Author's Note:

This story acquired a co-author for parts of this chapter because I was well and truly blocked. The ideas were in my head but I couldn't make the transition into words. Morgan did it for me. So ... thanks!


As he headed out to the parking lot he could feel the small packet that Abby had slipped into his pocket. It weighed far more than it should have done – burdened by all that it implied about the evening ahead of him – and how it might end.

What was he doing? Was this what he wanted – or had the combined might of Abby and Ducky manoeuvred him into it? He didn't know what he thought about Jenny Shepard – although the urge to get to know her better was almost as strong as his awareness that he might not be any good to her.

"Oh dear. I'm not sure that's the appropriate demeanour for a date" a quiet voice said as he approached his car.

Ducky shook his head good-naturedly, leaning against the bonnet.

"Jethro you aren't supposed to look as though you are about to face a firing squad."

"Not sure what I can do about that Duck."

"You could try enjoying yourself. Jennifer is very good company."

"Maybe you should be the one taking her to dinner."


A short while later, Dr Mallard leaned against the bar and mused that not everyone would have taken Jethro's comment quite so seriously. But, looking across the restaurant to where the couple talking quietly too wrapped up in each other to notice his absence, he was glad that he had. Though there had been moments when he had despaired of ever getting them this far. With Jethro's mood in the category he described as not promising, he had decided that a third person might take the pressure off the situation, making it more of a social event than a date – at least at first.

If Jenny had been surprised to see him at her front door with Gibbs she hadn't commented. Since Jethro had said nothing at all it was up to Ducky to tell her that she looked beautiful and to admire the dark rose she wore in her hair. Though from the way he looked at her there was very little doubt that her actual date was very aware of how beautiful she looked – even if he hadn't remarked that she was wearing one of the roses 'he'd' sent her earlier that day.

Jennifer hadn't seemed disposed to linger on her front door step, she'd cast a single look over her shoulder as she walked briskly towards Gibbs' car. Ducky had followed her gaze and was almost sure he saw an upstairs curtain twitch, but thought it was better not to mention it.

His gaze was drawn back to the table.

Whatever Jenny was saying to Gibbs was obviously working, because he was leaning in and .. chuckling? Ducky didn't even bother to suppress the smile he felt coming on – or block the thought that they made a remarkably attractive couple. He paid for the drinks and pondered for a while about what to do next. He'd just about decided to leave them to it when a flash of movement at the entrance told him that he was going to have no choice but to rejoin what was about to become a party of four.

He got to the table just as Veronica did.

"Why good evening Mrs. Gardner" he said, pulling out a chair after shooting a look at Jen – who just lowered her eyes to the table in silence.

"Donald" she said, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek before sitting.

She placed her clutch on the table and looked around her.

"Well ... isn't this nice. Oh don't look at me like that, Jennifer" she huffed as she arranged her dress a little at the shoulders. "You were supposed to be going on a date .. not a menage a' trois. And as honourable as I'm sure Dr. Mallard is, I could not stand by and allow my daughter to go out alone with two men. It's perfectly indecent. And besides ..." she carried on, looking first at one man and then at the other "if nothing else it's high time you learnt to share."

Jen cast a look at Ducky, he suspected because she didn't dare look at Gibbs. He smiled reassuringly at her for a moment.

And then his eyes widened.

He put his hand over Veronica's knee.

"There'll be none of that" he said.

Veronica looked at him with a smile.

"I don't remember you complaining last time, Donald" she purred.

Ducky had the good grace to blush.

He leaned forward.

"Last time was eleven years ago" he said as he leaned forward. "My blood pressure was a lot more stable then. And we're in an upscale restaurant. Playing footsie is frowned upon here."

Jen groaned - mortification written all over her face.

Excuse me" she said as she rose from the table.

Gibbs followed her with his eyes, and then his gaze shifted to Veronica - only to find her observing him in amusement.

She crossed her hands in front of her.

"From the look on your face I take it you didn't know that Donald and I were ... involved a few years back?"

Gibbs shot his old friend a bemused look - wondering what else he'd left out of their conversation earlier in the day. He'd been under the impression that the woman had made unwelcome advances.

"I wonder where Jennifer's got to" Ducky said, looking round the room, suddenly very anxious to change the subject.

"So now tell me, Leroy. I'm confused. Do you always take a chaperone on dates?" Veronica said, pulling Gibbs' thoughts from Ducky's sex life.

Not something he particularly wanted to think about anyway.

They sat in awkward silence till Jenny returned from the ladies' room. When she sat down the change in her was evident even to Gibbs. Her mortification had morphed into anger. And possibly even beyond that into resentment. He had enough experience with mothers-in-law to recognise the signs of something about to boil over. He looked at Ducky and realised that he could see it too. It didn't take much insight to realise that Jen would hold her peace until her temper snapped – and that wasn't going to take long.

Veronica looked over at her daughter.

"I thought we'd agreed you weren't going to wear that thing in your hair."

Jen rolled her eyes.

"And you still have smudges on your skin" her mother added, dabbing her napkin in her water glass. "I told you that putting black petals in your bath would only make them run. But did you listen?"

She ran the moistened cloth along the back of Jen's neck.

"And I have to know ... who in their right mind sends a girl black roses?"

"That would be me" said Gibbs, suddenly realising what she was talking about.

"Oh. Well ..." she said, trying furiously to back-pedal. "She liked them. A lot. I came into the bedroom to help her choose a dress and she was staring at them. I don't see what the problem is letting him know, Jennifer" she said when she felt her daughter bristle.

She looked sharply at Gibbs and her eyes narrowed.

"Although I take it you have intentions with my daughter? Because no man in his right senses sends black roses. To a woman's office, no less. You made my daughter the laughing stock of the I .."

"Stop it now" Jen hissed.

"Veronica .." Ducky said suddenly, sensing that the tension between mother and daughter was about to escalate into an argument. "How would you like a tour of the sights?"

Veronica's eyes sparkled and she deliberated for a moment before dragging her lower lip through her teeth and answering.

"The real question is ... are the sights what they used to be?"

"They may have aged a bit" Ducky said slowly, "but you know that there's only one way to find that out, don't you?"

Veronica regarded him for a long moment, and then she stood up.

"I trust you'll see my daughter home safe, Leroy?"

"I'll have her home by eleven" Gibbs said.

Ducky intervened before she could come back with something to complement the withering look she gave him.

"Shall we?" he asked, offering his arm.

"Jennifer .. don't wait up for me" was all she said before she accepted.

Ducky winked at them and was gone.

Jen bit her lower lip in frustration and embarrassment and couldn't quite bring herself to look at her companion. Which was probably just as well because all Gibbs could think about was seeing her do that for an entirely different reason – one he was responsible for.

He swallowed and pushed his glass of bourbon towards her.

"Here" he said. "Down in one. You'll feel better."

Jen took the glass and downed it. Then she began to laugh. Nervously and apologetically.

"I don't know why she does this," she said. "It's like she can't help herself."

"Maybe she can't" was all Gibbs said.

"I'm not hungry anymore" Jen said with a shrug as one of the wait staff stood next to them.

"Lets grab a drink at the bar" Gibbs said, putting his arm under her elbow and steering her away from the table once she'd risen to her feet.


"You know .." Jen said forty minutes later, feeling a lot mellower under the influence of bourbon. "I had this huge crush on you twelve years ago."

Gibbs smiled.

"Just as well nothing came of it. I've been through two wives since then."

"It's back."

"What?" Gibbs looked round – expecting to find Veronica behind him.

"Nothing" she replied gently. She picked her bag up from the bar. "It's getting late. Shall we?"

Gibbs looked at her for a moment, sure he'd missed something but not quite sure what. And then he nodded and followed her outside.


He tapped his toes on her front doorstep as he waited to see her inside. As she pulled a set of keys out of her bag nervously, Jen could hear the tapping. But she wasn't sure what kind of impatience it signalled. An impatience to see her inside and be gone? An impatience to come inside and have this become something more? In her uncertainty she dropped her keys. Gibbs had just bent over to retrieve them when they heard it.

The sound of something hitting the ground.

Gibbs cursed inwardly as her fingers picked up the packet that Abby had given him ahead of his.

Jen looked at him for a moment.

"Does this mean you want to take me up on that nightcap?" she asked shyly, as she stuffed the condoms back into his jacket pocket and patted it with a smile.

Gibbs raised his eyes to her. Just for a split second he was back to seeing her stand in the doorway with the light dancing in her hair. He'd wanted to kiss her then, just as he wanted to kiss her now. He just wasn't sure what she wanted. It had been so long since he'd been in this situation that his instincts told him to let her lead. He was still trying to work out what to do next when a small, soft hand found his and pulled him inside the house. The door shut and the hand crooked itself behind his neck.

She hesitated for a moment and he was almost sure that she'd changed her mind – but then her lips brushed against his, softly at first – as though she was testing his response. He almost laughed at them. Two adults standing here more nervous that teenagers on their first date. She pulled back and they breathed together for a moment – waiting, hovering indecisively on the brink of something that he knew was going to be important. He didn't realise he was touching her until he felt his fingers tighten on her slim shoulders and she read the request for what it was – pressing her lips back to his.

She tasted of bourbon and all of a sudden he wanted to possess her totally.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness he became aware of the fact that she was pulling him further into the hall. Away from the front door. And yet she wasn't leading him up the stairs. He looked round to find that they were back in the study - but that was as far as he got because the sexual charge that ran through him made thinking impossible. He wasn't sure if she was taking charge because after the incident with her mother she needed to channel her frustrations, but he wasn't about to contest what was going on. He gave himself over to the way she became slightly aggressive with his mouth. She sucked his lower lip between her own, nipped at his chin and jaw, and nibbled on his outer ear.

Suddenly she froze in his arms.

"Ssshh!" she said, her head perking up to listen.

"What?"

"Was that the door?"

They listened in silence for a while; waiting to see if Veronica had come home already.

After a few moments Jen turned back to find him looking at her, with a gentle expression in his eyes.

"Jethro?" she asked, barely suppressing a shiver as his lips explored the soft skin beneath her jawline.

She rolled back her head and arched her shoulders to bare her collarbone to him and when she moaned she felt desire ripple through him. His hand ran over and under her dress. Slowly. As the seconds dragged by he found the zipper on the garment and tugged on it gently – stepping back to watch as she stepped free of it.

Gently he caressed a breast. The feel of his calloused hand against her flesh was followed by the moistness of his mouth, and Jen felt all her body tingle. As he softly cupped the other breast and gave it the same attention she instinctively went for his clothes. Wanting to feel his bare skin against hers.

Gibbs said something that sounded suspiciously like her name, as he reached for her again - although she couldn't be sure. But it was the look on his face that made her blush. Blush and lower her eyes. He took her face in his hands and kissed her on the mouth gently.

"You okay with this?" he asked.

She nodded, and felt him raise her leg to him. His touch was hypnotic and she realised that at this moment she'd probably follow him anywhere if only he'd ask.


Gibbs stepped outside a half hour later. Heartily amused by the fact that she'd thrown him out on his ear – claiming that she hadn't wanted her mother to walk in on their post-coital bliss. He'd promised to call her soon and then left.

He was still smiling when he dialled Ducky's number.

"Jethro" his friend replied, sounding more than a little animated. "Can this wait? I'm in a bit of a bind at the moment."

"Not literally I hope" Gibbs replied, and then looked at his phone as the sound of muffled laughter came down the line.

"I'll talk to you in morning" was all Ducky said before the line went dead.

Gibbs shook his head, not wanting the visuals. He stepped over to his car and then dialled another number.

"Well that didn't take long. You can't possibly be home already."

"Nope."

"Where are you?"

"Outside your house."

Jen looked out of her bedroom window and saw him leaning back against his car.

He crooked his little fingers at her in greeting.

"I take it you're calling me for a reason?"

"Oh yeah."

"A good one?"

"Hell yeah."

"And what would that be?"

"To tell you that I liked your shoes."

"What?"

"Nice shoes, Jen. I liked your shoes."

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs, you are a strange man."