A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! :) I think it's official that this story is going to get updated on the weekends-for some reason these chapters just take longer to plan out and write, so the weekend is prime time for me to do it, not during the week with school work and way too much stress. And this chapter completely kicked my ass. Completely. So- Jibbsgal1, you are my absolute hero. Thank you so much for the ideas; you saved this chapter! :)

I found this quote, and that was a big inspiration for this chapter:

"The couple that fights the most is the one most in love... it shows they care enough to notice the other one screwed up and care enough to mention it to the person so they can fix it. When you stop fighting it means you stopped caring," –Anonymous

When Jethro woke up on the morning of November 10, he didn't feel any different.

He woke up at 0540, shutting off the alarm so that his wife didn't wake up, then showering and drying off before dressing, kissing his wife's forehead softly before leaving the room.

He checked first on his teenaged daughter, not surprised to find her head buried in her pillow and her covers half off her body. He adjusted the bedspread over her form, smoothing back her hair and watching her shift slightly, her brunette curls spread out across the pillow.

Next, he crept into the nursery, checking on his sleeping baby girl. The infant was still deep in slumber; one hand was up by her head, the other in her mouth, her thumb settled firmly in between her lips. He ran his fingers gently over her stomach, smiling when she squirmed slightly but stayed asleep. He flicked on her mobile, watching the machine's bluish light shine across his daughter's face.

After shutting the door, he made his way down to the kitchen, starting the coffee maker. He'd barely been down a minute when Jenny walked into the room in her robe, rubbing at her eyes.

"I thought you were asleep," he said, watching her yawn before grabbing a mug out of the cabinet, setting it next to his on the counter.

"Well you thought wrong," she replied, running a hand through her messy curls and smiling at him. "I had to get Fee up to shower anyway, and check on Em. And see you before you left to go to the office."

"I would've come back up before I left," he said with a shrug, watching her frown slightly, and he held in his sigh, scrubbing a hand lightly down his face in frustration.

Jenny was utterly confused.

She'd come down to wish her husband a happy birthday before he went to work, but now he was colder than ice. And she didn't have a concrete reason why.

"Is this my cue to leave, or something?" she asked, trying to keep the hurt out of her voice but failing. "Because if you don't want me around, it's a big house. Just say the word, Jethro."

Hearing the hurt in his wife's voice caused more pain than any blade ever could.

He hated pushing her away; he hated hurting her and seeing her upset. But today wasn't an easy day; his birthday was never an easy day, never had been since Shannon and Kelly had been killed.

He was just so tired.

"I don't want…Jen, it's just another day," he said, trying to brush it off.

Wrong move.

"Just another day?" she asked, her green eyes flashing. "Well then, have a good day. I'll see you when you get home. I'm going to go back to bed, since obviously there wasn't anything worth getting up for."

He watched her turn and walk out of the kitchen, and he felt his heart sink. There went any chance at a good day.

He sank into a chair, his cup of coffee in his hand. Resting his forehead against his hand and his elbow against the table, he sighed, hating himself. He'd managed to stick his foot into his mouth, again, and now Jen was pissed and his day was heading south fast.

Not strong enough to face Jen, he slipped into his jacket and grabbed his car keys from the bowl, sighing. He was just grabbing the door handle when he heard footsteps on the stairs, and he turned slightly, managing a small smile when he caught sight of Fiona.

"What's up Fee?" he asked, watching her bright smile lessen slightly and feeling even worse.

"I was just wondering if you were still coming home at six," she asked, her teeth sinking into her lower lip.

"Yeah, I should be home then," he said, nodding.

"Good," Fiona said, her green eyes bright. "Then we can still get a movie."

"Why are we getting a movie?" Jethro asked, confused. Fiona rolled her eyes, folding her arms over her chest.

"Because it's a tradition," Fiona said, one hand falling to her hip. "We did it last year. It's gonna stick if it's the last thing I do."

"Well alright then," Jethro said, sending her a smile. "I'll be here at six to do that."

"Good," Fiona said, nodding. "Have fun at work Dad."

"Have fun at school," Jethro said, watching her roll her eyes. "See ya later kid."

"Bye Dad," Fiona said, blowing him a kiss before turning and walking back down the hallway.

Her words sent memories of Kelly through his brain; of birthdays spent with Shannon and Kelly. Memories he hadn't thought about in a very, very long time. He sighed, scrubbing a hand down his face.

It was going to be a long day.

He'd been at his desk all of five minutes when Abby bounced into the bullpen, beaming at him.

"Happy Birthday Gibbs!" she said, flinging her arms around him and hugging him tightly. He struggled to breathe, eventually patting her back to get her to release him.

"Thanks, Abs," he said once he got oxygen into his lungs, nodding. Her green eyes glowed as she bounced, grinning.

"So, is Jenny taking you out to lunch? Or can I take you? Because I haven't seen you that much recently because you've been busy with Em and-"

"You can take me, Abby," Jethro interrupted, keeping his expression neutral. "Jen's home with Em, doesn't wanna leave. I'll be home tonight, anyway."

"Okay, then how about we go to that new place near that coffee shop you like?" Abby suggested, tapping her chin as she thought. "I hear they have really good food."

"Sounds good, Abs," Jethro said, nodding and forcing a smile, relief filling him when she accepted it.

"I'll come and get you at noon then," she said with a smile, turning to leave the bullpen. "Bye Gibbs!"

He watched her walk back to the elevators, suddenly feeling even more exhausted than he had before, if that was even possible. He hated pretending; he hated feeling fake.

But right now, that's how he felt, and he hated it.

He scrubbed a hand down his face, sighing to himself. He just needed to pull through until after Abby's lunch; then he could escape to his basement and work on his much-neglected boat. And he knew he needed the alone time.

When his team arrived soon after, he watched them interact, keeping his musing to himself.

Tony and Ziva had a knowledge of each other that was intimate, as he knew, but the way they carried themselves around each other suggested it had been years instead of months. They were able to separate their personal lives from their professional, and from time spent with them outside of the office, he knew that they had both come to care deeply about each other. It reminded him of Jen and himself; he merely hoped that they would be able to overcome the struggle placed upon them by outside scrutiny and internal pressure.

But to be honest, he didn't see Ziva leaving; she'd finally come to the point where she could completely trust a man-Tony-and he didn't see her abandoning that for anything. He never thought he would see the day when a hardcore assassin could fall for a playboy like Tony. But he was glad they were happy; that was all that mattered by the end of the day.

And Tim. The Probie, the baby of the team, who had grown in the past few years. He had matured from the agent who couldn't handle firing a weapon, and Jethro was proud of the younger man, even if he didn't say it out loud.

And the fact that he was taking care of Abby; that he loved her so completely, made Jethro incredibly proud. He could tell that McGee would take care of her; he was simply waiting for the agent to make it permanent. He wouldn't be surprised if it was soon, either.

They went about their business, catching up on backlog paperwork that had previously been piled above their heads. Tony mumbled the entire time, and goofed off for half of it; he made an elaborate pyramid with paper in two hours. Jethro rolled his eyes, standing up when he caught sight of Abby just as the clock turned to noon.

"Ready Gibbs?" she asked, smiling. He nodded, watching her wink covertly at Tim before slipping her hand into the crook of Jethro's arm.

"I won't be back," he told the team, watching them all frown in concern. "We won't be getting a case tonight. Go home, have a good weekend; we aren't working the hotline the weekend. I'll see you all Monday morning 0700."

"Yes boss," the three replied, nodding. It wasn't often their boss gave them this kind of time off, and they weren't about to protest.

Jethro walked with Abby towards the elevators, intent on putting a smile on his face for this lunch. He didn't want Abby to pick up on his unhappiness; it was bad enough he was worrying about Jen.

He didn't need to add Abby's feelings into an already unbalanced equation.

After a lunch with Abby that had gone better than he had thought it would, Jethro made his way down into his basement.

He hadn't been down in a long time; with the last months of Jen's pregnancy and then Em's birth and her first few weeks, he hadn't had the free time needed to tend to his boat.

It was the same; a little dustier, he wouldn't lie, but still a place of solitude. His own safe haven.

He walked over to the counter in the back corner, relieved to find an old bottle of bourbon stored in the depths. Grabbing a mason jar, he wiped the dust from it with an old rag before filling it with some of the amber liquid.

He needed some Dutch courage to deal with this day.

He settled in underneath the ribs of the boat he didn't know if he'd ever finish; finding a blanket he stretched out underneath it and rested the jar next to his hip. His hands came up behind his head, cradling it slightly as he closed his eyes and let the memories flood.

"Daddy, we have to have a tradition!" Kelly said, her lower lip jutting out as she pouted, her big blue eyes widening. "It's your birthday!"

"Kel, your birthday is special. Mine just tells me I'm gettin' older and older," Jethro replied with an eye roll, grinning when his daughter giggled.

"But still Daddy. I think we should do something special, 'cause you're special!" she said, her brow furrowing in concentration as she tapped her chin with her thumb. "What about if we pick a movie and watch it on your birthday every year? A movie we really, really like!"

"And what movie do you have in mind missy?" Jethro asked, reaching across the couch to tickle her, his fingers dancing across her thin ribs. She squealed, trying to get away, failing. She collapsed into giggles, the musical tinkling falling upon his ears and making him grin. He could listen to her laugh for forever.

"'The Little Mermaid' Daddy!" Kelly exclaimed, and Jethro hid his groan. "Ariel looks like Mommy does!"

"Nah, Mommy's prettier than Ariel," Jethro said, keeping in his laughter at his daughter's glare.

"Daddy, if you don't want to watch it, tell me. It's your birthday, not mine," Kelly said, her hands falling to her hips as she set her stare on him. Jethro was impressed; his baby girl was really starting to grow up.

He didn't know if that was a good thing.

"Kel, I will watch whatever you want sweetheart," Jethro replied, watching her face light back up with a smile.

"So we can watch 'The Little Mermaid'?" she asked, bouncing slightly on the couch cushions. Jethro caught Shannon's gaze above their daughter's head, watching his wife's blue eyes skim over his body, promises for later clear in her gaze.

"Course we can baby girl," he said, his eyes still on his wife.

He'd watch any movie if it meant he had alone time with his wife afterward.

He hadn't known that would be his last birthday with Shannon and Kelly.

He'd shipped out to Kuwait soon after, and then…the accident. He and Kelly hadn't had the opportunity to watch 'The Little Mermaid' every year on his birthday; they'd watched it once.

He hadn't watched it since.

Fiona had suggested the movie this morning; he knew she had no idea of his tradition with his late daughter. Somehow, he knew Kelly was trying to tell him he needed to move forward; he had a family again, a family he needed to love and protect and cherish for everything it was worth.

And he wasn't showing that. This morning was proof enough of that.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he finished the bourbon in the jar. He wouldn't drink more; he wasn't drinking it to get drunk, at all. He just wanted the familiar burn down his throat as he battled demons that had sprung to the surface overnight.

He stood, running his hand over the smooth ribs; he was almost done sanding, getting ready for the next stage. But for now, he was content to just run his hands over it, to just feel the wood underneath his fingers. He felt no desire to work; he didn't want to tax his body and relieve stress like normal.

He was so tired; he was drained, emotionally and physically. He felt so much older; having an infant in the house was more taxing than he remembered. Then again, he was also more than a decade older than when Kelly was born.

He loved his baby girl though; he loved her big green eyes, the ones that looked just like her mom's and her big sister's, and her soft auburn hair, his gift to her, and the way she felt in his arms. He loved the way she snuggled into his chair, her warmth seeping into him.

Jen had become a natural with Em; she was completely content with being a mother, and her love showed. He loved watching his wife with their daughter; he loved seeing Jenny so completely and truly happy.

He sighed, thinking of his wife. He'd messed up, big time this morning. He knew she was just caring about him; it was more than he'd had on previous birthdays, and it just was unfamiliar. He had pushed her away, and he needed to fix it.

Walking slowly up the stairs of the basement, he looked around the mostly-empty house, a sad, bittersweet smile on his face.

"I miss you guys," he said softly, memories of his late family filling his brain as his eyes swept over the rooms. "Semper Fi."

And with that, he walked out the door and didn't look back.

When he pulled up to the townhouse, he still couldn't believe it was almost five forty-five. He honestly hadn't thought he'd spent that much time in the basement, but then again, his time-keeping skills had never been that good when he'd been in his basement.

He turned off the car and stepped out, taking a deep breath before walking up the front stairs and entering the house. He took of his coat and shoes, leaving his keys in the dish. He checked in the living room, finding Fee watching some show on television. Staying quiet, he headed upstairs, going into the nursery. Em was asleep, and he merely watched her, running his hand over her head, the silky strands of her hair tickling his palm. She looked so peaceful, and he smiled, watching her sleep for a little while longer.

Turning her mobile on, he slipped out of the room and headed down the hall, finding Jenny curled up with a book on the bed. She looked up briefly when he came in but said nothing, instead returning to her book. He sighed, closing his eyes briefly before walking over to the closet. He changed from his slacks and polo to jeans and a navy blue t-shirt, walking back over to the bed and getting in on his side, turning slightly to look at his wife.

She was dressed in jeans and a black button-up shirt, her hair loose around her shoulders. She was concentrating on her book, duly ignoring him.

"You just gonna act like I'm not here?" he asked softly, watching her sigh.

"You gonna act like you did this morning?" she asked, briefly raising her gaze to his before closing her book and setting it on the bedside table.

"Jen, I didn't mean it like that," he said, watching her eyes flicker at his words. She opened her mouth to protest, and he slipped his hand over her mouth to stop her. "It was a bad morning, and I took it out on you."

"You could have told me," she said softly, her eyes looking a little less guarded than before. "I would have listened. You can't just shut me out, Jethro, we won't work."

"I know that, Jen, I just…" Jethro frowned, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "It's never a good day; I don't make a big deal of it."

"And Jethro, all you had to do was say that, and I would have understood," Jenny replied quietly, slipping her hand over his. "But you have to tell me things. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not a mind reader."

"It's just been a long time since I've had a family on my birthday Jenny," he said, sighing heavily. Jenny raised her free hand to his face, running her thumb along the dark circles underneath his eyes.

"We don't have to make a big deal about it, if you'd rather not," she suggested, watching him shake his head.

"I have a family that cares now, Jen," he said, determination entering his eyes. "I won't throw that away. I can't throw it away."

Jenny looked back at him for a long time, her eyes saying things that words would never be able to. He leaned his forehead into hers, taking a deep breath before pressing his lips against hers, kissing her for the first time all day. She responded easily, opening her mouth to him underneath the pressure.

Jethro pushed Jenny back against the pillows, half-covering her body with his, his kisses before more fevered and passionate. Jenny was finding it hard to think straight; something told her they couldn't go any further at the moment, but her thoughts were so clouded with her husband, she could remember why.

Then, the baby monitor lit up as Em began to cry, and she remembered why in a microsecond.

She shoved against Jethro lightly, trying to catch her breath and calm her racing heart. He pulled back, his blue eyes clearing of their haze as Em's crying came through the monitor. Jenny tried to crawl out from underneath him, but he stopped her, shaking his head.

"You've been with her all day. Let me," he said, noting the concern in her eyes. "I'll be fine, Jen, I promise."

"Alright. I should probably see if we have food for dinner. I didn't do much planning today," she said, a little guiltily. "I was a little upset…"

"It's fine, Jen," he said, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "We can get take-out, it really doesn't matter."

"I'll see how Fee feels," Jenny replied, sighing. "Go get Em; she probably needs to be changed."

Jethro nodded, kissing her quickly once more before slipping out of bed, heading towards the nursery. Em's crying grew louder the longer she was ignored, and he scooped her up, cradling her against his chest. She quieted somewhat, burying her damp face into his neck, still whimpering.

He brought her over to the changing table, changing her as he calmed her down, wiping the tears from her cheeks with his finger. She started to hiccup, her tiny frame moving with each one.

"Now how are we gonna fix this, Miss Em?" he asked, tickling one of her feet. She moved her foot away, gurgling happily as she reached her hands up towards him. Another hiccup sounded, her face scrunching up as she became uncomfortable. "I can't scare you, or have you hold your breath, now, can I? How about we go see what Mommy thinks, hm?"

Jethro scooped her back up, holding her securely in his arms as he brought her back downstairs. Fee had moved to the kitchen with Jen, and they were talking over where to get food. Jenny looked up when she heard them, smiling at them.

"Hello sweetheart," she said, coming over to take Emmeline, frowning when her daughter hiccupped. "Do you have the hiccups?"

"Hey Dad. Why didn't I see you come in?" Fiona asked, shifting slightly in her seat to look at him.

"Super Marine skills," he said, watching her roll her eyes. Jenny snorted quietly, shaking her head as she tickled Em's belly.

"Jethro, any place you'd prefer for take-out? We have no food in this house," Jenny said, looking up from Em to meet his gaze. He shrugged, thinking.

"Doesn't really matter to me," he said, drumming his fingers against the countertop. Jenny was about to respond when there was a knock on the door, and she frowned in confusion.

"Were you expecting anyone?" she asked, adjusting Em in her arms.

"No, I wasn't," he answered, turning to look at Fiona. "Were you, Fee?"

"Nope," she replied, shaking her head. Jethro frowned, hearing another knock. He pushed himself off of the counter and headed for the door, opening it to reveal Tony, Ziva, Tim, Abby, and Ducky, holding take-out bags.

"What're you all doin'?" he asked, amusement tingeing his tone. Abby rolled her eyes, one hand placed on her hip.

"Um, it's your birthday Gibbs," she said, as though it should have been obvious. "We're here to celebrate with you."

"And we would like to see Em, Fiona, and Jenny," Ziva added, her tanned face holding a smile. "We have missed them."

"Well, you may as well come inside then," Jethro said, opening the door further and letting them in. Ducky clapped him on the shoulder, nodding to him.

"Happy Birthday, Jethro," he said softly, offering him a small smile.

"Thanks Duck," he replied, nodding in return. He may as well accept that his family-albeit his dysfunctional one-wasn't going to let him off easy for his birthday. And, to be honest, he was glad they weren't, because he needed the push.

He led them into the kitchen, shrugging at Jenny when she sent him a pointed look.

"Hello, everyone," she said, shifting Emmeline in her arms as the baby looked at the people in interest.

"Hi Jenny," Abby said, grinning as she looked at her goddaughter. "How is Miss Em today?"

"She woke up a little while ago," Jenny said, offering the baby for Abby to hold, who took her eagerly, cradling her against her chest.

"Hope you don't mind us intruding, Jenny," Tony said, coming forward to kiss her cheek lightly. "But we wanted to see our goddaughter, and beg that you come back to work. I can't work with Vance anymore."

"He just isn't you," Tim said in agreement, leaning over and kissing Jenny on the cheek as well. "We miss you."

"I'll be back next month, I promise," Jenny replied with a laugh, watching as Emmeline was passed from Abby to Tony, who held her gently against his chest. "I miss you all as well."

"I am glad we decided to come then," Ziva said with a smile, hugging her friend. "It has been a long few weeks without you."

"Well I'm flattered that you all miss me so much," Jenny said with a smile, kissing Ducky's cheek softly when he came over to hug her.

"Course we miss you," Abby said, grinning at her, pigtails bouncing. "Work isn't the same without both Mommy and Daddy!"

"Well, Mommy and Daddy are busy being actual mommy and daddy," Jenny replied, running a hand through her hair messily.

"Which we totally understand," Abby said, nodding furiously. "We just miss you, that's all."

"Tell me you all have food," Fiona said after saying hello to everyone, her green eyes desperate. Abby giggled, nodding.

"We got Italian. It's in the bags," she said, grinning as the teenager threw her arms around her. "C'mon, help me set it out."

Dinner was entertaining; the team kept things lively and so Jethro had no time to dwell on the past. Em spent the meal in Jenny's arms, looking at her family curiously as they ate and joked and laughed.

After they'd finished eating, Tony reached into another bag and pulled out a cake in the shape of a flag, with 'Happy Birthday Gibbs' written in navy blue frosting on it. Jenny sent Fiona to get the candles, as Em was fast asleep in her arms, and so Fiona came back with a '2' and a '9' candle, grinning as her dad rolled his eyes.

"You're turning 29, right Dad?" she teased, sticking the candles into the cake and lighting them, flicking off the lights as everyone began to sing. Jethro rolled his eyes, embarrassed by all the attention being showered on him. He blew out the candles to the cheers of his family, shaking his head at them.

The cake was cut and distributed, each person enjoying their piece. Jenny had only a small piece as she held Em, who was still asleep, even throughout the chaos (and the very out of tune singing).

After cake the team left reluctantly, leaving the four of them alone. Jenny took Em up to put her in bed, and Jethro and Fee went into the living room to pick a movie.

"I say we watch a different movie each year," Fiona said, looking up at him from where she was sprawled on the living room floor, surrounded by DVDs. "Then we won't get bored with the same thing every year."

"Well what do you want to watch?" he asked, sinking into the couch and resting his head back against the cushions. Fiona tapped her chin in thought, her brow furrowing.

"What about 'Knight and Day'?" she suggested, taking in the blank expression. "It's a spy movie. There aren't any redheads, but it should still be pretty good."

"Would ya stop, with the redhead thing?" Jethro asked, the complaint clear in his voice. He married a few redheaded women and suddenly it was like he had a fetish or something. Fiona grinned, her green eyes glinting in amusement. "You gonna put the movie in or what, kid?"

"Should we wait for Mom?" Fiona asked, tilting her head at him. He nodded, pushing himself off of the couch.

"I'll go get her. You start it," Jethro said, watching her nod. He found Jen getting into a pair of yoga pants in their bedroom, and he fought against the arousal filling his head. They still had another two weeks before they could do anything, and he needed to control himself. "Jen, you gonna watch with us?"

"Sure, I'll watch," Jenny replied, nodding her head. He took her hand as she rounded the bed, linking their fingers as they walked down the stairs and into the living room, where Fee was already curled up in the armchair with a thick red blanket. She smiled at them, tiredness already starting to shadow her eyes.

Jenny and Jethro curled up on the couch, Jenny with her head in her husband's lap, his fingers running through her thick, messy curls gently. Fiona started the movie, snuggling into the cushions as the opening scenes started.

Jenny began to be lulled to sleep by her husband's fingers running through her hair, the gentle ministrations tugging her closer and closer towards the edge of sleep. She nestled closer to him, closing her eyes and letting herself drift off.

Jethro looked down about halfway through the movie, a soft smile slipping onto his face at the sight of his wife sound asleep in her lap. He looked over at Fiona, not surprised to find her asleep as well. It had been a long evening.

Not wanting to disturb them, he merely rested his head back against the couch cushions, closing his eyes. He continued to stroke his hand over Jenny's head, enjoying the feel of the silky strands against his palm. A smile tugged on his lips, and he let it dominate his face, contentedness swirling through him.

While his birthday hadn't started out well, and he hadn't handled things quite like he should have, he had his family, his girls, and he was happy.

He missed Shannon and Kelly, and he always would, but spending a birthday with Jen, Fee, and Em had made his heart heal, in a way.

And truthfully, he was looking forward to many more birthdays with his girls.