A/N: My apologies for the late update. I was in Cancun with only my iPhone to constantly keep in touch; so sorry for that. – Jeanne

A/N : So this is the last official chapter but we will be adding an epilogue!

-Tori

The moment the squad room was void of The Director and Gibbs the team, well mostly Tony started pestering Carson for all the details. And Carson being Carson gave them all the dirty details he could.

"So, is there a reason Gibbs wasn't here normal time today?" Tony asked, his question directed to the young boy in Gibbs' chair.

"Yeah, he was with me and Jenny." Carson said looking both ways before adding, "Well mostly Jenny." He wagged his eyebrows with the words.

"Ha! I knew it!" Tony exclaimed.

Ziva, who wanted to have no part in the gossiping started to get drawn into the conversation, what could listening hurt?

"So, Gibbs came over right after we played twister. And, I kinda fell asleep, but later I heard them talking and I went into her room…." Carson paused letting the suspense build up.

By now even McGee was shamelessly listening to what the kid was saying.

"And they were totally making out! They were down to their underwear." With the last statement a big very mischievous grin came on his face and everyone else's jaw dropped.

"Well? What kind of underwear does she wear?" Tony said pressing the subject.

"You better not answer that Carson." A very familiar female voice said.

The boy spun around in his chair he was red faced and his eyes were wide at seeing no one other than the two people who were currently the subject of conversation.

"Come on, you can go home now, I'll drop you off." Gibbs said heading for his desk slapping all three of his agents on the head as he went?

Both McGee and Ziva questioned him on why they were hit, Tony already knew.

"'Cause Ziva didn't stop it and McGee was telling Abby everything he said over that, I-M thing." Gibbs said as he got on the elevator.

McGee, Ziva and Tony all looked between each other than back at Jenny who just glared and headed up to her office.

"Hot!" Tony said earning a grumble from his teammates.

She had been sitting in her study waiting for him all night long. Jen was hopeful that he really did want this as much as she did, but he hadn't come by.

Maybe, he realized it was just too much work and there was just too much history for them to get over.

She dialed him on the phone and waited; if she was going to find out she had to put some effort into it.

"Gibbs?" He answered the phone in the same old way he always did.

"Are you coming over Jethro?"

"Are you planning on keeping your promise?"

"The doors open." She hung up the phone, if that didn't bring him here nothing would.

She had waited in her bedroom for him; he would know where she was.

"Jen?" He asked as he knocked on the slightly open door. When she didn't answer he pushed it open slowly, revealing a very bored looking Jenny dressed in a nighty so thin you could barely call it clothes.

She motioned for him to come, and like a stray dog, he followed.

They didn't get much sleep that night, but sleep was not what they needed, or wanted for that matter.

Gibbs walked in the bullpen, not surprised that Ziva was already there getting her day started. McGee was also there as well as Tony. Though, unlike every other day, they were all focused and not fooling around.

"New case?" he guessed looking over at Ziva. He was surprised that he wasn't the one called by dispatch.

"Boss, SecNav's upstairs waiting for you and the Director to get here," McGee explained. "Commander Skinner was with him."

Gibbs looked at his team; then back at McGee knowing that he was telling the truth. It was McGee; he wasn't even capable of getting through a polygraph test telling the truth!

"Tell the Director when she gets here," Gibbs said going up the stairs by three steps at a time. He didn't know what he or Jenny did for SecNav to warrant a visit with Skinner but his gut was saying that it wasn't good.

He got through the office without any problems with Cynthia, it seemed like she was expecting that as well. He opened the door and the two men looked at her, SecNav sitting on Jenny's desk and Skinner on the chairs in front of it.

"Heard you were looking for me, sir?" Gibbs asked ignoring Skinner's presence. It was better for him and Gibbs that way.

"Heard right, Gibbs," Skinner replied giving Gibbs a once over then glaring at him.

"Have a seat, Agent Gibbs," SecNav said offering the other seat parallel to Skinners. "We'll just wait for Director Shepard to join us."

" She's running a bit late today, don't you think?" Skinner said, his voice full of accusations.

"Don't know sir," Gibbs replied feeling Skinner's eyes on him. He clenched his fist trying to stop himself from giving the man a taste of his right hook. "Don't monitor her movements."

"Sure ya don't," Skinner muttered though loud enough for all three men to hear perfectly.

"You got a problem, Skinner. You say it."

Skinner stood up and Gibbs followed suit. SecNav stood up as well stopping the two men.

"Special Agent Gibbs, Commander Skinner," SecNav bellowed, "sit down."

It's like I'm back home, SecNav thought to himself shaking his head at his agent and the Commander's actions. They were like two little boys fighting for the same action figure. Except the action figure was Jennifer Shepard.

"Sir," Gibbs started only to be interrupted by the door bursting open revealing Jennifer Shepard and all her glory.

"SecNav, Skinner… Jethro?" Jenny said looking at the three men confused. "What are you three doing in my office?"

Gibbs stood up offering Jenny his seat and Jenny took it, looking up at him with a questioning gaze as if asking 'what's happening?'

"Jenny, Gibbs," SecNav started looking at the two then gazing at Skinner. "It's been brought to my attention…"

"Skinner," Gibbs mumbled making it so that only Jenny could hear what he had said.

"That you two are having a personal relationship outside of the office," SecNav continued holding Skinner's gaze. "A relationship that recently has been brought in the office."

Jenny and Gibbs looked at each other then at SecNav hiding their furious glares under a calm façade.

"I assure you, SecNav that…" Jenny started only to be stopped by SecNav raising his hand to stop her from talking.

"I don't want to punish you, Jenny, you are like a daughter to me," SecNav continued. "Though, the 'source' didn't have any substantial evidence to back up his accusations, I'm here to warn you."

"Excuse me, SecNav; you don't think you're being too lenient on the two? They broke protocol," Skinner stepped in seeing that this meeting clearly wasn't going his way. Just a warning? No, he wanted harsher punishments for the two.

"Sir, we have done nothing wrong," Jenny said glaring at Skinner. "There is nothing going on between me and Agent Gibbs. Your source just needs to get over the fact that I said no."

SecNav looked over at Skinner who didn't look as though he was fazed by Jenny's comment. Truth be told, he didn't like Skinner, but for the sake of being a good politician and keeping peace between agencies, he had to play nice. Besides, coming over and giving Jenny and Gibbs his blessing was something he wanted to do in person. He figured that if the price of this relationship was that Gibbs would follow the rules more and Jenny would be less moody, then it was a price he was willing to pay.

"You heard her, Commander," SecNav said wanting to just put this whole thing behind them. "There is nothing going on between Director Shepard and Agent Gibbs."

"They are lying," Skinner said. "If you aren't going to do anything, I will."

"And what are you proposing, Commander?" Jenny asked him raising an eyebrow. "What are you going to do to?"

"You think I'm going to tell you? I'm not stupid."

"That's debatable." She snapped.

"I suggest you stop the smart ass remarks, Director," Skinner replied. "Your reputation and the reputation of your agency is at stake here."

"If you think that I'm going to back away, Commander. Then you are sadly mistaken."

"I will take this accusation to the public. Let them decide how they feel about the Director of an agency that is supposed to be protecting them, fucking her subordinate, on tax payer's time!"

"That is enough Commander," SecNav stepped in. "Director Shep—Jenny, Gibbs…"

Gibbs sat there his hands fisted and his self control. He knew that if he started, he wouldn't be able to stop. That he might end up bashing Skinner's head on the wall.

"Sir?"

"If there something going on between you and Agent Gibbs, it is over now," SecNav ordered them. "Satisfied, Commander?"

"Yes sir."

"Very well, I feel that I've overstayed my welcome." The older man nodded his head towards them and left.

Skinner followed suit and left with a satisfied smirk.

The silence was beyond uncomfortable, things had finally gotten back to their rightful place; and now they were ordered to just ignore it.

She lifted her eyes to meet his, she had expected him to pay no thought to the conversation that had just transpired. After all, since when did Leroy Jethro Gibbs follow orders anyway? She had expected him to kiss her, tell her that it didn't matter, to promise that he would stay.

But instead he just left without a word besides a 'Goodbye, Director.'

She guessed it made sense, she had left him for her job, and now he had to do the same. She had thought at first the whole world it seemed was pushing them together and now apart. Jen realized that in the end, all that really did was open up old wounds and making things so much more complicated.

She was tired of striving for happiness; she had reached the top, she had chosen a career over a personal life and now she was paying for it. If aiming for happiness and perfection in her life brought this much turmoil, she could just live with what she already had.

Jenny walked around her desk and sank into the chair, he had called her Director, and that is all she was going to be to him anymore. Her eyes drifted to the bottom drawer where the watch was tucked away in, she had been planning on giving it back to him today.

But now, she decided she would keep it, the only physical reminder of what they had picked up and put back together only to be dropped and shattered again.

A/N 2: Please don't hurt us! It had to be done, but be on the lookout for the last and final part of Ignorance Is Bliss.

-Tori

Hurt Victoria! The original chapter ended with Fluff. Her idea! My hands were just puppets to her madness – Jeanne