A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! And thanks to some certain people who updated a few of my favourite stories - that made my week already on Monday ;D.
Chapter six: Action Reaction
Januar 05, 2006
Jennifer Shepard looked at her watch, shifted in her comfortable seat, looked at the screen of her computer, then at the plasma screen on the wall opposite to her, and at her watch again.
It had been over a week, exactly twelve days, and today would be her first meeting on the hill after the press conference. She'd hoped till then SecNav would have forgiven her the little stunt she pulled how he called it, and started acting like the adult he claimed to be again, but obviously all hoping had been in vain as he still preferred not to speak to her.
She sighed. She really didn't need that.
Thankfully SecNav had backed her up before she had dropped the bombshell on him, and her agents were still under the impression he approved of her relationship to Gibbs, even if that wasn't the case. Unlike them, most of the senators that had helped her to keep her job knew the truth, and that in turn left her vulnerable, because everyone she was going to face today would know that she was forced to put in everything she had because everything slightly less than the best would be a failure. A failure that could cost her her job. She felt vulnerable knowing that they knew.
She almost wished something would come up, a matter of national security that wouldn't leave any room to postpone her immediate involvement as the head of a federal agency, just to help her to avoid facing all those politicians today.
Jenny had wanted to let the hype live down a little before she herself attended important meetings again, but SecNav hadn't gone for it. Obviously budget meetings and fund raising on the hill were far more important then her personal feelings, at least in his opinion. Not that she could really blame him.
She shifted in her seat again. She'd gone from 'the best director this agency has had so far' to his personal bitch in about two hours, a fact she wasn't particularly proud of, but had gained her points by Abby Sciuto who had butted heads with SecNav about her way to dress before - not that she needed those points anymore, the poor girl was still high on caffeine because of all the CafPow! she'd drunk when she'd found about the relationship of el jefe and the lady boss.
Jenny focused back on the screen of her computer, printing out several charts and files as she heard Cynthia announce Stanley's arrival over the intercome. She grabbed her cup of coffee, wanting to take a sip. It was oddly light. She opened the lit and stared incredulously in the now empty cup.
She sighed again. She really didn't need that at all.
Jenny had hurried past him when he came back from the break room with a fresh cup of coffee so fast Gibbs wasn't even sure if she had seen him at all. She'd been tensed when they woke up, riled up by every little thing he'd done, and he had no clue why. Maybe he'd ask Ziva.
He sighed and entered the bull pen, headslapping DiNozzo for no reason at all other than he felt like it, but at the sheepish expression on his face he felt like he'd done the right thing.
"Ziva?" He asked even more grumpily than usual, he wasn't really comfortable with asking Ziva about something he should know. "What's up with Jenny today?"
She looked at him questioningly, her forehead wrinkling a little. "Up? She seemed to be down today, don't you think?"
Tony looked at her, first in unbelief, then he began to snicker. "How long have you been living in America Zee-vah?" He laughed.
"DiNozzo!" Gibbs barked. "Don't say anything unless you're asked to. Do you know why she's down Ziva?" He asked his Israeli team mate more gently, but she just shrugged apologetically.
"Boss?" McGee looked up from his screen shyly. "Maybe it is because today it's her first meeting on the hill after this whole affair?"
Gibbs looked at the sandy-haired agent, making him shiver a bit. He hadn't thought about that at all. No wonder she was so nervous. "Not that you weren't aware of that Boss, I wouldn't even think that, I just..." He trailed up self-consciously. Gibbs was still fixing him with his usual hard and icy stare as he stood up. He almost smirked to himself as the young man shrank back visibly.
Scare the hell out of the probie - check.
He went towards the elevator, his mobile in his hand, not sparing a second glance for his team. He pushed the button for the elevator violently, getting angrier at himself by the minute. He got in and stopped the small metal box as soon as it had started to move. He punched the key for the speed dial of Jenny's nummer.
"Shepard?" Gibbs heard her answering the phone. She sounded nervous, stressed, and just the tiniest little bit insecure.
"Hey Jen, it's me." Jenny exhaled loudly on the other end off the line, curtly giving her detail some orders. "Where are you?"
"I've just arrived at the Pentagon. What do you want Jethro? I don't have much time to just talk."
"I've just wanted to wish you luck."
She made a strangled sound, and he hoped he hadn't said anything to make her cry in front of the men she had to deal with all day long.
"You crying Jen?" He asked quietly, gently.
She made the strangled sound again before she answered, a little shakily. "I haven't let them see me cry since my first meeting as Director. And I won't ever again."
He laughed a bit, glad she was strong, a fighter. "That's my girl." Gibbs said a hint of pride in his voice.
"Your girl? Getting a bit possessive, aren't you?" She teased gently, but knew, when it came down to it indeed she was. "Listen Jethro, I have to go, but I really appreciate your call. Love you."
"Love you too. Bye." He smirked smugly as he got out of his 'office'.
He head-slapped DiNozzo again, and funnily enough, he looked guilty again.
"You better hope I won't see you doing that again any time soon!" Gibbs bellowed as he walked by in the direction of the break room. He heard them whisper as he went around the corner, then suddenly he heard DiNozzo exclaiming in an almost whiney voice:
"How the hell does he always know what I'm up to?"
Jenny had heard the whispering as soon as she'd entered the lobby of the building they had their meeting in, making her wonder how many of the employees and senators' aides here knew what was really going on. There wasn't really a doubt what they were talking about, even if she was still the only woman heading a federal agency, she wasn't that much of a novelty anymore.
She forced herself not to let anything show on her face, neither uncertainty nor fear, instead she thought of Jethro calling her just a few short minutes ago. Jenny nodded to the man holding the door open for her in thanks; she was known for those little gestures that made her popular with the employees. She hoped that would come in handy now.
She took her seat somewhere in the middle of the row of chairs along the table, her gaze on the plasma screen in one of the corners. She was well aware that the others were staring at her, most of them at her breasts. It wasn't even that she was wearing something risky or extraordinairily low-cut.
Pigs she thought and snorted, chauvinistic, misogynistic pigs.
The first orator stood up, Nathan McDorrel, the Director of the FBI. She sighed. McDorrel, the son of Irish immigrants, was famous for his long, boring speeches. Absentmindedly she began doodling around on her notebook, staring right into his eyes without really seeing him till suddenly-
"And most of all, the FBI is, different than other agencies, trustworthy and and known for its credibility."
Jenny recognized a dig when she had to take one in strike. Nevertheless she paled, still looking at him, but this time actually seeing his face, his eyes. The men around her applaused, and even she lifted her hands, slowly, and clapped.
And suddenly she realized what that really was about.
This wasn't about her sleeping with a subordinate; she would bet a hundred bucks on either of them having slept with their secretaries at least once and got recognition from the others for it. That was about them taking pleasure in destroying what was left of her reputation.
She wasn't the bad-ass new NCIS director anymore, she was the NCIS director who got fucked by her lead agent.
She wasn't the woman who had stood up for her relationship, she was the woman who had to listen to them hinting about her lost credibility.
Standing up, Jenny gripped the edge off the table, her knuckles withening as her view went fuzzy at the edges. She didn't care if it was her turn or not.
"NCIS should get the funding I've calculated because we have the highest rate of solved crimes. We have DC's most efficient forensic scientist working for us, but she needs new equipement to do her work. We need money to make sure the next generation of our agents is as well trained and educated as the current one. And most of all, NCIS is, as well as all the other agencies also, trustworthy and known for its credibility." She finished, her voice steady as she ended her statement with almost the same words as the director of the FBI.
Silence ruled the room for a few moments, then sparse applause. Most of them looked at her with the respect they'd used to show her, before the scandal. She allowed herself a small, proud smile, looking at them trumphantly as-.
Someone whistled behind her, a rude, degaratory catcall whistle, and the respect was gone. Jenny looked at him, he was young, brunette, maybe as old as she herself, not an agency head, and surely not a senator, perhaps one of their aides; and he'd just humilated her, so easily...
Her breathing sounded labored in her ears, and she hoped they wouldn't hear it as her view went fuzzy again.
"I think we could come to some kind of an agreement concerning NCIS's budget." The same man said, looking at her suggestively and she felt as if she was some kind of a whore. Suddenly she recognized him. The man from the press conference. The man who got the blonde to ask her about her relationship to Jethro. The man who'd almost ruined everything.
Jenny swallowed heavily, biting her tongue as not to say anything inappropriate. "Excuse me, Mr, what's your name again? I can't remember having seen you around here before."
"Oh, I'm sorry Miss Shepard. My name is Paul Winters. I believe we've met before."
"The last time I saw you you were at a press conference acting like the reporter I believed you to be." She replied, her voice icy.
"Been promoted since." He smirked smugly, arrogantly.
"Then let the others talk who've been in the business longer than you." She said, turning to the others again, shutting him up effectively.
The red-head sat down again, fixing each of them with a stare, but she didn't saw respect anymore. Grins had taken its place.
She'd been numb for the rest of the meeting, only listening superficially. She'd been the center of the general attention, but hadn't acknowledged it. The brunette's eyes had never strayed from her, making her nervously playing with her pencil.
They'd come to an agreement how one of the senators had put it, and it had almost made her nauseous to the point Jenny had to stop herself from rushing out of the room.
Policy requested she'd stayed at least another hour after the meeting, discussing politics, cases, and the lastest turf war while sipping expensive Champagne. She smiled to everyone she saw although she didn't feel like it, made small talk, remained eye contact. The price for her accomplishment seemed impossibly high.
"Miss Shepard." The brunette man came towards her, giving her a fresh glass. "I liked your speech, you've really gotten them riled up there." Winters said, brushing her hip with his hand in a way that seemed too accidentially to give her the opportunity to call him out on it.
She took a step back, but he didn't care, simply going on talking. "You fancy something stronger Jennifer? May I call you Jennifer?"
The red-head stared at him, for a moment she didn't know what to do, what to say.
"I'd rather we stay with the formalities Mr Winters." She said a bit stiffly. He shrugged as he placed a firm hand on the small of her back, leading her to the bar.
"I don't think you understand Mr Winters." She uttered lowly, not wanting to draw attention to them as she brushed his arm away. "I don't want to have a drink."
He just shook his head and kept stepping forward, forcing her to back away till she was trapped in-between his body and the wall. "I don't think you understand Jennifer. I just want to know when it's my turn. When you are through with him." He drawled the word out, suggestivly, as he placed his hands on her hips again. He bent down, his mouth right next to her ear. "Just think about it Jennifer. Just you and me and..." He trailed out lowly.
Her mind went blank. This wasn't some underlying accusation. This was him treating her like some whore he'd picked up at a streetcorner. Jenny gulped, and suddenly red fury raged through her body.
"I suggest you stop this right now." She forced through gritted teeth, her voice becoming louder with each word she spoke. "This is sexual harrasement, and if you don't want me to press charges against you, you'll leave me alone."
Jenny pushed him away from her and went to the doors. Calmly, in control of herself, her head held high. She didn't look at anyone, didn't make eye contact. Tears prickled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall; at least till she was in the sanctuary of her car.
"Jethro?"
He looked up from the screen of his computer, startled.
"Jethro?"
This was Jenny. A desperate, distressed Jenny. She'd been crying, but did a good job of covering it, and he was fairly certain someone who didn't know her as well as he did wouldn't pick up on it. Her eyes were a little darker than usual, and just the tiniest bit puffy.
He almost rushed around his desk, gathering her in his arms as she broke before his eyes. Her knees gave away under her, and she collapsed against him, sobs wrecking her petite frame. He slid down to the floor, pulling her on his lap, just holding her tight while he drew soothing patterns on her back.
"Jen." He murmured, just as DiNozzo cleared his throat. Gibbs shot him a menancing glare, shutting him up as he took Ziva and McGee with him as he strolled over to the elevator.
"Jen? What did they do to you?"
She drew in a shaky breath, uttering something against his neck before she placed a few feather light kisses there.
"I've gotten the money Jethro. I've gotten all the fucking money we need and more." She broke up, looking up at him with big, sad eyes. He stopped the praise that was about to leave his mouth. She didn't want to be praised for this, this had hurt her, hurt her badly. Instead her pressed tender kisses to the crown of her head, her forehead, her temples. He let his lips linger, took his time to console her, not caring who watched them and what they thought.
"He almost demanded me to sleep with him."
His gripp on her tightened, he didn't really realised it, but suddenly she winced, whimpered, and he didn't know if it was because of him, or because of what they had done to her.
"He called it an agreement, and the others just adopted that, they didn't do anything." She paused momentarily. "And then he touched me and wanted to know when it was his turn, and they stood just by and watched, he almost called me a slut, treated me like a whore, and they kept talking and drinking Champagne."
"What's his name Jen? What is this bastard's name?" He asked, maybe a bit too forcefully, as she shrank back, trembling again.
"Winters." She mumbled. "He's this reporter from the press conference who sat next to the blonde."
He nodded, remembering the man who had been constantly flirting with every female around him. A relative of DiNozzo's he had thought mockingly, but now he dismissed it. Tony very well might be a womanizer, but he had manners.
"You'll denounce him?" He muttered gruffly, still holding her to him.
"How?" She asked back. "He didn't do anything. He didn't call me names, and I didn't outright tell him to stop at first. I'm sure he has a good lawyer, so there isn't really anything I could do." She finished bitterly.
Jethro looked at her, appaled. Normally she was a fighter, she wouldn't let anybody get away with humilating her, she would fight tooth and nail to make him pay. "But we can't do nothing Jen!"
The redhead turned her head, it felt like slow motion for him. Her long lashes were wet from tears, he could see their traces on her cheek. "We?" She shook her head. "This is my battle to fight Jethro."
He shook his head too, more forcefully than she had done, and he took her hands in his, looking straight into her eyes. "I may not be the one he touched, and I may not be the one who had to sit through this meeting alone, but you don't have to again either. Maybe we cannot denounce him, but I can come with you next time. And I can break his neck if he tries something like that again."
"It's not that simple Jethro."
"Yeah? But only because we make it complicated." He stood up, pulling her up with him. "The Jennifer Shepard I know wouldn't just take something like that in strike. You still have this friend with the Post? Call her, maybe she'll find some dirt on him."
She nodded, and he saw the hope in her eyes, hope and grim determination. Tenderly he brushed a few strands of her out of her face, letting her lean into his touch as she pressed a small kiss to the palm of his hand. She held onto him for a few more moments before she pulled away, gazing into his cobalt blue eyes lovingly.
"Jethro?"
"Hm?" He muttered.
She framed his face with her hands, brushing her thumbs over his cheeks. "Thank you."
"What I said in that cottage Jen, I meant it. For always and forever."
I hope you liked the ending, I was in need for some fluff. Thanks for reading, please leave a review!