A/N: So this is my first tag to Red Ink On Their Foreheads and it's up sooner than I initially thought. It's just one cute scene I had in mind and wanted to include in the original story but it just didn't fit anymore so I thought it would be best to do it this way.

You don't have to read the story first, it's easy to understand how it is.

I'm the sorry, I published the first (not proofread) story the first time I published this. I wasn't sure about SecNav's first name, a Guest review states it's Phillip, so I have changed that too. Thanks for that.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Manolo.

Manolo's meeting SecNav

It had been bound to happen, at least that was what she kept telling herself. She had enrolled Manolo in kindergarten five month ago, shortly after his adoption had been finalized, and she was highly satisfied with her choice in institution, or Jethro's choice for that matter as he had known the owner from the days Kelly had been enrolled there. The stuff was reliable and very understanding whenever she or Jethro couldn't make it there in time, although she was aware of all the other mothers who kept gossiping about the woman with the two bodyguards following her around. Never had any of them just made the attempt to talk to her, get to know her, but she wasn't bothered by it and so the rumours about her kept blooming. But nevertheless Manolo was happy and had found friends there, so she didn't see the need to send him to one of those fancy, high-end kindergartens that all the politicians she was in daily contact with obviously prefered for their kids.

Today though, it was just her lucky day. First the headmaster had called her that the kindergarten was closed for the day as the flu had infected most of the children and they didn't want the others to get infected too. Then her housekeeper Noemi had called laying in bed curing the very same flu that had caused her predicament in the first place. Fine, she'd thought, it wasn't as if Manolo hadn't ever been with her at NCIS headquarters, he knew how he had to behave himself. Surely Jethro would have time to keep him occupied during her missions in MTAC and her meetings on the hill, and if he caught a case Manolo could spent some quality time with his "Aunty Abby". But Abby had to go to court and Gibbs' team got the case of a dead Marine at Quantico whose dead body Ducky had to examine, so if she didn't want to leave her son with Palmer, what she really didn't want, she didn't have any other possibility beside taking him with her.

So here she sat, in her black town car being driven to SecNav's office with little Manolo in a booster seat next to her, happily chatting away a mile a minute about something she suspected he didn't have a clue about himself. Nonetheless she relaxed as she heard his voice and found herself enjoying his company. She just hoped her boss would too.

"Where are we going Mama?" She heard him asking.

"We are meeting my boss." Jenny answered smiling.

"But you are the boss." Manolo insisted, looking seriously confused.

"We are meeting the Big Boss. Do you remember when Mama was so angry at your Dad because he annoyed Phillip Davenport?" He still looked confused but nodded nevertheless, something Jenny found plain adorable. "Mr Davenport is Mama's boss."

"Okay." The little boy said solemnly as if she had just told him her biggest secret ever and then went on chattering about his friends at kindergarten.

Adorable.

"Mr Secretary Sir? Director Shepard is here to see you – in company." Zoe, SecNav's secretary, added almost hesitantly.

"In this case I hope it's just her security detail and not Agent Gibbs, otherwise this meeting will last longer than I've planned." He replied and Jenny heard him chuckling over the intercom.

"Well not exactly." She looked nervously at the boy in Jenny's arms.

"Just send them in, I will see for myself, won't I?" He said and opened the door.

His expression was priceless, somewhere between unbelief, shock, and bewilderment.

"I'm sorry, kindergarten was closed today, it won't happen again", was all Jenny said not offering an explanation instead she inwardly enjoyed his confusion. "Can you present yourself honey?" She cooed to Manolo who, to her delight, extended his hand for SecNav to shake and said "My name is Manolo" and added after a little pause as no-one did anything "Sir."

And just like that, the ice broke and Jennifer Shepard found herself at the receiving end of one of Phillip Davenport's very rare smiles.

"Call me Phillip son" he said and shook his hand solemnly. "Who is he Jennifer? Son of a friend? Of your boyfriend maybe?" He asked knowing she was in a serious relationship but not with whom.

She shook her head. "He's mine."

"Yours?!" SecNav choked trying to cover his surprise. "How old is he?"

"Four, nearly five. We adopted him nearly half a year ago." She elaborated.

"We?"

"Well Jethro and I" Jenny answered, not meeting his eyes. Suddenly it hit her that they were having this conversation in front of his secretary who although reliable, was well-known for her interest in any piece of gossip making its way around the beltway. "Shouldn't we continue this particular conversation in private?"

Davenport nodded holding the office door open for her and she shot him a grateful look. He pointed to the conference table so she sat down on a chair in front of it, pulling Manolo on her lap. He squirmed a little, pleading her with his eyes to put him down, but she remained persistent so he settled once again for playing with her hair instead.

"You can put him down Jennifer, he can't damage anything or worse hurt himself."

"You heard that honey?" The little boy nodded eagerly. "But be careful!" She advised, the concerned mother in her coming through her tough behavior.

"So I am not mistaken if I figure that Special Agent Gibbs is the 'serious relationship' you were talking about the other day?" He asked his eyes narrowing a little.

"Right sir." Jenny admitted nervously. It unnerved her, how she had to defend her relationship to Gibbs just because he was on of her employees, how it was almost implied that they were 'just sleeping together' if the way SecNav asked his question was anything to go by. She would bet a month worth of salary that he wouldn't talk to her like that if she were in a relationship with a senator or one of their assistants that tried talking her into having dinner with them.

"How serious is serious?" There it was – the question she had known was coming, the question she hated because whatever she would say – it would sound as if she was trying to defend herself, as if she had to defend her relationship to the man she loved.

"This isn't just about sex if that's what you are implying" she said icily. "We have a child together!" Her eyes were never straying from his own, and in the end it was him who had to break the intense eye contact to shoot a glance at Manolo who was contentedly exploring his office.

He nodded and found himself admiring her courage. There were very few people so far up the ladder who had the backbone to stand up for their believes like that.

And just like that Jennifer Shepard found herself at the receiving end of one of Phillip Davenport's very rare smiles – the second time that day.

I hope you enjoyed reading. Please leave a review. I'd really appreciate it.