Title: Walking on eggshells

Author: PrettyCrazy

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I don't own a damn thing, besides my creativity – and I will let you be the judge of that! I just tried to do my best with : A storm – Socks and - "We'd have a cooked mammal in the ceiling." – and though I had a slightly different thought of how this would turn out I actually think it's ok. Thanks to my beta JibbsGal1, she made this first try at Jibbsfest readable.

The wind was blowing powerfully, the trees on the street were swaying back and forth - some of them looked like they would even break under the force of the storm. A car drove slowly down the street, the driver couldn't care less if it was the worst storm in the last 10 years. He only had one goal in mind – to please.

Gibbs pulled the car into the driveway and stepped out carrying the grocery bag with him, holding on to it tight. He raced to the front door and stuck in his key. Yes, he unlocked the door – he now felt that was necessary – he had valuable stuff inside currently. It's been that way for a year.

As he walked inside he called out, "Jen, I'm home. Come to the kitchen!"

Gibbs walked to the kitchen and began to unpack the groceries. He looked at each item at he picked them up - trying to figure out what to do with them to get the flavor he wanted for dinner.

It was a special night after all; they were celebrating a whole year as a couple. They weren't married – it just felt like it most of the time. Not in a bad way though; but it was like them - and not having that piece of paper between them was a blessing. And since all Gibbs's other marriages that included that piece of paper went wrong, Jenny didn't see any reason to jeopardize what they had.

Gibbs put away the last item and looked around - Jenny still hadn't arrived in the kitchen.

"I better go see if she needs help," Gibbs wondered out loud.

Gibbs looked in the living room, but no Jen. Then he walked into the office; the light was on but no Jenny. Gibbs walked upstairs and peeked into the different rooms and found her sitting on the bedroom floor.

"Jenny, are you all right?" he squatted down in front of her.

"That depends on who you ask. In general, yes I'm okay, but if you want me to be specific, then no," she shook her head.

"Then I want to be specific – in what way are you not all right?" He grabbed hold of one of her hands and placed a light kiss on it.

"We have the worst storm outside in 10 years, and you decided to go shopping, leaving me home alone."

"You're a big girl."

"What?" Jenny quickly snapped.

"Jen, you know what I mean. You're an adult, and you aren't afraid of storms - never have been!"

"That doesn't matter – it's the fact that you left me home alone!"

"Jenny, what's wrong? What has you riled up like this? You never react like that." Gibbs got worried and grabbed both of her hands and pulled her up from the floor.

"Jethro, I'm very pregnant in case you haven't noticed. Again, it's the worst storm in 10 years. What if a tree feel down over the house, what if lightning struck and the house was on fire? What if the roof suddenly blew off or the windows shattered? What if I suddenly went into labor? And…." she trailed off.

"And what, Jen?" Gibbs couldn't help but smile a little over her definitely hormonal outburst.

"And you left me without helping me get my socks on," she sighed.

Gibbs couldn't help the deep laugh that rumbled out of him as he pulled her into his arms – well as close as her 37-week large round belly allowed.

"Stop laughing; it is not funny when it's chilly and you want to put socks on and you can't reach." She indicated toward her feet.

"But really, Jen, all your what-ifs are ridiculous – I needed to go shopping or we won't eat a…"

"We've lived off takeout for a long, long time before!" she reasoned

"Yes, but that was before this." He placed a hand on top of her belly.

"Hmm… okay maybe shopping is needed."

"And for all the accidents you worried about – they could happen without the storm if the house wasn't built right. And if you went into labor – do you think you would have forgotten how to use a phone?" Gibbs looked at her - holding her at arm's length.

"I just don't like it Jethro, okay?"

He nodded and leaned into her again, giving her a soft kiss. "Okay I promise I'll stay right here by your side during the rest of this storm."

"Thank you. Now put my socks on my feet, and let's go to make some dinner. We are hungry." She rubbed her belly and fast movement began under her hands. Gibbs noticed immediately and placed a hand on her - he loved feeling their baby move.

In the kitchen, Jenny sat at the counter looking at Gibbs as he pulled out different things from the cupboards and laid everything out in front of them.

"Uhm, Jethro – what do you plan on making here?" Jenny picked up a can, looking it over suspiciously.

"I don't know; let's call it meat and vegetable fest a la Gibbs, and see what that will get us."

"Oh I know what we will end up with!" Jenny said and slowly slid down the chair to walk around the counter. She pushed Gibbs over to another chair and shoved him down on it.

"Jen, the doctor told you not to stand up for too long, and if you start this, we know you will be here on your feet for at least an hour."

"So?" Jenny cocked an eyebrow.

"So you could end up going into labor."

"And then you would have forgotten how to use a phone?" She threw his own words back at him, smirking.

"No, but still don't you think I should do this dinner thing?"

"We'd have a cooked mammal in the ceiling," she said as she opened up the can of corn and pointed at the chair. Gibbs reluctantly sat back down and obeyed her "order."

Gibbs just watched her move around the kitchen effortlessly, and it made him laugh on the inside. The woman could cook an amazing meal, make heaven out of nothing but putting socks on was impossible and it could make her cry. He loved this stage of her pregnancy but also hated it. Mostly because she couldn't control the emotions – and a comment could easily be misunderstood. That had him think over every single thing he said, had him look over his shoulder before he answered any question because he didn't want to upset her. And now he could just smack himself – why did he leave her home alone on a stormy evening - without socks?

They enjoyed a quiet dinner and retreated to the living room couch, watching TV - nothing in particular, just TV to make time pass until it was a reasonable time to go to bed. Jenny couldn't go to bed too early because that would screw up her routine so much, which also meant screw up the baby's routine – so passing time was needed.

Jenny sighed for the fifth time in a short while.

"What's wrong Jen?" Gibbs asked and rubbed her leg.

"I'm just tired, tired of waiting, tired of having to share my body with this little miracle, and yet not tired enough to sleep. And if I sleep now anyway, I will just wake up way too early and I will get into a really bad routine." Jenny finished her speech by rubbing her belly and releasing a deep sigh.

Gibbs got up and reached out a hand. "Come on, we'll watch TV in the bedroom."

"I don't want to get up from here." Jenny was usually this whinny when it was evening, though it had toned down after maternity leave kicked in.

"I ate your mammal, you'll go to bed when I ask you."

"You don't get to tell me what to do and when," she challenged as she got up.

Gibbs smiled and shook his head. Jenny was adorable when she was like this, a little more stubborn than usual and yet she was very vulnerable and the stubbornness could disappear just as fast as it came. But now he had succeeded in convincing her they should watch TV in bed instead of lying on the couch.

"Well, it is much more cozy to listen to the storm up here anyway!" She sounded like she was the one who had come up with the suggestion to go upstairs.

"Uhm hmm." Gibbs was mesmerized by the sight before him; if he had known how much of a turn on it would be to see her pregnant, he would have suggested to make a baby when they left Marseille. She was stunning - she of course had that pregnancy glow, but she had more than that. It was like all her natural colors was enhanced. Not that Jenny was old - old but she looked so young being pregnant.

"What are you staring at?" Jenny waved a hand in front of his face and smiled, while scratching the underside of her rounding form.

"You!" he stated and grabbed her.

"Well, mister, I fully understand you." She smirked and pushed him back to straddle him.

"Of course you do, you are a smart and intelligent woman!"

"And?"

"And beautiful, and lovely, stubborn, amazing, wonderful, pregnant and mine!"

"Aaawww – you are amazing!" She kissed him once, twice and third time she stayed glued to him, deepening the kiss every second. Hardly letting them breathe. His hands started roaming her body, exposing more and more to himself.

He felt her hands starting to claw at him, pulling and practically ripping his T-shirt, another part he loved about this stage of her pregnancy. When she was in the mood for love making, she was 100% committed, and things couldn't progress fast enough.

"Come on Jethro, stop daydreaming and help me out here!" she almost threw herself off of him and expected him to undress her fast, along with himself.

He knew his command and did so to please his mistress. Quickly spooning her, he knew that foreplay was not a thing she wanted at the moment. She had made that clear a week ago, that she was not in the mood for love making when she was like this. She just wanted sex and that was all.

"Jen are you sure this is what you want?"

"Oh shut up and do me, okay?" She sighed almost desperate.

"But I mean with the storm going on and me forgetting to put your socks on and all that, you really want to indulge old wives' tales and have sex - and possibly induce labor?" he smirked behind her and couldn't help the chuckle that escaped.

"Jethro, do you want to get laid? Or do you just want to help me put on socks again!" she twisted her neck to get a better look at him.

"Please, sex!" He smiled.

"Good choice!" She brought her lips to his and gave him a passionate kiss.

As the storm in the bedroom picked up, the storm outside slowly died out and the hauling of the wind was replaced by deep moans from the loving couple inside the bedroom.