Okay Lovelies, this is the first chapter with extra Jibbs scenes that are all my own creation. To bad I don't actually own any of these guys, things would have been much different! Enjoy and Happy Reading!

Chapter 4 – Silver War

He rolled over in bed and pressed his nose into her curls. "Are we riding in together or separate this morning?"

She rolled over and looked at him. "Jethro…"

"Come on Jen! What's the point of taking two cars if we keep going to the same place?"

"Do you want everyone to realize that all the rumors are true? That we really are sleeping together? Do you want the Sec Nav to find out?"

"Good point." He laughed as he climbed out of bed and started looking for his clothes. "Besides I have to run home first. If I show up in the same clothes I had on yesterday I'm sure Tony will notice."

She sat up and stretched out like a cat. Distracting him halfway through pulling his arm through the sleeve of his button down.

"I have to be there early this morning anyway. We are running an op out of MTAC that I have to be there for."

"What time?" He glanced at the clock on her nightstand. "It's already 0530."

"As long as I'm there by 0615 I'll be fine." She stood and walked to the bathroom, not needing to look over her shoulder to know that he was staring at her retreating form. "I'll see you at work Jethro."

He nodded, even though her back was too him. He didn't trust his voice as she shut the door between them.

When Gibbs stepped out into the bullpen an hour and a half later he was surprised to be greeted by none other than Ziva David.

"Special Agent Gibbs." She stuck her hand out and he took it with little apprehension.

"Ziva." Flashbacks of the last time he had seen the Israeli woman flitted through his mind. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking forward to being a member of your team."

His eyes widen briefly and then, downing a swig of his coffee, his gaze shifted upstairs. Without another word to the dark-haired woman standing before him he proceeded to head up to MTAC.

When he entered he found that she was the only one that remained sitting in the observation chairs, and he took the one to her right.

"Something I can help you with this morning Special Agent Gibbs?"

"Yeah," he trained his sharp, blue eyes on her as she turned to face him. "I've got a personnel issue, you know anything about that?"

Without missing a beat she answered him with a question of her own. "I take it Ziva arrived a few days early?" He just looked at her. "Before we get into this, I'm going to need a refill."

He reached over and took her cup in his hand; popping the lid off with his thumb he overturned his cup above it. Pouring some of his own coffee out for her. She tried her best not to smile, but she felt it tugging at the corners of her mouth. "That was sweet. Not necessarily sanitary…"

"What is she doing here, Jen?"

"If we are going to fight a global war on terror we need to work closely with our allies."

"That sounds good. Put her on somebody else's team."

"I want her with you Jethro."

"Mossad trained her to spy and kill. Not to investigate crime scenes. Send her to the CIA."

"Just to be clear, this is not a request or a debate Agent Gibbs."

He turned away from her and watched the ships moving cargo on the screen in front of him. "Anything else you want to change about my team while I'm here?"

She smiled, but didn't let him see the smirk; she dropped her voice to a whisper, "Look if anything you're lucky to have her. She's one of the finest agents I've ever worked with in Europe."

"Why didn't you ask me first Jen?"

"And what would you have said?" He just looked at her in lieu of an answer. "Exactly. Number eighteen." She grew contemplative. "It's better to seek forgiveness, than ask permission."

"Oh that's real nice. Using the rules I taught you against me. Nice touch."

"I learned from the best Jethro. I want Ziva too as well."

"You still should have said something."

"When? It doesn't make for great pillow talk Jethro."

He leaned into her to whisper in her ear, "You never were very good at pillow talk Jen." He brushed a quick kiss against her hair and headed back downstairs.

"So what's the verdict?"

He stopped in front of her where she was sitting at Kate's desk. "Pack your trash."

She sighed, "Shouldn't be a problem. Most of it doesn't get here until next week. It was nice seeing you again Tony." She waved, "McGee."

She headed for the elevator, only to find Gibbs step in after her. "I told you to pack your trash Ziva. I don't remember giving you permission to leave yet." He stopped the elevator. "You requested this assignment?"

"I did."

"Why?"

"I had to get away from Mossad for awhile."

"Do you believe what Ari said about your father?"

"No." She answered just a little too quickly. "Yes." She admitted softly. "Maybe."

"Your brother was a Svengali Ziva."

She laughed, "Like father like son."

"Does Mossad know you killed Ari?"

"No. They believe your report. Only you and I know the truth. For that I thank you."

"Jen knows."

"What?" She looked betrayed.

"She won't say a word Ziva. As long as you don't."

"About the two of you? Never."

"I trust you, you know that. But when we leave this elevator-"

"You start kicking my butt."

He smiled and chuckled, "I don't kick butt." He flipped the switch and the elevator sprung back to life. Then he reached up from behind her and gave her a gentle head slap causing them both to laugh, before they turned serious upon their exit.

"Ms. David will be with us for awhile." Both Tony and McGee looked up and Ziva made to move behind Kate's desk, but Gibbs grabbed her pack. "That's Kate's desk. Yours is down at the end."

McGee got off the phone and presented Gibbs with their newest case. A Marine that was killed and buried in a one hundred and forty year old sarcophagus, dressed as a Union soldier.

"Tony!"

"Yeah Boss!"

"Got a murder in your area of expertise."

"What have we got?"

"The Civil War."

He paled, "I can hardly wait. That's my favorite subject."

Ziva stepped in front of him. "What about me?"

"You're coming along strictly as an observer. Hand over all your weapons."

They faced off with each other briefly, "Is that necessary?" He just held out his hand. "Right." She handed over her pistol, and the clip.

"And your back up."

"What back up?"

"Left leg."

"Oh. That one." She reluctantly handed over that gun as well.

Gibbs turned back around. "And the knife concealed at your waist." She was shocked, but she handed over the knife nonetheless. He flipped it over and gave it back. "You can keep this. I just want you to know that I know."

Gibbs walked through the squad room later that night with an unidentified redhead trailing behind him.

"Who is the woman with Gibbs?" Ziva asked Tony suddenly.

"Once you're here long enough you'll figure it out."

"Is that his girlfriend?"

"I have no idea."

"You just told me-"

"Well," He interrupted her. "You'll figure out there's some things you don't ask about."

Ziva turned to look back at him, and over his shoulder she caught a glimpse of Jenny heading up the stairs. There was a look of hurt on the redhead's face, but there was something else there too. Mischief. Ziva quirked an eyebrow at her friend, as Gibbs kissed the other woman's cheek.

She would have to find out what was going on there.

"A marine dressed as a Civil War soldier, shot by a musket and then buried alive in a one hundred and forty year old, antique iron casket. And you're telling me this isn't your strangest case."

"Yup."

"Pretty much."

"I don't know what I find more disturbing," she turned to face the two of them, as they were eating rather large burritos. "Your eating habits or the fact that I believe you."

"She seems to be fitting in well." Jen came up beside Jethro as he leaned against the railing overlooking the bullpen.

"She almost killed my entire team yesterday."

"How?"

"Driving home from a crime scene."

She smiled, "I should have warned you. I think she was an East European cab driver in a past life."

He smiled back, "Yeah, well she wasn't a cop. She obviously has no investigative or law enforcement experience Jen."

She pulled a face, "Neither did I when I started with you."

He turned to face her grinning. "Yeah well you were always a fast learner."

She gave her smirk to him willingly that time, as they both got lost in memories of their past. She was still grinning as he walked away from her. "Jethro!"

He turned back and she moved closer to him so that she wouldn't be overheard. "Are you coming by this evening? I seem to recall I was promised some answers last week and I would like to cash in."

"We'll see Jen."

When he got downstairs to Abby's lab something was off. "Abs?"

"I look like a freak." She turned to face them. "Well?"

"Why?"

"One of the Director's new admin weenies brought me this last night. It's the new NCIS dress code. He said I was in violation."

"He did, did he?"

"It's bad enough I have to wear a monkey suit for court appearances, but everyday?"

Ziva stepped forward, "I think you look nice Abby."

"Nice! You think I look nice? I look like, like,"

"Career girl Barbie." Tony turned to Tim.

"Oh my God! I do. I can't work like this Gibbs." She squeezed Bert the Hippo.

"I'll take care of it Abs."

His first stop after leaving the lab was the Director's office. "What are you trying to do Jen?'

He had opened the door before she had called for him, barging in despite her assistant's cries against it.

"Jethro! What if I was in an important meeting? What would you have done then?"

"The same thing I just did Jen! Now what's with the dress code for Abby?"

"It's policy Jethro!"

"And?"

"And, it's never been enforced! Who cares what she wears down there as long as she gets her work done?"

She stared at him hard for a moment, but she could see where this was going. "Fine. I'll call Human Resources and inform them that Ms. Sciuto is allowed to wear whatever she would like."

"Thank you!" He headed for the door, but she called him back.

"Yesterday, the redhead at the elevator. No more Jethro."

"I hadn't seen her since you got back Jen, I had to tell her it was over."

"That's not what it looked like, and you know it."

He grinned, "Is that jealousy I detect Madam Director?"

"Maybe."

"Well, I can't exactly kiss you in front of the elevator can I?"

She smiled, "No, I suppose not. Are we still on for dinner?"

"Maybe, we might have a lead."

"Just let me know."

"Of course." He walked back to her desk and leaned over it to kiss her once before leaving the office and heading back downstairs.

That afternoon as they were investigating their lead Ziva had a chance to prove her worth. After throwing her knife and eliminating one threat to herself and to Ducky she held the other two at gunpoint and waited for Gibbs. When the team arrived Tony looked across at her in wonder.

"Remind me not to piss her off."

"Oh DiNozzo you have no idea."

Ziva winked at Gibbs as she stood over the two remaining criminals.

Later that night when Gibbs came into the almost dark bullpen he found Ziva waiting for him at Kate's desk.

"She's gone Gibbs. I don't think Kate would mind."

He didn't say a word, but he let her remain where she was. Choosing instead to take a seat at his own desk.

"I found this. But I have a feeling she would have wanted you to have it." She handed over the book with a smile. "See you in the morning."

He flipped through the book with a heavy heart. Pausing only to look at the picture she had drawn of him.

"Jethro?" Her voice drew him out of his thoughts. "Are you ready to go?"

He looked over at her. "Yeah Jen, let's go."

They left in two separate cars, he went to get the food, and she went home to change. By the time she got to his house he was downstairs working on that damn boat. She smiled when she saw him bent over the bow, sanding away.

"What did you get Jethro?"

He smiled and watched her come down the last few steps. He met her half way across the basement with a carry out container of Chinese food in his hand. "I got your favorite Jen. Extra egg rolls and everything."

"Thank you." She took it from him and smiled expectantly. She reached around him and pulled her chopsticks out of his back pocket. "Did you already eat yours?" She moved to the workbench and hopped up on top of it. Her jeans allowing her a little more freedom than her pencil skirt had the last time she had been here.

"Yeah." He went back to sanding the boat, and for a minute she ate in silence, watching the muscles in his back ripple with every move of his arms. "You wanted to play twenty questions Jen?"

"No Jethro, I wanted honesty, and you said I got three questions."

"Okay, shoot."

She set her Chow Mein down and stepped across the room towards him. Taking the sander from him and forcing him to give her his undivided attention. "I want to know Jethro, what the big secret you are keeping from me is." He opened his mouth to protest, but she put a finger to his lips. "Don't tell me there isn't one, because I know that there is. Ziva knows something that she won't tell me." She looked up at him with big, pleading eyes. "Please?"

There was that damn word again. Every time one of them used it on the other, they would cave. He looked at her hard. He realized that if he really wanted to have a shot with this woman this time around he was going to have to tell her. There couldn't be any secrets. At least none like that.

He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. Pulling her into his chest and burying his nose in her hair. "There have been four." She pulled away and looked up at him, but he didn't give her the chance to ask. "Wives, Jen. Four wives. The first one, Shannon, only Ziva and Ducky know about her. She died, when I was in the Corps. She witnessed a murder and wanted to testify. The murderer was a Mexican drug lord. He had her taken out. She died in a car accident, along with our daughter."

She gasped, "You had a daughter?"

He nodded, "Kelly, her name was Kelly. She was eight."

"Oh Jethro…I'm so sorry." There were tears in her eyes. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I don't tell anyone Jen. I haven't talked about them since it happened. Not with anyone."

"Oh Jethro…"

"It's okay Jen, it was a long time ago. There's not as much pain anymore, now it's just the memories." He pulled her back flush against him and whispered into her hair. "That's three Jen."

She pulled away from him, aghast until she saw that he was grinning. "Not fair! You can't possibly believe that you get away with telling me something as important as that and not expecting me to ask little questions along the way!"

"Not my fault Jen." He smiled, "Though I do believe it is my turn, yes?"

She sighed and put her head back on his chest, "Yes."

"Why did you really leave me that letter?"

"You know why. I told you that I went after La Grenouille and that I avenged my father's death. I didn't want you getting caught up in that. It wasn't your problem."

"No, but it was yours, and I would have done just about anything for you Jen. Still would."

"I know that now." He could hear the smile, and he felt her relax into him.

"I get two more Jen." She nodded. "Did you ever regret it?"

There was no hesitation this time. "Every day. From the minute I left, I regretted it. My career has been on the fast track since the beginning, and some days I wish I could have just slowed down. Relaxed and really settled into something."

"Well now you can Jen, you've made it to the top. Nowhere else to go now."

"Down, Jethro, I can always fall down."

"I'll catch you."

She tipped her chin up so she could look at him. "Jethro…"

"I'm serious Jen, I told you before. You're not getting away from me that easily again. I still love you." He smiled as her breath caught in her throat. "Last question."

She nodded, not quite trusting her voice.

"Do you still love me too?"