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Ch2

At the crime scene Ducky is examining the remains of the body, 'I'd estimate he has been buried for around 1 year,' Ducky advised Gibbs.

'Can you give me a cause of death.'

'Not yet, you'll have to wait until I get him back to the lab, you can touch him now if you want to,' Ducky replied.

Jethro reached down to the body to look at the dog tags, he indicated to Ziva to take a photo as he lifted them up 'Corporal Alan Minster – when you've finished here McGee I want a complete background on this marine'.

'Yes, boss'.

Tony has been interviewing the current inhabitants of the house.

'What did you find out?' Gibbs asks.

'The family have been here 9 months, before that they were stationed at Pendleton. Their dog died yesterday and they brought him back from the vets to bury him in the garden as they were digging the grave they found someone else was already using it.'

'Check them out', Gibbs replies.

The team finish off at the crime scene and get back in the truck to take them back to headquarters. Gibbs is in the sedan and tries ringing the Director again, this time he gets through.

'Hi, how are you?'

'I'm fine Jethro, you don't need to check up on me every five minutes.' Cynthia has told Jenny that Gibbs has already tried to ring her.

'Just making sure you're OK'. Gibbs knows he's being paranoid but he can't help himself he needs to know his wife and unborn child are safe.

'I'll accept your apology for continually checking up on me later.'

Jethro smirks to himself, 'I don't apologise Jen you know that.'

'I should do by now – if you've got a case I won't wait for you tonight, I should be able to leave the office around 6.30. You needn't apologise but you can do something for me, I'll let you know what later tonight.'

'OK, I'll try not to work too late, ring me if you need anything'. Jethro's mind has wandered into the bedroom and he's hoping nothing comes up on the case that means the team need to have an 'all nighter'.

He is glad that Jenny is taking things a bit easier, the Assistant Director is taking on more responsibility which has allowed her to reduce her normal working hours. Jethro is thinking that the AD probably wants her job and is just kissing ass to ensure he gets it.

Gibbs drives at his usual break neck speed back to the office arriving there before the rest of his team, he's walking back into the office with a cup of coffee, when his team arrive.

McGee is telling Ziva and Tony about the pets' cemetery in his parent's garden,

'I buried my pets in our back garden our cemetery contains everything from goldfish to hamsters to dogs.

Gibbs looks up, 'and this information is going to help us how McGee'.

McGee falls silent and settles down at his computer to check out the dead marine, Ziva is looking up details of the family who lived in the house a year ago and Tony starts to run a background on the current occupiers of the premises.

Gibbs decides to go and see the Director – his excuse is that he can brief her on the case although at the moment they know nothing other than they have found a dead body of a marine.

He walks in to the office to see Jen staring out of the window looking out at the Harbour; she doesn't turn around knowing it is Jethro.

'I'm going to miss this view,' she says.

'So am I and I'm not talking about the Harbour', Jethro replies as he walks up behind her wrapping his arms around her shoulders and resting his chin on her head.

They are still for a minute before Jen wriggles out of his arms, 'Jethro, why are you here'.

'I've come to give you my report'.

'What report, you've only just returned from the crime scene, you can't know anything yet.'

Jethro is silent, he looks in Jenny's eyes and as she returns his stare she sees fear.

'Jet, I know you're worried about me but I'm in good hands, the Doctor has given me a clean bill of health, the pregnancy is proceeding normally, everything is going to be fine'. Jenny is worried about Jethro's behaviour it's bordering on the obsessive.

'Don't tell me not to worry Jen', Jethro replies bleakly

'It's natural to worry I know that, just don't turn it into a full time job'. Jen leans forward to give him a brief kiss, 'Why don't you go and catch dirt bags and leave me to placate the politicians.'

'Wasn't there something you wanted me to do for you'?

'I'll tell you about it tonight.'

Gibbs returns to the bullpen to check on the progress his team have made.

'Talk to me', he demands as he sits at his desk. McGee stands up and brings up the service record of Alan Minster on the plasma.

'Corporal Alan Minster disappeared 12 months ago just before he was about to tour Iraq, his commanding officer had given him excellent sitreps before he went missing, there is nothing in his service record that points to someone wanting to kill him. He was single with no living relatives.'

'David', Gibbs says turning to look at Ziva.

Ziva gets up from her desk and takes the control for the plasma from McGee,

'The couple living in the house a year ago were a Corporal Hample and his wife, he left the corps with an honourable discharge 10 months ago and they now live in a small hamlet about 4 hours drive away, he is a forest ranger.'

Gibbs doesn't respond but leaves his desk to go down to autopsy.

'Any idea on cause of death yet Duck'

Ducky looks up from some X rays he's looking at 'Yes, Jethro it looks like blunt force trauma to the skull, I would say that a blow to the back of his head killed him.'

'Have you confirmed his identity yet?' Gibbs asks.

'Not yet, I've given DNA samples to Abby'.

Gibbs enters Abby's lab holding a Caf-pow.

'Thank you Gibbs' Abby says taking the drink from Gibbs, 'but I don't have anything for you yet, It'll be another 10 hours before I get the DNA results through.

'Do you have anything else'

'I'm running an analysis of the substances found on his clothes but it's going to take time. I don't expect anything before tomorrow morning.'

'Thanks Abbs.'

Gibbs returns to the bullpen.

We won't get confirmation of any identification until the morning. I want to know everything about Corporal Hample and his wife by the time I get in tomorrow. I'm going home now'.

The team are silent as Gibbs runs up the stairs to the Director's office, the watch surreptitiously as the couple leave the building together.

Tony speaks up, 'the Director seems to be leaving the office earlier and earlier'.

'What are you trying to say Tony' Ziva asks.

'Nothing, but I bet you thirty bucks she's pregnant.'

Ziva and McGee are silent wondering if Tony is right or could they take the bet.

'No takers, you must agree with me'.

'You don't know Tony,' McGee replies.

'As a skilled investigator I am making deductions: one, the Directors body shape is changing; two, Gibbs is a lot more attentive to her, three; I caught Cynthia making her a ginger tea.'

'Mm do you think we'll get a new director' Ziva asks, 'or maybe she'll return after the birth?'

McGee speaks up 'I think we should concentrate on finding out about Corporal Hample and his wife, otherwise we maybe looking for a new job'.

Jethro and Jenny are sitting down to dinner.

'What was it you wanted to tell me'?

'I was talking to the SecNav today and I'm recommending you for the Navy Civilian Valor Medal'.

'Jen..'

'Jethro, you deserve this and think of it as not just an honour for you but also for NCIS'

'You know what I feel about awards.'

'I do Jethro but I want you to accept this, I'm asking as Director of NCIS'. Jen did not want to use their personal relationship to persuade him to accept this award.

'Not as my wife?' Jethro asks.

'Jethro I'd never ask you to compromise what and who you are for me, I married you because I love you, I'm not going to use your love for me to bribe you into doing something you feel you can't do. I hope I never say the words "if you love me you'll do this …". You must never become less of a man than you are now for me.'

Jethro looks at Jen realising how deeply she loves him, 'I guess I can accept this for the Director of NCIS'.

Later that night just before they fall asleep, Jethro says 'You know Jen most women would love to use the love of a man to persuade him to do what they want'.

'I'm not most women.'

The following morning Gibbs walks into the bullpen with his coffee to find the report of Corporal Hample on his desk. He spends half an hour going through it before he joins his team down in Abby's lab. As he walks in Abby turns round and says 'I just got the results Gibbs and oh..it's not Corporal Minster it's Corporal Hample.

Gibbs is already out of the lab with the rest of his team not far behind, 'Lets roll'.

In the sedan driving to what he expected to be the house of the ex Mrs Hample and Corporal Minster. Together they probably killed her husband and Minster took his identity when they left the base.

Jethro is on the phone to Jenny letting her know what is happening.

'I'll phone later to let you know when, I'll be back.'

Jenny decided to take advantage of Jethro's absence and invited Ducky to join her for lunch.

Ducky was his usual talkative self, telling stories of his nieces pregnancies fortunately every one ended up with a healthy bouncing baby.

'Ducky, I wanted to talk to you about Jethro'. Jenny hesitates as she is a little unsure about how to continue.

'Yes, Jennifer,' Ducky encourages her.

'Ducky, ever since I told Jethro I was pregnant he's started having nightmares, I'm worried about him.'

Ducky is quiet for a moment before saying, 'Jennifer he's worried about you, he feels guilty that he wasn't around to protect Shannon and Kelly and is now very concerned that he won't be able to protect you'.

'Do you think it might help if you talked to him, there's no way he'll go to a psychiatrist?'

Ducky smiled at Jenny, 'I'll try my dear but please don't expect miracles'.

The two old friends stroll back to the office together enjoying each other's company – it is November the baby will be born in early June. Jenny is feeling better having spoken to Ducky, she hopes that Jethro will be able to overcome his fear of losing his family again.

Gibbs pulls up outside the suspects home and signals for Tony and Ziva to cover the back door while he approaches the front of the house with McGee. He knocks on the door which is soon opened by Mrs Hample. She lets Gibbs and McGee in after she has checked their identification, Gibbs asks the first question.

'Where's your husband?'

'Out, I'm expecting him back soon', she looks nervous as she replies.

'Where out?' Gibbs pushes for an answer.

Before she can reply they here a van pulling up outside and the front door opens.

Mrs Hample's husband takes one look at Gibbs and McGee and makes a bolt for the door, unfortunately for him he has run straight into Ziva and Tony.

Gibbs suspicions had proved correct and the couple were arrested and taken back to NCIS HQ, the interrogation did not last long and the pair soon confess to murdering Corporal Hample, who had found them together in his bed about a year ago.

Over dinner that evening Jenny told Gibbs that the SecNav had approved her recommendation for his award and the team and other senior staff at NCIS would be invited to the SecNav's offices for the presentation, the date has been fixed for the New Year when Jenny will be around 5 months pregnant.

That night Jenny again wakes to Jethro's tossing and turning beside her, she reaches out to him touching his face whispering soothing words. He awakes suddenly shouting her name.

'It's OK, Jet, it was just a dream' she talks softly to him taking him in her arms. He moves towards her resting his head on her breast, she strokes his forehead running her fingers gently through his hair soothing him back to sleep. Jenny lays awake for some time before dropping back to sleep herself, keeping Jethro in her arms as if she was comforting a child.