Disclaimer: I don't own and did not create these characters. Too bad.
Author's Note: I went back and forth with whether to make this a JIBBS AU story or introduce a new woman. I finally decided on JIBBS because that seems to be more popular with readers. My hesitation comes from the fact that there are so many very good JIBBS AU stories out there right now. Anyway, I hope you like this one.
She's Practically You, Jethro
Sitting in traffic was one of Jethro Gibbs' least favorite things in the world. It ranked right up there with doing paperwork and being in the hospital. At the present time he and Dr. Mallard, aka, Ducky, were stuck in some kind of tie up on their way back to work after lunch. What the problem was he couldn't tell but he was about twenty seconds from turning on the very rarely used lights and siren in his government sedan and breaking out of the gridlock. Then he glanced across the street and all of a sudden he didn't mind sitting where he was for a little while longer. Coming down the street opposite where they sat was a very long legged, slim, redhead. She was jogging up to the intersection where they were stranded. Her hair was held in a pony tail that bounced back and forth as she ran. Her stride was easy; in fact she seemed to glide along the sidewalk. 'Smooth, very smooth,' Gibbs thought to himself as he watched her approach the crosswalk.
"Thank you for lunch Jethro, it seems a long time since we shared a meal just the two of us."
"You're welcome Duck."
Gibbs had stopped drumming his fingers on the steering wheel and he hadn't uttered a demand for the traffic to move in at least fifteen seconds. Ducky wondered what had calmed him down until he followed his line of sight and spotted the redhead across the street. She was jogging in place waiting for the light to change signaling she could cross. Ducky smiled and glanced over at Gibbs.
"Makes sitting in traffic worthwhile, wouldn't you say, Jethro?"
"What? Oh, yeah, not bad, that's for sure." Gibbs chuckled and returned Ducky's knowing smile. His weakness for redheads and long legs was well documented especially between Ducky and himself.
As they completed their exchange the light changed and the woman started across the street. At the same time, the driver in the left turn lane next to Gibbs started turning and inexplicably did not stop for the woman in the crosswalk. Gibbs felt like he was watching a slow motion film clip. "Oh crap" was all he could get out before the car ran smack into the woman knocking her into the car stopped at the light. By the time she bounced off the stopped car and fell to the street, Gibbs had activated his lights and siren. The cars around him moved aside and he managed to get across the intersection before the driver of the car could get out of his vehicle. Ducky ran to assist the woman and another bystander called 911.
In full fury Gibbs approached the driver who had hit the woman. He jerked the door open and hauled the shaken young man out by his shirt. He had him turned around, up against the car, and handcuffed before the boy even knew what was happening.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? Are you blind?"
The young man was terrified. He wasn't sure what frightened him more, hitting the woman or being yelled at by the man who was in his face. By the time Gibbs stopped yelling the boy was crying. "I'm sorry. I guess I didn't see her."
"Don't you move." Gibbs shoved the boy, still handcuffed back into his car. He saw a police officer approaching and went to tell him what happened. He identified himself and the officer thanked him for his assistance. Then Gibbs turned his attention to Ducky and the woman who was still lying in the street.
"Jethro, you terrorized that young man. What did he have to say for himself?"
"He said he guessed he didn't see her. Damn, Duck, how could he NOT see her she's beautiful. I mean, hell she was in the crosswalk for god's sake."
The woman at the center of all this attention was just coming around to what was happening when she heard someone say, "…she's beautiful." When she heard that she opened her eyes and found herself looking into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. They were undoubtedly gorgeous but they must not work very well she thought. She certainly didn't feel beautiful at the moment. Her hip hurt like fire and her head was about to explode. She felt like she had road rash from one end to the other. On top of that she knew she was all sweaty, her hair a mess and she had on not one smidgen of make up. Beautiful? She didn't think so.
Nevertheless she tried to smile at the blue eyes and said, "Thank you but I think you may need to have your eyes checked."
When she tried to sit up a gentleman with a lovely, soft Scottish accent cautioned her. "Perhaps you should wait for the paramedics my dear. We wouldn't want you to injure yourself further. I'm Dr. Mallard by the way. And you're right, he does need glasses but in this instance I'd say his vision is just fine."
"Thank you, Doctor. Really, I think I can sit up. Nothing feels broken and I'd like to get out of the street if that's possible." She looked up to see a kindly looking older man gazing down at her. She wiggled her feet and hands in an effort to convince him she was alright.
Then she heard another, gruffer voice that she recognized as coming from the man with the bad eyesight. "You should wait for the paramedics to move you."
"I don't think so. I will not lie here like an invalid and hold up this traffic one more minute. I've been knocked down before and I know when I'm injured." She fixed Gibbs with a fierce expression that had him smirking in return. "Will you please help me up? I promise not to sue you."
When Gibbs didn't move, Ducky stepped in and helped her stand up and move to the sidewalk.
"Thank you, Dr. Mallard." She put out her hand and continued, "Jennifer Shepard. I appreciate your assistance."
"My pleasure dear. And please call me Ducky. My friend there is Jethro Gibbs. We saw what happened and I'm glad you aren't seriously injured."
Gibbs had stepped over to talk to the policeman who was now approaching Ms. Shepard to take her statement. She told the officer what happened and asked that the young man not be prosecuted.
"It was just an accident. I should have been more careful myself. I don't want him to be charged if that's possible."
The officer gave her the driver's information including his insurance company and his parents' information as he was only seventeen. He told her he was going to cite the young man but no other charges would be filed. He took all her information then returned to his car to get traffic moving. Gibbs moved his car to a parking area and returned to Ducky and Ms. Shepard as the paramedics were checking her over. He heard them telling her she needed to get checked out at the hospital but she was saying she didn't need that.
"Excuse me. You were just hit by a car, bounced off another car and landed on the street. Being seen at the hospital for an x-ray and to get that cut looked at is the smart thing to do."
Ducky and Ms. Shepard exchanged looks and then she looked at Gibbs. Actually she gave him what could have easily passed for one of his patented Gibbs Glares. "Thank you for your explanation of what just happened. And here I thought I just tripped. Are you a doctor or do you just like giving orders?"
Ducky couldn't help but laugh out loud which earned him one of those famous glares from Gibbs. The paramedics just stood there looking back and forth between Gibbs and the woman. One of them finally said, "Look ma'am we can't force you to go but I would suggest you go at least let them check your hip and clean up your cuts and scrapes. But it's up to you. If you don't go I need you to sign this form."
Sensing that she was reluctant to go in the ambulance, Ducky decided maybe a compromise was in order. "Would you perhaps feel better about going, just to be certain, if Jethro and I took you? That way you avoid the ambulance but still get the assurance nothing is broken or even cracked. We would be happy to help, wouldn't we Jethro."
"Sure, Duck. Why don't I get the car. Okay with you, Ms. Shepard?" He looked at her and she saw his smile was genuine and his eyes suddenly seemed very kind.
"Yes, that would be fine with me. And it's Jenny. Thank you."
The ride to the hospital was quiet. Gibbs' driving which would normally be described as scary and fast was almost sedate. He stopped at every yellow light and signaled at every turn. Ducky found he was not constantly grabbing for a hand hold and unconsciously putting his foot on a non existent brake pedal. Ms. Shepard or Jenny, as she insisted they call her, sat quietly in the back seat with her head back and her eyes closed. To Gibbs' practiced eye she was obviously in some pain but not about to admit it or let it show too much. When they arrived at the emergency entrance, Ducky escorted Jenny inside while Gibbs parked the car. On his way to meet them, Gibbs' phone rang.
"Hey Boss, gotta call from Metro about a body in Rock Creek Park. Is Ducky with you, 'cos I can't find him."
"Yeah he's with me but he's gonna be tied up for a while. Tell Palmer to take the truck and I'll see how Ducky wants to handle it. You're gonna have to have McGee pick me up at GW hospital. I'll be at the emergency entrance. You and Ziva go on to the crime scene and McGee and I will meet you there."
"You okay Boss, whatcha doing at the hospital?"
"I'm fine. It's a long story. Just send McGee and you get going."
Gibbs found Ducky waiting while Jenny was filling out paperwork in one of the curtain areas of the ER. He wondered where her ID and insurance card had been because he was pretty sure she couldn't have had it in those running pants she was wearing. He watched her concentrating on the forms and decided she really was just as beautiful as he first thought. He wondered how he was going to get to know her better.
"Ah, Jethro there you are. We're just waiting for an x-ray tech."
"Listen Duck, I've gotta go. Metro has a body for us. Can Palmer handle it without you?"
"Of course. Tell him I'll be back in time to start the autopsy. Will you be needing the car though?"
"No, McGee is picking me up in a few minutes. You keep the car and take Ms. Shepard home."
Jethro looked over Ducky's shoulder to find Jenny watching them. For the first time he could see what really gorgeous green eyes she had. He thought he could get lost in them if he wasn't very careful. He stepped around Ducky and stood in front of her just out of her personal space but close enough to notice the nice cheekbones, one of which had a nasty scrape on it and the very long eyelashes framing those green eyes he'd already decided he liked so much.
He put forth his right hand and said, "I'm sorry I haven't properly introduced myself. Special Agent Jethro Gibbs. Most people just call me Gibbs. Some call me worse but we don't need to get into that. I'm sorry you were run over today but since you were, I'm glad Ducky and I were there. I hope you're really alright." Taking one of his cards from his pocket he handed it to her and continued. "I have to go to work but Ducky is going to stay here and then take you home. If you need anything later or have any problems with the driver or the insurance or whatever, just call me and I'll be glad to help you. It was very nice meeting you Jenny."
She had been holding onto his hand during his entire speech and he was feeling very comfortable with that. Her hand was soft and warm and she had a good firm grip. His mind wandered to how it would feel to hold hands with her just for fun or on a long walk. When she didn't seem in a hurry to let go, Gibbs put his left hand on top of hers and said, "I've got to go. I hope we meet again." He gently pulled his hand back and turned to walk away.
Jenny jerked herself back to the moment with a start. "Agent Gibbs, thank you for your help. I have a feeling we will meet again." She mentally chastised herself for being so mesmerized by this man but there was just something about him that she found compelling. Obviously his eyes were captivating and holding his hand had sent a small shiver up her spine but he had a certain energy about him that seemed to draw her in. She cautioned herself to be careful and to remember the "Bob rule".
When Gibbs had left Jenny turned her attention back to Ducky. "Are you sure you don't need to go too. I can certainly take a cab home."
"Oh no my dear. My assistant can handle the job at hand. I don't think Jethro would appreciate finding out I let you take a cab home. Believe me, it will be better for both of us if I see you safely home myself."
She hadn't looked closely at the card Jethro gave her so she didn't know what kind of agent he was. "What sort of work do you two do? I mean besides rescuing women who have been run down in the street?
Ducky laughed with her. "Jethro is a Senior Field Agent with NCIS and I am the medical examiner."
Jenny nodded her understanding as she looked at Jethro's card. Just then the x-ray technician came in and took Jenny down the hall for her x-rays. She was back shortly and they waited in companionable silence for the radiologist and the doctor to reappear. Ducky thought back to Jethro's little speech to Jennifer before he left and he smiled to himself. Jethro was normally a man of very few words but he seemed to find plenty to say to their new friend. Letting his mind wander a bit, Ducky thought these two might just hit it off if they could get together under some more pleasant circumstances. Jenny certainly seemed a match for Jethro and Ducky knew his old friend well enough to recognize the signs of him being smitten. 'About time' Ducky thought. It had been almost two years since Kate Todd, one of Jethro's agents had been killed. Even though Jethro and Kate had never publicly been in a relationship Ducky had been well aware of their affection for each other. Her death in the line of duty had been a bitter experience for Jethro. Maybe their being stuck in traffic today was fate.
Before too long the doctor came in and told Jenny she had no broken bones. He wrapped her sprained wrist and an intern cleaned her abrasions. She was given a prescription for some pain medication in case her hip became too painful. Finally, Ducky was able to retrieve the car and they were soon on their way to her home. Jenny gave directions and in just twenty minutes they were in front of a lovely townhouse in Georgetown. Ducky helped her out of the car and waited until she was safely inside.
"Thank you so much Ducky. I can't believe my luck at having you and Jethro right there when I was hit. You must let me repay you with lunch sometime."
"That would be lovely, you just take you time and let that hip get better. Remember to alternate some heat and some ice for the rest of the day and I'm sure you'll be good as new in no time. You take care now. I must get to the office and see how my assistant is doing. It was a pleasure meeting you Jennifer."
"You too Ducky. Goodbye."
When Ducky got back to the Navy Yard the investigation was in full swing and didn't let up for the next two days. On Thursday afternoon, two days after the discovery of the body there were still no leads and Gibbs was very frustrated. He was expressing that frustration to his agents in a variety of very familiar ways. DiNozzo was dodging another head slap, Ziva was on the receiving end of a Gibbs Glare and McGee was cowering behind his computer monitor. The fact that the dead Marine had a little girl who was now without her daddy was driving them all crazy, especially Gibbs.
"What the hell is the problem with you three? Why don't we know what this guy was doing in the park, or where his cell phone is, or why his car is missing?" His agents knew Gibbs wasn't really angry at them, well not only at them. He was also angry with himself because he couldn't seem to get a feeling for this case. They were stumped and that just didn't happen very often. They just let him continue to yell; it was really the only thing they could do anyway. Finally his phone rang and they were granted a temporary reprieve.
"Yeah Gibbs." Growling in his usual manner, Gibbs snatched up the desk phone and answered in the same tone he had been using with his agents.
"Ummm Agent Gibbs? Is this a bad time?"
"Depends, who is this?"
"Jenny Shepard. I'm sorry if I caught you at a busy time." She could tell by his voice that she had indeed called at an inopportune moment.
As his agents watched in amazement, Gibbs' whole demeanor changed in the few seconds it took the caller to identify herself. Tony and Ziva exchanged a look and even McGee noticed his Boss seemed to mellow out right before their eyes.
"No, not a bad time at all. In fact you probably just saved the lives of three federal agents. Can you hold on a minute?" Gibbs held the receiver to his side to cover the mouthpiece and waved his free hand at his three astounded agents shooing them away. "You three go find me some evidence in this case. Don't come back here until you have a lead."
A chorus of "yes Boss" echoed across the bullpen as the three gathered their packs and headed for the elevator.
Gibbs took a deep breath and sat down. "I'm back. Sorry for the wait. How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine thank you. I do have a spectacular bruise but I think I'll be back to running by tomorrow or the next day for sure. I was calling to see if you might be free for lunch tomorrow. I know it's short notice but I'd really like to thank you and Ducky for your help."
Gibbs had to shake his head to rid himself of the mental picture he had of her hip and its spectacular bruise. He briefly wondered if there was even a minute chance he might see this particular injury. "You certainly don't have to do that but I would be glad to come for lunch tomorrow. The only thing is, I'm in the middle of a case so I can't guarantee I can be there."
"I know Ducky explained that to me. He said he will come but if you can't for some reason I'll be happy to give you a rain check if that's alright."
"Of course, that would be fine." Reluctant to end the conversation Gibbs tried to think of something else to say. "Have you heard from the driver who hit you, or his parents?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact his father called me yesterday. He has offered to pay my medical bill whatever it is. He was very apologetic and seemed very concerned. I believe the son is now grounded from driving until his is thirty-five." Jenny laughed when she said that and Gibbs felt a prickly sensation on his skin. He knew he wanted to hear that laugh again; preferably soon and preferably as the result of something he did or said.
"Well that's good, about the money I mean. Grounding seems a little mild to me though."
"I suspect you would have just shot him right?"
"How'd you know?"
"Lucky guess. I'm sorry but I have to go. I hope I see you tomorrow, Jethro."
"Me too. Goodbye Jen."
Jethro hung up the phone and leaned back in his chair. It had been a long time since he had been interested in getting to know a woman. The past year and a half he had channeled all his energy into his job. He spent long days and lots of nights at work so he wouldn't have time to think about Kate being gone. She was the only woman after Shannon that he knew he had truly loved. He had married of course, three times, but Kate was the only one he loved. The fact that their time together had been so damned short still pained him but of course what really haunted him was her death. Even now, after all this time and countless bottles of bourbon, and hundreds of talks with Ducky, he still missed her every day. He didn't let anyone else see it but it was there. The memories of their brief time together, her scent, the feel of her lips on his skin, it all came back to him sometimes and he had to push it back, lock it away with all the other painful memories of the people he had loved but couldn't save.
Given all that sadness and pain it was a surprise to Gibbs that he was feeling so attracted to Jen. He had decided for himself that Jennifer was too formal and Jenny just didn't seem to suit her so he already thought of her as Jen. She was certainly beautiful and seemed to have a good spirit and sense of humor which was essential to being friends with him. He liked her independence and her fearlessness toward him. Of course her being a redhead didn't hurt either. As he thought about his desire to know her better, Gibbs had to admit to himself that he had been feeling at least marginally better in the last month. He had spent a long weekend with his father several weeks ago and came home feeling better about them than he had in years. He and his dad had been estranged since shortly after Shannon's death but now they were mending their relationship and Gibbs found that he was able to talk to his dad about Kate and what her death had meant to him. The other thing that seemed to be making a difference was that he had been sailing his boat a lot in the past few weeks. He had named the boat Kelly and because he had promised Kate he would take her sailing he had kept the boat and was actually sailing regularly again. Being out on the water, away from everything and everybody, Jethro was slowly learning to stop beating himself up about how Kate died, and he had begun to think about the future. Now he was just barely allowing himself to wonder if Jen would be part of that future.
Gibbs reminded himself that he knew next to nothing about Jen and he certainly shouldn't get ahead of himself. He didn't even know if she was married or not. She wasn't wearing a ring the other day but maybe she didn't when she was working out. But, he reasoned, she had invited them to lunch; that was a good sign, wasn't it? He wondered what sort of work she did, after all she was out running in the middle of the afternoon. Whatever it was, he was pretty sure she was good at it. 'Boy you've got it bad' he sighed just before giving himself a head slap.
He was about to go down and see Ducky when his favorite trio arrived back in the office.
"Tell me you have something on this case," he demanded.
"We've got something, Boss. The wife found an email message from a high school classmate of our Marine. Apparently this guy Cpl. Owens knew in school was trying to get him to give him some money. The wife remembered the guy as being a loser in school and our Corporal wouldn't loan him the money." Tony stopped to take a breath and Ziva picked up the story.
"So, the wife gave us the classmate's name and McGee found him in a cheap motel outside Baltimore. The clerk there verified that Corporal Owens' car is in their parking lot."
Gibbs just stood in front of his agents and smiled. They made him very proud even if he only rarely let them know that. "Alright. Let's go get the guy and see what else he has of the Corporal's besides his car. Good work guys. See, my yelling at you really does work." Gibbs took his gun and badge out of the drawer in his desk and they all piled into the elevator.
Tony was itching to ask about the phone call but decided not to push his luck. Maybe it was better to just enjoy the moment and bask in the 'good job' as long as possible. Whoever she was and he was sure it was a she by the look on the Boss' face, Tony hoped she would be around for a while. As far as he was concerned, anyone who could melt Gibbs like she did was a person they wanted in their lives.
The former classmate was indeed the person who killed Corporal Owens. Not surprisingly to Gibbs, the jerk shot at them, tried to flee, and then paid the price. It didn't help the widow or the little girl but at least now they wouldn't have to worry about ever seeing him or going through the agony of a trial. The paperwork and report writing went on well into the night and it was almost midnight when Gibbs sent the team home. He stayed another hour or so before he gave up and went home. Even though it made him feel a little like a stalker and it was out of his way, Gibbs drove by Jen's house on his way home. Ducky had given him the address and he found himself wondering if she was still up or not. There were no lights on in the house for which Gibbs was grateful because it forced him to go home without having to talk himself out of stopping to see her.
Friday morning was quiet and the team concentrated on keeping it that way. No one wanted to catch a case on a Friday and risk having to work over the weekend. Gibbs certainly did not want anything to come up in the next few hours that would require his attention. He had lunch plans after all and it would take a major incident to get him to change those plans. At 11:30 the major incident appeared on the catwalk outside the director's office in the person of Director Leon Vance. Gibbs glanced up just in time to see the Director signal him to join him in MTAC. As he left his desk, Gibbs looked at the clock on the wall and cringed. If this took more than twenty minutes he was going to miss lunch.
An hour later, in the darkness of MTAC, Gibbs snuck a look at his watch. "Are we keeping you from something Agent Gibbs."
"No, Mr. Secretary, nothing at all."
"Good. Do you have anything to add to the assessment from the team in Bahrain?"
"I would concur with the agent on the ground there, Mr. Secretary. However, I would also suggest we need some better intel from the Israelis."
"I agree. Thank you for your time and your input gentlemen."
Gibbs left MTAC and went back to his desk. His good mood was long gone and Ziva made note of his sullen expression and the way he slammed his chair back before sitting down.
"Ducky asked me to tell you he waited but thought he should go ahead to the appointment without you." When there was no reply from Gibbs, Ziva returned to her paperwork.
"I'm going for coffee." Gibbs stalked out of the bullpen and into the elevator. He couldn't remember the last time he was as disappointed about missing something as he was about lunch today. Then he remembered that Jen had said he could have a rain check. That thought brightened his mood considerably. Maybe having lunch or dinner with her and without Ducky would be even better. Gibbs returned to the office in a much better mood.
He took the elevator directly to autopsy in order to check and see if Ducky was back yet. When he found his friend had not returned he decided to wait. Fifteen minutes later Ducky returned and found Gibbs stretched out on an autopsy table.
"I take it you are not awaiting my services, Jethro."
"No, thankfully not yet. How was lunch?"
"Very subtle, my friend. Lunch was quite nice. Cold roast beef, potato salad, asparagus and chocolate pie for dessert. All very delicious I assure you. Of course the company was enjoyable as well. Jennifer said to tell you she was sorry you couldn't be there but she understood and asked me to remind you that you can have a rain check."
"Sounds a lot better than being stuck in MTAC with the Director and the SecNav. What did you learn about Jen?"
"Jethro, this wasn't a reconnaissance mission! I was there as a guest, not an investigator, for heaven's sake."
"I know that. I just meant you know, is she married, what's she do, that kind of stuff. Come on Duck give me something."
"Alright, she is not married. She is divorced and has a ten year old son. She has only been in DC for about two weeks. The rest you will have to find out for yourself." Ducky fixed Jethro with a serious look. "Unless I miss my mark, and I don't think I have, Jennifer is a very special person, Jethro. I suggest you tread lightly and carefully. I wouldn't want to see her get hurt; or you for that matter. She asked me to give you her number. She would like you to call when you can meet her for lunch, to collect your rain check." Ducky took a card from his breast pocket and handed it to Gibbs. "Don't keep her waiting, Jethro. I sense the two of you might be good for each other."
"Thanks Duck. I'll call her today, I promise. And don't worry, I'll be on my best behavior."
By 4:30 that afternoon the team had all their reports completed and Gibbs sent them home for the weekend. He took the reports to the Director's office and then left himself. He considered dropping by Jen's house but decided to do the more polite thing and call first. Besides he figured he needed a beer before talking to her. Sitting on the deck at home nursing his second beer he finally picked up the phone and punched in the number Ducky had given him. As the phone began ringing, Gibbs found himself as nervous as a teenager calling his first girlfriend.
"Hello."
"Jen, it's Gibbs."
"Oh hi, I'm sorry you had to miss lunch today." She had never liked being called Jen but somehow when Gibbs said it, it sounded very nice.
"Believe me, I am too. Ducky said it was delicious. I'm sorry I didn't call you to say I couldn't come. It was a last minute thing that came up."
"That's okay. Ducky explained you had been called into a meeting. I guess that's what you get for being important."
"Yeah, well, being important didn't have anything to do with it, that's for sure. Anyway, I was wondering if you were free tomorrow and I could make it up to you."
"Sure but I think I'm the one who owes you a lunch."
"Ducky said you haven't been in town long so I was thinking I could give you the tour and then buy you lunch."
"That sounds like fun. What time?"
"Would 9:00 be too early?"
"No, that would be perfect. I'll see you in the morning then."
"Okay, good. I'll see you. Bye."
As was his custom, Gibbs didn't wait to hear her say goodbye. She stood holding the dead phone and laughed. That would take some getting used to she thought. Jenny thought back to what Ducky had told her about Jethro. No much she realized. Only that he was the best agent NCIS had and that they had been friends for a long time. He did say there had been a lot of sadness in Jethro's life and Jenny could certainly identify with that. She was aware of the murder of an NCIS agent by a terrorist almost two years ago. She wondered if that was part of Jethro's sadness.
At 9:00 sharp the next morning Jethro knocked on Jen's door and waited expectantly. She answered in just a few moments and invited him in.
"I'm sorry I'm on the phone. Make yourself comfortable and I'll be right back." She disappeared in the direction of the back of the house and Jethro wandered into the living area. The space was open and comfortably furnished. It wasn't exactly what he would have pictured for her but it was nice. In just a few minutes he heard her saying goodbye to her caller and she reappeared. Jethro quickly took stock; she was dressed in casual slacks and a cotton sweater. Her hair was loose, framing her face and falling in soft waves to her shoulders. All in all he thought she looked great.
"Now, good morning, Jethro. I'm sorry to keep you waiting. That was my son and I had to hear all about his latest fishing trip." Jen noted Jethro was wearing jeans and a blue polo shirt that really brought out his eyes. Probably not the reason he chose it she speculated. She also noticed he looked really very sexy in worn, faded blue jeans.
"Good morning to you. Are you ready to go?"
"Yes, just let me grab my bag."
When they were settled in the car Jen looked over at Jethro and said, "You know, I have been here many times so I don't really have to have a tour. Unless you just want to do that I mean."
Jethro laughed and shook his head. "Good because actually I'm a terrible tour guide. How about we limit ourselves to two monuments? What is your favorite?"
Without hesitation she responded, "The Jefferson, no question."
"Alright then, first stop the Jefferson Memorial."
"What about you, do you have a favorite?"
"I like to go to Arlington early in the morning and walk around, watch the changing of Guard. But not today. I think my second favorite is the Korean War Memorial."
The drive to the area of the monuments didn't take long and Gibbs actually managed to find a parking place just where he wanted to be. As they walked up to the Memorial he asked Jen what she liked about it.
"I just really like the statue itself. It's so massive but somehow it doesn't seem intimidating. I think a lot of people view Jefferson as a larger than life figure so maybe that's why the statue seems fitting. And I like the simplicity of the whole Memorial. The focus on his words of course and the view is also very nice."
Jethro couldn't argue with that last statement. Of course he wasn't looking at the statue of Thomas Jefferson or the surrounding area. He was looking only at Jen. When she talked she gestured with her hands and her eyes sparkled. She was graceful in her movements and the sound of her voice was slowing but surely pulling him in deeper and deeper.
Jenny waved her hand in front of his eyes and asked, "Hey, are you in there?"
"Yeah, I was admiring the view. Like you said, it's very nice." Jethro had his famous half-smile, half-smirk in place and Jen had to laugh at him.
"You were no more looking at the view than I am right now. But thank you anyway."
They stayed at the Jefferson Memorial for a little while longer before Jethro asked her, "You feel like walking for a while?"
"Sure."
Jethro took her by the elbow and guided her down the steps and they set off for the Mall. They walked around the tidal basin and crossed the street toward the Mall and the other monuments. As they came to the Korean War Memorial they stopped near the entrance at the back and waited for a group of tourists to go ahead of them.
Jethro stood very close to her and said in a quiet voice, "Right after this was finished I came over here late one night after it had snowed a couple of inches. No one had been here and the snow was perfect; it was just a dusting on the statues and blanketing the ground. I stood right where we are now for about thirty minutes. It was absolutely still. It seemed like I could almost hear them whispering to each other and see them moving through the snow. It was beautiful and kinda spooky at the same time."
Jen slipped her hand into his and leaned against his shoulder. "I can see it when you talk about it like that. I'll have to try and come back in the winter when it snows." They stood there holding hands and not speaking for a long time. After a while, Jethro turned and they walked back the way they had come still holding hands. When they reached the car, Jethro asked her, "You like boats?"
"I love the water and anything you can do on or in the water so yes, I'd say I like boats."
"Good. I have something I want you to see." Jethro started the car and drove toward the marina where the Kelly was docked. On the way he asked Jen, "What do you do? What sort of work, I mean."
"I'm a security consultant for a private firm that contracts with the military. I have been working the past few years through a contract with SouthComm in Tampa."
"What sort of security, computers and that kind of stuff?"
"No personal security. My department handles security and protection for both military and civilian personnel and their dependents living in Central and South America. Mostly Panama, Colombia, and some other parts of South America lately. Ever been south?"
"Yeah, Panama and later Colombia although if you repeat that I'll have to kill you."
She laughed with him. "Your secret is safe with me." Wanting to change the subject she asked, "Where are we going by the way?"
"I want to show you my boat in hopes of persuading you to go sailing with me sometime."
"I'll tell you right now, it won't take much to persuade me. As I said I love to be on, in or under water."
When they arrived at the marina Jethro parked and they walked down the dock to where the Kelly was tied up. Jethro explained that he had build the boat in his basement over the past couple of years. He didn't say who Kelly was and Jen didn't ask. Jethro gave her a tour of the boat and she was quite impressed with his work.
"She's beautiful, but I have to ask, how in the world did you get this boat out of a basement?"
"Sorry, that's top secret. How about some lunch? The grill here has pretty good food and we could sit outside."
"That sounds perfect. Just a warning though, I have a feeling we'll come back to the topic of the basement another time."
"Fine by me." Jethro took her by the hand as they walked toward the grill at the end of the marina. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to be walking in the sunshine, holding hands with Jen. He realized he felt more relaxed and happy than he had in a really long time.
Jenny too, was feeling very comfortable with Jethro. She very much liked having her hand enveloped in his as they walked along talking about nothing in particular. She could almost feel the tension and anxiety of the past few months draining out of her as they walked amongst the sailboats and yachts. Strangely, being run over by a teenager was turning out to be the best thing that had happened to her this year.
While they were eating lunch Jethro finally asked why she was living in DC. Jen explained, "My brother works for the World Health Organization and he recently accepted a post in Kenya. He will be there for a year and wanted someone to stay in his house. I was about to take a leave of absence from my job and we decided I could house sit for him."
"Ducky said you have a son. Does he live with you?"
"Yes, Nicholas lives with me. He is staying with his grandparents in Tampa for a couple of weeks while I get things settled here. He is on a baseball team and wanted to finish their season so I let him stay. I will be going back there in a week or so to finalize some things at work, then he will come home with me. Do you have children?"
"No. I had a daughter but she and her mother were killed while I was deployed in Desert Storm." Jethro was almost stunned that he had told her that because he never talked about Shannon and Kelly to anyone; especially someone he had just met. Jen never missed a beat though and Jethro relaxed when it didn't become an issue.
"I'm sorry to hear that. How old was she?"
"Kelly was eight." When he didn't say more and his gaze drifted from their lunch to the horizon Jen knew it was time to change the subject.
"Ducky tells me you have the best team at NCIS. Can you tell me about them without giving away any top secret info?"
Grateful for the change in topic Jethro laughed and said, "They are the best; sort of dysfunctional but in a good way." He described each member of his team and by the time he finished Jenny was laughing.
"They sound like a good group. I'm not surprised you're so successful. You obviously care about them very much and I'm guessing they would do just about anything for you."
"Yeah, they're a good team. We've had a couple of rough patches but they stick together and take care of each other. They make me look good."
Lunch was finished and they sat in comfortable silence watching boats coming and going in the marina. Jethro reached for her hand resting on the table and idly rubbed his thumb back and forth across her knuckles. Neither spoke for several minutes both at ease with the lack of conversation. Jen studied him as he looked out over the water. She thought she sensed him drifting away just a little bit and she wondered where he was going. What she was seeing was Jethro trying to figure out how she had gotten past his defenses so easily. As he sat there holding her hand and watching boats come and go he decided he didn't really care HOW she'd done it or even that she had done it all. He just knew he liked how he was feeling right now and he wanted it to continue.
Jethro turned his attention back to the woman at the table with him and realized she was studying him. "I'm sorry, I guess I got a little lost there for a while. Didn't mean to ignore you."
"You're fine. I am enjoying just sitting here watching the boats…and you. I'm fine with no talking most of the time."
"That's good to know. Are you ready to go?"
"Sure. Why don't we go back to the house. There is a wonderful deck in the backyard and we could have another beer, unless you have someplace else you need to be."
"I have no place to be and a beer on your deck sounds perfect. You wouldn't happen to have any of that chocolate pie left would you?"
"As a matter of fact I do."
Three hours, two beers and a big piece of chocolate pie later, Jethro stood in the doorway of Jen's townhouse kissing her goodbye. It was a kiss somewhere between friendly and passionate. He would have liked for it to be much more toward the passionate end of the scale but he also wanted to take this slowly and get it right. Jen was responding to the kiss in a way that hinted at her desire for more but not too soon either. Jethro slowly pulled his mouth away from hers and ran his thumb gently over her lips.
In a voice that betrayed his feelings as much as his kiss had he said, "I had a really good time today. Thanks for the beer and the pie." He never took his eyes off of hers and he couldn't bring himself to let go of her hands.
Jen gifted him with another quick kiss before she said, "I had a wonderful time, Jethro. You are very welcome for the pie and the beer and I hope you'll come again."
"Would tomorrow be too soon? I mean, would you like to go sailing tomorrow?"
"I'd love that. I'll bring food if that's alright."
"That's perfect. I'll pick you up at 8:00 okay?"
"I'll be ready. Goodnight, Jethro and thank you for a very enjoyable day. I can't remember when I've had such a good time."
"Me either. Goodnight." He couldn't resist just one more quick kiss before he forced himself to get in the car. All the way home he concentrated on remembering how Jen's lips had felt pressed against his and how it felt to touch her face and inhale her scent. Just holding her hand and kissing her was so great he couldn't begin to imagine how it would feel to do all those other things he was thinking about. He also wondered how she had gotten him to do most of the talking today and yet had revealed very little about herself. That was definitely a first. Maybe he'd work on changing that tomorrow.
Jen slowly closed the door as Jethro drove away. She made her way into the living room and collapsed onto the couch. That was definitely the best day she'd had in a very long time. Smiling she remembered the thrill she got when Jethro kissed her and ran his hands up her arms. His touch had seemed to set her skin on fire and the feel of him close to her body had threatened to completely overrule her plan to go slowly and not get involved. She wondered how that plan was going to survive her being alone on a sailboat with him. 'Probably won't survive much past the marina entry' she thought laughing out loud in the empty house.
Sunday dawned clear and bright; a perfect day for sailing. Jethro arrived at Jen's house a few minutes before 8:00. To say he was anxious for the day to get started would have been a gross understatement. He had been up since 5:00 and had actually been driving around her neighborhood for at least thirty minutes. It was a wonder someone didn't call the police on him. He knocked on the door and tried to act like this was just another date with a pretty woman. He failed miserably.
Jen had been trying to get ready since 7:00. She had already completely read the paper and gotten dressed and redressed three times. After the third outfit she chastised herself out loud for being childish and ridiculous. She reminded herself she was not going to get "involved" with Special Agent Gibbs; she was just going sailing with him and that was going to be that. After today she knew she was going to have to slow down if not completely stop seeing him at least until her life was in better order. It pained her to think about that but she had already decided that Jethro was too decent a man for her to allow him to become involved in the mess that was her life. Determined to have a good day and worry about tomorrow much later, Jen went downstairs to answer the door.
She had a cooler full of snacks, lunch and drinks which Jethro carried from the kitchen to the car. Jen picked up her bag and a sun hat and followed him, locking the door behind her. In no time they were on their way to the marina. Jethro stole a glance at her and thought she was even prettier today than when he left her last night. She had her hair pulled back in a low pony tail which let him see just enough of her neck to give him some interesting ideas. He was wondering what that spot just below her ear would taste like when she looked over and saw him looking at her.
"What is going on in that mind of yours Agent Gibbs?"
"Just wondering if you remembered sunblock," he lied easily but unconvincingly.
"I certainly did but thank you for being concerned," her smile was easily worth the embarrassment of being caught looking at her.
By the time they got to the boat the tension between them was almost too much to bear. They were both glad to be out of the confines of the car and in some open space where they could both breathe easier. Jethro helped her onto the boat and stowed the cooler. When they were ready to go Jen cast off the lines and Jethro prepared to ease them away from the dock. As they waited for another boat to clear the area Jen took a seat in the stern and reached into her bag for her sunblock. Jethro turned around and taking the bottle out of her hand he pulled her up so she was standing almost against him. Then he leaned down and kissed her a lingering, hot kiss that had her going weak in the knees.
He very slowly pulled back from her and tenderly ran a finger over her lips. "I just thought maybe we should get that out of the way before one of us, probably me, exploded." He handed her back her lotion and went back to the business of getting them underway.
Jen just stood perfectly still for a long moment. She hadn't been kissed like that in so long she couldn't remember when it might have been. The man literally took her breath away. She began to wonder if it was a good idea to be spending the whole day with him, both of them just half dressed, on a small boat in the middle of who knows where. Probably not she decided but she was certainly not going to either jump overboard or ask to go back so she figured she'd just have to "endure" it.
It was a perfect day to be on the water and it was obvious from the moment they left the marina that Jethro was in his element on this boat. He told Jen it took him just over two years to build her but he still just smiled and shook his head when she pressed him on how he got her out of his basement. Their conversation was light and easy and sometimes there was no conversation at all. Jethro gave her a quick lesson on sailing but she was perfectly content to watch him manage everything. When it was time for lunch, they anchored in a sheltered cove and Jethro asked her if she wanted to take a swim before they ate. After cooling off and paddling around for a while they climbed back aboard and Jenny spread the lunch out on a small table Jethro set up in the stern.
Jethro had a dozen questions he wanted to ask but he didn't want Jen to feel like he was interrogating her. "Tell me about Nicholas. You said he plays baseball."
"Yes, he loves baseball, all sports really but baseball is his favorite. Maybe because we've lived in Florida for the past few years and he can play all year around. He likes first base the best but he'll play anywhere if it gets him on the field. Of course he loves to bat too. He's actually pretty good if I do say so myself. I'm hoping to see him play a couple of times when I go back in a week or so."
"How does he feel about moving up here? Quite a change from Tampa."
"He's excited actually. He'll be closer to his dad which will be nice. Stephen, his father, lives in Boston so it will be much better and easier on them once Nicholas is here."
"You and his father get along okay I guess."
"Yes, we get along very well. Much better than most divorced people. He is a good person and a wonderful father. He has always been available to Nicholas and has been very good about seeing him and making sure he knows who Nicholas is; he's not just a weekend father."
"You're lucky, you and Nicholas both."
Since they were talking about ex's and that sort of personal stuff Jen decided to take a chance and asked, "Did you remarry after you wife was killed?"
Jethro chuckled, "Oh yeah. Three times. Not very good at marriage I guess."
"Well, maybe you just chose poorly. Do you get along with any of your ex's?
"Oh hell no. It's pretty hard to get along with someone who comes after you with a baseball bat or a seven iron."
"Wow, so what you're saying is that you bring out the violent side of your women."
"I guess so. I sure didn't mean to. Who wants to get hit in the head with a golf club after all?"
"You're serious aren't you? Well, I'm not a golfer but I am a pretty good shot, just so you know." Jen smiled that brilliant smile and her eyes were dancing when she looked at him.
"I'll certainly keep that in mind. If you feel yourself reaching for your weapon just please give me some warning and I'll be happy to disappear before you're compelled to fire."
"That's a deal. No children with them?"
"No, I think that's a good thing considering. I didn't choose well you're right and I spent too much time working and being absent in other ways. Anyway, that was a long time ago. My third ex-wife actually married my best friend a few years later and now they're divorced. I tried to warn him but he wouldn't listen. At least he got a cute little girl out of the marriage. All I got was twelve stitches in my head and a nice scar." He pointed to a very faint scar in his hairline above his left eye.
"Oh, Jethro, you really do lead an interesting life." She leaned across the table and ran her finger gently over the scar. "I promise never to come after you with a blunt instrument."
As she was taking her hand back from his head Jethro caught her wrist and kissed her palm. "Thank you very much. I'll ask you to put that in writing when we get back to your house if you don't mind."
"I'll be happy to do that."
Lunch was finished and Jen put away the plates and food while Jethro pulled in the anchor. They sailed away the afternoon enjoying being together and talking about general stuff but nothing too personal. Jen asked about his work and Jethro told her about some of their more interesting cases. He talked about Abby and her expertise in the lab and McGee and his books. For her part Jen expertly deflected any questions about her work or why she was on leave. Jethro knew she was keeping something important to herself but he of all people understood what that was like and he didn't push.
Since the topic of Nicholas and his father had seemed safe he returned there, "What does Stephen do in Boston, if you don't mind me asking."
"No I don't mind. He's an architect; designs commercial buildings mostly but he does homes on the side sometimes. He's very successful and has always been generous in terms of providing for Nicholas."
"He sounds like a good guy. What happened to you two? No, wait, don't answer that. I'm beginning to feel like maybe I'm asking too many questions. It's a hazard of the job."
"It's fine. I don't mind telling you. You're not interrogating me; we're getting to know one another. How else will you know if you don't ask. Don't worry, I'll get around to asking you about your life."
"Okay. I can live with that."
"Stephen was my second husband. My first husband, David, was a Navy Seal. We were married young and were as much in love as any two people I ever knew. We'd been married about two years when he left on a mission one day and just never came back. The Navy said the mission was classified of course so I don't even know what happened to him. For a long time I resented the Navy, the secrecy and the whole mess but eventually I remembered how much David loved what he was doing and I decided to get on with my life. I moved to Boston and met Stephen after I'd been there about a year. We got married and everything was great for almost three years but then we just sort of drifted apart. We were actually separating when I discovered, much to our surprise, that I was pregnant. So, we decided to try and make it work thinking a child would keep us together. It didn't take us long to realized that was much too big a job for a tiny baby and we divorced when Nicholas was nine months old. We parted on good terms and as I've said Stephen is a good friend to me and a very good father."
"I'm sorry about David. Would you like me to find out what happened to him? I imagine I can if you'd like to know."
Jen was touched by the concern she heard in Jethro's voice. "I don't know. It was such a long time ago and I've made peace with it. I appreciate the offer. Let me think about it."
"Okay, enough talking. Time for your next sailing lesson. Come sit here next to me and take over. You need to be able to do this in case I fall overboard and you have to come around and pick me up."
"Are you planning to fall overboard?"
"No, but who plans such a thing? It's just in case, you know like knowing how to land a plane in case the pilot dies or something."
"What a pleasant thought. If I didn't know better I'd say you just want me to sit closer."
"You are a very smart woman, Jennifer Shepard."
Jen sat down next to Jethro and he scooted back and pulled her around in front of him reaching around her and putting her hands on the wheel. Now he could taste that particular spot under her ear that had caught his attention earlier in the day. He nuzzled her neck and mumbled to her to just keep her hands on the wheel and don't over steer. Jen leaned back enjoying the contact and the kisses Jethro was leaving from her earlobe down her throat to her clavicle. It didn't take long for Jethro to decide they could do without anyone steering for a while. He turned her around and quickly captured her mouth in a kiss that spoke of need and lust and a whole day of wanting to kiss her. He let his hands get tangled in her hair and when her hands skated down his back he deepened the kiss.
The need for oxygen finally drew them apart but not very far. Jen couldn't get enough of touching him and her hands were everywhere at once. She leaned into him and kissed him, running her tongue over his lips asking for more. Jethro gladly obliged and their mouths melded together as their hands explored every spot of bare skin they could find. Jethro explored and tasted every inch of her mouth and she returned the favor. Again, only the need to breathe made them back off.
Jethro knew exactly where he wanted this to go but for some reason he couldn't quite understand he also knew they weren't going there; not today anyway. Jen confirmed that sad realization for him when she placed both her hands on his chest and leaned back, putting some distance between them. She reached up and caressed his face. She was smiling at him but there was a sadness in her eyes he hadn't seen before. When she sighed and kissed him on the forehead he thought maybe his heart was going to be broken in the next few minutes. It wasn't broken but just bruised a little bit.
"I think maybe we better slow down here Jethro. If we keep doing that I'm afraid we will get ahead of ourselves." She saw the pained look on his face and was worried that he thought he had done something wrong. "It's not you. God, it's not you at all. It's just that I have this rule, I call it the "Bob rule", which says 'never get involved with anyone you meet on vacation'. I know I'm not technically on vacation but the premise still holds."
Jethro let his hands wander up and down her arms. "Who is this Bob person? I think I'll kill him." He laughed and the tension was broken.
"He's a guy I met on vacation a very long time ago. We got involved and it ended badly. So…ever since then I've had the rule. It has served me very well for years."
"Well, I'm a big believer in rules. In fact I have quite a few myself. So, how long do you think you're going to consider yourself to be on vacation?"
"I don't know but you will be the first person I tell when it's over."
"Deal. Now back to your sailing lesson."
The rest of the afternoon passed with a lot of laughing and talking and an occasional kiss that didn't cause either of them to lose control. When they got back to the marina it was almost dark. They secured the boat and made their way to the car. On the way home Jen fell fast asleep and didn't wake up until Jethro parked in her driveway. He carried the ice chest into the house and helped her put away the food then he drained the water off and put the cooler outside.
Coming back in the house Jethro found Jen leaning on the kitchen counter yawning hugely. He stepped up and put his hands on the counter on either side of her trapping her with his warm body. He kissed her sweetly and then wrapped her in a tight hug. In a low, husky voice he whispered in her ear, "I had a great time today. I hope you'll come sailing again. Can I call you?"
"I had a wonderful time today too. I would like to go sailing again sometime. And yes, you can call me."
Jethro kissed her again, stopping just short of where he wanted to go mainly because he was interrupted by the beeping of his phone. He stepped back and answered. After listening for a few moments he told the caller he would be there in twenty minutes. "I've gotta go to work. You should go get some sleep before you fall down. I'll see you later."
Jen walked with him to the door. "Thank you Jethro. I'll see you."
Leaving her the second time was no easier than it had been the night before. If anything it was more difficult. Jethro knew as well as he knew his own name that Jen was keeping a secret; something about her job most likely. She was obviously trying very hard to hide or just plain forget about it, whatever IT was. He knew she wouldn't be able to forget it and as for hiding it, he hoped she wouldn't feel the need to do that much longer. He knew these things because he'd done them. He'd tried to block out and forget the pain of losing his family and then his failed marriages and finally Kate. After all these years he was finally letting his dad back into his life and that was helping. And of course he had always had the support of Ducky and now he thought, maybe if he could somehow help Jen….
He decided on that drive home whatever she asked of him he would do it. If she wanted him to be there he would go; if she wanted him to stay away he would although he recognized that would be very difficult. If she needed time; he had plenty of that. Jethro was all too familiar with how it felt to have other people telling him what to feel and what to do and how to manage the pain that only he knew about. He vowed he wouldn't do that to Jen. He would help her however she wanted him to but he promised himself he would not try to "fix" it for her. If Jethro had known how hard it was going to be to keep that promise in the coming months he might not have made it, even to himself.
The case they caught that night looked straightforward enough at the beginning but by the time Monday morning rolled around they were knee deep in suspects with not much in the way of real evidence. On Monday night when they had already worked twenty-four hours straight, he sent his team home but he didn't take his own advice. He took a shower and had a quick nap in the locker room before he went back to his desk to try and figure out what the hell was missing in the case. At 5:00 DiNozzo came back to work and by 6:30 McGee and Ziva were back too. Abby and Ducky were working overtime as well in hopes of getting some useful clues from their two dead bodies. Finally, Tuesday afternoon Abby announced she had something and the entire team trooped to the lab to hear the expected good news. Abby didn't disappoint them. Three hours later Ziva and McGee deposited their suspect in the interrogation room and thirty minutes later Gibbs had the confession they needed. As the killer was taken away by the MP's, Gibbs told his team to go home and not worry about their paperwork until the next day. He didn't have to say it twice. In fact the words were barely out of his mouth by the time the trio with Abby in tow were in the elevator headed to their cars.
Knowing Jethro would still be at his desk, Ducky stopped in the bullpen on his way out of the almost deserted building. He hadn't had a chance to talk to Gibbs about his weekend with Jen and he was anxious to hear how they had gotten along. He pulled up a chair and Gibbs poured them each a shot of bourbon from his flask.
"Now tell me Jethro how did you and Jennifer get along on Saturday?"
"We had a very good time on Saturday and then again on Sunday. We just took in a couple of monuments on Saturday and then had lunch at the marina. I wanted to show her the Kelly. On Sunday we went sailing all day."
"Sounds like you two are hitting it off. Have you spoken to her this week?"
"Not since this damn case got started. I was going to call her tonight. There's something she's hiding Duck, something about her work I think. Maybe hiding is too strong a word. But she's got something she doesn't want to talk about, I'm sure of that."
"My friend you know what that's like. I hope you don't plan to try and get it out of her before she's ready."
"No, I don't. She talked a lot about her son, Nicholas and her ex-husband and even her first husband who was a Seal and was killed on some classified mission. But she very carefully avoided any talk about her work or why she's on what she called a leave of absence."
"Perhaps her work is classified and she just isn't allowed to discuss it. What does she do anyway?"
"She works for a contractor that provides personal security to government personnel and their dependents in Central and South America. You're right it could be classified but I have a feeling it's something more personal."
"Well whatever it is, give her time and if she comes to trust you she may decide to confide in you. You know from your own experience there are some things that can't be changed, only accepted, and time is what makes that possible."
"You're right Duck. I've already decided to let her call the shots on this; whatever she wants me to do or not do is okay. I really like her so I'm going to just try and follow her lead. Not my normal plan of action but maybe it's time for a new strategy."
"I agree my friend. Now I must be going and so should you. If you're going to call Jennifer you should do it before it gets too much later. Good night Jethro."
"Night Duck."
When Jen didn't hear from Jethro on Monday she assumed the case was keeping him busy. When Tuesday was almost gone she began to think it was either a really tough case or Jethro had decided not to call. She was tempted to call him but stopped herself with a reminder that she was the one who needed to slow down and not get involved. As hard as that was going to be she knew it was the right thing to do. Jen felt like her life, except for Nicholas, was such a mess that she didn't want to get anyone else entangled in it. There were certain aspects of her professional life that Jen needed to set straight before she would be comfortable getting into a relationship; some things that needed to be dealt with before she could move on with her life. She was stuck in a bad place emotionally. Somehow she thought Jethro would understand that if she could figure out how to explain it to him. At any rate, she was determined to tell him she couldn't see him again until she had some issues resolved. Now all she needed was for him to call her.
As he drove away from the Navy Yard Jethro pulled out his cell phone and called Jen. "Hi, I hope I'm not calling too late. We just finished up the case and I wanted to say hello."
"Hello back. Is this the case from Sunday night?"
"Yeah, it took a little longer than I thought it would. Could I come see you?" He hadn't intended to ask that when he called but after hearing her voice he suddenly wanted to wrap his arms around her and kiss her.
"Uhh, no, not tonight, I'm sorry but now's just not a good time."
He tried to hide his disappointment when he asked, "how about dinner tomorrow night?"
"Maybe lunch would be better if you can swing that. I could meet you someplace."
Jethro quickly thought back to what he had told Ducky just a little while ago about letting her be in charge of their situation. "Lunch would be fine. Can I call you about 11:00 tomorrow just to be sure?"
"That will be fine. Thanks for calling, goodnight Jethro."
"Night Jen. See you tomorrow."
Gibbs didn't know if he felt better or worse for having called. Something was off. He hoped maybe she was just having a bad day and he had called too late or something. He was already dreading lunch as much as he was looking forward to it. He told himself maybe he wasn't ready for the emotional roller coaster that so often defined a relationship with a beautiful, desirable woman. Then he gave himself a mental head slap and reminded himself that he loved roller coasters.
Lunchtime rolled around before he knew it and he found himself sitting in a quiet café looking across the table at a lovely and very nervous Jen. When he arrived she was already seated and he leaned down and kissed her lightly before sitting down across from her. She was wearing her hair down and his fingers were almost itching to get in there and tangle it all up. The blouse she was wearing was cut low enough that he could see she had gotten plenty of sun on Sunday. He had a quick fantasy of kissing her there to see if it was still warm to the touch. Instead he settled for reaching for her hand and rubbing his thumb back and forth on her palm.
"How is your week going so far?" There were so many other things he wanted to ask but he had the distinct impression she was going to keep him at arm's length.
"Just fine. Nicholas is having a good time with his grandparents but he told me last night he misses me and is ready to come up here."
"That must have made you feel good. When is he coming?"
"Next week. I'm anxious to have him here. I miss him a lot."
"Yes I bet you do. I hope I will get to meet him one of these days."
"I imagine you will Jethro. In fact I want you to meet him and vice versa. I just don't know when that will be."
She was pulling back, not physically but emotionally. She knew she was doing it and so did Jethro. Luckily for both of them the waiter arrived with their lunch and they were occupied with eating for the next several minutes. When the plates had been cleared and Jethro had ordered coffee they found themselves at a loss for words for the first time. He was determined not to push her and Jen was struggling with what she felt she needed to say to him.
Finally he couldn't stand it anymore. "Jen if something is wrong please tell me. If I can help I will."
She slid her hands across the table and grasped both of his. She looked up and recognized the concern and compassion she saw in his eyes. "It's nothing you've done Jethro, I assure you of that. It's just…I really like you…
When she hesitated Jethro said, "But? I sense a but in there."
Jen laughed a small laugh, "Your senses are very good. I really like you Jethro but now is just not the time for me to begin a relationship with someone. If you were just a casual acquaintance maybe I could do it but I don't want us to be just a sometime, casual thing. I am not in a place mentally, professionally or personally where I can give you what you deserve from a partner. I don't know when or even if I will be in such a place but until I am I won't involve you in my life past where we are right now. I care for you too much to risk that."
Jethro could feel her hands on his and he heard all the words she said but he still felt like he was having some kind of out-of-body experience. It sounded to him as if Jen had been inside his head and taken out the thoughts he'd had so many times in the past few years. He had said practically the same thing to Kate when they first began to realize their mutual attraction and he had tried to back away from the relationship. He knew what his first instinct had been when Kate had tried to persuade him to change his mind and he was pretty sure Jen would have a very similar response if he tried to change her mind right now. Instead he took a very deep breath and tried to get his thoughts in order before he spoke.
"I can remember being in a similar situation once or twice and I understand what you are saying. I care for you Jen and I want very much to spend time with you and get to know you better. If you need some time and space I will give you all the time and space you need. I'm not in any hurry. Ducky keeps telling me I need to develop more patience so maybe this will help me. I say again, if there is anything at all I can do to help you I want to do it. I won't push you or question you but I do want you to do something for me."
"What is that?"
"Two things really, I want you to find someone, a friend, priest, shrink or whatever to talk to about whatever it is that is holding you hostage. Second I want you to let me at least call you two or three times a week just to say hi and see how you are doing. I won't pressure you; I just want to be able to hear your voice and have you tell me you're okay. Can you promise me those two things?"
"Yes, I can do that. I already have someone to talk to Jethro but thank you for saying that. Thank you too for making this easier for me. You are truly a most special person and I value your friendship very much even though we have only known each other for a few days. I can't ask you to wait for me though because heaven only knows when I'll be back together."
"Hey, it's not like I'm going anywhere. When you're ready there are a lot of things you need to know about me that may even change your outlook toward me. You are a strong woman, Jen and I have a feeling you will be back in the game sooner than you think. When you're ready I'll be a phone call away."
And so it began. The phone calls and the days and weeks of wanting and waiting and hoping. Jethro called two or three times a week and he was true to his word; he never pressured her for information or asked to see her. He always asked how she was doing and if she needed anything. Sometimes he asked about Nicholas and sometimes Jen asked about his work or how he was doing. She didn't ask to see him. She always said she was fine or okay or alright. Sometimes she sounded that way and sometimes she didn't. It took everything he had for Jethro to stay away but he did. He confided to Ducky and tried to stay busy but it was hard at night when he wanted so much to just be with Jen but couldn't.
From Jen's point of view she looked forward to the calls but dreaded them at the same time. A call meant someone was thinking of her; caring about her but it also meant she was cutting herself off from a man she wanted and who she was coming to believe would actually be good for her. She admired his persistence and his willingness to honor her wishes. The demons she was dealing with were beginning to demand her attention and she knew in the next few months things would be changing. For the better she hoped.
After two months the phone calls went from two or three times a week to once or twice a week. Jethro and his team were getting slammed with cases every week and they were also becoming involved in a joint operation with the FBI involving the search for a terrorist cell in the area. During this time Jen was gone a lot and often Jethro had to leave messages on her voice mail. She had told him she would be going back and forth to Tampa pretty often so he surmised that was where she was. He wondered about Nicholas since school had started but he guessed maybe his dad was taking care of him.
One night near the end of the third month after their lunch, Jethro called hoping Jen was back in town. His resolve to stay away and not ask questions was weakening. When a man answered the phone his heart sank just a little bit.
"I'm calling for Jennifer Shepard."
"She's not in right now. Can I take a message?"
"This is Agent Gibbs with NCIS, do you know when I might be able to speak to her?" Jethro decided to try an official sounding approach in an effort to find out who the man was.
"Oh, Agent Gibbs, this is Stephen Glass, Nicholas' father. Jen has told me about you. I'm sorry she's out of the country right now. I expect her back next week sometime. I'll be happy to leave a note that you called."
"Thank you, I'd appreciate that. Is she alright?"
"Yes, she's fine as far as I know. She's working and sometimes that takes her out of the country as you know. I appreciate you calling to check up on her."
"No problem. Good night."
Out of the country? Working? Gibbs was confused and just a little bit pissed off. He wondered if Jen had lied to him from the beginning or if circumstances had changed and she had just gone back to work. He supposed he would just have to wait until she got home to explore all that.
Jen was out of the country and she was working, sort of. She hadn't lied to Gibbs, not really. She was on a leave of absence, officially, but she was still working off the radar so to speak. She was chasing her demons. Until she caught them or at least exhausted all efforts in the attempt, she knew she couldn't trust herself to get close to anyone or let anyone get close to her. As she sat in a hot, dusty, outdoor café waiting for her contact, she thought about Jethro and hoped he was alright. She missed hearing his voice. In truth she missed a lot more than that but she couldn't afford to think about that right now. Maybe in a few weeks when this mess was cleaned up and she was back home; maybe then she would do more than think about it.
Two more weeks passed with no word from Jen and no answer when he called. School was out for Thanksgiving break so Jethro figured Stephen and Nicholas were back in Boston. The weather was mild on Friday and since they weren't working Jethro and Ducky went sailing. They didn't talk about Jen because there wasn't anything left to say. Ducky was becoming concerned about his friend because he saw Jethro beginning to retreat to his old ways of closing himself off and working much too much. He hoped Jennifer would be coming back to DC soon and that when she did they might be able to work out what was happening or more precisely NOT happening between them.
The following week would prove to be one of immeasurable importance in the lives of both Jen and Jethro.
TBC
This story is complete but too long to post all at once. Next chapter will be up tomorrow. I promise. Reviews are always welcome. Thanks for reading.
A/N 2 I learned today that a previous story of mine "Shoulda Stayed for Breakfast" (KIBBS) has been nominated for an award of some sort. This is a first for me so thank you to whomever did that.