A/N: All the reviews were lovely, thanks everyone. Darling, I apologise for not letting you sleep properly because I'm always nagging you to betaread my latest chapter. But as you know, your help is so important to me and you better than anyone know how my English is improving. Thank you, my love.

Gibbs' front door was unlocked, as usual. Jenny buttoned her coat up against the freezing cold of a January evening. Her face was paler but her cheeks were flushed and she could have sworn that her hands were two blocks of ice.

- Are you coming in, or do you want to turn into a popsicle? – he said, pushing the door open. She happily followed him, entering the dark hall and closing the door behind her. He switched on the lights – Much better now. It'll be a few minutes before you actually feel the heat.

- No problem. Even with the heating off, it's still much better here inside.

- What about dinner? Do we order or do we go out for some take-away?

- We order. Let the delivery boy turn into a popsicle – Jenny felt herself relax as the central heating thawed her hands back into flesh and blood.

- Fine. Chinese? Pizza? Something else?

- You choose.

- Alright, but don't complain later. Let's go to the basement then, I'll order from there.

Jenny nodded and followed him through the house and down the stairs. Her stiletto heels were loud on the wooden staircase, and the sound echoed through the silent rooms.

The boat was very different from what she remembered. The wooden skeleton was now totally covered by long wooden boards, painted blue. Since it was upside down she couldn't be sure, but it looked like the cabin was already completely built.

Her gaze drifted towards the name – Kelly – she heard herself say.

- Yes.

- Better than name it after another of your ex-wives, I suppose.

He didn't answer, pretending he was busy trying to find the mobile phone. Jenny let him pretend, her attention still fixed on the boat. She didn't even hear what he ordered. She approached the nearly-completed vessel and touched it.

- My rival.

He dropped the bourbon bottle he had reached for just a few seconds ago – What do you mean?

Jenny turned her head – Nine years ago, only your boats could take you away from me.

- Feeling melancholic, are we, Jenny? – he poured some bourbon and handed her the glass.

- I suppose so – she accepted it. When he turned his back, she carefully blew away the sawdust gathering on the top of the glass.

Gibbs poured himself a glass – Dinner will be here soon. Still not feeling warm?

- Feeling better, anyway. I think I'll take my coat off – she placed the glass on the nearest table, removed the coat and half-tossed it beside the glass. It would end up covered in sawdust as well, but she didn't care – You were very gentle with that girl today. I was surprised.

- What do you take me for, Jen? She was the least to blame in this whole affair.

- Yes… And somewhere along her statement I got the impression this wasn't the first time he actually hit her.

- Me too.

- Well, it's Friday, let's forget about work.

He laughed – Is that possible?

- Why not give it a try? – she waved her empty glass – More, please.

- You drank it all already?

- So did you. Don't try to make me look like a hopeless alcoholic.

- Last year your drinking habits had me worried.

- Last year wasn't a good year.

The doorbell interrupted them.

- I'll get it, wait here.

She watched him go up the stairs and poured herself another drink. She looked around for a chair, found one, and sat down. Her eyes wandered again to the name written on the boat.

- Chinese food – Gibbs returned carrying two plastic bags.

- Are we going to eat here?

- Why not?

- No reason. I was just wondering why you even have a kitchen and dining room at all.

- Here is better.

- Ok, it's your house.

He opened the plastic bags and took out the food – I think I might have some trays somewhere upstairs…

- Never mind, they'd take hours to find and I'm hungry.

- The Director of N.C.I.S. eating from her lap – Gibbs smiled and gave her the plastic plate.

- You've seen this Director here doing worse things.

His smile turned into a mischievous grin – You have a point there.

- Jethro! I wasn't talking about that!

- Ok then – he sat on a small bench by her side, holding his plate in his hands – This here chauvinist is not going to bother you again.

She smiled and began to eat after pouring them both another drink – The boat is looking well.

- Do you think so?

- Are you really asking for my opinion, Leroy Jethro Gibbs? I'm no boat expert, but yes, it's my sincere opinion.

- Thank you. And I've always cared for your opinion.

- Even when I'm… a bitch?

- You only turned into a bitch after you became the Director.

- It comes with the job, I suppose – Jenny took a long sip – I don't know if this is the bourbon talking, but I've got a confession to make.

- Go on.

- I really felt like a bitch the day I advised DiNozzo to have sex with Jeanne Benoît.

- You did what?

- You heard me. He had been trying to avoid it but she was getting suspicious and all I could think about was the case and… well, you know the end of the story. La Grenouille floating in the channel with my bullet in his head and Tony's heart broken. All done by me.

- Long live the Queen.

His cold words went straight to her soul. He had truly hated her in those days, back when they were chasing The Frog. And now she heard that same hate in his voice. She decided to remain silent but had to move away from his piercing bitter gaze and, once more, her eyes fell on the name.

- What were they like?

- Who?

- Kelly and Shannon.

- Damn it, Jen, can't you just drop it? – he rose from the bench and dropped his empty plate on the table, a little more violently than necessary – Is this your latest obsession? Every time we talk, these days, you have to bring it up. Why? Why are you so interested, all of a sudden?

- I just want to know them. They were so important to you. And clearly they still are.

- They were the wife and daughter I couldn't protect. Period.

- I know how they died, Jethro. I want to know how they lived.

- That's all been buried, Jen.

Jenny pushed her food away and stood up. She approached him quietly – Jethro... I like to think that I used to be one of the few people you ever really trusted. I know I screwed it all up the day I left you with nothing but my coat and a measly note in its pocket. But that was almost nine years ago. Since I came to D.C. as the Director, we've been slowly building our friendship again. And it's clear to me that you need to talk about it.

Gibbs was still gazing furiously at her, but she didn't even blink. Realising she wasn't going to step back, he turned to the table and dug through all the tools messily strewn across it. When he faced her again he was holding something out towards her.

- Take it.

Jenny grabbed what she'd thought was a book but now realised was a photo album. She sat on his bench without a word. The first thing she noticed was that, unlike everything else on that basement, it wasn't covered in sawdust. The cover was simple, plain and brown. There was nothing written or painted on it. As she opened the album, she felt his presence just above her shoulder.

A woman and a child were smiling at her in the first page. Redheaded, of course, she could see it even in the blurry colours of an old photo. Something about the little girl drew her attention.

- They were beautiful – she said, looking up at him – Your daughter had your eyes.

- That was the last photo they sent me.

Jenny nodded and turned the page. A younger Shannon Gibbs smiled up at her, in an even older photo.

- She… was different from your other ex-wives. At least the two I know.

- I never chose well after Shannon. Not including you, of course – he added hastily. He definitely needed another glass of bourbon. He poured her another one as well, out of habit.

- Thank you – Jenny accepted the glass without taking her eyes from the album's pages.

He moved nearer to the boat, quickly emptying the glass. The sound of the turning pages was getting on his nerves. Some part of him, irrational, kept calling it a betrayal of his family memory, but the other half was only thankful for Jenny's concern… even if he'd never admit it.

Behind him he heard the soft thud of a closing book, and turned to face her – Thanks for sharing – she said. The album was resting on her lap.

- Happy now?

- No. Talk with me, Jethro.

- Still bent on making me get it off my chest?

- Yes.

- I need another drink.

- You've had enough.

- No, I haven't. And this is my fucking basement, so if I want to drink more, I'll drink more.

- Fine. Do as you please.

Gibbs went to the opposite corner of the room and came back with an unopened bottle.

- Shannon never cared for bourbon – he heard himself say – and unlike you, no matter how I tried, she never did get the taste for it.

- She was smart, then – Jenny smiled lightly.

He poured them both yet another drink – Kelly was very bright. Her teachers kept telling us that. She always got good grades.

- That must have made you proud.

- Yes. I remember one day she asked me to go to her school and talk about my work. I mean, what can you tell six year olds about life in the Marine Corps?

- I get the picture.

- Shannon said I should just talk about the nice things, but you know what? I couldn't think of a single one.

- You were happy together, weren't you?

- Yes. Pretty much. We argued sometimes, of course. Every couple does. Shannon complained a bit about my work taking me away so many times. She didn't want me to leave for Iraq. If I only knew…

- You couldn't have done anything.

- How did you feel when you shot La Grenouille?

Jenny's expression became wooden. Her first instinct was to avoid the question but then she realised it wouldn't be fair, not after she finally got him to talk to her. – Avenged. Cold. And… yes, a little mad. I had gotten rid of him at last. I had done justice after all those years. No one could blame me because I was the head of a federal agency. I was above everything. Especially above reason, I'm afraid.

Gibbs' hand caressed a loose strand of her hair – I felt avenged too the day I shot their murderer. That scum had no right to live, not after taking two innocent lives.

- At least you had better motives. Yes, my father was probably corrupt, and he was probably a coward, and so he probably did shot himself, took the easy way out. I only wish I'd seen it before.

- You never told me if you were close.

- I don't know if we were. He raised me, in true military fashion. I guess that's what made me feel I had to avenge him. We cared about each other, but there was never much in the way of... affection.

He nodded sagely – I see.

She went for her glass and took another sip, as Gibbs grabbed the chair and sat by her side. When his hands pulled her towards him, gently but firmly, Jenny almost dropped her glass in surprise; and then she allowed him to lean her back against his chest, closing her eyes to feel him better.

- Jethro…

- Hush. Don't talk.

Her head was getting heavy; the bourbon was finally taking its toll. The last thing she knew was that his hand was still caressing her.

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