A/N: In which we travel to Stillwater, and Gibbs is very interested in his roast beef sandwich. Hope you enjoy!

Jenny stared out the window thoughtfully as Gibbs drove, wondering for the millionth time where they were going. They'd been driving for quite awhile, though she had lost track of the time soon after leaving. Her thoughts had been running rampant, going over endless scenarios, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could take the silence.

He turned down a dark road, causing Jenny to frown.

"Thought you said you weren't taking me to the woods to murder me," she said dryly.

He smirked, staying silent. Jenny watched the trees go by, reminding her of the times she had gone camping as a child, and she smiled softly.

"I haven't been this far in the woods since my father took my sister and I camping when I was eleven."

Gibbs frowned. He hadn't known Jenny even had a sister.
"Your sister?"

She nodded, glancing over at him.

"We're not close anymore. We haven't spoken since my father died."

"What's her name?"

"Heather. I think she got married a few years ago, but I could be wrong."

He nodded, his eyes on the road, and when he turned again, she saw they were approaching a small town. She sat up slightly, her eyes trying to take in every detail. They pulled up in front of a large building, and as she read the sign, she fought the urge to laugh.

"It really says "General Store" at the top? I've never seen a sign like that anywhere other than old television shows."

He nodded.

"Yep. Very small town."

"How do you know about this place?"

Shrugging, he grabbed his jacket.

"I grew up here."

"Really?"

He nodded, opening the door of the truck, and as he walked to her side, she looked around curiously.

"There's just one more thing," he said as he helped her down from the truck.

She raised her eyebrow and he nodded to the store.

"Let's go."

Following him to the door, she smiled when she heard the bell jungle as they opened it. Gibbs walked up to the counter, looking at the man standing behind it and he inclined his head in greeting.

"Nice to see you, Leroy."

Jenny frowned. It was so unusual to hear someone address Gibbs by his first name that it threw her off for a moment. The older man looked at him steadily, waiting for a response, and Gibbs nodded once, his expression never changing.

"Hi, Dad."

To say that she was shocked would have been the understatement of the year. Jenny's eyes flickered between the two men, trying to find some sort of resemblance in their features and she finally settled on staring at Gibbs in confusion.

"Dad, I'd like you to meet someone."

The elder Gibbs glanced at her, as if seeing her for the first time, and held out his hand.

"Jackson Gibbs."

"Jenny Shepard."

His eyes lingered on her hair and he smiled knowingly.

"Leroy always did like redheads."

Jenny smiled, nodding at him in agreement.

"Yes, I'm well aware."

Jackson walked around the counter to properly look at her and Jenny found herself feeling as though she was back in high school meeting her boyfriend's family for the first time. It made her uncharacteristically nervous and she ran her hand through her hair.

"What brings you back, Leroy? Haven't heard from you in nearly twenty years."

Gibbs shrugged.

"Needed to get away. Couldn't think of a better place to disappear."

Jackson frowned.

"You in some kind of trouble?"

Gibbs shook his head.

"Nope."

He didn't elaborate and Jackson didn't ask. Jenny stayed silent, watching the exchange feeling slightly like she'd stepped into the Twilight Zone. Suddenly, Jackson smiled and looked at her kindly.

"You two must be exhausted. It's late. I was just about to lock up. You're more than welcome to stay with me."

Gibbs shook his head.

"Not necessary."

"I insist."

Sighing, Gibbs nodded, knowing he would never win in the argument, and leaned down to Jenny, his voice low in her ear.

"Hope you weren't expecting the Ritz, Director."

She glared at him playfully and shook her head.

"Believe it or not, I don't much care for the Ritz. Too stuffy."

He laughed quietly, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She smiled as she looked up at him, wondering what other surprises the next few hours would bring.

As she wandered around the small room, Jenny smiled as she looked at the place Gibbs had lived in for the entirety of his childhood. It was sparsely decorated, not that she had expected any different, and as she ran her hand delicately over the small bookshelf, Gibbs walked up behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist and she turned, smiling up at him.

"You should get some sleep."

She smiled.

"Your dad won't call my parents if he catches us in the same bed, will he?"

Gibbs laughed, kissing her throat lightly.

"He might."

She touched his cheek, looking in his eyes seriously.

"You should sleep too, you know."

He nodded, pulling her towards the bed. It was small, but still wide enough for both to fit comfortably, and as he held her in his arms, Gibbs kissed the top of Jenny's head.

"Sleep, Jen. You're safe here."

She closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep, but her mind simply wouldn't turn off. She'd been introduced to a new aspect in Gibbs' life and she was having trouble processing it.

Though she tried, Jenny simply couldn't sleep, and as she turned in Gibbs' arms, she sighed. Carefully, she pulled away from him, and walked to the door. She knew she probably shouldn't be invading Jackson's house and privacy, but she knew she would never be able to live with the burning curiosity if she didn't at least explore a bit.

She frowned as she made her way into the kitchen, not expecting the soft light, and when he noticed her, Jackson smiled.

"Couldn't sleep?"

She shook her head.

"Too much going on in my head."

He nodded.

"Coffee?"

She accepted it gratefully, and as he smiled at her, she finally found the resemblance she'd been searching for. His eyes lit up in the same way when he smiled, and he looked at her seriously.

"Tell me the truth, Jenny. Leroy in some kind of trouble?"

She shook her head, her eyes sad.

"No," she answered quietly, "I am."

Sighing, Jenny took a drink of her coffee and he met her eyes, waiting for her to continue.

"Last October, I was...I was attacked. Jethro caught the man and he was put in prison. He got two years, but he's being released early. This weekend, actually. His brother was killed while he was locked up, and he might come looking for revenge. We needed a way to disappear, at least for a few days, so here we are."

Though he was certain he already knew the answer, Jackson had to ask anyway.

"What did he do to you, Jenny?"

She looked away, unable to meet his eyes.

"He raped me," she whispered.

The elder Gibbs nodded and reached across the table to touch her hand.

"I'm sorry. That's horrible."

She nodded and took another drink of her coffee, not even caring that it burned her tongue.

"It was. Jethro's been helping me through it, but it's still difficult at times."

"Well, Leroy's no stranger to difficult."

Jenny looked at him seriously, her voice soft in the quiet.

"He met her here, didn't he?"

Jackson nodded.

"Sure did. Train station. They were just kids, really."

"She was beautiful. He doesn't talk much about her. Or Kelly."

Jackson looked at her, his eyes searching hers, as if he were deciding how much to tell her.

"I haven't seen him since they passed. We had a falling out at the funeral. Even then, he didn't talk much about it. But if he told you, he must care about you a great deal."

Jenny didn't speak, and he stood, gesturing for her to follow him. She drained her coffee cup, walking closely behind him, and when he stopped in the living room, he knelt in front of an old trunk. It had been carefully restored, and Jenny wondered how long that particular piece of furniture had been in his possession. He opened it, and he pulled out a small dress, handing it to her gently.

"When she was about two or three, Shannon brought Kelly down here for a weekend. When Leroy came to pick her up, this accidentally got left behind. I put it up, planning to give it back to them the next time I saw them."

Jenny turned the fabric over in her hand, her fingers delicately tracing the pattern and she handed it back, trying to ignore the tears in her eyes.

"You never saw them again."

Jackson shook his head.

"I went to the funeral, but it didn't go so well. I messed up, and Leroy's never quite forgiven me."

Jenny reached out to touch his shoulder gently, and gave him a small smile.

"I'm sure he did. He's just not always good with words."

They walked back into the kitchen, Jackson refilling both his cup and Jenny's and as they sat in comfortable silence, Jenny found her thoughts returning to the tiny pink dress in Jackson's trunk.

"You know, you're the first woman he's brought here since Shannon."

Unsure of what to say, Jenny smiled as she raised her coffee cup to her lips.

"It's good to see that he's found someone."

"Thank you," she said softly.

The sound of footsteps approaching made them both look around and Jenny smiled as Gibbs walked into the room, heading straight for the coffee maker.

"Some things never change," Jackson laughed.

Against Jackson's protests, Jenny was stocking shelves in the store, needing something to occupy her time. Gibbs watched her silently, both making sure she was safe and admiring the view as she worked. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders, she wore a simple pair of jeans and a pale green shirt, and she had (for once) forgone her trademark heels in favour of a pair of Converse sneakers. He hadn't seen her dress so casually in years and she looked more relaxed that he'd ever known her to be.

Jackson, under the pretense of counting the register, was standing behind the counter and he occasionally glanced at his son and smiled as he saw how attentively he watched over the redhead. It was obvious, to anyone who looked, that his son cared deeply for the younger woman, and as he closed the register, Jackson made his way over to Gibbs.

"You gonna marry this one?"

The younger Gibbs shook his head.

"That's up to her to decide."

Jackson nodded, glancing at Jenny as she finished stocking the box she'd been working on.

"You love her."

Gibbs didn't answer, and Jackson continued.

"She seems like she's been good for you. She cares about you, any fool could see that. It's in her eyes when she talks about you."

"Mhm."

"Don't mess this up, Leroy."

"Don't plan on it."

Jenny walked over, flashing them a smile, and Gibbs returned it, his eyes roaming over her body appreciatively. She looked better than she had in weeks, and he handed her a bottle of water. Her hand shook as she took it, and when it slipped from her grasp, she swore softly. Jackson grabbed a towel from behind the counter and began to mop up the spilled liquid.

"I'm so sorry, Jackson."

He waved her words away, and smiled at her.

"It's okay. Just water. Not a big deal at all."

Gibbs frowned, looking at her with concern.

"You okay, Jen?"

She nodded, but her shaking hands told another story. He narrowed his eyes at her, and shook his head.

"You should sit down for a minute."

Though it was her first instinct to protest, one look at his serious expression told her not to argue. She nodded, walking to the back of the store, and Jackson frowned.

"Leroy?"

Gibbs sighed.

"She got sick awhile back. Still dealing with a few symptoms every so often."

"It serious?"

"It was. She's fine now."

Gibbs picked up another bottle of water, and when he walked back to the stock room, he found Jenny sitting on an upturned crate. He placed his hand on her shoulder and when she turned, he handed her the bottle of water with a smile.

"Thanks."

Her hands were steadier now, and as she took a long drink from the water bottle, Gibbs leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"You okay now?"

She nodded, and he held out his hand. She let him pull her to her feet and when he held her against him, she laid her head tiredly on his chest.

"You didn't sleep at all last night. You should go back to bed."

Her head shook, and he sighed.

"You're so damn stubborn."

She laughed, raising up to look at him.

"You're a fine one to talk."

Leaning down to kiss her, he smiled as her lips met his. A light clearing of the throat made them break apart and Jenny looked over to find Jackson standing in the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt, but how about lunch? I'm starving."

Glancing at Gibbs, Jenny waited until he had agreed to nod at the older man. Food sounded amazing.

"How long you two been together?"

Jenny looked to Gibbs, unsure of how to answer and frowned. He had suddenly become very interested in his roast beef sandwich, and she sighed.

"That's kind of a difficult one to answer."

"Since 1999, more or less," Gibbs replied.

Jenny shot him a confused look, and Jackson looked at his son in disbelief.

"All that time and I'm just now hearing about it?"

He shrugged, and Jackson smiled at Jenny.

"Seems to be pretty serious."

Jenny frowned, pretending to think about it.

"No, I don't think so."

Gibbs shook his head.

"Nope. It's just a teenage fling. Nothing important."

Jackson looked between them, not sure if they were joking or not.

"Leroy, you're fifty-two years old."

Jenny's eyes widened and she looked at Gibbs in mock horror.

"Fifty-two? You told me that you were thirty-five!"

He smirked.

"Sorry, Jen. Had to get you to like me somehow."

"Hm...okay. But...that means...we're old. This is very upsetting. What are we going to do now?"

He frowned, looking at her seriously. The laughter in his eyes made her feel happier than she had in weeks, and she fought to maintain her serious expression as he spoke next.

"We should run off to Canada."

She nodded, taking a drink of the tea sitting in front of her.

"Seems logical."

"Very funny."

Jackson had apparently realised that they were joking now, and Jenny laughed quietly as Gibbs returned to his roast beef sandwich. The elder Gibbs frowned as Jenny reached for her glass again, noticing the glint of silver at her throat, and when she excused herself to use the restroom, he turned to his son with confused eyes.

"She married before?"

Gibbs shook his head, puzzled.

"Nope. Why?"

"The ring around her neck. Thought maybe she was a widow or something."

Gibbs smirked.

"I gave that ring to her in '99. Told her she could put it on whenever she decided she wanted to marry me."

Jackson frowned.

"Why don't you just ask her?"

"Nah. Jen and I don't work that way. I'm leaving it up to her."

Jenny returned, smiling as she sat down, and looked at the two Gibbs men.

"So, Jackson...what was Jethro like as a teenager?"

Jackson laughed, and Gibbs glared at her. She shrugged, arching her eyebrow at him, and he sighed.

"Quiet, brooding, didn't get out much unless we went fishing."

Jenny looked at Gibbs, trying not to laugh.

"Wow...he's changed so much since then," she said sarcastically.

Jackson laughed at her words, and he looked to his son approvingly.

"I like her, Leroy."

Gibbs glanced at the redhead next to him, running his thumb over the back of her hand lightly. He was pretty fond of her, too.

Much too soon for Jenny's liking, the weekend had come to an end, and as she threw the last of their bags into the back of the truck, she frowned. She'd had a wonderful time getting to know Jackson, and learning more of his past, but she knew they couldn't hide in Stillwater forever. They both had jobs to return to, and she knew Gibbs was beginning to get restless.

His relationship with his father was still strained, but Jenny hoped that perhaps over time, she might be able to convince him to reach out again.

"See you, Dad. Thanks for letting us stay."

"Of course. Take care."

Jackson turned to Jenny, surprising her as he hugged her, and she smiled as he spoke in her ear.

"Keep him in line."

She nodded.

"I'll do my best. It was lovely to meet you, Jackson."

"Good to meet you, Jenny. Have a safe trip."

Gibbs nodded to his father as they drove away and when they had driven a few miles, Jenny turned in her seat to look at him.

"Jethro, I want to thank you. This was nice."

He glanced at her, stealing a look at the ring at her throat.

"You're welcome."

She rested her head against the window, watching the scenery as it flew past them. Her eyes closed as she tried in vain to stay awake, and before she knew what had happened, she was sleeping peacefully.

Gibbs didn't have the heart to wake Jenny as he parked the truck in front of her house, and as he lifted her into his arms, he frowned slightly. She seemed lighter than she had previously, though he supposed that was to be expected given her recent illness, and as he gently kicked her front door shut, he kissed her forehead.

He carried her up to the bedroom, setting her down on the bed carefully, and laid down next to her, pulling her into his arms. She stirred in his embrace, opening her eyes slowly, and looked at him blearily.

"Jethro?"

'Go back to sleep, Jen."

She nodded, curling her body into his, and he smiled. He reached out, touching the silver ring lightly, and as he watched her sleep, he wondered if she would have said yes if he'd asked her. Somehow, he doubted it, but still he wondered.

Jenny opened her eyes, trying to figure out how she'd ended up in her bed. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep in Gibbs' truck on the way back from Stillwater. Feeling a slight movement to her right, she looked over and smiled when she noticed the former marine sleeping next to her. She ran her fingers through his hair lightly and when he opened his eyes, she smiled again.

"Hey."

"Hey. Sleep well?"

She nodded, raising up on her arm to kiss him, and when he swept his tongue into her mouth, she pulled him closer. The kiss left her breathless, in the best possible way, and after she pulled away, her hands trailed down his chest.

"What was that for?" she whispered.

"Jen, I had to spend an entire weekend not being able to touch you. That's torture."

He kissed her again, harder than before, and when he pushed her farther onto her back, she immediately pulled his shirt over his head.

"In a hurry?"

"Don't be gentle."

He frowned. The last time she'd told him that, she'd been trying to forget. He wondered at her motivation now, but her lips on his skin made him ignore his suspicions. He pulled her clothing from her body in record time, his own not far behind, and when she bit down on his lower lip, he gasped. He ran his hands over her body, trying to make sure she was ready, and she kissed him again, her hands tight in his hair.

"Jenny..."

"Hush."

She flipped them so that he was under her, and he frowned at her urgency. She took him in rougher than she'd ever done before, and as she moved over him, he gripped her hips hard enough to bruise. He flipped them again, jerking her closer, and she cried out, her head falling back. His movements were harsh, and he bit down on her throat, relishing the loud moan that fell from her lips. She knew, without a doubt, that there would be a mark on her white skin the next day, but she welcomed it.

Her hips met his every thrust, his name a low moan in her throat, and his hand wound into her hair. He gripped it tightly, using it to tip her head back, and he ran his tongue along the shell of her ear. She shivered, moaning as his teeth pulled the nipple of her breast into his mouth. He knew he was close, and he looked down at her seriously.

"Jen.."

"Don't stop," she whispered.

He reached between them, touching her expertly, and she jerked in his arms. As they both fell over the edge, she moaned breathlessly, her eyes closing as her head fell back. He buried his head in her shoulder, breathing in scent of sex, sweat, perfume, and a scent that was uniquely Jenny, and she kissed his temple weakly.

"Jethro..."

"Hm?"

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

Jenny smiled as she looked at the picture in her hands, and when Gibbs walked up behind her, she turned.

"What're you looking at?"

She handed it to him, and he glanced at it.

"It's a picture of Heather and me."

He looked at it more closely, taking in every detail. Jenny appeared to be around twenty in the picture, and her sister looked slightly younger. Her hair, a shade or two darker than Jenny's, fell just below her chin, and he smiled.

"Two redheaded daughters close in age. I feel bad for what the Colonel went through when you were in high school."

Jenny smacked him lightly.

"I was a good kid."

"He would've been horrified at what we just did, then."

She laughed, nodding.

"Definitely. He would have had a coronary."

He handed the picture back to her and she set it down on the coffee table. Her hands shook slightly, and he took one of them gently in his own.

"Feeling okay?"

She nodded.

"I still get dizzy sometimes, but it's not too bad. The main thing I notice is the shaking. Annoying, but manageable."

He kissed her hand and she gave him a smile.

"Thinking about calling your sister?"

She shook her head.

"No. She doesn't want to talk to me."

"You never know."

She settled back on the couch and he did the same, pulling her legs across his lap. There was a question he'd been dying to ask her, but he hadn't wanted to possibly ruin their first night back in town. Still, he supposed he would take the plunge. It would bother him until he did, so no time like the present.

"Hey, Jen?"

"Hm?"

"If I had asked you to marry me back in '99. Would you have said yes?"

She frowned, thinking.

"I don't know. I've never really considered being married before. It seems so...final. It's so permanent."

She glanced at him, smirking.

"Well, it's usually permanent. I'm not against the idea, but it's not something that I want to rush into. I'd have to consider it very carefully."

He nodded.

"I can respect that. Just wanted to know your thoughts."

Jenny laughed, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Since when do you care about a woman's thoughts?"

He nodded, glancing at her seriously.

"You're right. It's all about the sex. We've got no substance to our relationship. Nothing deep or meaningful about it."

"To be fair, the sex is really damn good."

He kissed her, running his hand up and down her leg gently.

"Yeah, it is."

"Good thing I'm pretty. We'd never make it without casual sex."

"Hate to break it to you, Jen, but I'm definitely the pretty one here."

Jenny couldn't stop herself from bursting into laughter and he smiled as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Her laugh was one of the best sounds he'd ever heard, and he would do anything to hear it for the rest of his life. She looked at him seriously, and tried to steady her voice.

"If you're the pretty one, what does that make me?"

"The smart one."

"You're right," she smirked, "You are kind of an idiot."

"My dad would agree with you."

The mood instantly shifted and she touched his knee lightly.

"Jackson loves you. He might not say it, but you Gibbs men have never been much for words."

"Think he might love you more."

She rolled her eyes.

"Jethro, I'm serious. You really should try to work things out. I know he misses you."

He sighed. Perhaps she had a point.

"I'll try. But it won't be easy."

Jenny moved closer, nearly sitting on his lap, and she kissed him gently.

"Nothing worth having ever is. Our relationship is a perfect example of that. We've always been complex and sometimes downright painful, but it's worth it."

He smiled, kissing her again.

"You're worth everything to me."

Jenny found herself thinking about Gibbs' words more and more over the next few days and as she sat in her office, she pulled the ring from its chain. It sat in her hand, glittering in the bright sun that filtered through her window, and when Cynthia knocked on her door, she jumped, sliding it onto her hand so that she wouldn't drop it.

"Excuse me, Director. Agent Lee in legal dropped off these papers for you to review."

The redhead nodded, reaching for them. The younger woman noticed the ring on her hand and her eyes widened slightly.

"Is something wrong, Cynthia?"

"No, ma'am. I don't want to pry, but...is that a wedding ring?"

Jenny glanced at her hand and removed it from her finger, blushing slightly.

"It's complicated."

"Understood, ma'am."

She smiled as her assistant left her office and she placed the ring back on its chain. She'd been turning the idea over in her head, but she just wasn't sure if it was a step she was ready to take. As she thought back to what it had been like pretending to be married to Gibbs, she suddenly remembered something he had said to Jackson in Stillwater that didn't quite add up.

Picking up her phone, she called his desk, hoping that he hadn't gotten a case and when he answered, she smiled.

"Yeah. Gibbs."

"Can you come up to my office, Jethro? I have something to ask you."

"On my way."

When her door opened seconds later, she frowned.

"Did you run?"

"Didn't want to keep you waiting, Director. You wanted to see me?"

She nodded.

"In Stillwater, you told Jackson that we'd been together since '99. How is that right? You and I both know it isn't true. You can't lie to your own father, Jethro."

He shook his head.

"Didn't lie to him."

Jenny frowned, beyond confused.

"What are you talking about?"

He leaned over her desk, looking into her eyes deeply.

"Even after you left, even after I married again, you were still with me."

He winked at her, walking away before she could articulate a response, and as her door clicked shut behind him, she shook her head as she laughed.

A/N: Hope you liked it.