Gibbs was alone, working on his boat, when Shelby arrived. He took one look at his sister and knew something was wrong. "Hey."
"Hey." She grabbed a piece of sandpaper, beginning to help him. "You need to talk to Jen."
He stepped back, studying her. "Why's that?"
She kept working, the steady movements soothing her. "She doesn't understand this week and she won't until you tell her."
"Shelby." He touched her shoulder and she turned around. "There's something else, isn't there?"
She nodded. "There's been rumors at work that you're seeing someone else."
He almost spit out the bourbon he'd taken a sip of. "That I'm cheating on Jenny?"
"She believes it. Someone told her they saw you with a woman…"
"She wouldn't…" He stopped himself, knowing she just might, especially after the way he'd behaved that week. "Damn it, Jen," he whispered under his breath. He studied her again. "Honey, what's wrong?"
"Tony and I had a fight."
He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. It was hard enough to see Tony with his baby sister; listening to their love problems was something else entirely. He sensed, however, that he needed to make an exception to the rule. "What was it about?"
"Tony's a lot like you, right?"
He smiled. "So they tell me." He paused. "Why?"
"If he thinks that you're cheating, does that mean he is?"
He sat down on the work bench with her, his arm around her shoulders. "If I thought, for one second, that DiNozzo would cheat on you, I'd kill him." He paused. "You're my baby sister. I've never let anyone hurt you and I never will. I trust Tony. As much as it pains me to admit this, he loves you. You're the only woman in his life. And what's more is that you know that. You're just upset." He kissed her temple.
"Senor Gibbs," Noemi, Jenny's housekeeper, responded upon opening the doors.
"Is the senora here?" He asked, knowing full well she was.
Noemi paused, knowing her instructions, but nodded, disobeying direct instructions not to let him in. He smiled at her. "Gracias."
"De nada." She walked away and let Gibbs wander to Jenny's study alone, watching her for a moment.
Her head was down, as if she were hard at work, but there was no way she could concentrate, no way she could relax. Her mind kept thinking back over everything that had happened that week, still trying to decide what to do. She'd walked away from him once, but it hadn't been in her best interest, even if she had ended up director because of it.
"Jen." He finally called for her, seeing her as she looked up.
"I told Noemi not to let you in."
He nodded. "I kinda figured that. But she likes me."
"She does, Matt does, thank God for Cynthia." He smiled, the stories of him going up against Jenny's secretary legendary.
"I want to apologize." She started to say something but he continued. "It's not a sign of weakness. Not with us. I need…I need to do it more often." He paused. "This week's been hard on me…because it's the week Shannon and Kelly died."
Her face fell. "Jethro…I'm so sorry."
He shook his head. "I should have told you. I just…I know what people have been saying…that I'm cheating on you, but I would never do that. I could never do that." He paused. "I love you, Jen. I should have said it before. I should have said it nine years ago. I should have listened to you back then. I just…I don't know what to say."
She got up, walking towards him. "Say it again."
He smiled. "I love you, Jenny. I always will."
Tony had already put Bella to bed and was pacing back and forth, terrified. He never should have let Shelby leave, not in the frame of mind she was. He was terrified that something had happened to her. When the doorknob turned and the door opened, when she walked into the kitchen, dripping wet from the rain, he was too glad to see her to be angry.
"Thank God." He ran to her, holding her. "Thank God you're safe."
"I'm sorry," Shelby whispered, her head against his chest.
"No, baby, I am." He paused. "I wish that I could say that I won't ever hurt you. I know that I'll never stop loving you. I'll never want anyone else here with me. I…"
"Everyone in my family has a history of multiple marriages, multiple relationships." Shelby began. "Nothing ever lasts." She paused. "But I love you, I trust you, and I want this to work. I want us to work. Because nothing else matters." He didn't know what to say, how to respond, other than holding her.