A week and a half passed before she arrives to work to find another cup of coffee on her desk.
She tries to sort out his intentions. A peace offering? It's plausible. They did understand each other in terms of caffeine dependency if nothing else. An attempt at swaying her stance on their relationship? Another contender, but Jethro Gibbs has never been one for wooing and she doubts he's going to start now. Lord knows she would have to persuade Ducky to check his cognitive function if that were the case.
The coffee is a blessing though, and she tries not to look a gift horse in the mouth. She has a two hour meeting with in MTAC that she'll need to be well caffeinated to get through.
She makes the mistake of looking over to his desk as she makes her way across the catwalk just in time to see his hand collide with the back of Tony's head. She had to surprise a laugh; it seems like yesterday she had been on the receiving end of his infamous head slaps.
When he looks up at her, eyes bouncing from the coffee in her hand to her, a flush of warmth washes over her.
The affect he had on her was unprecedented, and she knew given the right circumstances she would give into him all over again. No matter how much she tried to deny it, one thing was certain: he was the love of her life.
It scared her.
"Leaving?"
He had looked up from his desk when he heard her making her way down the steps. The bullpen was mostly empty, save for them and a few cleaning crew members, and she didn't know whether to be spiteful or thankful of that fact.
"No Jethro," she says with an eye roll, "I thought I'd take a stroll through the halls with my coat and scarf on at 7 o'clock at night."
He chuckles at her, and she can't help but laugh too.
"Smart ass." He mutters.
The words slip out of her mouth before her rational judgment can stop her.
"Walk with me?"
If he's surprised by her request, he doesn't let on.
"Sure that's a good idea, Jenny?" He says, though he's already grabbing his coat and flipping off the lamp at his desk as he does.
"No," she answers truthfully, "but I'm not sure about much these days."
It's perhaps the most honest she's been both herself and him in a long time.
They remain silent while he buttons his coat and gathers what few belongings he carries around. She thinks that there would be a tension in the silence, but is relieved to find there is none. They can slip into a level of comfort without even trying, she realizes.
She feels the back of his fingers brush hers while the stand to wait for the elevator. She writes it off as a fluke at first, thinking it was just a result of them standing side by side.
But when she feels his hand lightly grasp hers, she knows it was all too purposeful on his part.
Every bit of rational thinking in her head tells her to pull her hand away, but she can't bring herself to do it.
Instead she follows him into the elevator, hand in hand, where they still wait in silence as it descends to the ground floor.
She inhaled sharply when she feels his thumb gently stroke the backs of her fingers, and can't help but close her eyes at the sensation.
When the elevator dings, he lets go.
"After you." He simply says when the doors open, and she feels to dizzy from his touch than to do anything other than step out from the elevator.
"Thank you." She says when they reach her car, because she's scared if she says anything else something will slip out she can't take back.
"Anytime, Madam Director."
She snorts, "Still haven't read that memo, Jethro?"
"Elected not to listen to it."
She laughs, air cold enough around her that she can see the heat of her breath as she exhales, but she's still too warm from their interaction in the elevator to notice.
"You're incorrigible."
His mere presence throws all of her rational thinking for a loop, and so she reaches up and places her palm on his cheek, pressing a kiss to the opposite side of his face.
It's quick and chaste and makes her heart flutter all the same.
"Goodnight, Jethro."
He gives her a smile, the tenderness in his eyes almost making her knees buckle entirely.
"Night, Jen."
When she gets into her car she drops her head against the steering wheel.
She was screwed.
A/n: R&R please, reading your comments really does make my day so much, it would be one of the best Christmas gifts to check back and see your guys thoughts. I hope you enjoy either way.