Disclaimer NCIS is not mine

Authors note Thanks to all of you who reviewed, i only have a week left of exams so then i hope i should be able to write more. To any of yas who have blogger or bloglovin', i have a new blog call 'shabs' so please go and follow that!

For the meantime though, i'm afraid Mark is still of the scene...

New Game Rules

'We heard all our stories a thousand time,
Somebody go on and tell 'em again, ain't nobody gonna mind,
Here's to the good ole boy, the guitars that made the noise,
And all the girls that we annoyed, and the ones we kissed goodnight,
To the trucks that drove us home, secrets we never told,
And all the talks on old dirt roads that somehow changed our lives,
Here's to the nights we don't remember and the friends we won't forget.'
-Lee Brice, Friends we won't forget

Weeks turned into months, and in DC life began to fall into a new type of normal. There wasn't the same atmosphere there had once been, but it didn't take long for them all to realise it wouldn't be getting any better anytime soon and so it was time to adjust. The leaves turned to reds then gold's and then they carpeted the floors of the city, paving the way for the brisk winter winds. The snow began to fall and a magical winter wonderland captivated the streets and houses. Children wore smiles, and everything began to feel a little but more festive as Thanksgiving passed and Christmas came and went.

Thanksgiving as per usual had been spent at Ducky's house with his mother. Jethro had cut the turkey whilst Mrs Mallard sat to his left and his wife to his right. She had wanted to spend the occasion with her family, but had begrudgingly accepted that this was his family and consequently hers too. So, she had sat and listened to the old tales spouted from both the Mallards, watched as Jenny, Stan and Will acted like children out in the snow. For a woman who had never experienced a friendship as unusual as this one, the holiday was slightly obscure.

It was like a family where no one was actually related and no one had a set role. One minute you were a wife, the next a mother then a daughter.

Then at Christmas they all did their own thing, Gibbs and Stephanie went to spend the holiday with her sister Heather and her children. Compared to the thanksgiving meal this was a completely different type of family, where everything had a little less sparkle and everyone was bothered about how everyone else felt. For Gibbs, that day was the strange one. A day when he did not quite know where he fit in or what he was supposed to do or say.

Stan and Will didn't do much; they just met up for a few drinks and spent some time with some long lost friends. Jenny saw Mark on Christmas Eve before he flew out to Ireland for a few of days to see his family. The red head however spent the day curled up on the sofa watching White Christmas and other soppy festive movies. The same thing she did every year, shrouded in her memories from back when a family had lived the big brownstone house.

But New Years Eve was a different occasion. Stephanie had decided that because they all imposed on the older Scotsman at Thanksgiving it was their turn to host. So, she'd picked up a pad, practically chained Gibbs to the seat and forced him to help her plan. She'd written down their guests, friends who had been at their wedding, people she worked with, Tobias Fornell-

"Do we have to invite Tobias?" Gibbs questioned, groaning at the thought of the occasion already. He picked up his steaming coffee in the Starbucks printed mug Jenny had bought him before they flew out to Paris; 'because at least that way he could pretend he had his Jamaican Blend'; and took a large gulp, feeling the liquid burn his throat as it slid down.

"Yes, he's your friend and it's only good manners." Stephanie said as she wrote his name down in her straight rounded writing,. Taking care to make sure each letter was the same height.

"If we invite Tobias then he'd gonna bring Diane, and she already hates my guts."

"Then it's the perfect opportunity to build some bridges."

"Steph-"

"-No arguments Jethro, anyone would think that you didn't want this party to go ahead." She said, rolling her eyes and not realising that in actual fact he didn't want that.

-She'd also written down the names of Ducky, Tom Marrow, Will, Stan and Jenny-

"Do you think we should invite her boyfriend as well, I heard Stan asking her about him at Doctor Mallard's the other week." Said Stephanie as she looked up from the jotter pad. Jethro just shrugged his shoulders though. He barely even knew about Jenny's boyfriend, in fact he didn't know anything when he actually thought about it.

"Dunno."

"Well maybe you should ask her to bring him, have you met him yet?"

"Nope." Gibbs replied, popping the 'p', not particularly wanting to meet the man. After the argument with Jenny in the basement he had done his best to stick to the new game rules. He didn't ask her about anything personal, tried to treat her like he treat Stan and Will. She did the same, but I was hard, especially after everything they'd been through.

"Well it would be the perfect opportunity, I'll write a plus one next to her name and you can tell me when you know if she is going to bring him." Gibbs gave a mumbled response before going to make another cup of coffee. Thinking how he could avoid asking her and pretend as though he had simply forgotten about it.

-Everyone Gibbs knew had been invited.

So, two night before New Year's Eve the team were all gathered in the bull pen, finishing up some case reports that Marrow wanted done before the New Year began and the cases started up again. Stan and Will were down in the break room hitting the vending machine to get food out so that they didn't have to pay, Jenny was writing away at her desk and Gibbs was staring off into space.

His mind was elsewhere. The atmosphere was not as bad between them as it had been directly after the argument, but neither really spoke unless it was about work. It worried him and hurt him, because it had been Jenny who helped him get through the whole Paris fiasco, just as much as he had helped her. It had been Jenny who forced him to go see Ducky after he got scraped on the job. It was Jenny who held his hand whilst ducky dug a bullet out and he feinted in and out of consciousness when they were undercover. It had been Jenny whom had always been there. He didn't know what had made them get to where they were now, and that was something which kept him awake at night. That and what she had said that night in his basement.

Part of him wondered if she had loved him, but he still thought it a stupid idea. She was young and beautiful, passionate and had the world at her feet. She had been caught up in a hell, maybe she hadn't known truly what she was feeling back then. Maybe she had interpreted it wrong, or maybe he had.

The lift dinged as the doors opened, and he flicked his eyes open to see Stephanie walking into the bullpen and over to his desk. She was no doubt there to drag him to go and get food for the party – something that was proving one hell of a pain in his ass. All he ever heard at home was 'the party this' and 'New Years Eve that'. He tuned out half the time, and would be glad when the whole thing was over.

"Hey." She said, and stood up and grabbed his jacket off of the back of his chair where he had left it after his last coffee run. "Jenny, did Jethro ask you about New Years Eve?"

The red head looked up from her case file, a piece of paper covered in her curling script, and smiled politely at the other woman. "Yeah, I'm not sure, Mark gets back tonight and I'm not sure if he wants to do something."

"I told Jethro to invite him as well, I'm sure everyone would love to meet this mystery man of yours."

Jenny smiled softly. As it turned out without either one of them saying anything that little note in the background had come into play. Mark and her saw each other most days, and slept over at the others' house most nights. It was easy, and calm, and fun. But there had begun to be a sense a commitment in it. She didn't notice anyone else and she'd met a few of his mates who had said he'd spoken about her. The thought of everyone she worked with meeting him scared her, but if things carried on then she knew it would have to happen soon enough. "I'll ask him tonight."

"Good, I hope we get to see him." The red head turned back to her husband and raised an eyebrow, he nodded, telling her that he was ready to go. And with that they most left.

"Night Jenny." Jethro said, and she smiled back, before looking down at the case file and carrying on writing. The smile was meaningful one, one that said she was thankful he hadn't pried about where Mark had been or what they might have planned. He was respecting the new game rules, and that pleased her as much as it hurt her.

She stayed a while longer, finishing writing up her case file until it was done and sat on Gibbs' desk awaiting his inspection. Stan and Will had still yet to reappear and she guessed that they'd found something to occupy themselves with. Her eyes cast out the window at the snow covered city. Winter would never be the same for her again. The snow and the cold reminded her of the hell that had been Moscow. Every time she saw it, a cold shiver that had nothing to do with the weather, ran down her spine.

Running a hand through her hair she stood up and grabbed her black woollen coat and bag. She pulled on her green woollen scarf and wrapped up before heading out of headquarters and making her way to the airport to pick Mark up just as she had promised; so he didn't have to pay for parking or a taxi – or at least that was the reason she had said. The red head knew the real reason was that she had missed him.

The sun had long since set on the city, the CD player was playing Shania Twain – Jenny's choice – and they sat on the sofa in the living room of her brownstone. A half empty pizza box sat on the coffee table, and she had her feet on his knee. There was no sound between the pair, just the love songs that were playing. The red head looked down at her chipped nail polish she had meant to re-paint.

"What's up?" Mark questioned, leaning over and taking her hand. His were smooth, and she looked over at his soft face. The dark brown hair, and typically handsome features. His eyes which were like pools of chocolate, warm and caring.

"I-"She cut off, she was about to ask him about the party but was half scared he'd say no. As though she had interpreted their relationship in the wrong way. His thumb rubbed the top of her hand, as though reassuring her. "Stephanie and Gibbs are having a party for New Years Eve." She said pausing as her eyes flicked up to look at him.

"You should go." He said, smiling softly.

"Will you come with me? You don't have to say yes, but I think maybe it's time you met everyone, but only if you want to-"

"You're rambling." He said, softly, making her laugh. "I'd love to come with you."

The red head hadn't expected that his answer would make her feel as happy as it did. She hadn't expected the smile that spread across her face, and the one on his that matched hers. "Thank you." She said, as she leant across and hugged him, softly kissing him on the lips before returning to her seat, her hand remaining in his as they sat there talking. She told him who would be there, about the relationship Gibbs and Diane had, and how the woman had a vengeance against her. Jenny told him about how Tobias was now married to Diane, something that made him laugh. And the whole time she tried to avoid letting on just how bad things were with her partner.

"Jenny, you do realise we're already late right?" Mark shouted up the stairs, laughing the whole time. She was still getting ready, on what must be her fiftieth outfit of the evening. Of course he didn't understand what the problem was, but for the sake of his health had remained downstairs dressed in his jeans and shirt whilst he waited.

"I'm nearly ready!" She shouted down, laughing in the same manner he had. She turned to the mirror and looked over her appearance. She had on a lightly patterned brown woollen tulip skirt which hit mid thigh, a pair of thick black tights, a white jumper with a statement necklace, a thin tan brown belt and mid calf height worn brown boots with a chunky heel – she couldn't go sans heal after all!

She unplugged her curling tongues and grabbed her dark red lipstick before shoving it in the pocket of her leather jacket and shrugging that on as well. Mark hadn't seen her outfit, she'd been stood in her underwear throwing clothing all over the place last thing he saw – no doubt how he would have preferred she stay.

Her stomach was like a jar containing butterflies as she stood there. The thought of the evening already scaring the hell out of her. Part of her cared what they all thought of him, the part of her didn't, after all it was none of her business. She wondered if he'd felt nervous when he'd introduced her to his navy mates, but she doubted it.

Taking a deep breath she left her room, flicking the light switch as she went, and then made her way downstairs. He was stood at the bottom before she reached it, his own jacket on and ready to go. They were going to drive there then get a taxi back, pick up the car in the morning. "You look stunning." He said, and she blushed a little, softly kissing him before she stepped down onto the hardwood flooring.

"Now I'm ready." She stated, and he just smirked, they were certainly going to make an entrance with her looking like that. And so, they left her brownstone and headed to Gibbs' house not too far away. It was a familiar route, one she had driven countless times over the years, one she could drive with her eyes shut. As she got closer she got more and more nervous, so she reached across and took a hold of Marks hand.

"Why are you so nervous? Surely it should be me who is the one about to pee their pants?" He asked her, raising his eyebrows as he momentarily looked at her before looking back at the road.

"I know, it's just they mean so much to me, and so do you. If things don't go right . . ."

"Hey." He said, rubbing his thumb over the top of her hand just as he had done the previous night. "You mean an awful lot to me, and you no doubt mean an awful lot to them. That's enough to make us get on." They pulled up outside the familiar and comforting house. She just nodded, and then they got out and made their way up to the house. Jenny couldn't help, however, be overwhelmed by the memory of the argument that had taken place the last time she was at the house. The one that had completely changed things between them.

The party was in full swing by the time Jenny and Mark walked in. Everyone had had a couple of drinks and seamed reasonably laid back. As they walked through the gate she smiled at the sight in front of her. Stan and Will were sat with a couple of women, both of whom did not look impressed, trying to flirt. Gibbs was stood by the barbeque with Tobias, both of them no doubt hiding from Diane for one reason or another – and it struck her that she might have to do the same thing too at one point in the evening. Ducky was talking to someone the red head didn't recognise, Stephanie was one her way over, and Diane was (thankfully) nowhere to be seen for the time being anyway.

"Jenny, I'm so glad you could come." She said, hugging the redhead. Something that took Jenny aback. "You must be her mystery man. I'm Stephanie, it's lovely to meet you." She said, putting on a super sweat smile as she looked at Mark.

"It's lovely to meet you too, thank you for inviting me." He said, pulling Jenny closer to him as he felt her eyes wander – he was not letting her ditch him.

"You're more than welcome." Before Stephanie could say anything else, Stan and Will where calling her over to join them, and she made their excuses.

The couple walked over to the other two men, meeting them half way. Both were dressed in jeans and a shirt, Stan in Pink as he thought it made him look more masculine – Jenny didn't understand – and Will in a white shirt. She smiled as they met; sort of pleased she was dealing with them before anyone else. "Hey." She said softly. "Mark, meat Stan Burley and William Decker, Stan, Will this is Mark." She stepped away a little, allowing them all to say their hellos. Once more her eyes roamed. There was a little small talk before she heard Will say:

"So what are your intentions with Shep, then?" He questioned, Mark looked a little uncomfortable, turning to the red head for help, and Jenny just laughed.

"You're dealing with that one by yourself." She stated, pecking his cheek before walking away. She could feel Mark's eyes on her as she went, but decided to let Stan and Will get their banter over with before the evening got in full swing. She walked over to the barbeque where Gibbs and Tobias were hiding. "Is this where we hide from Diane?" She asked, looking over her shoulder as she mocked being scared. Gibbs rolled his eyes, but Tobias laughed.

"What have you done?" The FBI agent questioned and Jenny shrugged her shoulders.

"If you believe her? Then me and Jethro here had some hot and steamy affair for the duration of their marriage." The fact that she had not even been on the scene for the majority of Gibbs and Diane's marriage made the whole thing stupid. It hurt her a lot less than it once had: taking the mick out of something she had wanted. And she wondered if that was because she was finally moving on.

"Woah?!" Tobias commented, mocking shock. "Why d;you never tell me this Jethro?!"

"Hmm, she's got it in for Jenny, God only knows why." Gibbs added as she carried on cooking the food. Tobias, typically, found this all very amusing after all anyone had to do was look at Jenny.

"What have you done now then?" Jenny probed as she looked over to see that Mark was still being pestered by her two team mates, only now looked a lot less scared than he had when she abandoned him.

"God only knows!" Gibbs and Jenny both laughed.

"If it makes ya feel any better she still won't even speak to me!" Gibbs said, taking a drink of the bourbon he had beside him. Jenny noted it, and thanked the gods that her partner had been in charge of deciding on the drinks and not his wife.

"That's even after hitting you over the head with a baseball bat?" Jenny asked, feinting innocence and confusion. The former marine grumbled an inaudible response rubbing his head at the thought of the night near the end of his marriage when he had turned up on Ducky's front step bleeding.

"You're joking!" Tobias exclaimed, Jenny just shook her head, trying to contain her laughter.

"I told you not to marry her." Gibbs grumbled, not getting any sympathy from his co-workers at all.

Gibbs flicked his eyes over Jenny's shoulder to see the man she had entered with walking over. Part of him said leg it while he still had the chance. But then he remembered it was technically his party and he couldn't do that.

Jenny felt him behind her knowing who it was from the scent of his aftershave, she felt his breath on her neck as he whispered; "Thanks for that Jenny." - Sarcastically. She just laughed a little, spinning around to look at him. Mark saw the sparkle in her eyes, and look the look of happiness. Jenny and Gibbs were laughing like the old days, and that made her so happy. Mark didn't know, of course, why that sparkle was there. But he was glad it was none the less.

"So what are your intentions with me?" She asked, mockingly with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. He just laughed, raising his eyebrow, making her blush.

"Well first I'm going to get you drink, then I'm not going to let you leave me stranded to be interrogated again, then at midnight I'm going to kiss you." She felt her heart melt a little.

"I have to wait until midnight?!" But the moment was broken by Gibbs and Fornell coughing, as though reminded them they were still there. Jenny blushed a little, and then turned around to look back at her friends. "Gibbs, Tobias, this is Mark, Mark meet Gibbs – my partner – and Tobias, he's FBI so behave yourself." The agent just rolled his eyes and shook Marks hand whilst Gibbs nodded.

"It's good to meet you both." Mark said, then turned to Gibbs; "I've heard a lot about you sir, mostly good."

"I doubt that." Gibbs replied. Eying Jenny, as things were he doubted there was a single word about him that fell from Jenny's lips about him that was good. But he appreciated the lie.

"I hope you don't mind but I'm gonna steal her back for a bit." And with that he lead Jenny over to the drinks table, where she looked at him thankfully. He'd known when to leave just before it got awkward and that meant a lot.

The rest of the party went smoothly. They ate the burgers that Gibbs had cooked, and Stephanie was the perfect host, catering to everyone's needs but having fun too. Stan and Will had still failed to pull by the time midnight came, but neither really cared. That evening was about family, not women.

So when midnight came they all chanted the countdown, each couple already in the arms of each other as they watched the sky, waiting for the familiar fireworks. When it got to 'one' Jenny and Mark looked in the eyes of one another, seeing the stars twinkling in the iris'. Then, when everyone cheered they softly kissed one another.

Gibbs and Stephanie gave each other a quick kiss.

Tobias and Diane even managed to kiss one another and a quick smile after.

Stan and Will, well they hugged one another, before going over and tacking Gibbs as they tried to kiss one another – they had certainly had too much to drink by that point.

Although Jenny laughed, she didn't say anything, instead she just hugged Mark, who, placed his mouth near her ear and whispered; "I might just be falling in love with you Jenny Shepard." She was taken aback, but him saying it made her heart swell, and in that moment, under a sky exploding with colour, surrounded by people she loved like family and ones he hoped he would soon know better, Jenny realised she felt exactly the same.

"I think I might just be falling in love with you too." She whispered, and he pulled back looking in her eyes, not having expected her to say it back. But she just nodded, smiling and biting her lip as though she were nervous. Mark beamed a thousand watt smile, a contagious smile and softly took her lips, and as they kissed she felt herself smiling. "Happy new year." She whispered when they parted, a smile on her face.

"Happy New Year to you too."

They left not long after that, both wanting to celebrate the New Year coming in alone. So they said their goodbyes a little after half past one, once they'd both drunk the customary glass of fizz and ordered a taxi. They walked out of the house and down to the road when Jenny heard Gibbs' voice. "Jenny!" He said, jogging to meet her. "You got a minute?" She nodded, walking the small distance to him and telling Mark she would be there soon.

"What's up?" She questioned, popping the 'p'. Jenny wasn't drunk, just a little tipsy. Knowing the director was somewhere around, and not wanting to get stick come the first day back from anyone she had been sensible. She could tell Gibbs was the same, she'd only seen him drunk a handful of times, most of them in Paris, and she could tell he wasn't now.

"I erm, I wanted to say; those things I said in the basement that night, they were wrong. You seem real happy, and . . . and I'm happy for you Jenny, you deserve it." His eyes met hers and she smiled. She was happy, that evening had taught her that. Jenny could feel she was ready to start a new chapter in her life – with Mark by her side.

"I am happy, happier than I've been in a long time. And for the record, what I said was out of order too. It's none of my business." Gibbs just shook his head, telling her he understood. Jenny smiled at him, casting her eyes to Mark who was waiting by the taxi. "I should go."

"Yeah, yeah, anyway, I'm pleased for you." He squeezed her hand and she squeezed his back.

"Thank you, it means a lot." And with that she left his house and went home with Mark. And as the taxi drove away she rested her head on his shoulder, smiling as she intertwined her fingers with his.

"You okay?" Stephanie asked, walking up behind him as he watched the taxi which carried his partner leave. He nodded, turning to look at her.

"Yeah, yeah I am now." And she knew that he had apologised. After hearing the argument in the basement that night, she had realised just how much of a bond there was between the two partners. After all to have that sort of argument there had to be an awful lot of feelings there. Seeing Jenny with her boyfriend, though, had confirmed that now at least, it was only friendship feelings. She hoped now that her husband would relax and their marriage would improve – but a nagging feeling in the back of her mind told her otherwise.

Reviews are greatly appreciated. I have to next few chapters planned out, i'm thinking at most another 6 chapters with Mark? He is an integral part of this story, but there is gonna be a bit more Jibbs in it too ;)

_abs