The day has been awkward. Jenny was sitting on couch rocking Catherine to sleep and Gibbs was on the armchair watching TV. They hadn't changed a word since they arrived at the apartment last night. Jenny spent a lot time in the bedroom – Gibbs managed to see that she had a baby crib placed next to the bed. He figured it was here already, when he arrived a few days earlier.
There was many things he wanted to ask her, but somehow he just like lost his voice, when she was around. Now he just kept on looking at mother and daughter. The baby girl was sleeping peacefully in Jenny's arms and he thought that it was an amazing view.
Finally she took Catherine to the crib and returned to the living room. She caught Gibbs' look and knew that the talk had to come. They had to talk about their baby and the way their life was going to go, but he seemed not to care.
"You can ask you know," Jenny said to Gibbs to break the code of silence.
"Ask what ?" Gibbs asked.
"What you have wanted to ask since my arrival," Jenny said simply.
"Didn't know I wanted to ask something," Gibbs said innocently.
"I'm just saying. You can ask about Cath and we can get this over with, so you can stop wondering," Jenny said.
"Well, is there something you wanna tell me ?" He asked.
"I'm willing to answer your questions," she said and offered him a small smile.
"It didn't took you too long to get over me," Gibbs said. The start was made and the pain was out there open. Ready to be discovered again and relived once more.
Jenny kept on looking at the wall next to TV. It was not a question, it was a statement. If he only knew. She didn't want to reply, because that brought back the pain too, but there was also the fact that he was wrong. As impolite as it was, but this time Jenny stayed silent while Gibbs let his anger out.
"How old is she ?" He asked after a moment.
"1 year and 9 months. She'll be 2 in February, 24th," Jenny said.
"Wow! It took you less time than I thought. Wonder how you failed to mention to me that you wanted a family," Gibbs said. She knew him well enough to understand that this question was driven by jealousy and anger.
"Well, she actually wasn't planned. I didn't know I wanted a kid until I had one," Jenny answered honestly.
Jethro stood up and took the bourbon from the cupboard. He also took 2 glasses and poured that liquid into the glasses. He gave one to Jenny and drank the other in one time. Then he poured another glass for himself.
"I don't drink," Jenny said and looked at the bourbon in front of her.
"And how did that happen ? In Paris you loved to drink bourbon, a lot. And then have quality time with me afterward," Gibbs said and drowned another glass of bourbon.
"People change. At first I was pregnant, then I was feeding her and now I even don't think about it," Jenny said smiling at the memories of pregnancy and taking care of very little Cath.
"Don't tell me you quit coffee ?" Gibbs asked.
"For a short while I did, but I do drink it again," Jenny said.
She looked into his face and it was unreadable even to her. He didn't seem happy nor too sad. He could be rather angry, but he was hiding it. His face was blank.
"Tell me how have you been ?" Jenny asked her former lover.
"I've been great. I don't know if you heard, but I got married again. And divorced too. I lived here with her. Her name is Stephanie. I have been free man for a few months. Other than that nothing has happened. You obviously have a much more interesting life," He said and looked at her hoping to find out about her lover. Maybe she is married ? You don't have to wear a ring on undercover mission to be married.
"Well, I have been busy. I worked in Greece and Spain for a few months and then I was sent to Israel. I ran some anti-terrorism ops with Mossad. We were in Eastern Europe mostly, but then Morrow called and let me know that I am needed here. Beside he felt it was better for me if I had a place to live and the mission wouldn't be as dangerous as it was with Mossad. I have been traveling a lot, so I am really tired to be honest and Cath is not helping either. Usually she doesn't sleep through night, but I've got used to sleepless nights by now," Jenny said. She looked at him, but he seemed unsatisfied with the answer. She could only imagine what he wanted to know.
"Don't you have someone to help you with Catherine ?" Gibbs asked. He avoided using the nickname of Jenny's kid. Truthfully he was scared of the answer, but he felt like he needed to know.
"No. It's only me. The father is a good man, but he doesn't know. I had left him before I found out about the pregnancy. I wanted to tell him, but he was getting married and I didn't want to screw up his chance of happiness," Jenny said and looked sad. Yes, leaving that man was one of the biggest mistakes in her life. Some may see it that way, but she never thought that keeping the baby was a mistake. It was a complication, yes, but not a mistake. She loved her daughter.
"You still love him ?" he asked without looking at her.
Jenny had prepared herself for the question. She had thought about it and at some point tried to figure out the answer. In her heart she knew, that she can deny it, but at the end – she has to admit the truth. Yes, she is still in love with the father of her child.
"Yeah, I think I do," She said and looked at him.
He caught her eyes and looked into them. He knew, he has lost her, but it doesn't mean that she can't be happy with someone else. He wanted her to be happy, doesn't matter how much it hurts inside to think of her with another man.
"Then you should tell him. If he is not a jerk, then he'll forgive you and you'll get your chance of happiness. You deserve to be happy. I want you to be happy. Obviously there is a man out there that can make you happier than I ever could," he said. After saying the words he felt his heart break once more. He felt like it's the moment, when he finally let her go.
Little did Gibbs know at the moment, that Jenny's heart still beat for him. He also didn't know that he has a daughter, who is alive and currently living with him. Those little things he didn't know, would have been everything for him.
