A/N Gosh, I am so relieved that you guys were pleased with the previous chapter. I am paranoid, I know. I'd like to give a big thanks to everyone who has reviewed and kept me going with this one, but an extra special thanks to Sasha1600, who has listened to my moans and groans when I just didn't know how to proceed. Also to ME Wofford who has been a great support.
I thought it wasn't fair to finish this without exploring Jen's little lie. So, all is revealed. I hope that you like it. As for a sequel, I will be taking some time off work next week and may be without net access (eek!) but I have a Ducky PDA (see season 2 episode SWAK) so hopefully will have the start of another story when I get back home.
PaperHat
On Tuesday morning, Gibbs bounded up the stairs heading towards the Directors Office, feeling decidedly in a good mood. He even managed a smile for Cynthia as he headed straight for the door, snapped the handle, and barged into the office unannounced.
"Good morning Jethro, you are looking pleased with yourself, so I take it your little trip to OCS went well?"
"Oh yeah," he grinned widely.
Jen removed her glasses as she leaned forward on her desk.
"And do I have a team who are fit for work?"
Gibbs rolled his eyes, "Well, the aroma of muscle rub in the office is a little overpowering and yes, they are a little sore and stiff, but they are in good enough shape for duty."
Jen eyed him cautiously for a moment and then her desire for more information overtook her, "which one did they do, tell me you didn't have them do both!"
"Just 'The Stamina' Jen, I'm not that cruel!"
Jen sighed with relief and then snapped her head up, "Hey! You had me doing both!"
Gibbs raised his eyebrow, "If I recall Director, you didn't finish 'The Confidence' course."
Jen winced at the memory, "Jethro, I fell from the 'Horizontal Ladders' and severely damaged my tail bone. I couldn't sit comfortably for days, that's the only reason why you let me stop, else you would have hauled me around the rest of it!"
"Ah Jen, come on, you didn't damage your tail bone, all you did was fall on your ass, it was more your pride and your stubbornness that took a knock than your butt. I let you stop because by that time you had learned your lesson."
Gibbs tried hard to suppress a chuckle as his memory jogged and he instantly recalled the scene.
Flashback
"Use those damn hips of yours to swing yourself forward and grab hold of the other bar….DO IT!" Gibbs barked at his Probie.
"I c..c…can't…my…arms are too sore!" Jen whimpered as she hung limply from the second rung on the Horizontal Ladder obstacle.
"Your arms weren't sore when you were pulling slot machines were they?" Gibbs growled sarcastically.
"Next time I send you to visit the Marine Corps base in Las Vegas, you will NOT knock off four hours early and go gambling on my time, and then, tell me that you were interviewing all afternoon will you?"
"No! I won't do it again boss, I pro….aaarggghhh!!"
Jen had lost her grip and she fell hard to the ground. She immediately rolled on her side and began rubbing her butt.
"Ooowww! I think I've broken something," Jen howled as she lay on the ground exhausted.
Gibbs lifted her gently from the ground and carefully removed the several leafs and pieces of bark from her hair,
"Okay, I think we are done here, you going to lie to me again Shepherd?"
"No Agent Gibbs, I can assure you….there will be no more lies," she said remorsefully, still struggling for breath, but grateful that the ordeal was eventually over.
Gibbs moved close to her ear, "I'm going to hold you to that Probie, because if you do, the pain in your ass won't be the result of some damned Horizontal Ladders, you got me?"
Jen nodded quickly and, walking stiffly, accompanied her mentor back to the base.
--oooo--
"Stop it Jethro!"
Jen's voice brought him back to the present and his eyes went wide,
"What?" he asked innocently.
"You were thinking about the Las Vegas incident in too great a detail for my liking."
Gibbs grinned softly and then sighed as he opened the door, "So does mommy want to go check on the kids for herself?" he asked sarcastically.
Jen scowled and rose from her seat, and slapped him playfully on the arm, as they both headed out of the door.
In the bullpen, it had been quieter than usual. Tim, Tony, Abby and Ziva had all started work earlier than normal and had begun to work away diligently. No-one had had the nerve to speak of the previous day's events until Tony dropped his pencil on the floor and instinctively bent over to pick it up,
"Haaaooow!" he yelped as the muscles in his back spasmed.
Tim groaned, "Thank God, I thought I was the only one who was sore."
Tony grimaced as he straightened up, "You should have seen me in the shower this morning McGeek I could hardly lift…."
"Stop putting that vision in my mind DiNozzo! I feel bad enough today!" Ziva snapped as she covered her ears.
Tony turned and frowned at her till she dropped her hands from her ears,
"….my arms to wash my hair!" he said slowly.
Abby walked gingerly into the bullpen accompanied by Jimmy holding a large brown box, which she instructed him to place on Gibbs desk. He then headed back to autopsy without speaking a word, having been told by Abby, all about the previous day.
"I have definitely pulled muscles where I didn't even know that I had muscles, in fact, I think even my DNA has been pulled," she groaned.
Tony smiled softly, as he used one arm to lift his other onto Abby's shoulder, "welcome to our world Abbs."
Director Shepherd and Agent Gibbs entered the bullpen and Jen stood in the centre with her arms folded,
"I am fully aware of what happened yesterday, and, I know that each of you has learned a very valuable lesson. I am also happy to see, that despite the hardship you endured, you are all fit and able to be in here today."
Four sets of humble eyes suddenly found the floor and Jen headed towards the stairs to return to her office. She whispered to Gibbs before she left,
"I see what you mean about the muscle rub Jethro!" she added as she scrunched her nose in displeasure.
Gibbs stifled a laugh as he made for his own desk and frowned as he noticed the large brown box invading his desk.
Abby, Tim and Ziva gathered around Tony who stood beside his boss and coughed nervously as he was met with his trademark stare,
"We uh, know that you don't…do apologies…but we…uh…thought we should do this….because it was our fault…that…uh…you know."
Gibbs took out his knife and with a flick of his wrist he revealed the blade and slit the top of the box. He peered inside and smiled and then closed it over. He looked at each of the contrite faces of his team and then nodded his head in silent acknowledgement, before lifting the box and placing it on the floor
"I'm going for coffee," he said smartly as he headed for the elevator.
Tony breathed a sigh of relief and beamed with a wide smile,
"Okay, who's going to explain to him what an integral DVD player is?"
THE END...UNTIL TONY OPENS HIS BIG MOUTH AGAIN WITH ANOTHER BRIGHT IDEA...