A/N: We're so close to the end. Only the epilogue left now, and it's been an incredible journey. Thanks for staying with me for so long, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter.
The room was circular, filled with people, and as she was shoved into it, Jenny realised that the only way in or out was guarded by two large men sporting machine guns. The woman next to her stared at her in fear as the lights were dimmed, and Jenny frowned as she realised she couldn't even see her hands in front of her. The ground was hard stone, causing a searing pain in her knees, and as soon as the lights went completely out, Jenny braced herself.
Something was very wrong here.
The sound of rapid gunfire filled the room, screams echoing all around her, and Jenny threw herself into the woman next to her, knocking them both to the ground. The woman was crying, Jenny couldn't stop shaking, and Jenny was pulled up roughly by her shoulder. The bullet that rushed by her was close enough that it moved her hair, and she was released after she'd pretended to be hit. Finally, after nearly two full minutes, the bullets stopped, leaving Jenny covered in blood that wasn't her own. She waited for what seemed to her an extremely long amount of time before raising up her head, waiting to make sure the door had been opened and closed by their captors before doing so, and when she realised she wasn't the only one still moving, she frowned.
The woman beside her, more a girl really, raised up to look at her, her eyes widening at the blood covering them both, and she began to cry, her entire body shaking.
"What just happened?" she whispered.
Jenny shook her head.
"I don't know. Are you hurt?"
"N-no."
She couldn't stop shaking, her hands struggling to find purchase on the wall to pull herself up and when the other woman noticed her standing, she shook her head, her words rushed and panicked.
"Don't leave me here! Please!"
Jenny shushed her, covering her mouth with her hand, and as she helped her to her feet, she met her eyes seriously.
"What's your name?" she asked, removing her hand
"Whitney."
"Okay, Whitney. I'm Jenny. Feel the walls. See if you can find another way out other than the door."
After a few minutes of searching, Jenny was forced to admit that the only way out of the room was the door and a window that was too high for either of them to reach. Still, she had to try. Taking a deep breath, Jenny jumped as high as she could, her nails scraping over the stone wall, and when she realised that she might be able to reach it with a bit of help, she turned to Whitney, her expression serious.
"Help me up, and I think I can reach this window."
Threading her fingers together, Whitney lifted Jenny up just enough that her fingers brushed the sill of the window, and as they scrambled for purchase, she heard a slight movement behind her. Whitney was roughly pulled away, leaving Jenny to crash onto the ground, her body sliding down the wall, and as the gun was placed to the younger girl's head, Jenny tried desperately to stop them.
"Wait—!"
The gunshot echoed in the silent room, and Jenny closed her eyes as Whitney's lifeless body fell to the stone floor. She scrambled backward, hitting the wall, and as she felt the barrel of the gun press into her temple, still hot from being recently fired, Jenny felt tears fall from her eyes as she screamed.
Jenny's eyes flew open, her breathing fast and shallow, her body frozen in the bed, and when a muffled scream fell from her lips, Gibbs raised up slightly, looking at her in the darkness.
"Jen? You okay?"
She didn't answer, still trying to breathe, and when he reached for her hand, he realised at once that she was in the middle of a paralysis episode. Brushing her hair back from her face, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, running his fingers over her cheek softly.
"Easy, Jen...just breathe," he said gently, "You're safe now. Nothing is going to hurt you...just focus on your breathing, okay?"
Finally, after several long minutes, he felt her reach for his hand, her fingers curling around his weakly, and as he pulled her into his arms, her tears began to dampen his shirt. She took several shaking breaths as she tried to control the frantic beating of her heart and Gibbs ran his hand over her hair slowly.
"Been a long time since you've had a night like this. Want to talk about it?"
She raised her head to look at him, her bright green eyes locking on cobalt blue, and finally she nodded, shifting to be more comfortable in his arms.
"I...I was in this room...this big, circle-shaped room made of stone, and...these men...they shot everyone in the room. Me and one other girl survived, and we tried to escape. We almost made it, but...they grabbed her, shot her in the head. Her...her blood was all over me. I could feel it, I can still smell it...it was so real. Then they shot me. Just as I woke up..."
Gibbs stayed silent, allowing her to work through the emotions she was trying to process, and when she finally took another deep breath, she reached for his hand, her eyes locking onto his fiercely. She pulled him closer, her lips crashing onto his with a need he hadn't expected, and when he tried to move back, she shook her head.
"Jethro, please," she said desperately, "Please kiss me."
He nodded, allowing her to pull him back down, her kiss so urgent that it was as though she was worried he would disappear, and as he gently pushed her back onto the mattress, her fingers wound into his hair. He knew she was trying to forget, trying to push her fear to the back of her mind, and though he couldn't blame her for that, he wasn't sure if it was really the best course of action. It occurred to him, as he tightened his hold on her waist, that he could taste the salt from her tears as he kissed her, and just as he was about to ask her about it again, he heard the unmistakable cry of the baby in the next room.
Pulling away from her, he met her eyes slowly, and she smiled slightly at the sound.
"You or me?"
He smiled.
"I'll get her. You try to get some rest."
She nodded, though they both knew she wouldn't even attempt to sleep again, and as Gibbs walked into his daughter's room, he had a sudden idea. Peering into the crib, he found Jillian looking up at him, tears falling from her blue-green eyes, and he carefully picked her up, kissing her cheek.
"Shh...what's wrong with my little Jilly Bean? Do you need to be changed? Are you hungry?"
He could tell at once that she didn't need a new diaper, and he seriously doubted she wanted to eat, not at this hour, and he smiled at her as her tears began to slow.
"Did you have a bad dream, too? Your mommy sure did. What do you say we go in there and try to cheer both of you up? Hmm?"
Jillian merely looked at him, her big eyes a stunning combination of his and Jenny's, almost sea-foam green in the light, and he nodded as he carried her out of the room. As he had expected, Jenny was still awake, and when she realised he was in the room again, she frowned.
"Jethro, what are you—"
"I think someone else had a bad dream, too. Think she wants her mommy."
Jenny reached for the baby, holding her close in her arms, and as she breathed in the scent of her daughter's shampoo, she smiled softly.
"You sure do make everything better, little one. How do you do that?"
Gibbs smiled.
"Just wait until she's a teenager. You might be rethinking that assessment."
Jenny laughed.
"You're probably right. She's going to be a nightmare, that's for sure. Being half Gibbs, how could she not be?"
Gibbs laughed quietly, shaking his head.
"If she looks anything like you did in high school, she's not leaving the house until she's thirty."
Christmas Eve found the Gibbs family relaxing quietly in front of the fire that her husband had so carefully constructed, Jenny holding the baby in her arms, wrapped in a soft red blanket, wearing an adorable little pajama set that was courtesy of Beth McGee, already on the brink of sleep. At Jenny's soft request, Gibbs had turned on their Christmas tree, illuminating the room in a warm multi-coloured glow, and as she gazed at it thoughtfully, the redhead smiled. Jillian had watched her decorate it the week after she'd come home from the hospital, her eyes surprisingly following her movements, her attention captivated by the shiny ornaments and bright lights, and Jenny shook her head as she looked down at the baby.
"You know, you weren't even supposed to be here for Christmas, Jilly Bean. You were just too impatient," she admonished her softly.
Being born almost exactly two months early, Jenny had expected to face a myriad of complications with Jillian, but the little one had surprised all of them by having no such limitations, and now that it was all said and done, she couldn't have imagined not spending Christmas with her daughter. Gibbs smiled at her words, shaking his head as he stood to make his way into the kitchen, and as he neared the doorway, he turned, making sure not to startle the baby.
"Want anything?"
Jenny frowned, thinking, and finally she nodded as an idea came to her.
"Hot chocolate."
He nodded, rolling his eyes as Aries trailed him like a shadow, hoping something edible would be dropped onto the floor.
"Didn't ask if you wanted anything, you demon."
"Be nice," Jenny whispered, shaking her head.
As she listened to Gibbs in the kitchen, the redhead stood, walking to the tree, examining it quietly as she shifted Jillian to her shoulder, smiling when she felt her bury her head in her warmth. They were planning to have a small gathering the next day at Heather and Miranda's house with Beth, McGee and Zelda, and if Jenny knew anything about her daughter, it was that she would be curiously looking around at everything tomorrow, and so she needed her rest now.
She felt Gibbs come up behind her, his hand at the small of her back, and she smiled as she glanced at him over her shoulder.
"I'm going to put this little one to bed."
Gibbs automatically reached for her, and Jenny smiled as she took the mug of hot chocolate he handed her in exchange. The fact that he always put Jillian down at night never failed to make Jenny smile, touched by how much he adored the little girl, and as he carried her up the stairs, Jenny whistled for Aries. He curled up next to her on the couch after sniffing her cup curiously, and she took a long drink, relishing in the rich chocolate taste.
As soon as Gibbs had placed Jillian in her bed, now festively (but also carefully) decorated with silver and red garland around the outside, he frowned as he tried to think of a way to sneak Jenny's presents under the tree without her knowing. He knew she hadn't left the living room, and as he gently closed Jillian's door, an idea came to him.
"Jen, you take your medication yet?"
"Yeah, why?" came her confused answer.
"Just checking. Don't want you flying off the handle."
He heard her laugh, and frowned. Okay, so that hadn't worked. Time for another strategy.
"Hey, Jen?"
She sighed.
"Yeah?"
"Think I might have left the stove on. Can you check? Jillian woke up when I put her down."
He could hear her muttering to herself as she stood to make her way to the kitchen, the words "burn the house down" and "makes a lot of noise for someone who doesn't talk" reaching his ears as he ran down the steps, grabbing the gifts he'd hurriedly stashed in the hall closet. He quickly placed them under the tree, feeling more than a little proud of his job at wrapping, something he was normally terrible at, and when he walked into the kitchen, Jenny was shaking her head slowly.
"You didn't leave the stove on, but you left the mix sitting out on the counter. You know how much I hate that."
He nodded. One of the side effects of having a bipolar wife meant that when she was manic, she absolutely could not stand disorganization of any kind, and he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to him for a kiss.
"Yeah. I know."
She smiled as she looked up at him, laying her head on his shoulder as he poured his own mug of hot chocolate (that he would never admit openly to enjoying) and took a long drink.
"Did she finally go down?"
He nodded.
"Yeah, but there's one more thing I need you to do."
Jenny frowned, looking at him curiously, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as he led her back into the living room.
"Go look under the tree."
A quick glance showed the gifts he'd laid out, and she frowned, looking between them with a look of confusion so strong that it was almost comical.
"Leroy Jethro Gibbs...did you lie to me deliberately to keep me out of the living room while you did this?"
He merely shrugged, and as she walked over to kneel in front of the tree, she found two carefully wrapped packages, one much smaller than the other, and it was this one that she reached for first. She knew, just from the size of the box, that it was jewelry of some kind, and as she opened the lid on the small box, she gasped. Laying on top of the smooth velvet was the necklace she'd made of Gibbs' dog tags, but now as she lifted it from the box, she noticed there was something different about it. Inlaid in the shining metal, were two shimmering amber-gold topaz stones, beautifully polished.
"Jethro..." she whispered, "I...I thought I'd lost this..."
It was true. Jenny had been inconsolable for nearly a week after she'd realised she couldn't find the dog tags, and now, to have it resting in the palm of her hand, she understood that Gibbs must have taken them back. She ran her fingers over the stones in the tag, frowning in slight confusion.
"Are these—"
He nodded.
"Jillian's birthstone. Gold topaz. This way, when you need to be grounded, when you can't think through the panic, you have both of us with you."
She wasted no time in placing it around her neck, feeling instantly calmer with the metal resting against her skin, and she reached for the other gift, tilting her head curiously when she lifted it from the box. It appeared to be a picture frame, though she couldn't imagine what she would need with one, and when she looked to Gibbs for explanation, he smiled.
"It's digital. For you to keep in your office. You can load it with whatever photos you want, and it will cycle through them. You can fill it with up to thirty different pictures at a time. McGee said he'd show you how to set it up if you want."
Jenny threw her arms around his neck, kissing him hard, and as she stood up from her place in front of the tree, she pulled him up with her, bringing him closer as she kissed him again.
"I love you," she said quietly, "and I've got a present for you that you won't find in any box."
He raised his eyebrow at her, and she began walking backward, still holding his hand.
"Go check on Jillian. You'll find your gift in the bedroom soon enough."
As it turned out, he only had to wait for the amount of time that it took him to look in on the baby, and when he returned to their bedroom, he found Jenny waiting for him on the bed, dressed in a red silk negligee that just barely touched her thighs, complete with a large satin ribbon tied around her waist. He closed the door slowly, making his way closer, and as he slid his clothing from his body, he could feel Jenny watching him. Clad only in his boxers now, he joined her on the bed, reaching for the ribbon, frowning when she shook her head.
"Not so fast, Jethro," she whispered, her voice low in his ear, "Have you been naughty or nice this year?"
"You tell me," he murmured, kissing her throat slowly.
She moaned quietly as his lips traced patterns over her skin, and this time when he reached for the bow, she made no move to stop him. It fluttered to the floor as it slipped through his fingers, and when Jenny pulled him closer, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly, he gave her a smile.
"Well, Jen? Which is it?"
She kissed him again, allowing him to push the silky fabric from her shoulders, pulling it slowly down her body.
"A healthy combination of both, I believe," she answered finally, her voice slightly breathless.
He lifted her leg over his shoulder, placing light kisses to her inner thigh, and when he moved his way back up her body, he could already feel her shaking. He slipped his fingers slowly inside her, moving at a delicious yet torturous pace, and as her head fell back onto the pillows, she whispered his name. By the time he finally entered her, she was already so tightly wound that it didn't take her long to find the edge, and if he were being honest with himself, seeing her underneath him, her eyes so impossibly dark with desire...it made him want her all the more.
He still moved slowly, wanting to prolong their time alone together, and each time he could feel her getting close to falling over the edge, he stopped moving, kissing her long and slow. He ran his hand through her long red hair, his fingers lingering on the smooth skin of her throat, feeling her erratic pulse, and when she finally looked at him, he kissed her forehead gently.
"I love you," he whispered.
"You'd better," she said as she kissed him again, "because you're stuck with me now."
He began moving again, his hips rolling against hers still at that same slow pace, and Jenny moaned quietly, her voice slightly hoarse.
"Jethro, please..."
He knew what she was asking, but he still wanted to hear her say it.
"Tell me what you want, Jen."
"Faster, Jethro," she whispered as she kissed him once again.
Knowing he couldn't refuse her anything, he slowly began increasing his speed, feeling her grip on his shoulders tighten with each thrust of his hips. Just when he knew she was close again, he stopped entirely, pulling away from her, and he moved to the edge of the bed, grabbing her by the ankle and pulling her closer, lifting her leg over his shoulder again. It was the most dizzying, antagonizing, phenomenal torture she'd ever experienced, and though she was almost desperate for any kind of relief, she didn't want it to end.
He dipped his tongue inside her, tasting every part of her, and she moaned, her voice breaking slightly as he moved faster. She tried to stay as still as possible, but her body had other plans, her hips jerking beneath his assault, and he smiled when he felt the tug of her fingers in his hair. He didn't stop, never once slowed his pace, and as her body arched into his again, he ran his hand over her thigh gently.
She couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Her breath caught in her throat as he began kissing his way back up her body, his fingers taking the place of his tongue, and he carefully drug his teeth along her rushing artery, tasting her heartbeat in his mouth. She didn't think she could scream now even if she'd tried, and she tipped her head back as he removed his fingers, sliding back into her.
He moved quickly, not wanting to lose his momentum, and as she finally found her voice, Jenny's eyes met his.
"Son of a bitch, Jethro..." she gasped.
Looking into her eyes was almost enough to end him right then, but he merely kissed her again, his tongue finding hers in a deep kiss, and he moved his hips faster. His blood was pounding in his ears, so loud that he hardly heard the soft scream that fell from Jenny's lips as she kissed along his jawline, and she bit down on his throat as she came, her head falling against his shoulder. He tilted her head back, kissing her again, entwining his climax with her intoxicating kiss, and as something within him snapped, her name fell from his throat in a low growl.
She was breathing heavily now, her damp hair sticking to her sweat-slicked skin, and as he slowly moved off of her, she ran a shaking hand through the tangled red tresses.
"Merry Christmas, Jethro," she whispered.
"Merry Christmas, Jen."
With a jolt, she remembered Jillian, and she reached for the silk robe she always kept near the bed, wrapping it around her body quickly. As she made her way into the baby's room, she kept her steps carefully light. To her immense relief, Jillian was still sleeping soundly, her tiny hand wrapped around the blanket covering her, and Jenny leaned down to kiss her forehead softly.
"Merry Christmas, Jilly."
The baby shifted in her sleep, content in her tiny dream world, and as her mother silently crept back into her own room, she knew true peace.
Jenny's new found peace lasted only through the holidays, too caught up in seeing her daughter wearing a new beautiful little Christmas dress that Elisabeth had bought for her, too caught up in spending time with her loved ones that she didn't have time to feel anything else. The week following Christmas, however, she was once again working non-stop, justifying it to herself by saying that Elisabeth could handle the baby, that Gibbs would be home even if she was required to stay late, and as she sat late one night reading case reports, she sighed, blinking hard.
It never failed to amaze (and annoy) her that such highly trained agents could have such atrocious handwriting, could make even the simplest of spelling errors, and as she signed her name to the bottom of yet another one, she realised that the stack she'd began on at almost 17:30 showed no sign of diminishing. A quick glance at her watch told her that it was now nearing 22:30, and she rubbed her temples tiredly as she resigned herself to the fact that she was, for the sixth time that week, definitely not going to make it home before midnight.
Her eyes were beginning to burn as a result of the faint desk lamp she'd been using for the better part of four hours, her head was pounding in protest of running so long on caffeine and nothing else, and her shoulders were screaming at her for giving them no relief from the chair she was currently sitting in. As she realised she'd signed the report in front of her without even truly reading it, she came to a new plan of action. She would simply light them on fire. Then no one would be any the wiser. She could see them clearly in her minds eye, flames licking the white paper, the smoke billowing around them, and she shook her head slowly.
Come on, Jenny. Arson was highly frowned upon.
It took her much longer than she would have ever thought to comprehend that she was no longer alone in the room, and when she finally glanced up, her emerald eyes landing on fierce sapphire, she jumped, swearing quietly.
"Damn it, Jethro! Are you trying to scare me to death?!"
He said nothing, merely watching her as she twisted her pen in between her fingers, and when she pulled another file closer to her, he shook his head. She didn't say anything as she read, but she was acutely aware of him watching her now, and she sighed, raising her eyes slowly.
"What, Jethro?"
Again, he said nothing, and she ran her hand tiredly through her hair.
"Is there something you needed?"
God help her, if he didn't say something and do it soon, she was going to scream, cry, shoot something, or quit her job and laugh about it hysterically in the corner. Possibly all of the above.
"Look, if you don't have anything helpful to say, then why don't you—"
"You coming home tonight, or what?"
She frowned.
"Of course I am. It's not that late, it's only—"
"23:00," he finished, "and Jillian hasn't seen you for longer than an hour for the entire week. You're working yourself into the ground. Again."
She met his eyes coolly, hoping he wasn't looking close enough to noticed just how exhausted she truly was, and when he took a step closer, she knew it hadn't worked.
"You're burying your problems in work."
"I learned from the best," she retorted coldly, trying to make him angry enough to leave., "and if you think I won't shoot you just to cut down on paperwork, please try me."
There was concern hidden beneath the anger in his icy cerulean eyes as he leaned forward on her desk, daring her to look away from him, and when she spoke again, there was a hint of anger in her own voice.
"How long have you been in my office?"
"Long enough."
"And why exactly were you trying to sneak up on me?"
He rolled his eyes.
"Wasn't. Thought you were ignoring me. You need to come home. This can wait."
She shook her head, reaching for another report in the pile, and before she had time to comprehend what he'd done, Gibbs swept his arm along the edge of her desk, knocking the folders to the floor.
"Jethro!" she exclaimed angrily, "What in the hell are you—"
"Come home," he repeated.
"Well, since you asked so nicely," she muttered sarcastically.
"I'm not asking. Jillian needs you, you need to take your medication, and I'm not going to sit around and watch you self destruct."
"Then leave," she snapped, "Get the hell out of my office, and let me self destruct in peace."
She purposefully made her voice as cold and sarcastic as she could manage, hoping the words would be enough for him to finally leave, but she should have known. She knew him better than that, and more importantly, he knew her better. He moved to the other side of her desk, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her from the chair, not paying her any attention as she tried to jerk free.
"Jethro, let me go! What the hell do you think you're doing?"
She finally broke free from his grasp, shoving him away from her, daring him to touch her again.
"Get out."
"No, Jen."
"God damn it, Jethro, get out of my office! I have work to do, and if you think for one second that I—"
"What about our daughter, Jenny? Doesn't she matter to you? I don't know what in the hell you're trying to run from lately, but Jillian needs you."
"You bastard," she whispered, shaking her head angrily, "Go to hell."
He knew exactly what he was doing, baiting her, waiting to see how long it would take before she completely lost all self control, and he just kept pushing her. He took a step closer, and she shoved him away again, not wanting him anywhere near her, but his next move threw her a curve she hadn't expected. His arms wrapped around her, pinning her arms between their bodies, against his chest, his right hand coming to rest on the back of her head.
"What are you running from, Jen?" he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.
"Let go," she repeated, though her voice had lost some of its conviction.
"Not until you talk to me."
"Fuck you," she whispered, her voice thick with tears.
"Feel better now?"
Jenny could feel her resolve fading, her anger all but forgotten, and as she finally looked up at him, he kissed her forehead softly.
"Talk to me, Jen."
"I'm not running from anything," she answered finally, "I'm trying to do everything right."
He frowned, more than a little confused.
"What?"
"Everyone is expecting me to fall behind now, because of the baby. Because now that we have her, I couldn't possibly do all the things I used to. Everyone is expecting me to—"
"Jen, even before you had Jillian, you still shouldn't have been working this much. Don't you remember what Dr. Lentz told you? You have to find balance. That's even more important now that we have her. You can't burn the candle at both ends anymore. You've got to slow down. Do you want to end up having another break and getting put in the hospital again?"
She shook her head, looking up at him, willing him to understand.
"I have to be perfect, Jethro. You don't understand. It comes so easily to you. I've never been a natural, all I do is try. Everyone else's "okay" is better than my best. I have to be perfect just to measure up."
He'd heard her say something along these lines before, and it made as little sense to him now as it had then.
"Jen, no one is perfect, and no one is expecting you to be. You're allowed to mess up. You're allowed to take a day off if you need it. You can take time to breathe. You need to."
She laughed bitterly.
"Jethro, my mug of shit to worry about is either overflowing or so bone dry the bottom fell out. You pick."
He laughed quietly, kissing her hair, and as he slowly began to relax his hold on her, now certain that she wouldn't run, she met his eyes slowly. He looked back at her, his anger long gone now, and as she laid her head on his shoulder, he ran his fingers through her hair.
"Let's go home now, Jen."
She nodded, stepping away from him only long enough to grab her coat, and as she switched off the lamp on her desk, he shook his head slowly.
"Just so you know, I was prepared to carry you out."
"You wouldn't dare."
"Try me."
In a way, Gibbs supposed it was better than the incident happened the way that it did, because it could have easily been more of a disaster than it was, though how exactly it came to happen, he was never entirely sure of. They'd gathered at Heather and Miranda's house to celebrate their engagement, Abby carrying in a large cake that he was sure had cost her quite a pretty penny, and he made a mental note to reimburse her for it later, no matter what Heather or Miranda had to say about it. Jenny had taken Jillian in her former study to play with Zelda, and it was only the promise that they could set up a play date later that convinced her to rejoin the adults in the adjoining room, having nearly been persuaded by Zelda to join in a tea party.
The redhead accepted the cake she was handed with a smile, thanking the Goth softly as she took a small bite, and though it did indeed look appetizing, Gibbs refused it, having never been much for sweets. They discussed the details of the wedding for a few hours, each one trying to persuade Heather to change her mind about waiting a year, and she shook her head adamantly.
"I just don't want to rush into anything."
"You've been together for nearly two and a half years," Jenny reminded her.
"I know, but—"
"But nothing. You just don't wan to have a big wedding because everyone will be looking at you."
Miranda laughed.
"I'm not too excited about that part myself," she admitted, "What if I fall?"
"You'll be fine," Beth assured her, "I was so nervous at my wedding, but everything worked out."
Jenny laughed, taking another bite of her cake.
"You were nervous? I was blind at your wedding. Speaking of which, I still haven't gotten a copy of the DVD yet. McGee, I expect that on my desk Monday morning."
He nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
Beth laughed.
"Baby, you're not at work. You don't have to say "yes ma'am" you know."
He stared at her.
"Do you want to face Jenny's wrath if I don't?"
Gibbs smirked, happy that they'd all finally become so close that they were able to relax around each other, and wrapped his arm around Jenny's shoulder.
"Yeah, the wrath of Director Shepard is not to be incurred lightly."
Ducky smiled, raising his glass of sparkling water.
"I'll drink to that."
"I seem to remember you telling me once that my being angry was a good thing for you," Jenny whispered to Gibbs, leaning so close to him that she nearly fell into his lap.
He frowned, confused by both her words and her unsteadiness, and when he truly looked at her, he could detect a slight glassiness to her eyes.
"You feeling okay?"
She laughed, nodding at him, and again that struck him as odd, and as she took another bite of her cake, he shrugged. Maybe she was just on the verge of a manic episode. It was common enough for her, and it wouldn't be unexpected with such a celebration. She stood to make her way to check on the children, her heel slipping on the hardwood floor, and he was on his feet in an instant, catching her before she could hit the ground.
Jenny merely laughed when he asked her if she was okay, waving off his concerns with her hand, and as she made her way into the study, Gibbs reached for his glass of tea slowly.
"So, do you have a dress picked out? Either of you?" Abby asked.
Miranda nodded.
"Yes, but it still has to be altered. Not all of us are the perfect model type."
Heather rolled her eyes.
"Model type, my ass. I told you the day we had our first date: I dress like a homeless bag lady."
Abby laughed, taking a bite of her cake, and as she swallowed it, she made a face.
"Does this taste weird to anyone else?"
Ziva nodded.
"It has a strange aftertaste about it. I cannot quite place it, though."
Jenny had kicked off her shoes by the time she made it back into the room, not wanting to risk falling again, and as she sat down next to Gibbs, she moved her body as close to his as possible, her head resting on his shoulder. She was just about to finish the last bite of her cake when Gibbs put his hand on her wrist, looking at her seriously. Her closeness, the outward, obvious display of affection, it was all reminiscent of something, and Gibbs had a strange feeling that he knew exactly what it was.
"Let me taste that," he said, indicating her cake.
"Sure."
She held the fork out to him, laughing as he begrudgingly allowed her to feed it to him, and as soon as it landed on his tongue, he froze.
"Heather, Miranda, have you tried the cake yet?"
Miranda shook her head.
"No, not yet."
"Don't," he told her seriously.
She frowned.
"Why? Is it stale?"
"No. There's rum in it. Abby, that's what you were tasting. It's stronger than most."
He glanced at Jenny, still sitting so impossibly close to him, and shook his head.
"No wonder you're drunk."
"Hm...I can think of a few good ways to put this day to use now," Jenny quipped, her voice suggestive.
Beth laughed outright, unused to an intoxicated Jenny, and when Gibbs finally convinced her twenty minutes later that it might be for the best if they left, she pouted slightly.
"But Jethro, we didn't even get to congratulate them properly."
"We'll send them a card," he said shortly, "Get your coat, I'll get Jillian, and we'll head home."
"Gibbs, I'm sorry," Abby said sincerely, "I didn't know. It was supposed to be a red velvet cake."
"Not your fault, Abs. Just make sure you all wait a good amount of time before trying to drive home,"
Beth frowned as Gibbs made his way into the study, following him quickly.
"You don't have to leave. Jenny's not even that drunk. It'll wear off soon."
He shook his head.
"She can't drink with her medication. Besides, she's breastfeeding Jillian. We're just lucky that she's got a few bottles prepared ahead of time."
Beth's eyes widened, realising he was right.
"I didn't even think about her medication. Oh, God...will she be okay?"
He nodded.
"Luckily, she's not drunk, just buzzed. She should be fine in a few hours."
Gibbs quickly retrieved Jillian from the study, promising a teary-eyed Zelda that they could play again together soon, and as Jenny slowly pulled on her coat, Ducky led her to the door, his voice low in her ear.
"Make sure you lie down when you get home. Until we know how your medication is effected by alcohol, you should take it easy."
Jenny nodded, turning around to hug Heather, her eyes apologetic.
"I'm so sorry I ruined your party, Heather."
Her sister shook her head.
"You didn't. To be honest, I'm glad someone figured it out before Miranda had any. It would have cost her almost fifteen years of sobriety."
Jenny's eyes widened, and she turned worried green eyes to the strawberry blonde.
"Miranda, you didn't eat any, did you?"
"No, I didn't. And you're wrong, Heather. Even if I had, I wouldn't have lost my sobriety, because it would have been an accident. You only lose it if you make the choice to drink or use again. If it's unintentional...well, no one can fault you for an accident."
Jenny hugged them both, and when Gibbs walked up behind her, she turned pleading green eyes to sapphire blue.
"Jethro, please...can't we stay? Now that we know the cake has rum in it, no one will touch it unless they want to."
Frowning, he considered her request, not really wanting to be the cause of the party breaking up but still concerned for his wife, and finally, he nodded slowly.
"For a little while, then."
Jenny hugged him, picking Jillian up from her carrier and taking her back into the study, much to Zelda's elation. When she returned moments later, she sat back down on the couch next to Beth, and when Gibbs joined her, he reached for her hand. As their conversation began to pick back up, he watched her carefully, watchful of any adverse reaction, and when she reached for the glass of tea Ducky handed her, he gave her a smile.
The sound of Zelda's tiny footsteps made them all turn, and when she tugged gently on McGee's shirt sleeve, he frowned.
"Daddy, tea."
McGee shook his head.
"Not right now, Z. Daddy's talking with the other adults."
Zelda frowned but didn't let this deter her plans, and as she made her way closer to Gibbs, she gave him her best smile.
"Uncle Jethwo, tea."
He was just about to refuse her when he felt Jenny give him a gentle push, nodding her head.
"Your goddaughter wants to have a tea party. Don't you dare disappoint her."
Finally, he nodded, standing up after giving Jenny a kiss on the cheek, and as they all watched him walk away, Jenny burst into laughter.
"Give it a few minutes. We'll go sneak up on them and watch."
Beth smiled, nodding her head.
"I bet that is going to be the cutest thing."
They waited no less than ten minutes, giving Gibbs time to become comfortable and let his guard down, and as they all crept down the hall, Jenny couldn't keep herself from smiling. When they peered around the door of the study, they found Gibbs and Zelda sitting in the middle of the floor, each holding tiny pink teacups made of sparkling plastic, and as he pretended to take a drink, Zelda looked at Jillian curiously.
"Jilly drink?"
Gibbs shook his head.
"No, she's too little, Zelda. Maybe when she's older. You can have as many tea parties as you want then,"
Jenny's eyes filled with tears at the sight of her husband playing with the girls, and as Zelda poured "sugar" into his cup, he glanced up, catching her eye with a smile. As Abby snapped a picture, Jenny knew that no matter what happened, this day would be etched into her memory forever. And she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
A/N: Hope you liked it!