A/N: So I need help deciding on which ring Jethro will propose with. I am posting the links to images of both rings on my profile; let me know in a review of this chapter and the next to let me know which ring you think he should use.
A Choice 14
A Week Later
Jethro was upstairs, supervising the furniture guys as they put together the bed he and Jen had chosen for their master bedroom. Tony, Tim, Ziva and Abby were assembling the twin beds that they claimed as they're own. They each had helped pick out bedclothes and pillows for their beds. Jenny was downstairs with Cynthia and Cassie arranging the furniture and hanging up the pictures and pieces of art from Jen's townhouse. They also hung some framed pieces from Jethro and Jen's European ops. Images of them in Paris and Italy as well as a few pictures of the whole team from when Jen first joined NCIS. Above the mantle a picture of Jen's father hung next to an image of Kelly and Shannon; while pictures of the whole team, Ducky and Abby were in the living room. Ducky and Jimmy were in the kitchen, cooking the food for when everyone finished. He already had some finger foods: chips and dip and a veggie tray out on the kitchen table.
The sound of footsteps could be heard in both the kitchen and the living room as the furniture guys headed down the stairs along with the team and Abby. Jethro followed behind them, giving Tony a headslap for something he said. Jethro followed the furniture guys out the front door as the team headed into the kitchen to get drinks and some finger foods; while Abby went to where Cynthia and Cassie were hanging the last of the photos and art in the dining room.
Outside Jethro tipped the men and thanked them for their help and watched as they drove off before heading back inside. Jen had also finished and met Jethro in the foyer. Jen had the biggest smile on her face as she approached her partner. He smiled at her as she wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his own arms around her and hugged her tight. They stayed until Jethro heard Abby call out to Jen for the final approval in the dining room. Jen sighed and pulled away, having heard her name being called too, she stepped away from Jethro and headed into the dining room and Jethro headed back upstairs to put the finishing touches on their bedroom.
He pulled clean sheets over the new mattress and fresh pillowcases over their pillows and fluffed them up and placed them by the headboard. He then grabbed the broom he had placed there this morning and swept up the dust and debris from the boots of the furniture guys and the assembly of the bed. He then ran into his office and grabbed the vase of orchids and placed them on her bedside table. He stored the bag of rose petals in the master bathroom. He then headed back downstairs to rejoin the party.
He found everyone bringing the food into the dining room from the kitchen and grabbed some beer from the fridge and headed into the kitchen. He passed around the beers and took his place at the head of the table. Jen sat to his left, Cynthia sat across from her. Abby sat next to Jen with Tim across from her. Ziva sat next to Tim with Tony across from her and Cassia sat across from Ducky next to Ziva. The conversation flowed as everyone passed the food around the table.
The dinner went smoothly and after an hour or two once the food was finished the whole gang left and Jethro and Jenny were left alone. After ten minutes the team started to call and check in that they had gotten home. They all called or texted Jen, at Jethro's request, so he could head back up and finish the bedroom. He headed up the stairs and went into their bathroom and grabbed the flower petals from the bathtub. He placed the petals on the bed and the floor around it, trailing the petals to the door. He got to the door and crushed the bags and shoved them into his pockets. He grabbed the key to the door from outside the room on the door sill and locked the door, not wanting Jen to spoil the surprise, and went into his office.
He threw the trash from the petals in the trashcan and got the bag of white tea candles and headed back into the bedroom. He moved the vase of orchids to the bed, in between the pillows and placed the tea candles on both the bedside tables and the vanity. He pulled the disposable lighter out of his pockets and looked at the time on his phone. It was 2200 hours, he and Jen usually got ready for bed around this time. So he went around and lit all the candles before shutting the door and heading downstairs.
He found Jen in the kitchen putting away some of the leftovers and handing the dishes over to Naomi who rinsed them and placed them into the dishwasher. Naomi saw him first and turned to him.
"Senor Gibbs, would you like some fresh coffee?" She asked, and Jethro was suddenly glad that she had agreed to come over to the new house with Jen and not stay at the townhouse; which had been placed on the market the previous day and Jethro's house was going up on Monday. He nodded and Naomi handed him a mug of black coffee. He drank his coffee as he helped put away the Tupperware that Jen handed him.
Soon they had all the food put away and the dishes put away and in the dishwasher which was running. Jen walked with Naomi to the door, setting up a new schedule for Naomi to come over, her daughter had just given birth and Naomi wanted to spend time with her new grandchild and with her daughter. Jethro stayed in the kitchen and washed out his coffee mug and placed it on the drying rack before meeting Jen at the base of the stairs. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck.
"We're finally home." She mumbled, voice slightly obscured by his neck.
"Jen, we've been home for a month." He chuckled, and she bit his neck lightly. She pulled back and rested their foreheads together.
"No I mean, this home, it finally feels like a home. All the furniture is set up and ready, the pictures have been hung up, Naomi is here and you're here. This place is officially home. I finally feel at home. I'm home Jethro." She kissed him long and slow but it still had enough passion to blow his mind.
Once again he pressed her to the wall and wound one of her long legs around his thigh. His hands were in her hair, gluing her face to his; while her hands were fisted in the front of his polo-shirt and were pulling him to her as they kissed passionately. They pulled away when air became needed. They rested their foreheads together again as they breathed the same air.
Suddenly Jen's eyes took on a mischievous glint and she pulled away from him and sauntered up the stairs. Jethro smirked and followed her up the stairs. She waited until he was all the way up the stairs before sauntering into her office and shut the door in his face. He unlocked the door to the bedroom and peaked in, all the candles were still lit. He closed the door, but did not latch it; he wanted it to be easy to open the door when Jen came out of her office.
About 20 minutes after she shut the door, the door opened again. Jen sauntered out of her office wearing a deep red silk robe and impossibly high, high heels. She walked, adding an extra sway to her hips, over to him. When she reached him his hands found their way to her hips, his thumbs brushed back and forth across her hip bones, causing Jen to moan and shut her eyes.
"Why are you dressed like that?" Jethro whispered in her ear before drawing the lobe into his mouth. He heard and felt her moan and released her ear and smirked at her.
"I wanted to celebrate are first night with everything moved in, so I went out and picked out a new piece of lingerie that you haven't seen before and this robe, the shoes I took from the closet this morning." She purred into his ear before returning the favor; or attempting too, because as soon as her mouth closed over his lobe, after licking the shell, she found herself being swept up in his arms bridal style.
He lifted her easily into his arms and carried the beautiful women that loved him into the bedroom. She gasped as she took in the candles, orchids and the rose petals that Jethro had placed throughout the room. She turned her head and surveyed the room; staying in Jethro's arms. Jethro started to pepper kisses into her hair and the side of her face, causing her to turn to him and kiss him on the lips rather seriously. He led them over to the bed and let her down. She kept kissing him until she ran out of breath and then pulled away and turned around, but she still stayed in Jethro's arms. She leaned over and picked up the vase of orchids and touched a petal gently before they were swept out of her hands and placed on the vanity in a space free from candles. He walked back to her and once again laid his hands against her hips, Jen's hands found their way to the hem of his shirt and lifted it over his head, before heading back down and tracing his well-defined muscles.
The night passed slowly for the couple in love. They made love three times throughout the night and finally around the wee hours of the next morning fell asleep with legs entangled and her head on his chest. He had his arms wrapped around her, holding her to him and one of her arms was laying over his heart and the other was in between them.
Each lover's dreams were filled with a dream of the future: the house still had its "homey" feeling, as well as having a few little feet running around. Little did they know that the other's dream was the same as the other.