Gibbs' POV
'You've reached the voicemail of Director Jennifer Shepard. I can't come to the phone right now.. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.. Till than have a wonderful day.'
"Damnit Jenny..." I mumbled and tossed the phone onto my desk.
"Boss, anything we can do to help?"
"Yes.. McGee go help Abby trace her phone and then help her watch Kate.. Ziva, Tony, and Bishop you three with me we're going back to the house.. Seeing if there was anything there... Also Tony the dogs are there so don't run off. "
"Umm yes boss..."
With that we made our way back to the house. Pulling into the driveway there was no car in the driveway which was how it was when I left. Carefully I made my way inside with the team following behind me. Bishop got to work checking the locks and doors. Ziva was going through the study and Tony was obviously in the kitchen. Walking inside I went straight up to the bedroom. Some had been here after I left... Something was off... Very off..
"Boss?"
"Yeah DiNozzo?"
"Didn't you say you had dogs?"
"Yeah.. Jenny's two dogs, why?"
"Where are they than?"
"Damnit..." mumbling under my breath I took off towards one of the rooms where the dogs usually spent most their time. Opening the door I found it empty.. I made my way downstairs by Tony.
"Jen's gonna kill me if I lost her dogs... Heck Kate'll have a fit if I were to have lost her playmates.. "
"Boss.. We'll find them"
"No.. No we won't Tony.. Ziva! Bishop! Get in here.." They both came into the kitchen and looked towards me.
"Gibbs? Everything okay?"
"No Ziva.. It isn't. Lets go guys.."
"But boss we haven't..."
"I said lets go!" With that they were all in the car and we drove back to headquarters. The ride was silent and so was the elevator ride back to the bullpen. Walking over I went and sat down at my desk not saying a word to anyone.
"Boss.. "
"What DiNozzo?"
"What happened?"
"She left that's what happened!"
"What do you mean she left?"
"Damnit DiNozzo!" With that I got up dropping the note I had found on my desk and left.. I needed to clear my mind. No i needed coffee...
Maybe I didn't treat you
Quite as good as I should have
Maybe I didn't love you
Quite as often as I could have
Little things I should have said and done
I just never took the time
You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind
Tony's POV
I looked towards the other who had watched Gibbs leave. Standing up I walked over to his desk picking up the letter and reading it. I put my hand to my mouth as I read it. Ziva, Bishop ad McGee looked towards me. Just than the elevator dinged and out walked Abby and Ducky.
"Abby where's Kate?"
"Gibbs took her for ice cream.. He said to get Ducky and come up here.. What's going on?"
"This.." I said holding up the letter.
"What it is Tony?"
"A letter..."
"Anthony read it..."
"Ducky maybe you should... You know these two better than anyone else.." With a nod he took the letter and read it.
Dear Jethro...
I hate to be doing this to you again but I don't know how else to do this.. Yeah I regretted leaving you with just a letter back in Paris and I can promise you I'll regret this one as well.. You're right I'm a coward.. I run when I'm scared.. I left you in Paris because you shut me out.. I was afraid you were gonna hurt me.. I didn't know about your first wife and daughter at that time, how was I suppose to? How was I suppose to ask the man I was so deeply in love with why he was shutting me out, why wasn't he all there for me? Jethro I had half of you.. The other half belonged to her and I know that now.. My father once called me a coward, yeah he was drunk and beating me but maybe he was right.. Maybe I was a coward, maybe I will always be a coward.. I run, it's the easiest thing to do.. Trust me when I said this time was the hardest.. The difference between now and Paris is we have a child. A child I raised and loved.. Jethro I didn't know about your first daughter.. Now that I do I want you to raise Kate.. You lost your daughter when she was eight. Kate's eight now, you missed the first eight years of her life and I don't want you to miss out on anymore.. Jethro I do love you but I can't keep fighting with you about every little thing, that's not something I want my daughter to have to live with her entire life.. Jethro we're better off as partners and friends but maybe, just maybe we weren't meant to marry.. I don't wanna be ex-wife number four.. I love you and always will but Jethro this is goodbye.. Tell the team for me, it was great being the boss of them and the mother to your amazing family, Kate will grow up somewhere she is loved. I took the dogs so you wouldn't have to worry about them. On my trip I'll stop and see Burley and I'll say hi for you. After that don't look for me. Jethro I want you to be happy, without me, I love you and always will. Goodbye my love, i'll never forget you and thank you for the time we've had together, thank ducky for being a great friend, thank tony for being a smart movie buff and in the top drawer of my now empty dresser is a list of movies for him to watch. Thank Ziva for being amazing with Kate and saving my life. Thank McGee for the wonderful stories I loved his Deep Six. I never knew Bishop well but she seems like an amazing person. Than I gotta save the best for last, Abby dear Abby. She always brought joy to my life. I loved her hugs and that I will miss, I'll miss the way she always finds a way to cheer anyone up. It's an honor to be able to work with them all and you especially Jethro. Tell Kate I love her, till we meet again I love you. Also Morrow is back.. I wish you all well.
Sincerely the one and only Jennifer Holly Shepard, Love you and Kate and goodbye.
Maybe I didn't hold you
All those lonely, lonely times
And I guess I never told you
I'm so happy that you're mine
If I make you feel second best
Girl, I'm so sorry I was blind
You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind
All eyes had tears in them as we looked around at each other hugging one another. Just than the elevator dinged and we all turned towards it. Gibbs walked in with Kate, the minute they entered the bullpen we all ran over hugging them. As we stood there in a hug we didn't notice the certain redhead walk past us. She was good I'll give her that. Glancing up I saw her red hair before she entered her office but I thought I was imagining it. Just than Cynthia came out with a box of things and followed behind her was the redhead again.
"Jenny!" All eyes turned to the catwalk as she stepped onto the elevator. Just than the doors closed and Gibbs took off pressing the button but the elevator never opened. Finally he gave up as he walked to the window pounding on it.
"Jen! Jen please.." I saw the tears that rolled down his cheek. I've never seen Gibbs cry, no one other than Ducky had. We all watched as the strongest man we knew fell apart in front of us. The sight that unfolded in front of us brought tears to our eyes. He had his forehead pressed against the window, tears streaming down his face. Slowly he sank to the ground where he sat crying.. Everyone was shocked and had no clue what to do. We stood there watching wanting to do something but there was nothing we could do..
Tell me, tell me that your sweet love hasn't died
Give me, give me one more chance
To keep you satisfied, satisfied
Little things I should have said and done
I just never took the time
You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind
Maybe I didn't treat you
Quite as good as I should have
Maybe I didn't love you
Quite as often as I could have
Maybe I didn't hold you
All those lonely, lonely times
And I guess I never told you
I'm so happy that you're mine
Maybe I didn't treat you
Jenny' POV
I couldn't stand to see him like that...I was hurting him but I knew it was for the best.. If I didn't leave now I would just hurt him worse in the future.. My father was right all I am is a coward and a monster. I was leaving my child.. The child I wanted for years, the child I wanted for years with the man I loved.. I couldn't take another child for him.. I climbed into the car and thanked Cynthia before climbing in and driving off. As I drove tears rolled down my cheek. I tried wiping away but they just kept falling so I let them go.. I was broken and there was no way to fix me..
After a few hours of driving I pulled into the driveway of a familiar house. Parking the car I climbed out and grabbed my suitcase. I se it beside the car as I opened the backdoors grabbing the leashes and hooking the dogs up. Once they were hooked up I let them out. Grabbing my suitcase I made my way up to the door. Unlocking the door I set my bag in the hallway closed the door and unclipped the dogs. As they took off I made my way into the kitchen and smiled at the two figures who looked towards me.
"Mom, Dad.. It's so good to see you both again I've missed you a lot."
"We've missed you too dear.. It's been too long. Tell me how's that little trouble maker of yours now?"
"Well Kate's eight and she's great.. She's with her father."
"You finally told Jethro about her?"
"Jessica!"
"Sorry John... I figured I'd asked..."
"Mom it's fine and yes they've met. Thank you guys again for letting me stay here."
"It's no problem dear.. It's always great to have you."
"Thanks mom.. Hey dad I hope you don't mind I brought the dogs.."
"Not at all Jenny, They can keep Bailey occupied." Smiling I walked over hugging them both.
"We really have missed you.."
"I've missed you too."
"If you guys don't mind I'm gonna unload my things back into my old room." With a nod from them both I brought the rest of my things in and was settled in my room in no time. It felt good to be back in the Gage's household. I had kinda grown up here, this was my safe places. This was my home. Laying there on my bed I looked through an old photo album from when Kate was little, I had made a copy and given that to Jethro to have. As I laid there I rolled my eyes as one of the dogs came running in. Bernese Mountain Dog to be exactly, Bailey my parents big baby. Behind her came Kelly who jumped up beside her and than Jethro. I shook my head as I laid there with he three dogs, one Bernese Mountain Dog, one Dalmatian and one German Shepard. I couldn't help but laugh as I laid there with them.
That's how the next two months went before something happened.. Something I wouldn't have expected and neither would anyone else.. I probably should have known better though.. I was sitting on the porch with my parents when I got up to use the bathroom. I grabbed the railing as everything became dizzy.
"Jenny? You okay?" John asked and I just shook my head. Before I had time to answer everything went black and I fell to the ground, I heard the dogs barking and my parents running over.
"Jessica! Call Roy now! Get him over here now with the truck!" Was the last thing I heard my father say before everything around me went black.