Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS

Authors Note – hey! So here it is. This chapter is un-beta'd as I wanted to get it straight up because I don't know when I'll get to update again as I have LOADS of exams in the next two weeks :'( So, after re-reading it it seems as though I have made Fornell a bit like Tony :/ not quite sure how that happened but it fitted. Also I am trying not to make this really cliché – not sure how that is working :-S Any how, hope Jenny isn't too OOC, and I'll give you more Jibbs in the up and coming chapters ;)

Enjoy :D (yeah, I'm in an obsessed emoticons mood :P )

The next morning Jenny woke up at 06 30 groggy and tired. The previous night the black memories that haunted her mind had kept her awake. Every time she managed to push those dark and sinister images to one side and get to sleep, one would manage to slip through the imaginary net and taunt her subconscious until she awoke in a cold sweat. It was only in the early hours of the morning she finally managed to let a sleep claim her, only it was restless and she awoke feeling no more refreshed that she had felt the previous night.

Dragging her tired body out of bed, she grabbed and a DCU hoodie and went across the landing to the bathroom. Her bare feet fleetingly moving across the cold, wooden floor of the old country cottage. Looking in the mirror she sighed at the tired girl looking back. Grabbing a hair bobble she roughly tied her hair up before getting washed. Twenty minutes later she went back into her room to get ready, the cold water and fresh facial scum followed by a cool moisturiser had awoken her senses and for the first time in a long time she was ready to face the day ahead.

The redhead rummaged in her wardrobe, searing for something to wear. It turned out the warmth that had graced the historic village the previous day was to be short lived, as outside the air was cooler on this spring day. She pulled out a pair of faded skinny jeans and a black vest top. She added a load of pearl necklaces and a pair of black dolly shoes as she figured her preferred heels wouldn't be a good options. Moving over to her dressing table she added a dusting of powder and blusher, concealer to cover the dark circles under her eyes caused by the nightmares. With her mascara and a little eye liner she brushed her curls and tied them in a lose bun with tendrils left down.

Jenny ran down stairs and grabbed a piece of toast from Ducky who gave her a smile as she raced around the old cottage collecting her things. Ducky had been a friend of the family for years, and was a surrogate grandfather to her as well as her god father. They'd always been close as she was growing up, and now he watched the younger woman with a hint of pride. She resembled her mother so much. Jenny's mum had died when she was only young, but as Ducky watched her he couldn't help but notice how the similarities went deeper than just looks.

Jenny grabbed her Canvas bag with the long strap, but on a cotton cream blazer and rolled up the sleeves before saying goodbye to Ducky and putting her earphones in. As she walked to the bus stop she scrolled through the songs on her IPod before selecting 'My Terrible Friend' and putting the album on shuffle. As she reached the bus stop she saw clusters of people and couldn't help but be hit by the feeling of being the 'new girl'. She remembered how that had been her back in DC, stood with her friends, flirting with the boys. Jenny remembered how she'd been the one who would offer the new girl a friend and just hoped that fate would repay her the same favour. The bus came and she smiled at the old rusted red bus. She prayed her fair, feeling eyes on her as they heard the American accent before sitting down on an empty seat.

"You new?" questioned a blonde girl who sat down beside her. She had long wavy hair and dressed in neutral cloths but obviously felt she was popular from the cut of her top.

"Yeah." Jenny replied.

"Well, good luck, sure you'll find it like totally awesome!" she replied with a fake American accent before walking off to her sniggering friends. Jenny just rolled her eyes and was about to out her earphones in again when she heard a voice from behind.

"Just ignore Hollis; she's only annoyed because her boyfriend dumped her last week." Said a girl behind her. Jenny turned around to see a woman with dark brown hair that was quite long with a fringe. She wore casual attire but had a hint or smartness.

"Thanks, I intend to." Jenny replied with smile.

Jenny and the girl she found out to be Kate Todd carried on talking for the rest of the journey. Jenny informing the brunette about DC after she'd proved interested. When they got off the bus they went their separate ways as Kate went to meet her friends and Jenny went to see her progress leader. She watched as Kate was hugged by the same raven haired girl she'd seen at the park. Her eyes then met those of blue, the same blue she would never forget. He was here, but she someone taped his shoulder he looked away and once more, just like the previous day they returned back to their own worlds.

Oxford University was bustling with people as they entered. Some had just woken up and left their dorms if the bed hair was anything to go by were as other's were pristine. Jenny walked to where she had been told to meet her leader. As she walked down the stone floored corridors she saw the name on the door she was searching for 'Professor Tomas Marrow'. Jenny tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before knocking on the door. "Enter." Came a reply. Jenny opened the heavy oak door to see an older man sat behind the desk. He recognised her from her interview and signalled for her to sit down. Silently she did so. He smiled and looked at a piece of paper in front of him before passing it to her. She studied it – her timetable.

"We do a one week time table system, your rooms and lecturers names are on it along with the length and times of the lectures. It is the same every week unless you are notified of the change." He handed her a map. "Here you go: it's easy to get lost. If you need anything then just come and see me. "he said with a small smile. Jenny returned it with a thank you before taking her cue to leave. Once she was outside she studied the lectures, they were the same as in DC: Law, Criminology, Psychology. She looked at her tale and saw she had a Law lecture about to start and began to make her way down the hall way. The nerves from earlier slowly fading.

-An English Rose-

When Jenny arrived at her lecture hall she managed to slip in silently, her tutor giving her a small nod obviously knowing the reason as to why. She smiled back before sitting down on an empty row and pulling out her note book and a pen. Just as the lecture was about to begin a young man came in and slid next to her. "Fornell, let us not make a habit of these late arrivals shall we not. Now let me begin…"

The younger man just rolled his eyes and looked at Jenny. "First time this year I'm late and he thinks I'll make a habit of it." Jenny smiled. "You new?"

"Yeah, moved from DC."

"Well, good luck, we're not as … 'nouvelle culture' in Oxford, more 18th Century." She smiled back at him, before they both turned their attention to their lecturer who was telling them that today's lecture would be focussed on 'petty offences' and how the punishment is decided upon. Jenny sat making notes every now and again when necessary. She smiled as she heard a slight snore from beside her; she knocked his arm awakening the man beside her. He nodded in thanks before they focussed again.

-An English Rose-

Two hours later they all emerged from the lecture, half asleep and essay to be done. She was about to find somewhere quiet to go and start when she heard footsteps jogging towards her. She smiled at the boy from earlier. "Thought I t was rude of me not to introduce myself seeming as you stopped me from getting an extra thousand words to write. Tobias Fornell." He said with a smile.

"Jenny Shepard." She replied. They began to walk until he saw his friends who just so turned out to be the same friends as Kate had and also Jethro.

"Where you going?" he asked.

"To find somewhere quiet to study, better make a start on my Essay."

"Come with us, I'm sure they wouldn't mind, and anyhow, Abby will no doubt love to meet you."

"I wouldn't want to-"

"Come on." He said as she walked with him towards them.

"Tobias." Jethro greeted the other man.

"Jethro. This is Jenny, said she could come with us." Just as expected Abby jumped up and hugged the younger woman.

The time was spent in a completely different atmosphere to what Jenny was used to. They all laughed and helped one another with Work. They sat on the grass and played music. She felt in that moment like she truly belonged, like the move had been the right thing. Yet as she spoke with the rest of the gang she didn't speak to Jethro and him not to her. Instead they met one another's gaze every so often and there was a feeling like something needed to be said, yet nothing did – so they left it. Abby kept smirking if she caught them looking and Jenny would blush ever so slightly. As Afternoon drew in she and Kate went off the their Psychology lecture. That day was the first in many Jenny felt like she had a new life, like the past could maybe le laid to rest. Then again, nothing would ever be that easy . . .

Please read and REVIEW! ;) they make me happy and I love writing this story and it makes me smile to know you guys all like it too.

Reviews please