The Third DiNozzo

Chapter 4 ~ Aspen's History

*** Warning: A small part of this chapter deals with Aspen's work in the FBI where she was harassed.  Please understand that though this plot is PURELY FICTION stuff like this happens everywhere and every day.  I'm not trying to joke or be insensitive with the matters it covers. For I have dealt with both of the issues talked about. So please be cautious reading ahead if you've been a victim of sexual harassment and being judged for being part of the LGBTQIA+ community.***

"I'm sorry, Boss. I didn't realize you were right behind me." Tony said as he turned around to face Gibbs. Gibbs smirked as he took a sip from his coffee. Aspen thought that was the end of it and spoke to Tony once more. 

"So DiNozzo, who starred in the movie Hatari?" She leaned onto her left hip and placed her right hand on her holster. "That is unless I have stumped the apparent Poster Boy of movies?" Aspen let out a small chuckle as Tony's face scrunched up. 

"Well - I - uh ... I can't possibly know EVERY movie. That would be like superhuman of me!" He said moving past her. "Besides, I doubt Hatari is even a real movie!" He scoffed as he snapped a picture of the body. 

"Hatari is a real movie, DiNozzo!" Aspen spat. "I can't count the times I would curl up on the couch with my best friend Sam in California and watch the darn thing." 

"Then what is it about?!" Tony shouted.

"A group of men trap wild animals in Africa ..." Gibbs spoke from his spot sipping his coffee. "And sell them to zoos before the arrival of a female wildlife photographer threatens to change their ways." 

"That sounds boring!" Tony said shaking his head. "Did the curling up on the couch involve sleeping?"

"Ha Ha. Very original DiNozzo. Did the countless times you watch Mission Impossible?" She took a few steps closer. "Seeing as so far all the movie knowledge I have seen you process is a history of Tom Cruise. Did our little Anthony have a man-crush?" I said in a baby tone.

"That is out of line, Jacobs!"

"Is it? Cause at the FBI I could openly be called a Lesbian by just holding hands with my best friend and co-worker!" Aspen tossed the pen she hand in her hand at Tony and walked out the door. She went right to the back of the M.E. van and sat on the edge and took some deep breathes. 

After doing some thinking, she agreed with Tony when he told her she was out of line. She was. She got up and paced behind the van before slamming her palm into the door. As she did, the M.E. came out from beside the van.

"Hello, can I help you?" He asked. Aspen cursed to herself before shaking her head. 

"Sorry, no. I was just blowing off some steam. I kinda just crossed a line in there and ... well ... I might be leaving here before I even begin."

"Really? Well what a shame, I've heard from Duncan that you are a fine young agent and even a better young lady." He walked over and grabbed her hand. "I'm Dr. Donald Mallard. Ducky to you, if you prefer."

"Nice to officially meet you, Ducky. Do you really talk to ole Delaney Duncan?" She said sitting back down on the back of the M.E van.

"Yes, he is a good friend of mine." He sat beside her and placed a hand on her knee. "Now, what exactly did you say in there?"

"It was quite stupid of me..." Aspen said shaking her head. "I made a stupid comment to Tony and-"

"Really? What did you say?" Ducky interrupted her. He quickly covered his mouth and apologized. "I'm sorry, just no one has ever really 'out stupid' Anthony before." 

"It's fine. I'm used to getting interrupted. At the office in Pasadena, I had to literally shout to get heard sometimes." Aspen's head dropped a little bit. "Sometimes, even my shouts weren't loud enough to get through their thick skulls."

"I have heard from Duncan that you weren't - erm - treated the best," Ducky said. Just as he did, Tony, Ziva, and McGee were on the side of the van getting ready to ask Duck a few questions, but since Tony was leading he stopped them wanting to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"Yeah. I wasn't." She laughed playing with her fingers. "In fact, I probably would have been stuck doing coffee runs if it weren't for Agent Mohanson." Her voice cracked just a teeny bit saying his name. She quickly cleared her throat.

"Yes. I heard about him. Great Agent he was, but a better friend as I heard." Ducky said.

"Oh yeah, he was an amazing friend. You know, I don't talk about this incident with many people but ... well ... seeing as I will probably be leaving it wouldn't hurt to tell you I guess." Aspen rubbed her hands on her pants and took a deep breath.

"When I first got hired and through Quantico, I got paired at a desk with this cocky Agent. He was all body and no brain, made crude jokes to me, and overall made me very uncomfortable around work." She got up and took a few steps in a line. Tony, Ziva, and McGee all sunk back not to be seen.

"Well, one night as I was leaving ... I felt him following me. I sped up and got to my car but sadly he was right behind and slammed his hand on my car door, blocking me from entering my car. I was freaked out. He kept saying vulgar stuff to me, and I was basically pinned between my side mirror and his body."

"Oh no..." Ziva muttered. "Please don't let her say she was -" Ziva covered her mouth as McGee placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Shhhh! I want to hear what she says next!" Tony whisper shouted.

"I was only just twenty and was so freaked out I completely forgot everything I had been taught at Quantico. All I knew how to do was yell. So that's what I did, I shouted and yelled. Luckily Marcus happened to be walking to his car and came rushing over. He pulled the guy off of me and got me safely into my car. The next morning, I found that the agent had been terminated, and my new desk was in Mohanson's squad."

"How lucky you were to have him then," Ducky said.

"Yeah, he saved my ass more than that one time though. My best friend Samantha already worked with his squad on a loaner basis, which basically means, wherever she was needed she went without question. Once or twice she would be sitting with me and since we were friends we would hug and hold hands."

Everyone who was listening, that includes Tony, Ziva, and McGee all furrowed their eyebrows and Ziva actually took a sharp breath. They could all see where this story was going. 

"So, of course, the men at the office would 'joke' about us. Make assumptions, and even call us names. The only person who never did was Marcus, he in fact threatened to fire anyone who called us 'lesbians' one more time." Aspen sat back down on the van brushing a strand of dark brown hair behind her ear. "Now, I've gone and done the equivalent in there to DiNozzo. Now, I'm going to be back in limbo ..."

"No, you're not," Tony said as he walked around the van. Aspen jumped up and glared angrily at DiNozzo.

"How long have you been listening?!" she yelled.

"Only since the cocky agent story," Tony said rubbing the back of his head. Aspen clenched her fist and approached Tony. When she got in front of him, she noticed Ziva and McGee. 

"Oh, so you all decided to eavesdrop?" she said. They all weakly nodded. Aspen sighed and shook her head. "Well, I just have two things to say. One, if those stories leave you three ... you won't live to see the next day. Two," she extended a hand to DiNozzo. "I'm sorry for stepping out of line."

"It's alright. I deserved it. Now, let's just forget this ever happened. You will be staying here, and working with us." 

"Alright," Aspen said as they all went back inside to finish processing the crime scene.