A/N: Just a little (somewhat sad) oneshot that muses on past Dibbs and present, established Jibbs set around Christmas time around season 5. Some of the events of the later seasons are included, but that's just cause I can. :) And also, Diane and Victor are divorced, she's not getting back with Fornell, and she has no boyfriend.
Diane Sterling HATED Jennifer Gibbs. She had everything Diane had ever wanted. She just didn't realize it. She didn't realize that what she had...had been unattainable for Diane. She didn't realize that her family would never have been a possibility for Diane.
It was the annual NCIS Christmas party, and as director, Jenny had graciously invited all of the other agencies around. FBI, CIA, and...IRS. So that was how Diane had found herself standing in the middle of the NCIS bullpen surrounded by tinsel, ornaments, and more mistletoe than she thought existed in the world.
'Probably Abby's doing.' she thought as she observed the people around her, sipping from her flute of champagne occasionally. Gibbs and Fornell were standing over by the huge, immaculately decorated, Christmas tree, immersed in deep conversation. She didn't see any of the rest of Team Gibbs around. Leon Vance was mingling, probably kissing up to SecNav if Diane's memory served her correctly. Gibbs had always told her that Vance had wanted the director position someday...he'd been passed over in favor of Jenny after Tom Morrow, who was at the party and catching up with some of the other agents, retired. Michelle Lee was catching up with Jimmy Palmer, his new bride Breena, and their new baby girl Victoria. Dr. Mallard, Ducky she remembered he liked to be called, was involved in a very animated conversation with his former lab technician Gerald.
What had her slightly worried however was that she couldn't see her daughter Emily. Her heart began racing in her chest. Yes, Emily was thirteen, but she still worried. Finally, she caught sight of the teen. Emily was racing across the bullpen, dodging desks and agents along the way. On her heels was a very energetic four year old with curly red hair that fell to her little shoulders and big, bright blue eyes.
"Skye!" An energetic cry followed the little girl. Diane recognized the voice as Abby's. The little girl simply giggled and picked up her speed. Diane's heart clenched as she watched Abby speed by after the little girl, followed by Tony, then Ziva, then McGee, all wearing huge smiles. Diane had been notified of the child's birth.
Skyler Allyson Gibbs had been born October 5, 2006. The team had created a betting pool as to when Gibbs and Jenny would rekindle their romance, get married, and have a child. Diane had only been notified about the relationship and the child because her own daughter had been involved in the betting...and had won. Emily had confidently predicted that the two adults would be married and have a child before the end of October of 2006. She had been right and had come back from staying with her father with a bookbag full of cash. Apparently the entire AGENCY had decided to get involved in the betting. Of course Diane had immediately confiscated the money and demanded an explanation. Emily had confusedly told her mother that she'd won a bet.
Gibbs and Jenny had gotten back together three months after Jenny started back at NCIS. They'd revealed their relationship three months after that, married three months after THAT, and found that Jenny was pregnant two months after that. Diane had allowed Emily to go to her father's house that weekend and had alternated between sobbing and drinking herself into oblivion.
"Daddy!" Skye's squeal brought the IRS agent out of her reverie. The little redhead crashed into her father's legs, causing him to swing her up and onto his shoulders, while Emily hid behind her own father and uncle.
"Freeze." Gibbs's command made Abby skid to a stop, which caused Tony to crash into her, Ziva to crash into him, and McGee to crash into her, which made all of them tumble to the ground. Skye giggled from her father's shoulders while Emily straight out laughed at the scene. Diane turned away, no longer able to watch. She continued her scan of the area, her eyes landing on Jenny. The other redhead was laughing, her eyes sparkling, with two men that Diane recognized as Gibbs's former team. William Decker and Stan Burley. A two year old little boy with brown hair and sparkling green eyes was running around the three of them, giggling happily. Much like his sister.
Liam Jacob Gibbs, or LJ as he was called, was born September 17, 2008. Another bet had taken place, and this time Tobias had won. She'd found out when she picked up Emily from his house. She'd done the same thing as the last time. She'd managed to hold herself together after about a year after Skye's birth, but another little one of theirs running around made her fall apart all over again.
She downed the last of her champagne, making a decision as she watched LJ scamper away from the three. Jenny didn't even bat an eye. She marched over to the other redhead, purpose in her step.
"We need to talk." she said immediately. Jenny raised an eyebrow.
"Excuse me?" she replied. Diane narrowed her eyes.
"You heard me madame director." she sneered. Decker and Burley watched the scene cautiously. They knew how Diane could be. They knew how Jenny could be. They did NOT want to be standing too close when those tempers collided.
"Fine. Let's go up to my office." Jenny finally conceded. She handed off her glass to Decker and led Diane up to her office.
"What do you want Diane? I'd rather not have my good mood ruined." Jenny said impatiently.
"What are you doing?" Diane asked.
"What do you mean?" the other woman question in return, now thoroughly confused.
"What are you doing? With Leroy and your kids?" Diane clarified.
"I'm not in the mood for your games Diane." Jenny snapped.
"You're taking them for granted Jennifer!" Diane spat back. Jenny's green eyes widened in shock.
"That is ridiculous!" she managed to say.
"You are! You let your son run off, and you don't even blink! You don't panic when you can't see your child, and you and Leroy are in more danger of them getting hurt than I am with Emily! You have everything that I have ever wanted Jennifer, and you can't even see it! You take it for granted, you don't appreciate it, and I HATE YOU FOR IT!" Diane screamed angrily, tears streaming down her face. Jenny stood, open mouthed. Finally, she regained her voice.
"Diane, I'm sure you'll find-" she began.
"Oh don't give me the 'you'll find someone' crap. That's not what I meant." the other woman snapped immediately, the flow of tears still going strong.
"Well than what DID you mean Diane? What do I have that makes you hate me so much?" Jenny snapped back.
"His love." Diane answered. Well that wasn't what she'd been expecting.
"What?" Diane rolled her eyes, despite the fact that her tears were falling faster than a waterfall and her mascara was running down her face with them.
"The only thing I have ever wanted is for Leroy to love me. For him to look at me and see ME. Not see a replacement for Shannon, and a poor one at that. I just wanted him to remember Shannon but love me too. I wanted to have little combinations of me and him running around, for him to look at them and not wanna eat his gun because they reminded him of Kelly. You have that, and you don't even realize how precious it is. That he can look at you and see YOU and not get depressed thinking about Shannon when he does. That he can look at your kids and not retreat into himself thinking about Kelly. You can't even BEGIN to understand how precious that is. How much you should appreciate it." she told her. Jenny's eyes softened.
"I never knew you loved Jethro so much. Will and Stan, they always said..." she trailed off. Diane laughed humorlessly.
"Yes, I know the three of you weren't too fond of me." she said.
"Well to be fair, all we knew was that the two of you did nothing but fight. Jethro never mentioned anything different. In fact, he didn't mention his personal life at all. We'd just catch him in an argument with you over the phone. He'd have the phone pulled a foot away from his ear, and we could still hear you yelling Diane. That's the only side of the story we ever got." Jenny replied in defense of herself and her former teammates. Diane shook her head.
"Of course. He doesn't talk to anyone." she said bitterly. Suddenly feeling the need to console the other woman, Jenny decided to divulge of the many conversations she and Jethro had had in Paris.
"That was while you were married." she began. "He told me a little more about you on our op in Europe." Diane's eyes brightened the slightest bit.
"He did?" she asked, not getting her hopes up too high. Jenny nodded.
"I asked him why the two of you fought so much. In all honesty, I called you a lot of things I shouldn't have. He defended you fiercely. Said it wasn't your fault, it was his. Of course, he didn't tell me about Shannon and Kelly, he just said that something had happened in his life that he hadn't gotten over yet. He told me that he did love you when he married you, but he felt so guilty about it because of what had happened that he closed himself off from you. He knew that you loved him Diane, and he did love you too. He told me that you were insecure because you had found out what happened, and you were afraid of what was going to happen." she told her. Diane stayed silent, not able to process all of this new information at once.
"He even told me why he fell in love with you...if you'd like to know." Jenny offered. Diane nodded slowly, and Jenny led her to sit on the couch before beginning.
"He said the first thing was your eyes. Your beauty was obvious, but he truly loved your eyes. They were bright and hopeful and innocent, and he knew that was hard to find in the world. He said you were funny and sweet. Kind and caring. Fiery and fierce. You were independent and a free spirit, and he needed that Diane. I know it's not exactly what you wanted to hear, but you put him on the road to healing. I helped him further along, then it was Rebecca, and then it was Stephanie. We all played a part in helping him to heal and be able to move on." More tears made their way down Diane's cheeks.
"But he went back to you. And from what I understand, he wasn't the same way towards you as he was to Stephanie, Rebecca, and me, and the two of you weren't even married then! What made you so different?" she sobbed. Jenny moved to carefully embrace the other woman.
"I don't know Diane." she said softly. "But just keep in mind that he did love you. He truly did love you." After a few minutes, Diane managed to calm down, and she nodded.
"I'm sorry." she said shakily, attempting to wipe her tears away but failing as silent ones continued to stream.
"It's alright. And I know that you don't want to hear it, but you will find someone." Jenny told her sincerely. Diane gave her a small, shaky, watery smile. The two women then stood and headed for the door. However, right before they walked out, Diane turned around.
"Jennifer?" she asked.
"Yes?" Jenny questioned in return. Diane took in a shaky breath. Her pride was already wounded, so what would be the harm in making this last confession and request?
"Leroy is my Shannon." she began, making Jenny's eyes widen. She hadn't realized that this was THAT deep. "Will you please do me one favor?"
"Anything." the other woman found herself answering.
"Take care of him." Diane pleaded in a whisper, her voice breaking. Jenny nodded.
"I promise. I will." she said. Diane nodded once before spinning on her heel and leaving. She didn't stop for any reason other than to say goodbye to her daughter, who was full of questions as to her mother's red eyes, wet cheeks, and destroyed makeup. Diane answered these with a simple 'I got closure'. Gibbs gave her a questioning look, but she simply smiled through her tears and waved. He waved back, still confused, as she made her way to the elevator. She pressed the button and waited, glancing back. Jenny was standing with Gibbs now, Skye and LJ running happily around their legs. Their eyes met, and Jenny gave her a small nod, which she returned.
"Somethin' happen with you two?" Gibbs asked suspiciously, having noticed the exchange.
"We just...helped each other see the light." Jenny replied cryptically. Diane continued to watch the little family until the elevator doors closed.
Yes, Jennifer Gibbs had everything that Diane Sterling had ever wanted...and now she finally realized it.