A/N: In which Jenny and Gibbs deal with the rumour mill. Also, as a side note, I wanted to point out that I based one of Jenny's injuries on one of my own. I had a knife wound similar to hers that I didn't get stitches for (probably should have, though). Anyway, hope you enjoy!
Gibbs frowned as he watched Jenny sleep, and he carefully slid out of the bed as slowly as he could so as not to wake her. He made his way down to his living room, pausing to pick up the jeans she had removed for Ducky's examination and as he folded them, he heard a soft jingling noise coming from the front pocket. Figuring it to be Jenny's keys, he reached into the pocket and as his fingers closed around something much smaller, his brow furrowed in confusion.
Two silver rings sat in the palm of his hand and he recognised them instantly. He'd bought them in Europe just before they'd gone to Paris as part of their undercover assignment, and as he held them up to the light, he smiled. He'd never thought Jenny would keep them, but here they were. A quiet knocking at his door caused him to turn and as he walked to the door, he held the rings tightly in his hand.
"Ducky? What are you doing here? You just left."
The doctor nodded.
"Yes. It occurred to me as I was dropping young Anthony off that my initial examination of Jennifer's injuries was less than accurate. I'm going to stitch her leg after all."
Gibbs frowned.
"Thought it didn't need it."
"I have seen wounds like that heal properly without stitching, but for my own peace of mind, I'm going to do it. If it were to become infected, I would never forgive myself."
Gibbs nodded his head in the direction of the stairs.
"She's sleeping."
"I'll do my best not to startle her."
Gibbs made to follow, but Ducky's hand on his shoulder stopped him.
"It might be for the best if you wait here, Jethro."
After glaring at him for a few moments, Gibbs seemed to realise that the doctor wasn't going to back down. Smiling, Ducky walked up the stairs and when the former marine made his way to the basement, he sighed. What he really wanted was a drink.
Jenny's eyes took several moments to focus on the doctor smiling down at her, but as she recognised him, she offered him a tired smile.
"Ducky. What are you doing here?"
"Stitching up your leg, my dear."
Jenny frowned.
"I thought you said—"
"Humour me, Jennifer."
Sighing, she nodded, and as he pulled out a syringe, her eyes widened. She'd always hated needles, and as he began to numb the area surrounding the wound, she clenched her teeth tightly. He threaded the needle with expert fingers and as he began sewing, she felt tears prick in her eyes. Ducky glanced up at her as he worked, frowning at the way her hand gripped the sheet beneath her, and he shook his head.
"You don't have to be brave here, my dear."
She met his eyes, trying not to blink, and he paused, reaching out to take her hand in his.
"Jennifer," his voice was gentle, unbearably kind, "you've been through so much. It's quite alright to cry."
She shook her head, still not allowing herself to blink.
"That wouldn't fix anything."
"No," he agreed, "but it might help. You don't always have to be the strong one."
"If I don't, who will?"
He began sewing again, nearly finished, and as he clipped the last of the thread, he looked at her seriously. He set his tools on the table next to the bed and when he moved closer to her, Jenny refused to look at him.
"Jennifer."
She slowly raised her eyes to his, and he opened his arms with a sad smile. Unable to help herself, Jenny blinked, finally letting the tears slip and she fell into the doctor's embrace. He held her close, his hand smoothing over her hair, and as she cried, he wished there were more he could to do help.
"It's going to be alright. You have so many people who love you and we're not going to let you fall."
"I want it all to stop, Ducky."
He frowned.
"The last time you said that to me, you nearly killed yourself, Jennifer."
He shifted, holding her at arm's length to look at her, his expression serious.
"Are you feeling that way now?"
She shook her head, but he didn't believe her.
"Don't lie to me."
"It has to be better than this," she whispered.
The doctor's head shook.
"No, my dear. You being dead wouldn't make anything better. You told me once that it was selfish to ask you to keep living simply to keep others from being hurt. What about you? If you weren't here, think of all the wonderful things you would miss out on. Think of the moments with Jethro that you wouldn't be able to experience. You would never get to see him smile at you, never kiss him, you'd never get to hear him tell you how much he loves you. Are you really willing to let all of that go?"
Jenny sighed, knowing that logically, Ducky was absolutely right, but her mind simply didn't care about logic. She looked at him, begging him silently to understand, and shook her head.
"Ducky, have you ever been in the middle of laughing at something only to realise that you're faking it? It hits you like a truck. You suddenly realise "This should be funny. I should be laughing sincerely at it, but I can't", and it's horrible. Even things that you used to enjoy."
Ducky took her hand, kissing it gently.
"How long have you felt this way?"
"A long time. Even before Harrison—both of them. I tried to ignore it, but it's getting worse."
He frowned.
"Have you spoken to Jethro about this?"
She shook her head, hair sticking to her damp cheek.
"He doesn't need to worry about me. He has problems of his own."
The doctor sighed and she raised her eyes to his.
"Jennifer, have you ever considered speaking with a professional about this? They would be able to help you. Perhaps even prescribe something to make it easier."
"I don't need therapy, Ducky. Or pills."
"You've just described the symptoms of clinical depression, my dear. There's absolutely no shame in seeking help. Will you at least consider it?"
Jenny frowned, turning his words over in her head.
"Couldn't I just talk to you? You are a doctor."
"You are always welcome to talk to me, my dear Jennifer, but I am a medical examiner. I am not a psychologist by trade. It's not my field of expertise."
He hugged her gently, placing a kiss on her cheek, just under the cut he had stitched earlier, and gave her a smile. As he stood, Jenny threw her arms around him again, and she gave him a light kiss.
"Thank you, Ducky."
"Anytime. Get some rest, my dear. Remember what I told you: no strenuous activity, even more so now. No exceptions."
Jenny smiled.
"Doctor's orders?"
"Doctor's orders."
Gibbs turned at the sound of footsteps on the stairs of his basement and took a drink of his bourbon. He knew there was no way Jenny had navigated the steps, and that only left one person. The doctor came into view, smiling as he saw him, and Gibbs nodded in greeting.
"How's Jen?"
"I have no doubt that she'll make a full recovery. She's very lucky."
"Want a drink, Duck?"
The doctor shook his head.
"No, thank you. I only came down to—what are those?"
His gaze had fallen on the silver wedding bands on the work table, and he frowned. He knew Gibbs still had his wedding band from Shannon, but as far as he knew, it was kept safe in a box.
"Found them in Jenny's jean pocket. They're from when we worked in Paris."
"And are you planning on using them again?"
Gibbs shook his head.
"Nope. Jen would never marry me. I'm just curious about why they were in her pocket. I'll ask later."
Ducky sighed, running a hand over his face, unsure of how much to tell him.
"Jethro...I don't want to betray Jennifer's trust by telling you too much, but keep an eye on her. She's in a very dark place right now, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned."
"That what you came down to tell me?"
"Partly. The other thing I wanted to tell you is that I meant what I said. Absolutely no strenuous activity. As difficult as that may be for you both, you can't risk exacerbating Jennifer's injuries."
Gibbs smirked, nodding at Ducky as he took another drink.
"I get it, Duck. We'll behave."
Though he didn't look as though he entirely believed him, Ducky nodded and turned, heading for the stairs.
"Good night, Jethro."
"Night. And thanks."
Ducky waved in response, and Gibbs set his mason jar on the table, picking up the rings. Now that they were alone, he fully intended to make sure Jenny realised just how much she meant to him.
He'd expected Jenny to be asleep as he entered the bedroom, so when she gave him a soft smile as he sat next to her, he returned it with a bit of confusion.
"How do you feel?"
She shrugged.
"I've had worse."
He frowned.
"The truth, Jen."
Jenny sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Fine. Hurts like a bitch. Happy?"
Smirking, Gibbs leaned in to kiss her and he tapped the end of her nose lightly.
"Really, Jethro. I have had worse."
"Cairo?"
She nodded. At least this time, she'd not been so near death that she was delirious. Of course, Harrison had said it was never his intention to kill her. Gibbs watched her for a moment, trying to keep up with wide range of emotions he saw pass through her eyes, and when he spoke, his voice was quiet.
"Jen, maybe you should take some time off. God knows you probably have enough vacation time saved up."
She frowned, looking at him seriously.
"Who would run the agency?"
"Vance. He's Assistant Director, isn't he?"
Jenny bristled at the sound of his name and Gibbs frowned. He hadn't known Jenny harboured any bad feelings for her second-in-command, but it seemed he was mistaken.
"I don't trust him."
"I don't either," Gibbs said seriously, "He owes me a danish."
Jenny reached out and smacked his arm lightly.
"I'm serious, Jethro. You don't think he would love the chance to see me fail? He's never approved of me."
"To be fair Jen, I'm sure a lot of people would like to see you fail. Power comes with enemies."
She nodded, blowing her hair out of her face in frustration.
"I can still do my job, Jethro."
His head shook.
"Didn't say that. I'm just thinking about your health. This has been rough on all of us, but you've been the focus of everything. You need time to recover."
She didn't answer, and he reached out to touch her cheek gently.
"Will you at least think about it?"
His words, so similar to Ducky's, were spoken so softly that she almost didn't catch them. She nodded, and he gave her a long look. She knew he was trying to decide if he believed her, and when he smiled, she felt a wave a relief wash over her. At least for now, that particular discussion was over.
Jenny was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice him pulling out the rings in his pocket and his low voice made her jump slightly.
"Found these in your pocket."
She looked at the silver in his hand, and felt a slight blush creep into her skin. She'd never wanted him to know that she'd been feeling nostalgic about the early days of their relationship, nor that she'd kept them all these years.
"I thought I'd lost that ring after you left. When did you take it?"
"The night before I left," she said quietly, "You took it off to shower and I put it in my bag."
"Why'd you keep them?"
She shrugged.
"I don't know. I guess to remind me of what I gave up to get where I am. I'm not proud of what I did, Jethro. If I could do it over...I would have done it differently."
He nodded, holding out her ring.
"Here. I'm leaving this up to you. If you ever decide that you want to marry me, you can put it on."
"Scared of rejection?" she asked with a laugh.
He shook his head.
"No. I'm letting you have the control. You decide when the time is right. Even if you never want to marry me, I'm not going anywhere unless you tell me to. I told you months ago: you set the pace. It's your call."
Jenny reached out, taking the ring from his hand and she set it on the table next to the bed.
"I'll wear it as a necklace."
He frowned, the words sounding vaguely familiar. It finally came to him and he laughed.
"Didn't you say you would wear that bullet I cut out of your leg as a necklace?"
She laughed, remembering it clearly.
"It didn't match any of my outfits," she said dryly.
He leaned forward, kissing her forehead, and Jenny reached up to run her fingers through his hair. He noticed that her hand was shaking, and he frowned as he realised just how pale she'd become.
"Get some rest, Jen. I'll be close if you need me."
Unable to fight the exhaustion any longer, she nodded, leaning back and closing her eyes. He brushed her hair back gently. It wasn't long before her body had given in to sleep and as he left the room, he looked back at her, smiling sadly.
"I love you."
Gibbs glared at her as she dressed for work, and though she could feel his icy stare as she moved, Jenny pointedly ignored it. She winced as she pulled on her heels and as she straightened up, her vision was filled with black spots. Closing her eyes, she waited a few seconds before standing and Gibbs sighed in frustration.
"Thought you said you'd consider taking time off."
"I did. I'll be fine."
He glared again and she rolled her eyes.
"Jethro, I'm thirty-six years old. I'm not a child."
Though he knew it was pointless to argue, he still had to bite his tongue to stop the retort on his lips. He watched her closely as she slowly walked down the stairs and as they climbed into his truck, she flashed him a smile. At least for the time being, she'd won.
The stares of her employees followed her as she walked to her office and as she closed the door, Jenny was beginning to wonder if she'd made a mistake. She picked up her coffee with hands that refused to stop shaking, and she took a careful sip, not trusting herself to not spill it. She knew she probably should have taken Gibbs' advice, but the perfectionist in her wouldn't allow her to take time off.
"Director Shepard?"
"Yes, Cynthia?"
"Commander Roberts is here for your meeting."
Jenny sighed, taking another drink of coffee.
"Send him in, Cynthia."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Thank you."
As her assistant escorted Commander Roberts into her office, Jenny arranged her features in her best politician's smile, and held out her hand.
"Good morning, Commander Roberts."
"Director Shepard. I trust you're doing well this morning, ma'am?"
She nodded, gesturing for him to sit. As they began the tedious meeting, Jenny found herself struggling to focus. Glancing at her watch, she sighed internally, willing the time to move faster. This was going to be brutal.
Gibbs sat silently in the interrogation room, waiting to see how long it would take before their suspect broke.
"Aren't you going to say anything?"
Apparently not long.
"Lieutenant, when was the last time you spoke to your wife?"
"This morning, before I left the house. Don't you talk to your wife before you go to work?"
Gibbs shrugged.
"Not married," he replied, his thoughts flickering to a certain redhead upstairs.
"Smart."
"You two have any kind of fights lately?"
Lieutenant West frowned, shaking his head.
"Not really."
"Neighbours said they heard you yelling last night. Got pretty loud. Cops were called."
As the suspect began glancing around the room nervously, Gibbs fought to keep his expression neutral. Now they were getting somewhere.
Jenny sank down in her chair as soon as Commander Roberts had left, trying to ignore the lightheaded feeling she'd had all day. She blinked hard, trying to make her eyes focus, and it took her longer than she'd ever admit to register the light knocking on her door. Cynthia peered around the corner, not wanting to disturb her boss if she were sleeping, and when Jenny waved her in, she frowned.
"Is everything alright, Director?"
"I'm fine," Jenny replied, her voice tight, "What can I do for you?"
"Agent Lee brought these files up from legal for you to sign."
Nodding, Jenny gestured to her desk.
"Just leave them there. I'll get to them soon."
"Yes, ma'am."
Though she was concerned with the paleness of Jenny's skin, Cynthia was unsure if she should comment. She didn't want to overstep her boundaries, and yet she wanted to help.
"Is there anything else, Cynthia?"
The younger girl shook her head.
"No, Director."
Jenny stood, meaning to walk her assistant to the door, and as she took a few unsteady steps, her vision went black. Cynthia was by her side in an instant, kneeling down carefully, and as she felt for a pulse, she sighed in relief. Standing, the younger girl reached for Jenny's desk phone and quickly dialed autopsy, hoping the doctor wasn't busy.
"Autopsy."
"Doctor Mallard, this is Cynthia Sumner, Director Shepard's assistant. Could you come up to her office? It's urgent."
"Yes, of course."
"Thank you."
As Ducky knelt down to examine Jenny, he was thankful for Cynthia's discretion. She'd immediately given them privacy, and as the redhead's eyes slowly opened, he gave her a smile.
"Good morning, Jennifer. I do wish it were under more pleasant circumstances."
Jenny frowned, wincing as she tried to sit up. Ducky placed a gentle hand on her back, helping her to an upright position.
"Are you alright, my dear?"
She nodded, her head still spinning, and he frowned, pulling out a small flashlight. Jenny flinched as he shone the bright light into her eyes and he smiled apologetically.
"I'm sorry, I know it's uncomfortable."
As he held her wrist in his hand, he began counting, noting that her pulse was slightly elevated. He frowned, and held out his hand as he stood. She took it, stumbling slightly, and he caught her before she could hit the ground again.
"Jennifer, I don't want to overstep, but perhaps you should consider taking an early day."
She shook her head, glaring at him.
"I'm fine."
He sighed at her stubborn reply, but nodded nonetheless. As he finished looking her over, he frowned, his eyes serious as they met hers.
"You're over-stressed. If you insist on staying, make sure you stay hydrated, avoid moving too quickly, and don't work too late. As soon as the work day is over, I expect you to go home. If need be, I'll have Jethro carry you out."
She gave him a small smile and touched his shoulder gently.
"Thanks, Ducky."
"Be careful, my dear."
Gibbs' eyes searched the cold autopsy room for the Scottish doctor and when he didn't see him, he frowned. The doors slid open, and as Jimmy Palmer entered, Gibbs turned his attention to the younger man.
"Where is he, Palmer?"
"Oh, Agent Gibbs! He had to go up to see the Director. I don't think he'll be long."
Nodding, Gibbs turned and headed to the elevator, nearly colliding with Ducky as he stepped on.
"Jethro, how can I help you?"
He jerked his head and Ducky stayed on the lift, smiling as Gibbs hit the emergency switch.
"Got anything on our case?"
"I'm afraid not. Nothing that will help. Lieutenant West's wife was a heavy smoker, and the wound on the side of her head suggests blunt force trauma, but that's all I have so far. I was called away in the middle of my examination."
Gibbs frowned.
"Jenny?"
The doctor shook his head.
"Cynthia, actually. She called on Jennifer's behalf."
"Why didn't she call you herself? Or me?"
"Our lovely Director was unable to make the call."
"She okay?"
Ducky sighed, looking at his friend seriously.
"She was unconscious when I arrived, but she's fine now. Jethro, she's severely over-stressed, exhausted and she needs to take time to recover. She refuses to acknowledge the trauma she's endured, and until she does, this will keep happening."
Gibbs nodded, knowing that the doctor was speaking with Jenny's best interest in mind.
"Make sure she leaves with you tonight. Doctor's orders, she's not to work any more than necessary."
"Thanks, Duck. I'll get her out on time."
He flipped the switch, and the doors of the elevator slid open slowly. Gibbs smirked as he hit the button that would take him to the catwalk and tried not to laugh at the thought of whatever protests Jenny would try to keep him from making her leave.
As she sat behind her desk that evening, Jenny Shepard turned the ring hanging from her throat over in her hands thoughtfully. She'd never honestly considered being married, much less married to Gibbs, and she wasn't sure if it was something she even wanted. She enjoyed what they currently had, and given his track record with wives, she didn't particularly want to be another in his long line of exes.
Her door swung open, and she immediately dropped the ring, letting it fall against her shirt, smiling at the very man she'd just been thinking of.
"Jethro. How's your case coming?"
"Slow. My medical examiner was called away in the middle of the autopsy. You know anything about that?"
To her credit, she didn't show any sign of embarrassment at being found out, and she met his eyes coolly.
"I take it you've seen Ducky."
He raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed.
"Jethro, it's nothing. I'm just a little tired."
He moved closer to her desk as as he leaned over it, his eyes caught the glint of silver around her throat. Reaching down to take the ring between his fingers, he smiled.
"You really are wearing it as a necklace."
Jenny nodded, pulling him down to her, kissing him deeply.
"Told you I would."
He kissed her again, pulling her hair from its clip, and as it fell around her shoulders, Jenny gasped.
"Jethro, people will talk."
"They already do, Jen. Word is that we've had sex in every room of this building and even on Ducky's autopsy table."
"Hm...sounds cold."
He smirked.
"Very."
As he tangled his hand in her hair, she smirked. His lips grazed her throat and as her head fell back, his breath was warm on her skin.
"Jen..."
"Hm?"
"Take some time off."
Through the haze of pleasure, his words registered in her mind, and she pulled away.
"That's not fair, Jethro."
He smirked, and straightened up.
"Jen, I only want you to be safe. Please."
Sighing, she nodded, and looked at him tiredly.
"I'll file the paperwork in the morning."
Gibbs held out his hand, and as she took it, he led her around the desk, smiling as he pulled her closer. Her hands trailed over his jacket, making their way up to his hair and as she leaned in to kiss him, the quiet knock made her jump back as if she'd been burned. Grabbing the clip from her desk, she quickly pulled her hair back and as Cynthia entered, she gave the young woman a warm smile.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Director, but unless you need anything else, I'm heading out for the night."
"No, thank you, Cynthia. You're free to go. Have a good night."
"Thank you, ma'am. Good night, Agent Gibbs."
Gibbs nodded in her direction, and as the door shut behind her, Jenny burst into laughter, covering her mouth with her hand.
"I think you should give Cynthia a raise."
"I would if I could, Jethro. She definitely deserves one, dealing with you."
Lightly, so as not to cause her any real pain, Gibbs brought his hand to the back of her head and Jenny looked at him, shocked.
"Don't be a smart ass, Shepard."
Without warning, Jenny delivered her own slap to the back of his head, and he glared at her.
"Don't give me such good opportunities then, Jethro."
He smirked as he pulled her against him tightly, and as their lips met, she couldn't stop smiling. When he led her to the door, she rested her head on his shoulder as they walked, for once not caring if anyone saw them.
"The Director was pretty beaten up the last time she was here."
"She passed out in her office last week."
"I heard that she's pregnant and Agent Gibbs is the father."
"Well, she has been living with him since her house caught fire."
"Think she'll be his next ex-wife?"
Gibbs frowned as he tried to pretend that he didn't hear the whispers of his colleagues as he sat behind his desk, and when his phone rang, he silently rejoiced for the interruption.
"Yeah. Gibbs."
"Is the agency still intact?"
He sighed, rolling his eyes.
"You're supposed to be resting, not worrying about us. We've got this. Vance will be here in about five minutes."
"He's late? Typical. If he ruins everything I've worked for in the span of two weeks, I'll get Abby to kill him."
"Stop worrying."
"Jethro, he'll—"
"Goodbye, Jenny."
As he hung up, he noticed the younger man standing in front of him and he smiled.
"Good morning, Agent Gibbs."
He nodded.
"Assistant Director Vance."
"Get a case?" Vance asked, indicating the phone call.
Gibbs shook his head.
"No. Personal."
"Where's your team?"
Gibbs smirked, nodding his head.
"Right behind you."
Vance turned, nodding at the members of the MCRT, and as he spoke, Tony couldn't tear his eyes away from the toothpick clenched between his teeth.
"Okay, listen. I know Director Shepard has her own way of doing things. She prefers to be personally involved in your cases. I do not. I am not to be disturbed unless it is of the utmost importance. Is that understood?"
They all nodded, and as Vance began walking toward the stairs to Jenny's office, he called over his shoulder.
"Keep all personal calls under two minutes, Agent Gibbs."
Abby frowned as Gibbs walked into her lab, not even brightening when he handed her a CAF-POW. There was something different in the Goth's lab, and though he tried, Gibbs couldn't put his finger on what it was.
"What's wrong, Abs?"
"Gibbs, how long is the Director going to be gone?"
"She'll be back next week. Why?"
"Vance made me turn off my music. He said it was a distraction and against company policy."
Gibbs frowned. Now he understood what it was that was so different: he could actually hear himself think. He reached out to hug the younger woman and gave her a reassuring smile.
"It's just for a week, Abs."
"Can't you do something? Call Director Shepard and have her tell him that he can't do this? I need my music to work, Gibbs. I can't function without it."
Gibbs shook his head, kissing her cheek softly.
"Sorry, Abby. My hands are tied. He's in charge until Director Shepard comes back."
As he walked out of the eerily silent lab, Abby frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. This was going to be the longest week ever.
Opening his front door, Gibbs was surprised to find Jenny sitting on his couch, her feet tucked under her, reading a book. She didn't appear to have heard him as he closed the door and when he called her name, she didn't look up. He crossed the room, leaning over her to kiss the top of her head and she jumped.
"Jesus, Jethro! You scared the hell out of me."
He smirked.
"I tried to get your attention. How was your day?"
She smiled, and he noticed that it seemed more genuine than any smile she'd given him since Christmas.
"It was nice. Yours?"
"Interesting. Did you know that you're pregnant?"
She laughed, raising her eyebrows.
"Am I? That's great! Who's the father?"
"Me. And you might be might be my next ex-wife by the end of the year."
Jenny placed her hand over her heart mockingly.
"Just what I've always wanted! Jethro, how did you know?"
He smirked, kissing her gently.
"Just a hunch."
She moved over enough to give him room to sit down and he reached for the book left forgotten in her lap.
"Any good?"
Jenny frowned.
"Not sure yet. It's a little difficult to follow. It was my father's."
He smiled as he noticed the bookmark keeping her place. He held his finger on the proper page and turned the marker over in his other hand.
"You made this for him?"
She nodded, somewhat embarrassed.
"I was six. I was so excited to see his face when he opened it. I didn't know he'd kept it until a week ago."
Gibbs placed it back in the book, standing up and making his way over to his own sparse bookshelf. He pulled down a cup that had been covered in clay, the figures of a boat, a fish, and a fisherman decorating the sides, and he handed it to her carefully.
"Kelly made me this when she was that age. It was her Father's Day present."
Jenny's fingers lightly trailed over the cup, her eyes filling with tears even as she smiled.
"It's precious, Jethro. She loved you so much."
He nodded.
"Sometimes I feel guilty for not being here when they were killed. I couldn't save them. Kelly begged me not to go, but I had no choice."
"Jethro," Jenny whispered, her hand reaching for his, "it wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could have done."
He held her hand gently, bringing it to his lips.
"I suppose everything happens for a reason. And I'm not sure if I would change it even if I could. Don't get me wrong, I would give anything to see them again, but...every event in my life has led me to this point. It brought me to you."
"You don't mean that," she said softly, "If you could have Shannon and Kelly back, you would give up anything. Even me."
He shook his head.
"Jen, if Shannon and Kelly had survived, we might have ended up divorced and hating each other, like my other ex-wives. Kelly might have resented me for leaving and never spoken to me again. As horrible as it sounds, maybe this was better. I can treasure the memories I have without them being tarnished."
He tilted her head up so that she was looking at him and he smiled.
"I love you, Jen. Nothing will ever change that. Even if you left right now and I never saw you again, I would still love you. After all, I did it for six years after Paris."
She smiled, and he kissed her gently, holding her close to him. After a few moments of silence, Jenny suddenly began laughing, and Gibbs pulled back to look at her seriously.
"What?"
"I was just thinking," she laughed, "What are we going to name our non-existent baby?"
"Norman," he said immediately.
It was such an absurd idea that he couldn't stop himself from laughing as he leaned in to kiss her again.
"How long should we let that one go on before we crush their dreams?"
"Oh, at least until I get back, Jethro. I want to enjoy some of the fun."
He stood, holding out his hand and as she followed him into the basement, he turned to smile at her.
"Feel like ordering takeout?"
Jenny nodded, smiling at him.
"Sure. Norman and I are hungry."
The laughter that fell from her lips as he threw her over his shoulder was the best sound he'd heard in years.
A/N: Let me know what you think!