Summary: Set when Gibbs was dating Hollis Mann (I know, I know, 'but it says JIBBS!' have a little faith.) Hollis finds something in his jeans ands makes some assumptions.
Disclaimer: Nope. Don't own it. All hail Donald P. Belisario!
Hollis Mann entered the bedroom she and Jethro were sharing at the moment, laundry basket under one arm. She collected his tee shirts and picked up his jeans. Checking for change or keys or anything he wouldn't want washed, she slid her hand into the pockets. Nothing in the left, but what's this? In the right, there something similar to a ring. And a stud on top. She smiled, pulling it out. It was, in fact, an engagement ring.
"Hol?" She heard him yell, coming up the stairs, he turned the corner right after she slipped the ring into her back pocket. "There you are. Jesus, don't you know how to answer?" He asked, irritated.
"Sorry, I didn't hear you. What did you want?" She asked, slightly in a daze. He looked her up and down rather spectically, as if she's gone crazy.
"I gotta go to the office, see you when I get back." He slipped his hand into his pocket, digging around for something as he left the room. He doubled back and turned, looking down at his hand rummaging in his pocket still. "Hol, have you seen-nevermind..." He said, stopping himself from finishing the question, 'a ring laying around?'. He left to drive to the office, worried about the lost trinket.
She hurried to shove the clothes in the washing machine and ran down the stairs to sit on the couch. She pulled out the ring and looked it over, excitement consuming her. Jethro then turned around and went back home, forgetting his side arm. She caught a glimpse of the inside of the ring. There was engraving in the loop. His phone rang on the way, Ziva. No case. False alarm.
Jen & Jethro
"Hol, I'm home. False alarm." He called, but she didn't listen to him; she was too upset. "Hollis, what the hell are you doing with that!" He snapped, ripping the ring from her grasp. She was shocked, and infuriated.
"I've got a better question! Why does it say Jen and Jethro in an engagement ring?" She asked, close to tearing up.
"It's none of your damn business! Where the hell'd you get this? Why were you going through my stuff?"
"I was doing the laundry and they were in your jeans when I checked for loose change! And I think it is my business! I'm your girlfriend!"
"It doesn't matter." He growled.
"Why are you carrying an engagement ring with your ex's name and your's written in it?"
"It doesn't matter!"
"Yes it does!"
"Leave it alone, Hol." He growled.
"If you still love her, then why are you with me?" Her voice shook angrily. He turned from the glare he was giving her and yanked the door open. "Where are you going! Don't expect me to be here when you get back!" He didn't reply. Instead, he drove to one of the spots he went to think before. It was by the Hill, a place where the river bent and a rock sat like a chair.
An unsuspected visitor joined him. In fact, it was the very subject of the fight they had, technically speaking. He leaned back on a tree, hands shoved in his pockets and glaring off into space. She had parked her car next to his, walking behind him, quiet with her ballet flats.
"Food for thought?" She asked, now beside him. He reacted slightly, only tooken off guard by the sudden sound of her voice. He looked over at her. He shrugged.
"It's already like Thanksgiving in there..." She smiled ever-so-softly.
"Why so blue? You and Hollis have a fight?" He nodded a two-bob, curt nod. "What about?"
"You."
"Me?" She asked, stiffening into a defensive position. He slid down to sit, knees up, elbows resting on his knees. He fiddled with the ring in his fingers, holding it with his fingertips on either hand.
"Yup...About this.." He said, showing her.
"What does that have to do with me?"
"It was yours..." he said, not giving in to emotions, keeping solid as a rock. She bent her knees, the most she could in her blue cotton dress, to be eye-to-eye with him.
"Mine?"
"Yeah...I was gonna propose to you...but...you left before I got the chance...Carried it with me since I bought it.. I guess it was stupid of me...but, I did. No matter how many times I tried to chuck it into the ocean...I couldn't. And I guess that's for one reason.." He turned to her. "Because I still love you."
As tears overtook her eyes, she couldn't help but smile a soft, barely visible smile. The corners of her lips pointed up. She had told herself many times that he didn't still love her. That he'd moved on. But he hadn't. Her gut was right.
"It's so beautiful...I kinda wanna put it on..."
"Keep it...It's yours..." He said, still stone, shoulders rising and falling once. The tears that were butterfly-kissing her eyelashes finally slipped and fell around her face.
"Aren't you gonna help me?" She asked, now standing. He pushed himself up, incredilous side-smile on his face.
"You mean-?" She smiled bigger, nodding. He knelt down, took her hand, and said, "Jen...I love you more than I've ever loved anyone ever before.. I've loved you from the start. Next time, I wanna see you in a longer dress, a veil, and this ring...Will you marry me?" His voice was suddenly very tight. She was crying more, hand covering her smile. She nodded.
They got in their cars and drove to his house. There was a note on the door when they walked up. It was scrawled in Hollis's handwriting. They had been hand in hand, but when they reached the door, he let her hand go to grab the note.
Someday you'll learn how to treat a woman right. But I'm not waiting around till then. I know a man that loves me, and you know what? I think I love him, too. So long, and good luck, Jerk. Hollis.
"I don't know what Jethro she was talking about...But the one I know does know how to treat a woman right.." Jen said, squeezing his hand. He smiled at her and winked.
They situated themselves on the couch, he layed out with his legs on the coffee table and she curled up next to his side, hand on his chest, his arm around her shoulders. It was now ten o'clock, after they had gotten Chinese take-out and talked about things. They clicked on the news.
"Shocking news from Congress, there has been an elopement of U.S. Army Colonel Hollis Mann and House Representative Johnathan Baker. More on that story, in a moment. Now, we'll go over to Tom Hassel with the weather forecast for the next seven days. Tom."
"Thank you, Rich, it looks like the next seven days will be pleasant, -" Gibbs shook his head. Unbelievable.
"Huh. How about that?" Jenny said. "I can't believe she eloped with a man three hours after you two broke it off."
"Doesn't matter. I've got the woman I love with me, my ring gonna be on her finger soon. Doesn't matter what she did. 'Cause I don't feel a thing." She had the sad side smile on her face, sorry for his defeat. "Know what I do feel?"
"What?" He smirked a salty smirk, moving toward her, lowering his mouth onto hers. His hands went to her hips, body covering hers, her hands holding his head. She was giggling into his mouth as he picked her up, carrying her up the stairs, not removing his mouth from devouring hers, tongues dueling for dominance. Clothes were scattered as Jenny had fought out of his arms, taunting him. He followed her, taking her in his arms again. That was what they remembered;
Their bodies fitting together perfectly. Perfect rhythm. She loved him, he loved her. What more could they say?