A/N - thanks for the reviews. At this stage I feel as though I should point out that this isn't an entirely serious piece of fan fiction... I know you probably realise that but I just wanted to acknowledge that this might not be the most thoughtful, well observed character study I've ever come up with. And, while I am sure Jen wouldn't actually behave like this - I think she deserves to have a little fun - and torture a couple of people into the bargain.

Part 2

Later, Gibbs would wonder if what he'd said had provoked her somehow. He would ask himself if maybe he should have phrased his response a little more carefully, perhaps reminded her that she had been the one who had made the rules, who had asserted that there would be no outside the office between them. Maybe he should have checked that she hadn't changed her mind before being quite so dismissive.

But, he'd done none of those things and by the time he realised his mistake it was far too late and all hell had pretty much broken lose. Which was no doubt what she had intended.

The first indication he had that something was wrong was a couple of days later when he arrived in the bullpen to find all of his team, including Abby, pouring over a newspaper. "She looks amazing," Abby was saying.

"She does," DiNozzo's tone was dreamy – the one he usually reserved for discussing the covers of his magazines. And Ziva supplied the slap that Gibs would have delivered – had he been in range.

"Nobody got any work to do?" He rounded the corner, not missing their startled expressions as he appeared.

"Sorry boss man," Abby smiled, "we were just looking at the Director's picture." She shifted far enough for him to see what had been absorbing them and for a moment he froze, because the paper was open at a picture of Jen on the arm of a very prominent Senator – and she did look beautiful.

That was just the start – despite his dislike of politicians he would have been prepared to accept her dating one, wouldn't have been surprised at it anyway. But the Senator was gone in a fortnight and after him had come in quick succession, a well-known news anchor, a surgeon and an investment banker. She'd been through at least 4 men in the last 8 weeks. Currently the papers were reporting her romance with a well-known movie Director – who was apparently filming in DC and had met her at some benefit or other, but who knew how long that would last.

The press was extremely well informed about her movements – always seeming to find her leaving restaurants or functions. He thought it likely that she was tipping them off – though he'd yet to find any actual proof. In the meantime the whole agency, hell the whole of DC watched and waited. And he'd be lying if he said it wasn't starting to get to him.

He wasn't doing a great job of hiding his response from the team – every picture, every mention in the gossip columns just fuelled the fire and by now even DiNozzo had realised that drawing his attention to the press coverage was a very bad idea.

He couldn't stop thinking about it, couldn't stop thinking about the men, wondering what she was trying to prove – other than that she could have anyone she chose.

Of course he considered the fact that she was deliberately baiting him, trying to make him react. But she was staying out of his way, keeping the conversations they did have strictly professional and giving no indication that she cared what he thought about how she spent her free time. And he did care. He cared a lot – he just hadn't figured out what he was going to do about it.

"The blue or the black?" The voice of the Director of NCIS drifted across the office and the two women sitting at her desk, one in her chair the other perched on the desk itself exchanged looks.

"Black," Abby said decisively and Ziva David rolled her eyes at the predictable response.

"I like the blue," she offered.

"I thought you two wanted to help." Jen Shepard appeared in the doorway of her private bathroom wearing what Ziva knew to be very expensive underwear that had likely come all the way from Paris.

"We are helping," Abby said – shrugging in response to Jen's raised eyebrow, "sort of."

"It depends what effect you are trying to achieve," Ziva suggested, "the blue dress is subtle – but sexy. The black dress is…"

"Devastating," Abby put in. "Are you planning to be devastating, Director?"

"I haven't decided yet."

Ziva didn't know what was going on – although she had her suspicions. She was enjoying watching Tony drool, McGee blush and Gibbs hyperventilate over every picture, every mention in the gossip columns of their Director's assault on DC's most eligible men; knowing that they were all fascinated – in spite of themselves.

She was full of admiration for the way her former partner was playing this game, though she hoped that Jenny was going to stop before she actually gave Gibbs a heart attack. But until she called a halt, or until he decided to make a move Ziva was prepared to watch from the sidelines. It was an impressive display and, though she'd seen Jen at her most seductive when undercover missions had demanded it, she'd never seen her like this.

In fact, in all the years they'd known each other the older woman had been both discrete and selective in her sexual relationships. Ziva thought that she probably knew the reason for that – but it was an explanation she was keeping to herself.

She was a little surprised that Abby was joining in so readily, especially since Jen was set on torturing Gibbs – but she'd given up trying to figure out what went on in Abby's head.

The door banging open startled her, but not as much as the sight of the Director of NCIS undressed startled Gibbs. He came to a stop so fast that DiNozzo crashed into his back and Jen had whirled around and was out of sight before Tony had a chance to recognise what he'd just missed.

"Something I can help you with Agent Gibbs?" Her voice floated out from the bathroom and Ziva saw the muscle in his jaw clench at the amusement in her tone.

"Yeah – thought you might give me the rest of my team back?"

"Help yourself," she emerged fully dressed, though buttoning up her shirt. "I was just asking their opinion on my dress for tonight." She gestured to the door where both dresses were hanging.

"That important?"

Ziva stifled a smile as Jen didn't even bat an eye at his venomous tone. Abby had already vacated the chair and was hovering by the door, looking ready to bolt back to the relative safety of her lab and Tony still had a slightly glazed look in his eyes.

"Did you make a decision Director?" she enquired, pushing herself to her feet and not missing the amusement in the look Jen directed her way.

"I'm not sure, what do you think Agent Gibbs?" For a moment Ziva thought he actually considered answering her question. Certainly it seemed they all waited, to see what his response would be. His eyes certainly ran over both dresses and though you couldn't quite tell what they did for their owner by seeing them on the hanger, Ziva had a feeling that Gibbs would work it out.

"Neither," he said tersely – summoning his team with a quick gesture. None of them were brave enough to defy him.

He supposed it might serve him right for walking into her office without knocking – but that wasn't really helping him right now. The case might have been sufficient distraction – but they were in that awkward phase where they'd collected the evidence, conducted the interviews and were waiting for the forensics or the autopsy to give them something. Ducky had already sent him on his way once, Abby had told him as gently as she could that even genius took time – and, without either of them co-operating he was back at his desk trying not to think about the sight of Jen wearing not very much.

Trying and failing.

Pale skin that he'd once known every inch of, curves he'd worshipped, a body he'd been extremely possessive of. It turned out he still hated the way that other men looked at her - a piece of information she had been very aware of in the past and now might be exploiting. Although he still didn't entirely understand her motives – was not sure it was really about him.

If he'd been more certain he might have been prepared to do or say something – but the evidence was inconclusive. For all he knew she might have decided that she wanted a husband and was running through a list of likely candidates until she found what she was looking for. He sucked in a breath – not liking that thought at all.

It was Tony who caught the movement on the cat walk above them, whose low whistle of approval drew his attention. Even though he wasn't sure he wanted to look, somehow he couldn't stop himself. The dress was electric blue, swirling around her knees, moving with her body. It was elegant and sophisticated – something about its colour on her making her seem more distant, a little icier.

He knew very well that it was the sort of dress that could easily make a man curious about whether she was actually distant and icy, could persuade him to work hard to find out. He learnt long ago that in the right circumstances Jen was not remotely icy or distant and he cursed the knowledge even as he followed her progress to the lift and persuaded himself that going in there after her would be a very bad idea.

"Boss," the interruption was a welcome one and for a very brief moment McGee was his favourite person in the world, "Abby's found something."

TBC