Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that appear on the TV show belong to Belisarius Productions and CBS. Any characters that don't are all mine because I created them…they're all mine I tell you :P
A/N: Okay so I left that last chapter fairly angst filled and a little sad…I don't plan on leaving it there so here we go the third act is about to begin. Thanks heaps to three.steps, for her continued Betaing skills and chats about where to head. Thanks heaps Jess you're awesome. Please continue to review, because I'm going to try and finish this soon.
Jenny hobbled around to her desk; she slowly and carefully put the crutches against the desk and slowly sat in her seat. Everything had just fallen apart; she had planned for the surprise to be…well exactly that a surprise. Now she felt like she was drowning, it was her fault; those last words of Gibbs before she had slapped him across the face had stung her soul. "That wouldn't have stopped you from marrying me after would it? Or was that too much to jeopardise your opportunity as Director?" Jethro's words had hit the core of her, she had been selfish and now she was paying the price for her own selfishness. Jenny felt the tears welling up in her eyes even as she struggled to choke back her emotion.
"Why mum?" Laura Jane said looking at Jenny, "Why did he have to leave? Why did he not stay and hug us like you used to promise?"
"Look what you did?" Hayley said the accusation clear in her voice as she now looked at Jenny, "Dad is never going to make us a family now is he?" The statement cut deep, so very deep that Jenny's pent up emotions suddenly broke the dam that was holding them at bay.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry," Jenny was all that could be heard from Jenny's mouth as tears flowed down her face and sobs racked her body. Hayley and LJ rose from the couch, they were beginning to follow their mum's example and were starting to cry. Jenny took them in her arms as they cried onto her shoulders. Jenny mustered all her reserves to try and settle her girls down, "Shhh, its okay. I love you and you are precious to me." Jenny kissed them on the cheek and held them close.
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"Wow!" Tony said slumping into his chair behind his desk.
"Yeah wow is right Tony," McGee nodded in agreement. Ziva held Abby as the Goth cried into her shoulder, this was a luxury but Ziva had been the closest person. Ziva just hoped Tony didn't start getting into his fantasy world again.
Jimmy held his head in his hands as he sat his back against the outside of Gibbs' desk. He looked up, "It can't end like that can it?"
"It has and it just did," Tony said sourly.
"Are you two going to hold up your bet?" McGee said absentmindedly as he tried to move on from the subject, though not very far. Ziva glared and shook her head at McGee before she turned to look at Tony. Please he couldn't do it now, not like this.
"Nope," Tony said he saw the fear and suspicion leave Ziva's eyes, "But I'll make a bet with you Ziva."
Ziva finally managed to speak, "No, no more bets with you Tony. You'll just bury us more in a big whole, yes?"
"Nope, dig a bigger hole for yourself," Tony corrected grateful for Ziva's idiom mistakes.
"Whatever," Ziva snapped, "I'm not betting you again."
"Just hear me out a second," Tony said rising from his desk and walking around his desk. "You complete the dinner with me and that sexy dress you have to wear…"
"I knew he wouldn't forget," Ziva rolled her eyes.
"As I was saying," Tony paused to grin at Ziva, before continuing, "You complete the bet with me, on one condition that if something in the Jibbs family suddenly changes soon it's on okay."
"Oh well in that case, I accept Tony," Ziva smiled at him with an almost superior smile, Tony held out his hand to shake and she accepted it. "You are on DiNozzo."
"Good David, good," Tony grinned before he returned to his seat.
"Hey!" Tony almost hit the roof as he leapt out of his seat, Hayley looked at him apologetically, "Sorry Tony, we didn't mean to make you jump out of your skin."
"He has a lot to jump out of," Jimmy said good-naturedly earning a glare from Tony.
"What's up guys?" McGee asked as he walked round to them.
"Timmy out of my way," Abby shoved McGee out of the way before she was on her knees. Hugging both LJ and Hayley tightly too herself, "Oh I love you two!"
"We know," LJ said struggling in Abby's grip, "But what we really want to do is see our Dad okay."
"Wait," Ziva began, before looking at Tony, "You knew this was going to happen didn't you."
"Hey don't look at me," Tony said defensively, "I just figured since they are one part Boss and another part Director, they would make a way to find their Dad even when he doesn't want to be found."
"Oh I'm going to get you Tony!" Ziva snapped at him.
"Can you just take us to our Dad and worry about kissing and making out later," Hayley rolled her eyes at Tony and Ziva, before adding to Abby, "Mum was right about those too they just want to touch each other all the time."
"Did I hear someone say 'can we go to Dad's place please Uncle Tim'?" McGee held his keys to his Porsche in his hand. The last words earned him a glare from both girls and he stood there feeling uncomfortable.
"Can you take us to Dad's place?" Hayley beamed at McGee
"Uncle Tim." LJ added a cute smile on her face.
"Hey why not me?" Tony said a little snubbed.
"You have to go be romantic with Aunt Ziva…" LJ started to say.
"Excuse me?" Ziva started which earned her a nudge from Abby and a look for her to be quiet. "Yes Aunt Ziva…oh I'm going to kill Jenny when this is all over."
"You'll have to wait your turn sweetcheeks," Tony grinned at her, "First we need to find a hot and sexy dress for you to wear."
"See told you, you had to be romantic didn't we Uncle Tony," Hayley grinned at them both with a conspiratorial smile.
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Gibbs sat at the workbench in his basement, a mug of bourbon in hand. He looked at Ducky, "They were so beautiful Duck."
"I know Jethro," Ducky smiled at his friend, "It seems you are a father again."
"For how long though Duck, next thing you know Jen has taken some job in Europe and the girls move with her." Gibbs said staring at his cup, "I want to be a better Dad and now I can't because she doesn't want me."
"If you believe that Jethro, my friend," Ducky took a sip at his mug of bourbon, "Then you don't know your soon to be wife very well." Gibbs snorted at the statement, Ducky continued, "Well I wouldn't doubt that, that might very well happen hmm Jethro."
"Yeah Duck, when hell freezes over," Gibbs snorted again.
"Well I better get back," Ducky said placing the mug back on the bench, "I have a new body that has just come in, I believe it has just come from hell. So if you will excuse me Jethro…"
"Bye Duck," Gibbs said as Ducky ascended the stairs. Gibbs rose from his bench and turned to the now almost complete hull of the boat named "Kelly". He pulled the pot of varnish off his bench and turned to apply some more for the second coat of four coats varnish. The brush strokes becoming long and smooth as the worries of the day seemed to run away from his shoulders.
"Dad?"
Gibbs looked around the voice sounded far away as if he had thought he heard it.
Gibbs continued to brush more varnish onto the decking of the boat. He closed his eyes as the peace of the lacquering once again began to remove the stress from his shoulders.
"Daddy?"
Gibbs put the brush back into the pot and laid it on the bench. He reached for the turpentine to clean his hands from the few bits of varnish which were seeping into his pours.
"Dad?" The voice was now sounding louder, as well as other voices now.
"Gibbs?" McGee's voice filled the basement.
Abby's voice filled the basement, "McGee he's right there you don't have to shout."
"Hey!" Gibbs bellowed at them, "I hope it's not you calling me Dad!"
"Ah no Boss," McGee said defensively, "It's definitely not us, is it Abs?"
Abby descended the stairs, "See I told you, you should have come down here to look." Abby turned back to Gibbs, "No Gibbs we weren't calling for you." Abby gestured to whoever was out of view to come down. "But they were." Hayley and LJ slowly descended the stairs, they looked a little nervous and scared as the pressed close to Abby.
"Girls! Come here you two," Gibbs said as he knelt down and opened his arms wide to them both. Hayley and LJ let go of Abby, running down the stairs to wrap their arms around Gibbs neck and burst into tears again.
A/N: This isn't the end so don't worry or fret. But please review the happy ending is around the corner. It's got to be fluffy. I mean it is me. Please review and good reading. Kandon.