*tum* *tum* *tum* *tum*… The rhythm continued gently against the wall of her stomach. The rhythm of their child kicking. At only five and half months along the baby started kicking. Which was normal. But there was an abnormal part to her situation… the father wasn't there. Not by choice but by the fact that he didn't know and he'd disappeared on a undercover assignment four months prior. They had been happy so very happy. Her niece had pushed them together and finally it happened on New Years. As countdown went down so did their guard and their feelings for each other had resurfaced.

10...9...8...7... As the clock was counting down and the shouts of the watchers of the large plasmas around the room of the ball dropping in Time Square. They inched closer to each other which each second ticking by. Breaths began to mingle, bodies began to start pressing up against each other… eyes locking.

"Jethro…" the woman breathed, "are you sure…"

Neither of them were drunk nor the slightest bit tipsy. There had been no alcohol consumption for either of them. So they were in their right minds, "never been more sure about something, Jen. Please," it was one of the rare times that he had said please.

She slowly nodded off in the distance from where they were standing in the corner the countdown went on 5...4...3...2... as one was said their lips met and didn't stop until the need for air. She wrapped her arms around his neck and his arms went to her waist pulling her body flush against his. Jenny smiled against his lips. She felt lightheaded and weightless, she was in Heaven. Being in his arms made her feel complete.

Off in the distance Jenny's niece, Sophia smiled and took a picture. Well several on her camera phone and her digital camera. Standing next to her was a very familiar forensic scientist ,one Abigail Scuito was also taking pictures. Forever capturing the memory of the start of a second chance.

She was brought back to the present by her niece gently shaking her shoulder, "Aunt Jenny, come on are you ready to go to your scan?" Sophia gave a soft smile. Jenny stood gently and kissed her niece's forehead. Sophia had been there for every aspect of the pregnancy so far. She was grateful for it. Sophia's mother, Sarah would've been proud of Sophia for being by her aunt's side. Sarah and Jenny had been cousin that acted like sisters growing up and when Sarah found out she had been pregnant beside Sophia's father; Jenny had been the first to know. When Sarah died of Leukemia when Sophia was the age of two, Sophia's father wanted nothing to do with her and Jenny raised Sophia.

Jenny walked with Sophia out the door to the car after gathering her purse and coat and Sophia did the same, "hey I'll drive. I can tell you're thinking about Gibbs again aren't you. I'll let you think a little more," Sophia got in the driver's side, she was sixteen almost seventeen; Jenny got into the passenger's side and buckled in as Sophia did the same. She ran a soothing hand over her baby bump and rested her head against the cool glass of the window letting the cold winter air wiz by her ears and the coldness of the glass calm her. She closed her eyes slowly letting her mind drift back to Jethro and the happiness they had, then his departure. The last time she ever saw him.

Jenny continued tearing up as Jethro held her close to him and rubbed her back. He'd be leaving for an undercover assignment for who knows how long any minute. He had to leave the house by himself. He'd practically moved into Jenny's house but kept his for when they had the occasional couple related fights so he could relax, work on his boat, then eventually go back over and apologize and have her in his arms once more. Now this would be the last time in who knows how long he would have her in his arms. Sophia had said her goodbyes to Gibbs and gave him a brief hug then let Jenny and Jethro had some alone time, "Baby, I promise you I'll come home. Maybe, knowing me a little bruised up and beaten up but in one piece," he kissed her forehead softly and she leaned into the touch. She didn't want to let go she just couldn't. She didn't want him to go, she wanted to stay in his arms forever. She had always felt safe there. Nothing could touch her or hurt her or anything.

"Jethro ,I don't want you to go! Gosh why, why, why! I just want to stay right here," she mumbled into his jacket. He softly stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry, I have to. I promise you I'll come home. Here, wear these and no matter what I'll always be with you," he reached in his pocket and held up his dog tags from when he was in the Marines. She gently took them and put them in her right palm flipping them over and over again with her left hand. Then, softly she traced her fingers over the script engraved on them. Jenny flung her arms back around him and held on. The cab driver who was really Ducky beeped twice; the signal that he had to leave or he was going to be late for the plane he was scheduled to be on with in the next hour, "Jenny, I have to go."

"No, Jethro, please don't leave," she let more tears fall and he lifted her chin up kissing her deeply silently promising that he'd come home. He broke the embrace, her eyes were still closed from when she closed them when he kissed her. She felt a cold rush of air quickly as the front door was opened. She gently opened her eyes and he was already closing the door. She clutched the dog tags in her hands and ran to the window. She tapped on it and he looked back, their eyes locking she mouthed 'I love you' and he mouthed it back and then got into the cab and shut the door; Ducky drove off and Jenny went to the door and slumped down against it putting the dog tags around her neck as she let her back slide against the door. Jenny put her face in her hands, she unfortunately didn't know that' she'd never see him again or the fact that she was a month pregnant with their baby…

"Aunt Jen, we're here," Sophia said smiling and Jenny snapped her head up and nodded. She grabbed her purse from beneath her feet and unbuckled her seatbelt then opened the car door and pushed it shut. She headed into the Dr.'s office with Sophia; Jenny signed in and sat down next to Sophia. Jenny's name was called within a matter of minutes and they headed back. Sophia got out a cam quarter, she had gotten the idea when she found out that her aunt was pregnant that if and when Gibbs came back he could see all the important moments of Jenny's pregnancy. Such as scans, the first kick, the first bout with morning sickness(well with that one Sophia just showed her aunt from behind throwing up and decided not to use the audio until her aunt was done throwing up), when Jenny had first noticed a baby bump, when the baby first starting kick… When the baby had started kicking Sophia held the microphone on the camera right up next to Jenny's belly so the kicks could be heard. This scan was an extremely important scan. Today there were going to find out the sex of the baby.

Sophia pressed the record button when the doctor walked in, "Hello ladies. Ah Sophia I see you once again brought that cam quarter," Sophia smirked.

"Dr. Thomas, this is a very special scan and as I've said before I want to capture every important moment of my aunt's pregnancy, so when the father comes back he can watch it and not feel sad that he missed it," Jenny got a sad look in her eyes she hoped that maybe Jethro would come back at least by the time the baby was born.

"Okay well, I don't have a problem with it so go ahead. Alright Jenny lets see here," he got Jenny prepped for the ultrasound and then Jenny lifted her shirt up exposing the baby bump and Sophia captured every non-inappropriate moment of it. The doctor spread the usual gel on Jenny's stomach and got the ultrasound arm ready. He let the gel warm up on Jenny's stomach then started moving it around her stomach trying to get a good spot of the baby where he could tell the gender and also good for an ultrasound picture, "Alrighty there we go. There she is," Dr. Thomas smiled.

Jenny was almost in tears Sophia switched the camera's view back and forth from Jenny's face, the doctor, and the ultrasound screen. The doctor flipped a switch and then the baby's heartbeat was heard, Sophia switched the camera's view back to her aunt, "It's a girl?" she teared up her face in awe.

"Yes it is congratulations, Jenny," the doctor smiled.

"Aunt Jen…" Sophia trailed off motioning for her aunt to say something to the camera.

"You heard the doctor right, Jethro. We're going to have a little girl. I miss you so much. Come home. I'm still wearing your dog tags I've never taken them off. Please, please come home," Jenny was in tears and Sophia kissed her aunt's forehead.

They reared home an hour later after a pit stop to the mall for some shopping for Jenny. She got a couple outfits that she'd know she'd grow into with in the coming weeks. When they got there Sophia got all the shopping bags and Jenny walked ahead of her.

Sophia walked in and sat the bags down her aunt was curled up on the couch with a the purple and green floral throw over her watching TV, "hey, Aunt Jen wanna watch a movie?" Sophia asked shyly.

Jenny nodded, "sure let me go get my pj's on and you can get the movie and stuff ready," she smiled sweetly at Sophia and got up.

"I'll go run up and put my pj's on too then I'll set the movie up. Is that okay?" she asked her tone shy once more. Jenny nodded and Sophia went up the stairs with her aunt then they parted their separate ways to their rooms and Sophia exited her room first going downstairs to get the movie ready. It was their all time favorite Steel Magnolias. She started some popcorn in the microwave and got a Dr. Pepper for herself and some Sprite for her aunt.

Jenny came down in her pj's within a matter of minutes after Sophia and sat down next to the girl. The microwave went off signaling that the popcorn was ready. They always ate straight from the bag. It seemed more fun that way. Well after they let the bag cool down some. Sophia stood and got the popcorn; she sat back down and Jenny pulled her closer putting an arm around Sophia's shoulders and Sophia pressed play then sat the remote down on the coffee table. Jenny's little girl woke up and rhythmically started kicking as the movie went on…