I Miss You

Summary: Jenny/Gibbs. She was finally able to say the words to him that she had been holding back for months, even years. One-shot. Jibbs.

Director Jennifer Shepard sat at her desk, her line of vision fixed firmly on her computer screen but she wasn't reading any of the words in front of her. No, her mind was somewhere else altogether; thinking about someone else altogether.

Flashback:
It was the end of her first day as Jethro Gibbs' Director. It had been a day fraught with emotional tension. When a team lost one of its members so many things had to change, especially when Kate Todd had been murdered so brutally. Jenny knew that Gibbs had cared for Kate immensely; he had always been like that, looking out for his co-workers.

Jenny remembered their conversation on the steps, as she had been about to leave. Taking the higher step had been a way for her to assert her authority but with Gibbs it wouldn't matter.

"I missed you, Jen." He had said, four simple words. He could have said them to anyone he had previously worked with. It wasn't the words though that had affected Jenny, it was the way he had said them and the look in his eyes.

A thousand memories had bombarded Jenny and she had had to fight to regain her handle on the situation. The whole purpose of this conversation had been to explain to Jethro why Paris couldn't enter the equation of their re-established working relationship.

"Don't make this difficult, Jethro." She had replied, feeling her composure slipping.

End of flashback.

Jenny dragged herself back to the present; she had work to do. She wasn't a junior agent anymore or even a field agent, she had responsibilities and she couldn't waste away her time thinking about a man she had loved but knew she could never be involved with again. Her desk phone rang, startling her and banishing all thoughts of Jethro Gibbs, at the least for now.

"Director, Agent Gibbs is here to see you." Cynthia informed her.

Speak of the devil, Jen thought to herself. "Thank you, Cynthia, send him in." She said instead.

"Jethro?" She took her glasses off and placed them on the desk in front of her without taking her eyes off his.

"Jen," Gibbs replied. He couldn't deny that he didn't enjoy his visits to the Director's office, however they were more pleasurable when she wasn't expecting him.

Silence seemed to stretch out between them.

"Did you come here for a reason?"

Gibbs was silent for a few moments, pressing his lips together before he spoke.

"I know what you said about us not having any time together 'off the job' but I thought we could make an exception tonight. I buried one of my most promising agents yesterday, Jen, you know how hard that is."

Jenny picked up her glasses again, folding them and unfolding them as she thought the scenario through. Her heart jumped at the chance to spend time with Jethro off the clock but her more rational head told her that she should say no. It was important for her as a woman in a position of such power as the Director of NCIS that she kept things as professional as possible. She knew there were a lot of people rooting for her to fail but she was determined to prove every single one of them wrong. She also knew that getting involved with Jethro again could lead to her downfall. She wasn't prepared to choose between the job she loved and the man she used to love; maybe still did love.

"What are you suggesting, Jethro?" She asked, folding her glasses again and putting them down on her desk once more, her eyes left Jethro's for the first time since he had entered the room.

"You and me. A drink?" He said, his voice gentle as if he was prepared for Jenny's rejection.

"A drink?" She echoed.

Gibbs nodded, waiting for her to continue speaking.

"Okay," She agreed. After all, it was just a drink, although they both knew it went deeper than that.

"You can choose the bar." Gibbs said. Jen smiled, turning her back to him and heading the cabinet at the far end of her office. She opened the door, reached in and pulled out a bottle of bourbon and two glasses. Gibbs smiled too.

"I didn't think you liked bourbon." He smirked, walking over to her and taking a seat on the couch.

"It's an acquired taste." She smiled, remembering Paris, not that it was ever far from her thoughts. She wondered if Gibbs ever felt the same. Maybe one day she would summon the courage to ask him, but not yet.

Gibbs smiled, taking the glass from her outstretched hands.

"I meant it when I said I missed you Jen, I've thought about you a lot over the last few years."

Jenny took a seat and a sip of her drink before she replied.

"I've thought about you too."

Gibbs took another sip of the liquid, feeling himself relax although his heart rate was racing far above its natural pace. He said nothing for a while, the silence between them wasn't awkward but it was charged with sexual tension. Neither Gibbs nor Jenny could remember a time when things hadn't been like this between them. For a while, a long time ago it felt as though they were meant to be together. Fate seemed to have different plans though but here they were, together again.

When Gibbs had finished his drink he pushed himself up from the chair and placed his glass on the low coffee table.

"Thanks for the drink, Jen."

She stood too, the alcohol had brought a flush to her cheeks making her look more radiant than ever, at least to Gibbs' eyes.

"Thanks for the company." She replied softly.

"See you in the morning, Director Shepard." He added with a grin.

"Goodnight, Agent Gibbs." She replied, smiling now as she watched him go. "Jethro, wait!" She called.

Gibbs stopped in his tracks and turned back to face the redhead.

"Jethro…I missed you too." She said gently.

Gibbs smiled at her before beginning to walk away again. The smile didn't leave his face as he exited the office and walked down the stairs. It may only have been four words but only he understood the enormity of what Jen had said. Maybe there was hope for them yet.

I started writing this ages ago and I've just found it again. I can't remember what direction this story was meant to be going in so if it chops and changes a bit that's why!
Sorry for not updating my NCIS fics much, things are so hectic right now! I'll try and write more soon!
Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews my work! Please review this too! Xxx