AN: From here on out chapters will mostly be longer. I felt like maybe things were dragging so I'm combining what were originally two chapters into one as we move along. Thanks for the follows and comments. All grammar and spelling mistakes are mine alone. No matter how many times a story is proofread errors will escape. I hope they don't detract form the story too much.

Betrayal

Chapter 7

The next afternoon Jethro showed up at the clinic at four o'clock. The receptionist said there was one other patient then Jethro would be next. He thanked the young woman and sat down to wait. While he was waiting he took the opportunity to look around the space, something he of course hadn't bothered to do the last time he was there. The place could certainly use some work or better yet be shut down. The floors were warped and the walls were in bad shape. The ceiling tiles were stained from too many roof leaks and the reception desk was about to fall apart. To Jethro's expert eye, the place was a disaster. No wonder Jose had wanted to relocate.

About ten minutes later the nurse, Ramon, who had helped him before came to get him. He took Jethro to the examine room and told him the doctor would be there in a minute or two. Jethro settled down to wait some more. He never understood why they took you from the waiting room to another room to wait some more. Why not just leave you in the waiting room until they were actually ready for you? Soon enough though Dr. Ana stepped in the room and shut the door behind her.

"Good afternoon, Gibbs. How's the leg?"

Jethro was sitting on the end of the examining table so he straightened his leg out to show her.

"You tell me."

Ana held his leg and rotated it slightly so she could see his calf. Her touch caused Jethro to flinch ever so slightly.

"That hurt?" It shouldn't have and it if did Ana was concerned.

"No."

Jethro gave no other explanation so Ana went on with her examination.

"Looks very good. Shouldn't be much of a scar. It's healing nicely. You must have taken good care of it."

"Not my first experience with being sewn up. Usually done by a medical examiner though so I'm not too worried about a scar."

"A medical examiner?" She looked up at him with a small smile on her pretty face.

"Yeah. Anyway what about the wrist?"

"Any pain?"

"No."

"Let's get an x-ray to see if you can lose the brace."

Ana led Jethro to the next room and took a x-ray of his wrist then sent him back to wait. As she was developing the film Ana reflected that Jethro still had that sad, faraway look in his eyes. He was speaking in more than short phrases at least but that sad look still bothered her. Fifteen minutes later Ana returned to the examine room with the x-ray and told Jethro he could leave off the brace. She handed him a soft support sleeve and suggested he wear it most of the time for another couple of weeks.

"You can use the wrist as much as you need until it's painful. The tiny fracture is healed but you'll have some stiffness and soreness for a while. Just do what you can comfortably. I'd say you're good to go."

Jethro didn't get up right away so Ana looked at him and asked, "Any questions?"

"Would you show me the plans for the clinic next door?"

That was maybe the last thing she expected him to ask. Ana looked at him with a raised eyebrow and Jethro realized for the first time how really beautiful she was. She had thick black hair that she wore pulled back. Her skin was flawless and she had dark brown eyes framed by very long eyelashes. She looked like she must work out regularly because she was lean and muscular. Obviously his question had surprised her.

"What?"

"Mike said Jose was working on renovating the building next door for a new clinic but all the work stopped after he died. Anyway, I'd like to see the plans. I can probably do the work for you to get you out of this place before it falls down."

"Yes, my uncle was having the building renovated. Most of the needed materials were purchased or donated and some work was done but after he died there was no money for a while and the contractors found other work of course. I don't have the money to hire them back even if they were available. I can't pay for the work."

"Lucky for you I don't charge. Do you have the plans?"

Ana just looked at him and Jethro was happy to sit there and look back at her. When she didn't respond after a few moments Jethro spoke up.

"You can trust me Doc. Mike will vouch for me. I need something to keep myself busy and keep me out of Mike's hair. You'd be doin' both of us a favor. All three of us actually."

"Okay, we can talk about it I suppose. Come with me."

Ana took Jethro to her office and handed him the plans.

"I need to close up so take a look and I'll be back."

Jethro was already flipping through the plans and didn't pay any attention as Ana left the office. It all looked pretty straightforward to him and he was sure he could do what was needed. He wanted to see the building of course and hoped Ana would take him next door.

When Ana returned Jethro was standing staring out her window. He turned around when he heard her come in the room.

"Could I see the building?"

"Of course. Come on."

Jethro walked through the space checking the plans as he did so. The office would be much like the old one, a reception area, two examine rooms, a room for the x-ray machine and some other machines, storage, office and small kitchen/break room. From what he could see the electrical work had already been done as had the plumbing. Some of the framing had been completed but not all. He would have to finish that, install the drywall, seal the walls, paint, install flooring and tile in places and install all the plumbing and electrical fixtures. He wondered how much of that had been purchased already. He hadn't said anything as he walked around and Ana was imagining he had realized he'd spoken too soon. It all seemed very intimidating to her.

"Mike said you have some of the materials already."

"Yes, most of it is stored in the adjoining building. Jose made an arrangement with the building owner to store everything there because he had so much of it donated at one time before it was needed. My uncle was a great one for getting people to give to a worthy cause. Unfortunately in this instance that covered only materials, not the money to have them installed."

"Can I see that too?"

Ana just shook her head in wonder and led him next door. Jethro looked over the accumulated materials and supplies and saw that Jose had indeed been very good at getting things together. There was plenty of lumber, drywall and paint, fixtures, tile and supplies; basically pretty much everything he'd need. It would take him at least three months of work but Jethro was confident he could do the job.

"Okay. I can get started on Monday if that's okay."

"Are you sure? This seems like a job for more than one person. And as I said I can't pay you."

"I'm sure. Yes, three or four men would be quicker but I can do all that's needed. You can pay me with coffee now and then and maybe lunch once in a while."

Ana desperately wanted the new clinic finished so they could move out of their old building before, as Jethro had said, it fell in on them. She dreamed of being able to give the people of their little town a clean, new place to come for their medical care. She knew she could trust Jethro and he certainly seemed sure of himself.

"Alright then. Is there anything you need before you start?"

"If you can give me keys to both buildings I can come and go without bothering you. Other than that, I think everything is here. At least enough for me to make a good start before I need anything else."

"Then I suppose I will see you on Monday. Thank you Jethro."

"Haven't done anything yet."

Jethro spent the weekend mostly walking on the beach thinking. He felt better with a project to concentrate on but he was still pretty miserable. He missed his wife and their life together. He missed holding her and watching her get ready in the morning. He missed laughing with her and loving her. And, he missed being loved by her. Her touch, her attention, the way she looked at him; he missed all that and so much more. Why was he still in Baja? Because he was stubborn and hurt and afraid to trust her again. Just because he missed her didn't mean he had forgotten what she'd done to them. But…he wasn't quite as sure he wanted a life without her as he had been a couple of months ago.

On Sunday afternoon he went through all his tools to be sure he had what he'd need for all the work he'd taken on. Everything was there and he felt confident about doing the work. A helper would be handy. Maybe Mike could lend a hand sometimes. And, he'd need a tile saw eventually. He didn't have one of those but he was sure he'd locate one by the time he needed it. He went over the plans again and made a list of the work he wanted to do in what order he wanted to get started. It was September and he figured he could be finished by Christmas. Then, after the holidays he'd go back to DC and sort out his future. Jethro went to bed Sunday night feeling better. He had a plan and a timeline and something to keep him busy for the next three months. He was just a bit less miserable and that was progress.

Jethro had been working for almost two hours Monday morning when Ana showed up with a large cup of coffee.

"What time did you get here?"

"About five I think."

"Why?" She was incredulous that anyone was up working at that hour when they didn't have to be. Working all night in the ER was one thing but to voluntarily show up that early to do work you weren't even getting paid for was nuts in her opinion.

"Wasn't sleeping so I figured I'd get started."

Ana couldn't help but check him out. Jethro was wearing some very old, very comfortable jeans and a tee shirt. From where she was standing she could see there wasn't an ounce of fat on the man. He was all lean muscle, sharp angles and flat planes. And a very handsome, very guarded face. Short gray hair, big hands and what she imagined were lovely blue eyes when they weren't tinged with sadness of course. She determined right then and there to discover the source of that sadness and somehow banish it so she could see just how beautiful blue those eyes really were. And how that handsome face looked with a smile on it.

Ana went to work and Jethro got back to organizing and sorting. He spent the morning moving supplies from the storage building to the clinic and arranging a lot of it where he needed it to be for installation. The basic wiring was done but none of the boxes for the outlets or switches had been installed. He got started on that around nine o'clock. It was tedious but basic work and with the power off it went fairly quickly. Around lunch time Jethro took a break and went outside for some fresh air. He sat on the tailgate of his truck that was parked behind the building and pulled out his phone. He'd decided some time that morning to call Ducky and check on things back home.

"Autopsy."

"Hey, Duck how are you?"

"Ah, Jethro how nice to hear your voice. I'm fine. How are things with you?"

"Okay."

Jethro went on to tell Ducky about the clinic project and that he expected to be there at least until the end of the year.

"Jethro, there's something I need to tell you."

Alarm bells immediately started ringing in Jethro's head.

"What's wrong? Jenny?"

"She's taken a leave of absence from NCIS. We only found out about it this morning."

"Why? Is she sick?"

"I don't have any reason to think so but I don't know why she's left. She didn't tell me anything when I saw her last week. I was planning to try and call her this evening. Perhaps you should call her Jethro. Let her know you're coming back in a few months."

"I will. Are you sure she's not sick?"

"I don't know one way or the other except that she's not appeared ill when I've seen or talked to her. But, I admit, I haven't seen her for any length of time for a few weeks. We've been busy and she's been out of town or in meetings. You know how it is. Perhaps Ziva knows something although she seemed as surprised as the rest of us at the announcement this morning."

"So who's running the show?"

"Leon Vance is here from California. He says it's temporary, three months at the most he said he was told."

"Thanks Duck. I'll call her. Let me know if you see her."

"I will Jethro. Take care."

Jethro disconnected the call and immediately called Jenny's cell number. It went straight to voice mail and he left a message asking her to call him. He sat on the tailgate for a few more minutes thinking about what might be going on with his wife. Finally pulling himself back to the present he went across the street and down to the cantina. He got his cooler filled with ice and water and hired three guys to help him move the drywall from the storage building to the clinic. They had it all done in an hour and Jethro gladly paid them twenty dollars apiece for their help. He figured it saved him about three hours of work and a very sore back.

The rest of the afternoon was spent finishing the electrical work including installing the overhead lighting. Luckily, the ceilings were all finished so he didn't have to worry about that aspect of the building. The tedious, repetitive labor took his mind off Jenny and everything else and before he knew it, it was almost six o'clock. He was starving and exhausted so he put away his tools, locked up and headed back to the little cabin on the beach. A cold beer and hot shower were calling and he was more than ready to answer the call.

For the next two weeks Jethro worked steadily from about six every morning to six at night. Ana came over every day to check on him and bring him coffee or some lunch a couple of times. She made small talk and of course Jethro mostly listened or if he responded at all it was with as few words as possible. He was never impolite; he just didn't have much to say. Ana could tell he had something or someone on his mind and she wasn't quite secure enough in their friendship to ask him about that. So, she just bided her time and tried to appear as unthreatening as possible. Jethro was making steady progress and she made sure to tell him each day how much she appreciated what he was doing.

On Friday of the second week Jethro didn't go into the clinic. Instead he and Mike took the Mike's boat out fishing. Jethro felt he needed a break and Mike was worried he was working too hard so a day on the water was welcome for both of them. Jethro hadn't put up so much drywall at one time in his life and he had to admit it was about to kill him. It felt good to laze the day away soaking up the sun and catching enough fish for their dinner. Conversation was at a minimum of course and there was plenty of cold beer to go with crackers, jerky and cheese. A perfect day.

Jenny still hadn't called and Jethro had left two additional messages. He was going to call Ziva next hoping she'd know what was going on with Jenny. It bothered him that Jenny hadn't called back. He thought she would after what she'd said in San Diego but he had to admit it had been two months now and he hadn't made any move toward her until now. He was most worried about her leaving NCIS; that was something he never would have predicted.

After another week the drywall was all installed. Ana continued to visit every day and Jethro was beginning to look forward to seeing her. She was certainly easy on the eyes but more importantly she seemed like she'd be easy to talk to. If he ever decided to talk to anyone that is. He was sure she had questions about him but so far she hadn't asked and that scored her some points with Jethro. The place was starting to take shape but there was still a lot of work ahead. Finishing by the end of the year was still realistic but there wouldn't be much time to spare.

The fourth week Jethro spent taping and mudding the drywall then sanding it all down in preparation for painting. He was so tired on Thursday night that he actually just unrolled his sleeping bag and slept on the floor of the soon-to-be break room. Needless to say when Ana arrived the next morning with his usual cup of coffee she was astonished to find Jethro sleeping on the floor. She stood in the doorway for a few moments watching him sleep. Her opinion of his good looks wasn't diminished by the fact he was covered in a fine dusting of well, dust and looked like he hadn't shaved in several days. He was still damn good looking. And sexy.

Ana backed out of the doorway and went to the back door. She came back in making plenty of noise and calling his name.

"Jethro? You in here?"

Instead of going toward the break room Ana went to the other end of the hall to give Jethro time to get up and pretend he'd just gotten there. If he didn't mind her knowing he'd slept on the floor that was fine but if he did she wanted him to have time to organize himself before she walked in on him.

Jethro woke up suddenly when he heard the door slam shut. It took him a minute to orient himself in his surroundings. Then he managed to get up and shake the cobwebs out before he stepped into the hallway and saw Ana coming from the other end with, thank god, his coffee. He hadn't been so happy to see anyone in quite a while. In fact, he actually smiled at her. That was the moment when Ana was well and truly lost where Jethro Gibbs was concerned. She didn't realize it at the exact moment of course but that smile was what hooked her. She determined to do whatever she could to get at least one smile a day out of him for as long as he was there. God, what a smile it was! For just a moment or two his eyes lit up and she was able to get a glimpse of what she'd expected to see; beautiful, sea blue eyes that she knew she could get lost in.

"The place is looking good, Jethro. Can't say the same for you though. You're not working too hard are you?"

She handed over the coffee and he took a drink before responding.

"No, I'm fine. This part is kinda dirty. This dust is hard to get off. I'll be ready to paint next week. I see the paint is next door but I was wondering if you might want something different for your office. You know, something more personal, brighter. Prettier."

Ana had never heard Jethro say so much at one time and she was slow to answer. Jethro was watching her as he finished his coffee. He wondered why she wasn't answering. Why she was just looking at him. He knew he must look pretty rough this morning but still….it was an easy question.

"I mean if you don't that's fine. I just thought…."

"I'd love another color. I'm going to San Diego this weekend and I'll bring something back. How much should I get? And what kind? I mean there are different kinds right?"

He smiled again. Damn, this was the best day she'd had in ages!

"Yes, there are different kinds. Get two gallons and I'd suggest an eggshell finish for the walls and a semi-gloss for the woodwork. Get whatever colors you want."

"Thank you Jethro for thinking of that. I appreciate it. I better let you get back to work. I'll see you later. Some lunch maybe?"

"Lunch would be good."

After Ana left, Jethro washed up a little bit and walked down the street to the cantina for some breakfast. As usual, Carmelita was working and she quickly fixed him some bacon and eggs and another coffee. He ate his breakfast and on the way back to the clinic he called Jenny again. No answer. He called Ziva. It was very early in DC but he was getting worried and he wanted to catch Ziva before she left for her run.

"David."

"Ziva, sorry to call so early."

"Jethro, I am so glad to hear your voice. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine but what's goin' on with Jen?"

"I am not sure. I have not seen her since she took her leave of absence. I believe she is out of town. Should I try and find her?"

"Yes. No. Hell I don't know. Any idea why she left?"

"Not really. She and I had a long talk after she saw you in California. After that I didn't see her much. She was away quite a bit and then we went in one day and she was gone."

"How was she when she got back from here?"

"She was trying to be angry with you but she could not really sustain that. She said she knew she had made a terrible mistake and she still loved you. She kept saying she had apologized and she did not understand why you were not willing to come home."

"Sounds like what she said to me."

"I told her she had broken your heart and she needed to give you time to heal from that. She seemed to understand that. She has not quit NCIS permanently you know. She will be back. Are you coming back?"

"Yes, after the first of the year. I'm not sure about Jen and I but I'll be there to figure it out. I've called her several times and left messages but she's not calling me back. I don't get it, Ziver."

"Maybe she is also taking her time to heal. She still loves you Jethro, I am sure of that. Give her time. Keep calling her. She will eventually call you back."

"Okay. Everything alright with the house?"

"Oh yes. I am getting spoiled. I may never let you have it back."

"We'll see what happens. You may not have to. Gotta go, Ziver. Be careful and give everyone my love."

"I will. Jethro, do not lose hope. If you want to restore your marriage you will make it happen."

"Bye Ziver."

Jethro got back to work and when Ana showed up with lunch he was more than ready to take a break.

"Let me go next door and clean up a little bit."

"Why don't we eat in my office?"

"Good idea."

They went back to her office and once Jethro had washed his hands and face they sat down to eat. Carmelita had fixed his favorite; chicken enchiladas and he happily devoured his lunch. Naturally there was very little conversation. When he was finished Ana was of course, still eating.

"What are you going to do about cabinets and counters and all that for the new place?"

Ana put down her fork and swallowed. "A friend in San Diego has been scouring vacant office buildings for me and he's found just what we need in an empty doctor's office. I'm going to look at it this weekend and if it's as good as he says and I'm able to get it cheaply, my friend will arrange to have it delivered here."

"Sounds good. You probably know this but take the plans with you so you can check measurements. If something's too long I can always cut it off to make it fit here."

"I wouldn't have thought to take the plans. Thanks for thinking of that. What else should I check?"

"I don't know really. Just be sure it's not damaged and it's what you really want."

Ana looked at her watch and started clearing up the lunch mess.

"I better get busy. Jethro, don't work too hard. We're not on a schedule or deadline. At least I'm not."

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

Before he started back to work Jethro called Jenny again. When the voice mail came on he almost threw the phone down in frustration. Instead he left a message.

Jen, I'm not going to stop calling so call me back.

I'm worried about you and we need to talk. Call me.

Jethro finished sanding the walls that afternoon and was really glad it was Friday. He needed the weekend to rest. Ana was right; he was working too hard. Although he was in great shape physically, Jethro hadn't done this much physical labor this consistently in a very long time. Building a boat in the evening between catching bad guys was one thing but this remodeling job was something else entirely. He was enjoying himself though. On the way home that evening Jethro reflected on the fact that he was beginning to look forward to seeing Ana each day. He wondered about that. He didn't have any romantic feelings towards her; he certainly noticed and appreciated her beauty and her dedication but he wasn't lusting for her. It occurred to him that if she asked him why he was really in Baja he would most likely tell her. In fact when he thought about it he realized he wanted to talk to her about why he was building her a clinic instead of on the east coast doing what he really loved doing; solving crimes and catching dirt bags. And living happily with his wife.

Late Saturday afternoon Jethro was half asleep on a lounge chair in the shade of the front porch. That very pleasant feeling of floating between sleep and wakefulness was abruptly interrupted by Mike dropping Jethro's phone in his lap.

"You need to wake up and answer this damn thing."

Jethro blindly reached for the phone and pulled himself awake enough to answer.

"Yeah, Gibbs."

"Jethro, it's me."

That got his attention and Jethro was up and off the porch in a flash. Hearing Jenny's voice was the sweetest way to wake up.

"Hey, finally. Are you okay, Jen?"

"Yes, I'm alright. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to return your calls. I've been in Boston with Lauren and I haven't been checking my phone. How are you?"

Jethro knew Lauren was a friend of Jenny's from college. He thought he remembered she was a psychologist or something like that.

"I'm okay. Why are you in Boston? What' goin' on Jen?"

"I needed some time off. SecNav and I agreed a leave would be a good idea. I came up here at Lauren's invitation to try and get my head straight and work out some things. I wanted to understand why I'd done something so stupid to you. To us."

"And?"

"It's a work in progress. Tell me what you've been doing. I can't imagine you sitting on the beach with Franks all this time."

Jethro laughed. He told Jenny about all the projects he'd done around the beach house and about the clinic. It felt good to talk to her without anger ruling the conversation.

"Are you ever coming back, Jethro?"

"After the first of the year. We need to talk, Jen. See where things stand."

"Yes, I want to do that. I love you. I know I hurt you terribly and I'm sorry."

"I know. I don't know if we can fix our marriage but I'm willing to at least talk about it."

"That sounds good. I need to go but I'm glad you called, Jethro. Take care of yourself."

"You too. Thanks for calling me back. Bye Jen."

Jethro put the phone in his pocket and stood very still replaying the call over in his head. Something wasn't right. Jenny wasn't telling him the whole truth. He didn't know what of course but something wasn't right; he could hear it in her voice. Jenny was one of the very few people who could keep a secret from Jethro and he suspected she was keeping one now. That irritated him for a while until he reminded himself he'd left DC months ago and filed for a divorce. Maybe he didn't have a right to know everything that was going on with Jenny anymore.

Thinking about filing for the divorce reminded Jethro he needed to call Faith. He pulled out his phone and found her number.

"Hello."

"Hey, Faith it's Jethro."

"Well hello stranger. How's Mexico?"

"Warm and sunny."

"I hate you."

"I know. Listen, you don't have a court date do you?"

"No, I was going to check again tomorrow and see if we might get something in early December."

"No, I don't want you to do that. Let's hold off until after the new year. I'll be back in DC in January. Things might change."

"I'm very happy to hear that. Okay, I'll put this on the very back burner. I hear Jenny isn't at NCIS. What's going on?"

"Not sure. She says she just needed a break so SecNav agreed to a leave of absence. Supposedly it's just for three months from what I hear."

"Well, I hope she's okay. You two belong together so I hope this works out. You behaving yourself?"

"Mostly. Don't work too hard, Faith. Thanks for everything. I'll see you when I get back there."

"You better. Take care Jethro."

"Bye."

Jethro walked down to the waters edge and stared out at the expanse of blue-green water. What was he waiting for? He could be home in three days if he really wanted to. Something was keeping him from packing up and going back to DC and Jenny. Was it his pride as she'd said? Was it fear that no matter what he did things would never be okay again? Or, was he just being too damn stubborn for his own good. Jethro decided the answer was probably some of all of those things and more he didn't know about. He wished Ana was around this weekend. He needed to talk to someone besides Mike. As much as he and Mike cared about each other Jethro knew Mike didn't really care for Jenny that much. He was okay with that but it meant that Mike would almost always take his side and maybe right now he needed a more unbiased opinion on things. Ana was in San Diego though so Jethro just walked off down the beach thinking and brooding and feeling the sadness creeping back into his soul.

He'd been feeling better for a few weeks. The work was helping and now that he had decided to go home in January he was beginning to imagine things working out and them being happy again. That was mostly wishful thinking he knew but still, some days he held onto those ideas as if they were already true. Jethro knew things would never be the same for him and Jenny again but sometimes he could convince himself they would be good again. Then he'd remember that he'd thought everything was great the whole time his wife had a lover and then the anger and the sadness and despair would take over again. Just when he thought he'd managed to pull himself out of the pit he'd find himself right back in there.

Tired of walking, Jethro sat down on the sand and let go of the emotions he'd been fighting. He felt the tears he hated so much stinging his eyes and he let them fall. That old familiar ache in the pit of his stomach was back. Talking to Jenny had felt good for a few minutes but now he almost wished she hadn't called him.

On her way home Sunday evening Ana thought a lot about Jethro. He seemed better the last couple of weeks; less guarded and unhappy. The work definitely agreed with him from everything she could see. When they had lunches together he sometimes actually looked at her when she spoke. He responded in full sentences and she'd actually heard him laugh once or twice. Ana knew she was starting to have some serious feelings for Jethro and she understood that was probably not a good idea. She knew Jethro was married and that he was in Baja because of something that had happened in his marriage. That information had come from Carmelita one night while they were having a beer after Ana got off work. Carmelita had known Jethro for several years now and she liked him very much. She worried about him and had shared that with Ana. Now Ana worried too but she was feeling more than worry. She reminded herself daily that he was still married and obviously very torn up about whatever had happened. She warned herself not to get too close but that was very hard to do when she found Jethro so damn attractive and so obviously in need of a friend. Ana wondered if she could be a friend and not want more. As she arrived home and headed inside for a welcome shower and bed, she told herself that if Jethro needed a friend she would be a friend. Anything else would be his decision only.

By the time Jethro went back to work at the clinic on Monday morning he was emotionally pretty much back to where he'd started two months before. He had gone back to the house after his meltdown on the beach and had several bourbons and no supper. Mike didn't say much; he observed and asked Jethro what had happened. Jethro told him about Jenny's call and that he felt she was hiding something from him. Mike held his tongue and didn't say what he was thinking which was, 'what's new'. When Jethro woke up Monday morning he was hungover and miserable. He was not looking forward to working all day but he wasn't going to let Ana down so he had some breakfast, three aspirins and a bottle of water and headed to town. It was going to be a long day.

Ana was excited to see Jethro and tell him about the furnishings they'd found in San Diego. Everything was perfect, exactly what she needed and best of all the doctor whose office was now closed was willing to donate everything if they would haul it off. She wanted Jethro to see the pictures she had taken and see if he would be willing to go back with her in two weeks to remove everything and bring it back. Jethro's truck was parked in his usual place behind the building when she arrived with two coffees and a happy smile on her face.

The smile didn't last long. When she greeted Jethro and handed him his coffee she knew his weekend hadn't been a good one. He barely said thank you and the moment she saw his face she felt like they'd stepped back in time to their first meeting. The sadness was back in his eyes and he looked like he'd been drug through a knothole.

"What's the matter, Jethro?"

"Nothin'."

He didn't look at her and Ana's heart sank at the flat sound of his voice.

"Are you sure? You seem very down this morning. Is Mike alright?"

"He's fine. I'm fine. I got a lot to do today."

Jethro finally looked at her when he said that and he wished he hadn't. She looked like he'd slapped her. What was that he saw, disappointment? Or concern? Whatever it was he didn't like that he'd been responsible for putting that look on her face. Ana turned to leave and he knew he had to say something. He wanted to say something.

"Ana, wait."

She stopped but didn't turn around. She was afraid she might cry if she looked at him just then.

"I'm sorry. I had a bad day yesterday and I shouldn't take it out on you."

Ana turned back to face him and Jethro was relieved to see her give him a small smile.

"Wanna tell me about it?"

This was his opportunity. His moment of truth in a way. He could open up to this woman and see if it helped or he could just stuff everything down again and go on the way he'd always gone. That wasn't really working for him anymore so he decided to do something different.

"I do but it's a long story. Not sure you really want to hear it."

"I have an hour before my first patient. I can't imagine you talking to me for more than an hour, Jethro so why don't you try me."

Jethro grinned at her jab about his conversational shortcomings. He pulled up a two five gallon buckets, turned them over and motioned for Ana to take a seat. He sat on the other one and took a drink of his coffee.

"I came home one night in late May to find my wife with another man. I didn't actually find them, her security agent told me he was in the house. I packed up some of my stuff from my house and left. We had two houses by the way. Anyway, I've been gone ever since. She found me in San Diego just before I came down here and other than that I haven't seen her since a week before I left. She called yesterday and after we talked I felt worse than I did when I couldn't reach her."

"You just left without talking to her? Without any confrontation or explanation?"

"Yes. What was there to explain? She was having an affair and had been for six months. I don't think there's much of anything she could say that would explain that."

"What about your work? You're an NCIS agent right?"

"Yea, but she was the boss. I couldn't very well work for her anymore. I didn't want to see her or talk to her or hear anything she had to say."

Ana took a drink of her coffee and watched Jethro study the floor between them.

"But you still love her don't you?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because otherwise you wouldn't be so horribly sad all the time. You'd be happy to be rid of her but you're clearly not. Do you want to go home, Jethro?"

"Yes. And I will but not yet."

"You're not staying because of this place are you? If so you're fired!"

"No, that's not the reason. Although I do want to finish this job. I told Jenny yesterday I was planning to go home in January and she didn't ask me to come sooner. I think she's hiding something from me and that's a problem. I don't like secrets and we have always promised no secrets between us. Obviously, she didn't stick to that."

"Obviously. What's magical about January?"

"Nothing. It's just I expect to be finished here and I can't live with Mike forever and spend my days sitting on the beach. I'm not ready for that yet. I need to go home and get things sorted out. See what's left for Jenny and I. If anything."

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes until Ana's receptionist called and said they had a little girl with a cut on her head in the waiting room.

"Thank you for talking to me Jethro. You'll make the right decision when the time comes. For now, please know I'm here any time you want to talk or vent or whatever. Okay?"

"Yes, thanks. And thanks for listening."

That early morning conversation was really the start of the friendship between Jethro and Ana that became so important for both of them. For Jethro it was the beginning of a long process of healing from the chaos that had been in his head since that fateful night in late May. For Ana the conversation and friendship that followed was bittersweet; on the one hand she valued being Jethro's friend and sounding board but on the other hand she knew her feelings for him would have to be kept to herself. Friendship was all she could expect from Jethro as long as he was still so in love with his wife. Ana fully expected him to return to DC in January and not look back. She cared enough for him to want him first and foremost to be happy. Going home to his wife and getting his life back was obviously what he wanted so Ana was determined to be a friend who helped him work out how that could happen.

The rest of the week went smoothly as far as the work was concerned. Ana was there every morning with coffee and the willingness to listen if Jethro felt like talking. Most mornings he didn't but once or twice he shared a thought with her that told her he was becoming more comfortable with her. He trusted her. On Thursday they ate lunch together in Ana's office and she finally showed him the pictures of all the counters and cabinets they were getting from the out-of-business doctor's office.

"These look perfect. How much is this costing you?"

"That's the best part; he's donating it all. He just wants it out of there by the middle of November so he can turn the office over to the new occupants."

"You have a way to get them here?"

"Yes. Steve, my friend who found them has some guys who will remove them all and get them loaded for him. He's going to bring it all down here as soon as I tell him we're ready. When will we be ready?"

"Maybe not that soon. I still have to finish the painting and do all the floors. But, there's plenty of room where all the supplies were stored. He could bring it all down anytime and we can store it until I'm ready."

"That sounds perfect. I'd love to have it all here so you can check it out and make sure it doesn't need anything done to it. Even if there are minor problems the price was right and I couldn't turn it down."

"Of course not. Tell Steve to get it here and we'll make it work."

Jethro didn't see Ana on Friday and he left a little early because he was at a stopping point and didn't want to start anything new so late in the day. He was looking forward to relaxing in the sun over the weekend. He felt better about things than he had at the first of the week and he credited Ana with that. Just saying out loud to another person what was going on seemed to have helped. He still thought about Jenny almost constantly for long parts of each day but at least he could turn that off for a while now and then. He was still very worried that something was wrong that she wasn't telling him about. He wondered if there'd been some gossip about them that had led to the SecNav asking her to take a leave. He decided he'd call Ducky on Saturday and ask about that.

Neither Ducky or Ziva had any information about Jenny and neither of them thought there had been any gossip or problem for her regarding their separation. Ziva told Jethro that as far as she knew Jenny was still in Boston. He decided she was safe there and with a good friend so he'd stop worrying so much. He started to call her twice on Sunday but remembering how miserable he'd been after talking to her the previous Sunday dissuaded him from that idea.

On Monday morning Ana arrived with coffee and fresh cinnamon rolls one of her patients had given her. Jethro was more than happy to stop what he was doing and enjoy two rolls.

Between bites he said, "One of my favorites. Thanks."

"You are very welcome. Whatever you eat is less that I will because I just love these things. Rosa makes them about once a month and always brings me a pan. I try to share as much as I can but I have to admit I usually wind up eating more than my fair share."

"Well, I'll be happy to help you abstain."

"What's on the schedule this week?"

"Painting. And more painting."

"Will you really be finished by the end of the year?"

"Oh yeah. By Christmas probably."

"Then will you go home early?"

"Probably not. I'm not much of a holiday person so I'd rather be here with Mike where we don't really do the whole Christmas thing. I'll go home after the first of the year like I've planned."

Of course Ana was pleased to hear that. She was already dreading Jethro leaving. Their quiet conversations and even quieter lunches were becoming very important to her and she knew she was going to miss Jethro terribly when he left.

"I better get to the office and let you get to work. Maybe we can do lunch today?"

"I'll be here. Thanks again for the rolls."

"You're welcome."

Ana didn't make it for lunch that day but on Tuesday Jethro showed up in her office with tacos and rice and they shared lunch on her old, rickety desk.

"You really need a better desk. Is there one in all that stuff Steve's bringing?"

"I don't think so. Yes, this one is pretty much shot but it's okay for now. Someday I'll have a new desk."

Jethro decided right then he would find a desk for her and refinish it in time for her to put it in her new office in the new clinic. There was an antique shop on the edge of town that might have what he wanted. He make a mental note to check it out that evening on the way home.

"Tell me about working for Mike. That must have been something."

Jethro smiled. Oh the stories he could tell.

"It was an experience that's for sure. He taught me just about everything I know about being an agent and investigating crime scenes. He was a master at interrogation. We definitely had some interesting times."

"Okay, just one story today. Please."

Jethro thought for a minute then spent the next fifteen minutes between eating his lunch telling Ana about one of their first cases. It wasn't really funny because after all a Sailor had been murdered but the way Jethro described the process and the crazy ending had Ana almost in tears laughing at him. She could see a much younger Jethro in her minds eye as he followed Mike around trying to learn his job and stay out of the way at the same time.

"We got the guy in the end of course but Mike nearly drove me crazy before it was all over."

"My goodness, you two are quite a pair. I'm surprised NCIS survived."

"Me too."

Jethro worked steadily day after day and the job was moving along nicely. He was getting tired though and was anxious to be finished. The trouble was he was a perfectionist so everything took longer. Ana was there most days and she began to see just how tired and worn out Jethro was becoming. She tried to encourage him to slow down but that fell on deaf ears. One Friday night she went to check on him and found him cleaning his paint rollers and brushes. The painting was almost finished and the place looked great to Ana. Jethro had put two coats on every wall and door and every inch of woodwork.

"Jethro it looks fabulous. You've done a wonderful job."

"Not finished yet but getting there."

His voice was quiet and she couldn't help but notice he seemed to be in pain.

"Are you hurting somewhere?"

"Just my back. Glad it's Friday. No work this weekend for sure."

"When you're finished come back to the office will you?"

Jethro looked over at her wondering what was up.

"Sure. I'll be there in ten or fifteen minutes."

Jethro finished what he was doing then washed his hands and face and wiped off his chest and back with a clean towel. He needed a shower that was for sure. Ana went back to the clinic and sure enough in fifteen minutes Jethro stuck his head in her office. She was sitting at her old, rickety desk waiting for him. He looked at her and noticed, not for the first time, that she was really very pretty.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I want you to come with me."

She stood up and walking past him she took his hand and led him down the hall to one of the exam rooms. Now he was really wondering what was going on. Ana pointed to the examine table which Jethro noticed was opened up with the head and foot rests up making it a lot longer than normal. There was a clean sheet covering it and another one folded on the end. He looked around and noticed there was a candle burning on the counter and then he noticed there was some music playing softly.

"What's goin' on Ana?"

"You my friend are getting a massage. Doctor's orders."

If she thought he was going to argue she was greatly mistaken. Jethro loved getting a massage and he knew he definitely needed one after all these weeks of remodeling work.

"You don't need to convince me, Doc."

"Good. I'll let you get undressed and I'll be back in a few minutes. Down to your shorts Jethro, this will be a full body job. Here, drink at least half of this before we start."

Ana handed him a bottle of water and stepped out so he could get undressed. She waited in the break room where she was heating up a rice bag for Jethro's back and a few minutes later knocked on the door and Jethro told her to come in.

Jethro was stretched out on his stomach with his face in the head rest staring at the floor. He hadn't bothered to cover himself with the sheet; after all Ana was a doctor and was about to give him a full body massage, he didn't see any reason to cover himself. Ana placed the warm rice bag on Jethro's lower back then she rubbed some oil on her hands and got started. She told him to let her know if she hurt him and Jethro just barely responded. She started on his head and before long Jethro was totally relaxed. By the time Ana got to his lower back Jethro was asleep. Ana smiled to herself and indulged in getting a very good look at the man she was slowly but surely falling in love with. She might not have known that was happening but it certainly was. She noted everything about his body with both a professional and personal interest. There was nothing in her survey that she didn't like. She hated to wake him up but eventually she needed him to turn over.

Ana stood by his head and rubbed his shoulders.

"Jethro, can you turn over for me?"

"Not sure. I might be dead."

Ana laughed. Jethro managed to roll over and she put her hand gently on his chest over his heart.

"No still beating."

Jethro was now very alert but he didn't open his eyes. Ana's hand lingered on his chest and he realized he liked the way it felt. When he felt her start to move her hand away he covered it with his and held her hand in place. Neither of them said anything for a long few moments. Finally Jethro let go of her hand and opened his eyes. Ana was looking at him intently but she didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what had just happened. What he'd just done. He searched her face for any sign of uneasiness but all he saw was her calmly looking at him with a small smile on her face.

"It's okay, Jethro."

Jethro relaxed and Ana got back to the massage. When she'd started Jethro had been keenly aware of her touch and somewhat afraid of what his reaction would be to having her touching him. Being a very tactile person he missed being touched by a woman. He was worried he might become aroused when Ana got her hands on him. That hadn't happened he was happy to note. In fact he had been so relaxed after just a few minutes that he'd fallen asleep.

Now Ana massaged his temples and worked on his neck and the front of his shoulders them moved to his legs and again Jethro was almost asleep. Ana noted the scar on his left shoulder and on his leg. She recognized the one on the shoulder as a bullet wound. She was sure there was a story that went with it; maybe she'd get Jethro to tell her about it some day. Then Ana realized their 'some days' were limited and getting fewer each day. She banished that thought from her mind and concentrated on the man on the table right then.

Too soon Ana was finished. She covered Jethro with a clean, soft sheet and left him sleeping. At least she thought he was sleeping. He wasn't though. He was very relaxed and nearly asleep but what he was really doing was thinking about how much he liked having Ana touching him. It wasn't just the massage; he'd had lots of massages from women and he'd never given it much thought but this was different. He found himself wondering about how it might feel to return the favor. Jethro knew he was probably just missing Jenny and he told himself not to get confused about what his relationship was with Ana; she was his doctor and a friend. Nothing more. Besides, he was still in love with Jenny.

Meanwhile, Ana was sitting in her office telling herself to get it together. She had enjoyed giving that massage probably as much as Jethro had enjoyed receiving it. She knew that was dangerous and a bad idea all around. Jethro was married and missing his wife and soon would be returning to her. That didn't really alter how Ana was beginning to feel about her patient/contractor/friend. It just meant she had to keep all those feelings to herself. Jethro interrupted her thoughts when he stepped into her office.

"Thanks for the massage, Ana. It was wonderful. You've had some training."

"Yes, I used to earn some pretty good money as a masseuse while I was in med school. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'd recommend another one in two weeks. Remember to drink plenty of water over the weekend."

"I will. Thanks again. You ready to go? I'll walk you out."

"Yes, I'm ready. Thanks."

The next week Jethro finished the painting and installed all the light fixtures and electrical outlets and switches. He found a tile saw he could borow and started on the floors in the bathrooms and break room. Jethro enjoyed the detail work that tile required but it was hard on his back and knees. By Friday he was nearly finished with the bathrooms and would start on the break room on Monday. Ana had come over for lunch every day and their conversations were less and less tentative each day. She got him to tell her about his team and he told her some more stories about working with Mike. The subject of Jenny was not brought up. Ana told Jethro about helping her uncle, Dr. Jose, when she was growing up and how he inspired her to go to medical school. The friendship was blossoming.

TBC