Chapter 14
How time flew, before Jenny or Gibbs even knew it, she'd been working at NCIS for almost two months. They'd loved spending so much more time together and working in such proximity. Stan and Will noticed that Gibbs seemed to take longer coffee and lunch breaks as well as leaving early with the redhead on his arm.
Jenny, Tony and Abby had comfortably started slowly moving their things into Gibbs' house, starting with a few items of bedroom furniture. To Tony's delight Gibbs bought him the race car bed that he'd always wanted. Gibbs liked coming home to find things such as kids toys, Jenny's clothes, or any other little homely touch that made his house feel lived in and seem alive again.
A date had been set for the trial to decide who got custody of Abby and Tony, it was set in early January of the next year and until then Abby and Tony would be left in Jenny's custody but Ed could come visit and see them whenever he wanted. Of course Ed didn't like that fact that Jenny seemed to be happy with Gibbs and was getting her life together like he had recently done, it all just threatened his claim to full custody.
….
"Woah there champ, where do you think you're going?" Gibbs stopped Tony in the doorway of the kitchen, for a number of reasons one, there was no need for him to be running and two, he was wearing a short sleeve Hawaiian t-shirt that looked like something out of magnum PI and that was probably the idea, it was the middle of November.
"To the kitchen" Tony replied with a bright smile.
"It's November" Gibbs told him "You'll catch a cold wearing that t-shirt why don't you go put a jumper on?" he suggested, not wanting the Ten year old to get sick.
"Jumper's aren't cool" Tony told him, crossing his arms over his chest.
Gibbs knelt down to the little boy's level "Jumpers are very cool, I know lots of agents who wear jumpers and do lots of crime fighting in them" He told him, his blue eyes meeting Tony's hazily green.
Tony gave the older man a small smile, which let him know he'd been triumphant, "Okay" he mumbled "But don't let Abby get the toy in the lucky charms" he yelled at him before turning away.
The older man then stood back up and made his own way into his kitchen, picking up the box of lucky charms and opening it in search for the free toy inside.
Jenny found him moments later, elbow deep in a box of lucky charms "Are you trying to take the toy before my children do?" she asked with an amused smile evident on her face.
Gibbs gave an almost nervous chuckle before replying "Promised Tony that I'd keep Abby from getting it if he put a jumper on" he explained.
The redhead smiled in ore, loving how he'd come so close to her children, how he looked out for them, how he loved them, "Coffee?" she asked him after a moment.
"Pots just been made" he motioned to the coffee maker on the other side of him, just as he grasped the plastic packet that contained a build your own car or elf, he didn't care, but it mattered to Tony, and pulled it out and slipping it into his trouser pocket.
He then turned around to face his girlfriend and found that she was holding out a mug of coffee for him, "Thanks" he smiled at her warmly before leaning over to kiss her gently on the lips, neither mind much about PDA in front of Abby and Tony as they both knew Gibbs and their mum liked each other and kissing or hugging was a way of them expressing it.
"Welcome" Jenny answer when they pulled apart.
"You ready for today?" Gibbs asked her knowing it was a big day, one that Jenny still had mixed feelings about.
She sighed "It has to happen sooner or later" she said as she moved closer to Gibbs. He wasn't sure why Jenny was so worried about it, he knew that everything would be fine. "She'll be fine right?" Jenny asked him.
"She's not going to leave the NCIS building and she'll be with professionals who know what they are doing" Gibbs assured her running a hand up and down her back in a soothing manner. "I'll go see her all the time".
"I know but still…." Jenny looked up at Gibbs, her green eyes meeting his blue, she felt better, the knots in her stomach loosened.
"What yah talking about?" Abby asked as she skipped into the kitchen, her pigtails swinging from where they sat on her head tied with red ribbon, dressed in a black long-sleeve t-shirt with a skull and cross bones and a red and black plad skirt, black tights and big chunky biker boots.
"We're talking about you spending that day with Karen our forensic scientist" Gibbs explained to Abby. It was something that she'd begged for months to do, something that she ended up begging Karen who had said yes, loving to have a helper for the day.
Gibbs was happy that the little girl was finally getting something she wanted, that she would get to know early on what career path she'd want to work in, Jenny on the other hand was worried about Abby being around all the dangerous chemicals and worried that something might happen to her that would traumatise her for life.
"Oh I can't wait" the little girl grinned as Tony walked into the kitchen, "Can you Tony?" she asked.
The little boy shrugged his shoulders, he was getting to watch Gibbs and his team work, the little boy would have been more excited if there was a case, but it seemed that there wouldn't be one, so he would just be stuck in the bullpen all day, watching Gibbs and his team do paper work.
…
The sort of family of four walked off of the elevator, Abby holding Jenny's hand and Gibbs holding Jenny's other hand and Tony walked in front of them, as usual they stopped in front of Gibbs' team area.
Stan, Will and Karen were already there waiting. "Hey Abby" Karen, a tall skinny women with thick eye liner and bright red lipstick contrasting with her olive skin, her dirty blond hair held back in a high pony tail that ended in the middle of her back, her side fringe almost covering one eye.
"Karen" Abby almost squealed letting go of her mother's hand and going over to the women, "I'm your assistant for the day" she told her.
"Yeah and I can't wait, you know usually I prefer to work on my own but I think your going to be a really good assistant" Karen told her with a bright smile.
"I promise I'll be the bestest assistant ever" Abby told her.
"We should get started but first you need to say goodbye to your mum and Gibbs" Karen added with a smile.
Jenny gave the blond a small smile before Abby turned to face her mother "You be good" she told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead "and I'll see you later" she told her before Abby took Karen's hand and they headed back to the elevator.
The redhead then turned to her Son "I'll see you at lunch, I'll be in the class room on the floor below if you need me" She told Tony before hugging him, knowing he hated it when she kissed his head, especially in public, she then turned to Gibbs "See you later" she pressed a quick kiss to his lips before turning to leave, Gibbs watched his girlfriends every move and it seemed so did the two members on Gibbs' team.
"Get back to work" Gibbs growled at Stan and Will who were gawking at them.
This was replied with two choruses of 'yes boss' then the sound of rustling paper and tapping of keys on a keyboard, meanwhile Gibbs pulled up a chair for Tony to sit on next to his desk. Tony sat down on the chair and then opened up his bright red backpack and pulled out his portable DVD player and slipped the headphones in and started to watch the sorcerer's apprentice.
Hours later the little boy switched from watching films to reading comic books but he soon became board with that "Hey Gibbs" he spoke getting the older man's attention.
"Yeah" Gibbs replied, looking around his computer screen at the ten year old.
"If my dad gets custody of Abby and me does that mean we'll never see you again?" he asked, the trial was something that Jenny hadn't spoken to the kids about much but it seems the boy had overheard.
Gibbs gave Tony a small smile "No, it doesn't meant you'll never see me again just not as much as you do now" he tried to explain.
"Okay" Tony replied before looking down at his converse shoe's.
"Hey, Tony" Gibbs got the boys attention after a moment "Your mum will fight for you guys with all she's got" he assured him.
"I know" Tony said with a smile before he turned back to his comic book and Gibbs went back to his paperwork.
Moments later an alarm started to sound, everyone looked at one another, trying to figure out what it meant, "Boss I think it's a fire" Will told Gibbs motioning to the window where they saw smoke rising outside.
Vance then appeared on the balcony "Everybody remain calm, this is not a drill this is a real fire, can everyone please carefully make your way to the appropriate fire exits now" he ordered.
"Come on Tony" Gibbs took the little boys hand in his own, Tony gripped his hand a little tighter than maybe he would normally have but this was a scary situation. As they made their way through corridors and down stairs, it came apparent that the building definitely was on fire, hallways filled with orange glows and thick grey smoke.
Once they reached the safety outside Gibbs spotted Karen holding a very frightened looking Abby in her arms, "Abby look who it is" Karen told the little girl, Abby lifted her head from the crook of Karen's neck and smiled at the sight of Gibbs and Tony.
"Are you guys okay?" Gibbs asked running a hand through Abby's hair and both girls nodded "Do you know how it started?" he asked Karen after a moment.
"Apparently some guy being held in interrogation really wanted to get out, I'm not really sure but that's what I heard from other people" the scientist explained.
"Interrogation?" Gibbs asked "Jen's classroom is on that level, have you seen her".
"No I hadn't thought…" Karen began but before she knew it Gibbs had turned back to the burning building, leaving Tony with her.
"Boss you can't go in it's not safe" Stan Burley called after Gibbs, but he knew it was no use, Gibbs was going back to get Jenny and no one could stop him.
TBC….
Bit of a cliffy I hope you like, any suggestions?