Disclaimer – ncis is not mine
"He pulled you closer said he'll never let go, You couldn't trust him but you never say no, In that moment he made you forget how it feels when he's gone" Daddy, by Emeli Sande – I'm addicted to this song and to her too!
The week passed by smoothly for them all. Ali went back down to San Diego on the Sunday leaving Jenny, Gavin the bar man and Dan, a marine Gibbs had known who was now working at the duke. Jenny had had her hands full, she had been training Dan up whilst dealing with a week that had been extremely busy thanks to a shipload of navy officers returning home from a tour of duty. So, by the time Thursday afternoon came, she was more than glad to leave the bar in the capable hands of the two men and go home to pack.
For Jethro the week had not been quiet either. It turned out that some idiot had decided to go and raid all of the banks on marine bases. The fact that he'd let prints everywhere would have been a bonus, if it then had not turned into a man hunt. Tony was still hiding within his shell, and not even Abby could get him out. McGee was stepping in, trying to work hard so that they all got home in time. However for Tony, that meant drowning his sorrows in drink. Gibbs was worried about the younger man even if what he had done had broken a young girl's heart; he hoped that the lad would not punish himself anymore.
As Thursday afternoon drew to an end Gibbs gathered up all of the case reports for the last week – which were surprisingly complete – and headed up to the director office. Everyone had noticed how the former marine had a spring in his step, and on that afternoon he defiantly did. The thought of spending the weekend with the woman he loved in the sun made him the happiest man in DC. Something inside him had changed of late, a feeling like he had not had in a long time. The whole worlds seemed a little bit brighter, even bearable.
However no matter how much of a good mood the man was in, some things would never change. As he walked in to the outer office where the Director's assistant was, he didn't even acknowledge her presence. Walking straight in he let the door slam behind him and walked up to the wooden desk and placed the files in the in tray. Marrow rolled his eyes and turned away from him computer screen, with the wire rimmed glasses on the end of his nose. "Thank you Jethro." He said with a light tone in his voice. "For once I did not even have to badger you to get them."
"Nah, DiNozzo is even there." Replied the silver haired man, his iconic smirk fixed in place.
"Well I am pleased." He said picking up the top file to see which case it related to. "When do you leave for California Gibbs?" He asked as he removed the glasses form his nose and placed them on the desk softly as not to scratch them before rubbing his eyes to get rid of the dry tired feeling in them.
"Fly out tonight." Gibbs responded.
"Well then Jethro, I hope you have a good time and I envy you I the Sun." both men shared a slight smile. They'd known each other for years, Gibbs had done undercover work and all sorts under the guidance of marrow and both were happy enough to count on the other as a friend. "You may as well go home Jethro. IT's not like you'll get another case before six anyway, and even if you do I am sure that DiNozzo is more than capable of dealing with it."
"Thank you Tom." Said Gibbs before walking out of the office and down the stairs to the bullpen where his team sat. He went straight to his desk where he placed his service weapon and badge in the draw before grabbing his car keys and coat. Jenny was most likely at home packing and he'd told her that he'd go straight there after work seeming as he had packed the previous night and placed the duffle bag into his boot this morning. Looking at his team he hoped that in his absence they would manage to cheer Tony up.
"Right, I'm off, DiNozzo you're in charge. See ya Tuesday." He said before walking off. It was as he approached the lift that Abby came bounding out, still wearing her lab coat and a beaming smile. She ran up to him, platform boots somehow managing to keep quiet as he did so. Her pigtails bounded up and down like the ear of an animal as it runs across a field in the spring.
"Gibbs!" She squealed before attaching herself to him in a hug. "I thought I would come and see you because I really did not want you to leave without saying goodbye! Not that you wouldn't because then that would be ruse and you're not rude Gibbs you're never rude, except when you're really annoyed ten you are sharp and to the point but that is not rude Gibbs!"
"Abs-"He said trying to cut her off. "Breath." And with that she stopped and let out a deep breath, almost theatrically.
"Have a relay good time in California Gibbs!" she said before hugging him once more. "And have fun with Jenny because she is really nice and I like her. Oh and wish Ali good luck wish her bar and tell her I'll come see it when I am next due time off which is soon I think."
"I will do Abs." He said before kissing her cheek as he always did. "I gotta go."
"Oh yeah, I don't want you missing your flight. Bye Gibbs." She said, hugging him for a third time and making him smirk before he got on the lift and left. As the doors closed she bound into the MCRT section of the bullpen and smiled. "The boss is gone now let's PARTY!" She squealed. And for the first time all weak Tony cracked a smile. Only a very small one but he still smiled.
Jenny stood at the foot of her bed, trying to decide which of the four dresses she had out to take. Looking at her suitcase and the back at the bed she laughed to herself. "Oh sod it!" She said with a smile. "I'd may as well take the lot." She began to take them off of their hangers and fold them up into neat squares. Her suitcase was already nearly full with swim suits and shorts as well as a load of other stuff. She was not sure if she would be helping out behind the bar or not so she had decided to prepare for any situation and season as well by the look of her bag.
Jenny had just placed her final pair of shoes into the bag and was attempting to fasten it up when she heard Noemi answering the door. When she heard the voice of her lover drifting up through the house she smiled, and let herself take a deep breath and relax, she always did get stressed when packing. Hearing his footsteps come up the stairs she finally managed to close the bag, albeit be through brute force. HE smiled as he watched her from the door. Head bent in concentration whilst the few y strands of hair that were not in the bun fell down over her face. "You all packed?" He questioned as she stood up.
"Yeah, I think so."
"Nothing else to go in?" Jethro pushed, knowing that she would probably have forgotten something.
"Nothing else will go in Jethro." She said with a smirk. IT was then she realised how much she had missed him considering the fact that she had not seen him in a week. Slowly she walked over and gave him a hug. After the week they had both had, Jenny and Jethro relaxed at one another's presence. Smiling she looked up and captured his lips in a kiss which held a promise. When they pulled apart he kissed her forehead. "I missed you this week." She admitted as he listened to the soothing sound of his heart.
"I missed you to Jen." HE replied as he smiled at her. They stayed like that for a few more minutes, content at just being with one another. But then both knew that they would need to leave soon so they pulled apart. "Want to eat now or at the airport?" He questioned.
"May as well eat at the airport, we'll have a few hours to kill after all." She said with a smile. "Noemi has baked cookies though, want one before we go?" She asked, but she didn't wait for an answer as she was already going down the stairs to the kitchen. Her brown suede heels with a little strap across making a clip clopping sound on the solid wooden floors. Her navy blue dress with a ribbon belt softly going out behind her and she went. Her finger placed a stray strand of hair behind her ears as she turned to look up at him with a smile. Her lips covered in bright red, eyelashes coated in a perfect layer of mascara. "Jethro, what are you doing?" She asked, bewildered by the fact he was staring at her. But him being him he did not respond, instead he walked down the stairs and took her hand.
"You are beautiful Jenny." Was all he said. She pecked his lips before leading him by the hand to the kitchen where she picked up one of the triple chocolate cookies from the plate and sat down. He mimicked her and sat opposite. It amused him how she could not eat a cookie as it was, instead she broke it up into smaller pieces, making a mess on the working top as she went. By the time they were finished it was time to go, so whilst Jenny dug around in her wardrobe for a jacket Jethro picked up the massive suitcase.
"What the hell have you got in here Jen? It weighs a tonne!"
"Well I couldn't decide what to take!" She replied from inside the wardrobe.
"So you packed it all?!"
"Pretty much!" She laughed to herself whilst he took it down stairs, mumbling something about it costing them excess baggage. The drive to the airport was peaceful; Jenny had booked them parking in advance which meant that they just had to find their designated place when they got to the airport. Outside Jenny watched as they neared the airport, smiling as she saw all of the planes taking off. She'd flown all over the place when she was young, yet as she'd grown up and left home it was rare that she got the chance to go away – especially in recent years. So today, flying made her gain a sense of nerves; it gave her butterflies in her stomach. The reason she had eaten before she left was because she wasn't sure she'd be able to stomach any food until they were in the air.
Beside her she felt Jethro's eyes on her as he turned. Gently he placed his hand on her leg and squeezed softly, reassuring her that he was there if she needed him. It helped, especially the fact that his rough and strong palm stayed there the whole time until they reached the airport. As they did, and the car pulled to a stop, Jenny to a deep breath and momentarily closed her eyes. Beside her Jethro smiled. "You alright?" He questioned, worry evident in his voice.
"Yeah." She responded with a slight smile before adding: "Just a little nervous that's all."
-A Life Behind Bars-
By the time the two arrived in California, the sun was beginning to set and evening was coming. Stepping out of the airport Jenny slid on her sunglasses. Even if it was dusk, the sun was low and getting in her eyes. The airport was busy, people coming and going. Tourists' red raw from two weeks under the sun filtered into the departures lounge, whilst other pale in contract left arrivals ready for their time in the sun. Jenny and Jethro walked slowly, hand in hand dragging their cases behind them. Thankfully the flight had been smooth, and although because of nerves Jenny hadn't eaten anything back at the airport, they'd shared something on the plane.
Now they were here, in the mild weather of California. Jenny pulled up the sleeves on her jacket, yet Jethro seamed unfazed as they got in one of the bright yellow taxis that waited in the bay. Jenny got in and told the elderly man in the front where they wanted to go whilst Jethro loaded their bags. Finally they were underway. Inside the cab was warm, and so Jenny took off her jacket, and for once Jethro too, and they opened the window, relishing the cool breeze through the heat they hadn't been having in DC of late.
Jethro too Jenny's hand off of her knee and intertwined it with his own. She looked over and smiled before softly kissing his knuckles. "I can't wait to see the place. " Jenny said with a bright smile. "Ali seemed so excited about it, said she was getting artwork done for it this week, menus and stuff too."
"She asked me to bring any pictures of mates I had that had lost their lives in battle." He said it quietly, and Jenny was surprised.
"She's doing a memorial wall, instead of the messages back in the Duke, she'd doing fallen comrades. The barmen and even the chef are former armed forces; she wants to make the place special." Said Jenny with a smile. Then a thought crossed her mind. "Did you bring any?"
"Yeah, a few." She smiled, and kissed his cheek, not forcing him to reveal anymore. Still with her hand in his she looked out of the window. They'd passed the sea half an hour ago and now were in a very dusty area. Soon though, Jenny watched a town appear, filled with military influence. Slowly she watched the street get narrow because she saw the place. It was a repaired run down, but Ali had been right, there was something magical about it. There was an amazing view from the sea, and a grassy bank where she thought she might sit with a cup of coffee come morning. They were not staying with Ali, but instead in a small hotel back in the town, but Jenny had told the guy to come here and that they would walk into town so that they got to know where they were going. As the cab pulled up they both got out, Jethro to the bags and Jenny paying. After the driver had gone Jethro threw his beloved duffel bag over his shoulder and Jenny grabbed her cased, they then smiled and looked out at the sea. "You want to go to the hotel first?" He asked.
"Yeah."
And so they walked through the dusty town to a little hotel and checked into their room before freshening up and then walking back to the bar. When they arrived it was nearly dark and the sound of the sea made them both feel as though they really were on holiday. Walking into the bar they were greeted by the sound of hard work. Jenny smiled as she saw her niece stood ordering people around in a pair of tattered denim shorts and a lemon blouse. Her hair screwed up in bun to keep it out of the way. Jenny looked around; the furnishings were pretty much the same as the ones in DC. But there was an airy quality. The stools were being studded around the edge to make them look decorative, and Ali was instructing a man about a canvas. The image made both Jenny and Jethro smile, it was one of four, the Marie corps logo, the US Navy logo the US air force logo and the US army logo. Under them were smaller versions, only they were of the British equivalent.
"They look good Al." said Jenny with a smile.
"You're here!" She said in a way which much resembled Abby. A smile on her face she walked over. "It looks great doesn't it? I mean I wasn't sure about the British logo's but in the end I thought, you know what? This is my bar and I am proud to be British."
"They look good,"
Al; turned to the workers. "All right guys, nick to off for today, here crack of dawn tomorrow! It's a big day. Ben and James, you two can stay. I want you to try out the food with us." Ali said, pointing to two barmen who were at work. Both were tall and extremely good looking, they had dark hair; one had it cut short, the other like James bond. Jenny watched as they all left, smiling at Ali as they went. Jen could not help but think how good Ali was a playing the boss.
Finally the bar was empty and the three sat down around the bar. "I'm been by the way, you must be Jenny and Gibbs, and Ali had told us all a lot about you." Said the one with the James bond hair.
"She certainly has. James by the way." The one with short hair said.
"It's good to meet you both." Jenny said whilst Jethro grunted. She slapped his shoulder and turned to him. "Be polite!" she said laughing.
He pulled her off of her bar stool and on to his knee. Then he attacked her shoulder whilst she laughed. "I am." He said before kissing her passionately. "To you." He said with a smile. They were both caught up in one another that it took Ali coughing to make them pull apart and notice the awkwardness of the others.
"Stop acting like love sick teenagers!" said Ali with a smile. "James get them both bourbon neat, me a bottle of Sol and then you two something." They both did as they were told, just in time as the chef brought out a selection of platters. They all ate with smiles on their faces and laughing. Jokes were told yet looking at her niece, Jenny could tell that she had still not gotten over what happened in DC and that she was still heartbroken. The night ended with Ali on her new guitar, and things were well and good. But Jenny knew there was a part of her niece that was not fully there, a small smile instead of the massive one. Eyes closed and music slowly instead of a quick pace and a light tune. But as she sat with Jethro, they both knew that they would do whatever it was that they could to get her back to the woman she had been before.
