Author's Note: Thank you so much for all the sweet reviews! You guys are the best readers I could ever ask for, and I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as much as you seem to have enjoyed the first!
Just as usual, I don't own NCIS or Stargate (though I really wish I did!), I don't speak English as a first language, and I have no beta reader. Blame all mistakes on me.
"Colonel Samantha Carter, it's a pleasure to meet you."
The words, the gentle voice of the blonde woman, echoed in Jenny's head, covering the shadow of a less gentle voice, different words spoken by another blonde woman; different though no less assertive than the woman she was facing right now.
For a split second, the red-haired director of NCIS was taken aback, as the face of the woman in front of her morphed into another face, whose features were definitely not as delicate as Colonel Carter's. Then the moment passed, and Jenny found herself shaking the other woman's proffered hand, her eyes scanning the blonde's face intently as she introduced herself with an icy tone.
Finding Jethro sitting with the stranger and at ease talking to her had been upsetting, and it had conjured up images in her mind, memories that she thought wouldn't matter to her.
Her voice was unnaturally sharp and bitter as she not-so-subtly pointed out the relationship between Gibbs and herself, and was it just her imagination or was there actually a look of disappointment on the colonel's face?
"So, I hear you're the first female director of NCIS?" If there had indeed been disappointment or surprise on the colonel's face, it did not affect her voice, which sounded friendly and genuinely interested.
She was trying to break the ice; Jenny had to give her credit for that.
With a short nod of her head and a smile that would make a politician proud, Jenny answered with a neutral: "So they tell me," before she asked, "And what do you do for the Air Force, colonel? Are you stationed in DC?"
The blonde smiled but shook her head, regret evident on her face, "I'm an astrophysicist, I analyze deep-space radar telemetry in Colorado Springs," she answered.
"Yeah, Sam is our foremost expert on…deep-space radar telemetry, at Cheyenne Mountain." Intervened Jack O'Neill, his arm going to circle his wife's waist as she gave a modest smile. "And she gets sent up in space, from time to time." He added, and although Carter dismissed the comment with a laugh, Jenny couldn't help but notice the way their eyes met for a brief moment, as though those words meant much more to them than they were letting on.
With a mildly interested smile, Jenny nodded, "That's impressive, colonel."
Carter accepted the compliment with a serene smile and, before the conversation could die out, Gibbs spoke, looking at her, "Do you ever get to go out in the field, though?" He asked, remembering their previous conversation.
Carter grinned, "More often than one would think, Jethro."
Unable to keep herself from flinching slightly at the woman's use of her partner's first name, Jenny sent a glare filled with venom Gibbs's way as she noticed just how much Carter's answer seemed to have pleased him.
Unbidden, memories of joint NCIS operations filled her mind, Samantha Carter's face replacing that of a different woman in a different uniform, leading a team that had nothing to do with space and science.
Forcing the images out of her head, Jenny turned her eyes on the colonel again, "So what is it that you do exactly when you're not out in the field, colonel?"
The blonde woman smiled, "Please, director, call me Sam." She said, before launching in a speech about quantum physics, radar telemetry, astronomy, and a few other things that none of them – probably not even the general – could understand.
As she went on and on, her voice almost hypnotic, Jenny took some time to observe her – truly observe her. She noticed the way she stood, at ease yet straight and almost ready to jump into action, the way her uniform hugged her figure, not doing much to hide the soft curves that were still visible underneath the layers of blue fabric. Her legs – clad in nude coloured hose – were long, and in the small heels she was wearing, she was almost as tall as Jenny herself was.
As she spoke, she moved her hands a lot, and when Jenny's eyes reached her face, she was surprised by the intensity she found there: she appeared to be passionate about her work, her entire face glowing as she explained God knows what, and her eyes – the most striking blue eyes Jenny had ever seen – sparkled with the excitement she could barely contain.
All things considered, even in a military uniform and with her blond hair tied in a severe bun, colonel Samantha Carter was a gorgeous woman.
And right as she looked at her, for the first time in weeks Jenny felt threatened.
[Flashback]
"Colonel Mann!"
The voice was a friendly, familiar one. She had heard that same voice speak words of comfort in many languages before, and she had more than once depended on the speaker to watch her back and save her life. Right now, though, the words she had just heard made her clench her teeth.
"It's good to see you again, ma'am."
As she walked down the stairs with Gibbs, Jenny cast a look at the bullpen, irritation rising inside of her when she saw Ziva approach the visitor with a smile.
What was Hollis Mann doing here? Why was she even in town at all?
The last Jenny had heard, Army CID colonel Hollis Mann had retired after her tour of duty ended, and she was spending her days thoughtless and careless on some island in Hawaii.
So what brought her waltzing right into her building, talking to Gibbs's team as if they all were old friends?
She felt Gibbs freeze momentarily next to her, then he continued his descent into the bullpen with her, just as Hollis shook Ziva's hand, "It's good to see you too, Ziva," the blonde woman was saying, and when Jenny and Gibbs approached her, her smile faltered just a little.
"Director. Jethro." She greeted professionally.
"Colonel. What brings you to our side of the country?"
If Mann sensed Jenny's irritation, she didn't show it, "Just another case, and some unfinished business." She answered peacefully, her eyes flying to glance at Gibbs.
"You working as a civilian now?" He asked.
"You could say. The army sent me as a liaison to work with your team for a few days over the Harris case. My experience with your people is valuable, it seems." She paused, her eyes meeting his, "You have quite a reputation, Jethro."
His lips curved in a smirk at that, his eyes holding her penetrating look for a few seconds, and none of their little exchange was lost upon Jenny.
"Then I think you should all get to work." The director said, breaking the rising tension between Gibbs and Mann. "I will see you later in my office, agent Gibbs." She added, stalking up the stairs after he nodded his head sharply. Jenny hadn't yet reached the landing when Hollis's voice drifted up to her, and she turned her head to see the blonde woman stand closer to Jethro than was socially acceptable.
"Jethro…" Hollis was saying, and Jenny stopped and leant against the railing just slightly, "I was thinking perhaps we could go get some dinner tonight…talk about us."
Gibbs stared at her intensely, "So I am your unfinished business?"
Hollis had the decency to look down for a moment, "More like…business that I don't want to be finished with." She looked back up and at him, "So what do you say? Dinner tonight?"
Gibbs's answer was lost on Jenny, as she let go of the railing abruptly – her knuckles slowly turning from white to their original pale shade of pink – and stormed into her office before she did something she would later regret.
[End flashback]
"-have you, director?"
Colonel Carter's voice forcibly dragged Jenny out of her reverie, and she just stared at the woman for a moment, blinking, "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
Carter frowned, "I asked if you've ever-" She shook her head, "Never mind. Are you all right, director?"
"Yeah, you look a bit pale, Jenny." Jack's concerned voice joined his wife's, and they both looked at her as if she was going to pass out any moment now.
Jenny nodded, "I'm sorry, I guess I'm just tired. It's been a long day." She gave a strained smile and glanced at Gibbs.
"You wanna go, Jen?" He whispered, his voice filled with concern, placing his hand on the small of her back.
Again, Jenny just nodded, "Yes. I think we should go."
(…to be continued…)