"If you think I'm not going to fight for my family, you're dead wrong." Jethro Gibbs practically yelled it as he stood in the kitchen staring at Jenny.

Jethro had raced after Jenny when she had left the coffee shop. He had hurriedly called DiNozzo and mumbled some lame excuse about needing a personal day. For once, work was the last thing on Jethro's mind. All that mattered now was picking up the pieces.

"Jethro…I just don't know what to do!" Jenny screamed before she burst into tears.

"Well, that makes two of us." Jethro said as he instinctively reached out to his wife and wrapped her in a hug.

"I don't even care about a baby anymore. I'm just devastated that you left." Jenny wailed as she hugged her husband.

"Oh Jenny." Jethro said with a heavy sigh.

Jethro had screwed up royally and he knew it. Leaving in the middle of the night had been the worst mistake of his life. He had gotten mad, and instead of just dealing with it he had disappeared and left his wife wondering and waiting for the better part of a night.

"Jenny I am sorry." Jethro whispered as he smoothed his wife's hair with one hand.

"You aren't supposed to apologize." Jenny said remembering the rules.

"No, I need to apologize. I really messed up. If I was angry enough to leave, I should have left a note on the pillow, or called or something." Jethro said simply.

He knew now that anything was better than leaving without any explanation.

"I messed up too. I think we're both really good at hurting each other when we want to." Jenny explained.

"I forgot how good you were at the insults." Jethro said as Jenny continued to cry.

"It's never easy is it?" Jenny commented as she buried her head in Jethro's shoulder.

"What?" Jethro asked.

"Love. It's the best and worst thing to happen to a person isn't it?" Jenny commented.

"It is, but I don't want to love anybody but you." Jethro tried to re-assure his wife.

"I don't want anybody but you either." Jenny said as she ended their hug and reached for a paper towel to dry her tears.

"Well then, what do we do now?" Jethro asked.

"We do the best we can." Jenny said as she wiped her eyes.

"But are you going to be happy?" Jethro asked honestly.

"Jethro, I am happy. I've never been unhappy. I love you, I love being married to you, and I love our children. I just thought a baby would be a chance to add some extra happiness. But you know what…you're right. I thought about it. If we have another child, we have another child. If we don't then it's not meant to be. Maybe it will happen, maybe it won't. Let's just see where life takes us." Jenny smiled at her husband as she said it.

"It's really good to see you smile." Jethro said with a grin.

"I guess my only concern then would be about you. Is that really what you want? In ten years I don't want you to be bitter because we didn't have more children." Jethro said it honestly. He just wanted his wife to be happy.

"Whatever happens, happens." Jenny repeated.

"Well, just as long as you're sure it's what you want." Jethro added for good measure.

"It is." Jenny said confidently.

Jethro smiled. Jenny was being honest with him, and he was being honest with her. He had opened up and shared his feelings. Jethro began to wonder if that's what really made a marriage successful. Jenny brought out the best in him.

Jethro walked across the kitchen and ran a hand through Jenny's hair.

"I will always love you." Jethro whispered before he kissed his wife passionately.

The room began to spin slowly, and Jenny responded to her husband's advances with fervor. She hadn't been this moved by his love in years. Her fondness for Jethro had only grown. What they shared became more extraordinary as time passed. As they headed for their bedroom Jenny knew that those feelings would last for eternity.

"So are we going to be okay?" Jethro Gibbs asked with a laugh as he cuddled up next to Jenny.

"More than okay." Jenny whispered as she drifted off to sleep.

After their exertion Jenny needed a quick nap before she had to pick the twins up from school.

****TWO MONTHS LATER*****

"I'm going to take the trash to the curb." Jethro explained to his wife.

"I'm going to frost cupcakes." Jenny said as she put on an apron.

Jenny stared at the two dozen cupcakes that had overwhelmed her kitchen table. The twins were celebrating their birthday at school the next day, and Jenny was sending them with an extra-special treat to share with their classmates. Her children were in bed, and she'd have the kitchen all to herself.

"Damn." Jethro Gibbs muttered to himself. He was standing by the side of the garage where they kept the trashcans and recycling bins. Lately, a stray dog had been calling the neighborhood home, and as Jethro surveyed the garbage scattered around his yard he had a feeling that the dog had recently scrounged for dinner.

Jethro headed into the garage and found a pair of rubber gloves and a plastic garbage bag. It might have been his family's trash, but that didn't mean it was any more appealing to pick it up bare-handed. Globs of dried oatmeal, empty finger paint containers, and other garbage items littered his lawn. Jethro was sure he had gotten everything. He scanned the yard one more time. Something was still out there. As Jethro approached the last piece of offending litter his heart skipped a beat.

His heart always did that when he saw the familiar purple and pink box. Five wives later the sight of a home pregnancy test kit still scared Jethro out of his mind. So many times the purchase of one of those kits had made his stomach turn. As he picked up the box off the lawn this was no exception. Jethro shook the box. He was wearing gloves anyway, and it was only Jenny. Jethro pulled the stick out of the box slowly. In the small results window the ink had started to run, but it was still clear even in the hazy moonlight that the response had been the word "positive." Jethro smiled to himself as he placed the contents into the trash bag, tied it tightly, and took the can to the curb.

Jethro walked into the kitchen and washed his hands. Jenny looked beautiful. Her red hair was shiny, and she was wearing jeans and a mint green v-neck sweater. The apron she had on accentuated her small waist. Jenny was bustling around looking for sprinkles.

"Sit down. I'll find them." Jethro directed his wife.

"You don't bake, you have no idea where to even find them." Jenny said with a giggle.

"Right here." Jethro said as he reached over his wife's head and found a jar of multi-colored sprinkles on the top shelf of a cupboard.

Jenny grabbed the sprinkles from her husband and thanked him with a quick peck on the cheek. She sat down at the table and began frosting the rest of the cupcakes.

"So I was thinking…" Jethro trailed off as he got in the refrigerator and grabbed a beer.

"Yes?" Jenny said with a grin.

"It's been awhile since we've gone out. Just us. I'm thinking of that small café that serves steak pavois in Georgetown. We could ask Jamie to watch the kids for the evening, and then we could head out, enjoy some steak and a bottle of nice red wine." Jethro offered.

"Jethro…I can't believe you'd even ask right now. You know the spring carnival is in two weeks. Plus the birthday party this weekend for the kids…are you nuts? I'm a bit over-committed right now." Jenny said as she busily frosted a cupcake.

Jethro's face fell. His wife was moody, and she hadn't taken the bait about the wine. He was hoping that would confirm his suspicions. He was going to have to try something different.

"Oh Jethro! I wasn't trying to be mean. It's just that I have a lot on my mind. I've been trying hard not to get so snappy." Jenny instantly regretted her words.

"Jen, it's all right. How about we plan something special for the weekend after the carnival? Adults only." Jethro added with a smile.

Jenny nodded yes.

"Want a beer?" Jethro asked his wife.

"No thanks, my stomach was bothering me after dinner." Jenny said casually as she began shaking sprinkles onto the cupcakes.

Jethro's eyes lit up at the words. He wasn't happy that his wife wasn't feeling her best, but if she had an upset stomach and was refusing alcohol it was a good sign.

"Jen, you look really nice tonight." Jethro complimented his wife.

"Thanks." Jenny said with a puzzled expression. She was wearing old jeans and a plain sweater, she couldn't imagine how she could possibly look nice, but if Jethro said so, she'd accept the compliment.

"Do you want something? I already told you that you're allowed to go to that boat show with Ducky." Jenny giggled as she teased her husband.

"A man can't compliment the woman he loves?" Jethro asked as he looked into Jenny's green eyes.

"I said thank-you." Jenny replied tartly.

"Well then…" Jethro said as he finished his beer, and headed to the basement to work on his boat.

Jenny was already in bed when Jethro finally made his way upstairs. It was almost midnight and he had to get some sleep before work. She looked so peaceful as she slept. Jenny Gibbs was the woman Jethro would love for the rest of his life. Quietly Jethro snuggled under the covers and kissed his sleeping wife softly on the cheek.

The next day Jethro sat at his desk. He couldn't decide how mad he was. Three phone calls with no reply, and they were still late. Even after years on the same team some people didn't understand the concept of "never be unreachable." Ziva and Tony were nowhere to be found.

McGee however, was already at his desk typing away.

"Sorry we're late boss." Tony said as he flung his backpack on the floor.

"Yes. I am sorry." Ziva said as she handed Gibbs a piece of paper.

Jethro looked at the paper and signed it. He handed it back to Ziva and stood up.

"Elevator." Jethro directed the dark-haired woman.

"Congratulations!" Jethro Gibbs exclaimed the second the doors closed, and the power had stopped.

"You're going to hate desk duty." Jethro added as he hugged Ziva.

"I know, Tony already warned me that I will quickly become stir-crazy." Ziva said as she smiled at her boss.

"Make sure this gets to Carolyn in Human Resources, they need the copy for your file. McGee is working on a report right now…maybe you can assist him." Jethro said as he flicked the "power on" switch on the elevator.

The elevator opened up onto the level where the team's desks were. If Gibbs hadn't been paying attention he would have ran smack into a radiant Tony DiNozzo.

"Congratulations daddy!" Jethro said as he hugged the young agent.

"Your life is about to change big-time." McGee added from behind the group as he hugged Ziva.

"I just got your instant message!" Abby yelled as she ran towards the group.

Abby pried Tim off Ziva and hugged her friend tightly.

"Yay…our babies are going to be so close in age!" Abby clapped her hands as she said it.

"Yes they will be." Ziva said with a smile.

It all made sense to Jethro now. Ziva had been late for work yesterday morning too. She must have snuck over to Jenny's. Jenny was the only person Ziva would have trusted with such a secret. The twins would have been at school, and nobody would be the wiser. It was a good plan, until a dog had torn through the trash. That's how it had to have happened. Jethro was satisfied with his explanation. It was Ziva, and not Jenny who was pregnant. Jethro was sure of it.

Jethro whistled as he walked in the house after work. It had been a happy but busy day, especially as he had tried to help Ziva adjust to life behind a desk. She was far too antsy to sit still, and it was a good possibility that she'd drive everybody at NCIS mad before she left on maternity leave.

"Daddy!" Jackie squealed as she got up from the kitchen table where she had been coloring.

"Jackie!" Jethro said as he picked his daughter up and hugged her.

"Mommy's making pot roast!" Jackie announced.

"Yes, and it's almost ready." Jenny said as Jethro set Jackie down.

"Go tell your brother to wash his hands." Jenny directed her daughter.

As soon as Jackie was out of hearing range Jethro spoke up.

"I admire your loyalty." Jethro said as his wife pulled a steaming roast out of the slow-cooker.

"It wasn't my story to tell." Jenny said as she placed the roast on a platter.

"Ziva texted me right after she told you. She thinks time at a desk will kill her." Jenny said with a small smile.

"She might kill the desk first." Jethro joked.

"Mommy…aren't you going to have any?" Jackie asked as she and Luke finished left-over cupcakes for dessert.

"No. Mommy's tummy hurts." Jenny said honestly.

"Mommy your tummy always hurts." Luke said with a sad face.

"Always?" Jethro asked with a puzzled expression as he emerged from the basement.

"It's worse when she takes us to school." Jackie added as she polished off her cupcake and reached for her milk.

Jethro smiled his crooked half-smile and stared at his wife. Jenny turned a shade of bright red. Her face felt hot. She had Jethro exactly where she wanted him. He knew better than to discuss something like that in front of the children.

"Jackie…how do you know that?" Jethro asked his young daughter.

"Yesterday Hayley's mommy said that my mommy looked like a ghost, and I said "nuh uh my mommy is beautiful and ghosts are ugly." Jackie replied.

"And then Joey's mom said to Hayley's mom that it shouldn't last much longer. I think it's because school is over soon." Jackie added her own opinion to the end of the incriminating statement.

"Mommy's tummy hurts because she wakes up too early." Luke added.

"Yes that happens when you don't get enough sleep." Jethro smiled at his son's explanation of the situation.

"Jenny, maybe you should just go to bed." Jethro added as he looked at his wife.

"I'm fine." Jenny said as she rinsed a washcloth to wipe up the chocolaty mess off the kitchen table.