A/N - thanks for the reviews. This is it folks - the end. Not bad for someone who was planning not to write Jibbs again! Anyway - thanks to Eliie for her thoughts during the writign

Part 11

Four months later

The heat of Cairo seemed very far away as he trudged home. The air was frigid, the roads already icing up and the weather channels were predicting snow over the weekend.

Not that he had any plans to do anything other than work on the boat and maybe catch up on his sleep. It had been a long, hard month. DiNozzo was his usual trying self; the team had acquired another 'probie' who he was taking great delight in tormenting and Gibbs was heartily glad to see the back of both of them for a couple of days.

As he got out of his car a flicker of movement in the shadows by the front door had him reaching for his weapon. He narrowed his eyes, trying to see through the gloom, wishing that his eyesight was as sharp as it once had been. He was going to feel pretty stupid if he shot a neighbour's cat.

But it wasn't a cat.

"I wonder if you can help me," a familiar voice said, "I'm looking for a place to stay – it needs to have a comfortable bed, good coffee and a charming host. Got any recommendations?"

Jenny Shepard stepped out of the shadows and he tried to ignore the thump of his heart at the sight of her. "Doors open – you could have waited inside."

"I know," at his questioning look she added, "I had to check to make sure I wouldn't be interrupting your weekend." She was on safe ground there; he hadn't exactly been pining, but at the same time he hadn't looked at another woman either. Even when he'd heard from Morrow that the mission had finally been tied up but that she'd taken leave instead of coming back to DC he'd still found it difficult to stop thinking about her.

"Satisfy your curiosity?"

"For the moment – though I don't know how you're going to get that boat out of your basement."

Instead of answering he pushed the front door open and drew her in out of the cold. Only when she pulled a large suitcase in after her did he realise that her request for a bed might have been literal.

"When did you get here?"

"Couple of hours ago – I stopped by the Yard, but Morrow was in MTAC and your team was out. I heard you were wrapping up a case – so I thought I'd come by and wait. Didn't realise how cold it was here." She didn't have a jacket on, so she probably wasn't kidding about being cold. And, looking at her now he could tell that she had been a little uncertain of her welcome. Both of these were things he could do something about.

He pressed her gently back against the wall, rubbing his hands up and down her arms, trying to warm her up – but actually just enjoying the chance to touch her. She didn't push him away, instead her hands fell to his hips and she pulled him closer until his body was resting solidly against hers.

He almost moaned when she licked her lips but instead he tangled his hands in her hair and pulled her head back so he could kiss her. Her lips were cold, but her mouth was warm and everything about kissing her was more intense than he remembered.

"Like the hair," he said when they parted – twisting a strand of copper around his finger and tugging gently.

"Heard you had a thing for red heads," she smiled mischievously up at him. "You going to admit you missed me Gibbs?" It was a little difficult to respond as her hands were busily divesting him of his jacket and then pulling his shirt out of his pants so she could slide her hand over his back.

"You ever going to call me by my actual name?" He said at last, finding a spot on her throat that had elicited moans from her four months ago – and still did. She pulled his mouth back to hers and lifted a leg to his waist, pressing their bodies together in the most intimate of ways.

"I missed you Jethro, " she whispered against his lips – pulling all the syllables of his name out, rolling her tongue around it in a way that was unbearably sexy. "And if you don't take me to bed right now I'll…"

His lips prevented her from finishing what he was sure was a threat and he lifted her so she could wrap her other leg around him. He pushed away from the wall and carried her carefully up the stairs while she entertained herself by biting little kisses to his neck and unfastening his shirt.

He dropped her onto the bed and was on top of her seconds later – kicking off his shoes, yanking her boots off and tossing them to the ground.

"Sure you don't want coffee, or a drink?" He said, wondering if things were moving just a little too fast.

"I told you – comfortable bed, charming host." She slipped the shirt off his shoulders and then sat up and pulled her own top off, while he unclipped her bra. She sighed as she pulled him back to her and he felt his arousal surge forwards as naked skin met naked skin.

When he slid into her she gasped his name and he tightened his grip on her, trying to take his time but knowing from the way she moved with him that long and slow was out of the window this time.

He let her flip them over and felt everything get a lot more urgent as she moved fluidly above him – teasing him to the brink as he'd teased her months ago. She read his mind, bending forward to whisper, "I haven't forgotten that I owe you." He thought briefly about responding, but her breasts were right there, on offer to his mouth and suddenly all he could think about was tasting her.

When the need to finish became overwhelming he flipped them over again and drove into her hard and fast. She dug her nails into his back, keeping pace with him, murmuring his name again just as she came. He didn't stop, thrusting into her tightness, letting himself go until he fell over the edge and she clutched him to her almost as fiercely as he was holding her.

It would be fair to say that they hadn't strayed far from his bed. An attempt at a shower had become a wet, soapy, heavy petting session that was finished against the sink. A late brunch on Saturday morning had resulted in christening the kitchen table and Jenny had finally returned the 'favour' in the living room as they had attempted to watch a late night movie.

Now it was Sunday and any thoughts about going out had disappeared when it became clear that it was snowing. Not that either of them had been particularly excited at the thought of leaving the warm bed anyway. They were napping a little now, her jet-lag had kicked in and though he wasn't prepared to admit it Gibbs, Jethro, was tired as well.

She'd been worried about his reaction to her reappearance, had half expected him to be seeing someone else – or to be angry that she'd stayed away so long. She hadn't expected explosive sex – though she'd thought about it. He hadn't had to tell her that he was glad she was here, he'd shown her, multiple times.

She was feeling pleasantly lethargic, curled up against his chest, eating a bowl of cereal he'd managed to dig out of the kitchen. They weren't talking much, but his fingers were stroking through her hair, proving that he did indeed love it. "So, it's true what they say about you and red heads," she mused. "Though apparently you also like brunettes."

"Depends on the brunette," she glanced up at him and saw the smug grin. The ego hadn't gone away, but then she liked the arrogant son of a bitch side of him – although it was probably better to keep that to herself.

"Ziva sends her regards," she said after a few minutes of comfortable silence. "I called her from the airport before I left, told her where I was heading."

"You know where she is?"

"Tel Aviv. It's not that she wasn't tempted by your offer you know, but it's complicated for her to leave. Mossad is the family business."

"Hell of a family." She didn't reply, setting aside her bowl and reaching for the cup of coffee he'd brought her. "I heard you'd taken some leave," he said when she'd finished her coffee and returned to her place at his side.

"Got on the first long haul flight I could, I was in Singapore for a while, then Australia."There was a question in his silence, "I told Morrow I was quitting, he gave me some leave so I could think it over."

"You still thinking about it?"

"Maybe," she stretched out a little trying not to remember that just a few days ago she had been sitting on a beach in Sydney – watching families play in the surf, imagining playing with children of her own. "I want a life and I want it to be my life – not one I've taken over for the duration of an operation. It was hard to find myself again, now that I've done it I'm not letting go easily."

"Morrow could find you something else, if you want."

"I know." She'd been planning on telling him that Ziva had shown her his file, that she knew about his marriages and what had happened to his first wife and his daughter. But somehow the words wouldn't come.

She almost wished that she didn't know, but Ziva had wanted her to understand what she was getting herself into. The two months she'd taken to get here had been the time it had taken her to be sure of herself once again. She'd known she couldn't be with him unless she was strong, unless she could hold her own.

But when she'd called her former partner to tell her where she was heading, Ziva's only question had been 'what has taken you so long?' As though she'd known all along that Jen would find her way back.

"There's a spot on my team." She honestly wasn't expecting that and she pushed herself up to look at him, needing to be sure she'd heard what she thought she'd heard.

"You think that's a good idea, under the circumstances?" She gestured between them, her question taking in the messed up sheets and their naked bodies.

"Can't see you being more annoying than DiNozzo." He tugged her towards him and she stretched out on top of him.

"You have any weird rules about not sleeping with agents on your team?" She asked, nuzzling her way to his shoulder.

"Never really been tempted." She looked up at him, her eyes twinkling.

"Well, that can change." And she dropped her head, kissing his chest – feeling the muscles tense as she let her mouth wander over his torso. "You know, we might drive each other crazy." His hands twisted in her hair and she risked one more look at him, "or is that what you're hoping?"

He wasn't surprised by the summons to Morrow's office – but he grabbed his cup of coffee and slapped the back of DiNozzo's head before taking the stairs two at a time. Morrow looked up as he entered the office after only a cursory knock – but his gaze fell on the woman sitting on the other side of the Director's desk.

Just for a moment he didn't see her as she was now, but as she'd looked a few hours ago – hair tousled, lips swollen. It had not been at all easy to get out of bed and come to work this morning.

"Jethro, you remember Agent Shepard?" He nodded once, "she's expressed an interest in joining your team."

"Getting out of the undercover business?"

"Time for a change." They hadn't talked about it again and though he'd been fairly certain that she wasn't going to quit, he hadn't been sure that Morrow wouldn't make her a better offer.

"I've told her it's your call – I know better than to interfere with your team."

Gibbs looked over at Jen, their eyes locking. He hadn't expected to feel like this, as though he was standing on the brink of something that mattered. But he should have remembered, because she had made him feel like this before.

He knew he needed an equal on his team and in his life, but he didn't know if he was ready for what that would mean. This woman wouldn't easily let him hide, wouldn't accept his excuses and his absences. He hadn't realised until this moment that keeping her close would mean letting her in – though he'd made the offer at least in part because he knew if she quit there would be little to keep her in DC.

"When can you start?" He asked, catching the smile that twitched across Morrow's lips – apparently the Director was not surprised.

"How's right now?"

"Welcome to the team Agent Shepard."

"Thank you, Agent Gibbs." She nodded at the Director and got to her feet, heading for the door. He'd been sure that he'd kept his moment of insight to himself. But, as she passed she shot him a penetrating look and Gibbs realised that he was going to have to get used to having someone around who could read him at least some of the time and who he suspected was going to turn out to be a fast learner. "Shall I go and give DiNozzo the good news?"

"Jethro," he'd turned to follow her, but Morrow called him back. The Director waited until Jen was safely out of earshot before continuing, "I know you know how good she is. Don't screw this up." He wasn't sure if Morrow was talking about the team, or something more – not right then anyway. "And keep it out of the office. Because if that red head decides to cause you pain, I'm not brave enough to get in her way."

She was leaning against the wall outside the Director's office, waiting. "He said we should keep it out of the office," he told her as he reached her, answering the question she'd asked with a rise of her eyebrow.

"And of course you told him that we will?" He didn't answer that – tugging her with him into the elevator and reaching for the stop button as soon as the doors closed.

"This isn't keeping it out of the office," she pointed out as he tugged her towards him.

"Different office, different rules."

She looked around her and he half expected her to point out that they were not in an office. But instead she looped her arms around his neck and said conversationally, "you know, the last time we were in an elevator together I couldn't decide if I wanted to kiss you or kill you."

There was an invitation there if ever he heard one and he accepted it gladly. "You any clearer now?" He asked when they parted.

Her reply was to pull him back to her, "jury's still out," she said against his lips.

The End