A/N: Thank you all so much for your interest in this story, for your continued support, to all who have put this story on alert or favorited it. It means an awful lot to me as this is the story I enjoyed writing the most so far.

Special thanks to my former religion teacher -may she never read this- for her hatred for chauvinists and her exaggerated commitment to make feminists out of us, it helped a lot to write a character like Winters ;).

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN NEITHER THE SONG CHRISTMAS TIME BY AIMEE MANN NOR JE NE REGRETTE RIEN BY ÉDITH PIAF!


Chapter seven/ Epilogue: Christmas Again

December 23, 2006

Standing in front of her bedroom mirror, Jenny turned her head to look at her vanity table where she'd laid out her mother's earrings and the unobtrusive yet stunningly beautiful collier Jethro'd bought her for Christmas a long time ago. Turning to her bed again, she looked at the man in question, contently sprawled out all over her blankets as he observed her every movement with lazy eyes. He grinned as she once again pulled the zipper of a dress down and slipped out of it, she didn't know if it was because he had still hope they would be too late for the ball and he would succeed avoiding it or because he got a great view of her in just her underwear and stockings.

"Take the blue one." Came the court advice from behind her and she quirked an eyebrow at him before she answered because really - the great and almighty Leroy Jethro Gibbs had just given her an advice concerning evening gowns? "Matches your hair, my tie, your heels, and my eyes." He elaborated.

"Oh so this isn't about its neckline? This is about you claiming your possession if other guys become aware of it?" She purred mockingly.

He shrugged, not really in the mood for such a discussion. "You've got a better idea?"

Jenny turned to her wardrobe again. It was big, provided much of space which she took good use of, but it didn't contain anything that would top his suggestion. She huffed, annoyed. It really didn't please her she had to take his advice when it came to something as her(-ish) as dresses and heels.

"Fine. But then I need another bra."

He shrugged again, giving it an air of nonchalance, but she felt his eyes on her back as she brushed the straps of her bra down her arms. She changed, then let him close the zipper of the blue evening gown he liked so much. Half an hour later, having applied her make-up and done her hair, she took his arm and let him lead her to the black town car waiting for them in front of her Georgetown Brownstone.


Jenny had her hands neatly folded in her lap, willing them to stop shaking to conceal her nervousness. In a way it was their first Christmas Ball together since 1998 as she didn't really count last year's drunken make-out session against the wall next to the elevators. It was only the second big function they would attend together, till August they hadn't really acted like a couple in public out of fear of SecNav's reaction and what it would do to Jenny and her job as director; and he had been out of town for a banquet at the White House in September, but they had spent his birthday at the Marine Corps Birthday Ball together in November.

He smiled at her and reached his hand out for her to take, stopping her nervous movements. She let out a stressed sigh, just looking at him for a few moments as the car came to a halt in front of NCIS headquarters. Jethro gave her hand a light squeeze as Stanley opened the door for them. He helped her out of the car and put his arm protectively around her waist, letting her lean into him. They waited impatiently but with smiles plastered on their faces till the journalists had gotten their photos.

He didn't like them one bit and it was all down to Jenny that he refrained from threatening or shooting them whenever they were in close proximity to him. Gibbs pulled her towards the elevator after a few more seconds, already fed up. He knew why he hadn't ever wanted to become director. Just his luck that the woman he loved had had the great idea to accomplish that aim then.

The doors opened and he growled again as he saw that there were already a few other agents inside - he'd had the hope that maybe they could have stopped it for a minute and two, maybe he could have even gotten her to kiss him, but that wouldn't come true anytime soon now.

Jenny laughed out loudly, tossing her head back a little and making her curly red hair tumble down her back. He glared, but she just glared right back, shutting him up before he had even the chance to say anything.

He sighed again. The other agents stared.

The red-head pulled his head down to her mouth, essectially bending his head over her cleavage as she placed a small kiss next to the shell of his ear.

"I don't like that we have to go here either, there are many much more pleasurable things I'd rather do right now."

He grinned, recognizing a bribe when he saw one but nodded nevertheless. He really loved this woman, what was probably while his left hand was playing with a blue velvet box in the pocket of his dress pants.


Like last year Gibbs had gone straight to Ducky at the bar while Jenny had made her way through the crowd, greeting the people she had to, making small talk with those she wanted to. At the moment she was talking to a tall brunette woman who stood at one of the tables at the other side of the squad room.

He looked at Ducky, silently asking him who she was. "I believe she is a good friend of Jennifer's, also a journalist if I am not mistaken, but they've known each other since kindergarten. Her name is Ann, I think she's with the Washington Post."

Gibbs nodded. He hadn't ever actually met the friend who'd digged out the dirt on Winters that had eventually costed him his position in June, but he'd wanted to thank her ever since. According to Jenny she had put five months of hard work into her research since the red-head had contacted her right after her fund raising meeting in January when he'd essentially called her a whore and she hadn't been able to do something about it. Time went by till finally Ann had found a girl he'd gone to High School with who he'd sexually harassed. She'd been willing to tell her story and a month after that article had been published Winters had been forced to end his political career.

"I think I know who she is then."

He smiled softly. He'd never once, not even for a second, regretted his decision to start his relationship with Jenny anew. He was content every morning when he woke up to her face and missed her whenever he was alone because she had to attend a meeting somewhere around the world.

"You know what Jethro? I think this year she is actually enjoying herself." Ducky said, remembering their conversation of the last year.

The elderly special agent smirked, then shrugged. He placed his empty tumbler on the bar.

"Maybe I'll save her anyways."


He had her pressed up against the door of her office, pushing his tongue in her mouth and making her moan at the pleasure she felt because of it. Jenny didn't know how they had changed locations so fast - it couldn't possibly have been more than fifteen minutes since Gibbs had come to their table and shaken hands with Ann, thanking her personally again.

So how had they ended up fleeing the crowded bull pen and came to practically being about to have sex against the door of her office? His lips trailed along her collarbone, alternating between biting and licking, and she decided she didn't care.

Jethro pulled away a bit, letting her breathe for what felt like the first time in the last five minutes as suddenly his phone started to ring. She groaned, her hand hitting the metal behind her.

"What it is Abby?" He asked, and she had to laugh, wondering if their forensic scientist knew him well enough to notice the slightly breathy and husky quality in his voice. He nodded curtly, then he closed his phone and shoved it into his pocket, grabbing her arm gently.

"Seems like we have to postpone that a little while longer. Abby's got something for us."

She combed her fingers through her hair, quirking an eyebrow at him as if to say why the hell do you even care when we could have sex right now because really - that was exactly what she thought.


"Pay up guys" Tony DiNozzo whispered happily as he saw his fearless leader coming down the stairs with their esteemed director.

Ziva shook her head. "I won't pay anything Tony. How can you even be sure they were going at it in her office?"

Tony just grinned, observing his friends for a moment. Abby bouncing up and down, Ducky chuckling, and McGee blushing furiously, his ears almost as red as the director's hair.

"Oh dearest assassine mine" he drawled, paling a little as Ziva's delicate hands began fishing the ice cubes out of her tumbler. "Or, eh, just look, her hair is messy, her skin flushed, her eyes sparkling, and Gibbs for once is actually smiling and not smirking dangerously." He finished rather hurriedly, sighing relieved as the Israeli let the ice cubes fell back into her glass.

Ducky looked at him, twirling his scotch in his tumbler. "Ah, young Anthony but what you don't see it that this isn't the picture of a young couple having had some kind of booty call, but that of two people in love. You know, when I was still a young lad, back in Scotland in the good old days, there was..."

"Shh, Ducky." Abby whispered suddenly. "Watch them, they just stopped dancing!"


Jethro had led them to the dance floor under the scrutinizing eyes of his team, holding her securely to him as they began swaying to the music. At first she wasn't aware of the lyrics, she focused on the melody. It seemed oddly familiar, maybe she knew it from somewhere-

Paris.

Suddenly the image of them dancing at night in front of the Louvre came to her mind, and she smiled, maybe that was what Abby had gotten them. Their own brand of romance. He bend down to her, lowly singing the lyrics into her ear.

"Non, rien de rien
Non je ne regrette rien.

Ni le bien qu'on m'a fait
Ni le mal tout ça m'est bien égal

Non, rien de rien
Non, je ne regrette rien.

Car ma vie, car mes joies
Aujourd'hui, ça commence avec toi."

He looked at her, a long time, and the last notes seemed to carry on forever as suddenly he was down on one knee in front of her.

"Since I met you in Paris Jen, you've had my heart. You didn't break it when you left in Paris, you just took it with you. When I saw you again it was like it was my chance at getting it back, but Ihowever decided you would have it, and I didn't really want it back anyways. I won't stop loving Shannon and Kelly, but if you decide to give me the chance, I'll be happy to show you I can love you just as much."

He pulled a dark blue velvet box out of the pocket of his dress pants, popping it open and presenting a simple diamond ring to her.

"Jennifer Elizabeth Shepard, will you marry me?"

She could hear Abby squealing lowly in the background while she was staring at him, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Jen?"

"Yes." Was all she managed. "Yes, of course yes."

He laughed and picked her up, spinning her around inmidst of the staring agents, with tears still spilling down her cheeks. He bent down and kissed her, really kissed her, and broke away panting as he placed the ring on her finger. "God I love you Jen."

She laughed too, like she'd done in the elevator, hugging him tightly. Then she realized Abby was crying and shouting and jumping up and down behind her, and she turned around, letting the younger woman engulf her in a hug.

"Show it to me Director, please let me see it. He didn't let anyone see, didn't even take me with him to size the ring."

She shrugged, still smiling madly. "Ah, he'd bought me jewelry before, he didn't really need anybody to size it for him. And it's Jenny tonight."

The goth just squealed again before she turned around around, gesturing to Ziva exictedly. "Oh my gosh, Ziva you have to see this, it's stunning. You're a very lucky woman Director - Jenny."

Jenny nodded, smiling widely at Jethro who'd come up behind her, having shaken the team's hands.

"Gibbs." Abby hugged him too. "I had no idea you had it in you my silver-haired fox."

He just nodded, alomst possessively putting an arm around Jenny's waist.

"I did pretty good, didn't I?" He asked, grinning smugly. The redhead swatted his arm lightly, turning to Abby and Ziva again.

"Jennifer?"

She turned around, paling a little as she saw her boss's serious expression. "Sir?"

"I take it you're planning on pulling through with this?" SecNav asked lowly.

"Well I didn't say yes just for the fun of it." Jenny gave back rather cynically, leaning back against Gibbs' chest.

"You realize you can't really go on working as director then?"

She nodded. "I'll quit when it comes down to it." She said, her voice steady.

"Jen-" The redhead shook her head, taking his hand. "Jethro, this-, us, is what I want. This is what is more important than my job."

SecNav nodded, he'd long since forgiven her for her stunt at the press conference the last year.

"It's a good thing then that there are already plans to make a senator out of you."


They retreated to the bar with the team, sharing a shot of Bourbon out of the same tumbler. They stayed there when the three younger agents and Abby took off towards the dance floor, quietly conversing with Ducky, till he too, left them alone under the pretence of having to talk to someone.

Hand in hand Jenny and Gibbs made their way over to the elevators, kissing under the mistletoe again as they waited for it.

"You after a repeat performance of the last year Jethro?" She asked mockingly, resting her head against his chest.

"Only if you let me shot those goddamn journalists first." Jenny laughed, the sound revibrating against his body. He dropped a kiss to the crown of her head, pushing her into the elevator.

"Where to mylady?" Gibbs asked mockingly as they rode down.

She shrugged. "Seeing as their will be journalists in front of your and my house tomorrow because all of them will want a first glimpse at this scandalous marriage-" she chuckled wryly at that- "I'd say we take our usual refuge."

"I don't really want to drive up to Stillwater Jen. I wanted to spend the night with you in an actual bed, not in my car."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Who's talking about Stillwater?"


He opened Jenny's door for her and took her arm, walking up the stairs to the hotel. He tossed his keys to one of the men holding the door open for them. "Just park it somewhere else", he ordered giving the man a twenty-dollar bill. His redheaded companion smiled up at him as they made their way over to the reception area, her green eyes sparkling as much as the diamond on her finger.

"Excuse me, we'd like to book a room for the night?" Jenny said, nodding to the receptionist.

"In the name of McCallen or Shepard?"

"What do you think Jethro?" She asked, turning to her financé.

"Let's be nostalgic." The receptionist looked at them questioningly.

"McCallen it is then." Jenny answered contently. She took the key from the young woman, looking at the number. N° 10-27. "Thank you." She said sincerely, then she pulled Jethro towards the elevator.


December 24, 2006

He woke up the next morning completely sated, in a state of lazy satisfaction. His face was buried in Jenny's red curls, their legs tangled together. Picking her hand up he kissed her finger with his ring on it, then trailed kisses up her arm to her shoulder and neck.

She moaned contently, her hands gripping the sheets as he moved on to her breasts. He bit down lightly, making her scream in pleasure. Locking her legs around his waist she flipped them over and kissed him deeply. She was about to lower herself on him as a knock on the door made them stop. She groaned frustratedly, hitting his chest with her fist.

"Oh Jen, it isn't my fault!" He complained. She quirked an eyebrow as if to say that's for me to decide but got up and pulled a robe on anyways. She opened the door and took a tablet and a newspaper from a rather nervous looking young waiter, impatiently waiting for his explaination as to why he'd deprived her of her morning sex.

"There was a rather insistent black-haired young woman ma'am." He stammered edgily. Jenny nodded loftily, fixing him with a glare. "It won't happen again ma'am...?" The young man trailed off hesitantly. This time she smiled as she waved him off and closed the door behind her.

The redhead put the tablet on the table and tossed the paper at Jethro, examining the breakfast Abby had gotten them. Pouring them both a cup of coffee she turned to the silver-haired agent.

"So what do they write today?"

"They are sure we are getting married." He deadpanned, making her laugh as she looked at her ring.

"So far so true. Anything else?"

"They think you're pregnant." He chuckled.

"Happy me then." She answered jokingly. Jethro stared at her intensely.

"You are pregnant Jen?" She shook her head, but he found himself wishing she was. "You wanna have children?"

She shrugged. "I've never thougt about it really. Though I wouldn't complain." She smiled.

He stood up, ditching her of her robe. "We can do something about that." Jenny quirked an eyebrow at him, her new signature move it seemed. "See it as this year's Christmas present."

Jenny laughed again. "Merry Christmas then Jethro." She whispered, kissing him.

"Merry Christmas Jen."

Its Christmas again, December is here
What did you wish for what did you fear
Look at your behaviour looking for a saviour

Underneath the mistletoe
You should know that it is less a crime
To be all alone at Christmas time

-THE END-


A/N: I'm into recycling: I took sentences from previous chapters and used them here - somehow they fit.

I hope you liked this chapter, I just couldn't write a story without even hinting at a Gibblet. That's somehow foreshadowing for my next story, it'll be about one again.

Please leave a review and tell me what you think!