Tandel stares in shock as the trees around her start fading and she knows instantly what is going on.

“What is wrong with me that you don't let me stay in one place? I was just getting to know everyone and you're moving me again! You took away my healing and now you're going to take away my mage/wizarding skills? What do you want of me?”

His voice is tender as he whispers, “Be happy Tandel; he'll be good to you.”

NCIS-NCIS

Tandel Yestreen, former cleric/mage and now former wizard slowly opens her eyes. There's an arm slung around her waist and soft breathing just above her left ear. The bed she's lying on is hard, yet not as hard as the ground she's grown used to in the wilds of Norrath.

She lightly traces the arm around her and it tightens in response. A large hand, human from what she can tell, lazily drifts up and starts caressing her naked breast. She inhales at the sensation as it's been a while since she's been in any man's embrace.

Although her response had been quiet it was enough to wake the man spooned behind her. His grip tightens just a bit more as he gently turns her to face him. As she had thought he's a human and by most standards he would be considered handsome. Laugh lines are around his eyes as well as those caused by pain and sorrow. The man is speaking to her and she can almost understand him. She pauses in her reflections to try and figure out just what language he's using and he finally points to himself and says, “Gibbs.”

She nods to show her understanding and points to herself saying, “Tandel.”

She could very easily get lost in those eyes of his even if she didn't try. They were a deep ocean blue, laced with silver and she could imagine the intimidation that those eyes could create in an adversary. Gibbs sighs with frustration and she watches as he rolls to the other side of the bed. He enters a room that she recognizes as a water closet or a bathroom. Some of the higher ranking kings had had those in their demesnes when she and some of her first companions had been traveling in the world of Greyhawk.

Gibbs comes back out of the bathroom and she notices that his silver hair is darkened from a bath and he has a towel wrapped around his waist. There are bruises on his left arm and shoulder and she can tell that while the injury isn't new, it still hasn't healed very fast either. Do they have no healers on this new world she's been dropped into?

Gibbs waves a hand in front of her face. He then hands her a white cotton shirt. She watches as he puts an identical one on and mimics eating. She nods, puts on the shirt he'd given her and follows him downstairs. As he pulls food out of an icebox, she's made aware of two things. One: Gibbs is confused, most likely by her unwanted presence in his bed. Two: He's very good looking.

Her fingers twitch and she absently starts going through the silent alphabet she'd learned during her last few excursions. Gibbs stops what he's doing for two whole seconds before tapping her hand and signing his name; Leroy Jethro Gibbs. It is a long name and yet it suits him.

She signs her own name and he then asks her in Sign language if she'd like milk or coffee. Delighted that she can finally converse with this man, she asks for milk and he nods before pouring her a tall glass of the cold white beverage. He then picks up an old ceramic mug that has steam coming out of it and start sipping contentedly.

A knock at the door heralds the arrival of a young man with bright green eyes and light brown hair. His boyish face reminds her of someone but at the moment she can't remember who.

“Tandel.” Gibbs waits for her to look up at him before he points to the younger man. “McGee. Timothy.”

She nods at McGee, Timothy and continues sipping her milk listening to their conversation.

“Boss, what's going on?”

“I'm not sure McGee. I just know that I went to bed alone last night and I woke up with that beside me.”

McGee stands there still not sure just why the boss had called him and not Tony DiNozzo, Gibbs' senior agent and Tim’s partner. Just then Tandel loops a lock of hair behind one ear; a long, rather pointy ear. Tim stares in surprise and shock before locking gazes with Gibbs.

“Does that answer your question, Elf-lord?”

Tim nods slowly then sits down next to Tandel. For her part, she's almost done deciphering their language; it's similar to many she's heard spoken for the last 25 years and although there are a few differences she can work through those later.

“Tandel?” The voice is boyish and shy, and she's again reminded of someone from her past but who? Tim calls her name again and she blinks up at him. Gibbs is still hovering in the background and she smiles at him.

Tim looks over at Gibbs as he says, “Well, I'm not 100 percent certain yet, but I know she's part elf. She's got calluses on her hands that indicate she's familiar with fighting but I'm not sure just what kind. As for why she's so quiet, I'd say she's trying to assimilate what we're saying.”

“Why?”

Tim sighs as he tries to explain, “If we were in an online game, I'd talk to her in elven or common tongue. If I were playing a human, I'd try to learn elven so that I could understand the language better.. It's a bit like us when we try to learn French or Russian before traveling to that particular country.”

“She speaks in Sign language.” Gibbs admits.

“That's unusual.” Tim says and hastily continues when Gibbs glares at him. “It's not a gamer's language. In most of the fantasy RPG's or MMORPG's there is no such language.” He shrugs his shoulders as he concludes, “I'd say you've managed to get yourself a real live elf maiden here, Boss.”

Tandel nods at his wording. “I am Tandel Yestreen. I apologize for not speaking earlier Gibbs, but as McGee here has said, I have been trying to understand your language.”

Gibbs motions towards her hands. “You speak Sign language.”

Tandel nods again, “Yes a friend and companion could not speak due to complications from a wound. Our party learned to Sign so that we could communicate with each other. I thank you Gibbs for your hospitality.”

Tim watches as she speaks, listening to what is being said or not said.

“You're welcome. I apologize if anything I've done or said might have scared you.”

Tandel shakes her head, “I wasn't scared of you Gibbs. Just – uncertain as to where I am, what am I doing here and why was I brought here. As Tim has noted, I am an elf and at one time I was a cleric/mage and more recently a wizard. Now...I don't know what I am. My deity has gone silent.”

Tim watches her hands as she plays with the hem of the t-shirt she's wearing. He knows it's one of Gibbs' but he says nothing. Gibbs motions silently for Tim to watch over her while he slips out of the kitchen. Tim nods and soon Gibbs is back, completely dressed with a full set of sweats as well as a towel.

“You need help with the shower?” He asks gruffly and Tandel nods.

“Yes, please.”

“Back in ten, McGee.”

Tim knows that's Gibbs' speak for find out what he can about the mysterious guest. He pulls out his laptop and starts searching various sites online. He's not surprised however, when none of his searches reveal anything.

Gibbs leads Tandel back upstairs and shows her how to turn the shower on as well as how to adjust the temperature. He also hands her a washcloth and shows her where the shampoo and soap is. Tandel touches him lightly on the hand just before he turns to leave.

“Thank you.”

Gibbs says nothing as she strips off the shirt and steps into the shower, drawing the curtain closed behind her. He'd seen the heart shaped scar off her left shoulder. It was an old wound, that much he could tell. There was no redness around it, but the way it was raised, compared to her other scars and she had a lot of scars on her body, clearly from whatever fights she'd been in, but that one caught and held his attention.

Tandel starts muttering in a foreign language and Gibbs realizes that she probably doesn't know he's still in the room. He opens the door to leave when he hears a fist connect with a wall. Peeking around the curtain he sees Tandel banging her fist against the far wall. Knowing that she's probably crying and not caring about how wet his clothes might get, he opens the curtain and turns off the water. Grabbing the closest towel, he wraps her up in it and carries her out of the room.

Sensing Tim’s presence just outside the bedroom door, knowing that it was possible that the other man could have heard Tandel banging her fist on the bathroom wall, he quietly says.

“McGee, go on without me. I'll call Vance and tell him not to expect me in.”

“She okay boss?” Gibbs can hear the concern in his agent's voice.

“She will be.”