Ziva said.

"Well, he's lucky he didn't say that to any of us now that we know him. If even YOU showed that blatant disrespect I'd have put you across my lap so fast-" Jen remarked but Ziva interrupted.

"Wait! Me!? You can't-I-" Ziva stuttered .

"I can Ziva. You are basically my daughter, and what remember happened when you were 12 in Israel?" Jen asked.

Jen had lived by Ziva in Israel from when Ziva was 9 to when Ziva was 14 and cared for her like her own. Ziva's mother died when she was 5 and her father never really paid any attention to her. Ziva blushed when she remembered when Jen disciplined her as a child.

"Yes...I do remember..." Ziva said in embarrassment.

"Good. Now, understand that we care for him and we don't want anything to happen to him," Jen explained. Ziva nodded.

"Now, tell me about you and Tony..."

~*~NCIS~*~

Tony and AJ went down to Joey's Pizza to eat.

"So Tony, tell me about Gibbs," AJ said.

"Hm..well he's our Boss. He was a Marine before but isn't anymore... uh he has a boat in his basement... he headslaps the daylights out of us whenever we annoy him or screw up... he's basically our father," Tony explained.

AJ considered this. Then he was silent and looked down.

"What is it bud?" Tony asked concerned.

"It's just that... Gibbs set ground rules for me... and he says that if any of the major ones are broken-" AJ started.

"You get a spanking," Tony finished.

"How-how did you know?" AJ asked, amazed.

"Experience... I told you, Gibbs is basically my father," Tony replied.

AJ nodded in understanding. "Really AJ, Gibbs would never hurt you. None of us would. You're safe with us," Tony reassured the boy.

AJ nodded. "I know that. I already told you, I trust you all... it's just... I don't wanna get a spanking."

Tony chuckled. "I know bud. No one would. Just do your best to behave. You look like a clever kid."

AJ chuckled and nodded. "And Miss Jen seems important, I doubt she takes too kindly to attitude," AJ said eyes widening.

Tony laughed. "You're probably right. Ziva isn't anyone to mess around with either. If you had said what you did to her earlier now, she wouldnt have hesitated. Or Tim. He seems quiet but it's always the quiet ones that you look out for."

AJ smiled. They both finished eating and left the restaurant.

"What now?" AJ inquired.

Tony whipped out the NCIS issue card.

"We shop, little man," Tony stated mischievously.

AJ smiled in the same mischievous way and followed him. He was adjusting very well now. What about later?