I'm a DiNozzo

Missing Jack (20)

Ellie's P.O.V. 

I had completed the internship program at 19, but Gibbs still wouldn't let me interrogate someone yet.

"Ellie," Gibbs said, poking his head into the observation room. "Your turn."

"What?" I asked, excited and scared. "My turn?"

"Your turn." I smiled, taking the photos from Gibbs, and leaving the argument between Tim, Ziva, and Tony about who was going to interrogate behind me.

"Listen lady," He started as soon as I entered, but I cut him off.

"That supposed to be an insult? Because I'm flattered you think so high enough of me to call me a lady."

"You are weak, you are nothing, you are a little helpless baby." The corps drill sergeant insisted.

"Why thank you!"

"I just called you a baby."

"I'm aware, and I'm honored. Babies are full of pure potential. Not to mention adorable."

"Allow me to make one thing clear to you. I am not complimenting you. There is nothing to compliment. You are a maggot." He insisted, setting his hands on the table.

"That's incredibly generous!"

"What?"

"Maggots are highly versatile, and can survive in almost any condition."

"You are a pile of dirt."

"Why thank you!" I gushed again. "It's hard not to take that as a compliment."

"Explain yourself." He was just straight confused or worried for my mental health.

"Dirt is the foundation of all agriculture. Without it, we would not survive."

"Let this set it. You are filthy, you are scum."

"That's so nice! No matter what scum always rises to the top!"

I sat in the chair facing away from the 1-way mirror, and stacked all of the pictures together.

"You're never going to make up for the heaps of resources you've used up in your life." He threw at me after thinking for a half-second.

"You don't think I know that?" I asked, furrowing my brow at him. "You don't think I tell myself that every day?"

"It's true."

"As a matter of fact it's not. Because God gave us this world to use all of. So I'm going to use it, and use all of it. Because it was meant to be used. So shut up. There's nothing you can say to make me feel worse about myself. You can't get to me."

I interrogated him in what dad had called 'the not as good you way'. I completely mislead him, doubled back, and caught him in an accidental confession.

"Witch (But he says it with a B rather than a W)"

"Yup," I agreed, leaving the room and closing the door behind me.

(Hey, don't let anyone tell you that you're not enough, or not worthy of anything. No one. And that includes yourself. Sometimes you are your worst enemy. <3)

-2 weeks later-

"Leah, you cut your hair." Palmer observed as I walked in Monday morning.

"Yeah, I did!" I agreed, smiling in what I hoped was a warm way. 

"It- it- it looks good."

"Thanks Jimmy."
-

"I don't know if I'm ready for this." I muttered to myself, pacing back and forth in my short white dress.