A/N: sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up, but the muse wondered away to a new fic. But she's back with story for the time being. I also decided to start J&J's relationship this chapter, let me know what you think.

An Unknown Child

10

Jenny walked into the kitchen holding a couple bags of take out in her hands. Quinn took the bags from her and set them on the counter as her dad walked up from the basement.

"What are you doing here Jen?" he asked her.

"Well I have to different plane times and wanted to know which one you wanted."

"Let's hear them. The sooner I get there, the sooner I can start totally fresh." Quinn told her.

"Okay so you can either leave on Saturday morning and come back the next Saturday or you can leave Saturday afternoon and come back on Friday."

Quinn looked at her dad and he signed to her that it was her choice. She thought about it for a few minutes and came to her decision.

"The first one, Saturday to Saturday. Thank you Jenny."

"It is no big deal; I'm happy to help. I didn't know if you were cooking diner again tonight but I brought burgers and fries from the dinner. There's also a New York style Cheesecake that Bob's wife made me."

"Bob Summers?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah."

"The Congressmen?" Quinn's question.

"The very same."

"Is she a good baker?"

"Her Banana and Walnut Bread is to die for and I've had her Cheesecake, only the cheesecakes in Paris can compare."

"Cool. Let's eat!" So they dished out the food and sat around the counter, or in Quinn's case on the counter top. The food was very good and everyone loved the cheesecake. After diner everyone headed down to the basement. Dad started sanding his boat while Jenny and Quinn lounged on the small couch in the basement.

"So Quinn, other than school what do you do?" Jen asked.

"You mean other than classes and studying" Jenny nodded. "Well I am an avid sketch artist and I will add color to some of my work. In fact, I have designed a couple tattoos for some of my friends. I also am on the swim team and the Winter Guard. Any time I have during the school year is for sleeping. And during breaks and holidays I can be found camping out near the ranch house with my horse."

"You have horses?" Jenny's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Yea I do. My horse is a black mare, but her mane is like brunt copper. My, uggggggg, I don't know what to call the man who raised me."

"How about calling him Mr. Tanner."

"Ok. Mr. Tanner's horse is a nasty blue roan gelding and my mother's horse is a pure white mare. So even if we keep all of the horses I am so selling the gelding. Nasty temper that animal has. Then we also have a few horses that board with us. So we have about a dozen horses all told."

"So most of your time has been spent at school, or doing school related activities or riding horses?"

"Pretty much."

"So what are you going to do here? I mean, we have no horses and you're not in school yet."

"Well getting settled in is first on my list. Then I will probably do some detail painting on some of my walls in my room, after we put another coat on. Then after we get back and all of my stuff comes and we set it up I will play the piano and my flute and draw as well as doing my summer assignments. However I do want someone who can work out with me and get me in line with a good gym."

"What do you like to do when working out?" By this point, the women have ignored Jethro, which he didn't mind. He liked just listening to them bond and get to know the other. He was seeing a new side of Jenny.

"I like to swim, obviously, but I also like to hike and run. And I'll do weights but they're not my favorite. What do you like to do Jenny?"

"I like to swim some laps as well. And I enjoy weights and running. Never really hiked much; no time to. I barely have time to run a half mile as it is right now."

"Maybe you need to set aside a half hour or so every day for you to work out. Like wake up earlier or take an extra-long lunch to get at least a half-hour of physical activity. If you like, I can work out with you. I'd like to have a partner."

"I might take you up on that offer Quinn. Now you said that you liked to draw. What do you like to draw?"

"Fantastical creatures mainly. I have a whole sketchbook filled with Fairies, another one filled with Dragons and Phoenixes. Some of my other pieces are my own styles of classic fairy tales or stories from Mythology. I did a piece a few years ago of what I think Isis, from Egyptian Mythology, looked like for a history project. The teacher's daughter saw it a few days later and she loved it so much she asked if she could get it tattooed on her back. That was the first time one of my pieces was inked onto someone's skin. Since then I've done about 7 others. I will also draw nature scenes, but those will have like animals added to it. Sometimes I'll draw other stuff, but that's mainly for Art Class."

"Can I see some of your work?" Jenny asked leaning towards Quinn.

"Now or later?"

"Now, please."

"Sure one second." Quinn stood up and headed back up the stairs to the kitchen. "I'll be right back. Jethro looked up at her and she signed to him, so Jenny didn't know what was going on. Do something Dad, don't let her get away. Before he could respond she turned away and headed up to her room. Jethro sighed, Quinn was right. Jethro walked over to the workbench and poured himself a glass of bourbon and poured Jen a glass too. He wordlessly handed her glass to her as he sat next to her on the couch.

"So was asking her to show you some of her artwork a code to get her to leave?" He asked; he knew that his daughter and his ex-lover/boss were in cohorts with the other.

"No, no code. I really do want to see what she can do. But are you trying to get me drunk Jethro? You know I have to drive home, right?" She teased him.

"Well, you only have to drive if you return home. Your more than welcome to crash here for the night. And as to trying to get you drunk; you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

"Is this your way of asking me to stay Jethro?"

"Yeah it is Jen."

"Jethro, your offer tempts me. But I want to know your intent. Am I just staying the night, or is there more to your offer? I need to know, Jethro."

"Jen, the offer is good as long as you want to stay. Whether it is for a night or forever." Jethro looked down at his jar of bourbon, waiting. He followed his daughter's advice, and he made a move. Now it was up to her to respond.

Jen was shocked, she never expected him to make the move. Quinn must have said something to him, or signed it to him. She thought remembering her quickly signing to her father before she headed up to her room. She took a deep breath and set her jar on the floor, untouched. Tears pooled in her eyes, unknown to her, as she got up from her spot on the couch. She kneeled in front of him and made sure she had eye contact with him before speaking.

"I will always want you Jethro. Time as not changed that, learning of the dark secret of Paris has not changed that, learning that you are a father has not changed that. Hell, me leaving you in Paris did not change that. I was just too scared to tell you. Quinn saw right through us, she got me to admit it not only to myself but to her." She leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to his lips, pulling away before he could deepen the kiss, there was something else she needed to say. "I know you say apologies are a sign of weakness, and if that's the case, then call me weak, but I need to say this: I am so sorry for leaving you, the way I did, I am also sorry for rejecting you when I returned, but I was not only nervous about how you would react to seeing me again, but to the fact that I was and am the youngest Director of an armed federal agency, as well as being the only female, to boot." She pressed another kiss to his lips, this time letting him deepen it, if he wished.

He deepened it without a second thought. They kissed until they ran out of breath. Leaning their foreheads against each other's, they both caught their breath.

"We take it slow, the only person who can know right now is Quinn."

"Of course Jethro. Our relationship in Paris flared up quickly and died just as quickly. This time we start slow so it never ends, so we keep feeding fuel into the fire. Though if they figure it out, we won't deny it." She kissed him again.

At the top of the stairs Quinn watched the scene unfold with a smile as she clutched the sketchbook she had retrieved from her room to her chest.

A/N 2: so the other story that stole my muse is another Jibbs story. It's about what might have happened after JD. If you want me to post said story, you need to click that blue or purple button and tell me so.