Disclaimer:I own nothing.

Deciding it was time to call it a night, Jenny rose from her desk and bundled herself up for the cool night air. It was nights like these where she wished her husband was there, waiting to pull her into his loving arms and warm her body with his.

Sighing, she shook the notion from her mind and opened her door. There sat her diligent, hardworking secretary still at her desk typing hastily.

"Cynthia, you didn't have to stay until I leave," Jenny lightly scolded her secretary.

Looking up from her computer, Cynthia smiled. "Wasn't a problem Director; didn't want to go home to an empty apartment."

Jenny bit the inside of her cheek. She had jumped to conclusions and had stuck her foot in her mouth. "I apologize Cynthia. I just hate you being here this late."

Cynthia began shutting down her computer and gathering up her things. She enjoyed working for Jenny. She was different from a lot of the other bosses she had had. Jenny was stern but friendly, warm and loving, and didn't mind standing up for you.

"No apology is necessary Director; just doing my job."

Wrapping her arm around the young woman, Jenny and Cynthia walked out onto the catwalk laughing it up. No one else was there except for Jenny's detail. Continuing their stroll, Jenny made one of her details escort Cynthia to her car safely before taking her home.

Once she had arrived at her luxurious Georgetown home, Jenny kicked off her four and a half inch red bottoms and headed for her father's study. She began pouring herself a glass of Bourbon when she noticed the light blinking on her father's machine. It didn't faze her. She knew who had the direct line to that number and who didn't. She wasn't in the mood for a pissing match with M. Allison Hart tonight.

Continuing to let it blink, Jenny languidly moved up the steps to her bedroom. Gulping down the last of her Bourbon, Jenny began peeling back her shirt as she let it hit the carpeted floor. With every moment, she could feel the weight of the world fall from her shoulders.

She knew why Allison was calling. The anniversary of her husband and daughter's death was in two days. Every year since they died, Allison would call and check on Jenny, make her go to her house, or try to do something to get her mind off the situation. Every year Allison tried and every year Jenny declined her offers. It had been six years but Jenny still couldn't get over the fact they were gone. She would cry herself to sleep, drink heavily, and hate herself for the next month. This is why Allison continued to call; this is why she wanted Jenny to focus on something besides their deaths.

Crawling into her bed, Jenny unlocked her cell and redialed Allison's number. After two rings she could hear her friend's voice. Taking a deep breath, Jenny found her voice.

"Maggs, I know what you are calling for and my answer is still no."

"Just hear me out Jen. Kyler is having his birthday early this week because we are going on vacation next week and I want you to attend. He's your godson Jen; this is the least you can do."

Jenny huffed. Allison knew what she was doing but she could never say no to her godson. He was her heart and now that he was all she had, she would give him the world.

"Fine! I will bear my burdens and come but only become my godson is the light of my life." Jenny spewed in the phone.

Jenny could hear Allison cheering through the phone. For once Jenny wanted to strangle the hell out of her friend. Deep down, she knew this outing could be good for her and she would be spending it with her second family. Saying her goodbyes, Jenny hung up the phone and headed to bed.


Morning came bright and early for Gibbs and Jasper. He got her ready for school and decided that today he would take her instead of her riding the bus.

As they piled into the car, Jasper looked out the window as a mother and daughter hugged each other before the little girl hopped in the car. Her eyes began to fill with tears but she refused to let them fall. Like father like daughter Jasper thought to herself.

Her father never cried in front of her and she had learned to do the same. It was a defense mechanism and she had caught on quite well of how her father and his emotions operated. Shifting in her seat, Jasper put her seatbelt on and leaned back.

Jethro watched as the whole thing unfolded. He could tell his daughter was hurt by the loving gesture, but he knew she understood what had happened to her mother. Starting the ignition, Jethro sighed to himself and pulled out of the driveway.

After a thirty-minute ride to the school, Jasper turned to look at her father before she grabbed her book bag. Something was weighing heavy on her heart, but now was not the time to bring it up.

"Have a good day dad," Jasper said as she kissed her father goodbye.

Jethro smiled, "You too sweetheart."

He watched as she ran towards a group of girls and one guy. He noticed the kid quickly, it was Kyler and he and Jasper locked hands as they entered the school. This kid was going to be the death of him; he just knew it.


On the bus ride home, Jasper pondered on the question that Kyler had asked her today. The class was preparing for mother's day and the teacher had announced that they could do whatever their heart's desired for their gifts. As Jasper began to walk off, Kyler stopped her.

"Where are you going? We have to make our mother's gifts."

Jasper bit her lip and looked at the ground. No one had ever bothered her about this subject until now. "I don't have a mom, so I'm not participating."

Kyler scoffed. "Sure you do J, or you wouldn't be here."

Jasper could feel the tears pooling around her eyes. Why out of all things did she have to explain why she didn't have to participate in this activity.

"Kyler, I don't have a mom because she died. OK?" Jasper huffed then stormed off.

She was glad to get away from him and all his questioning. Grasping the door for balance, Jasper could hear the other kids talking about their precious gifts as she slid down the door and began to sob quietly.

Now staring out the window of the bus, Jasper wondered why her father hadn't gotten her another mother. She knew about adoption and how parents could choose a child, so what was so different about a child choosing a mother? As the bus came to a stop, Jasper jumped out of her seat and walked down the steps, jumping onto the sidewalk. Her little feet began to run towards her neighbor's house in hopes of getting an answer about her 'adoption question'.


Kyler and Allison arrived home around seven thirty to their Wood Grove home. Hopping out of the back, Kyler grabbed his backpack and a few grocery bags before running into the house. He put the bags on the floor and ran to the living room to sling off his backpack. He began to run back into the kitchen when he heard his mother call his name. Stopping abruptly, Kyler apologized and walked the rest of the way. Kyler's father entered the kitchen greeting his family.

"How was shopping?" Mark asked before kissing his wife.

"Good Dad. We got a lot of stuff but no goodies," Kyler beamed.

Allison and Mark shook their heads as they snickered at their son. He was something else, but they loved him nonetheless. Allison let Kyler put away the food in the bottom part of the fridge as she and Mark finished up the rest of the groceries.

Out of nowhere, Kyler sat down at the dining room table thinking about Jasper not having a mother. Finally, Kyler looked up and turned towards his parents. "Mom?"

"Yes Kyler," Allison responded looking in his direction.

"Jasper told me she didn't have a mom today, but you told me everybody has a mother."

Clearing her throat, Allison licked her lips and sighed. She knew about Jasper and the situation with her mother. A lot of the parents did because of the news and because of public records. After patching up a few NCIS personnel at times, she knew a little about almost everyone. Taking a seat next to her son, Allison placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Kyler, she had a mother but she passed away. You know how Grandma Rose passed away last year? Well that's what happened to Jasper's mother."

Kyler nodded in agreement, putting two and two together. Finally seeming as if he was satisfied, Kyler sat back and folded his arms. "Can't she adopt a parent?"

This threw Allison and Mark for a loop. They weren't sure what their son meant, but they were more shocked that he would ask such a question.

"Sweetheart, where is this coming from? Where did you learn that?"

"I learned about babies being adopted so I just wondered did they adopt parents too?"

Smiling at their son, they couldn't help but to feel proud. He was so smart and thoughtful. "No sweetie, they don't do that to parents."

Titling his head a little, Kyler still wasn't satisfied with his mother's answers. He began to think of women his mother knew that didn't have kids. His gasped and threw his index finger in the air in realization.

"Mommy...Godmother use to have a little girl but she doesn't anymore, right?" He asked in anticipation.

Allison wrinkled her eyes brows a little in confusion. "Yes, why Ky?"

"Well, if she doesn't have a daughter and Jasper doesn't have a mother, then why doesn't Jasper just ask her father to adopt Godmother?"

Mark nearly spit his soda out as he heard his son's lucid question. Sometimes he wondered where his son got his smarts from at times.

Allison couldn't hold back a chuckle either. Her son was quite intuitive and she herself hadn't even thought of such a complex connection. She smiled at him and patted his head.

"I think it's time for you to go to bed."

Kyler pouted but spun around quickly, "Aren't you going to feed me?"

Mark smirked and Allison laughed. Yes, their son was quite intuitive and it was a bit scary. Allison bent down and kissed his cheek. "If you go get ready for bed, I'll let you have 'the good stuff' before you go to sleep."

Dashing from the kitchen, Kyler could hear his parents laughing. He didn't care that they were laughing at him, all he wanted was 'the good stuff.'

Thoughts! Kiddy love I think it's so precious!