Author's Note: This fic was written as an entry for the word challenge on the Facebook group "FanFiction .net Writers Unite!". (I had to put an extra space so it didn't get deleted.) The word for this week was "regret".
Gibbs groaned as he got out of the car. The last thing he wanted was to be called out on a case at 6pm, but 8 hours later they finally had the scene secured and the evidence sent off. The worst part was Jen would already be asleep.
Gibbs was so exhausted that he didn't even realize the livingroom light was on as he unlocked the door and entered the house.
"Jenny?" Gibbs asked when he finally realized the light was on.
The only response he got was her sobs from where she was curled up on the sofa, running her fingers over her engagement ring.
"Jenny!" Gibbs exclaimed, now wide awake, as he ran to her and sat next to her on the couch. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, Jethro," Jen groaned mournfully as she leaned into his embrace. "I'm so sorry... I'm so, so sorry..."
"Jenny, what happened?" Gibbs asked confused. "What do you have to be sorry about?"
"What do I have to be sorry about? How could you forget?" Jen asked between gasps.
"I'm sorry, Jen," he said softly, kissing and petting her hair in an attempt to calm her. "I don't know what you're talking about, but it can't be that bad. Just talk to me."
"I left you, Jethro! I sent you on a wild goose chase for my jacket and I left you! I didn't even have the guts to tell you I was leaving!" Jen yelled, angry at herself, before succumbing to her devastated sobs once more.
Gibbs' heart sunk. He had put their past behind him and wanted Jen to do the same. "Oh, Jenny," he crooned as he picked her up in his arms and pulled her onto his lap in one fell swoop. "Shhh... It's ok. You're here now. That's all that matters."
"Aren't you afraid I'll leave you again?" she asked between sobs, thinking she already knew his answer.
"No," he said confidently, nearly before she could ask the question.
"How come?" she asked in shock, but still not making eye contact.
"Jenny, look at me," he said said, gently lifting her chin so her tear filled green eyes met his blue ones. "Let me ask you this, how can you forgive me?"
"Huh? Why do I need to forgive you?" Jen asked, confused.
"I didn't tell you about Shannon and Kelly," Gibbs explained. "If I had, that may have changed things between us."
"True..." Jen sighed, her sobs finally stopping. As much as she didn't want to blame Jethro for what happened on the way back from Paris, what he said was right.
"So, do you forgive me?" he asked again.
"Of course!" she replied sincerely.
"And you're not afraid I'll keep something from you again?" he prodded.
"No," she assured him.
"Then why should I doubt you?" he asked, cupping her tear stained cheeks in his hands.
"I..." Jen began, only to be cut off by Gibbs' passionate kiss.
"Jenny, you want to know how I know you're not going to leave me again?" Gibbs asked, looking into Jen's eyes.
Jen nodded.
"You came back. You came back and faced me as Director, knowing we'd have to work together every day. Not only that, when you originally told me that there would be no off the job, you could have easily just sat in your mistake, living the rest of your life in regret... but you didn't. You came and talked to me that night. That's how I know you won't leave me again."
"Oh, Jethro," Jen breathed as she flung herself into his arms.
"I love you so much, Jenny," Gibbs said into her hair. "I let go of our mistakes the moment you were back in my arms, it's time you do the same with your regret."
"I love you, too, Jethro," Jen said as she lifted her head to kiss him softly.
"Come on, let's go to bed," Gibbs whispered as he stood with her in his arms and made his wait to the stairs.
When Jen awoke the next morning, still in the loving and protective embrace of Gibbs' arms, she realized that, for the first time in years, her regrets hadn't haunted her dreams. It was time to let go of the past so she could embrace her future.