Authors Note: Hello Lovelies! This is a little companion piece to go with the series that I am helping my BFF Kristi write: New Teammate, New Love? and Keep Holding On. You may want to read those to follow this oneshot a little better. Also, Keep Holding On was updated yesterday, so read it...and if you aren't reading her series you really should, it's pretty entertaining...well, at least it is to us :) If you are currently reading it, please review it...we don't stay awake till nearly 6am writing these chapters to get crickets. Reviews make us happy and inspire us to write.
Reviews are love, leave some
Krystle
Song: One Day You Will by Lady Antebellum
June 16, 1998
A knock on the door downstairs brings a bouncing fifteen year old Bella from her room. As she opens the door, her Uncle sweeps her up into his arms and twirls her around. "You know better than to answer the door without asking who it is, Bella."
Grinning at him, "But I knew you were coming, Uncle Jay, so I did know who it was."
Jethro grins, "I'll let it slide this time."
Before Bella could respond the voice of a female grabs her attention, "Jethro, can you get the car door?"
Looking over her Uncle's shoulder, Bella's blood runs cold. Her Uncle hasn't been with a woman since her Aunt Shannon was killed, and that was almost six years ago. She never expected him to bring anyone with him on his visit to the base she and her parents were located at.
Jethro walks over and slips past the red head closing the car door, and taking one of the bags from her. Bella narrows her eyes at the woman. She hadn't seen Uncle Jay smile that much since Shannon and Kelly were killed. Still, the fact that he is happier does nothing to make her feel any better about the situation at hand. Bella steps aside on auto pilot making room for her Uncle and this woman to walk through the door.
Closing the door behind them, she leans on the back of the couch, watching them, well watching her. The woman turns around and smiles at Bella and Jethro watches as they speak for the first time.
Sticking out her hand, the woman says, "You must be Bella. Your Uncle has told me so much about you. I'm Jennifer. But you can call me 'Jen' or 'Jenny'."
Bella looks from Jenny's hand, to her smiling face, over to her Uncle-giving a stern look-uncrossing her arms long enough to shake the intruders hand, Bella nods. "Glad that you know about me; wish I could say the same about you."
Putting her hand down to her side, Jenny steps back towards Jethro. Deciding to disregard the comment made by the teenager she shrugs. "Well, we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other this week."
Bella fakes a smile, "Oh joy."
Jenny looks nervously up at Jethro; he kisses the woman's cheek, "Excuse us for a minute Jen."
Bella looks up at her Uncle and he points to the office down the hall. She knows he isn't happy with her, but what did he expect? Rainbows and butterflies? He's never brought anyone home for a visit, and as far as she knew from their phone calls he wasn't seeing anyone or wanting to anytime soon. And she was perfectly okay with that. If he moves on it would be like Aunt Shannon and Kelly never existed.
She leans against the desk and watches as Jethro closes the office door. Turning around to face her, he crosses his arms over his chest. "What is wrong with you?"
"Me? What's wrong with you? You never once mentioned her, Uncle Jay!" Bella shouts, pointing towards the living room to give emphasis on 'her'. He waits for her to get it all off her chest; he knows there is more to it than him not mentioning Jenny in the phone calls they share. "What about Aunt Shannon and Kelly? Remember them? You're out with her and it's like they never existed!"
A solemn look falls over his face as he walks over to his now crying niece, wrapping her in his arms. "Of course I remember them, Bella. I will never forget them, never, okay? Just because I'm seeing Jenny doesn't mean that they never existed. Shannon will always be your aunt, and my wife, just like Kelly will always be my daughter and your cousin. No woman will ever change that. There comes a time when you have to start living again, and I've found that time, Bells."
Bella wipes her tears away, frustrated that she let him see her cry. Nodding, she looks up at him, "I guess I should go apologize to her now."
"Ya think, kiddo? I've told her so much about you, and the you she saw five minutes ago was not in the description," Jethro says, smoothing a hand down Bella's hair.
Jenny looks up from the book she's been reading as Jethro and his niece come back in the room. She rises from the couch, looking back at Jethro, not wanting to relive what went on earlier. Bella walks up to her and asks, "Can we rewind time and start over?"
Jenny smiles, "I'd like that."
"Good," Bella says, and sticks her hand out, "I'm Bella."
October 25, 1998
Bella walks into her Uncle's, well, her house now, and hears him ask from the other room how school was. Bella looks over, acknowledging him, but not answering, she only shrugs and walks up to her room. Closing the door behind her, she tosses her backpack in the vicinity of her desk and falls backwards onto her bed.
It still doesn't seem real, having no parents. When she was told that her parents were of the poor unfortunates that were victims of the crazy man shooting up base, she felt her whole world go up in flames. She literally felt like she was being burned alive by the pain she felt. It took all of Jethro's strength to hold her back; he couldn't lose her to if the man wasn't secured.
This has been her routine; she comes home from school, ignores her Uncle, and comes up to her room, putting on her headphones. She usually listens to happier music, but lately she has been listening to much darker music which fits her current mood.
Down in the kitchen, Jethro hears the front door open and Jenny walks into the kitchen and over to him, kissing him on the cheek. "How is she today?"
"She's the same. Came home, shrugged, and locked herself in her room. I don't know what to do, Jen. I've never seen her this closed off. She won't even talk to Ducky. Could you give it a try? Talk to her?"
"Me? If she won't talk to you or Dr. Mallard, what makes you think she will talk to me?"
Jethro shrugs, "You're a woman. Maybe she needs some girl talk."
Jenny sighs, and looks up to the ceiling. Nodding once, she says, "I'll give it a try, but I'm not a miracle worker, Jethro."
He watches as Jenny makes her way through his house and disappears around the corner. Jenny makes her way past a photo of Jethro, Shannon and Kelly; past the room that hasn't been touched in years with the fading 'Kelly' written across it just to come to another door closed off to the outside world.
She knocks before she walks in, figuring since Bella hasn't spoken a word since her parent's burial she wouldn't start now. All she gets as she walks in is a turn of the girls head and a couple blinks. Jenny closes the door, and sits next to her on the bed.
The two just look at each other for the longest time silently. Bella reaches over and turns her music off, placing her portable cd player on her nightstand she slides over on the bed to make room for Jenny. Jenny follows Bella's eyes as she motions with them for her to lay beside her.
"Oh, okay," Jenny says softly, laying beside her on the bed. "Your uncle sent me up here to talk to you."
Bella lets out a long sigh, and Jenny chuckles, "Yeah, I know. He just doesn't understand what you're going through. But I do, Bella."
Bella looks over at the woman and narrows her eyes as if to say 'yeah, right.' After a moment, Bella raises her eyebrows as if to tell Jenny to continue her speech.
"Well, I wasn't much older than you when my dad died. He was murdered in our house. I never thought that I would be able to live again; he was my dad, and I never wanted to be without him," Jenny looks over to the young girl, and gives her a small smile. "It may not seem like it now, but everything will be okay, Bella. I'm proof of that."
Bella nods, and rests her head on Jenny's shoulder. She whispers, "Thanks, Jen."
A couple hours later, the two emerge from upstairs and Jethro has dinner on the table. Jenny walks into the kitchen and leans on the counter after pouring herself something to drink. She watches as Bella lingers in the doorframe, waiting for her Uncle to turn around and face her.
"Jethro," Jenny says, gaining the man's attention from the task he was doing, she nods her head towards Bella.
He looks over at his niece and gives her a small smile, "Hey caterpillar."
Walking over towards him, Bella launches herself into his arms. "I miss them so much, Uncle Jay. I'm sorry for shutting you out."
Kissing her softly on the side of her head, he soothes her, telling her that he misses them as well, and there is no reason to apologize.
June 21, 1999
She sits on the stairs as her Uncle and Jenny fight their final round. Jenny has been trying to get Jethro to open up to her more, and he wasn't budging from his position. She hears Jenny tell him in a very even voice that she's given herself to him, told him things that she's never told anyone else and he can't even give her a little piece of him.
Bella knows that Jenny wants to know about Shannon and Kelly, her Uncle has mentioned them briefly but since then he hasn't said another word.
"Jethro, I love you, and you know that. But I can't keep doing this anymore. There is no way that I can compete with a ghost," Jenny says.
"Jen-"
"No, Jethro. I will always be there for you, but there is just no way that I can be with you right now. If you need anything you know where to find me."
Looking up into Jenny's green eyes, Jethro shakes his head, "I'm sorry, Jen. I just don't know how to let them go."
Jenny leans in and kisses Jethro softly one last time, "I know. And that's okay."
Grabbing her things from the foyer, Jenny walks right past the staircase and out the door. Jumping up from the stairs, Bella runs out the door.
"Jenny!" she shouts, stopping the woman before she could leave the walkway. Bella walks up to her, "Please don't go."
"Bella, I can't stay still with him. I want to move forward, and he is still stuck in park."
Tears threaten to fall from her eyes, "Give him time. I'll-I'll talk to him. He needs you, Jen." Looking up at her as if she were a five year old, she whispers, "I need you, Jen."
Grabbing the younger girl in a strong hug, Jenny says, "I will always be here for you Bella. Anytime you need me you just call, okay. Jethro and I may be over, but you and I aren't. Okay?"
Nodding, "Okay. But it won't be the same."
"I know, it'll be different, but I promise I won't let you down," Jenny vows, then kisses Bella on her forehead, "I have to go now. Call me whenever you need something, okay?"
Bella nods, "Okay. I will. Bye Jen."
Walking back into the house, she finds her Uncle in the basement already hard at work on another boat, Bourbon sitting in a glass on wood bench. She shakes her head softly, knowing how her Uncle feels about Jenny. This boat is going to be done by the end of the week, and she still hasn't figured out how he gets it out of the basement.
June 6, 2000
A man's voice over the speakers on a football field calls out, "Bella Elizabeth Woods."
She can make out the forms of her Uncle, Grandfather, and a familiar red headed woman a few rows higher than them standing and cheering for her as she makes her way across the stage. After sitting back in her seat and few more moments of boring chatter from the school's principal, he then says, "Ladies and Gentlemen it is with my great pleasure to say, congratulations Class of 2000!"
The field is raining graduation caps, the crowd cheers and the kids hug each other; happy that high school is behind them and they get to go out and make new adventures. Grabbing her cap off of the ground, Bella walks towards where her Uncle and Grandfather are, now down on the field looking for her.
Jethro grabs her and gives her a hug, "I'm so proud of you Caterpillar."
"Thanks, Uncle Jay," she says, and turns to be grabbed by Jackson.
"Good work, Sweetpea. I'm proud of you too."
Smiling, she says, "Thanks, Gramps."
Looking over the two men's shoulders, she smiles. "Excuse me for a minute." Walking over to who she saw she smiles. "I didn't think you would come."
"You sent me an invitation," she replies.
Bella laughs, "I did." She pulls Jenny in for a hug, "It means so much that you were able to make it. Thank you, Jen."
Hugging the young girl back, "I'm glad that you thought of me."
Bella shrugs, "It wouldn't feel right if you weren't here, Jen."
Glancing over at where Gibbs is standing with his father. "How is he?"
Bella glances over her shoulder at her Uncle. She shrugs, "He misses you, but he won't say it."
Jenny nods, "It hasn't been easy for me either." Changing the subject, Jenny digs through her purse and picks out a small box. "Here, happy graduation, Bells."
"Jen, you didn't have to get me anything."
"I know, but I wanted to. Go on, open it," she urges.
Slipping the ribbon off of the box, Bella pulls the top open. She looks down to see on a silver chain, 'Bella' written in cursive between the links. "It's beautiful, Jen. Thank you."
Jenny smiles, "I'm glad you like it. Well, I should be going. I don't want to take up anymore of your time. Be safe tonight, Bella."
Bella frowns, "Okay. See you later, Jen."
As Jenny weaves through the crowd, she feels her Uncle wrap his arm around her shoulder. "It was nice of you to invite her, Kiddo."
September 15, 2005
Bella has just returned State side, and is watching the news at her favorite diner in town and something catches her eye.
'Director Thomas Morrow of NCIS will be stepping down, and in to take his place is Jennifer Sheppard. She began her career with NIS, and is pleased to be back where she belongs.'
Bella grins, Jenny and Uncle Jay together again, things are bound to get interesting. Her cell goes off to her Uncle's ring tone and she picks it up, "Hey Uncle Jay."
"Welcome home, Bells. Where are you?"
"The diner," she answers, and then grins, "How's Jenny?"
"Same ol' Jen. Asked about you, told her that you were coming home today. She said as soon as you're ready she has an opening on my team for you. All you have to do is say the word."
"Thanks, I'll think about it. I want to take a break and be a civilian for a while."
February 3, 2008
She is down in the lobby of NCIS watching the snow fall and a woman hands her a visitors pass. "Director Sheppard will see you now."
Smiling up at the woman she says, "Thank you."
"Not a problem, Ma'am. Do you need help finding the office?"
Shaking her head, "No thanks, I'm sure I can figure it out."
Stepping on to the elevator, she smiles as the doors close. She lasted longer than she thought she would before she was bored out of her mind as a civilian. She traveled for the first time as a tourist, not having to perform any type of Navel duties, and worry about making it back to the ship before she was in trouble.
Stepping off the elevator, she walks past a group of people. One man is typing furiously at his computer while the other man is throwing paper balls at him, and the woman with dark hair is muttering about how childish the one across from her is being in what sounds like Hebrew.
Bella chuckles to herself as she catches certain words, and walks towards the stairs leading up to the catwalk. As she reaches the top, she is met by her Uncle. Giving him a smiles she says, "Hey Uncle Jay."
Smiling at her, "How was Europe, Bells?"
"Amazing since I actually got to be a tourist," she answers, following him past a woman named Cynthia and into the double doors that keep Jenny from the rest of the department.
Turning in her chair, Jenny looks up and smiles, "Welcome to NCIS, Bella."
Bella smiles, this is a new beginning for her, and she couldn't be happier.
down the road the sun is shining
In every cloud there's a silver lining
Just keep holding on (just keep holding on)
And every heartache makes you stronger
But it won't be much longer
You'll find love, you'll find peace
And the you you're meant to be
I know right now that's not the way you feel
But one day you will