A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! After this, we are very close to the ending-only two chapters follow this one, then we'll move on to 'Torn', which I am very excited to start! Don't know how many people watch 'House', but this scene (and the end of last chapter), are partially based off of the end of the season 6 finale and season 7 premiere.
Disclaimer: I own my OCs and the plot.
"Will we ever say the words we're feeling, reach out underneath and tear down all the walls; will we ever have our happy ending? Or will we forever only be pretending?" –'Pretending', Glee Cast [I am not a big Glee person. But, I like this song.]
They stood in silence for a few long moments, their fingers laced together as they stood in Jenny's front hallway. Neither knew what the next step was; they both wanted to be cautious, and so the next steps in this dance were fuzzy and unclear.
"You're bleeding," she eventually said quietly, her fingers going to his neck, where there was a deep cut and seeping blood.
"Crime scene," he replied, wincing slightly as her fingers probed the outside of the wound. "DiNozzo hit me with a tree branch at Rock Creek Park."
"Let me clean it up," Jenny said softly, her green eyes regarding him. "Come upstairs, I have a first aid kit."
She led him up the stairs into the bathroom, seating him on the edge of the tub as she turned the on the faucet, running the water until it was warm. She wet a washcloth and then unbuttoned the first few buttons of his shirt before gently running the damp cloth over the cut, wiping off the dried blood from his neck.
Her fingers were soft against his skin, washing out the cut with the damp cloth. Jethro held in his winces, pushing the pain down. She was incredibly gentle, and he closed his eyes as her fingers touched the wound on his neck lightly.
Jenny placed the strip of gauze over the now-clean cut, securing it with two pieces of medical tape on each end. Running her fingers over the bandage, she leaned down and kissed it, her lips brushing the material softly.
Jethro's hands found her waist, holding her hips lightly as she leaned towards him, her head on his shoulder. Slowly he stood from where he'd been sitting on the edge of the tub, tugging her lightly against him in a hug. She relaxed against him, her arms winding around his waist on their own accord.
They merely hugged for a few minutes, the small room filled with their breathing as they held each other. Eventually Jenny pulled away, wiping discretely at her eyes as Jethro cleared his throat.
"I'm glad you came," Jenny said softly, her voice not much louder than a whisper. Her eyes were wide and nervous, and Jethro's heart broke.
"I'm glad I came too," he replied hoarsely, clearing his throat again.
"I think we need to talk," Jenny said, her teeth catching her lower lip as she shifted her stance slightly. Jethro nodded, and Jenny led him back downstairs. She entered the living room and found Patricia just starting to stir in the armchair.
"Jenny," Patricia said, sitting up straight and rubbing her eyes.
"Patricia, if you'd like to go sleep in a spare room you can," Jenny said softly, feeling Jethro enter the room behind her. Patricia's eyes widened, and she nodded slowly.
"You'll be alright?" Patricia asked, raising one eyebrow somewhat skeptically. Jenny nodded, touching her arm gently.
"We'll be fine. I'll see you in the morning," Jenny said, and Patricia nodded, squeezing her hand gently as she walked by, exchanging a serious look with Jethro before leaving the room.
Sighing, Jenny sank down onto the couch, bringing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on top of them. Jethro sat next to her, close but not touching, his eyes running over her, not saying anything.
"I shouldn't have said what I did," Jethro started, but Jenny shook her head.
"It was how you felt," Jenny said, turning her head to look at him. "Jethro, if this is too much for you, and you don't think you'll be able to handle it, then tell me now. I'm not holding you to this relationship; if you want out, just say the word. But don't drag yourself or me through the mud if you'd rather be gone."
Jethro swallowed hard.
"Jen, I don't want out," Jethro said, slipping a hand over her mouth when she tried to interrupt. "I was frustrated, Jen. I've never done this before; I've never dealt with this. I think I'm allowed a screw-up every once and a while, right?"
Jenny tilted her head slightly, studying him. He seemed sincere, and he was right-he'd never had to deal with this side of her. She sighed softly, her hand grabbing the one he'd slipped over her mouth and weaving her fingers through it.
"Yes, you are allowed to screw up every once and a while," Jenny replied softly, her lips twitching up slightly in a smile. "But…this will most likely not be last time this happens. Will you be able to handle it, if it's an entire week like this? If I have a bad day, and nothing you say can make it better? If all I do is push you away? You can't just yell Jethro, this isn't some unruly suspect."
"I'll be anything you need, Jenny," Jethro said, his eyes serious. "You need a punching bag, a shoulder to cry on, you just need me to be your barrier between you and the bathroom, I can be all those things. I will be here for you Jenny, no matter what."
"Jethro, it's very easy to say all of those things," Jenny said softly, her eyes wide and wet. "Follow through is much more difficult. And please, don't think that I don't trust you, or believe that what you say is true. But it is much more difficult to put those words into action. Others have tried, and they all turned in the other direction and ran."
"I'm not other people Jen," Jethro said, and her face softened, her fingers squeezing his gently.
"I know that," she whispered. "I know you're not. But that doesn't change everything I've known in the past."
"Let me change it," Jethro said, his face merely inches from hers now, his breath washing over, making her shiver as anticipation built up in her stomach, twisting into intricate knots that she knew could only truly be unraveled one way. His next words stole her breath. "Let me show you that I can be different."
Jenny let out a shaky breath, overwhelmed by his presence and his words, her heart feeling like it was going to beat right out of her chest. Jethro's blue eyes bored into hers, his blue gaze scorching her face as she struggled with an answer. Taking a chance, she nodded, her crimson curls falling forward to frame her face.
Jethro's hands were gentle as they settled on her cheeks, his thumbs brushing the soft, darkened skin underneath her large green eyes. Jenny sighed, her coffee-tinted breath touching Jethro's face and clouding his senses, and it took all of his strength not to kiss her.
He would do this right. He wouldn't push, or rush, or force this relationship.
He wouldn't hurt her.
Jenny could see the struggle in his eyes; he was doing everything he could not to hurt her. She was touched by the effort, and so she figured she could reward him a little bit.
Leaning forward, she brushed her lips over his, her kiss fleeting. She felt his muscles tense momentarily before he relaxed, his response soft and gentle; sweet, an emotion she didn't always associate with him. But in this setting, she appreciated it, and all of the effort he was putting in to not breaking her-even if she wasn't always the fragile. Jenny smiled against his lips, finding his response entertaining, much to his chagrin.
"Something funny, Jen?" Jethro asked when he pulled away, his voice hoarse. Jenny let out a very uncharacteristic giggle, covering her mouth with her hand.
"Just…encouraged," Jenny said, fishing for the right word. Jethro raised an eyebrow at her in question, but then merely shrugged, leaving it be.
"I should go back to the case," Jethro said after a few moments of comfortable silence. Jenny frowned, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip and twisting it slightly.
"Do you have to?" she asked, even though she knew the answer; she always had. She just desperately wished it wasn't the same every time.
"Part of my job description," he said, regret clear in his tone. Jenny nodded, sighing out a breath. At least he wasn't changing because of this; he was still the Gibbs she'd fallen in love with all those years ago-dedicated to solving the case, putting the perpetrator behind bars. She didn't want their relationship to change that.
"Go put another bad guy away," Jenny said softly, pushing his shoulder with her own. "Try not to get hit with anymore tree branches."
"Do my best," he said, relieved to hear the joke in her tone, and he stood fluidly, his joints creaking. He bent down and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before he locked eyes with her for a moment, conveying things he'd never be able to voice, except in those few, weak moments they rarely had.
Then, he was gone.
Jenny heard her thick front door shut, and she closed her eyes, feeling his lips against her forehead again. She wanted to keep the feeling of security he'd brought to her; a feeling she wanted to grasp with both hands and keep with her.
She hoped that after tonight, she'd be able to.
Jethro returned to headquarters, wishing he was back with Jenny. He hated leaving her, especially now. At least Patricia was with her; he felt better knowing that someone that loved and cared about Jenny was in the house, there to save her from herself.
A tall cup of Jamaican blend coffee was in his hand, and as the elevator made its way up to the squad room, he took a deep sip, the warm liquid warding off the chill from outside. He scratched his neck, and his fingers came in contact with the bandage Jenny had put there.
Memories of her gentle touch went through him, and he shivered slightly, closing his eyes at the thought of her slender fingers, then her lips touching the bandage…it was almost too much.
He was supposed to be taking care of her, and yet, she was taking care of him. The role reversal was a slight shock; it sent him back to his coma, that hospital room; her face had been the one thing tying him down, the only thing that had had no connection to Shannon and Kelly.
He was still kicking himself for not remembering. Why would he block this out-why would he keep pushing the memories away of a time he'd cherished?
He wanted nothing more than to remember being happy with Jenny. They'd make more memories, that he knew. But still, he wanted to remember the time that she had clearly held onto, even when he'd been away.
When he'd walked away from something that had made someone very important to him very happy.
The elevator reached the bullpen, and he stepped out when the doors opened, cementing the scowl on his face. When he entered the bullpen he played the role the team was expecting-demanding answers, yelling when there were none, escaping to Abby's.
The team wanted things to be kept the same; change was scary, and threatening, and to be honest, not many people enjoyed it. Because change reminded them of Mexico, and his leaving, and he was aware that Jenny wasn't the only one who harbored bad memories of his leaving.
So he would keep his role, chasing change far, far away.
If only for the moment.
