Chapter 4

As Jenny stood on the catwalk looking down at Gibbs as he said his farewell to Zack the little boy that Gibbs and his team had grown ever so fond of she couldn't help but flashback to the convocation she had had with Gibbs yesterday right where she stood:

"I forgot you had a way with children, ever thought of having anyhis farwell to of your own?" she asked biting her lip the moment she had said it.

"That an offer Jen?" Gibbs asked with his sexy smirk that make Jenny's knees go week and her heart to race even faster than it did when she was around him.

"No, Jethro it wasn't an offer merely an observation" She had missed the banter between them and by the way his eyes were sparkling with amusement she could tell he did too.

What she hadn't noticed was that he could tell she was hiding something. He saw the guilt swimming in her eyes he had noticed it more and more recently, he didn't know why it was there but he was determined to find out.

"I think it is time he knew about Grace" a voice said from next to her bringing her out of her thoughts. Jenny turned and her green eyes met the soft chocolate brown of Ziva David's.

"You do?" the redhead asked her voice still a little hoarse looking at the Israeli then back to the man who had stolen her heart half a decade ago and never given it back.

"Yes, you can tell by the way he was with Zack that he would be great with Grace, yes he may be angry with you for a while but he can't stay mad at you forever" Ziva said with a comforting smile. "I can look after Grace tonight if you would like?" she added.

"I don't know" Jenny said nervously biting her lip trying to think it over in her head, could it really be as simple as to go over there and tell him? Would it be fair to go over there and turn his world upside down and roughening it again like she seemed to keep doing?

"Think about it" Ziva said before walking away back down the stairs.

Jenny decided she would need someone else's opinion so headed for the elevator.

The metal doors opened to reveal the man who had just been on her mind "Jen" he said with a small nod as she stepped in and he moved to give her space "You ok, you're a little bit pale" Gibbs asked after a moment noticing her pale complexion and faraway look in her eyes.

"Yes Jethro I'm fine" Jenny said with a smile just as the doors opened on the floor Gibbs wanted.

"If you need me just call" Gibbs said with a small smile before walking off into the direction of the heavy metal music.

As soon as the metal doors closed once more Jenny slumped back against the walls. Why did he have to be so nice to her, how could she say something to make him hate her.

Five minutes later Jenny arrived in autopsy "Ah Jennifer my dear how can I help?" Ducky asked washing his hands in the sink.

"Do you think it's time I told him?" Jenny asked not looking him straight in the eyes.

"I have been telling you to tell him for the past six years why do you think it would be any different now?" Ducky said with a smile.

"I was going to tell him six years ago but then I go to his house and find he's married" Jenny said raising her voice just a little. "And then I didn't know he got a divorce till I came back as director" She added starting to pace the room.

"I think the longer you wait the harder it will be and then before you know it Grace is all grown up and without a father" Ducky said taking Jenny by the shoulder to stop her pacing.

"But Jethro and I have a good friendship at the moment I don't want to ruin it" Jenny said shaking her head.

"For God sake he loves you Jennifer, he couldn't be mad at you forever, he told me so himself when he returned to DC after Paris" Ducky said trying to knock some sense into her.

With that Jenny nodded taking a deep breath "Thank you Ducky" she said holding her head high as she walked out of autopsy passing Mr Palmer as she did so.

"Was that Director Shepard who passed me Doctor?" Jimmy asked.

"Indeed it was Mr Palmer" Ducky said shaking his head at the redhead.

Hours later Jenny was relieved to get home. "Mummy!" Grace screamed with delight running down the stairs into her mother's open arms.

"Hey sweetie, did you have a good day" Jenny asked picking Grace up and walking into the lounge.

"You bets I did, we gots to write about are parents today and I wrote about how me and you have lived all over and all the people I've met" Grace said excitedly as she bounced up and down on the sofa.

"That's great honey" Jenny said kissing her daughters forehead.

"Well I wrote less than everyone else cos they gots to talk about their mummy and daddy's so I got to read" Grace said with a bit of a frown after feeling left out.

Jenny was about to respond just as Naomi came to the door.

"I'm leaving senora dinner is in the oven" she said before leaving.

"Thank you Naomi" Jenny said with a smile but guilt creeping up inside for what her daughter had just said.

"See yah tomorrow" Grace said with a cheery smile before the older woman left. "So Mummy what film d'you wanna watch tonight?" Grace asked running over the shelf of films they had collected over the years.

"Umm you know what Grace, I'm going to be going out for a while so Aunty Ziva is going to come over you should really ask her.

"Oh ok" Grace said a little disappointed walking back to the sofa and sitting down on it with a thump.

"I promise I'll only be a little while" Jenny said running a hand through her daughter red locks before grabbing the phone and dialling a familiar number.

"Ziva David"

"Hey Ziva it's me Jen could you come look after Grace for an hour an hour and a half tops?" the redhead asked.

"Already on my way" Ziva said putting the phone down.

Before you could say Gibbs you have daughter Ziva had arrived "Are you sure you don't mind?" Jenny asked while she put her coat on.

"I'm sure" Ziva said nodding before looking over to Grace who was sat at the coffee table kneeling on the soft carpet as she used oversized crayons to make a picture. "You doing this for the two people you love" Ziva reminded her best friend.

Jenny nodded before calling "Be good" to Grace.

"I will" came her sweet little voice for in the lounge. Jenny chuckled before leaving and getting in her car.

As Gibbs sanded his boat he couldn't help but think of Zack and how long it had been since another person had helped him with his boats on a regular basis.

His thoughts then wondered to the last person before Zack that helped him with the boat. Jenny. She was always on his mind.

Jenny had been the one to mend his heart after it had been broken for many years. She had been the one to sooth him when nightmares got him unlike any of his ex-wife's, maybe that's why she wasn't one, she was far too special, had too much of him, meant to much to him to end up like that. Maybe it was time for her to know what those nightmares were about.

"Jethro" a small voice said from the top of the stairs.

He turned and smiled when he gaze met Jenny's "Hey Jen" was his only response as he watch he slowly descend the stairs until she stood in front of him.

"I have something to tell you" they both said at the same time shocking one another.

"You first" Gibbs said gesturing with his hands.

"No please go first" Jenny said wanting to get extra time to think about how to tell him.

"You remember Paris when I used to have those nightmares?" Gibbs began.

"And you would say the name Shannon and Kelly in you sleep?" Jenny added to prove that she remembered.

"Yeah, I think it's time you knew who they were" Gibbs said moving over to a tin on a shelf and opening it and pulling out a picture. "Shannon was my first wife and Kelly was are daughter" he said passing the faded polaroid to Jenny.

Jenny looked down at the picture in her hand even more guilt and sadness rose in her body looking at the little redhead and the older woman both with smiles on their faces. "Jethro I'm so sorry what happened?" Jenny asked with a hand over her mouth.

"Shannon witnessed a murder and was under a NCIS protection when the drive was shot casing them to be in a car accident" Gibbs said sadness filling his eyes and voice.

"I…I" Jenny was for once lost for words so giving him an awkward friendly hug "Who else knows?" Jenny asked pulling away and stepping back.

"Ziva I think" Gibbs said missing her being near him already.

"I have to go" Jenny said confused, hurt and angry.

"But you had something you wanted to say" Gibbs said grabbing her hand that rested on the banister.

"It can wait" Jenny said before he released her hand and she left leaving Gibbs alone and confused.

TBC…

Sorry it's been so long, I was stuck and then at like one this morning it hit me. Please review and in case I don't update before Merry Christmas.

an observation an observation han it did when she was around him.