Note: I LOVED the episode 1718 and especially Jack's story. (I love the actress who plays Jack, and her performance just makes the story and the character even better – in my opinion) I didn't like that the episode left my two favorite characters mad at each other. So, I fixed it. I called in the most exceptional Conflict Resolution Specialist on the team and here is the result - enjoy

Jacks office

Yesterday was a very emotional day for Jack. She had an argument with Gibbs over Faith's father, and she finally told Faith the truth about her father. They had spent hours in the coffee shop, just talking, getting to really know each other in a way that Jack had dreamed about so many times but never dared to actually hope would ever happen. Jack walks into her office and drops her bag on the couch and takes off her jacket. She then sits down at her desk and gets ready for work. About an hour later, it knocks on the door. Jack signs. She really hopes it isn't Gibbs. She isn't in the mood to deal with him looking at her like a victim right now. She takes off her glasses before she gives her visitor permission to enter. To her pleasant surprise, it is Ducky.

"morning, Ducky." Jack greets cheerfully.

"closed-door today, Jaqueline?" Ducky asks when he enters.

"needed some quiet time," Jack explains with a shrug.

"you texted me to come and see you. how can I be at any assistance?" Ducky asks in his traditional fashion.

"I got great news. I wanted to tell you." Jack says, unable to hide her joy. Ducky look intrigued by her excitement.

"I spoke with Faith yesterday…"

"you daughter?" Ducky asks for clarification. Jack nods.

"she told me why she needed the medical forms for extended family medical history."

"I take, based on your smile, that she isn't experiencing any serious medical conditions."

"no… Faith and her fiancée are going through fertility treatment."

"that is wonderful news, Jaqueline," Ducky says with a big smile and takes her in for a hug.

"oh, did I hear you correctly." Ducky says and holds her out in his arms to look at her eyes. "did you say her fiancée?" Jack nods with a big smile. "yes, I did. She told me yesterday."

"congratulations Jack. I am so happy for you."

"I had coffee with her yesterday. We had a really great talk for hours. I got to know her in away… I had never imagined it would even be possible."

"I am so happy for you, Jack." Ducky says,

"what is it, Ducky?" Jack asks when she notices he has a look on his face that tells Jack something is bothering him.

"usually Jethro would be your choice of a confidante in this matter. May I ask why I have become your chosen one today?" Ducky asks.

"you were there for me when Faith handed me the papers. You helped me fill them out." Jack explains, but she can tell she isn't very convincing, and Ducky sees right through her white lie. She signs slowly and finally admits. "we had an argument yesterday."

Ducky nods in understanding. "I see. Usually, the two of you go a bit head to head over a case, but you always work it out by the end of the case. Since the case closed yesterday, I take that it wasn't over the case?" Ducky asks. Jack just looks confused at him.

"no. I told Gibbs about Faith's father. And what happened when I got pregnant."

"I sense it wasn't a happy event?"¨

Jack can tell that Ducky has already figured out that the pregnancy wasn't planned and that the father isn't a happy chapter in her life.

"I take Gibbs didn't take it well hearing it."

"no." Jack says and walks back and forth, looking down at the ground while collecting her thoughts. "we aren't on speaking terms right now, Duck." Jack admits and turns around to face Ducky again.

"I am sorry to hear that, Jack." Ducky is just looking at Jack. He never asks what happened between the two of them, but he can tell that whatever it is, it is really bothering Jack.

"I don't need him to fix me or look t me. I am some broken little teacup that needs fixing," Jack says, nearly yelling, and tears start falling down her face. She is angry and hurt at the same time.

"I don't think he can help it. He cares too much about you to see you hurt." Ducky says and takes her in for a comforting hug.

"I don't want his help. I can deal with this alone. I have dealt with it alone for nearly 30 years now." She just let herself be held by Ducky's comforting hug.

"maybe it is time for you to ask for help," Ducky says while holding his friend in his arms.

Duckys office

Ducky is walking on his treadmill when it knocks on his door, and Gibbs comes in before Ducky can say anything.

"Hey, Doc." Gibbs greets.

"Jethro. How are you?" Ducky greets cheerfully.

"I'm good," Gibbs says and sits down in front of Ducky's desk. Ducky steps of the treadmill and takes a seat next to Gibbs.

"whats up, Duck."

"How are you doing?" Ducky repeats. Gibbs looks confused at him.

"I'm good. Like I said."

"I heard the case yesterday got a little under your skin." Ducky starts.

"Nah… I just had a bad day."

"that wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the argument you had with Jaqueline?" Gibbs looks irritated at Ducky.

"Torres… he told me you two got into a heated argument on the stairs." Ducky explains.

"It was nothing, Ducky. Just the case.

"really?" Ducky asks in disbelieve.

"you talked to Sloane?" Gibbs asks. He now sounds a bit more concerned.

"she told me the two of you had an argument and that you aren't son speaking terms at the moment.

"I don't know what she expects me to do, Duck." Gibbs gets up from his hair and walks back and forth in the office. Ducky is just observing. He hasn't seen Gibbs this concerned and insecure of what to do for a long time.

"did she tell you what happened to her?"

"not in detail. But I can sense it has something to do with Jack's daughter and the daughter's father." Gibbs nods and sits back down.

"she won't tell me his name."

"Jethro…" Ducky says, a little irritated. Ducky is well aware of Gibbs's past behavior towards men with violent tendencies towards women. Especially women Gibbs cares deeply about.

"she doesn't need you to go and beat the guy with a baseball bat, Jethro."

"so, what does she expect me to do, Doc?"

"nothing." Gibbs just looks really confused at frustrated with that answer. "she is expecting you to be her friend. To be there for her and support her in whatever she needs. Not to fix her problems for her. You can't take away her anger or her pain. You can support her in what she needs."

"and what does she need?"

"she will tell you when she is ready. Just let her know what you are there for her, Jethro."

Gibbs gets up from the chair and walks around in the office.

"she is so damn bullheaded stubborn." Gibbs sounds so frustrated with the situation.

"like someone else, I know," Ducky says with a smile, and it makes Gibbs smile too.

The diner

Gibbs drives up in front of the diner. Jack's car is parked outside, and he sees her through the window. She is sitting at the last table in the corner near the window. From what he can see through the window, she looks tired. He walks into the diner and down to the table where Jack is seated. She is sitting with her back towards the door.

"Hi, Jack." He says and then sits down across the table from her. She has a plate with her favorite food, a stack of blueberry pancakes with a side of bacon and coffee. She hasn't touched it. She is just starring at it. She looks over at him when he doesn't speak.

"did you figure out who he is?" Jack asks. She sounds irritated by his presence.

"nope. Didn't try." He says and grabs a piece of her bacon. Usually, she protests of slaps his hand away but not today. She is just starring at him with the same furious look as she did yesterday on the stairs.

"really? I refuse to give you some information; usually, you run off and start investigating on your own."

"Not this time."

"so, you are going to stare at me until I tell you?"

"Nope." Elaine comes and pours a cup of coffee for Gibbs.

"so, then what?" Jack asks once Elaine has left again.

"I am just waiting for you to tell me what you need."

"I don't need anything, Gibbs. I can handle this on my own. I have for nearly 30 years."

"I know." He simply says. His concise answers are getting on her nerves. It is difficult for her to argue with him when he doesn't argue with her.

"so, then what, Gibbs?"

"aren't you going to eat this. your bacon is getting cold."

"not hungry." She pushes the plates away from her.

"rule 28," he says and takes a sip of his coffee.

"not in the mood for your rules, Gibbs." She says cold.

"rule 28. If you need help. Ask."

"I don't need help, Gibbs." She says and is about to stand up.

"Jack." He says and takes her hand. She looks at him angrily, but also seems like it is calming her down that he is holding her hand. She sits back down again. "handling everything on your own is not a sign of strength. It is a sign of stubbornness."

"speak from experience?" she asks, irritated, and grabs a slice of bacon from the plate. He smiles at her with a shy smile. She knows better than anyone that he speaks from experience.

"I know you don't need anyone to fix your problems for you. you can handle it, but…"

"but what?" she asks irritated.

"you and I both know what it means to have a team that you trust who always has your back."

"yeah, in combat Gibbs." She snaps at him. He takes a sip of his coffee while trying to figure out what to say to calm her down.

"what do you see when you look at me, Gibbs?" Jack asks and leans back and observes Gibbs. He takes a moment where he is just looking at her. She has her arms crossed over her chest, and she is looking irritated at him, but at the same time, he notices that small hint of softness in her eyes that only he notices. The sun is hitting her hair through the window in a way that makes it shine. Her sunglasses are sitting in her shirt and pull down her shirt, just a tiny bit.

"Jack, I don't see you as a broken, fragile teacup that needs fixing. I see one of the strongest, most resilient, and smartest women I have known. I see an Army lieutenant now NCIS special agent who is highly trained and who thinks she can handle any given situation she is trained for, which she can. Just not on her own. She is trained to work with a team that always has her back. she has just forgotten for a short moment what it means to trust someone."

That was not at all what Jack was expecting to hear. Gibbs's hands are lying on the table. She reaches over and takes his hand.

"thank you," she whispers, almost not audible.

"you don't need to deal with this alone, Jack." He says, looking into her soft brown eyes.

"I know."

Elaine comes back to the table with a plate with Gibbs's usual order. She is just looking at them with a knowing smile.

"am I interrupting?" she asks with a knowing smile on her face.

"no," Jack says with a smile and lets go of Gibbs's hand. She looks out the window to try and avoid Elaine's knowing smile.

"scoot over." She tells Gibbs when Elaine has placed the plate in front of Gibbs and left their table again. Jack moves to sit next to Gibbs.

"I think she already knows." He whispers and places a kiss on her hair. She just smiles shyly at him and hugs his arm, so she is closer to him.

"you are not getting any of my sandwiches." He says with a smile when she is about to grab one of the sandwiches of his plate.

"you ate my bacon." She complines.

"It was cold." He complains.

"you still ate it."

They start laughing, and she hugs his arm while she is resting her head in his shoulder. Soon after, Elaine comes over with a plate with bacon.

"We didn't order more bacon," Jack says, confused.

"It sounded like you needed some more," Elaine says with a smile before she walks away.

Jack starts eating her almost cold pancakes while Gibbs eats his sandwich.

"so, I figured out why Faith needed the extended medical forms," Jack says and takes a sip of her coffee. Gibbs looks at her, interested.

"she is going through fertility treatment. That was why she needed the information."

"that is big news." Gibbs says, surprised,

"yeah. I mean, she probably won't have me having anything to do with the baby, but I am really happy for her. She is also engaged."

"that is amazing news, Jack."

"hmm… I also told Faith the truth about…" Jack says with a knowing look, and Gibbs nods knowingly. He knows she is referring to the rape committed by Faith's father, but she won't say it out loud in the diner.

"We had a great talk yesterday. I got to know so much more about Faith." Jack sounds so happy when she talks about her daughter and the talk they had yesterday in the bakery.

Maybe Gibbs can't fix Jack's problems or make the pain she suffered because of that man, go away, but he can do the next best thing. Which is being there for his friend.

Note: I have difficulties writing Ducky because of his Scottish accent so I always try and see if I can hear Ducky pronounce the lines when I write them to get them as accurate as possible. Please let me know if you think there is something that is completely off about my Ducky-writing.