Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS

Authors note – thank you for your reviews, I know you all want more jibbs, and I'm sorry about the lack in the last chapter, but it needed to be written! Here is the next, and it is loaded with Jibbs! Hope that you all enjoy. There is only about another chapter and then the epilogue until this is over I think! Wow! Anyway, enjoy, xx

'It's the truth before the lies, it's the way she doesn't try, it's the wink before the slight, in Philadelphia' – Philadelphia by Parachute

The bar was open, the new barman stood behind the bar wiping glasses whilst minding his own business, but the place was empty, no one was in yet. The two red heads were sat in the booth in the corner. White mugs filled to a centimetre or two below the brim with coffee, now stone cold, sat in their hands. Ali had changed from her jumper into an oversized white shirt. Her hair had been pulled back away from her face and dried tear tracks lay imprinted in salty water down her cheeks. As soon as Ali had stepped through the doors of the bar that she called home she had fallen to the floor in a bundle, crying her eyes out as the composure that she had somehow managed to keep together on the walk back broke down into a million pieces. Jenny had come rushing out and sat down beside her, enveloping the woman who was almost a daughter to her in a hug as she let her cry all she needed to, not needing to push for an explanation, letting Ali give her one when the right time came.

One the younger red head had cried all the tears she could, Jenny had sat her down and made them both mugs of coffee. And slowly, as the coffee warmed her through she began to think clearly again. She'd looked into her aunts big green eyes and told her the whole story, told her what exactly it was that had happened with Tony, and then Jenny had hugged her again. They'd spoken, small talk really, meaningless but at the same it brought with it a sort of comfort that only people who know you so well can.

Now they sat there, in what could almost be described as a stunned silence, neither still fully able to comprehend the events that had lead up to where they now were. Ali took a sip of the cold coffee, regretting it as soon as the liquid entered her mouth and pulling an almost comical face of disgust as she registered the coolness. "I can't believe that he would do that Ali." Jenny said, smirking at her niece as she pulled a face.

"I . . . I guess asking him to wait nearly a month for me when we had barely even started our relationship was too much." It felt like a confession as she said it out load. She wondered if this was how religious followers felt when they went into confession and bared their darkest secrets. If they felt as though a weight had been lifted off of them, only to have something a hundred times heavier had been the replacement.

"It shouldn't have been Al, it really shouldn't have been." Jenny placed her hand on top of that of her nieces in a comforting way; hoping that it would give the younger woman something to hold onto if she needed it.

"I know." She said, but deep down she knew no words would ever stop her feeling as though it were her fault. "I've decided that I am going to fly back to California tomorrow. I know I was going to stay but . . ." But what? She wondered to herself. But the thought of what Tony did is swallowing me up? That down in California she had been oblivious? That she hoped that she would become all that oblivious again. "But I can't deal with it, can't deal with being here for the moment." And that was it, because I'm a coward and I'm running away. Just as I did in England when University got too much: I ran, I'll run. "I want to watch over things before the opening anyway. You and Gibbs can come down and . . . and then maybe I'll come back, or maybe I won't. I've already spoken to an ex-Marine Gibbs knows about being a new barman for DC anyway. That way you don't have to stay here and work24/7."

Jenny sat in silence for a few moments, letting it all sink in. "You sound like you are making it all final." She said, knowing in her heart that it would be a long time before Ali returned to DC. Whether Ali knew it or now, it was true.

"I haven't made anything definite yet." Ali said with a smile. "Look it's getting on and I know you are on your day off and meant to be meeting Jethro-"

"Ali he can wait, you are what matter at the moment." Jenny interrupted; not wanting her niece to ever feel as though she was being put second.

"No, No Jen, it's fine. I'm going to go and have a fag, and then . . ." She took a deep breath. "I'm going to pack, book a fight, ring my new barman and then I'm going to get on with work."

"Ali, I don't want to leave you when you are all upset." The older red head admitted.

"I know, but with you here all I am going to do is sit here, drink coffee and wallow in self pity. Now go, go and see Gibbs, act like love sick teenagers and I will no doubt see you later." Jenny smiled at her niece, sometimes she blew her away. Standing up, albeit be reluctantly, Jenny decided to agree with her niece. Jenny knew that if she stayed she would make Ali take I easy, and she also knew from past experience that if Ali were anything like she had been when she was her niece's age then she would want to drown herself in work for a while. So Jenny walked around the other side of the table and kissed her nieces cheek.

"If you need me then you call me, okay?" She stated, almost in the same voce she had used when she was in the police. Informative, and as though she was as in charge as she had been once upon a time, and yet with a very strong undertone of the fact that she cared. Sympathy, knowledge, hope and caring were all woven through the statement in a way that would reassure anyone.

"I will. Now go, have fun!" Ali said, with an evil smirk.

Jenny walked out of the bar with a sad, bittersweet feeling inside of her. Whilst she was excited to be spending the night with Jethro, she was also worried for Ali. Jenny walked back to her house, even though she had a few hours until she was due to meet Jethro, she decided she would start getting ready and then go and meet him at NCIS. That way she could also glare daggers into the man who had hurt her niece.

Back at NCIS Gibbs was sat drinking the coffee that he had just been out to get. It was his almost bitterly strong blend which was scalding hot, and yet he managed to drink it easily, almost relishing as it seared down his throat. He was sat at his deck in the bull pen. NCIS was quiet for a weekend, and for once the team had no case which made him very happy. McGee was down with Abby, doing God only knows what. Tony however had not returned yet. So Gibbs was shocked when his phone bleeped into life with a message. He flipped it open and saw that it was from Jenny. A small smile spread across his face and he opened it, reading the message that appeared on the screen in slightly pixellated letters.

Did you know what Tony had done to Ali?! Xx

HE sighed, running a hand though his hair and looking at the screen. He knew that if Jenny saw Tony anytime soon he would get a slap around the face. But at the same time he was slightly relieved as he realised that this meant Tony had come clean, he had not taken the easy way out and pretended like nothing had happened. Now Gibbs had to think about what he was going to say. Should he say that he hadn't known? Or tell her he had? That would mean that it looked like he had lied to her then though. Gibbs decided that if he wanted his and Jenny's relationship to end up any better that the rest of his marriages, then he needed to tell her the truth. So feeling slightly proud of himself for knowing how, he texted her back.

Yeah, I found out this morning. Made him go and tell her as soon as I found out. Gave him a head slap his grandkids will feel too. Xxx

It was only moments later he got a text back from her. And once more his face lit up with a smile. The director stood up on the catwalk near MTAC watching his agents. Every now and again he did, almost as though he were surveying his kingdom so to speak. He watched as agents signed files and worked on cases. Then his eyes lingered on the MCRT cubical. McGee was not there, so he guessed that the tech-savvy agent was down with Abby. Tony was god only knows where but Gibbs was there. And as he looked at him he saw the older agent doing two things that made marrow pinch himself: 1) he was texting which was unbelievable in its self, and 2) he was smiling. Not his signature smirk like always before, but a real smile, just like the one that he had seen him wearing a few time over the last few weeks.

Thanks, sorry for thinking the wrong thing. She's so upset J! I don't know what to do xx

Gibbs felt a massive pang at his heart. He felt as though the girl he was beginning to see as his own Niece had been hurt by the man he saw as a son.

There is nothing more you can do. Just be there when she needs you. And remember I love you xx

He replied, with a slight smile. He wished that he could be with Jenny right now. Wished that all of a sudden he could press a fast-forward button on the day so that it would take him to the evening, then press pause so he could just live out the rest of is days in one of those completely blissful moments of peace.

You really are amazing Jethro. I'll meet you at NCIS later. Love you too xx

And with that he traced the last three words and looked up to see Tony walking in. His eyes were red and he looked like he'd been crying. Gibbs walked up to him and looked down, glaring at the younger man who was now seated behind his desk. Tony didn't need to ask to know what his boss wanted to ask. "I told her, and she finished it. It's over, and I have no one to blame but myself."

"You did the right thing." Gibbs said, in a way he was sort of proud of Tony for telling the truth. For biting the bullet and doing what was required of him.

"Yeah? Well it doesn't feel like it." Gibbs began to walk off, head slapping the younger agent as he went.

Hours passed by, and Jenny stood in her wardrobe, slowly picking out what she was going to wear. Eventually she decided, and went about carefully curling the ends of her hair. Soft country music, a habit that Ali had caused to rub off on her aunt, flooded through the room. And an hour later Jenny stood in front of her mirror with her jacket on. She had a black A-Line skirt with slight pleats that fell just above her knee. On her top half she had a purple blouse which had a slight metallic colour to it. On her feet were purple suede heels, their high would compete with anyone else's. Around her neck was a dragon fly necklace with little gems in it. She had on a black leather 'All Saints' jacket which she remembered blowing her first month's pay on when she first joined PD. Smiling at her appearance she applied a coat of bright red lipstick and grabbed her clutch before heading off.

She got in a cab seeming as it was dusk on a late Saturday afternoon and headed towards the Navy yard with a smile on her face. She knew she was early, but at the same tie doubted that Gibb would be annoyed. She glanced out of the window and watched as the familiar city passed her by. A smile fell on her face. She wondered though, if her life had been different and she had passed that fitness exam, would she still be in the PD? Or maybe that was a warning, that there was something bigger coming. Maybe Ali would have buried her aunt, never met Tony. Maybe Ali would e a lawyer in England. Life would be so different. But what Jenny did know was that in some almost ironic way, that man who had failed her, well she had a lot to thank him for. Because she didn't know if she would be on her way to meet the man she was in love with otherwise.

As the cab pulled up outside the headquarters, she smiled, thanked the driver and paid him the due amount. Once he had gone she walked up into the entrance, told the security she was seeing Gibbs and went through the metal detector. After re-clasping her necklace around her neck she finally stepped into the lift. It was cold and metal, but there was something about it that flashed her back to the old half broken and faulty one back at her old station. The way that to get to her squad room you used to have to press the button for the one above, then get off and take the stairs. However at least the NCIS one worked slightly better, so as the doors opened Jenny was smiling.

The bullpen's bright orange colour scheme was enough to give anyone a headache, but at least the place was light. Unlike some of the other dingy dark squad rooms she had been in over the years. Jenny made her way to the familiar section in the room which held the MCRT. McGee had reappeared from Abby's and was sat at his desk, Tony too; however Gibbs was not there at that moment.

As the redhead walked past the senior agent's desk she gave him a glare that would compete with Gibbs' any day. There was a look of annoyance and almost disgust in her eyes, emotions that Tony not only knew she felt, but that he felt towards himself as well. Jenny then turned her gaze to McGee who was sat working. "Hello Tim." She said smiling at the younger man. Although she did not know him as well as the rest of the team, she knew that he was a good man.

"Hello Jenny." She said softly. It was amazing how since he had joined Gibbs' team, the agent's confidence had rocketed. He was no longer the stammering probie who had been based in Norfolk, but now an agent who any team leader would be proud to have on their team. "You look lovely." He said acknowledging Jenny's outfit. The redhead smiled, but before she had time to respond Gibbs walked in with one of his smart arse comments.

"She's taken McGee!" Gibbs said as he walked towards Jenny with a smile, and stood a little closer than usual. His senses were overwhelmed by the smell of her perfume, and for a moment he became lost in the depths of her green eyes.

"Boss I wasn't-"McGee began as he attempted to depend himself.

"Leave the poor boy alone Jethro, he was simply complementing me on my outfit." She said with a smile. He looked like he didn't believe her, but kept quiet none the less, not wanting to have an argument with her over something so petty.

"Come on, need to go and see Ducky." He said, taking her hand as they went. They walked briskly whilst prying eyes were on them, but once they had turned to corner to the back lift they slowed down and he placed an arm around her waist and she smiled. "You look amazing Jenny." He said as he placed a kiss on her temple.

"Thank you." She said with a smile. As they stood waiting for the lift she looked up at him and decided to ask him about doing down to California. "Jethro, Ali is going back down to California tomorrow."

He looked dawn and hugged her tighter. "I'm sorry Jen."

"She asked me to talk to you. We both know you have work and obviously if you can't we won't be offended, but she asked if you would take Friday and Monday off. She'd like you there for the opening, and for us both to stay for the weekend." She looked up, hopeful that he'd say yes.

"Course I will do Jenny." He said, leaning down and kissing her softly. When they parted and got on the list he smiled once more. "We'll go see Tom after Ducky; I think he'd like to meet you."

When they got off at autopsy and walked in, Jenny saw Ducky had a body on the table, but I didn't bother her. After years in Pd, a dead body was nothing to turn her stomach. "Ah, Jethro." Ducky said looking up. However he was not expecting to see Jenny as well. "Hello my dear, if I'd have known you were coming I'd have put out visitor away." HE said in his soft Scottish accent.

"It's find Ducky, I've seen enough DB's in my life not to have my lunch make a reappearance anymore." She said with a smile.

"Ducky, I need you to talk to Tony." Said Gibbs, he knew Jenny was staring daggers into him bu for know he had to worry about his agent.

"Ah, scuttlebutt is to be believed then I take it." Ducky said as he removed his gloves and threw them into the bin.

"I'm afraid so. I know he did wrong, but I'm worried, I need you to do your head doctor stuff." He said, in his usual Gibbs way.

"BY that I take it you mean my psychological profiling."

"Yeah that."

"Well Jethro, I think you know all I will ever know. He's very much like you were when you fist came here. Although you may deny it, there are very many resembling features between you both."

Gibbs ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah Duck I know." And with that he began to walk out. Ducky turned to stop Jennifer.

"You won't find a better man than Jethro my dear, but as you worry about Alison and her heart like a daughter, he worried about Anthony and his like a son." She smiled, and gently placed a hand over his. Looking in the old doctor's eyes she replied in words that could be no more honest than thye were.

"And that is why I love him." She said with a smile before following him out.

When she exited the cool room of autopsy she saw him stood by a wall. HE looked s though he was having an internal debate and she walked up to him and hugged him. "I don't resent it you know? You look out for Tony. As much as I hate him for what he has done, he still need people who care." HE looked down, none f his wives had ever understood how his team were his family. But Jenny did. Maybe it was the copper in her, or maybe it was who she was. But whichever part of it made her like that, which was the part he loved.

Up in his office the director was sighing off case reports. It seemed that as the years passed him by, agents hand writing got harder to read, even with his glasses on. The room was silent, apart from the sound of his ever loyal assistant trying to stop Gibbs from entering. Marrow could not help but smirk as he removed his glasses and placed them in the draw. Whilst he knew that he needed them, he was not all too happy about the whole agency knowing that age was creeping up on him, so he kept them hidden. As Gibbs came in, Marrow was surprised to see the re head who was obviously the woman of Gibbs heart stood with him.

"Tom, meet Jenny, Jenny this is Director Tom Marrow." She walked forward just as the director did as shook his hand with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you." She said, holding back on the sir that half a decade ago would have been needed.

"As it is you." He replied softly. "Now what can I do for you both?"

"Need two day off." Gibbs said gruffly. "Friday and Monday this weekend." He specified.

"Are you sure this is the same man who has over half a year's worth of paid leave stacked up?"

"Well yeah tom! Just never needed to use it before." Gibbs said smirking as per usual.

"Good, means the SecNav might stop nagging me about your leave if you take a couple of days off." HE said smiling. "Anything else?" He asked.

"Nope. And with that Gibbs went. Jenny cast a smile and began to leave.

"Jenny." Said the director and she turned. "Thank you, I haven't seen Gibbs as happy as he is now . . . well ever to be honest. So thank you."

She smiled at once more being congratulated on handling the silver fox. "I think if you spoke with my old chief he'd say the same about Gibbs making me happy." And with that Jenny left the office, a smile gracing her face at the sight of Gibbs waiting. Finally, his day was over, so he grabbed his jacket and left with a smile on his ace, hand in hand with Jethro. And as they walked towards the bar for the evening, knowing that for once Tony would not be there, Ali would be playing sad songs and Jenny would not be working, Jenny asked a question that she had been dying to ask since she left the director's office.

"How long exactly is it since you last had a day off Jethro?" But his only answer was to laugh. But she didn't mind, because that was all the confirmation she needed: about the same amount of time as it had been since she took a holiday.