Dear Brynnie, Thanks again for letting me and Tony use your cabin for the weekend. You could have warned me that there is no T.V. here. Tony freaked, but I brought my laptop and he brought some DVDs. I'm trying to convince him to get out and go fishing or hiking but he isn't much of an outdoorsman. He says hi by the way. See you Monday. Love, Tim
Brynn smiled and closed out her email. It was Friday morning and she was alone in the Cyber Crimes office. She had been typing out a report on a closed case when her email dinged. Tim had come to her last week asking for ideas for celebrating him and Tony's four month anniversary. She had immediately offered her grandfather's old lake cabin. It was a tiny one room cabin out in the middle of nowhere, an hour outside of D.C. She hadn't been out there in almost a year, but she kept the utilities turned on in case she needed to get away. Tim had jumped at the chance to get Tony alone in the woods. They both kept it a secret until the last minute. Brynn would have loved to see the look on Tony's face when he walked in and saw that there was no T.V. She giggled to herself just as her cell rang.
"Sutter." She answered.
"Agent Sutter, this is Director Vance." Brynn's eyes widened. Vance had never called her himself before. "I need to see you in my office right away."
"I'll be right there, sir." Shit!
Brynn hurried to Vance's office. When she passed by the bullpen and saw Ziva at her desk. She could literally feel her blood pressure shoot up with each step she took. She hadn't been this nervous since the whole mess with her brother.
When she and Gibbs had first decided they both wanted a real relationship they officially set the rumor mill straight. Yes, they were a couple. It had been just a month after their first night together when they came out. Brynn had been a little weary of publicly dating a coworker, and a higher ranking one at that. But Gibbs had assured her that NCIS didn't actually have an inter-office dating policy. There were married agents who worked in the same department. The fact that she and Gibbs worked on different floors also helped ease the awkwardness. At work they only saw each other on the occasional lunch date in the break room. And since Gibbs had helped bring Tim and Tony together, Rule Twelve had pretty much been trampled on and discarded. But none of that meant that Vance couldn't transfer or fire any of them if he didn't like what was going on. She stopped just outside Vance's door and made herself calm down. It could be nothing. Oh, let it be nothing. She opened the door.
The first face she saw was Jethro's. He did not look happy. Oh, damn.
"Agent Sutter." Brynn looked a Vance. "Do you have a service weapon?"
"Huh?" Brynn cocked her head. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jethro smirk.
"Do you have a service weapon?" He asked again patiently, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Uh, locked in my desk." What was going on?
"Good, you're going to need it." Brynn's eyes bulged for a second. "Agent Gibbs is short two team members. I'm pulling you and Agent Jardine to help him until McGee and DiNozzo return. I know it's been a while since you've been in the field, but I trust Agent Gibbs to lead you." Brynn had to fight the giggle fit building in her stomach. She felt relieved but found this hilarious at the same time. One look at Jethro told her, he didn't find it quite as funny.
"They just got a call out. Go down and get your weapon. Gibbs and Ziva will meet you in the garage. Jardine is already on her way there."
"Yes, sir." Brynn flashed a smile and left. 'I'm glad I wore pants today.' She thought to herself.
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Tony was ready to tackle his cute little Probie. Tim was in the little kitchen making them both sandwiches. The radio was playing some new pop song that Tony had never heard. Tim was bobbing his head and swaying his hips to the beat. Tony sat at the table with his face propped up on his hands.
"You're adorable when you dance." This made Tim stop and turn around. He smirked at Tony and brought the plate to the table.
"Are you gonna change your mind?" He asked, sitting down.
"About you being adorable?"
"No, about fishing. Or we could go on a nature walk…"
"Eh… I dunno." Tony had been dodging him about "getting out" all morning. Nature was Tim's thing. "We could just curl up and watch a movie."
"Tony, we do that every night." Oh God… Those brilliant green eyes were bearing down on him. "Please, just a little walk. There's even a path, I checked." That pouty bottom lip came out in full force. "Later we can go down to the lake and swim." And there went all of Tony's dignity. Just the picture of Tim all wet and glistening sent Tony's resolve bouncing out the window.
"Okay, one little hike. But if you get poison ivy all over you, you will get no sympathy out of me." Tim already knew the cure for poison ivy from Abby. He had even brought some with him. But Tony didn't need to know that…
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Brynn aimed the camera at the body on the living room floor. She took a breath and pushed the button. Gibbs had yet to say a word to her all day. Ziva was the one leading her around and directing her. Brynn was totally okay with this. She didn't want anyone thinking Gibbs had to babysit her. Gibbs was making himself busy with Ducky. Nikki Jardine had already questioned the witnesses and was now bagging evidence. Brynn took another breath and moved away from the body when she saw Gibbs and Ducky head over.
The living room was small and there was dust everywhere. Brynn knew this because her allergies had started going haywire the second she entered the house. Her eyes watered and she tried covering her sneezes. Nikki had stayed clear of her as soon as the first sneeze came out. She had always found Nikki's phobia entertaining, but right now she could do without the headache she felt coming from all the dust in her eyes and nose. Why, oh, why hadn't she taken an allergy pill this morning? Probably because she had been expecting to be at her desk all day. What had she done to piss off karma this time?
Moving over to the fireplace mantle, her eyes swept over the top. There were several bowling trophies lined up in a row. Something caught her eye, making her take a second look. She leaned over, inspecting the dust surrounding the trophies. Just as it dawned on her what was out of place, a voice made her jump.
"First dead body?" Gibbs voice was right in her ear. She twisted around. His eyes were soft, almost sympathizing.
"No. It's been a while though." She knew her voice sounded like she had been crying, not just sneezing. Gibbs' eyes narrowed at her bloodshot eyes and red puffy face. His head fell to the side.
"You okay?" He leaned forward and almost put a hand on her.
"Yeah. Honestly, it's just all the dust getting to me." Gibbs' face relaxed. He knew about her dust allergy. It was why she kept her apartment (and his house) so clean.
"Uh, Jethro." Ducky spoke up. Gibbs tore his eyes away from Brynn and went to stand next to Ducky. "I have a cause of death for you."
Brynn's eyes went back to the trophies on the mantle. Aiming her camera, she took a few shots. Ducky's voice cut through the haze of her thoughts.
"Blunt force trauma. But look at the wound. It has a curved edge. Almost circular."
"Like the bottom of a trophy." Brynn blurted out. Ducky and Gibbs both looked up at her.
"Could be." Ducky nodded when he saw Brynn point to the mantle.
"Look at this." Brynn pointed at one trophy in the middle of the row. Most of the trophies had rectangular bottoms. Two were circular. Gibbs came up beside her and looked where she pointed. "All these trophies are covered in dust except this one. And you can tell it's been moved. The dust around it had been disturbed. The killer could have grabbed it, hit the victim, then rinsed it off and put it back. Ziva said she found blood traces in the kitchen sink."
"What does that tell you?" Gibbs quizzed her.
"Weapon of opportunity, this wasn't planned." She sniffed and tried to hold in the sneeze she felt coming on. Gibbs grinned, looking impressed.
"Alright, bag it and get out of here before you suffocate." She sent him a grateful look before he turned back to Ducky.
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"I want it on record that the only reason I'm following you is because it gives me an excuse to stare at your ass." Tony grumbled while trudging down the 'path' Tim had found. It wasn't much a path at all. It had ended as soon as they hit the forest.
"Come on Tony, the fresh air will do you good. And I hate to say it, but you could use the exercise."
"Hey!" Tony stopped. Tim turned around and smirked.
"Okay Tony, If you need to rest, we can always stop." Tony stood there with his hands on his hips, glaring at Tim. "Just let me know when you're done resting." Tony's eyes widened. Then he rushed Tim like he was going to tackle him. Tim jumped then turned and ran. He got pretty far before Tony's arms wrapped around his shoulders. The two of them hit the soft ground and rolled. When they finally stopped, Tony had Tim pinned down. Both men were laughing.
"I think this is a nice place to rest." Tony said before leaning down to place a tender kiss on his lover. Tim wrapped his arms around Tony's back and returned the kiss.
"I'd agree, but I'm the one on the ground."
"I like you under me." Tony leaned down again and gently nipped Tim's neck. "And you were the one who wanted us out of the cabin." He whispered in Tim's ear. Tim's breath hitched when Tony pushed his hips down and rubbed against him.
"You wanna do this here?"
"Sure. Let's be at one with nature."
This time Tony's kiss was hard and hungry. He thrust his tongue into Tim's mouth and fought for dominance. Tim quickly gave in and let Tony take control. Tony broke the kiss only long enough to smirk down at Tim. Then he quickly went back to teasing Tim's neck. But Tim wasn't going to let him get away with that. He snuck one hand down and gripped Tony's hard on through his jeans. Tony grunted and quickly propped himself up enough to undo his jeans.
Tim heaved his body sideways while Tony was distracted. He undid his own pants and shoved them completely off. Tony was still struggling with his pants. Growing impatient, Tim slapped Tony's hands away and pulled at his pants until they came off.
"Wish we brought a blanket or something." Tony mumbled. Tim shed his jacket and laid it down. He set his bare ass on top of it and looked up at Tony. "Works for me." Tony lowered himself back down, straddling Tim. "Now what was that you said about exercise?" He smiled wickedly at Tim.
Once again he fought for dominance when they kissed. He liked it when Tim fought back, but Tim always let him win. Tony's hands were all over Tim as they rubbed their raging erections together. There had been several times when the friction alone had sent Tony over the edge. But right now, he needed to be inside Tim. He needed to feel Tim wrapped around every part of him.
"Tony." Tim mumbled between kisses. "I'm ready."
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Brynn sat at Tim's desk glaring daggers at the silver haired man sitting at the desk across from her. He had avoided eye contact with her since they had returned to headquarters. All because of that woman.
Brynn had just made her escape out of the dusty house when she first saw the woman. She had dark blond hair twisted up in a bun. Brynn recognized her as Army CID by her uniform. Brynn had the bagged trophy in one hand and the camera in the other. Her only focus was on getting to the truck so she could unload her hands. The CID woman walked right up to Brynn and stopped her in her tracks.
"Excuse me," The woman addressed her politely.
"Yes?" There was something imposing about this woman.
"Are you with NCIS?" Brynn fought the urge to roll her eyes. She hated stupid questions. Of course she was with NCIS. Her hat and jacket said so.
"Yes. Can I help you?"
"Is Agent Gibbs in there?" Brynn's eyes twitched slightly at the question.
"Yes, he is." Who the hell was this woman?
"Thank you." The woman nodded and moved past Brynn towards the house. Brynn just quirked an eyebrow and headed for the truck. She figured CID sent someone because the victim was Army. NCIS got called first because this was Navy housing. Brynn laughed to herself. That CID woman was gonna get it when she trudged onto Gibbs' crime scene.
Back at the truck, Brynn was making sure all the evidence was properly labeled and boxed when Ziva suddenly appeared at her side.
"Are you alright?" Ziva asked quickly. Her eyes were wide with concern. This took Brynn by surprise.
"Yeah. I'm fine." She was still sniffing. "It's just all the dust, I swear." She waved her hand in front of her face. "It drives my allergies nuts."
"No, I meant because of Mann."
"What man?"
"Lt. Col. Hollis Mann!"
"And that is?"
"Her!" Ziva pointed over her shoulder. Brynn shifted so she could see where Ziva was pointing. She made her still fuzzy eyes focus. On the porch of the small house was the CID woman. She had her hands clasped behind her back and was leaning slightly towards the person she was talking to. Brynn blinked several times and squinted. The woman was talking to Gibbs. And he didn't look too happy to see her. Brynn looked back at Ziva, still confused. Why should this bother her?
"Please tell me what I obviously don't already know."
"That is Gibbs' ex-girlfriend." Brynn immediately whipped back around and glared before she could stop herself. Lt. Col. Mann was still facing Gibbs, but just as Brynn's glare reached them, Gibbs turned his head and their eyes connected. Brynn froze and her eyes bulged. Gibbs lowered his eyes and pressed his lips together. That told Brynn that he knew, she knew who Mann was. Brynn turned back to Ziva and scowled.
"Seriously, I really think karma decided to see how just hard it can screw me before I break today." With that, she slammed the truck door shut. "Are we ready to head back?" By now Nikki had joined them. Gibbs was still on the porch with… Her
"Yeah, I think that's everything." Nikki said, completely oblivious to what had just happened.
"Good." Brynn pulled the keys out of Ziva's hand. "Gibbs can take the car back. I'll drive the truck." Nikki finally caught on that something was wrong.
"Should we ride with Gibbs?" Nikki muttered to Ziva.
"I am not sure who is the safer bet right now." Ziva replied.
"I heard that!" Brynn shouted. Both women jumped and quickly got into the truck.
Now, Brynn was being forced to listen to that woman babble on about 'another joint CID-NCIS assignment.' And how she was 'so glad they could still work together.' Gibbs kept his eyes on his computer the whole time. Mann was standing in front of the plasma. Nikki and Ziva had done their absolute best to draw Mann's attention away from Brynn all day. Mann had not caught on to the silent treatment Brynn was giving her. And that was okay with Brynn. It seemed to be okay with Gibbs too. He hadn't said a word to Brynn since they got back.
Brynn was trying to concentrate on her search. Gibb's phone rang, bringing Brynn's eyes up again. Right as he answered it, he finally looked at her. His face was completely expressionless. Brynn was used to it. That was his work face. It didn't mean anything. He blinked and snapped his phone shut before heading to Abby's lab. Brynn's eyes went back to the computer. She sighed and squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them, a shadow had moved in front of her. She looked up to find Mann staring down at her. Brynn tried her best to copy Gibbs' work face.
"Agent Sutter, correct?"
"Yes."
"I heard Gibbs call you Brynn. That's an unusual name." Brynn thought Hollis Mann was a pretty unusual name. But she decided to keep that to herself. Wait, when had Gibbs used her first name with Mann?
"It's a family name." Brynn finally said. For the first time that day, karma did Brynn a favor. The computer beeped, saving her from further small talk. "About time." She muttered before transferring her results to the plasma.
The rest of the morning, Brynn found herself using any excuse she could find to stay away from Mann and Gibbs. She ran back and forth from the evidence garage, to autopsy, to Abby's lab, and anywhere else she could, just to escape. She could see Gibbs was getting upset by this. He didn't want to be left alone with Mann, but everywhere he went, Mann followed. There was no way she could keep it professional with Mann constantly stuck to Gibbs. She knew her temper would get the best of her, so she decided not to tempt fate. She hated the fact that all this was driving Gibbs just as crazy as it was her. But it was better for both of them and the sake of their jobs.
In the middle of everything, she was coming out of the conference room where she had been babysitting a witness. She didn't mean to slam the door. It had just happened. She looked up to see a confused looking Vance standing just in front of a very annoyed looking Gibbs. Mann was once again right beside him. They had all been on their way into the conference room when Brynn came storming out.
"Is there a problem you'd like to discuss, Agent Sutter?" Gibbs asked impatiently. He was clearly getting tired of her behavior.
"No sir, no problem at all." Gibbs' eyes hardened at her blatant lie. Mann just stood there, fully aware that she was missing something but not sure what.
"Yeah, I hate it when doors piss me off too." Vance smirked and moved past Brynn. Mann quickly followed him. Not wanting to be left alone in the hall with Gibbs, Brynn scurried away.
Gibbs knew Brynn was avoiding him. Which only made him more determined to catch up to her. He kept popping up everywhere she went! And Mann was never far behind him. Finally, a little after 1300 hrs, Gibbs sent Nikki and Ziva to pick up lunch for everyone. Mann was sitting at Gibbs' desk looking over some files. Gibbs was standing at the plasma watching a video feed. Brynn did her best ninja vanish (which Gibbs totally saw) and ran down to Abby's lab.
Once in the lab, Brynn checked to make sure she hadn't been followed. Abby was alone in the lab with her music blaring. Gibbs was used to Abby's music but still found it unnerving sometimes. Brynn always found Abby's electronic beats soothing. And she needed to be soothed right now.
"Hey Brynnie!" Abby squealed as soon as she came into view. Abby and Tim had both taken to using Tony's nickname for her. Sometimes Tony changed it up and called her Brownie, Beanie baby, or Brynnie the Poo. Brynn didn't mind. "Come to escape the dreaded triangle again?"
"Yeah." Brynn sighed and stuck her thumbs into the side pockets of her slacks while she shifted her weight to her right foot. This was how she usually stood and it drove Gibbs crazy. He would constantly come up behind her and tickle the small of her back. It would cause her to straighten up and correct her posture. Damn Marine. Brynn sighed again. "Do you know what's more annoying than being forced to share company with your boyfriend's ex?"
"What?" Abby circled around in her chair.
"Not a whole lot." Brynn tried to crack a grin but it came out a sneer.
"Oh, poor thing." Abby got up and bear hugged Brynn. "Don't worry, it won't be much longer." Abby moved back and smiled. "I have results!" Abby clapped her hands together. Brynn immediately twisted around and swiveled her head side to side. "What's wrong?"
"You have results." Brynn was still searching around. "That means Gibbs is on his way here." Brynn was seriously considering ducking behind one of the lab tables.
"Well, he has been more distracted than usual today. I think his game might be a little off."
"I don't think Gibbs' game knows how to be off." Brynn heard the elevator ding and squeaked. "I have to get out of here!"
"Quick! There's a back way out of my office!" Brynn ran for the door. Just as she opened the door and put one foot out into the hall she bumped into something hard.
"Hi." She didn't have to look up to know who's chest she had just collided with. When she finally did look up, those blue eyes sent a shiver up her spine. Busted. She was in trouble now.
"Um, hello." She answered swallowing. She knew how childish this was. But she couldn't make herself care. "Is lunch here?" Gibbs let out a loud breath.
"Yeah." He stepped forward, forcing Brynn to step back into Abby's office. "Any reason you're using this door?" He cocked his head to the side.
"Yes, there's a reason."
"And?"
"I'm avoiding you."
"I gathered."
"It's for the best."
"I disagree." He took another step. Now she was trapped between him and Abby's desk. He leaned forward until his lips were right next to her ear. "She's someone from my past. She doesn't even compare to you." He straightened back up.
"I'm not jealous of her." Brynn crossed her arms. Gibbs raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Why would I be? It's not like she hasn't found every little excuse to touch you or hang on your every word since she got here. Not to mention all the… Leaning." Gibbs' smirk widened into a grin. "Okay fine, I'm jealous. Sue me!"
"Why are you taking it out on me?"
"I'm not! I've been trying to stay away from you so I don't take it out on you. I'm not exactly known for keeping my feelings to myself anymore. I can't risk anyone seeing me lose it. That woman infuriates me." Gibbs nodded. She had a point. Ever since her brother had been put in jail, a whole new Brynn had come out. She was more confident and outspoken than ever. Gibbs liked the change. Watching Brynn's temper scare the hell out of people was very entertaining. But it would do no good for her to publicly lose it over Hollis Mann.
"Okay, but next time you need to avoid me, could you warn me? I've been chasing you all over the place trying to figure out why you're mad at me." She was about to apologize, but stopped herself.
"Okay, I promise."
"You know…" He said thoughtfully. "This whole possessive thing is kinda sexy." He leaned forward again. "Now, go get something to eat."
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Tim had that outer space look in his eyes. It was that gooey far off look he always got after making love to Tony. They were still lying on the ground in the middle of the woods. Tony had no idea how long they had stayed there, just kissing after they had finished their final throws of passion and re-dressed themselves. The grumbling in his stomach told him it had been at least a few hours. His own stomach was easy enough to ignore, but when he heard Tim's stomach growl, he decided it was time to head back. Tim could get grouchy when he was hungry.
"Come on Timmy, time to go bye-bye now." Tim didn't mind when Tony baby-talked him, but he still shot him a glare. Tim groaned when he stood and stretched. He deliberated putting his jacket back on, or just carrying it. It needed to be washed… He carried it.
It took a while to figure out that they were lost. First, Tim was convinced that the trail was east of them. But when they ended up right back where they started, Tony suggested going the opposite way. Again, they managed a perfect circle. Finally, Tony took out his knife and started marking trees.
"Son of a… We were just here!" Tony shouted when they came across an already marked tree. He blinked when something wet hit his face. "What the…" Another wet drop hit his cheek. And then another. He looked at Tim and saw the dread creeping across his face. "Great." More drops hit his face.
By the time they finally made it back to the cabin, it was near dark and they were both drenched. They walked in and Tony made a beeline for the fridge. He pulled out a bottle of water and started chugging it. By the time he turned back around, Tim had stripped down to nothing. Tony almost dropped the bottle. Tim started towards him and Tony got ready to grab him. But Tim slipped past him and went to the still open fridge. Tony blinked.
"Hey," he groaned at Tim.
"What? Tony, I'm starving." Tim bent down and rummaged through the fridge. Tony was so tempted to slap his ass. Well, two could play at this game. Tim finally turned, holding a Tupperware container full of tuna salad. He found a very naked Tony standing there smirking at him. "Not gonna work, too hungry." He shook his head and grabbed the loaf of bread off the counter.
"At least I got my wish." Tony shrugged and headed for the table where Tim was.
"What was that?" Tim asked while making himself a sandwich.
"I got to see you all wet and glistening." Tim promptly flung a spoonful of tuna salad at Tony's face. "I am gonna make you lick this off of me." Tony stepped towards Tim.
"And this would bother me, why?"
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That night, Brynn sat at Jethro's kitchen table with her laptop open, laughing at the email Tim had just sent her. She would have loved to see the look on Tony's face when he got tuna salad flung at him. Though she could do without them being naked. Why did Tim feel the need to give her those details? Jethro was in the kitchen putting away his coffee cup.
"What's so funny?" He called out to her.
"I really don't think you wanna know." She warned.
"I will take your word for it." Brynn laughed louder. Jethro came out and stood in the archway separating the kitchen from the dining room.
"Good to see you're in a better mood." He did his sexy half-grin. Brynn closed her laptop.
"I thought you liked my possessive side." She stood and moved towards him.
"Not when I think your possessive side is pissed at me." He wrapped his arms around her little waist and pulled her in for a kiss. Just before he made contact she spoke up again.
"I wonder how you would react if I really was pissed at you…"
"I'm sure we'll find out in the near future. I am a selfish jackass, remember."
"Yes, but you're my selfish jackass."
"That's right." Finally, he got his kiss.
Brynn led him to the couch. She sat on his lap with her legs on either side of him. He groaned when she forced his hands away from her. It was a game she played. She would kiss him aggressively, but hold both his hands so he couldn't touch her. It drove him crazy but he still loved it. She started to grind her hips against him while still holding his hands away from her. She moaned into his mouth, making his tongue vibrate. It sent an electric current straight down his body into his already twitching erection.
"Need pants off, now." Jethro growled.
"Mine or yours?" She breathed into his ear.
"Both!" Jethro shook his hands out of her grip and went straight for her zipper. Before he had the chance to touch her, she jumped off of him. "What?" He sat there, confused.
"Someone just knocked." She spoke in a hushed tone. Jethro shook his head.
"What?"
"There is someone at your door." She pointed towards the door as if to emphasize what she said. Jethro's brows came together. He stood up and groaned. His hard on hadn't quite gone back down yet. Brynn stayed back while he answered the door. When she heard that familiar voice… That bitch!
"Jethro. Hi… Your door was locked."
"Yeah, I've been doing that lately."
"Are you gonna invite me in?"
"Sure."
What. The. Hell. Brynn stood there, unable to move or speak. He invited her in! She was wearing a dress and her long blond hair was down. Brynn looked down at her faded jeans with a hole in one knee and the simple long sleeved blue sweater that had seen brighter days. Her own hair was pinned up, out of her face, the way she preferred it. It was also then that Brynn realized she was wearing one white sock and one light blue sock. Oh, God, she wanted to run and hide.
"Oh," Mann finally saw Brynn standing there. Brynn's face came up. When her eyes met Mann's, a look of understanding came over the older woman's face. "I see." Mann turned back to Jethro. "You have company."
Brynn's face softened. She immediately felt bad for Mann. How awkward must she be feeling right now. Suddenly all of the jealousy and animosity seemed so silly to Brynn. She took a deep breath and stepped towards Mann.
"You know what… I'm gonna let you two talk." Jethro shot her a suspicious look. "I'll uh… I'll just go downstairs. You don't need me here making things… Weirder." Jethro's jaw dropped.
Brynn flashed one last grin at Jethro and headed to the basement. She found an old saw horse and sat on it, throwing a leg over either side. The big open space that was once taken up by a boat was now replaced by a large work table with various projects scattered here and there. Brynn sat there staring at a particular hunk of wood, trying absently to guess what it was shaped like. Her mind wandered for a bit and came to rest on what Jethro had shared with her, just a few weeks into their relationship.
She knew she could never replace Shannon. There was no way she'd ever try to either. And she knew Jethro liked children, but she couldn't bring herself to ask him if he wanted more after Kelly. Brynn was content to just be with him and not worry about a year from now, or ten years from now. That was what she loved the most about Jethro. He made her so happy to just be in the here and now. He told her early on that she made it possible for him to forgive himself. She had no idea what for, and was too afraid to ask. But she figured it had something to do with his family. Sometimes it worried him when she just accepted things with no questions asked. But like her, he didn't push.
She had no idea Jethro had joined her until she felt his arms wrap around her from behind. He scooted up until her back was against his chest.
"She's gone." He whispered in her ear.
"Is she okay?" Brynn sounded genuinely concerned.
"She just came to say goodbye. She's retiring and moving away." Jethro kissed her ear and nuzzled her neck. "Thank you." He mumbled between kisses.
"What did I do?"
"The same thing you've done every day for four months."
"Yeah?"
"This, right here. Putting up with me."
"Trust me, you put up with plenty yourself." He chuckled. His breath in her ear made her shiver.
She tilted her head to the side and closed her eyes when his lips touched her neck again. His hands rubbed up and down her thighs. She moaned and arched her back when he started nipping and sucking her neck. As a rule, he didn't mark her above the neck line. He was pretty good at not leaving marks at all. His right hand slipped under her sweater and tickled the area around her belly button. Her body convulsed as the teasing intensified. Jethro's other hand pulled at her zipper. Once her pants were undone, he pushed them down until she raised and wiggled out of them.
"You're wearing those black lacy panties…" His voice made her open her eyes.
"I thought about you all day. Wondering when you'd finally be able to see them. I wore them just for you." She smirked when she heard him growl. Her sweater was hastily pulled off of her. Jethro growled again when he saw the matching black lacy bra. His arms wrapped around her again and he bit down on her shoulder where he knew she liked it. She cried out and he bit harder. "Jethro…" Her mind vaguely registered the fact that one of his hands was making it's way down.
"You're so wet." Brynn went cross-eyed and her head fell back. His calloused fingers dug into her flesh. Her hips bucked uncontrollably as the sensations flooded through her body. She could feel his erection bumping against her.
"Stop!" She cried out. Jethro instantly withdrew his hand. She turned around so she was facing him. He looked at her feeling confused, but said nothing. When she started to pull his shirt off of him, he grinned. He stood and pulled his pants off, but left his boxers on. That saw horse was wooden after all. He sat back down facing her and pulled her against him. He kissed her deeply. His tongue explored all the familiar territory. She sucked his tongue into her mouth and moaned. Jethro nearly lost it right there. His hand went back into her panties and found that spot that drove her wild. She pulled back from his lips and licked her palm slowly. Jethro's eyes widened when that same hand disappeared inside his boxers. Her other hand grabbed his neck and pulled him in for more kissing.
He had no idea how she could concentrate on sucking on his tongue and keep a rhythm on his hard on at the same time. He could barely make his own hand move in the right motions. He thought for sure he had messed up when she pulled away from him again. She pulled his hand out of her panties. Jethro's entire body went rigid when she licked his fingers. She still had a hand wrapped around his erection. She carefully scooted back, creating some distance between them. He was about to ask her what she was doing, but then she began to lower her body down.
She pulled his hard on out of his boxers and got low enough to kiss it. Of all the things they had done together, Jethro had never asked her to go down on him. His mind reeled when her lips connected with his head. She licked the shaft all around and Jethro nearly fell over. He reached out and held onto the table with one hand. His other hand got lost in Brynn's hair. His moans were deep and loud when she swallowed him. Her hesitation told him she hadn't done this very much, if at all. But damn, this felt so good!
"Oh God, Brynn." he was surprised he could even speak. But he wanted her to know how good this was for him. "That feels… Amazing. Oh, yeah." His encouragement made her go faster. She steadied herself with one hand and the other gently gripped Jethro's balls. "Oh yeah. Oh, that's so good." Jethro's vision went blurry when she started humming. "Oh my god!" Her pace quickened every time he groaned. Words were beyond him now. The saw horse rocked beneath him. She started sucking hard and Jethro lost himself. When her head came back up she had a lazy smile on her face.
"Was it… Good?" She asked, breathless. "Never… Done it." He pulled her toward him. She hugged him and nuzzled his chest, wrapping her legs around him.
"That was…" He was just as out of breath as she was. "That was so…"
"I only need one adjective. Just one." She giggled.
"I can't think of one good enough."
"Let me know when you can walk again." She purred in his ear.
"Why, we going somewhere?" He still felt dizzy.
"Up to bed… To finish." Jethro jumped off the saw horse and pulled Brynn up.
"Okay, I can walk now."
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
"You've been a bad boy Timmy." Tony whispered into Tim's ear. "Do you know what happens to bad little boys?"
It was Saturday night and Tim had finally gotten Tony back out of the cabin. They had walked down to the lake and laid out on the small dock to relax and look at the stars. This time, Tony had remembered a blanket. Tim had come up with the bright idea to give Tony a back massage. It hadn't taken Tim very long to get bored and start teasing Tony. Tony was laying shirtless on his stomach with Tim sitting on his butt. Tim stopped massaging him and put a hand on either side of Tony's shoulders. Then he bent down and started gently biting the back of Tony's neck. At first Tony had just moaned. That got Tim more excited and he bit harder, moving up and down Tony's shoulders and neck. Without warning, Tony bucked Tim off of him. Before Tim could fight, Tony had him pinned under him. Tim shuddered when Tony whispered in his ear.
"I'm gonna show you what happens to bad little boys." The evil glint in Tony's eyes gave Tim a pretty good idea what was in store.
He leaned his head back and waited. "Nuh uh." Tim looked back up. "I want you to watch me." Tim's face went red. He followed Tony's movements with wide eyes. The light from the moon offered just enough light that he could see the smirk on Tony's face. "Watch me Timmy. Watch me suck you." Tim propped himself up on his elbows and felt his zipper being tugged. The muggy night air was already making him sweat. Tony slowly pulled his shorts and boxers off. Tim was already hard. "Are you ready Timmy?" Tim could only grunt. "I need you to say it."
"Yes." He choked out.
"What was that? I didn't hear you."
"Yes, Tony, I'm ready!" His voice was desperate.
"Ready for what? Tell me."
"Oh gah," Tony hadn't even touched him yet and Tim was ready to lose it. How did Tony do that? "I'm ready for you to…" He had to remember to breath.
"To what Timmy?" He felt Tony's breath on the tip his head. His erection twitched at the sensation.
"Suck me!" Tim nearly shouted. Tony just chuckled, still not touching him, but breathing hard on his erection. "God, Tony, suck on me please!" Tony leaned down until he was almost kissing Tim's erection. At the last second, Tony sat back up. Tim whimpered.
"I don't remember how." Tony smiled. "I need you to show me."
It took Tim only three seconds to get Tony on his back. Tim yanked off Tony's shorts and boxers. When Tim looked up at him, Tony was still smiling.
"Watch me." Tim said Tony's words back at him. He grabbed Tony's hard on and squeezed the bottom of the shaft. Tim's tongue flicked over Tony's head causing Tony's breath to quicken audibly. Tim licked him up and down, getting every inch of him wet. Then he swallowed him whole. Tim braced his hands on Tony's taught thighs and moved his head up and down.
"Uhhhg, ngh, Timmy." All Tony could see what the outline of Tim's head bobbing up and down. He felt his body sway back and forth in rhythm with Tim's movements. Tony fell onto his back. Tim abruptly came up. "Hey!" Tony protested.
"You're supposed to be watching me." Tim's serious tone brought Tony back up. He planted his palms on the dock to keep him sitting up. Tim smirked and resumed the slow torture.
"Please, Timmy, faster." Tim happily complied. "Ah, yeah." He could feel a hand gently squeezing his balls. "Oh Tim, I'm gonna…" Tim stopped moving up and down. He grabbed the bottom of Tony's shaft and started pumping him. He sucked the tip of Tony's head until he felt the warm squirts shoot into his mouth. He kept sucking until Tony had to shove him away.
"Is that what happens to bad little boys?" Tim said, still smirking. All Tony could do was glare.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
"I'm having another one of those popcorn bag moments." Brynn said quietly to Ziva as they stood in the observation room. On the other side of the glass Gibbs was angrily slamming his palms down on the table. Normally seeing someone lose their temper made Brynn feel like she was backed into a corner with no hope of escape. But watching Gibbs with that intense glare and hearing him raise his voice… Brynn was getting kinda horny. It was so embarrassing to feel like that in this particular situation. She knew the world could see the blush covering her face and neck.
"Oh, he is just warming up." Ziva whispered back. Brynn took her eyes off Gibbs just long enough to smile at Ziva. When she turned her eyes back to the two men in front of her, Gibbs stood up from his chair. He circled around to stand behind the dirt bag that they knew was the killer. He slammed a picture down on the table. Brynn could see that it was one of the shots she had taken of the trophies on the mantle. She felt particularly proud of finding the murder weapon when no one else did. Gibbs had even praised her for it. She was pretty sure he had only done it for… Obvious reasons, but it still felt good.
"Is this getting you excited?" Ziva's sudden question made Brynn jump.
"Why do you ask that?" Had she given herself away that easily?
"You keep licking your lips. Most people do that when they get… Excited." Brynn felt her blush deepen.
"A little." She admitted.
"There is nothing wrong with that." Ziva grinned. They heard the door to interrogation open. Brynn looked up in time to see Gibbs walk out.
An hour later, back at the bullpen it was wrap up time. Final reports were being typed. Coffee was being chugged. And a little demon that had embedded itself in Brynn was starting to mess with her concentration. At least once every two or three minutes, Brynn's eyes looked up and searched for Gibbs. She couldn't help herself. She was still feeling the excitement from earlier. She typed as fast as she could make her fingers work. Gibbs was sitting at his desk with those adorable glasses on, reading a file. It seemed like every time Brynn's eyes came up, Gibbs could feel it. His own eyes would flicker up and Brynn would blush and look away. The first few times, Gibbs just grinned and went back to reading. But after a while, his eyes stayed on her as if trying to figure something out. Her hands became shaky and she kept having to correct her spelling as she typed. Could he see how he was effecting her? Was he annoyed? Or was he just as horny as she felt?
Finally, Brynn was done and printing out her reports. When she got up to go towards the printer, she could feel Gibbs staring at her. A playful feeling came over her and she made sure that when she bent over to retrieve her papers, she gave him a good view. She heard him cough, then clear his throat. Oh yeah, he liked it. But when she turned around to smirk at him, his eyes had already gone back down to the file in his hands. Well, damn!
She set the report on his desk without looking at him and went to pick up her things. It was then that she remembered that her purse was still down in the Cyber Crimes office. Sighing audibly, she headed for the elevator that would take her down there. Brynn always hated the fact that you had to take one elevator down the lab and sub basement, but another elevator to go down to the lobby that led out of the building. But she knew it was for security reasons. Once downstairs, she grabbed her purse and went back to the elevator to go back up. The doors opened and without even thinking, Brynn rushed across the squad room. She didn't look up to see that Ziva and Nikki had already left. When she heard Gibbs clear his throat just as she passed by, she stopped. Turning around, she saw that he was the only other person there.
"You just gonna leave without saying goodnight?"
"Sorry, I didn't realize I was in a hurry." Gibbs' eyebrows went up. "I mean, I'm in a hurry, but I'm not. I mean, I'm hurrying, but I'm not in a hurry." She paused for air. "I'm confused."
"That makes two of us." He said smiling. "Go home, Brynn. Get some sleep."
"Yeah that's not gonna happen." She muttered as she turned.
"What?" She stopped and whipped around.
"Huh?"
"You said something." He took off his glasses and let them drop to his desk.
"When?" God in heaven, she needed to get out of there!
"Just now. You said something." Her breath stopped when she saw him push back his chair and stand. "I wanna know what you said." He circled around his desk and stood in front of her.
"I said, that's not gonna happen." She blurted out the confession and felt her skin tingle.
"What, sleep?" He stepped forward, now only a few feet from her. She nodded. "Why not?" Brynn looked around the room to make sure they were alone.
"I uh…" She swallowed. "I'm too…" He crossed his arms. Clearly he wasn't going to move until he got his answer. "I'm too horny." She immediately looked away. The blush came back in full force and she felt so stupid. "Watching you in interrogation earlier… It got me excited." She could barely make herself say that last word. She thought for sure that he was going to make fun of her. But when she finally looked back at him, he wasn't smiling at all. "Oh God, are you mad at me?"
"No." His voice came out soft. He closed the distance between them and put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm a little surprised." He grinned. "I'm relieved that this was what you've been so anxious about all night. I thought you were upset about the case." He leaned in and whispered. "But if you need help getting to sleep tonight, I'll be more than happy to come by your apartment as soon as I'm done here." When he pulled back, a smile had spread across her face.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
Tony stepped out of the elevator Monday morning with the usual cocky grin on his face. He passed Ziva on the way to his own desk and said good morning before he sat down. Gibbs said nothing as he passed them by and went to his own desk. No one but his team could see it, but Gibbs was actually in a good mood. Only a few minutes passed before McGee showed up with four coffees. As he set one on each desk he smiled at all of his team members, saving Tony for last. They settled in to their morning routines of checking messages and reviewing notes from the previous day. No one looked up when the elevator dinged. If they had, they'd have seen a very distraught looking Brynn heading for MTAC.
"So, did you two have a good weekend?" Ziva asked after Gibbs had left in search of more coffee.
"It was amazing!" Tony exclaimed. "We got in tune with nature." Ziva's eyes widened and her lips curved into a smile.
"Really?" She said looking at a blushing McGee. "I would ask you to elaborate, but I do not think I want to picture this before lunch."
Tony was about to spout off a smart remark but stopped suddenly. Ziva and McGee both turned to see what he was frowning at.
"What's Brynnie doing in MTAC?" Tony asked what they were all thinking. Brynn had just come out of MTAC with Vance. They were both too engaged in their conversation to realize they were being stared at. They went straight into Vance's office.
"Did she look upset to you?" Ziva asked. They were all still staring at Vance's office door.
"Yeah, but the toothpick man has that affect on people." Tony sneered.
"Whatever it is… If it has Brynn that upset, I doubt Gibbs will be too happy about it." Just as he spoke Gibbs' name, McGee felt eyes on his back. Tony and Ziva turned and visibly tensed. "He's behind me isn't he."
"Yeah, I am." Gibbs smirked. You would think they would learn by now…
"Boss," McGee twisted around. "Something is wrong with Brynn."
"I kinda figured that, McGee."
"She was in MTAC, but we don't know why." Tony jumped in.
"Now she and Vance are in his office." Ziva added. Gibbs rolled his eyes and went back to his desk.
For another twenty minutes team Gibbs sat at their desks, each of them shooting glances at the stairs leading to Vance's office. Finally Brynn came down, purposely not looking towards the bullpen. She hurried to the elevator that would take her to the sub-basement where her desk was. She shakily pushed the button and hooked her thumbs in her pockets. When she finally heard the elevator ding she dared a glance behind her. No one on team Gibbs had moved from their seats, but they were all staring at her. Ziva and Tony looked curious and confused. Tim looked worried. Gibbs' face was almost unreadable, but his eyes demanded answers from her. She ducked into the elevator and stabbed her finger at the down button.
Brynn did not reappear for lunch. Gibbs was tempted to go find her, but Vance had come down and announced that they had just caught a new lead on an old case. Their old colleague, Stan Burley, was on his way in to offer help on a drug trafficking ring they had been trying to bring down for months. Vance had explained that he'd had the Cyber Crimes office tracking encrypted emails and Instant Message chatter. Tony and Tim shared a look when Vance had said this. It explained why Brynn had been in MTAC. But not why she had looked so upset. One look at Gibbs told the team that he was thinking the same thing.
After the meeting the team broke for a quick lunch. They had just returned to their desks, minus Gibbs, when Brynn showed up again. She had come out of the elevator carrying a small stack of folders. She had her head down. Heading for the stairs to MTAC, she finally looked up. Tim, Tony, and Ziva were all watching her. Brynn's eyes looked past the three and widened in horror. She stopped in her tracks and ducked down behind the divider that separated the bullpen from the rest of the office. All three members of team Gibbs turned and saw Gibbs exiting the elevator with Stan Burley. All three heads whipped back around looking for Brynn. She was still out of sight.
"Hey!" Stan walked over to the team. "Long time no see." He smiled good naturedly. Gibbs' eyes narrowed at his team. He knew something was off. Everyone greeted Stan like nothing was wrong.
"Stan, what do you say we get some coffee." Gibbs led Stan to the break room. He shot a glare at his team before they left.
Ziva, Tim, and Tony all circled around to where they had seen Brynn duck. She was still squatting down behind the divider, holding her folders. The look on her face said she knew she had been busted.
"Lucy," Tony did his best Ricky Ricardo impression. "You have some explaining to do." He reached down and helped her up.
"No, I don't. These are for Gibbs." She shoved the folders into Tony's hand and quickly rushed back to the elevator. By the time Gibbs and Stan got back to the bullpen, the team had all gone back to their desks.
"Boss," Tony spoke up. "Uh, Brynn brought those up." He pointed to the folders on Gibbs' desk. Gibbs settled into his chair and took the top folder.
"Brynn?" Stan asked. He was sitting on the edge of Ziva's desk, facing Tony.
"Yes, she works in Cyber Crimes." Ziva said. Stan smiled and let out a small chuckle.
"Her last name wouldn't happen to be Sutter would it?" This tore Gibbs' attention away from the folder.
"Yeah," Tony answered. "You know her?"
"Yeah. It's been years though." His smile grew.
"How exactly do you know her?" Tim asked nervously.
"We used to date." Three pairs of very worried eyes all shot to Gibbs. Gibbs' face remained blank. "Man, I wonder if she's still single…"
"She's not!" Ziva, Tim, and Tony all said at the same time. Stan jumped and stood up.
"Okay," Stan held up his hands. "I get it, off limits." He laughed again. "I guess this new guy is the jealous type."
"Yes, very!" Ziva nodded while she spoke. "And very deadly. He will snap you like a twig if you touch his woman." Gibbs sent Ziva a raised eyebrow.
"Well, if he's that bad, maybe I should have a talk with her…" Stan frowned and made to turn to the elevator. "She is still my friend."
"Stan." Gibbs' voice made Stan turn back around. Gibbs just looked at him. Stan's eyes narrowed in confusion. Gibbs continued to stare him down. Finally, Stan's eyebrows went up.
"You?" He asked. Gibbs nodded and smiled. "Wow, Boss… Okay." Stan's smile returned. "Nice going. She's great."
"I know." Gibbs grinned and went back to reading. Three sighs of relief filled the bullpen.
"So I guess you know why I'm here." Stan asked in a slightly cautious tone of voice. His eyes were still on Gibbs.
"Why?" Gibbs' grin slowly faded.
"If she's the cryptographer that Vance was talking about earlier… She's about to head to Paris." Stan paused and braced himself. "With me." Gibbs got up and went straight to Vance's office. Tony turned to Stan.
"If it had been anyone but you…" Tony said grinning.
"Yeah, I know. That guy would be dead." Stan laughed.
"You might still be…" McGee said from behind his computer.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
Brynn was absolutely furious. She had been working this case from the Navy yard for months. A drug trafficking ring was using cryptic messages on the internet to communicate with buyers. Brynn had been called in to decipher the mess. So far they had traced the source to Europe. Now Vance wanted her to go all the way to Paris! Sure it would be easier to just send her rather than read in a whole new person, but damn! Did it have to be her ex who escorted her? She had even broken down and explained to Vance why she felt so uncomfortable with the situation. It had ended mutually between her and Stan, but her relationship with Gibbs was still in it's starter phase. She desperately didn't want to give him an excuse to leave her. They were both still dealing with insecurities. But Vance had not been swayed from his decision. Damn toothpick man!
"Hey."
"Ah!" Brynn jumped and shouted. She had been so wrapped up in her own anger that she never noticed Gibbs walk up behind her. Grabbing her chest, she took a deep breath. "You scared the hell outta me!"
"I noticed." He stood there with an amused grin on his face. "Can we talk?"
"Um, okay, but I…" The look on Gibbs' face made her stop. She looked around the basement. Three other computer techs were staring at them. "Elevator?" Gibbs nodded led the way. Once inside, Gibbs flicked the switch and the lights dimmed.
"I know." He stood only inches from her. "I know about you and Stan." Brynn squeezed her eyes shut. "I know that he's here to take you to Paris." Her eyes opened but she looked down. "And I know you might be gone… A while."
"I tried to fight it, but Vance-"
"Yeah, I know that part too."
"Is there anything you don't know?"
"I'm not entirely sure why you're so worried. But I have an idea…" He reached out and gently gripped her hands. "You think I'm finally gonna lose my temper cause you have to go to Paris with someone you have a past with."
"So there isn't anything you don't know." Gibbs smiled at her sarcastic tone. "I can't help it. I'm still getting used to having a boyfriend who isn't psycho possessive."
"Oh, I am." He leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I'm just better at hiding it."
"I love you, Jethro." She felt like she needed to reassure him.
"I know that too." She finally smiled back at him. "And I love you." They kissed again and all her fears melted away. When Gibbs finally pulled back he just stood there, looking into her eyes.
"I have to leave today. Flight's out in two hours." She sighed. "I have to go home and pack."
"I'll drive you." He leaned down and kissed her lips softly one more time. Then he reached out and flipped the elevator switch.
Two months. It had been two solid months. Sixty-one whole days to be exact. Gibbs was down in his basement working away on a homecoming present for Brynn when he realized how long it had been. He hadn't seen her for two months. The thought made him want to laugh and hit something at the same time. He was getting testy from being without his coffee mistress for so long. But the fact that he had actually calculated the time struck him as slightly amusing. Usually, his days mulled over into each other. He didn't judge time so much by hours and days. It really depended on when he slept. If he had just woken up, his day had started, even if it was three in the morning. When he went to sleep, it was the end of his day. But since Brynn had left, he found himself counting the days.
Brynn had tried, at first, to call or text him at least once a day. Sometimes it was just to say goodnight after a long day. But after a few weeks, the calls became less frequent, and a lot shorter. Gibbs knew this was because they were closing in on the drug ring. Brynn had been working all kinds of weird hours and by the time she would get a chance to call, Gibbs was already in the middle of his work day. The last conversation he had with her that lasted longer than five minutes was two days ago. Gibbs had been at a crime scene when his phone buzzed. At first Brynn had just asked about his day. He left out the fact that he was busy. She'd want to hang up if she thought she was interfering with work. Halfway into the conversation, she had complained about her nerves being fried and her stomach being constantly queasy. Gibbs had told her to see a doctor but Brynn had gotten stubborn about it.
"Jethro, in my family people don't go to the hospital unless they are bleeding to death. And even then, it's iffy." She had said. He could hear the exhaustion in her voice.
"Well, if you're getting sick, you should get checked out." He used his 'boss' voice on her.
"Okay, okay." She surrendered. "I'll go first thing in the morning."
"Promise?"
"You don't trust my word?"
"Of course I do. And I'll trust the word of the director over there when I call in the morning and make sure you went to a doctor."
"Oh my God, you would do that, wouldn't you."
"Yup."
"Oye, you win."
"I usually do."
"Oh, good news time!" Her voice brightened. "I might get to come home soon."
"How soon?"
"Possibly days, maybe another week. They are being secretive here. It's kinda creepy."
"I can't wait to see you." By this time Gibbs was being summoned back to the crime scene. "I gotta go."
"You should have told me you were busy!" She chided.
"Never too busy for you. I love you."
"I love you. Bye." Gibbs snapped his phone shut and walked over to Ducky. No one said a word about the huge grin on Gibbs' face.
Now, down in his basement he lovingly ran his hand across the length of wood he had just spent all night sanding to perfection. His gift was almost finished. Just another few hours and it would be ready. Gibbs smiled at the thought of her seeing it.
One of the few personal items Brynn always carried with her was a picture of her as a little girl sitting on a porch swing with her grandfather. Her mother's father had been her closest relative until he died when she was twelve. He was an old Navy vet who had served on a submarine. He used to sit on that old porch swing with Brynn and tell her stories. Talking about her grandfather had always brought a smile to Brynn's face. Gibbs only hoped that the new porch swing he was building would bring that smile out of her, not just make her cry.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
Brynn was a complete nervous wreck. When she told Gibbs that she would be coming home soon, she had been mistaken. It had taken another two weeks before she was finally allowed to leave. Since that last conversation, she had barely had contact with anyone in D.C. except to send Vance her daily email updates. Her plane had landed at four a.m. on Monday and by noon she had been called in to deliver her final report to Vance. It was technically supposed to be her day off, so she had dressed in casual kakis and a white long sleeved pullover. When she stepped off the elevator she swallowed hard. Her eyes immediately went to Gibbs' desk. He wasn't there, but the rest of his team were all standing in front of the plasma. Tim spotted her and waved. She waved back then pointed upstairs to tell him she was in a hurry. Without looking back, she rushed up the steps.
By the time she had come back down, the plan was to get the hell out of there. But as soon as she hit the last step she heard Tony call her name. Her eyes came up. Gibbs was sitting at his desk with the phone to his ear. His eyes popped wider and he straightened when he saw her.
"Hey." She said softly as she passed Gibbs. He smiled and nodded at her before returning to his phone conversation.
"Hey there Brynnie the Poo." Tony wrapped a friendly hug around Brynn.
"Hello Tony the Tiger." Brynn smiled when he pulled back. "How's the world?"
"Haven't you heard? We've discovered that it's round, not flat."
"Oh my God, no way!" Brynn was so glad Tony was there to joke with her. It helped her hide how nervous she really was.
"Speaking of round…" Tony stepped back and looked Brynn up and down. "Did you put on some curves?"
"Did you just call me fat?" She put her hands on her hips and mocked being angry. But Gibbs could see how Tony's comment had put her on edge.
"Well, you were so skinny before that putting on a little weight still wouldn't make you the least bit chubby. But you look more… Filled out." Brynn quirked an eyebrow. "It looks good on you. I am not kidding. You actually look healthier." Gibbs found himself silently agreeing.
"You totally did just call me fat."
"But in a totally good way!" He held up his hands. "I'm serious, you look great!"
"Uh huh." She rolled her eyes. Tony retreated to his desk. Brynn took one step toward the elevator when she heard Tim behind her.
"Hey Brynnie!" She twisted around in time to accept his hug. "It's good to have you back. People get grumpy without you here." He pulled back and smiled.
"You are a brave man, Timmy." Brynn smiled. Tim shot a look at Gibbs. He was still on the phone, but glaring at Tim.
"How was Paris?" Tim quickly asked. He took a second to get a good look at Brynn. " Wow, you look great." Brynn's smile disappeared. She turned to Gibbs just as he hung up his phone.
"I realize that the head-slap is kinda your thing, but do you mind if I borrow it just this once?"
"Go right ahead." Gibbs grinned as he spoke. Brynn turned back to Tim and swiftly brought her hand against the side of his head. Then she turned and went to the elevator.
"What did I do?" Tim asked, looking at Gibbs.
"You called her fat!" Tony said from his chair.
"I did what?" Gibbs got up from his desk. Before Tim had time to flinch he received yet another slap. "What was that for?"
"You called me grumpy." Gibbs pulled out his cell and headed for the elevator.
Brynn had barely made it out of the building when her phone rang. She sighed when she looked at the caller I.D. She was not ready for this conversation.
"Hello." She tried to sound calm.
"Are you gonna tell me what's wrong?" Gibbs' voice was low.
"How do you know something is wrong?"
"You squeeze your thumbs when you're nervous." She didn't respond. Damn his observational skills! "I'd like to know what's wrong."
"I just… I really don't want to do this over the phone. Can we talk tonight?"
"How bout now?" His voice did not come from her phone. She turned and found him standing three feet away from her. She shut her phone and shoved it into her pocket. She looked back up and sighed. "Want to sit down?" He pointed to a nearby bench. She just nodded and followed him. They sat and he waited for her to speak.
"I went to the doctor in Paris." She stared straight ahead, not looking at him.
"I know." He took one of her hands and held it. There were a few people milling around the entrance lawn but Gibbs ignored them.
"I wanted to make sure, so I went to another doctor as soon as I landed here this morning."
"Are you sick?" His voice sounded just a little shaky.
"It'll pass." She took a deep breath. "But…"
"How bad?"
"It depends on how you take it." She finally looked at him. She was on the verge of tears. "I'm pregnant."
The world seemed to slow down. Gibbs felt his gut clench and unclench several times. The word reverberated through his mind. Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant. She was pregnant. She was going to have a baby. She was going to have his baby. Baby. Baby. Baby.
"Jethro?" Gibbs snapped back to reality. He blinked several times. "Are you okay?"
Now he felt confused. She was pregnant and she wanted to know if he was okay.
"Yeah." His voice came out breathless.
"It's a lot to process. I know…" She tried to sooth a response out of him. "Are you… Angry?" He blinked again.
"No." He spoke softly, cupping his hands on her cheeks. "No, of course not." He felt a tear hit his finger. "Don't ever think that." He touched his forehead to hers. "You're right, it's just a lot to process." He pulled back and she swayed slightly. His hands dropped and he finally got a good look at the bags under her eyes. "When is the last time you slept?" His voice went from soft to chiding.
"I honestly can't remember. I couldn't even drive here. I took a cab."
"I'm driving you home. You are gonna get some sleep. And then we'll talk." He smiled and kissed her before helping her stand.
"And you're going to process?" She leaned against him as they walked. He wrapped one arm around her shoulder.
"Yeah."
"Are you… Are you going to tell everyone?"
"Do you not want me to? I think they are gonna notice eventually." He chuckled.
"I just didn't know if you'd want to keep it a secret. You're taking this way better than I expected." He stopped walking and pulled her to face him.
"I am not ashamed of anything. I'm honestly happy right now." He put a hand on her stomach. "And I'm proud to call this child mine. I've processed that much at least." He moved his hand from her stomach to the back of her neck. "And I love you. That's never gonna change."
"I just didn't know if you wanted more…" Now there were tears running down her cheeks. "I mean after… I don't wanna replace anyone." Gibbs reached up and wiped away her tears.
"You've never been a replacement. You're the newest good thing in my life. And since you came into my life you've just kept adding more good things. This baby is a good thing." He paused trying to find the right words. "I know I don't always say things out loud, but if you could read my mind, you'd know how happy I feel right now." She smiled and closed her eyes. "Now let me get you into a bed before you pass out." She opened her eyes and nodded.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
Abby felt like shouting. So far, Ziva, Tim, Tony, Ducky, and Palmer had all invaded her lab but no one would tell her why. Gibbs had called Tony and asked him to get everyone together. Tony figured if it was bad news, Abby's lab would be the best place to let it out away from prying ears.
"Maybe, she broke it off with Gibbs…" Ziva had her arms crossed while Abby paced in front of her.
"I don't think so, Ziva." Abby threw her arms up. "Brynnie loves Gibbs. She wouldn't do that. I mean, you should have seen the way she reacted when Mann was here."
"Yeah, if anyone, Brynn wouldn't be the one to end things." McGee sounded certain.
"Thanks a lot, McGee." Everyone turned to find Gibbs standing there grinning.
"Okay, Gibbs, give it to us straight." Abby demanded, still pacing.
"Well, I'm gonna be a father."
"Oh my gosh!… That's amazing!… Congrats, boss!… Wow!… That's wonderful, Jethro!… I am happy for you, Gibbs!…" Palmer just stood there looking shocked.
"Thanks guys." Gibbs grunted when Abby dive bomb-hugged him.
"Can I please throw her a shower?" Abby squealed.
"You're gonna have to ask her about that."
"Is it safe to throw a pregnant woman in a shower?" Ziva asked. Tony slapped his palm to his forehead.
NCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCISNCIS
"Why can't I look?" Brynn asked. It had only been eight hours since she had told him the baby news. He had showed up at her apartment and promptly asked her for a scarf. She was confused but went into her room and found an old blue scarf she hadn't worn in years. Gibbs took it and tied it around her face, covering her eyes. He then led her to his car and drove away from her building.
"Cause it's a surprise." He was now pulling her up and shutting the car door behind her. She let him lead her up a few steps and then they stopped. "Okay, now you can look." He pulled the scarf over her head. It was dark outside but the light from the porch was adequate enough that Brynn knew she was at Gibbs' house.
"You covered my face to show me your porch?" She looked at him and narrowed her eyes.
"No, I covered your face to show you this." He turned her around.
"Jethro…" Gibbs wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against him.
"Do you like it?" He whispered in her ear.
"It looks just like the one… Did you build it?"
"Yeah. I wanted you to have a welcome home gift. I tried to get it as close as I could to the swing in that picture you have. I made it a little bigger so you can stretch out on it and lay down."
"It's wonderful." She took a step towards it. Gibbs moved with her, not letting go of her waist. She twisted around in his arms. "Is it safe?"
"Oh yeah. I made McGee and DiNozzo come over and test it out." Brynn laughed and carefully sat down on the swing. Gibbs quickly joined her and wrapped his arms around her again. The swing rocked and the metal chain creaked. The sound took Brynn's mind back to happier times in her childhood.
"This is the best present ever." She let her head rest on Gibbs' shoulder.
"Like I said, it's a welcome home gift." He waited for a minute but she didn't respond. "This can be your home if you want." Now her head came up and she faced him.
"How long have you been waiting to tell me that?" Her face was for once, completely unreadable.
"Since your second week in Paris. Being without you that long made me realize that I never want to be away from you that long again. When it turned in to two months, I thought I'd go insane."
"So, before my news today?"
"Yes, before."
"You're ready for that? Cause I'm not pushing."
"Brynn," he held her face in his hands. "I love you. And I'll love you forever. But I've learned that some people don't get to have forever. Some people only get to have now…" He paused to kiss her lips. "I want to spend all of my now with you."
"I've never heard you talk like that."
"I may have practiced a little."
"Wow, I warranted a rehearsal. I feel special." She settled her head back on his shoulder.
"So is that a yes about moving in?"
"That would be a yes. Vance agreed to give me a week off. I don't go back in until next Monday."
"That should give me enough time. I've been meaning to do something with those other two rooms. Now I have a reason." Brynn was about to pop up again and protest, but Gibbs held her down. "Before you go off about not wanting to replace anything…" He pulled her face towards his. "This is going to be our home. That means we both get an equal share of it. And when this baby comes," He put a hand on her stomach. "It will need a room too."
"Jethro." He put a finger on her lips.
"There will be no arguing this. How many times do I have to remind you, when you are here, I'm the one who benefits. This is me being selfish, not you. I want you… Both of you, here with me." He quickly replaced his finger with his lips. When he pulled back, she was smiling.
"I was going to ask you something, not argue."
"Okay…"
"Can we visit your dad?" Gibbs had not been expecting that. He had introduced Brynn to his dad over the phone right before she had left for Paris. Jack could tell how serious his son was about this girl. But an in person meet had not come to Gibbs' mind. He hadn't been to Stillwater since a case took him there against his will. And he hadn't seen Jack since he visited last Christmas.
"Yeah, yeah, that'd be nice." Gibbs sounded like he might actually be talking to himself. "I can take you there Saturday. We can spend the night and drive back." They sat in silence for several minutes before Gibbs felt himself falling asleep. His head slumped down and lightly bumped Brynn. They both looked at each other and smiled. Too tired to make it up the stairs after their energy draining day, they just curled up on the couch. Just before sleep overpowered him he leaned over to Brynn and whispered in her ear. "By the way," She looked up at him with sleepy eyes. "Ziva and Abby want to know if they can throw you in a shower."
"What?"