Title: Watching The City Pass By

Author: fashiongirl97

Rating: K+

Walls: they surrounded her now. She'd built them up around her heart, her emotions… everything that had once made her who she was. Too high for anyone to peak over, too strong to be broken through… too old for her to still see a glimpse of who she once was. She'd fallen into the trap so long ago, been swallowed up by the job, and spat out with nothing but a title. As she turned around she saw the sun shining and reflecting on the water in the Navy Yard. The sight no longer made her smile. It was like she'd gone into a maze leaving bread crumbs along the way only for them to get eaten, and for her to get lost.

As she sat there images flashed through her mind of the fight she had just had with Jethro. It had been the worst they had had in the three years since she became Director. In fact she didn't think they'd had one that bad since way back when she'd been his probie. Only this time they'd raked up the past, torn open old wounds that had not had the chance to heal.

"You're the one who nearly screwed up out mission in Paris because you decided to shoot a PD cop!" he shouted glaring at her.

"I was an accident Jethro! I didn't think 'oh lets cause a storm and shoot an innocent cop'!"

"You may as well of done!"

"Well I'm sorry I make mistakes! I'm sorry I wasn't the perfect agent you wanted me to be! I'm sorry I'm not a flawless director!"

"I never expected you to be JENNY!"

"Yeah? Well it sure as heck didn't feel like it!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Where do I start Jethro! You never said well done, never acknowledged I was terrified, Jethro you never said I love you!"

"You never gave me a chance; you went jetting off because you wanted a career more than me!"

"Well I'm sorry I didn't want to stay your probie forever Jethro!"

"You know what Jenny? I'm glad you did, because you aren't the same person you were anymore, I don't know who you are." He said in a quiet voice before leaving.

He'd said it, the thing she had known too well. But as he'd gone, he'd spared a glance at the photo frame on her desk. The one in which he remembered had once held a picture of them. Now there was one of the Eiffel Tower – a metaphorical symbol of the relationship they had once had. She stared at that frame now. As she did she picked it up and took off the back, looking at the photo that stared her back. It was her and Jethro laughing. It was taken before Marseilles, before they'd crossed the invisible line. They were just laughing; stood with coffee in hands at a crime scene laughing. She loved it; it showed how they had been best friends as well as lovers. Now they were nothing – and that stung.


He slammed the door and went. He hadn't meant to wind her up; but he loved to see the fire in her eyes, always had. But when he saw the hurt and pain, he knew he'd gone too far. Only he didn't stop, he just kept digging and digging. Then he left; now he walked past their area of the bullpen, not stopping even at Tony's questioning, McGee's stammering or Ziva's threats. He's messed up – big time! And in the back of his mind he knew that there was no going back.

He walked out of NCIS, not taking his car, needing to think. He walked, and walked and walked. Walked out of the city, heading to the pace where they had spent their only ever date in DC. The place he came when he needed to remember the good times, and not just the heart breaking pain she had left when she had run away. He walked up the empty hill to the top. It was steep, but he relished in the burn in his lungs as he reached the top.

Standing there looking down he smiled at the city as people bustled about their everyday lives. People stuck in traffic, people shopping, working… each one in their own world, meeting new people yet not even thinking to enter their world. Each person distancing themselves from the people around them: like a bubble around each one of them. A slight smile formed on his face as he remembered the night they had come up here. They'd raced. She'd taken off her ridiculously high heels half way up and ran barefoot. He let her stay in front so he could look at her backside. Then as she'd neared the top he'd grabbed her around her waist, both of them falling. She ended up on top of him. After a make out session she'd placed her head on his chest…

She was content at just letting him hold her, listening to the comforting sound of his heart. They risked their lives every day, so easily everything could be ripped away from them. That was why sometimes it was nice to love the little things. "It's strange, how big everything seems when you're down there. But from up here it seems so … small, so… insignificant. Like, we could meet so many new people, touch so many more lives, but we separate ourselves." She said as she stared down at the dusk of the City. He just kissed her head. She had a way with words he never would…

In some ways that was the night he had realised how in love with her he was. It was just before they were sent to Paris, just before they were pushed to their limits. Sometimes he wondered what it would be like if they hadn't accepted the op, if they'd stayed in DC. Where would they be now? Or would it all have ended up the same, only it would be DC that represented the heart break and not a European city thousands of miles away.

As he sat up there, on the hill staring down on the city like a king would over his kingdom. The birds sang their song in the still air. Their sweet tune that was like no other, that filled the world with just an ever so simple melody which could hold so many memories, for so many different people. He pulled a picture out from his pocket. Opening up the old paper, he stared down at the faded picture, white lines had appeared where it had spent years folded in a small square. The corners dog-eared from carrying around even when the memories stung too much to think about. He gazed at the picture, a smile forming on his face; it was a picture of Jenny. Her long red hair falling down her back, her hand outstretched as she fed a small bird. It sat on the ends of her fingers and nibbled at the seeds she held out. He remembered being shocked in a way that someone who was currently undercover as an arms dealer would relish in such a gentle and simple thing. She loved birds: that he had never forgotten. As he looked at the picture he remembered taking it in Serbia. How he'd watched from the back door of the old farm house as she fed the bird. He'd snapped a picture never wanting to forget that moment in time. It was evidence of how she had an air about her that could make even the most timid of creatures and people feel safe in her presence.

Jethro thought about the necklace he had bought her in Paris. He'd gone into beautiful jewellers near Christmas time; the sales assistant had attempted to guide him over to an area of cliché necklaces with silver Eiffel Towers on them. But he'd walked into the chop for a reason. At the end was a small cabinet with a necklace that had been just here. It had had a gold chain with a small, delicate bird on it. There were no diamonds or precious stone, just intricately patterned gold. He'd bought it then and there. The smile on her face that Christmas when she opened it had been worth a million dollars.

He hadn't seen her wear it as Director, then again he never looked. He never appreciated what she wore any more. Once upon a time he'd taken the time each day to look at her, admire her beauty, now though, that seemed like a foreign concept.


She looked at the photo and smiled, playing with her necklace – the one with a bird he'd bought her, the one she'd worn every day since she left even if it was only under a sweater. Putting the photo away she decided it was time she was honest with herself. This time, instead of hiding the photo behind a metaphorical memory, she decided to put it on display. The picture brought a smile to her face as it always did.

Getting up she grabbed her light weight jacket and decided it was time to make the past right. As she left her office she told Cynthia to cancel her day. At that moment she didn't care if she had a meeting with the President, he wasn't the one who had caused her sleepless nights for the last decade. So with a small smile on her face, she bought coffee and headed for the one place she knew he would go. The one place she went when she needed to remember the good times, and although he tried to hide it, he did have feelings – just like everyone else.


The smell of her perfume, coffee and bourbon brought him from his thoughts. He watched as she sat down, listening to the silence. She handed him the coffee she had bought him with a smile. "Someone once told me this stuff was marine lubricant," she said with a chuckle.

"Fornell," he replied with a smirk.

"I was your probie, you and Diane were on the rocks and you were being a stubborn headed pig. He came up to me and said 'wanna know the secret to getting on his good side?' I just laughed and said you didn't have one. Tobias told me coffee was marine lubricant."

"Best thing he's ever said."

"That I'll agree with."

They remained in silence, comfortably. He noticed her playing with her necklace; the very one he had been thinking about only half an hour before. "You kept it," he said.

She knew what he was talking about instantly. "Haven't taken it off since the day I left." He smiled at her. "You were right you know, I have changed, and not necessarily for the better."

"No, Jen. I didn't mean it…I …I crossed the line this time-"

"We both did Jethro," she said turning to face him for the first time since she had arrived. "I didn't mean what I said either you know."

"I know Jenny."

She leant into him gently, resting her head on his shoulder. He smiled and kissed her hair lightly as he wrapped his arm around her. She looked up and him and kissed him ever so softly. With a smile on both of their faces they stayed like that: watching over the city, watching as people lead their lives, some cried, some laughed some loved. But as the sun set, everyone shared the beauty of the pink sky above. Jenny and Jethro watched until night began to fall, sitting together, sharing the occasional kiss and words. Yet as night time began, they walked hand in hand away from the hill and down towards the city.

A new life would await them. Her walls were strong, too strong for her to break down alone. But with love in her heart, and Jethro by her side, she managed to break them down. They'd been given a second chance, and neither of them was going to let it slip away easily this time…