A/N: Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Blessed Solstice, etc. Hope you enjoy! A little Jibbs Christmas party ensues, and Gibbs gives Jenny a priceless gift.
Director Jenny Shepard sighed as she ran her hand through her long red hair. Though she knew she had to have this meeting with her superior, she would have really rather been doing almost anything else. Her agent and lover Jethro Gibbs watched her out of the corner of his eye, her nervousness almost palpable.
"Calm down, Jenny. It'll be fine."
She glanced at him, shaking her head as she paced back and forth in her office. Waiting for Cynthia to announce that they were ready was making her a complete wreck. If her assistant didn't page her soon, Jenny just knew that she was going to scream.
"Excuse me, Director. SecNav is ready for you in MTAC."
Breathing out a sigh of relief, Jenny pressed a shaking finger to the intercom.
"Thank you, Cynthia."
As she passed him, Gibbs stopped her with gentle hands on her shoulders, and looked into her eyes seriously.
"You're going to do fine, Jen."
She nodded, though she wasn't quite sure she believed him. He kissed her cheek lightly and as she left the room, he only hoped he was right.
"Good afternoon, Jennifer."
"Good afternoon, sir."
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting? Getting a flight out on such short notice isn't easy, even for me."
Jenny quickly apologised, hating herself for inconveniencing him, but he waved away her words with a smile.
"It must be important."
She nodded at the man standing in front of her and tried to look at anything else in the room. He noticed her unease and frowned.
"What's happened?"
His voice was more gentle than she'd ever heard it, and it was enough to make her bring her eyes to his. She sat down, gesturing for him to do the same and sighed.
"You're pregnant, aren't you?"
Jenny drew in a sharp breath, choking herself in her surprise, and as she struggled to control her breathing, she also fought the urge to laugh.
"Sorry, sir. I wasn't expecting that. No, I'm not pregnant. Honestly, I think that would be preferable."
She ran her hand through her hair, sighing again, and he noticed that her hand was shaking.
"Sir, about two months ago, a very serious crime was committed on the premises. We've only recently apprehended the man responsible, which is the cause for the delay in telling you, but now we are prepared to go forward with pressing charges."
"What crime?"
"Rape," Jenny answered, her voice low.
His eyes widened and she was already dreading his next question, foolishly hoping he wouldn't ask.
"Who was the victim?"
Damn. No such luck. She blinked, hard, and took a deep breath.
"Me."
"Why didn't you report it sooner?"
"That's your concern? That I didn't say something earlier?"
The words flew from her mouth before she could stop them and she froze as she realised what she had said.
"I'm sorry, sir, I—"
"That wasn't what I meant, Jennifer. I simply meant that it must have been difficult for you to deal with. Who else is aware of this?"
"Doctor Mallard performed the rape kit and all additional follow-ups, Abby Sciuto handled all the forensic evidence, and the MCRT handled the investigation."
He nodded. He'd heard the rumours of her relationship with Agent Gibbs, but had never paid any attention to them. She'd always conducted herself in a professional manner, and he liked her very much.
"You have the man responsible?"
She nodded.
"Are you prepared for how this will go down, Jennifer? It's going to be a PR nightmare and a media frenzy. They're going to tear apart every aspect of your life, professional and personal. It won't be easy."
"I am, sir. I understand the risk of the situation."
He smiled, holding out his hand. She took it cautiously, and he held it gently for a moment.
"You have our support, Jennifer. Keep me updated."
Jenny visibly relaxed and offered him a smile.
"Thank you, sir."
As she slowly walked back to the safety of her office, Jenny breathed a sigh of relief. All things considered, it hadn't gone as terribly as she'd expected.
Tony DiNozzo was so focused on making a Christmas tree out of paperclips that he didn't notice the person standing behind him until it was too late.
"Pretty impressive, DiNozzo."
The quiet voice caused him to jump, and his creation collapsed on his desk. He frowned, and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw the figure behind him.
"Director Shepard! I was—um... this isn't what it looks like."
"It looks like you were making a Christmas tree out of office supplies," she remarked dryly.
He frowned.
"Um...okay, it's exactly what it looks like."
She laughed and though he hated to admit it, her laughter made him uneasy. It wasn't that he didn't trust her, but he couldn't shake the feeling that she was up to something.
"Where's Gibbs?"
"Abby's lab. Shouldn't be long."
Jenny nodded and as she began walking away, she called to the Senior Field Agent over her shoulder.
"Go home, DiNozzo. It's Christmas Eve."
"Seriously?"
She gave him a pointed look and he nodded, bolting from his chair so fast that she was surprised that it wasn't spinning. Pressing the button to call the elevator, she sighed as she glanced around the squad room. Agent McGee and Officer David were nowhere to be seen, and she suspected that Gibbs might have already given them the night off. The silver doors opened and she stepped into the lift, nearly colliding with the very man she'd been searching for. He smirked as she quickly stepped aside and as the doors closed again, she offered him a smile.
"Agent Gibbs."
"Director Shepard."
"Heading home?"
She shook her head.
"Looking for you, actually."
"How did it go?"
She was silent for a moment and he worried that it had gone badly.
"Better than I expected. But, Jethro...this is going to be a nightmare."
He nodded, placing his arm around her shoulders, and when she leaned into his embrace, he kissed her hair softly.
"I'll be right here. No matter what."
She smiled at his words and as the elevator stopped on the floor to her office, he led her out onto the catwalk. Glancing over, he frowned at the paperclips that littered Tony's desk and when Jenny followed his gaze, she laughed.
"DiNozzo was making a Christmas tree out of them," she explained.
He rolled his eyes and glanced over at her as she walked to her office door.
"Where is he?"
"I told him to go home. It's Christmas Eve, Jethro. Just because you don't like the holidays doesn't mean that everyone else should be miserable."
He noticed as she passed him that Cynthia was absent as well, and he could only assume that she had given the younger woman permission to leave. He smiled at her generosity and as she pulled on her coat, he held out his hand. She took it, and as he spun her into his arms, he committed to memory the sight of her brilliant smile as she laughed.
"Let's go."
She arched a perfect eyebrow at him in question.
"Your place or mine?"
"Yours. After all, you're the one with all the decorations."
"Decorations that you put up," she reminded him.
"To shut you up," he quipped.
She didn't answer, instead brushing past him in the most seductive way possible, and as he followed her, he noticed that they were no longer alone in the squad room.
"Abby. You're still here?"
The Goth nodded and she gave them both a smile.
"Just wanted to tell you. The results came back and the DNA we pulled from the Director's coat was a match to Shawn Harrison's. He's definitely our guy."
"Good job, Abs."
"Abby, you've done more than enough tonight," Jenny said gently, "Go home and enjoy yourself."
"What about you? Are you spending the holiday alone, Gibbs? You really should come to my party."
He shook his head.
"No, thanks. I'll be fine, Abby."
Giving her a hug, he kissed her cheek lightly and Jenny was surprised when the younger girl wrapped her in a hug as well.
"Make sure he goes home. We have a surprise planned," Abby whispered in her ear.
Jenny nodded once and smiled, catching her eye. They all rode the elevator down and Jenny frowned as she tried to think of a way to get Gibbs to change his mind about going to her house for the night. Easier said than done.
"Jethro, wait. Don't you need clothes for in the morning?"
"Hadn't planned on wearing any, Jen."
She blushed lightly at his implication, and while she certainly wasn't opposed to spending the entirety of Christmas with a naked Gibbs in her bed, she inwardly cursed his thought.
"I've changed my mind. I don't want to spend the night in my house," she tried again, "I want to spend it with you, watching you work on your boat. Besides, you have bourbon."
"So do you," he pointed out.
She shook her head.
"Ran out. Haven't had time to replace it," she lied.
Luckily, he was so focused on his driving that he didn't see her right eye twitch. Glancing over at her briefly, he nodded and as he drove them in the correct direction, she allowed herself a small smile. Point one for Jenny.
As soon as they had made it to his front porch, Gibbs backed Jenny into the door, pinning her there with his body. He kissed her gently at first, his lips a bare whisper on hers, and when he could tell that she was getting frustrated, he pulled away completely. She tried to pull him closer, but he kept his distance, letting his lips trail over her throat as lightly as he could and she threw her head back with a dramatic sigh.
"Damn it, Jethro, are you going to actually kiss me or not?"
"Maybe."
Fine. Point one for Gibbs. He kept up his maddening assault and every time she tried to gain the upper hand, he pulled away from her while still keeping her pinned between the door. His tongue lightly traced patterns on her throat and she moaned, half in pleasure, half frustration.
"Jethro...please. Kiss me."
He pulled back, smirking at her and she glared at him. The smug bastard had wanted her to beg. Thoroughly annoyed now, she reached behind her as he began ghosting his lips over her skin again. Finally, her fingers found the door handle and she turned it, not even caring as her body was sent flying backward onto the hard wood of his living room floor. He landed on top of her roughly, and he glared down at her.
"What the hell, Jen?!"
"Payback's a bitch, Jethro."
He smirked down at her and when he brought his lips to hers in a bruising kiss, her hands automatically found his waist, pulling him closer. A low moan fell from her lips and as the cold air caused her to shiver, Jenny suddenly broke away from him, her hands on his chest.
"Jethro, your front door is still open."
"And?"
"And anyone in the world could see us if they walked by. I don't particularly want your neighbours seeing us."
He smirked as he kissed her again, silencing her protests.
"Not like we haven't done this in public before."
"That wasn't in a residential neighbourhood, Jethro."
Jenny wasn't sure how long Abby would take in arriving, and she really didn't want their colleagues seeing them in their current situation. She pushed against his chest and he nodded when he realised that she was serious. He held out his hand to help her up and as she stood, he brushed off the dust from his jeans.
"Bourbon?"
She nodded, and he gestured to the basement steps.
"Ladies first."
"You just want to look at my ass."
His laugh was all the answer she needed as she walked down the steps.
Swirling the liquor in her glass, Jenny watched Gibbs thoughtfully as he worked and she found herself wondering if Abby had forgotten about her surprise. Soft footsteps above her head quickly banished those worries, and Gibbs frowned as he glanced over at her.
"What?"
"You hear that?"
"To be fair, you leave your front door unlocked. I would think you'd be used to it by now."
He shushed her, waiting. Though she knew it wasn't necessary, she couldn't help but admire the way his instinct took over and he was instantly alert, in spite of the alcohol he had consumed. When he saw the Scottish doctor walking down the steps, he relaxed and Jenny smiled.
"Hi, Ducky."
"Good evening, Jennifer. Jethro."
He hugged the redhead and when she heard his voice in her ear, she smiled.
"Am I the first to arrive?"
She nodded, and when he pulled back, he kissed her cheek gently.
"How are you, my dear? I heard you had a meeting with SecNav this afternoon."
Jenny shrugged, taking a drink.
"It went better than I thought, but I still don't want to do this."
The doctor nodded and pulled out a bottle from his jacket pocket.
"Scotch?"
She shook her head and he offered it to Gibbs, who also declined.
"More for me, then."
Jenny laughed, and Gibbs gave the older man a smile. If anyone could be counted on to make Jenny laugh, it was Ducky. Since her laughter was such a rare occurrence these days, Gibbs was thankful whenever he heard it. More footsteps were approaching, and as the members of the MCRT descended the stairs, Gibbs glared.
"What are you doing here?"
"Come on, boss. We couldn't let you spend Christmas Eve alone."
"Did you bring your Christmas tree, DiNozzo?"
Tony grinned sheepishly and McGee frowned, looking at Jenny.
"What Christmas tree?"
"He made one out of paperclips."
Tony shrugged.
"I was bored."
"I'm sure you could have found something productive to do," Jenny quipped, "or I could have found something myself."
"No, thank you, ma'am."
Abby was the last one down the steps and as she pulled out several bottles of liquor, Jenny's eyes widened.
"Did you rob the store, Abby?"
"No! I just didn't know what everyone would like. I know Ziva drinks tequila, Ducky is Scotch, you and Gibbs drink bourbon, but I wasn't sure about McGee and Tony. I wanted to have a variety."
Jenny laughed at Abby's nervousness and offered her a smile.
"Relax, Abby. I was kidding."
Tony reached for the bottle of vodka and as Ziva threw back a shot of tequila, Gibbs narrowed his eyes at Jenny.
"Did you do this?"
"No," Jenny answered innocently.
"Really, Gibbs. She didn't! It was my idea. You wouldn't come to the party, so we brought the party to you. Please don't be mad."
If it had been anyone else who had spoken, Gibbs would have thrown them all out of his house. As it was, he was silent for a moment, staring at his favourite Goth, and he nodded slowly.
"Fine. You can all stay. But just for tonight."
Jenny laid a hand on his shoulder and when she leaned down, her lips brushed his ear lightly.
"You're such a softie."
He glared at her, and her eyes flashed.
"Try to have fun, Jethro," she whispered.
As shot after shot was tossed back, and tumbler after tumbler was emptied, Jenny was suddenly hit with an overwhelming sense of belonging. These people had accepted her into their work family without question and stood by her through the darkest time of her life and she fought against the tears she could feel forming in her eyes.
"Guys, let's play a game! Truth or truth."
Tony frowned.
"Don't you mean Truth or Dare, Abby?"
"Nope. You have answer the question asked honestly, but you get one free pass for anything you want. One question per round. Come on!"
Tony sighed, knowing that they would be better off by giving her what she wanted.
"Okay. You start, Abs."
The look in her eyes almost made Tony regret his words, but when she asked her question, he was pleasantly surprised.
"Okay, Tony. Last time someone said they loved you."
"Easy. This girl I took on a date the other night. First date. Needless to say, I got away from her fast."
Abby smiled, turning to McGee.
"Your turn, Timmy."
"My sister, Sarah. I called her to wish her good luck on her exams and she told me she loved me when she hung up."
"Ziva?"
The Israeli swallowed her shot of tequila, and frowned, thinking.
"My sister, Tali. Right before she died."
"Ducky?"
"Mother told me that this morning after I helped her make breakfast."
The Goth turned to Gibbs, noticing the way he was pointedly not looking in her direction, and she cleared her throat.
"Gibbs?"
"Hm?"
"Answer the question."
He frowned.
"What question?"
"When was the last time someone told you they loved you?"
"Last night."
"Ooh," Abby clapped her hands excitedly, "who was it, Gibbs?"
"I believe the rule was one question per round," Ducky reminded her.
She pouted and Ducky met Jenny's eyes briefly from where he sat near the steps.
"Thank you," she mouthed.
He nodded and Abby turned to Jenny.
"Director? Your turn."
"This morning. Ducky told me. What about you, Abby?"
"My brother. I called to wish him a Merry Christmas."
Jenny smiled, and Abby was suddenly struck by how pretty she was when she smiled.
"I'll go next," Tony spoke up, "Weirdest place you've ever had sex?"
Gibbs and Jenny exchanged a glance, and he knew they were both thinking of the same thing: their time in the work elevator was certainly risky, but not necessarily weird. Still, it was their best choice. An elevator was easy enough. No one had to know it was the same elevator.
"McGee, you first."
"Back seat of a taxi."
"That's not weird."
McGee shrugged.
"Sorry, it's all I've got."
"Abby?"
"In a cemetery on Halloween."
"Figures," Tony smirked, "Ziva?"
"In an armored truck illegally crossing the border into Egypt."
"Ducky?"
"In my mother's bed. She wasn't home, of course, but I was younger and more careless then."
"Gibbs?"
"In an elevator."
"Cool, it's like that Aerosmith song "Love In An Elevator". Way to go, boss," Tony held up his hand for a high five.
Gibbs pointedly ignored him and as Tony turned away, he reached out to slap the back of his head.
"Director Shepard?"
"Jenny," she corrected softly.
He nodded.
"Jenny?"
"In a back alley against a stone wall during a parade."
Gibbs smirked into his mason jar of bourbon, remembering the day she was speaking of fondly. It had been one of the times that he simply hadn't been able to wait to get back to their hotel room, and he had roughly pushed her into that alley and pinned her to the wall.
"Sounds painful," McGee remarked.
Jenny shrugged.
"I don't remember that part."
"Mine was on a bus on the way back from church camp. Little DiNozzo was quite the rebel."
Ziva raised her hand, and as she downed another shot of tequila, they all looked at her.
"My turn. First scar you ever had. Jenny, you start."
Jenny was thankful that she was wearing a skirt and as she lifted it to carefully show the scar on her thigh, Gibbs frowned. He knew that scar well. Hell, he'd been there when she'd gotten it. The pain in her eyes still haunted him to this day. Tony drew in a sharp breath and McGee whistled softly.
"What happened?" Abby asked.
"Bullet tore into my thigh. Hurt like hell, but luckily, I had someone to get the bullet out for me."
"Ducky?"
Ducky shook his head.
"Not me," he said quietly.
"Jethro," Jenny answered, nodding in his direction.
"Woah, Gibbs, you took a bullet out of the Director's leg?"
"I wasn't the Director then, Tony."
"How did you do it, boss?"
Gibbs shrugged, pulling out a knife. With a jolt, Jenny recognised it as the very same one he had used that night in Europe. She hadn't realised that he'd still had it after all these years.
"You still have that thing?"
"That's the same knife he used to—"
"Yes," Jenny nodded, "I'd know that blade anywhere."
"Did it hurt, Jenny?"
Tony winced as Abby smacked the back of his head. Jenny laughed and raised her glass to her lips.
"You have no idea."
"You didn't even scream, Jen," Gibbs reminded her.
"Woah, really? Way to go, Jenny!"
Jenny smiled at Tony and as she took another drink, Gibbs found himself fascinated by the red stain on the mason jar that her lipstick left behind. She stood slowly, making her way carefully to the stairs and once there, she turned.
"I'm going to use the restroom. Let me know what I miss."
They all nodded and when she disappeared, they turned to their silver-haired leader.
"She really didn't scream, boss?"
He shook his head, taking a long drink.
"Wouldn't have even known she was hit if we hadn't seen the blood on the ground."
"No wonder she's the Director."
They sat in silence for a few moments and when Ziva's quiet voice broke through, they all turned to look at her.
"When we worked together in Cairo, she was tortured for days. No food, no water unless absolutely necessary, they tried everything. She still wouldn't tell them what they wanted. She is a very strong woman."
Gibbs frowned at her words, and stood. Jenny had been gone awhile, and he was beginning to get concerned.
"Be right back."
Jenny leaned against the frame of the bathroom door, trying to control her breathing. She ran her hand through her hair and as she took a tentative step, she crashed into something solid.
"Jesus, Jethro!"
He looked down at her and studied her carefully.
"You okay?"
She nodded, and he brushed her hair back from her face. He let his fingers linger on her skin for a bit longer than necessary and her eyes closed at the contact.
"Jen."
"Hmm?"
"Let's go back."
Opening her eyes, she let her lips brush against his cheek and allowed him to lead her back to the steps. As they walked back down, Jenny found herself smiling at the scene in front of them. Abby was currently trying to place a pair of antlers on McGee's head, Tony was tossing pretzels at Ziva and Ducky simply sat observing, ever the attentive grandfather figure. Jenny glanced at Gibbs over her shoulder, and found that he was also smiling at them. She raised up to whisper in his ear, smirking as she felt him shiver.
"See, Jethro? The holidays aren't so bad."
As Abby noticed their presence, she let out a shriek and pointed above their heads.
"Gibbs! Director! You're under the mistletoe! You have to kiss now!"
Gibbs frowned.
"When did this get here?"
"I hung it when you guys were upstairs," Abby admitted, "Come on, Gibbs. It's tradition!"
Jenny looked at her, and knew she wasn't going to back down. Gibbs must have come to the same conclusion, and sighed, leaning down to kiss Jenny on the cheek. Abby shook her head, pouting.
"That doesn't count, Gibbs. It has to be a real kiss!"
Smirking, Jenny turned to look at Gibbs, raising her eyebrow in question. He saw it for the challenge it was and tilted his head. He wasn't sure how they were going to play this, but the look in her eyes gave him some idea. She fully intended to make his team as uncomfortable as possible, and he was never one to back down from a challenge.
He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and pulled her closer. He leaned as close as he possibly could and just before his lips touched hers, they both pulled away, smirking at the collective groan that came from his team.
"Come on, boss! That's not funny!"
"You may as well get it over with, Jethro. You and Jennifer both know that they aren't going to let this go."
Jenny pretended to think about it for a moment, and as if he could read her thoughts, Gibbs raised his eyebrow at her.
"Well?" she asked quietly.
A smirk was all she received, but it was enough. He brought his lips to hers in a kiss that was anything but tame, and as her hands slid up his chest, his fingers tangled into her hair. Though he knew it was for show, he still enjoyed every second that their bodies were pressed together and when Jenny's bourbon-flavoured tongue found his, he tightened his hold on her. Finally, she pulled back and she smirked as she wiped away the traces of her crimson lipstick.
"I didn't think you'd really do it," Tony said quietly.
"Rule 30. Never walk away from a challenge," Jenny smiled.
"Is that a real rule, boss?"
Gibbs smiled.
"It is now."
Their game, it seemed, had been abandoned, but they continued to drink, and as the liquor coursed through her veins, Jenny found herself relaxing into Gibbs' body as she sat in front of him against his boat. No one else had noticed their position yet, much too inebriated to care, and as Ziva went in search of more food, Ducky leaned over to them, his voice low.
"Careful, my dear. You're dangerously close to slipping."
Jenny nodded slowly, raising up from her position, thankful no one had noticed how much she had leaned into Gibbs.
"Jethro, do you have anything I can change into?"
"Afraid not, Jen. Not unless you really want them to know."
Sighing, she nodded, and settled back against the wood of his boat. It was slightly uncomfortable, and Gibbs reached out to wrap an arm around her shoulders. Ziva returned moments later and frowned when she saw Tony passed out lying on McGee's legs. Abby had fallen asleep on the couch and McGee was currently trying to shift enough to get out from under his friend's body.
"Little help?"
Laughing quietly, Ziva and Jenny lifted Tony carefully and McGee quickly moved his body.
"Thanks."
Gibbs excused himself to use the restroom, and as soon as he had left, McGee crawled under the boat.
"Are you okay, McGee?"
"Mhm...Just need sleep. Night, Ziva. Director Shepard. Ducky."
Jenny laughed as the soft snoring filled the room, and Ziva offered her a pretzel. Jenny took one, chewing thoughtfully, and when the Israeli spoke, her voice was soft.
"It was Gibbs, wasn't it?"
Jenny frowned.
"What?"
"He was the man from Paris. The one you spoke of in Cairo."
She nodded, and Ziva smiled, eating another pretzel.
"You really loved him, didn't you?"
"I never stopped."
The words were out before she could stop them, and her eyes widened. Ziva gave her a knowing look and Ducky reached out to pat her knee gently. Jenny smiled at him sadly, and once more, Ziva broke the silence.
"You called for him in Cairo."
"I did?"
The Israeli nodded, oblivious to the silver-haired agent hovering at the top of the stairs.
"Yes. The night I tried to sneak you water. The night I was captured. You were nearly dead, but you said his name. When I was first assigned to his team, I thought it was simply because you had been partners. Now I know the truth."
Gibbs deliberately made his footsteps loud enough to be heard as he returned and Jenny frowned at the glasses of water in his hands. He held them out and they each took one, a confused look on the redhead's face.
"What's this for?"
"Hangover."
Jenny nodded and sipped it slowly. Ziva stood, and Ducky followed suit, both making their way towards the steps.
"You two can crash here. I've got a spare room and the couch."
They both nodded and Jenny smiled as she listened to the polite argument over who would take the couch and she glanced around the basement curiously.
"Jethro, we can't just leave them like this."
"Sure we can. Let's go to bed."
He pulled her to her feet and led her to the steps. As they passed through the living room, Gibbs smirked at the sight of Ducky on the couch and Jenny laughed quietly.
"I guess chivalry isn't dead, huh, Ducky?"
"Not at all. I am nothing if not a gentleman."
"Night, Duck."
"Good night, Ducky."
"Good night, Jethro. Good night, Jennifer. Sleep well, my dear."
Jenny nodded and Gibbs helped her up the stairs. It wasn't until they were standing in his room that he realised her shoes were missing.
"Jen?"
"Yeah?"
"You left your heels in my basement."
She shrugged, looking at him with an expression he knew well, but couldn't encourage tonight. As her hands wound into his hair, he pulled away, forcing her to lie back.
"Not tonight, Jen. Not with everyone here."
She pouted slightly, but nodded. As he pulled her into his arms, she turned to face him, her eyes serious.
"Will you at least kiss me?"
He brought his lips to hers, and her fingers immediately found the hem of his shirt. He tried to stop her, but as soon as her hands touched his bare skin, he knew he'd lost the fight.
"Jen..."
"Just kiss me, Jethro."
He happily did as she asked, and he pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it aside. They both knew they would have to be quiet to avoid being caught, but as soon as he entered her, all rational thought left their minds.
Jenny shivered as she opened her eyes and found Gibbs was nowhere to be seen. Frowning, she climbed out of the bed and after a few minutes of searching, she slipped on an old shirt and pair of sweatpants belonging to him and made her way quietly down to the kitchen. She found him preparing a pot of coffee and he turned at the sound of her footsteps on the floor.
"Morning."
"Morning. Are we the first ones up?"
"Yep."
She crossed the room to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Leaning down, his lips brushed against hers and she smiled as his fingers trailed down her side. The soft sound of someone clearing their throat made them jump apart and when they noticed Ducky in the doorway, they had the good grace to look embarrassed.
"Good morning, Merry Christmas. I trust you both slept well?"
Knowing the question was mainly directed at Jenny, Gibbs stayed silent.
"Not too bad."
"Any nightmares, Jennifer?"
She shook her head slowly.
"No. I think I was too drunk to dream."
"Three cheers for alcohol," Gibbs said dryly.
Jenny smirked and as the coffee finished brewing, Gibbs poured three cups, passing them around.
"I suppose we should go check on the three sleeping in the basement."
Ducky nodded.
"That would probably be wise."
As they made their way to the kitchen, Ducky's voice suddenly stopped them.
"Jennifer...you might want to change your clothes, my dear."
Jenny glanced down at herself and looked up at Gibbs briefly before nodding. She placed a hand on his cheek gently as she walked past, and Gibbs smiled at her.
"How is she holding up, Jethro?"
He shrugged, turning to look at the doctor.
"You know Jenny. She keeps everything to herself until she can't take it anymore. She's worried about pressing charges against Harrison, but she won't admit it."
"That's understandable. Are you prepared to have your relationship with her made public? They're going to ask, and you both have to be honest."
Gibbs frowned.
"It never mattered to me if anyone knew. Jenny...I don't know. She's worried about her job." Again, Ducky nodded and took a sip of his coffee. Jenny returned seconds later, offering them both a smile, and as they headed to the basement, Gibbs stopped her just inside the living room.
"Jen...I think we should tell the team. About us. They're going to find out during the investigation anyway. Probably be better if they hear if from us."
She was silent for a moment, and then nodded.
"Okay. You're probably right."
He leaned down, kissing her cheek and gave her a smile.
"Aren't I always?"
She glared at him and shook her head.
"No."
Tony groaned as he opened his eyes, painfully aware of the bright light streaming through one of the small windows. His head was pounding, and his mouth was unbelievably dry, a sure sign that he had been drinking far too much the night before. Finally, his tired eyes were able to focus on his surroundings, and he noticed the Goth on the couch, McGee under the boat, and when they landed on Gibbs and Jenny, he bolted upright.
"Boss! Director! Morning. Sleep well?"
"We aren't the ones who passed out on McGee, Agent DiNozzo," Jenny said, laughter in her voice.
"I didn't..."
At Gibbs' pointed look, Tony frowned, looking between him and Jenny.
"Crap, I did."
Abby's low moan caused them all to turn around, and Jenny offered her a small smile.
"Tony, you're being too loud."
Jenny smirked as she took a drink of her coffee and as he caught sight of the cup in her hand, Tony's eyes widened.
"There's coffee?"
"Upstairs."
"Oh, I love you, boss."
Making a mad dash for the stairs, Tony went in search of the rich liquid, and Jenny leaned back against Gibbs' chest. Abby noticed this and frowned, her eyes darting between them. He placed a light kiss to her hair and she smiled unconsciously. She moved away from him and knelt down beneath the boat, her hand lightly shaking the still-sleeping probationary agent.
"McGee? You okay?"
He groaned and opened his eyes slowly.
"Director Shepard? Oh, God, did I fall asleep at work?"
He jerked up, knocking his head against the boat and Jenny winced as she pulled back.
"McGee, calm down. You're in Gibbs' basement. Do you remember last night?"
Frowning, he tried to remember and as the events of the night came to him in pieces, he slowly nodded.
"Sorry, ma'am."
As he carefully stood up, he looked at Abby, who motioned between their bosses and he frowned. He wasn't sure what she was trying to tell him, and as Jenny swept past him, he was far too hungover to notice the way Gibbs watched her walk up the steps. After a few moments, their boss followed her, and Abby immediately grabbed his arm.
"Did you see that? They're together! I know it."
"Abby, I know you call them 'Mommy' and 'Daddy', but they aren't really together."
"You saw them last night, didn't you? That kiss wasn't something you can fake. And where do you think they slept last night?"
"Where did Ducky and Ziva sleep? You don't think they're sleeping with Gibbs too, do you?"
Abby tossed a shoe at him, and as he ducked, he picked it up, frowning.
"These aren't yours."
"They sure as hell aren't Ziva's."
"That just leaves..."
"Director Shepard," they said simultaneously.
Perhaps Abby had a point after all.
Jenny sipped her hot chocolate carefully, closing her eyes and relishing the wintry addition of the peppermint schnapps she had added. As Gibbs returned from her kitchen carrying a tumbler of bourbon, she smiled up at him warmly, loving that he had agreed to spend the holiday with her.
He stared at her for a moment, illuminated by the multi-coloured glow of the Christmas tree, completely taken aback by how beautiful she looked. When she noticed him staring, she frowned, setting her drink down on the table in front of her.
"Jethro, why are you staring at me like that?"
"You're gorgeous," he said simply.
He held turned on Jenny's record player, one of the few possessions she had kept of her father's, and as soft music filled the room, he held out his hand.
"Dance with me."
She raised an eyebrow in confusion and laughed in disbelief.
"Since when do you dance?"
"Now."
Jenny smiled, taking his hand, and as he pulled her into his arms, she rested her head on his shoulder. They swayed in front of the tree, Gibbs admiring the way the lights lit up her features, and when he kissed her, he could feel her smile against his lips.
"Merry Christmas, Jen."
She looked up at him, and he could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes.
"Merry Christmas, Jethro."
He spun her away from him, holding her at arms length for a moment, and when she twirled back into his arms, he kissed her again.
"I love you," he whispered.
"Say it again."
He released her, searching around her living room for a pen he knew would be laying around, and as he found a spare piece of paper, she frowned. He wrote on it quickly, and he slipped it into her hand, smiling as she read the words he had written.
"In case you ever need to be reminded when I'm not around."
Her hand rested against his cheek softly, and she smiled. She quickly grabbed her purse, pulling out her wallet and as she placed the paper inside, he frowned, confused.
"Now I'll always have it with me."
Jenny sighed as she signed her statement, and placed her head in her hands. Her phone rang and as she picked it up, she frowned and glared at the offending device.
"Shepard."
"Director, SecNav is waiting on line one."
Shit.
"Put him through, Cynthia."
"Good evening, Jennifer."
"Hello, sir. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I hate to give you bad news so soon after the holidays, but I'm going to need you to prepare your statement for the media. We're holding a press conference in two days."
She sighed.
"Yes, sir."
"Try not to worry. We're all behind you."
"Thank you, sir."
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Jenny finally hung up the phone and tried not to wince as her door flew open and bounced off the wall.
"Yes, Jethro?"
"I'm heading out. Care to join me?"
She shook her head sadly.
"I can't. I have to prepare a statement for the media."
"It can wait. I have something for you. A Christmas present."
She frowned.
"Christmas was yesterday," she reminded him.
"I know. Had to call in a favour to get it. Took a bit longer than I expected."
Finally, she nodded, and grabbed her coat. She supposed her statement could wait for one more day. After all, anything Gibbs had planned was sure to be better than this.
Jenny frowned as Gibbs gently pushed her back down on the bed, not complaining as he kissed her, but confused nevertheless.
"Jethro, what is—"
"Hush."
He trailed his lips over her skin, his fingers running through her hair, and when he spoke, his breath was warm on her throat.
"Close your eyes."
She swallowed, doing as he asked and when he reached into the beside table to pull out the small container, he smirked. He slowly opened it, and when she felt the soft feather on her skin, she shivered under him.
"Jethro," she murmured softly, "is that honey dust?"
"Mhmm."
The fine powder shimmered on her skin, making it softer than he'd ever felt, and as he moved the feather over her, she sighed. He hadn't ever thought that Jenny's skin could look more beautiful, but seeing it coated in the sugary sweet dust made his hands shake. He'd never wanted to touch her so badly, and as the feather dipped into the hollow of her collarbone, she moaned quietly.
His lips ghosted over her skin, tasting the sweetness he would never openly admit to enjoying, and her body arched slightly upward.
"Jethro..."
He dipped the feather into the container again, brushing it over her throat, and when his lips followed, he discovered he could taste her rapid heartbeat in his mouth. Agonisingly slow, he trailed the dust over the expanse of her body, the tiny crystals of sugar glittering in the soft glow of the setting sun. Jenny softly swore in French as his tongue danced over her hipbones, and when he finally reached her inner thigh, she couldn't remember how to breathe.
He brought his mouth to her, taking note of the way her left hand gripped the sheet beneath her, and he carefully lifted her leg over his shoulder. He moved his tongue in and out, flattening it against the most sensitive part of her body and she jerked under his body. His name fell from her lips in a whisper and her right hand found his hair.
"Jesus Christ, Jethro..."
He allowed himself a glance at her, and smiled as his eyes met hers. They had darkened to a deep forest green and the slight flush of her skin was absolutely stunning in the dim light. It was almost completely dark out now, and he brought his hand up to softly trail down her sides, causing her to shiver and her head fell back against the pillows, her hair a fiery waterfall.
He sped up his tongue, and she moaned as her grip tightened in his hair. As she shattered beneath him, he kissed the inside of her thighs, slowly making his way up her body. His tongue dipped in her navel, and she moaned again, her entire body shaking. As his lips grazed her throat, she arched into him and he smirked. He didn't think she would ever stop shaking.
Her breathing was heavy, and he touched the side of her face gently.
"Merry Christmas, Jen."
"Best gift ever," she whispered.
"I love you," he said quietly, his lips brushing her ear.
Jenny smiled, and ran her fingers through his hair.
"I take it back," she murmured, "That was the best gift ever."
Gibbs frowned and her hand kept moving through his silver hair.
"You. Telling me you love me. That's the best thing you could have ever given me."
He kissed her again, and as he pulled her into his arms, he simply stared at her, admiring the shimmer left by the remnants of honey dust on her porcelain skin.
"The honey dust was a damn good idea, too."
She glared at him playfully and gently bit down on his shoulder.
"Shut up, Jethro."
As her lips met his again, Jenny found herself feeling better than she had in months. Maybe, just maybe, she could make it through this. At least now she had the strength to try.
A/N: Let me know what you think!