A/N: Thank you so much for the very kind feedback! I've missed you guys and your encouragement - it means so much. Once again, your feedback has me adjusting my story so keep those comments coming. They help more than you know! Not sure what my posting schedule will be, but I'll aim for at least every other day if not every day. Also, a belated thanks to leebug1219 for her EMT help with the first chapter. Today's song inspiration was "Leather and Lace" by Stevie Nicks and Don Henley. Thought it was a good song for our couple. I'd post a lyric or two, but they all work.
***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***
Jenny exhausted herself crying and fell asleep almost the instant Gibbs helped her into bed. He placed Julia, asleep in her infant seat, next to her. He then slipped out of the room to check on the investigation.
Missy and her dad had given their statements, and the young girl was now asleep on the couch with a blanket over her.
Ryan saw Gibbs and approached him, careful not to wake his daughter as he stood up. "Do you mind if we stick around a while? She was exhausted after everything and I don't have the heart to wake her just yet."
"Stay as long as you need. How is she?" he asked, motioning to Missy.
"We'll see. The EMT told me to expect nightmares for a while. I'm just grateful everyone's okay. This could have ended so differently," he said, overwhelmed. "Cath - I mean… Jenny?" Gibbs nodded. "Jenny was incredible. Are you guys spies or something? Why the secret identity?"
"She was in witness protection. She saw Kort murder someone and testified against him. Last I heard he'd been found guilty but he obviously escaped." Gibbs saw the shock on his friend's face. "You and your daughter should never have been in danger. We feel horrible about that."
Ryan took a deep breath, his mind reeling from everything he was trying to process. "I realize there is a ton I don't know about Jenny but I do recognize how much she cares for my daughter. I know she never wanted this to happen."
Gibbs sighed, grateful for his friend's understanding. He excused himself from Ryan and walked over to Mary, who was speaking with an investigator.
"Gibbs, this is the local lead FBI agent - John Reynolds. He's in charge of the investigation and has been briefed by both myself and Fornell."
The two men shook hands. Gibbs sat with Agent Reynolds and gave his statement about the day's events as well as the entire case. By the time he was done answering all of his questions, Gibbs was exhausted. He walked over to Mary. "Are you okay? Did you take some food at least?"
"Oh yeah, I was all over that and made some coffee too. I also offered it to the agents."
Gibbs nodded. "Good. Thanks for taking lead on this. Neither of us have the energy."
Mary looked at him like he was crazy. "It also isn't your job. It's mine. You two are civilians in this. Go take care of Jenny and the munchkin. We have things handled. Though they will need to speak with her reasonably soon."
"I'll let her know." Gibbs slipped back into the room and found Jenny holding a sleeping Julia, caressing her cheeks. The beautiful sight made him smile.
Jenny glanced up and sighed. "You look exhausted. Why don't you take a turn napping, and I'll go out there and give my statement." He nodded. She carefully placed Julia back in the infant seat carrier, leaned over and kissed her head before she stood up and walked over to Jethro. "I love you so much. Sleep well," she said, caressing his face.
He wasn't about to let her go that quickly and drew her into a deep passionate kiss, running one hand through her hair and the other down her back to her ass. He then pulled away and crawled into bed. He took one last look at Jenny and saw her still in the same spot, her mouth open.
"Wow. I can't even imagine what that would have been like if you'd been fully awake. Wow." She snapped out of it, turned and headed out the door. He smiled to himself before drifting off.
Jenny was introduced to Agent Reynolds and the two sat down so she could give her statement. Since she was the only one who knew everything about what happened, it was a very long discussion. She took him through each step, showed him around the house and explained what happened in the past.
In the middle of it, Jenny heard crying coming from the guest room so she excused herself to prepare the bottle. She then slipped into the room to find Gibbs holding Julia, trying to comfort her. She handed him the bottle and watched for a few minutes as he fed her. There was little in this world Jenny loved more than watching Jethro with their daughter. She hated to leave but she returned to Agent Reynolds to finish giving her statement.
Afterwards, she joined Mary and Ryan for a bite to eat in the kitchen. Ryan updated her on Missy, who was still sleeping. During their discussion, Jenny's phone rang. It was Betsy, saying that Geep was out of surgery and expected to make a full recovery. Jenny gave her neighbor a heads-up that agents would be by at some point to get a statement and then wished them both well, giving her profuse thanks for all the couple did for her and her family, especially Julia.
Mary went to check in with Reynolds, leaving Ryan and Jenny alone. She glanced at him and saw he looked a bit uncomfortable. "I'm guessing you have a lot of questions."
He released a tiny, nervous laugh. "That's an understatement." He studied her face, trying to figure out where to begin. He took a deep breath, a bit nervous to find out the answers he sought. "Was anything, any of it, real?"
The look of betrayal in his eyes made Jenny's heart heavy. She reached out for his hand and squeezed it. "Please don't look at me that way. It was all real. At least the feelings. I had to use a different name because I was in hiding. And I'm not really a librarian by trade. I was - and now am again - the first female head of an armed federal agency for the government."
"That's a huge difference," he smiled.
She smiled back. "True. The only thing that was a lie was that I never thought Gibbs was dead. He was simply dead to me because I wasn't ever supposed to see him again. But everything else I ever told you… my miscarriage and never being able to tell him was all true. And the depression I had, leaving everything in my world behind - my job, my friends, my home, losing everything - that was painfully real."
Ryan tried to process everything she was saying, his heart going out to her. "Then that story about his ex-wife telling you he died…"
Jenny became sheepish. "OK, that wasn't true and stupid but I knew you'd ask and I had to think of something. Please forgive me."
"That was pretty stupid. But it seemed so far out, I figured it was too strange not to be true."
Jenny shrugged. "That's what I was going for."
He shook his head, trying not to laugh. "So you ran into Gibbs by accident?"
She nodded. "On that plane trip headed back here. I had always loved him but after I hurt him long ago, I never thought he'd give me another chance. But he was so grateful to see me alive, I think all that other stuff, everything that had kept us apart, melted away. He told me he loved me," she smiled, wistful at the memory. "I can't begin to tell you how that turned my world - our worlds - upside down. But I never wanted to hurt you."
He smiled, taking her in his arms for a brief hug. "Oh I got over that a long time ago, don't worry. And I really am so happy for you both. I'm proud to call you both my friends." He stepped back, looking at her with a mischievous grin. "So, does he work for you? He's not really a carpenter, is he?"
Jenny laughed. "He does work for me - best agent at NCIS. Taught me everything I know."
"And yet you're his boss?"
Jenny sighed. "A commonly asked question. Yes. I'm more political than he is. I smooth things over with politicians - he shoots them."
Ryan furrowed his brow. "I have hard time picturing him doing that."
"For some reason, I don't." Mary grabbed a carrot off the tray between them. "What'd I miss?"
"Nothing you didn't already know," shared Jenny, grabbing a carrot herself.
The doorbell rang. An agent who was standing by the door opened it to reveal the team.
Abby came through the door first and ran over to hug Jenny. "I'm so glad you're safe! I was totally scared when I heard. Where's my Gibbs? And I have to meet Julia - where is she?"
Ryan shot Mary a confused look. She laughed. "Don't ask."
Jenny smiled at the Goth's enthusiasm. She saw Tony, Ziva and McGee getting updated by Agent Reynolds while Ducky made his way over to her.
He drew her into a hug. "Ah, Jennifer, we're all so relieved that you and Jethro are safe."
Jenny hugged her dear friend back. "Thank you, Ducky. Abby, I will see about getting you what you asked for. I'll be right back. But first," she said, tossing a bottle of anti-bacterial gel to Abby, "please pass this around to anyone who wants to hold her." The Goth saluted Jenny and quickly put some on.
Mary introduced Ryan to Ducky and Abby while Jenny slipped into the guest room. Jethro was holding their daughter, who was losing her battle with the sandman.
"The team's here."
His eyes lit up. "Abby asking for us?"
She smiled. "Absolutely. Julia's fan base awaits." She walked over to her husband and slipped her arms around his waist. "But first, your fan base needs a kiss."
Gibbs smiled. He loved it when they were holding each other with the baby between them. He wished he could freeze the moment forever. But then again, the next one, kissing his wife - savoring her soft lips playing with his, deepening his kiss - was another great one. Actually, he was pretty sure each new moment was only going to get better and better. Jenny deserved that. So did their daughter. Maybe even he did too.
