A/N: Warning: This chapter contains some sexual content. I'm rating it M.

Chapter 10.

Gibbs pulled into his driveway and parked beside the house. Neither had said a word on the drive over. Annie fumed at Gibbs' actions. She wouldn't look at him for fear of crying; this was getting more complicated by the minute. She knew she still had feelings for him and by his actions he did for her too, but was it real or did he just pity her. She was torn and her emotions were raw and bleeding.

He opened the car door and waited for her to get out. She stood up and looked for her crutches. Being impatient and wanting to get this over with, Jethro picked her up and carried her into the house, setting her on the couch. He went to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. He took a deep breath and let it out gripping the counter top and letting his head fall to his chest. After calming down, he went back into the living room to talk with Annie.

"Will you look at me?" he asked sitting down beside her on the couch and taking her hand.

She raised her head tilting it sideways as her gaze sweep over his face. Annie saw concern, compassion, and a touch of sadness, but nothing that looked like pity.

"Don't be mad at me." she finally said breaking the silence between them. "Jethro there is so much going on in my head right now. It's getting jumbled up, I don't know which way to turn. Trying to deal with what happened to me and now someone wanting me dead…"

"I want to help you. You can't do this on your own, please let me do this." he told her cupping a hand under her chin making her look at him. He lowered his head to hers and lightly brushed his lips over her lips causing a small chill to run up her spine. He pressed his forehead to her forehead closing his eyes as he willed this moment to last.

She caught his jacket in her fists and slowly pulled his lips back to her quivering ones. Their kisses deepened as they began to pull at each others clothes. He picked her up and carried her up the stairs to the guest bedroom. With McGee's help, he had purchased a new mattress and box springs that had been delivered yesterday while they were still at the hotel.

She balanced in front of him as he begin to unbutton her shirt watching for signs of distress. She slipped it off her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. She did the same to him dropping his shirt to the floor. They continued with the remaining clothes until the both stood facing each other naked.

She looked up into his eyes as he brushed his fingers along her jaw line and around to the back of her neck drawing her body closer to him. As their skin touched she felt sparks of electricity course thru her body. The blood in her veins seemed to grow hotter. His every touch made her skin feel like it was on fire. Jethro lifted her ever so gently and laid her in the bed.

Annie felt Jethro slide his body in to the bed beside her. She turned toward him and pressed up against his warm flesh. He kissed her again softly, letting her set the pace. She ran her hands up his arms and around his neck as he slowly kissed her eyes, the tip of her nose, moving down her jaw line to nuzzle her neck. She moaned softly as she ran her hands up and down his back. He took in her scent memorizing every molecule as he was memorizing every curve of her body.

"Annie, you just have to say stop and you know I will." he whispered looking down into her deep, soulful eyes. "Your call. If you don't want to, I won't push you."

"Jethro I have waited for this moment since the first day we met." she whispered hoarsely. "I don't want you to stop."

He continued to kiss his way down to her breast. He ran his tongue around her nipple making her squirm under him. He gently sucked on it causing instant arousal. She moaned softly as he continued to the next one. He blew over them and smiled as she grew more agitated. He was cautious with his every move watching for any signs of panic.

Annie never knew she could have such sensual feelings any more. This was a new experience to her and she was loving it. Jethro found all the sensitive places on her body causing her such pleasure. He kissed her belly button making her laugh softly. He ran his fingers lightly down the side of her leg causing her to jump. She had to have him now, before she changed her mind.

"Jethro, please!" she begged as she tried to pull him back up her body. He supported himself over her body with his arms. Taking his knee he pushed open her legs positioning himself above her. She felt his hardness press into her and reached down to guide him into her folds. He pushed slightly to enter further, pausing to be sure he saw no fear on her face. She arched her hips up to draw him further in causing her to tremble all over. He began to move slowly at first and started matching her rhythm. He felt her nails dig into his back as they both moved faster. Annie let herself go as she came to climax, crying out in ecstasy. He felt her release and let himself go too. He stayed over her for a few minutes before slipping an arm around her waist to roll her over with him settling her on his chest.

She lay quietly, listening to his heart beat and allowed herself to catch her breath before saying, "Was that real? Did it just happen?" she asked.

He chuckled and said, "Yeah it did."

"Is it like that every time? I've not had a lot of experience with this." she said tracing the scar on his arm not knowing whether to feel happy or sad. Her emotions were a rollercoaster of feelings that was hard for her to rein in.

Unsure of where she was going with the question, he answered. "I'd say pretty much, so times are better than others."

"So if I did this," she asked taking his wrists and pulling his arms above his head allowing her access to his body. "and then starting doing this." she continued as she slid up his body to kiss his mouth ever so briefly, then working her way down his jaw feeling his 5 o'clock shadow rough on her soft skin. She nuzzled his neck nipping at his ear lobe. She inhaled deeply to pick up his scent, smelling a mixture of both of them. This felt so right, it was how it was supposed to be, she was with who she was suppose to be with.

She could feel his manhood getting hard again. "And then I continued down here," she asked trailing her fingers down his arms and kissing his chest. He sucked in his breath as she continued to explore. She found two old scars on his chest. She ran her finger around them and examined them closely trying to figure out what caused them. Kissing each one caused Jethro to tighten his grip on her waist. She saw another scar on his bicep and traced it with her tongue. He groaned softly as she teased him.

He has scars too and a story for each I bet. He was a Marine, a warrior, a hero, she thought. Battle scars, that's what we both have. She was a warrior, a fighter, never one to give up. He doesn't see her as a victim, but as a survivor, she decided realizing he was saying something to her.

"Annie," he moaned trying to bring her back from her trance.

She realized she had him just where she wanted. Easing up, she shifted slightly to allow him easy entry into her. He sighed deeply as she began to rotate her hips back and forth bringing him intense pleasure. He kept his hands on her hips assisting her in the way to move. She followed his signals matching his movements bringing herself to an intense climax. Knowing she was done, he filled her with his seed. She collapsed on his chest weak and limp.

"I didn't know if I could ever do this again, but with you, it was like magic. It is like the past doesn't matter. " she told him breathlessly.

"Your past doesn't matter, not to me. What matters is the here and now and what we do with it." he told her kissing her forehead.

"You are a good teacher." she yawned settling in the nap of his neck.

"Why don't you get some sleep." he chuckled at her last remark.

They curled up together and drifted off to sleep both sated and happy. Several hours later Annie woke up needing to go to the bathroom. She slipped out of bed and found Jethro's t-shirt slipping it over her head. It was long enough for her to be decent. Walking down the hall she found the bathroom on the left and across the hall two other closed doors.

She slowly walked to the first door her fingers trembled as she turned the knob. Pushing the door open, she saw a master bedroom with boxes stacked on the bed and around it. The room looked like it had not been used in many years.

Stepping over the threshold, she walked toward a picture on the nightstand. It was of Jethro, his wife and daughter. She was beautiful and so was their daughter, Annie thought not daring to touch anything in the room. She noticed a card laying on the night stand and read the inscription, Happy Birthday, Love Shannon and Kelly. She backed out closing the door as a tear slide down her cheek and a sob caught in her throat.

Going to the other room, she already knew what she was going to find as she opened the door. Inside was the perfect room for an eight year old girl. She let her eyes roam over the room taking in the canopy bed, desk by the window, stuffed animals and toys. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she thought, Oh Jethro I am so sorry. She closed the door and limped over to the bathroom.

She cried silently, trying not to make any noise to alert Jethro. Turning on the water, she splashed her face several times before getting a towel to dry off. She didn't want Jethro to know that she had been in the rooms. She heard noises in the hallway and opened the door to find Tony and Ziva stumbling out of the bedroom entangled in each others arms and legs causing them to fall to the floor. She stepped out into the hall with an astonished look on her face trying to figure out what was happening.

Tony looked up at Annie standing in the hall with only Jethro's t-shirt on. He slapped his hand over his eyes and cried, "Not looking Boss, so not looking." Ziva looked at what Tony saw and glanced away quickly.

Fifteen seconds later, McGee came running up the stairs with gun drawn. "What's going…." he started until he also saw Annie standing there.

About this time Gibbs stepped out of the room wearing only sweat pants. He looked at the two on the floor and then at McGee with gun still drawn.

"McGee stand down or I will take that gun away from you and shoot all of you." he said sternly. McGee quickly holstered his gun and closed his mouth. "You three downstairs on the couch, now!" he ordered.

Tony and Ziva tried to untangle themselves without killing each other so they could follow McGee who turned and ran down the steps. Tony and Ziva was fussing as they followed closely behind him.

Annie walked into the bedroom stunned by what had just transpired. "Jethro! I am so embarrassed." she said putting her hands on her face. Jethro notice her bare bottom showing where the shirt rode up and smiled.

"You're showing more than you think." he smiled patting her bottom.

"Jethro!" she cried picking up her clothes and taking them to the bathroom. "I get the shower first."

"Not together?" he suggested.

"The children." she stated closing the door. He smiled thoughtfully thinking about last night.

Annie limped down the stairs caring her crutches until she got down to the bottom and used them to make it to the living room.

"DiNozzo would you mind getting me a chair, please?" she asked.

"Chair got it." he said bringing a chair from the kitchen.

After she sat down, she looked at the three agents nervously seated on the couch. "I just wanted to say I'm so…"

"Rule six-Never apologize, it shows signs of weakness." Tony quoted before she could finish her statement.

"Again with these rules, how do I get a copy of them." Ziva hissed at him.

"That sounds like Jethro, always by the book, old school when we were growing up. He was the first boy I ever kissed." she smiled remembering fond memories. "You know he thinks of all of you as his family, sons and daughters he didn't have. I think he is trying to pass his knowledge on to you. Has he mellowed out any in his old age?" she smiled.

"Well after the explosion where he almost di….." Tony started.

"Tony, no, she should not hear that." Ziva chirped punching him in the side.

"Ow-w-w-" he cried slapping her arm.

"Tell me!" Annie insisted. "What happened?"

"You need to ask Boss about it." Tony said still fighting with Ziva.

"Tim I know you will tell me." she said sweetly to McGee.

"Well-ugh-you see…" he stammered trying to figure a way out of this.

Suddenly Annie was smacked lightly on the back of the head by Gibbs. "Quit harassing my agents, only I get to do that." he said standing in front of the three agents who melted back into the couch by his stare. Annie rubbed her head and stared fiercely at him.

"Rule 24-never sit with your back to a door."

After a minute of a glaring, he finally said, "Somebody had better start talking."

"Director Vance and Fornell wanted you and the guard told us, McGee tracked your car… Ziva had to drive…we knew you two were…I mean we didn't exactly know what…you have been….shutting up now Boss." Tony stuttered knowing he was digging himself deeper in to trouble. Ziva and McGee glared at Tony willing him to shut up.

"Stop. Just so you know, Annie will be staying here with me…." he started.

"Whoa-whoa! Annie who?" Annie exclaimed standing up to face Gibbs. "What do you mean…" she started looking up at him. "Tony help me." she said holding out her hand.

"Yes Ms. Boss." he said starting to get off the couch.

"SIT!" Gibbs ordered stopping him in mid motion. Ziva grabbed his arm and pulled him back on the couch.

"Aw hell." she said seeing a small stool over by the couch. She picked it up sitting it in front of Gibbs and stepped up on it to be eye-to-eye with him. He automatically put his hands around her waist to steady her. "Leroy Jethro Gibbs what gives you the right to tell me…."

"Aw hell." Gibbs said capturing her lips in a kiss before she could continue. She tried to pull away, still mad at him, but it gave way to returning the kiss. Ziva smirked as she pushed Tony and McGee's mouths shut. They had not seen anyone stand up to Gibbs, let alone a pint-size woman like Annie, and was able to walk away. She knew she liked this woman she thought. Annie motioned them to leave as she continued to kiss Jethro. They gladly scampered up and headed for the door.

"I'm driving."

"I have the keys."

"Shot gun."

"Give me those keys."

'You are not driving Ziva, I want to get there in one piece."

Annie and Jethro put their foreheads together and laughed listening to the banter between the agents who were family in every sense of the word.

"We need to go back to NCIS, but we will continue this later." he told her putting her on the floor and handing her the crutches. "How is the ankle?"

"Better, I think the crutches can mostly go, maybe tomorrow as long as I'm not walking a long distance." she tried to explain.

"We'll see." he said like that was going to happen.

Well, wasn't sure about this chapter, I don't usually do sex scenes, so I tried not to be too graphic, but needed for it to happen. Thanks to all who are following me and special thanks to those who have reviewed. I do read them all and any suggestions, I take them into consideration for use. Review if you will, it will make the hidden writer want to go faster.

NC