"Just one more thing Jethro"
Disclaimer: I don't own any either of these characters.
Author's Note: My first JIBBS. Set at the very end of Escaped. goes. Thanks for reading and reviews are always welcome.
NCIS Director Jenny Shepherd came down the stairs into Jethro Gibbs' basement and told him that Petty Officer Paulsen had been cleared of all charges against him. Then she told him she was afraid he wouldn't survive another coma and that he was too good to quit his job. Special Agent Gibbs didn't have much reaction beyond trying to goad her by calling her Director with a lot of emphasis on the last syllable and suggesting she couldn't handle him.
Then Jen picked up her purse and walked up the stairs. Gibbs continued sitting on his stool thinking about what she had said. He knew she was still upstairs; he could hear her moving around and he hadn't heard the front door close yet. Gibbs looked around his almost empty basement. The skeleton of his boat was the only sign he still lived there.
He sighed and ran a hand over his face and through his hair. He knew Jen was right, he couldn't leave again. He couldn't leave his team and he sure as hell couldn't leave her. He had been right to leave four months ago but now he knew he was ready to be home. As much as he had needed the time in Mexico to get his head together and let his body heal he finally realized he was ready to get on with his life.
While Gibbs sat in his basement making up his mind to stay, Jen ordered them some dinner and rummaged around until she found a bottle of wine in the pantry. She poured herself a glassful and sat down to wait for the food delivery. She was pretty sure he was going to stay this time and she was relieved. Gibbs had been gone for four months and had been back only twice during that time. Jen took a drink of her wine and let her mind drift back to the first time Gibbs came back.
About eight weeks after he left Jen had come home early one night. Early meaning before midnight. As she came in the house she saw his rucksack on the floor in the hallway. Upstairs she found his clothes on the floor in the bathroom and Jethro sound asleep in her bed. Jen smiled as she remembered how she slipped into bed with Jethro and kissed him awake. He had made love to her that night with an intensity she hadn't felt from him since they were first together in Paris all those years ago. Later when he awoke from his nightmare yelling, she held him and talked quietly to him until he fell back asleep. The next morning before she left for work they had made love again. That time they had savored each kiss and each touch knowing they probably wouldn't be together again for a long time. Jethro had told her he loved her but he wasn't ready to come back. She had assured him she understood and she would be here whenever he was ready to come home. He had told her he might not be coming back but she didn't really believe him.
Actually, Jen just refused to think about Gibbs not coming home. She didn't want to think about NCIS without Jethro Gibbs and she certainly didn't want to think about her own life without him. Since they had gotten back together after she became NCIS director she and Jethro had gradually rebuilt the relationship they had started years ago in Paris. It had not been easy given all the baggage and history they each had but they were finally making it work until Jethro got blown up on that damn ship.
Gibbs heard someone knock on the door and then Jen calling him to come up and eat. As he got up to join her upstairs Gibbs flashed back to the last time he had been back to DC. It was after he had been in Mexico for just over three months and he had come back to check on his house and to see Jenny. He surprised her at home with dinner from her favorite restaurant. He had told her that night he was staying in Mexico and he wanted her to process his retirement papers. Of course he now knew that she had never done that. Gibbs laughed to himself as he realized she used to take direction from him but not anymore.
Jethro walked into the kitchen as Jen was setting out the food. She poured him a glass of wine and they sat down at the bar to eat. They made some small talk but mostly ate in a comfortable silence. They each had things to say but neither of them wanted to start the conversation. When they finished eating Gibbs cleaned up the food containers and took them out to the trash. He took some extra time walking around his backyard and thinking about what he wanted in his life. He knew he loved Jenny and wanted to spend his life with her but he was growing weary of the secrecy surrounding their lives. He felt almost like a criminal when he was sneaking back here to see her in the past few months. He wanted to talk to her about going public with their relationship but he didn't think she was ready yet. As Gibbs stood looking up at the stars he felt Jenny come up behind him and wrap her arms around his waist. He covered her hands with his bringing one up to his lips.
"You coming in pretty soon Jethro?"
"Yeah, I was just enjoying what a nice night it is."
"Missing your beach?"
Gibbs turned around and took Jen's face in his hands kissing her with all the emotion he had been holding onto all day. He wanted her to know what he was feeling in case he didn't find a way to tell her with words.
"I don't miss that beach a fraction as much as I've missed you, Jen."
Jen smiled up at him and reached up to run her fingers through his hair. "Jethro, I've missed you too, you know that. Do you know why it never really bothered me when you would go storming out of my office?"
"Sure, because you're crazy about me!"
"Well yes, there is that. But more to the point, I knew you would be storming back in the next day or the day after at the latest. I miss that Jethro, that storming in and out you did so well."
Jethro touched her face and smoothed his thumb across her lips before he said very quietly, "I'm sorry Jenny."
Wrapping her arms around him and leaning her head on his chest Jen asked, "What are we going to do about our situation? I don't think we can go on like we have been for the past four months."
Jethro pulled her into a tight hug and said, "I know Jen. Come on, let's go in and see if we can make up for some lost time."
He took Jen by the hand and they went back into the house. They made it as far as the living room before Jen's phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and said, "Let me take this and I'll meet you upstairs."
"Okay, but under no circumstances do you leave this house tonight."
Jen rolled her eyes at him and answered the phone. Jethro kissed her on the forehead and went upstairs. When he heard Jen end the call then make another one he decided to take a quick shower. Ten minutes later he stepped out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist as Jen came into the bedroom.
"Perfect timing, Jen" Jethro said as he reached for her.
"Perfect would have been while you were still in the shower."
"I can go back if you want," Jethro said with a smile.
"No, why don't you give me two minutes to get out of this suit and I'll join you in bed."
"I bet I can get you out of that suit in less than two minutes Jen." And with that Jethro divested her of her jacket and started on the buttons of her blouse. "On second thought I might just take my time instead." He captured her mouth in a slow, deep kiss as his fingers continued to work on the buttons. At the same time he was walking her backwards toward the bed. In an effort to be helpful, Jen kicked off her shoes and unzipped her skirt letting it fall to the floor. It was a testament to their long experience and much practice at this sort of thing that their lips never parted during the entire process.
Sure enough in less than two minutes Jen was in only her bra and panties while Jethro had somehow already lost his towel. The kiss had to end so they could breathe and when it did Jethro removed the bra and tossed it over his shoulder. His hands slid down her sides and he kissed his way from her shoulder to that special spot he liked so much at the base of her neck.
"God Jen I love touching you. I don't think I'll ever get tired of tasting you." The quiet moans coming from her told Jethro he better not spend too much time in this area. He slowly lowered Jen onto the bed and straddling her hips he caressed her breasts tenderly before bending down to suckle first one and then the other. Jen wrapped her arms around his chest and rolled them over. She sat up just enough to slip out of her panties then stretched out on Jethro so they were finally, completely touching each other. She could feel his arousal and rubbed against him as her tongue slid into his mouth and she finally tasted him for the first time that night.
There was no urgency to their coupling; just a very familiar and welcome sense of fulfilling one another. Jen knew just what Jethro liked and how to get him where he needed to go. For his part, Jethro took almost as much pleasure in watching her come undone beneath him as he did in his own release. When he entered her, Jen locked her eyes on his and arched into him as her fingers skittered up and down his back. He was whispering her name when he felt her tighten around him and he was right behind her when she pulled his mouth to hers and took his last breath away.
Laying spent beside her with his heart still racing, Jethro knew he wouldn't be back in Mexico anytime soon. As Jen waited for her senses to calm down she wondered how she was going to convince Jethro to stay.
"Jen…"
"Jethro…"
They both started at once.
Jethro sat up and putting a pillow at his back he leaned against the headboard. "You go first Jen. You know, ladies first and all that."
Jen, thinking she might have to play just a little bit dirty moved to sit in Jethro's lap facing him with her butt on his thighs and her knees on either side of his hips. She let her fingers trace lazily up and down his chest and her eyes never left his. "What can I do to convince you to stay, Jethro?"
Jethro's hands were smoothing up and down her back. He swallowed and said with a smile, "Well, what you're doing right now is a pretty good start, Jen."
"I'm serious Jethro," she replied and punched him playfully in the chest.
"Really? Because I don't recall us having too many serious discussions while we were both naked and you were sitting on my lap getting me all stirred up. I mean, I'll try and I sure don't want you to move but…"
Jen leaned in and brushed his lips with hers, "Oh come on we've had plenty of discussions while we were both naked."
"I know, I was just teasing you." Gibbs looked into her eyes and saw the love and the need Jen felt looking back at him. His hands skimmed up her back and he pulled her close and kissed her tenderly on the mouth. "It's kinda hard to concentrate Jen when you are so close but here goes. I want to stay. I know I need to be back with my team and I sure don't want to see you only every six weeks."
"But?" Jen interjected when he hesitated.
"But I don't like us being a secret. I know it could be a problem for you but I want to be with you and I don't want to have to sneak around to make that happen. As long as we're a secret other men are going to think they can come on to you and you know how I feel about that. Look, I'm saying that I'm here to stay no matter what but I want us to figure out a way to have a reasonably normal life together."
Jen felt her eyes filling with tears and she almost laughed at Jethro's near panic expression. She knew her crying would really throw him for a loop. She leaned forward and rested her forehead on his.
"Hey, I didn't mean to make you cry Jen. We'll work it out." Jethro gently brushed away her tears with his thumb.
"Oh Jethro, I know we will. These are happy tears, don't worry. I don't like all the secrecy either. For god's sake we are so good at it sometimes I forget we're back together. I'm fine with us letting people know we are in a relationship or whatever we're calling it nowadays."
"You are? What about your job? What about the SecNav? And hey, how long have you felt this way?" Jethro was surprised she had agreed so quickly. After all it was her job in jeopardy when this got out.
"I decided after your last visit that I was tired of the sneaking around. I love you Jethro and I need you more than I need my job. I can find another job if I have to but I'm pretty sure I won't ever find another you. I haven't said this before because I wanted you to decide to come home on your own terms and for your own reasons. I know you had a lot of healing to do and I wanted to give you all the time you needed for that."
"Okay, so you're saying you're alright with maybe losing your job so we can be together?"
"Yes, Jethro, that's what I'm saying. You sound like you don't believe me."
"I'm just surprised because a few months ago we both agreed it was too big a risk to take. I mean I'm happy but I don't want you to do this and then regret it—and us—in a few months."
"I know that's what we agreed on back then but things change. I won't regret this Jethro." Jen sat back and put her hands on Jethro's chest and said, "There is one other thing I haven't told you though."
"I knew it! What's the kicker here Jen?"
"The kicker Jethro is I'm pregnant."
Jen sat very still and watched the parade of emotions roll across Jethro's face. Calloused hands that had been massaging her back stilled. Those baby blues that had been about half closed from exhaustion were suddenly wide open. His mouth opened as if he was going to speak but no sound was forthcoming. It all happened in seconds and Jen tried to memorize it all.
When Jethro could finally put some brain cells into action he broke into the biggest smile Jen had ever seen. Without a word he gathered her to himself and kissed her with so much passion and love she could hardly stand it. When he finally eased back enough to look at her Jen saw tears in his eyes. She kissed them away and sat back to watch him get a grip on his emotions.
Finally Jethro said, "You're sure? I mean this is real isn't it?"
"Yes, it's very real. About two months real in fact."
"You've known all this time? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Actually I've only known for sure for a few weeks. You know I've been under so much stress and so busy I didn't pay much attention when I missed my period. I didn't tell you until now because I didn't want you to stay just because of the baby and I knew you would."
Jethro just looked at her. His hands were caressing her all over and he couldn't stop smiling. Suddenly he got very serious and asked, "Have you seen a doctor yet? Is everything alright with you and the baby?"
"Yes, I went to the doctor last week and everything is perfect. Are you okay with this Jethro? I know we haven't talked about children in a long time and we weren't planning this. You look happy. Are you?"
"Jen I don't know what could make me happier than having a child with you. I'm beyond excited. But now that you mention it I thought you were using birth control, what happened?"
"Well you know the only 100% effective method is abstinence and we certainly don't practice that!"
"No and we never will," Jethro exclaimed with a grin.
Jethro maneuvered them so that Jen was under him and he could kiss her to his heart's content. After a while he pulled back and brushed her hair away from her face. "You are so beautiful Jen. I didn't think it was possible to love you more than I did an hour ago but I do. I promise I will always take care of you and our child. I will always love you both."
Jen swallowed a lump in her throat and pulled Jethro to her capturing his mouth and kissing him deeply. "I love you Jethro. I want this baby so much and I will always be here for you and for our child. Please make love to me Jethro, I need to feel you all around me and inside me."
Jethro smiled down at the love of his life and happily began to fulfill her desire. He knew exactly what Jen wanted but as his mouth was about to go there she pulled his head up so she could look him in the eyes and said "Just one more thing, Jethro."
He looked at her in amazement and in a pleading voice he asked, "What could possibly be so important that you have to tell me right now Jen?"
"The beard has to go Jethro."
They both laughed until they cried and then Jethro happily returned to his task.
END