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Gibbs and Jack have now been trapped in the elevator for about 3 hours. Jack has calmed down. Gibbs is holding her close in his arms. She is resting her head against his chest. Her breathing is calm. Her body is getting less tense. Every once in awhile, Gibbs places a calming kiss on her head. He noticed very quickly that Jack doesn't like thunder, but she is trying to hide it. It amuses Gibbs that she is a highly trained army lieutenant and a trained special Agent who doesn't like thunder.
It is starting to get warmer in the elevator, so Jack sits up to put some distance between them.
"feeling better, Jack?" Gibbs asks. She just simply nods and then starts taking off her jacket. She has already kicked off her shoes.
"if you are going to take off more clothing or need to change, I can close my eyes." he jokes, and she just smiles at him.
"don't worry, I'm not. It is just starting to get warm in here."
"ya think." He says sarcastically with a smile.
"is it making you uncomfortable? I thought you were a big boy?"
They both start laughing.
They have been stuck in the elevator for about 5 hours now, and none of them are saying anything. They are just sitting against the walls and waits. It is bothering Gibbs that she won't talk to him about whatever is on her mind.
"Jack." He finally says after he has been debating with himself for almost an hour on whether he should pressure her for answers or not. She looks over at him. They are sitting across from each other.
"I respect that you won't tell me everything, but whatever it is that is bothering you. You can tell me. I can help you.
"no, you can't." she just cuts him off in a harsh tone, which is unusual. He looks surprised at her.
"you need to talk to someone." He says and looks at her with deep concern in his eyes.
"I am…" she looks into his deep blue eyes.
"who?"
"no one…" Jack says and looks down at her hands.
"how about Vance? Have you spoken to him about it? I know you two are pretty close."
"not the way you think." She cuts him off.
"I don't think anything."
"I can hear it in your voice," Jack says in a harsh tone.
"I am just saying…" Gibbs starts, but he stops to choose his words wisely. Jack seems pretty upset, and he doesn't want to piss her off more because they are stuck together in a tiny box, and he has nowhere to go. "Leon is a good listener."
"I know that." Jack looks down for a moment to compose her emotions." Leon knows more about me than anyone else. More then, even my own family does."
"well, it is normal to have a close colleague to confide in."
"With Leon, it is different. He found me in Afghanistan. He was there for me when I was hospitalized. He helped me through a really rough time, and he never gave up on me, even when I was at my lowest point."
"I get it, Jack. You and Leon have a special connection that no one can ever replace or fully understand. I get that but, I am just asking you to trust me enough to let help you."
"you can't, Gibbs." She says and looks down.
"then why don't you speak with Leon about whatever is going on?" he asks.
"It is complicated."
"When people say that it is usually an excuse to avoid facing the facts," Gibbs says with a shy smile.
"well…" Jack is about to protest, but she knows Gibbs is right, and she smiles at him.
"I am not the only one here who is keeping secrets, you know," Jack says, determined and look up to meet his eyes. He looks confused at her, so she elaborates.
"you aren't telling me everything either."
"the best way to keep a secret is to keep it to yourself," Gibbs says with a smile.
"so why does it have to be a secret form me, when your whole team knows?" Jack asks.
"what are you talking about?" Gibbs asks, sincerely confused.
"your relationship." Jack clarifies, but it clearly doesn't clarify anything for Gibbs.
"What relationship?" Gibbs asks.
"you and that Army lieutenant colonel Mann."
"We don't have a relationship."
"come one," Jack says, and Gibbs just looks irritated and confused at her. "I saw the way you two were always checking each other out, and Leon told me that she is your ex-girlfriend."
"I haven't seen her in 4 years."
"I stopped by your house last week after the case. I heard you two were in your basement."
"Yeah, so." He asks, confused. "are you jealous, Jack?" he asks with a shy smile on his face.
"no." she protests maybe a bit too fast. "I am not. She says, determined when she notices Gibbs's smile.
"I just don't understand why you wouldn't tell me about how you know her."
"It ended pretty badly. Not much to tell."
I'm sorry about that." Now Jack is feeling guilty about bringing it up.
"It is okay. It was a long time ago, and Jack and I are friends now, and we work together occasionally."
"she reminds me of a lot of you," Jack says with a smile. Gibbs nods. "yeah, so did she to Ziva, McGee, and Dinozzo when we first worked with her." Gibbs says with a smile remembering their first encounter with Hollis man on a golf court.
"let me guess… ex-wife jokes?" Jack asks, and Gibbs nods.
"Yeah. A lot of them." Jack and Gibbs start laughing.
"I can see why," Jack says, smiling. Gibbs nods. Then a yawn escapes from Jack even though she is trying to hide it. Gibbs stands up and moves over to sit next to her. He leans his arm around her and takes her in for a hug. She rests her head on his shoulder.
"We are going to be here for a while, Jack. Get some rest." He places a kiss on her forehead.