Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS
Authors note- Hey! So this is one of my new stories, the captains heart will be up this weekend I think. Hope this is ok, I want to that NCIS Geek for being my Beta, it is a lot better thanks to her
I hope you all enjoy!
She lay there, on the luscious, long green grass of the local park. Her red hair, which fell in curls just below her shoulders, blew slightly in the breeze that ran in the warm air. She was currently lying under an old weeping willow tree, which cast speckles of shadow down on her pale skin. The day was an uncharacteristically warm one in the historic town of Oxford she now called home. As the sun shone down, Jenny Shepard was reading her book with oversized brown sunglasses covering her eyes. She was currently enthralled in the twists and turns of Sue Grafton's crime novel 'G is for Gumshoe'. The book was doing what she hoped it would do when she set out to read it – taking her mind off the next day and months.
Jenny Shepard was eighteen and was in her first year at Washington DC University when her father had suddenly committed suicide. She'd been distraught, alone, and for the first time in her life, truly scared. That had been three months ago now, and it still physically hurt when she remembered walking into his study to see his lifeless body and SIG lying on the floor. He'd been accused of taking a bribe, his reputation in shatters. Army CID had determined it suicide within two days, but she just couldn't picture it though. Now though, she was living in Oxford, England with an old family friend: Doctor Donald Mallard. Tomorrow she would start at Oxford University, her first day, and if she was honest, she was bricking it.
She had been sitting in her bedroom at Ducky's house, looking through her textbooks with her stomach churning with butterflies at the dreaded anticipation of tomorrow. To get her mind off of the anxiety, she had decided she needed to do something productive. That is how she had ended up under a tree at the local park, reading. Pushing her sunglasses up onto the top of her head, she sat up and looked around the large park. Families sat on the grass, talking and enjoying picnics whilst children ran around with Frisbees and dogs with sticks. A group of students that looked around her age sat nearby. Some were reading, others studying whilst a Goth, a peppy looking girl with long black pigtails, danced around with earphones in. One boy, with dark hair and what looked to be a toned body and striking blue eyes, just watched over them all. She smiled at the scene, and then he caught her eye. He smiled back as she felt the butterflies return in her stomach, only this time for a good reason.
The moment was broken by the load and cliché sound of an ice cream van. The pair looked away, returning to their own worlds. Jenny looked around to see children racing to their parents to get money. It made her smile to think how she had done just the same only a few years ago. It made her realise how little time she had spent with her father in the previous years. She banished the bitter thoughts from her mind, placed her sunglasses back on, her book back in her bag, and grabbed her purse before joining the crowds of people who went over for ice cream. She neared the front and placed her phone in her pocket before looking at the side of the van, seeing if she recognised any of the ice creams.
"I recommend the '99." Said a gruff voice from behind her. She spun around to see the same boy from earlier staring back at her. She glared and he raised his arms in mock surrender, a grin on his face. She just smirked.
"Is that so?" she questioned, her American accent flooding through, and obviously surprising him.
"Yeah." He replied before she moved forward and paid for her ice cream: a 99. As he placed his order she remained close to him, intent on finding out the name of her mystery ice cream advisor. "You on holiday?" he asked, as he waited for the collection of ice creams his friends had requested.
"Nah, just moved from DC. I'm Jenny by the way." She said with a smile.
"Gibbs." He replied gruffly as he collected his ice creams. "Law?" he questioned, noticing the textbook poking out of her bag.
"Yeah, I'm continuing at Oxford Uni."
"Oi! We'd like them before they melt!" shouted the Goth. Jenny smirked at him.
"I think you'd best take them over."
"Yeah." He replied. "See you around Jenny."
As he walked away she shouted after him: "You gotta first name Gibbs?"
"How d'ya know that isn't it?" he questioned turning around. She raised an eyebrow. "Leroy Jethro."
"See you around then Jethro." No one ever called him Jethro, but there was something about the way she said it that made him smile.
She smiled happily as she walked back through the park. Pulling out her iPod, she selected 'Eric Church – Springsteen'. She put both earphones in and with a smile she walked along the winding roads that led to Ducky's old cottage. For the first time in months she walked with a real smile on her face. She ate her ice cream as she went. When she walked into the house the song had changed to 'I'm Getting Stoned' and she was humming along with a smile on her face as she closed the old oak door. She was so much in her own world that when Ducky emerged, she didn't notice him. He tapped her on the back and she squealed, pulling out her earphones.
"Ducky, sorry; you scared the life out of me!"
"I apologise my dear. You seem happy; I take it the reading paid off."
"It did, thank you! And I am." He just smiled. She'd been so sad recently, it was just nice to see her smiling again. She went up to her room and began to send a quick e-mail to her best friend Catherine who she had met years ago and went to LVU. With a smile she began to write.
Hey Cath!
OMG! I went down to the park earlier to clear my head; I haven't been able to get the image of my father's body out of my mind. Anyways, I went to the park and was reading, when an ice cream truck pulled up to the park. I went to get an ice cream, and I got talking to a gorgeous guy. He's called Jethro (eww! I know!) He is hot!
Anyway, how are things with Nick?
Jen x
With a smile she sent the message and headed down stairs, remembering her promise to cook that night. Down in the kitchen with a smile on her face, she plugged her iPod into the docking station she had left down stairs, put it on shuffle, and set about making the paella Noemi had taught her as a child. Ducky watched on and smiled; she deserved to be happy and although he didn't know what had made her so, he just hoped it lasted.
Later that night after tea Jenny checked her e-mails before going to sleep.
JENNIFER SHEPARD! I want a picture!
Is he really gorgeous? How come you always get the lads? Oh and why did you wake me up early? Hmmm?
Me and Nick are going well, I hope. I'm at Uni still but I have started dancing in clubs at night. Now don't go all high and mighty on me; I enjoy it.
Banish the image from your head and have I bit of fun Jen, you deserve it more than most.
Love ya as always J,
Cath xx
Jenny smiled; Cath always could make her day. Hitting reply she typed:
Cath, I'll send you a picture if I see him again. Glad you and Nick are all right; enjoy the dancing! I'm off to sleep, shattered. Talk soon, and GET SKYPE!
Jen xx
That night Jenny went to sleep with a smile on her face. But it didn't stop the nightmares. She woke up in a cold sweat, as she had ever since her father's death. She just hoped that tomorrow would go okay, and that maybe she'd have a chance at being happy before too long.
Okay, so #1 any of you like Galex? Ashes to Ashes? If so then please PM me as I'm thinking of starting up a Jibbs-fest for Galex.
#2, please review xxxxx
