AN: I have about two and a half chapters written, I'm aiming for five or six. I will post one chapter every week. Unless I get impatient and decide I want to post sooner, which is very likely to happen. Or I might get backlogged writing and take longer. But I will try. This is my first attempt at actually posting a story with proper chapters. I don't beg for reviews but I would appreciate them very much. If my story sucks I'd like to know. This story is slightly AU, as you will see. It takes place after Hollis leaves but Judgment Day will not be happening.

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS. I never have and I never will. I have written this purely for my own amusement and hopefully the amusement of others and will receive no monetary profit from it.

Too Much

"I know that was your blood, Jen! Something has to be wrong. Why won't you tell me what's going on?"

"It's none of your business, Jethro."

"And if you die? Is it my business then?"

"You don't care anyway, Special Agent Gibbs!" Jenny hollered at him. They were in her study ten loud minutes into a late-night visit, but she was angry enough to resort to the generally office-only name.

"Who's the one that immediately discarded any chance that we should care about each other?" Gibbs shot back.

"That would be you, Gibbs!" She shouted. Gibbs glared at her incredulously and screamed back.

"I said 'no off the job?" He questioned. Jenny, who had been preparing a yell a retort, suddenly fell silent. After a pause, she spoke softly.

"You... took that that seriously, Jethro?" He stared at her in disbelief.

"Well yeah, Jen, I did. You issued an ultimatum."

"Jethro, it was my first day as the first female director of an armed federal agency! We weren't exactly in a private room. You were a marine, you know how easily scuttlebutt gets started. I needed those people to respect me. What the hell kind of first impression do you think it make if I spent my first day flirting with my old flame and new employee? I had to keep a professional distance at first. My job means a lot to me, and I can't let anything jeopardize that, not even you." Now it was Gibbs' turn to be shocked into silence.

"It's not like you exactly told me that, Jen."

"It's not exactly like you were listening to me! I thought you were just bitter, you had plenty of reason to be." Gibbs started to object, but Jenny cut him off with a glare. "And don't you dare try to tell me how long ago that was. Don't forget that I know you and I know damn well how good you are at holding a grudge." Gibbs fell silent.

He didn't know what to say. Jenny had hidden her feelings for him because she thought he wanted that? Did he really react that badly? He was supposed to know her. How did he not realize what happened earlier? Maybe he really was bitter, since all he seemed to do anymore was blame Jenny.

Jenny made no move to fill the silence. This really was her fault. Why did she have to say that? Surely she could have said what she needed to without being so dismissive. She'd spent so much time lamenting Jethro's pride and her own stupid actions, but his pride wasn't part of it at all.

As each train of thoughts wound its way down the parallel tracks, Jenny and Gibbs both reached the same conclusion. A moment later, each realized that the other had reached that conclusion as well, and they leaned in to kiss. When they broke apart it was Jenny who spoke.

"Do you want to try this, Jethro?" He sighed heavily.

"Jenny... it's the middle of the night, we're both drunk, and we both have a lot on our minds. If we try to do this tonight, you know we're going to to something stupid."

Jenny nodded. They had learned from their past mistakes.

"I'm not rejecting you Jen, not at all. I just think maybe we need to... talk." Gibbs half expected Jenny to comment on how uncharacteristic that was, but she didn't.

"We've waited two years, Jethro. Almost three. Does it have to take any longer?"

"Jenny," he reminded her gently. She looked away.

"Come back tomorrow?" she pleaded.

"You can count on it, Jen. I'll be here." I'll be here. Those were the last words he said to her before he disappeared down the hall and into the night. She didn't follow.