"You need to stop pacing, Abby. You're wearing a hole in the carpet."
"I can't help it Tony. What if she doesn't come? Shouldn't she be here by now?"
"It's six o'clock. What self-respecting party starts at six o'clock?"
"This is supposed to be something we're doing right after work."
"No. You told her we were having a party in the evening" McGee pointed out.
"Technically it is evening" Abby insisted. "Right, Ziva?"
"The term is subjective."
"Here we go" Tony said as he rolled his eyes.
"What?" the Israeli said. "Evening falls between afternoon and night, around the time when dinner is taken. Evening is typically understood to begin just before twilight and extend until night – which usually starts at 9 pm."
"So you see ..." Abby said triumphantly "I'm right. 6pm. Evening. She should be here. And she isn't."
She started pacing again.
"It's Christmas Eve. It's gotta be happy hour somewhere for Senators. Can you imagine how many invitations she got for tonight considering her new job description" Tony said.
"I heard her say specifically she had a few places to be tonight" Ziva added.
"Exactly. Thank you. Abs ... she isn't coming."
"It's early" Abby whined. "She could still come after ... happy hour. Right?"
"Gah!"
Tony slapped his forehead and fell back into his chair.
Abby turned on McGee.
"Not doin' it" he said. "Oh come on Abby. Don't look at me with the puppy eyes. No. I'm standing firm. I am not calling her."
"Calling who?"
"Um ... McGee's dogsitter. Jethro is invited to a party and McGee doesn't wanna take him because he ..."
She looked at McGee for help.
"Because I ... because I .. thought you might need me here, Boss. And I don't think it's fair to call the dogsitter now. It was a late invitation, and I am sure the dogsitter has plans .. which she would probably change if I called because she has has a bit of a crush on me ... which is why I don't want to call."
"Uh-huh" Gibbs said, as he walked towards his desk.
"Didn't hear you coming down the stairs, Boss" Tony said, jumping to his feet as Abby glared at him.
"The day I can't sneak up on you will be the day I retire, Di Nozzo."
He retrieved badge and gun from his desk and then looked up at the team.
"It's Christmas eve" he said. "Don't you guys have anywhere you need to be?"
"We we were waiting for you, Gibbs" Ziva said slowly.
And the sincerity in her tone gave Gibbs pause.
"Because?"
"Because we are a family, and that is what families do."
"And we have something for you, Boss" Tony said.
The others turned to look at him in surprise, and he nodded as he pulled a small packet from his desk.
Gibbs opened the package slowly.
"A key fob" he said as he turned it over in his hand.
"Yeah. You have a lot of keys, Boss."
Abby watched Gibbs smirk as his eyes ran over the words engraved onto one side.
"Aww .. Papa Bear. That's so sweet, Tony."
"Well .. you are kinda like our father figure, and you can be like a bear with a sore - "
"I'd quit while you're ahead Di Nozzo" Gibbs said. But he was smiling as he put the fob to use.
"Is it time to break out the alcohol yet?"
Ducky appeared from the back of the bullpen rubbing his hands together. Palmer trailed slightly behind him, pushing a trolley.
"Have a biscuit, Jethro" the medical examiner said as he picked a plate of them off the tray and handed them round. "I have bourbon too. The good stuff."
McGee took a bite into one of the offerings and gagged.
"Did mother spike them?" Ducky asked with a sigh.
"More like soaked them" said Tony, as he placed his on the edge of his desk. "Or replaced some key ingredient with alcohol."
Ducky sighed, and busied himself pouring drinks.
"To us" he said when everyone had a tumbler in their hands.
"To us" they chorused.
Ducky winked discreetly at Abby as he pulled up a chair.
"I shudder to think of what went into the pudding this year" he said conversationally. "Did you know that it is a British Christmas tradition that a wish made while mixing the Christmas pudding will come true only if the ingredients are stirred in a clockwise direction."
Abby's eyes widened as she saw the opportunity that Ducky was presenting.
"And did you know that an artificial spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees. A spider web found on Christmas morning is believed to bring good luck."
She looked over at Tony expectantly.
"My grandmother used to tell stories about how they had no Christmas trees in Italy when she was a child, and how they decorated small wooden pyramids with fruit. Ziva?"
"We celebrate Hanukkah. But it is not the equivalent of Christmas, in spite of all the American .. hype. It is a Jewish celebration commemorating the military victory of the Jewish Maccabees over the Greek-Syrians."
"But you get presents .." Abby said.
"It depends on the family. Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days. A Menorah, or a candelabrum is lit one at a time for eight nights. While the candles are being lit chants are sung and blessings are recited. Afterwards families usually sit down to a meal, play games or exchange gifts."
"Does your family exchange gifts?" McGee asked.
"No. What is it Tony?" she asked as she heard him whistle and saw him lean back into his seat with his hands clasped behind his head.
"Look under the tree" he said, smiling as an intrigued smile spread across her face and she rose from her seat.
"Sssshhhh" he said to the others as he tiptoed behind her.
"Tony!" she said as she spun round a few feet from the tree.
"Gotcha!" he said, pointing upwards. "I knew you'd fall for it."
He placed a kiss on her mouth before she could protest. She stared at him for a moment before raising her eyebrows at him, but he merely bared his teeth at her in a grin and walked back to his desk.
"Got any stories, McGee?" he asked as he settled back into his seat as though nothing had just happened.
"Um ... no " the other agent replied, blushing. "Hang on ..."
He ran a quick search on his computer.
"Sending red Christmas cards to anyone in Japan constitutes bad etiquette, since funeral notices there are customarily printed in red" he announced. "Palmer?"
"I have a Polish grandmother, so we do things the Polish way. Dinner is usually served when the first star appears in the sky – at around seven o'clock."
Abby shot murderous look at Palmer as Gibbs looked at his watch.
"Shouldn't you be getting home then?" he said as he got to his feet. He looked at all the team "Shouldn't you all be getting home? I'm sure you have other places you would rather be."
His tone really didn't invite argument.
"Abs ..." he asked when she lingered in front of his desk.
"I don't have plans" she said. "Can I come home with you?"
"I'm just going to work on the boat."
"But I can help ..." she said.
"Don't need help, Abby" he said gently, trying to read into the clinginess. "Why don't you take Jethro to his party ..."
"I don't want to think of you alone" she said as she came round the desk and wrapped herself around him.
He could hear the tears in her voice, could hear the frustration.
"Go out and have fun" he said as he hugged her back.
"And what about you?"
"Working on the boat is my kind of fun" he said as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and moved away from her.
"We're going out for a drink, Boss" Tony said to him when they were all gathered at the elevator a few moments later. "Wanna come with?"
"Been in MTAC for twenty-four ho - " he had just started to say when the elevator doors slid open.
The rest of the sentence died on his lips.
Jen wasn't sure if this was the best decision she had made recently, or the worst. In the last hour her emotions had swung wildly back and forth between excitement and panic. On the way over here she'd almost changed her mind a couple of times – the uncharacteristic indecisiveness was infuriating. She didn't know what she wanted – couldn't see her way past all of the problems and complications. And even though she knew it probably wasn't wise the idea of seeing him again had refused to be dismissed.
The reactions of her staff to the change of plans had been interesting. Peg, surprisingly caught up in the romance of it all, had happily gone off to cancel the meeting she should have been having right now. Rob had nodded once and then stayed out of the way – though when she'd offered him the chance to wait in the car he hadn't taken it. Melvin had said nothing at all – which she took to be a sign of approval, though it was sometimes hard to tell with him. Frankly he'd probably love it if she spent every day in a secure Federal building surrounded by highly trained agents – it would certainly make his life easier. But she wished she could be more certain of her welcome. Abby's words and tone yesterday had been convincing, but it wasn't Abby she was worried about.
As the elevator doors slid open and her staff stepped out she paused for a moment – gathering her courage. Looking up she came face to face with the reason for her confusion and the momentary shock at seeing him before she was ready froze her in place for long enough to allow him to step on the elevator.
"She'll be safe," Gibbs said to Melvin, the words checking the man's movement back towards them. He didn't look happy but his short nod was permission and Gibbs thought it was probably a compliment of sorts.
He hit the stop button as soon as the doors had safely closed around them and only then did he risk looking at her. But her eyes skittered away and he could see the uncertainty in her body language. The mood was infectious, the pleasure and warmth that had suffused him at the sight of her ebbed away; leaving only awkwardness in its place. He didn't understand how she could have nothing to say, when she'd apparently come here to see him.
"How've you been Jethro?" she asked quietly, when the silence between them threatened to become even more tortuous.
He didn't know how to answer that – wasn't sure he should even try. As he sought an adequate response he realised that it wasn't words he was looking for. They were finally completely alone – no one was watching them and no one was about to walk in and whisk her away from him. He let himself relax – taking in the long cream coat she was wearing, the silk scarf at her throat, the way her hair fell over her shoulders in soft waves, the hint of colour on her lips. He'd tried hard to pretend that she didn't exert any kind of pull on him, but standing her with her the impulse to kiss her came flooding back.
He moved carefully, in case this wasn't what she wanted; but when she didn't back away he framed her face with his hands, looking deeply into her eyes.
"I've been thinking about you," he confessed huskily and then leaned forward, closing the distance between them to press a kiss to her lips that was more delicate and restrained that he really believed himself capable of.
She melted into him; curling her arm around his neck as she kissed him back equally softly, but with just a little hunger, as though she was afraid to let herself go completely. As her lips parted beneath his he pushed away the urge to coax her into a deeper kiss, though that flicker of passion was tantalising and eased back from her, letting his hand slide to tangle in her hair.
______________________
Tony tapped his foot on the carpet and looked over at Melvin.
"Think we're going to be doing this often?" he asked. "You know ... hanging out .. waiting for the bosses to do .. whatever they're ... uh .. going to be doing ... together."
Melvin looked sideways at him. His face was serious but his eyes might have been smiling. The sound of Palmer's voice echoed round the bullpen.
"I can give you a tour of autopsy if you like" he was saying to Peg.
"Are you flirting with the Senator's aide, Mr. Palmer?"
"Is it totally inappropriate Doctor?" his assistant asked, his face flushing.
Ducky cleared his throat and stepped a little closer to him.
"In polite society taking a girl to visit cadavers is frowned upon."
Palmer's colour deepened, and Peg smiled.
"I'd like to see autopsy sometime actually."
Abby nudged her slightly.
"Just so you know ... his nickname is Baby Gibbs."
Peg smiled, and then looked up shyly at McGee.
"I have to ask" she said. "Did you base Pimmy Jalmer and the rest of the characters on ..."
"Yes. Tell her McGee" urged Tony. "Tell her about your inspiration. You'd better not stand too close to him" he said to Peg, "or you might end up in the next one."
Peg's eyes lit up.
"Really?" she said. And then she touched his arm. "Do you think you can write a character based on Stanley? He's a big fan. I mean ... not to be pushy. Or anything. He just spends a lot of time waiting around in the car. I know he'd be ... honoured."
She dropped her eyes to the ground and then snuck a look a Melvin, who gave her a barely discernible nod. Then she looked expectantly at McGee again.
"We can discuss it over coffee in the new year if you like" he said.
"I'd like that" she said shyly.
Tony covered his eyes dramatically, and looked over at Ziva for support. But she was engaged in conversation with Rob.
"You know, if he hurts her he'll be in trouble" he was saying.
Ziva looked him up and down, amusement in her gaze.
"It is unlikely you, or anyone, would be able to harm Gibbs" she said slowly, "but I can appreciate the sentiment."
Melvin cleared his throat, addressed Ducky, and indicated the elevator.
"Anything you'd like to share about ..."
"Ah" Ducky said, clearing his own throat. "It's known as the conference room round here."
"And Agent Gibbs uses it when he needs to .."
"Speak to someone privately" Tony supplied.
"Would someone care to fill me in?"
"Director" Ducky acknowledged uncomfortably.
Vance looked round at the people assembled.
"That who I think it is?" he asked Ducky when nobody answered.
"Gibbs and Senator Shepard are having a ... conference" Tony supplied.
"What kind of conference, Agent Di Nozzo?"
"A meeting of the minds."
"A meeting of the minds?" Vance echoed.
"Well ... uh ..." Tony's voice dropped a notch and he moved closer to the man. "Gibbs and the Senator might be having a ... moment. Sir" he added hastily when Vance did not look amused.
"In my elevator .."
"That would be correct. Although technically it's not your elevator but our elevator, because your elevator is ..."
Vance rolled his eyes.
"The press better not catch wind of this" he said. "The budget's under review." He looked at his watch, irritated beyond belief. "How long is this going to take?"
"That would depend on what they're doing in there" Tony replied.
And then wished he'd kept his mouth shut.
_______________________________________
Jen looked up at him, the blush on her cheeks was charming but the worry in her eyes was not the reaction he'd been hoping for. "I thought I should get that in, before we were interrupted," he added, thinking back to previous moments of near intimacy.
The quip drew a small smile from her, but as she leant back against the wall of the elevator the worry hadn't left her eyes.
"I never intended for your life to be splashed all over the press," she told him.
"Yeah well – you didn't call the press Jenny, it wasn't your fault."
"I didn't need to call them – at the moment they're interested in my life and that means they are interested in who's in my life."
"I don't care."
"Well I do – I can't be the reason that people have their privacy violated, that you have your privacy violated. I can't ask you to sign up for that." It was what she'd said to the interviewer the previous day – but he wasn't buying it.
"You aren't asking me, I'm volunteering" he pointed out.
She shook her head, wanting to believe him – but knowing it was impossible that a relationship could survive in such an environment.
"I can't let you."
She wanted to touch him, to smooth away the defeat she saw etched into his face. Being the cause of it was every bit as painful as the thought of letting him go – there didn't seem to be any scenario where she could avoid pain.
"Have you been thinking about me?" He asked, returning to the confession he'd made before he'd kissed her.
"Yes," the single word was whispered, almost as though she'd rather not be saying it aloud.
"Then we'll figure it out."
"It doesn't change anything Jethro – we can't…"
"Since they died," he began, looking down for a moment before looking back up at her, her expression telling him that she knew exactly who he was talking about. He swallowed and tried again, "since they died, I've only ever fought for other people – to get justice for victims, for their families. I've fought for my team when they needed it, whether they wanted me to or not." He reached for her hand – relieved when she didn't pull away. "I don't care about the press, I don't care how different our lives are."
"If I'm confirmed I'm going to be moving to New York," she whispered – blinking back the tears his words had brought to her eyes.
"I don't care," he breathed, brushing a light kiss to her lips.
"My work is always going to come first."
"Mine too," he said, kissing her again.
"The press follow my every move."
"I know."
He pulled back, watching the disappointment flicker across her eyes when he didn't kiss her this time. The message was clear – he'd pushed her as far as he could, it was her decision.
He hadn't demolished her arguments, hadn't tried to reason with her - there was no need to, they both knew she hadn't exaggerated about the nature of the challenge that awaited her and the effect it would have on her life. But in his own way he had fought and she couldn't allow that to mean nothing.
She curled her hand into the lapel of his jacket and pulled him towards her.
"I'll be in DC for Cabinet meetings most weeks," she said, a smile creeping over her lips before she closed the distance between them – this time it was her lips that brushed against his. "Peg is very good at scheduling my day," she backed off before he could return her soft kiss, "New York is only a couple of hours away."
As she moved towards him again he was ready for her. Their kiss burned with the intensity of his victory and her acquiescence.
She almost moaned in protest when he finally tore his lips away from hers, but the protest died away when she looked up at him and realised that the eyes, which had so captivated her at their first meeting, were now darkened with desire. He ran his finger over her lips – loving seeing them swollen from his kisses and then, because it was a crime not to kiss her, he pressed his mouth to her cheek, nuzzling his way to her neck; smiling against her skin when she tilted her head to offer him better access.
The thought that she was in an elevator, that this wasn't what Senators did, was a fleeting one as he found the buttons fastening her coat and undid them, pushing the heavy material off her shoulders. She wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling him a little closer – letting the feeling of his solid, warm body pressing against her chase away a few more of her demons. She realised he wasn't a man to be denied and though she was stubborn and commanding herself – given the exquisite way he was making her feel she knew she could probably be persuaded of the merits of not always having to be in control.
The same determined hands that had rid her of her coat unfastened the silk scarf at her throat – his mouth trailing hotly over the skin that was exposed as he pulled the fabric slowly away. The little noise of want she made as the silk was drawn over her sensitised skin made him wonder how she'd react if the silk had been touching other parts of her body. When he lifted his head to look at her the flash in her eyes told him she'd been thinking the same thing. He filed the information away for later and returned to the task at hand. Carefully he ran his fingertips along the line of her shirt, dipping slightly into her cleavage. Her eyes fluttered shut and she arched her back a little, an unconscious but clear demand that he was more than happy to comply with.
She knew he was unfastening the buttons of her shirt and that she really ought to stop him. But her voice didn't seem to be working properly right now and her body's clamour for more drowned out anything that wasn't the lazy meandering of his lips against her skin. As the final button on her shirt was unfastened he parted the material, tracing her camisole and bra strap with one finger. His mouth followed the same path and she could feel her heart hammering against her ribs, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps as he finally pressed a kiss to the swell of her breast.
"Jethro," the yearning in her voice was palpable but it brought him back down to earth as well. He really hadn't been planning on making love to her in the elevator.
"Too fast?" he said quietly, lifting his eyes to look at her.
She shook her head and whispered, "just hold that thought."
He nodded and slowly fastened the buttons of her shirt – enjoying the excuse to touch her, that she was letting him touch her.
"I thought you were going to cancel everything if I'd have dinner with you?" He said at last – now able to remember the final moments in the hospital without anger.
"I think that would probably cause too much commotion."
He shrugged, not really caring about a meal anyway.
"How about I buy you a real coffee?"
He picked up the silk scarf from the floor and when she tried to take it from him he shook his head and shoved it into his pocket. Their eyes met and the passion flared again between them, though this time they held it in check – letting their eyes do all the talking.
"I was thinking about dessert," she said slowly, "and coffee."
"Pretty sure we can do that – but the press are still going to know."
"We can't hide indefinitely," she leaned forward rubbing her fingers against his lips, removing all traces of her lipstick, "but I have dessert and coffee at home."
"That dessert and coffee? Or coffee and dessert?" he asked as he dragged his lower lip up against her neck before he buttoned her coat up.
__________________________________________________________
Everyone stood a little straighter when the elevator doors slid open again.
Vance looked straight at Gibbs.
"Anything you'd care to tell me now, Agent Gibbs?" he asked.
"Not particularly" Gibbs replied, his hand dropping from the small of Jen's back.
Tony looked closely at him.
"You missed a spot there, Senator" he said with a grin.
"Should I be threatening you with a tour of duty as an agent afloat somewhere inhospitable?" she asked, with wide eyes. That became wider still when Gibbs headslapped him.
"It's the way things work round here" he said.
"So I can feel free to .."
"Anytime" Gibbs returned with a smile.
"Hey! Ma'am .." Tony rectified immediately when Gibbs raised his eyebrows at him.
Jen was about to say something when Peg's cell phone rang.
"The press know you're here" she said after a short conversation with Stanley.
"Is there an emergency exit?"
"Several" Vance said, "but I'd be surprised if they haven't taken that into consideration already."
"What would you like to do, ma'am?" Peg asked, her keen eyes not missing the fact that her boss had moved a little closer to Gibbs.
Tony rubbed his hands together in glee.
"Seems like the right time for a campfire, Boss."
Ziva pushed him out of the way before he could get started.
"You and the Senator are the same height, same build" she said, looking carefully at Jen and her aide. "If you switched coats then perhaps, if Director Vance helped ..."
"A decoy" Abby breathed her enthusiasm.
"Yes. Director Vance can escort the Senator to her car. If you are bundled up against the cold" she said, addressing Peg "then it might seem like the Director is seeing you into your vehicle after a meeting."
"The car has tinted windows" Peg said. "If we're quick it might work."
"Which doesn't solve the problem of what to do with the actual Senator" Tony said. "Not that you're a problem ... ma'am" he added hastily.
"I think I may have a solution" said Ducky. "But some people .. including you, Director, are going to have to look the other way."
Melvin's eyebrows rose into his hairline as he listened to the plan, but when Jen deferred to him he nodded. Peg slipped out of her coat and handed it over to her in exchange for Jen's. When she stood there waiting, Jen looked at her questioningly.
Peg leaned forward.
I need your scarf" she whispered. "The press will be able to tell the difference."
"Oh."
Jen cleared her throat self-consciously as she took a few steps away, and Tony's eyes practically fell out of his head when he saw Gibbs pull it from his pocket and hand it over.
"Don't say it, Di Nozzo" Gibbs said, coming to stand behind him as Jen passed the scarf to Peg.
"I wasn't going to."
"Don't think it either."
"But Boss .. the -"
He turned to face him but Gibbs had already moved back to Jen and he found himself talking to the air.
"Do your people always talk to themselves?" Jen asked in amusement.
"Don't yours?"
They were smiling at each other when Melvin stepped into their line of vision.
"Car's out front" he said as he snapped his phone shut. "We need to move."
"Senator" Vance said to Peg as he allowed her to precede him into the elevator.
"I guess I'll be seeing you" Rob said awkwardly to Ziva before he followed them.
"She's a crazy Israeli chick with impulse issues" Tony called as the doors began to slide shut. "And she's got a thing for paperclips. What?" he said as Ziva jabbed him in the ribs. "We're going to be spending time with these people. They need to know the truth. They deserve to know the truth."
Ziva rolled her eyes, and turned away from him.
"Di Nozzo, call one of your buddies at Metro PD. Find a crime scene. Any crime scene."
"On it, Boss."
"McGee get the sedan. I'll meet you out front. Ziva, go with them."
The team dispersed.
"This way, Senator" Ducky said as he lead the way to the back elevators.
"Hey ..." Abby said as she drew Jen into a warm embrace. "Thank you."
"Ma'am" Melvin's voice sounded a little tight. "We need to leave now."
Jen's eyes cut to his.
"Of course" she said, giving Abby one last squeeze before turning to Gibbs.
"I'll see you at home" she whispered as she slipped a card into his pocket and reached up to brush her lips against his.
He stood and watched her as the elevator doors slid closed, and then became conscious of the fact that Abby was standing very close to him.
"Merry Christmas, Gibbs" she said as she slipped her hand into his.
Gibbs kissed her on the cheek and walked away.
Inside the elevator Jimmy Palmer turned to Jen.
"Have you ever been in a crime scene van before?" he asked.
Jenny turned to look at him.
"I can't say that I have" she said, sharing a smile with Melvin.