I've had the rough draft for this story for a year already but haven't taken the time to write it out. Last night I decided that maybe 20/05 (Jenny's death date) is a good day to post my very first story. I have a few others that are or are close to being finished but never had the nerve to post them..

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, just someone who wished for a happier end for them.

It's been a week from hell. Actually, the past 8 months haven't been too enjoyable, ever since she became director. But this week has just all been too much and Jenny decided to go out, drink a little and forget about everything. After leaving work early, or earlier than usual at least, and dismissing her security detail she drove a little outside of DC to a bar.

Joe has been a bartender for 25 years and he's seen a lot of people that come into bars he's also heard a lot of stories. Therefore he knows when it's time to take the keys from someone so they don't do anything stupid. The woman he's been serving for the last two hours had reached that point about half an hour ago, she was a redhead, good looking and very quiet, just asking for Bourbon over and over again, nothing more. Even when he politely asked to take her keys she just handed them over not saying a word.

An hour later he wanted to ask if she needed another one when he noticed she's got her head and arms on the counter and was fast asleep. Joe shakes his head and walks over to her with the intent to wake her and get her into a taxi but she isn't waking up and because he really is just a big softie and has analyzed that this woman was heartbroken violently shaking her awake wasn't an option for him. After deciding to open her purse that was lying next to her head he took out her phone and pressed speed dial #1.

Gibbs shot up from his lying position when he realized his phone was ringing and promptly hit is head on a beam of his boat. Groaning he put a hand on his forehead and stumbled out from under the boat to reach the mobile phone on the workbench. For once he looks at the caller ID to see who was bothering him at 12:30 at night. Jethro furrowed his brow when he reads the name. Jenny.

"Jen?"

"Eh, no it's Joe. I'm a bartender at 'Owen's Room' just outside DC."

"Why the hell do you have Jenny's phone?"

"Well, she's been here for the last 3 hours drinking and now she's passed out drunk and I called the first person on her speed dial to maybe come pick her up."

"I'm on my way."

After probably breaking every traffic law there is the former marine walked into the bar 15 minutes later and immediately spotted the redhead asleep, just like the man on the phone said. Scrubbing a hand over his face he made his way towards her and braced himself for drunk Jenny.

But first, he walked over to the bartender, thanking him for calling and settles the bill.

Then the agent gently shakes her shoulder and spoke to get her to wake up.

"Jen you gotta wake up. Come on, Jen."

She groggily opened her eyes and tried to focus on him. After a few seconds she looks very confused and asked slurring.

"Jethro?"

"Yeah, come on let's get you home."

Jenny barely managed to nod her head he put his arm around her waist to support her and they walked out of the bar to his truck. After helping her in and buckling the seatbelt he climbed into the driver seat. Before he could even pull the car out of the parking space she was already asleep again.

Finally standing in her driveway she was still asleep and looking at her like that Jethro didn't have the heart to wake her up again so decided to just carry her in. Just as he put her down on the bed she opened her eyes and looks at him confused and another emotion he couldn't really make out right now. After a few seconds of staring, he decided to break the silence.

"Why were you trying to drink yourself into oblivion, Jen?"

Still half asleep and way too drunk to even think about lying she whispered:

"You." And falls back to sleep leaving him stunned and confused.

Next morning:

Still groggy and with a pounding headache Jenny wakes up hearing a noise downstairs. Roughly rubbing her hands over her face she hopes it was just her imagination and she can go right back to sleep. Just then there's another noise. As fast as her hungover body manages she got up and pulls out her gun. Quietly making her way down, gun raised in front of her she can now make out that the noises are coming from her kitchen. She makes her towards it and just as she was about to yell 'freeze' the word gets stuck in her throat and her body stops when she sees who's standing in her kitchen, making coffee.

Gibbs heard her walking around upstairs so after he already made himself a cup of coffee he makes one for her too. With both cups in his hands he turns around and comes face to face with a gun pointed at him.

"Jesus Jen, put the gun down!"

Still shocked and confused it a few moments to make her realize she was still pointing the gun at him, she looked down at it, but doesn't lower it until in one quick move he steps forward and takes it from her putting the safety back on not wanting her to do something stupid in her haze.

"Jethro?" she asks still very confused.

"Yeah, that's my name." he states slowly.

"What are you doing here?"

"Making sure you don't die of alcohol poisoning or do something else stupid."

She just stares at him still confused and now getting a little angry. Just as she was about to ask what the hell he was on about he spoke again.

"You don't remember anything from last night, do you?"

"Last night? What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember going to a bar?"

"Yes, I went home a little early and drove out to this bar I heard about. I had a few drinks and…" her eyes widened.

"Then I don't remember. I… How much did I drink? How did I get home?"

"I brought you home."

"What? How did you even know where I was?"

"When you passed out bartender took your phone and called speed dial #1, apparently that's me?" he asks raising his eyebrow.

Blushing a little she manages to answer awkwardly: "Um… yeah, sorry he had to call you, drag you away from whatever you were doing. Maybe I should change my speed dial."

He shakes his head. "Wasn't doing anything, Jen. Happy to be here when you need help."

Not entirely comfortable with where this conversation was going and her head still pounding she just gave a quick nod and made her way to the cup of coffee on the table.

For several minutes they sit in silence drinking their coffees until Jenny realizes something.

"You stayed here all night?"

"Yeah."

"Why? Where?"

"Slept on the couch in your study."

"That sofa isn't really comfortable to sleep on why didn't you just go home?"

Looking right into her eyes he said:

"Couldn't leave you alone like that."

Her heart sped up at the thought of him caring so much about her so she looked down at her cup to avoid eye contact. She couldn't get her hopes up, so after taking the last sip she stood up.

"I'm gonna go shower."

And with that she was out of the room on heading upstairs. Leaving him alone to think about how he would bring up what she said last night. Why the hell was she getting drunk because of him?

20 minutes later

Feeling and looking a lot better after a long, hot shower and some fresh clothes Jenny made her way back downstairs to find him sitting in the exact same position she left him in. Ignoring his presence she filled up a glass of water to take an aspirin to try and manage her headache. Turning around she found Gibbs now staring at her. Swallowing the pill she sat down at the table and picked up the newspaper he must've brought in earlier. He continued just staring at her, not saying a word and after 10 minutes it really agitated her.

"What?" she snapped.

"Why did you go out and get drunk?"

"I don't remember." The answer came way to fast and she could even feel her own eye twitch. Judging by the way he was looking at her he saw it too.

Sighing she put the paper away and tried again.

"The job, the stress, everyone undermining my authority because I'm a woman. It's hard to do your job when all those pigs look at you like some piece of meat and think she must've slept her way to the top. Like I'm just something to look at and am not allowed to have a brain. And then I have SecNav pounding into me about this and that and it got to me yesterday, I just wanted to let loose a little. I didn't think I drank so much."

On one hand, he had no doubt that everything she said was true and the way she described how those men made her feel made him incredibly angry but he knew she can take her of herself and in his eyes she has more than proven that she's good at her job. On the other hand, he knew there was more to it, she couldn't even look him in the eyes right now and his gut told him to keep pushing.

"Not what you said last night."

At that her head snapped up. "What?"

"When I put you down on the bed last night you woke up for a second and I asked you why you were trying to drink yourself into oblivion. That wasn't the answer you gave me then."

"What did I say?" she asked uncertainly, afraid of what her drunk self said.

"Me."

"What?"

"You said you got drunk because of me."

She sighed and put her head in her hands, she was not ready for this.

"Jen, what the hell did I do that makes you want to pass out drunk?" his voice getting louder with every word.

Jenny stood up and rushed out of the room towards her study but he was right behind her, desperate for answers. Grabbing her arm he turned her around to face him.

"What. Did. I. Do?"

"Nothing." She replies quietly shaking her head slowly.

"Then why?" he didn't understand a thing.

"It's not anything you did. It's what I did." It came out as barely a whisper and she refused to meet his eyes.

"What you did? Stop with the riddles! What are you talking about?" he sounded honestly desperate now.

It's now or never. She looked up at him, took a deep breath and let out everything that's been plaguing her.

"Oh please don't act like you forgot. What I did to you, to me. I left. I left to pursue some stupid revenge mission and I didn't even have the guts to say goodbye! I took the cowards way out and I've regretted it all ever since. Coming back here, not just dealing with all the shit a woman in my position has to deal with but also seeing you every day, reminding me of what I did. What I threw away and how much I still fucking love you!"

"Jen…" there was a defeated look on his face.

"No. Don't. Don't apologize for not feeling the same way. This is my fault alone and I have to deal with it. I know you hate me, I mean I hate myself-"

"Jen!" he yelled a little louder effectively cutting her off. He grabbed her shoulders and look straight into her eyes, speaking slowly.

"I don't hate you. I could never hate you. Yes, I was hurt and it took me a while to accept you left. But I knew I forgave you a long time ago the second I saw you in MTAC because like I already told you, I missed you. I missed you so much and I love you too."

Shocked and disbelieving she stared at him and with a crack in her voice whispers. "You what?"

"I love you. And stop hating yourself for what happened, it was a long time ago and there's nothing you can do to change it. And don't you ever get so recklessly drunk again because you think I hate you!"

With his right hand he caresses her cheek and her lips curl up into a smile.

"I promise."

With that said he leans in and after such a long time kisses her. A slow and gentle kiss full of emotion. Wrapping their arms around each other both of them finally feel at home.