Friends with Benefits
Author: Mrs. Scott323
"I stand with you here today, in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial, remembering, honoring and celebrating. Remembering the men and women who served with you, who gave their lives for this country and the corps. Honoring their memory, and honoring you all for your service. Tonight, we shall lift the glass, celebrating the 55th birthday of this memorial. Hoping that it shall remain here, for years to come to help us, our children, and our children's children, to remember all the men and women of the United States Marine Corps who died in defense of their country. And to show the world that those Marines, and all the other Marines will remain in our hearts forever."
He lifted his glass, and so did the many people in their evening dress uniforms, and the women in their beautiful evening gowns.
"Oorah!"
The cry pulsated over the field, she could feel the sound vibrating through her body. She felt another hand wrap around her own, she looked down. And followed the arm upwards. His face didn't betray his emotions, but his eyes told her how moved he was. And that his old Marine buddies weren't the only ones he was remembering tonight.
She squeezed his hand softly. Finally he turned his head and looked at her. She smiled slightly, and he returned it. Not needing the words to offer her support. They never needed language for that.
She'd watched him, as he'd given a salute to the memorial earlier that day, together with his old company. Or what was left of it after all these years. He'd looked so at home, but she also knew that being together with them brought him back to Desert Storm, or to be exact, what happened after it. Today wasn't just remembering the Marines for him, it was also about Shannon and Kelly, today even more than every other day.
When she'd returned to NCIS, after the under cover operation to capture Leon Vance, they'd slowly rebuilt their friendship. The one they started when she'd first begun as a Probie. Against contrary belief, they didn't immediately fall into bed together, they'd built a deep friendship before the events in Europe. A friendship she'd thought to be built on complete trust.
She'd been devastated when she found out that he'd kept secrets from her. The first time, she'd left him in France, after he told her he'd been seeing someone back home. She couldn't believe he'd made her the other woman. The second time, when he'd called her Shannon, right after his coma. When she'd found out about his first wife and child.
Jenny remembered his return after Mexico, and her visit to her basement.
She'd told him about something her mother had told her about love.
When you love someone, you open yourself up to suffering, that's the sad truth.
Maybe they'll break your heart, maybe you'll break their heart and never be
able to look at yourself in the same way. Those are the risks"
She'd replied those words to him. The knew they weren't ready for their hearts to be broken again, they had to rebuild their friendship first.
But that wasn't why they were here tonight. When they first found out about this night, they had agreed to go together. For her safety, and to keep her safe from grabby officers. Personally she believed he was still a bit jealous.
"Do you want something new to drink?" She nodded, and he left her there, waiting for him to return with their two glasses of bourbon.
"So you're gunny's new redhead?"
A man who from the looks of it, had a bit too much to drink, stopped in front of her.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm sorry, the name is Tom Miller, I served with LJ back in the day."
"Jenny Shepard. It's nice to meet you."
"As in Director Shepard?" Tom sobered up a bit, he knew this woman could make his life very difficult, if he'd offended her in any way.
"That's right." She smiled at the man in front of her, and he knew he wasn't in any danger for now.
"Well then, Director Shepard, would you like to dance? I could tell you some very interesting details about LJ."
"Lead the way."
He escorted her to the dance floor which was filling up already with several dancing couples.
"Now don't think I forgot about my earlier question, Ms Shepard."
"Director."
"Fine then, Director Shepard, are you LJ's new redhead?"
Before she could answer, a familiar head appeared next to Tom's, tapping him on his shoulder.
"May I cut in?"
"Gunny! We were just talking about you."
"Well then, I hope I arrived just in time."
"Don't worry Jethro, nothing you could be embarrassed about." Gibbs lead her away from Tom, but not far enough to disappear from sight.
"Do I want to know?"
"He was just asking if I was your new redhead."
"Hmpf, he would. He always interrupted my calls with Shannon, asking her to run away with him, Kelly had even begun to call him her boyfriend." He pretended to look annoyed, but she knew that it was all a game. Tom was a really good friend to him.
One that had stood by him after all the misery. The one that had driven him to Mexico, to find man that murdered his wife and child.
"So.." he could see the mischievous look on her face, she was planning something.
"Is he still looking?"
Gibbs spun them around, so that she could see for herself that Tom was still observing them from the side of the dancefloor.
"Want to mess with his head a bit?"
He grinned, "Always."
"Just follow my lead." And suddenly she let out a laugh, letting her hand rest on his chest, taking the opportunity to get a bit closer to him.
He wasn't sure what she was doing, but when he felt her hand leave his shoulder, travelling up to his neck to play with his hair, he finally understood. As a reply he let his right hand travel a bit further down her back, resting on a place that was just appropriate for public.
They spun around again.
"Is he still watching?"
Jenny lifted her head from his shoulder slightly, just enough to see the amused look on Tom's face. "Yes."
"Alright", he lifted her head with his hand, to bring it closer to his own. Bringing her lips to meet his in a soft, but quick kiss, just a little more than a peck on the lips.
"That should do it."
"You do know you have created several problems just now? SecNav is here, and several other people who would frown upon a Director kissing one of her Special Agents."
"Look around you Jen, everyone is too caught up with themselves to notice. I think Tom was the only one that saw it."
She took a quick look around, seeing that no one else seemed to be watching them.
"Fine, now I'm going to mess with his head a bit more. Wish me luck."
"You don't need it."
She laughed over her shoulder, "True."
Jenny walked after Tom, who had disappeared right after her and Jethro's little display on the dance floor. Finally, she'd caught up with him.
"Tom! I think I still owe you an answer."
"That's okay, I think I…" Jenny interrupted him, "No, I'm not Jethro's new redhead, so why don't we skip this place and find some where else to have coffee, or dinner. I'd love to talk to you some more."
"But, but." Jenny tilted her head a bit to the side, giving him a concerned look.
"What's the matter?"
Tom still had some difficulty trying to find the words, this really gorgeous woman was asking him out to dinner, when she'd just kissed his old friend right in front of him.
"I.. I"
Jenny approached him, letting he hand travel over his uniform, leaning a bit closer to whisper into his ear.
"You aren't turning me down, are you?"
"Well.."
"Miller!" The familiar bark of his name snapped him back into the old attention pose.
"And Jen are you done having fun with him."
"Aw, come on Jethro he was just beginning to sweat."
"That's enough for tonight Director, I saw that SecNav was looking for you."
"Fine." Jenny walked away, leaving a stunned Tom with an amused Jethro.
"She, she.." Finally something clicked, "You did this."
"Took you long enough." Gibbs smiled, "I'll see you later, I'm going to save my friend from the Secretary of the Navy."
He walked away, leaving Tom behind, who watched him as he interrupted the conversation of the beautiful redhead with another man. His hand immediately finding the small of her back , and her touching his arm, unconsciously.
Friends. Hmpf. Friends with benefits was more like it.
