A/N: Here is the final chapter in this little story. Thank you to those who have reviewed and/or alerted this missive. I really like this pairing so who knows there may be more in the future.

FAITH

CHAPTER SEVEN

Faith and Jethro both hugged Ducky goodbye and watched as he drove away. When he closed the door Jethro realized Faith was already back in the kitchen. He stood for a minute in the foyer and took several deep breaths. Something was wrong; he could feel it. Faith had seemed out of sorts ever since he and Ducky had been talking about Jen. He wondered if he should go ahead and change his mind or stick with his earlier plan to wait until Wednesday to propose. No, tonight was the night. He went to the closet where he'd hung his jacket when he came in and took the ring box out of the pocket. He walked into the living room and deposited the box in the drawer of the coffee table. Then he walked back to the kitchen to hopefully, change his life.

Faith was loading the dishwasher so Jethro finished putting away the leftovers and wiped off the table. When she closed the dishwasher and turned around Jethro was right in front of her. He pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. When he felt her arms encircling his chest he began rubbing her back. After a few moments, he pulled back and kissed her deeply. His hands moved to tangle in her hair while he backed her up against the counter. When they had no breath left between them he finally released her.

"I've been wanting to do that all night. Now, I want you to tell me what's wrong." Jethro ran his fingers through her hair and traced her lips with his thumb.

"What makes you think anything is wrong?"

"I know you remember. And I love you. Ever since Ducky and I were talking about Jen being the new director you've been acting funny. Tell me what's going on." His hands hadn't stopped skating up and down her arms, into her hair and over her face. If he was trying to distract her he was doing a helluva job.

Looking into his blue eyes Faith asked herself why she ever doubted him. All she could see from his gaze was love and passion and acceptance. Instead of answering him she pulled him closer and kissed him on the mouth. She pulled his shirt out of his pants and ran her hands up his back loving the feel of his warm skin under her hands. Jethro deepened the kiss and she welcomed him into her mouth. Again, only the need to breathe forced them to stop.

"That was very nice but not an answer to my question. Great avoidance technique though. Come on let's go sit down. There's something we need to talk about."

Jethro took her by the hand and led her to the living room. He directed her to sit on the couch while he sat on the coffee table in front of her and took her hands in his.

He decided the direct approach might be the best because he wanted to move past this issue and get on with his plans for the night. He asked, "Are you bothered for some reason about Jen being back here and being my boss?"

Faith felt his thumbs moving gently back and forth on the backs of her hands. She raised her eyes and looked at him and feeling very guilty she said, "Yes, I am. I know it's probably stupid but I am."

"Do you want to tell my why?" His voice was so gentle and soft she felt even worse.

"Because I'm afraid of her. I'm afraid you're not really over her and now she'll take you away from me."

Jethro reached up and brushed his fingers across her cheek. "That will not happen. I am over her and I love you."

"I know you do. I'm just being stupid but you have to admit she's a beautiful woman and you were seriously in love with her."

"Yes, she is beautiful. So are you. Yes, I was in love with her. Was, being the operative word here. Now I'm in love with you. Are you going to be able to put her out of your mind and concentrate on us?"

"Yes, I can do that. Please understand that it's not that I don't trust you, it's just I feel like you've always had unfinished business with her."

"Not anymore. The only business I have with Jen is business. Now, please close your eyes for me for a minute."

"What are you up to?"

"Just do it, okay? I have a surprise for you."

Faith closed her eyes and Jethro reached over and opened the drawer where he had hidden the ring box. He withdrew it and opened it, holding it in his left hand he still held Faith's left hand with his right. Jethro leaned in and kissed first one eye and then the other. When Faith opened her eyes he was so close she couldn't see anything but his handsome face.

"I love you with everything I am. Will you marry me, Faith?"

When he leaned back and gave her some space she saw the ring in his hand. Faith was so shocked she almost couldn't breathe. She felt tears spring to her eyes and she blinked them away. Her eyes flew from the ring to Jethro's face to the ring and back again.

"Oh my god. It's…I…. Jethro…."

"A simple yes will do."

Faith took a deep breath and tried to very quickly make sense of what Jethro had just done. She knew she was taking too long to answer him but she couldn't form a coherent thought much less speak out loud.

"Okay, don't say anything yet. I know just what you're thinking."

"You do? Please tell me because I'm not sure I do."

"You're thinking why now? Why do we need to get married, everything is fine the way it is. What will a piece of paper and a ceremony do for us? You're worried I'm doing this now because Jen is back. Am I right?"

Faith looked at him and smiled sheepishly. "Yes."

Jethro actually smiled. He put the ring box down on the table and resumed holding her hands. He gave her a slow, sweet kiss then sat back and looked at her for a long moment.

"Believe it or not I'm glad you didn't answer right away. I asked myself those same questions over the past few days and I wanted to be able to tell you why I want to marry you and why I want it to be now. Of course the first and most important reason is that I love you and I want to be with you always. I want to come home to you every day and go to bed with you every night. I want everyone in the world to know you're mine and I'm yours. What we have now is great but I know we can be so much more when we have committed ourselves to each other. I was going to ask you this on Wednesday but I decided tonight I couldn't wait any longer."

Faith interrupted, "Why Wednesday?"

"I'm glad you asked that too. Because Wednesday is the two year anniversary of the first time we made love. While you were gone last week I was remembering that night and I realized that was the first time I had come to you because I NEEDED you; not just because I wanted to see you or spend time with you. Not since Shannon died have I allowed myself to need another person like I do you. I haven't allowed myself to love anyone like I loved her until you came into my life. I'm not saying you're a replacement for her please don't think that's what I mean. It's just that I have always compared my feelings for her to what I've felt for other women and you are the only one I can say I've loved that much or that honestly. "

"What about Jen? You loved her didn't you?" Faith didn't bother to ask about the three ex-wives; she already knew those stories and they didn't factor into her feelings for Jethro. Jen was the only one she worried about.

"Yes, I was in love with Jen but not like I am with you. After I saw her tonight and talked to her I knew I couldn't wait even a few more days to ask you to marry me. Every thing was so clear to me; all my questions were answered and I wanted to tell you all this. First of all, what happened between Jen and I never should have happened from a purely professional standpoint. It was wrong and dangerous. Nevertheless, it happened and I don't regret it. The way it ended was very painful for me and I held onto that pain and anger for a long time. As I told her tonight though, I forgave Jen a long time ago and when I did I told myself my days of falling in love were over. I stuck to that for a lot of years until I met you. Somehow you managed to get past my defenses and sneak into my heart. I have come to understand that the difference between my feelings for Jen and my love for you is that I trust you Faith. I trusted Jen with my life many times and she never failed me in the field. But, I never trusted her with my heart and my soul. You are the one I trust with those. I never told Jen about Shannon and Kelly. I never told her about how it felt to kill their murderer. You are the only person I've been able to tell about those things. I never talked to her about being a sniper and how I felt about that. I never let her see me cry. You are the only person who has been able to get inside me in almost twenty years. I need you Faith, and I want you to be my wife. Please say you'll marry me."

Faith had never heard Jethro say so much at one time. She was overwhelmed by his words and by the emotion with which he spoke them. Looking at him sitting in front of her she knew he was the only man she would ever love. She understood what it had taken for him to allow her into his life; into his heart and soul. Whatever he and Jennifer Sheppard had together could not compare to what she and Jethro had now. Of that she was certain. Her mind was a whirlwind of questions and emotions but she really didn't have any doubts. She had known for a long time she wanted to be with Jethro forever; she had just never expected he would want to try marriage again.

"Do you think I could try that ring on?"

Jethro smiled the biggest smile she had ever seen on him.

"Only if you promise never to take it off."

"I promise. Yes, I'll marry you, Jethro. I love you and I need you and I trust you with all my life and my heart and my soul."

Jethro slipped the ring on her finger and she pulled him down on the couch with her.

The rest of the night was spent talking and making love and planning and making love and sleeping and….

I think you get the idea…

END.