"Does Gibbs feel the need to argue with every damn person he meets at a crime scene? Or does it come naturally?"

While he talks to the head of the crime scene team, the four of us carry in our bags to the taped-off crime scene, all courtesy of our friends from the FBI.

Tony squints from the sun beaming down on us. "Think it comes from all that caffeine he drinks in the morning. Like an extra shot of bitch."

"Must be what you ordered last night." I grumble quietly, careful as to not alert Kate or McGee.

"You're seriously still upset about last night?" Tony groans in complaint. "It's not my fault the waitress wanted to shove her cleavage in my face, you know."

Nice try, DiNozzo. You're not getting out of this that easily.

"Yet you did nothing to stop her from doing so."

"So what? It's not like you and I are dating."

Ouch.

Gibbs returns in defeat, forfeiting the crime scene to the FBI jerks. "Eva, check with Commander Shields. Have Kate track down the rest of her family."

"With pleasure, sir." I leave Tony with a single expressionless stare.

By the time I approach Commander Shields, it sounds like she's having a conversation with a friend or a significant other.

Something about cha-cha chicken.

I show her my badge as soon as she hangs up her cell.

"N.C.I.S.." Glad to see someone recognizes the name. "So, uh. . .I take it this wasn't an accident?"

"We're not usually ones to jump to conclusions, but given the rather recent threats posed. . ."

She looks off to her right, where her damaged vehicle is being hosed down. "I thought I left that war behind me."

Well, from the way I've seen Gibbs act, war never really leaves you alone.

"My kids could have been in that car." She sinks back, shaking her head in disbelief. "One mistake. One horrible mistake."

"Afghanistan was not your fault, ma'am." But my words fall on deaf ears.

Her tongue clicks against her teeth. "Right or wrong, it's still something I have to live with. And the fog of war just doesn't cut it when you're looking at ten dead civilians."

Her husband arrives and asks some more questions. Fortunately, Kate stops by right on time and answers them for me.

Once we're done with the crime scene and finish delivering Abby everything the FBI gave us, the three of us find ourselves in the Shields' household.

"I would like for everyone to go about their normal lives. . .as much as possible."

The boss' definition of "normal" is much different than the standard meaning.

Gibbs gives Tony a firm nod. "McGee and Kate."

"McGee, Kate, systems check." Tony mutters into the comm. But then he starts snapping his fingers at the camera when the young agent doesn't answer.

When he does receive an answer, he gives Gibbs a thumbs up.

"We will try to keep a low profile, but we need your cooperation." Gibbs paces in front of the family of four. "You see anything suspicious, you tell us."

"I don't believe this." The daughter speaks up. "Can I sleep at Amy's house?" She requests.

However, Gibbs cuts in. "Not a good idea."

"What he means is we need to have an advanced notice so we can clear it." I translate for them.

The young girl just scoffs and storms up to her room.

"It's all been kind of. . ." Mr. Shields clears his throat, "stressful."

"I'm outta here." The boy moves to leave, but Tony and Gibbs are quick to block his path. "It-It's an expression. Bed."

Tony stops him, trying to get on the kid's good side since he's in charge of watching him. Meanwhile, I've got the girl.

The parents leave for bed as well, leaving the agents in the living room.

"I guess I've got the front door." I walk towards it, but Tony stops me, his hand on my arm.

"Then I demand to take the rear." He growls playfully.

But I wasn't having any of it. "Oh, don't you even think about it, Tony."

"And why is that, Eva? Sweetheart?" The agent asks in a mocking tone.

"There is only one bathroom downstairs."

"And your point is?"

"I will stick my foot up your ass if the seat is not down."

"And what will you do if it's up?"

The very next morning, while I am trying to take a relaxing shower in the bathroom, I hear another voice sing along to the Spice Girls.

I peep my head out of the shower, using the translucent shower curtain to cover my nude body. "Anthony David DiNozzo, just what the hell do you think you're doing in here?"

"I'm just brushing my teeth." He retorts defensively. "Oh, hey, you know, we should really think about the Earth and save some water. So why don't you give me, like, two minutes, and I'll hop in there with you?"

"Exactly how long have you been in here? Because you were not here when I first came in." I squint my eyes in his direction.

"Long enough to know your voice isn't half bad. . ." He moves to stand in front of the mirror. "But I like it a lot better when you're moaning."

Smack!

"Okay. . .ow."

Once I'm done in the shower — and, no, I didn't do anything with Tony — I take their daughter, Jen, to school.

I stand there as she fights with some average teen boy right in the middle of the courtyard. In my opinion, she is way out of her league.

The guy decides to talk to me. "Half the school's not here today."

"Really? I didn't notice." I fake a smile.

"Because of you." He walks away just as the school bell rings.

Jen glares daggers at me as she enters the school building. Once the rest of the students have left for their classes, I go in.

"Tony better be suffering worse than me."

That night, while Gibbs is back at headquarters, Tony and I hear something coming from the backyard, a loud thumping.

Suddenly, the sound moves upstairs.

"Right behind you." I cover Tony as I run up the stairs. We wave Mr. and Mrs. Shields back into their rooms while standing on either side of Jen's room.

Tony kicks down the door, revealing Jen in a black outfit.

"Freeze!" Tony yells as I swing open the closet door.

Revealing Lyle. . .Jen's disgusting boyfriend.

"It's fine, Tony. It's just her boyfriend."

I grab him by his jacket, pulling him up to his feet in an instance. "Hi. Remember me?"

"You're lucky you don't have two holes in your face right now."

Tony calls in to inform Gibbs, Kate, and McGee of the misunderstanding while Jen's parents scold her for sneaking her boyfriend into the house.

"Were you ever like that?" Tony turns to me. "Sneak a boyfriend into your room, hope your parents don't catch you two?" The smirk is evident on his face.

"Grow up, DiNozzo."

The next morning, Mrs. Shields and I have a heartfelt conversation about getting married and having a family when in a strenuous occupation.

To release some stress and energy, the two of us leave for a quick jog.

"Got your gun?" Tony tugs on the ends of my jacket, pulling it closer for some reason. "You can take mine if you want."

I smile teasingly. "And what would you use in case of an emergency here?"

"Be careful, okay?" Tony's palm grazes my cheek as he cups the side of my face. But I nudge his hand away. "Look, I know you're still mad at me. . ."

"No." I shake my head. "You were right. You and I. . .we aren't dating. So it's totally your choice if you want to hook up with some other waitress." I try to walk past him.

He pulls me back. "Eva. . ."

"It's fine, Tony."

During the jog, I notice a white van that had been following us for a while now. There's another white van parked at the intersection up ahead.

"Brake left, brake left!" I yell at Shields, who runs into the grass to our left.

With my gun in hand, I run behind her. Only, a bomb is detonated less than ten feet away from us, right where we were about to cross.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." I try to brush away the EMT, but he keeps coming back to clean the minimal cut across my cheek.

"No more runs, Eva." Gibbs stops in front of me.

I roll my eyes. "How the hell was I supposed to know the two unmarked white vans were with the FBI and not out to assassinate the commander?"

"You weren't."

After finding the true killer, the rest of us prepare to leave the family for good.

"I got you a little something. But under no circumstances can you tell anyone about where you got it from." I hand Jen a pink slip.

"A blank hall pass." She glances up at me. "No way."

"The key is to use. . .erasable ink." I pull out a pack of pens. "It always worked for me."

Just as we're about to leave for headquarters, Abby calls in with some new information that helps us arrest the real killer.

Although, Michaela shot her before we could take her in.

"What are you doing back here?" I stand behind my apartment door, frowning at the person on the other side. "I thought we — "

Tony shuts me up with his lips right away.

"Can't get rid of me that easily, Eva."