Find Your Way Back

Another one of my Jibbs oneshots in the 'Back In Your Arms' series.
Summary: Jenny/Gibbs. When an undercover operation separates them can they overcome their differences? And can Gibbs forgive Jen for leaving?
Reviews are loved! Roll to Me: Chapter 4 is in the works! Xxx

Jenny Shepard climbs down the stairs leading from the plane and heads towards the airport. The air is fresh here unlike the dusty countries she has been travelling in for the past three months. The night seems to smell like home and, despite the butterflies rioting in her stomach; Jenny knows she has made the right decision to come back. She just hopes that he will see it the same way.

"Are you alright, Jenny?" A voice asks from beside her. They have both been silent since the plane came into land. "You seem a little down in the nose."

"Mouth, Ziva." Jenny corrects her new travelling companion, Mossad Officer Ziva David. The two have before close friends in the recent few weeks and she knows that Jethro will love her. Whether he will forgive Jenny for walking out and leaving is a whole different story. "But I'm okay, just trying to work out if I'm doing the right thing."

Ziva, not used to dealing with close relationships, her Mossad training put paid to that, says nothing but she knows that if Jenny wants to confide in her, she will, and Ziva will listen and offer advice as best as she can.

"A man?" Ziva finally enquires as she and Jenny enter the airport, the lights blindingly bright after being outside.

Jenny wonders how Ziva can be so perceptive but she also accepts how obvious her feelings must be. The whole time she has been away from America her thoughts have barely strayed from him. She has constantly wondered what he is doing, feeling, who he is with, if he misses her but she has managed to last three months without speaking or writing to him. He hadn't wanted her to go but she had been determined to prove to him that she could do it alone, without him and she had succeeded. She wonders now how this will make him feel, or if he will ever be able to look her in the eye again.

"Thank you for the company, Ziva." Jenny says when she and the Israeli woman have collected their luggage.

Ziva smiles, pulling Jenny into a friendly hug and kissing her on both cheeks. "I hope to see you soon." She says with a wave. Ziva leaves Jenny alone in the airport, the fear and dread firmly setting in over her heart.


Leroy Jethro Gibbs sits alone in his basement, his boat used to be his pride and joy but in the past few months he has felt no desire to work on her. He sets down his paintbrush and looks at the half painted name, so far it reads only 'Jenni' and it makes his heart ache especially when he thinks of the fates of his previous boats, 'Diane' being the most recent. He reached instead for his mug of bourbon and swears when he realises that it is empty. He is torn between remaining in this fairly comfortable position and searching the near dark basement for the decanter of bourbon. Eventually his need for the alcohol to numb his pain becomes too strong. As he stands he thinks he hears the front door being opened but blames it on the amount of alcohol he has already consumed this evening. However, it is when he hears footsteps on the stairs that he knows he is not alone, the smell of her perfume makes Jethro aware of whom it is straight away.

"Jethro," She calls into the semi-darkness.

"Down here." He replies coldly, turning back to his boat and taking a large swallow of bourbon. Even a seasoned drinker such as him winced as the liquor burned his throat.

He hears her make her way down the rest of the stairs and she steps almost cautiously towards him. When she reaches him she holds out another bottle of bourbon and he takes it, peering at the label in the half-light.

"Expensive." He comments, making to hand it back.

"It's for you." She tells him, pushing the bottle back towards him. She catches sight of the nearly empty decanter. "Looks like you could use some more."

The flippant comment seemed to spark a fire within Gibbs. "What was I supposed to do, Jen, you upped and left, leaving me here, knowing how I felt about you. For all I knew you could be dead!"

"I'm not." Jenny replies equally angrily, her green eyes blazing with anger. It was certainly not the emotion she had expected to feel although she had known to expect a reaction for Gibbs. "I'm here."

"I see that." Gibbs replies sarcastically, taking the bourbon bottle and setting it out of harms way.

"Are you going to ask me how my trip was?" Jenny asks.

Gibbs barely masks a snort. "Nope."

Jenny tries not to show that this hurts her, it will only give Gibbs further ammunition against her.

"I'm sorry,"

"Sign of weakness." Gibbs says, turning his back on her now, which only adds to Jenny's own frustration.

"Damn it, Jethro!" She explodes, grabbing his arm and forcing him to look at her. "I'm trying to make things right between us!"

It takes Gibbs a moment to process the situation. He was seeing a different side of Jenny to what he was used to and he liked it, admired it and it was making it so damn difficult to stay angry with her.

Jenny decides that the only thing left for her to do is to seize the moment, so she does, leaning up and pressing her lips against Jethro's. Her heart pounds in her chest while she waits for his response. It's the one she has been hoping for. Jethro kisses her back, one hand resting on her slender waist while the other cups her face. Unable to hide her delight at Gibbs' eager response, Jenny trails her tongue along his bottom lip, seeking entrance into his mouth. As they part for air, Jenny looks up at Gibbs and he presses his forehead against her's, a slow smile spreading across his mouth, Jenny grins back. They have finally found their way back to each other.

Sorry for the uber soppy ending! Please leave a review! Xx