A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay guys. I've not had access to a computer and have only just got my laptop back. Thank you sooooo much to every one that has reviewed, and alerted. You keep me motivated with writing as there seems to be many brick walls that pop up out of no where on a regular basis. I'll post the next update in roughly a weeks time.

Just a side note before the story:: I am on Twitter as PaigeJoy1 I Tweet when I am working on something, have posted and am posting. Feel free to follow me on there :-)

Now, enough of my babble, one with the show!


Chapter Seven :

Jenny was happy to be home after the day she had had. She knew she should have paid attention to her gut that morning, but she was still in a slight haze after starting to patch things up with Jethro. She almost danced around the kitchen to the light music she had turned on when she started to cook. Jethro was in Jenny's study writing in his first ever journal; his first ever entry. He wanted to find a way to clear his mind instead of working on his boat as he knew it would soon be moved into storage so that he could finish the inside. He knew Jenny had a journal, or she did undercover, and it seemed to help her, so he thought he'd give it a try. He listened to Jenny sing along to Celine Dion and continued to write with a slight smiled upon his face.

Three hours later and Jenny, with the help of Jethro, had finished cooking dinner and had set the table. Jenny sat herself behind her desk in her study, fully intent of doing a little work, but an A-4 black leather book sat on the corner of her desk, caught her eye.

'That wasn't there this morning.'

Jethro watched silently from the doorway, waiting to see what Jenny did, but as she picked It up and placed it in front of her, there was a knock on the door.

Jethro got to the door first and pulled it open with a smile on his face.

"Hello Abs, Kate."

"Hi Gibbs!" Abby hugged her 'father' and stepped confidently into the Georgetown mansion.

Kate stayed on the doorstep. "Evening Boss."

"Evening Kate. Don't let Abby here you call me that, here it's Gibbs."

Kate nodded and slipped in as Gibbs indicated she should. Kate gazed about at the place the Director called home. It was amazing.

Jenny stepped out of the living room where she was putting something away and smiled at Kate. "Hello Kate."

"Ma'am."

"It's Jenny when we're here Kate."

"Who cooked?" came Abby's voice from the kitchen, breaking the tension that had started to form.

"I did."

"But Dad always cooks."

"I know dear, but he was busy earlier."

Abby nodded and hugged her 'mom'. "Smells great."

"Don't say anything until you've tried it."

"Okay." Abby grabbed Kate's hand and all but dragged her to the kitchen where everything was set out on the island.

"She called you 'dad'."

Gibbs nodded at Jenny. "She does it when she's feeling hinky."

Jenny nodded and grabbed his hand. "Let's go and join our daughter.

~0~0~

Conversation throughout the dinner was light, Abby talked the most about what she had been doing in her spare time and the project she was thinking of starting. Jethro asked questions and Abby would oblige with answers. Jenny would join in every now and then, but most of the time, she just watched the other three around the island. Kate was silent unless she was asked a direct question. She avoided Jenny's eyes at all costs knowing that Jenny would see the upset in her own eyes. Once everyone had finished their meal, they moved to the living room.

"Thank you for the meal Jenny!" Abby hugged Jen before sitting herself on the floor in front of the couch.

"My pleasure, Abs." Jenny bent down and pressed a kiss to her cheek, much like Gibbs does, before sitting next to her lover behind Abby. Kate sat on the chair, hoping that they would forget about her. Jenny glanced over at Kate, not saying anything, hoping that she would come and join them later.

"Why did you two invite us over tonight anyway?"

Gibbs looked at Jenny who nodded. "We wanted you two to be the first to know that Jenny and I are together."

"Finally! I've only been trying to get you pair together for three years."

Jenny smiled sadly and watched Kate stand up and leave the room.

"Excuse me." Jenny stood and followed Kate. She stopped at the old nursery and Jenny came up behind her. "What's wrong, Kate?"

"It's nothing Jenny, I shouldn't have intruded."

"Kate, its fine, but you're not."

Sighing, Kate turned around and looked at Jenny. "I want a child Jenny."

Jenny nodded. "Have you spoken to Abby?"

"No. I don't what to say." She turned back to the small room that was wonderfully furnished with yellow walls. "Do you have any children?"

"No." Memories of a little girl, with Jethro's eyes and a little patch of her hair, lay in the white crib, flooded her mind.

"Do you want them?"

"I've not thought about it, my life has always been of the fast track. I've never slowed down to think about it."

Kate nodded in understanding. "It feels like there's a part of me that's missing and nothing will be able to fill that gap other than a child."

Jenny nodded and brought the woman into her arms as a lone tear slipped silently down her cheek. Abby was stood with Jethro a few feet away, shaking her head. She knew something was wrong with her lover, but she had no idea it would be something like that. Jethro wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her temple.

"Go and speak to her downstairs. Jen and I will be up her, just shout if you need one of us."

"Okay," Abby whispered before walking over to Kate and Jenny. "Kate?"

"Hi Abs."

"Can we talk downstairs?"

"You heard, didn't you?"

Abby just nodded, grabbed her hand and led her down the staircase. Jenny continued to stand in the doorway to the nursery, remembering another time. Jethro came over and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"You with me?" he whispered five minutes of silence later.

Jenny nodded. "Just remembering."

"What?"

"I was pregnant when I left you at the airport. I didn't know until two months later. I came back to tell you and be you lover, but you were with Stephanie. Every day I stood across the street from your house, waiting for you to notice me. You didn't, but Stephanie did. She pushed me over and warned me not to come back or she'd kill me." She took a breath and walked slowly into the bright room before continuing. "On March 13th, I gave birth to a little girl, just over one month prematurely. She had your eyes and my hair." She gripped onto the wooden crib and tried to stem the flow of tears. She felt Jethro stand behind her and she leaned back against him, needing his support. He placed a kiss to her head and held her close. Thoughts and memories of his own, running through his mind.

"She was so weak," Jen whispered. "I was so happy that she lived, but when she died, I felt like I couldn't go on. I buried myself in work and put together my five point plan."

Jethro kissed her neck. "What was her name?"

"Jean Marie Shepard-Gibbs."

"I bet she was beautiful."

Jenny nodded. "I miss her Jethro."

"I know Jen. I understand." Jethro turned Jenny around and buried his face in her hair. Jenny sighed and buried her head in Jethro's chest, sinking into him as much as humanly possible. "I love you Jen."

"I love you too, Jethro."

Ten minutes later, Jethro put Jen at arms length.

"You ready to go back downstairs?"

Jenny nodded and smiled. "Let's go and see if they're still together."

Jethro wrapped an arm around her waist and she rested her head on his shoulder as they walked down to the living room. Jethro smiled at what he saw. Jenny squeezed his fingers and went over to the girls.

"Are you both okay?"

Kate nodded and turned over, putting her face in Abby's toned stomach and closing her eyes. Abby ran her fingers through Kate's brown locks, smiling.

"Abs?"

"I'm okay Jenny. Just need to sort my head out and do some research."

"You know where I am if you want to talk to me, night or day."

"Thank you," Abby whispered before glancing at the clock. "It's getting late, we should go."

"You and Kate are more than welcome to use the spare room."

Abby just nodded before turning back to her love. Jenny stood from her crouched position and smiled down at the two women, even though they couldn't see her. She glance at Jethro briefly before turning and heading for the stairs and her bedroom. Jethro stood behind the sofa and pressed a kiss to Abby's crown.

"Stay the night Abs, you're exhausted."

"Night Dad."

"Night Sweetheart." Jethro quickly followed the same path that Jenny had, coming to the same destination just in time to see her pull a book from the top draw or her vanity.

"Jen?"

Jenny spun in her seat, not having heard Jethro follow her. "Hello."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine, just dealing with memories."

Jethro entered her room and stood behind her as she turned around to write in the book she had gotten out. He rested his hands on her should and gently rubbed circles with his thumbs. Jenny sighed lightly, but kept her hand rapidly moving across the page.

"What're you doing Jen?"

"Writing. I'll let you look when I'm done."

Jethro kissed her head and continued to message her shoulders until she was done. Jenny leaned back and enjoyed the feeling of her lover's hands on her shoulders and neck. Her right hand continued to move across the page even as she started to relax.

"You finished yet?" Jethro whispered in her ear.

"Yes," she whispered back.

Jethro reached in front of her and read the page in front of him after grabbing Jenny's glasses.

I finally told Jethro about Jean. I'm glad I did, I don't think I could have kept her a secret much longer. But wounds have been opened and I can't help but feel depressed. I know that the gap in my heart will never be filled, but I miss being a mother, having a girl to hold in my arms and care for. I know Abby sees me as her mother, but it's not the same. God how my heart hurts.

Jethro stopped reading and placed the book on the vanity before gently pulling Jenny into his arms. Neither said another word that night, both enjoying the peaceful sleep that being in the other's arms brought.

To Be Continued ...