Disclaimer NCIS is not mine

AN Your reviews are incredible! Please keep them coming. You will all love this compared to how much you will hate the next chapter.

The Golf Club Conundrum

'I've got my reasons for leaving.
I've got my reasons to stay, but baby if you want you can make me stop.
Yeah, you know what to say.
I just want you to tell me, strum the strings of my heart
'cause with our kind of love,
we always wind up getting tangled in the dark'
-Audrey Peoples, Tell Me

"I can't do this anymore Jethro!" She shouted, teas rolling uncontrollably down her face as she stood there in the middle of his kitchen, shaking like a leaf.

"Ah, Steph." He murmured walking towards her. It felt like he'd seen this scene play before his eyes a hundred time before, and all in the last month since New Years. Her crying, him knowing it was all his fault, both of them denying the truth that they were fighting a losing battle. Every time nothing got resolved, every time they would end up tangled beneath the sheets - pretending like they wouldn't have another argument.

"No, Jethro; no. Not this time, this time I mean it." And he looked at her, as she fell to the wooden chair with a small thud. Her eyes watering like streams, her eyes red from the crying and her skin pale, his heart leapt out of his chest to her. Yet it was in a way as though she was a friend. He still cared, of course he still cared. He still loved her too, just these days he wasn't sure it was the sort of love a husband should feel towards his wife.

"Steph let's talk about this. We can make it work-"

"We're trying Jethro, we're always trying, and I just. I need some time Gibbs, I need to think what I want. I went to Moscow for you, I sat there and didn't say a word when I didn't see you for months because you were looking for Jenny. I've done more than a wife should have to, but right now…" She ran a hand though her hair, looking up at the shell shocked face in front of him. "I think you should find somewhere else to sleep."

And with that said she stood up and walked away, he heard her bare feet softly pad up the stairs and then the sound of the bedroom door closing. It was different to how fights with Diane had ended. Sure she had thrown him out but there had always been swearing, doors slamming. Part of his found the calmness and quietness of his current situation more intimidating that the loudness that Diane had delivered. He stood there, his eyes moving to the window which looked out over the garden. Gibbs ran a hand through his hair, the sound of her crying filling the house. Part of him told him to go, to leave like she had said. But instead he made his way up the stairs and into their bedroom.

It was just as it had always been, never decorated, but there was a teal rug – he didn't even know what teal was - on the floor, and throw cushions on the bed. The marine quietly moved over, and was about to sit down; "Jethro I said go!" She shouted sitting up and moving off of the bed.

"Stephanie, let's talk-"

"Now you want to talk, after the whole of our marriage you want to talk now! Well I don't!"

It was a blur what happened next, a blur of names and shouting and then her shouting for him to leave as she hit his head with a golf club. Of course she'd been so upset that she didn't even realise what she had done. Just relived when she saw that he was finally leaving.

With a stinging pain in his head he left. Doing the stupidest thing by getting in the car. Gibbs had not even thought about it, he'd just driven the familiar route to Jenny's Georgetown brownstone. It was only when he was parked outside, the house towering above him. That he realised just where he had driven. When he had realised that it was a Saturday afternoon and she might not be in, or worse might not want to see him.

The pain in his head got worst, he touched the spot and found it bleeding. Groaning he realised he was going to have to at least try and see her, because if he lost much more blood he might just end up passing out – something that would mean having to spend more time at home because he knew for a fact that Marrow would not let him work.

So, minding not to touch anything with his bloodied hand, he got out of the car and walked over to the big old wooden door, and cautiously knocked on it. He still had a key to her place, back just before Paris when they'd been close they'd given each other keys because that way if they ever needed anything they could just walk right in. The truth was though, if either of them had died whilst they were overseas then no doors would need to e broken down – and Jenny was quite fond of her front door.

The key was on his car key chain, but he wouldn't use it, not now anyway. Just as she had not used her key to his house since they returned stateside what felt like a lifetime ago. The sound of footsteps penetrated the door, and soon he was stood face to face with a slightly shocked Jennifer Shepard. She stood there, eyebrows raised and waiting for an explanation, dressed in an oversized 'NAVY' t-shirt he guessed belonged to Mark with leggings. Her hair was naturally curly with the sides clipped back so that they didn't bother her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, he was surprised by the soft and friendly tone in her voice. He'd expected an accusing one, but then again recently they'd be more polite. It wasn't anywhere near what they used to be, but since New Year's there was friendliness between them. But them being friends was a long way away.

"Stephanie kicked me out." He said, looking at her as she bit her lip, trying not laugh. "And erm, I could use a hand." He said, as he bent his head so that she could see the gash.

"Oh my gosh!" She mumbled, moving closer to examine the wound. She rolled her eyes, closed the door and looked at as though she were exasperated.

"Who is it Jenny?" Marks voice ran through the house, and Gibbs noticed the way she subconsciously smiled a little more at the sound of it. He was envious, that she'd managed to start a relationship which was pretty much perfection compared to his.

"Jethro." She replied.

"I'll go I didn't realise-"

But Jenny cut him off shaking her head. "You'll do no such thing, I'll patch you up, then you'll stay here tonight. You better not have driven Leroy Jethro Gibbs!" She reprimanded only to see his guilt face. "You should have called me! You could have passed out or something!"

"What's going on?" Mark questioned, walking in. The man took one look at Gibbs' head and hissed as though imagining the pain. "Ouch, I think you need stitches, we should get him to a doctor Jenny." He looked at the red head, who just shook her head.

"He's a petulant child, he will not go to the hospital unless he's dead, it'll be bad enough trying to get him to see Ducky." She said turning to look at her partner, and then walking into the kitchen.

A couple of moments later, he was sat at her kitchen table, as she softly sponged with cut on his head. Mark was sat on the kitchen counter watching her work. "If I wasn't going somewhere dangerous I'd take you with me and make you dress up as a nurse." Mark said, and Gibbs heard Jenny's laughter fill the room. Her movements subsided for a moment as she turned to mouth something at her boyfriend before returning to her partners head.

"Where are ya being sent?" Gibbs questioned, trying to make conversation with the man whom he was beginning to realise meant an awful lot to his red headed partner. Considering he was most likely ruining their weekend he decided he had best at least try to be friendly – for Jenny's sake if nothing else.

"Indian Ocean, they're worrying it's gonna kick off so they want us stationed over there just in case. Only there for six weeks though, then I'm back here. I've been asked to train up some rookies for a while. It means I get to be near this lovely lady though so I'm not going to moan." Gibbs smiled, it would be the first time Jenny experienced her other half being deployed. He knew he'd have to tread carefully as not to upset the red head during the time. He knew from experience with Shannon it was often harder on the one who was left behind.

He heard Jenny grumble, and asked her what was wrong. "Mark will you call Ducky, tell him Gibbs got himself on the wrong end of a- what was it this time?"

"Golf club." He mumbled, feeling a little embarrassed with all the eyes on him.

"Jeez, do your wives all get paid to test out how durable sports equipment is?!" She said it whilst laughing; Gibbs was pleased to see that someone found the whole incident funny. He just thought it hurt like hell. "Tell Ducky I think he needs stitched but the stubborn idiot won't go near a hospital. My phone is on the bedside table."

Gibbs heard Mark chuckle, kiss the red heads cheek and leave the room. Silence fell between the partners, Jenny gabbed a few ice cubes and wrapped them in a dishcloth before handing them to her partner and telling him to keep them on the wound until Ducky came. "Are you scared?" She looked at him, instantly knowing he was referring to the deployment, and she nodded, running her hands through her hair and leaning back in her chair, biting her lip as she did so.

"Yeah, yeah I'm terrified, I'm just glad it's only for 6 weeks." Her smile was meant to reassure him that she'd be fine, but it didn't.

"I'm here for you, if you need me." Jenny just smiled before laughing.

"I think you need me more right now, what the hell did you do?! I mean, Diane hitting you I can believe, but Stephanie? She's so lovely."

"We had a fight and she told me to leave. She went upstairs and I followed instead of leaving."

"Oh, oh dear Gibbs. You have no idea when it comes to women, you know that?"

"She was crying though, I wasn't going to just leave!"

"She didn't want you to see her cry!" Jenny said, laughing as she looked at her boss, shaking her head. "That is what you get when you don't do what you're meant to." She stated, indicating the bleeding gash.

"If I'd have left then she'd have told me I was walking out on our marriage!"

"Why didn't you just go to your basement-?"

"-Ducky is on his way, he says he will be here soon." Mark said, ending the conversation as he walked into the room. Jenny nodded and thanked him, before moving to put the kettle on and making some coffee for them all. Mark took a hold of her hand and she looked over at him, questioningly.

"Do you want me to go? So you two can patch things up properly?" He questioned, his voice less that a whisper. But she shook her head, flicking the switch on the kettle and turning to look at him, smiling at the way he always asked the right things.

"No, I want to spend as much time with you as I can before they take you away from me for 6 weeks." She said, smirking devilishly. He just flicked his eyes to Gibbs and she swatted his arm, playfully. "I didn't mean that!"

But he knew she had.

"What has he gotten himself into this time Jennifer?" Ducky questioned as he walked through the red heads front door, removing his hat as he did so. Jenny took the said hat and his cat before leading him into the kitchen.

"Stephanie hit him with a gold club." Jenny said, the smirk on her face mirroring that on the old Doctors as he listened to her words.

"Oh dear Lord, did you not learn after Diane and the baseball bat?" Ducky questioned, walking over to the table and placing his leather bag down before getting out some medical alcohol to clean the wound properly with.

"Why does everyone think this is my fault!" Jenny was in hysterics, laughing uncontrollably in the doorway, whilst Mark smirked at her and said hello to Ducky and Gibbs glared at her. "It isn't funny Jenny!"

"Oh it is Jethro, it's hilarious!" She managed, in between laughing.

"It hurt!"

"I think you need to calm down Jenny." Mark said smirking as he walked her out, giving Gibbs a sympathetic look for his girlfriend's lack of compassions over his injury. The pair walked back into the living room, but Jenny's laughter could still be heard, and Ducky stood there shaking his head.

"This may sting." Ducky warned before wiping the wound for Gibbs. Silence fell between the pair, and the sound of Jenny's laughter was still audible. "I'm glad to see you two are getting along again."

Gibbs just grunted. "I think it's got more to do with Mark than it has me Duck."

"I think you may be right my boy, she seams extremely happy. Happier than I recall her being in a long time. I'm pleased; I was worried after Cairo…" Gibbs knew how he would have finished that sentence, because they both had been worried about the psychological effect of the trauma she had experienced.

Jenny and Mark walked in, hand in hand, both smiling at one another. "Have you calmed down now my dear?" The red head didn't even get to answer before she walked out laughing again, Mark rolled his eyes at her light-heartedly and went to sit down at the table with the other two men. Ducky was applying some white stitched to the former marine's head.

"I don't know why she finds it so funny." He said, chuckling as the sound of Jenny's laughing met his ears once more. "She's never usually this bad!"

"I'm afraid my boy, Jethro's marital record is becoming a source of amusement for his team." Ducky said, as he began to pack his things away and turn to look at Gibbs. "I would advise you try not to sleep for the next 12 hours at least, no alcohol, and please try not to aggravate your wife anymore. First it was a baseball bat, now a gold club, I don't want to have to deal with you when I find a bow and arrow through you."

"I'll try Duck." Gibbs answered smirking at the Doctor. "And thanks, I owe you."

"I will add it to the ever growing list, and one day I will collect." Ducky said, smiling as he looked at Gibbs before heading to the door.

"Is he all patched up Ducky?" Jenny asked, her face slightly flushed from her fit of the giggles. Ducky nodded, and she said that she would walk him out. Once she had passed him his hat and jacket she smiled. "I'm sorry for my inappropriate behaviour."

"It is perfectly fine my dear; it's good to see you happy. Mark seems like a brilliant young man."

Jenny smiled, her eyes cast to the kitchen and glazing over a little. "Yeah, yeah Ducky he is."

"If you don't mind my asking, after Cairo, how are things?"

"I erm." She stopped, running a hand through her hair and leaning against the banister as she looked at the Scotsman in front of her. He'd been there for her through everything; he was like a father to her. She didn't know what she would have done without him, but there were certain things she hadn't told even him. "Everything is healed, no pains-"

"I wasn't on about physically my dear." His voice was soft; he knew that she knew what he had meant.

"Nightmares, not every night, but-" She cut herself off. "It's worse when I sleep alone. I erm, I keep seeing that room you know, feeling everything I felt. It's hell Ducky, but when Mark is there, it's like they all stop. I don't know what I'd do without him."

"They'll go with time my dear."

"I know, I know they will." But it felt like they never would, like she would spend the rest of her life scared to sleep alone because of the monsters that came out in the dark.

"Have you told him?"

"As little as I have to. Enough so he doesn't ask, but, there are bits I can't even tell you Ducky. Bits I struggle to accept even happened."

"You should think about telling him more, it might stop the nightmares." She nodded at his advice, knowing deep down that he was right. She kissed his cheek and with that he left her be. Leaving the two NCIS agents and the Naval officer to their evening.

It was late when there was another knock at the door.

All three of them were gathered in the living room watching an old black and white film. Jenny and Mark were sat on one sofa whilst Gibbs was on the other. He was amazed at how well Jenny had managed to make him feel as though he wasn't intruding when in reality he was pretty sure that they would both rather he wasn't there.

"I'm gonna make hot chocolate, you want anything?" She questioned, standing up and looking at the two men. "Coffee?" She questioned him, and the salt and pepper agent just smirked, making her laugh.

"Nah I'm alright." Mark replied. Jenny had just walked back into the living room when the doorbell rung. Gibbs had his coffee, and Jenny had a mug piled high with squirty cream and marshmallows which made Gibbs laugh. It reminded him of back in Paris, there had been a café which was opposite one their targets often visited. Every time they went she had ordered the hot chocolate, it had made him laugh because it was more of a desert. Piled high with marshmallows, cream, chocolate, syrup. He'd thought the thing disgustingly sweet, but she'd loved it.

"Erg." She stated, placing her drink down and going to the front door to answer it. It was evening and Jenny had changed into her pyjamas not long ago. A pair of spotty bottoms and a grey vest top. The red head wrapped her arms around herself as she opened the door. The chill outside make her skin break out in goose bumps, and she was surprised to find herself face to face with another red head. One whose eyes were red from crying and hair tangled. "Stephanie?"

"Hi, erm, I'm sorry to just turn up but is Jethro here? I don't know where else he'd be." Jenny looked at the woman, wearing a hoodie which was obviously her husband's and a jacket which would, with any other outfit, be gorgeous.

"Yeah, yeah he's in the living room." Jenny said, opening the door so that she could come in. "Can I get you anything?"

"No, no I'm alright thanks, I won't be here long." Jenny just nodded before leading her into the living room. She picked up her drink and nodded to Mark to leave the room.

"We'll let you two talk." She told them, Gibbs smiled at his partner thankfully. Jenny just nodded in return before taking her boyfriends hand and leading him outside.

"Oh god did I do that?!" Stephanie asked, walking towards him and looking at the red area with stitches.

"It's not as bad as it looks." Gibbs said, trying to make her feel better.

"It's got stitches! Oh god Jethro I'm so sorry, you must hate me!" She covered her face and he wondered if she was about to cry.

"Nah, couldn't hate ya Steph, JEnny said it was my own fault anyway. Diane hit me with a baseball bat – that was worse." Stephanie shook her head. Gibbs took her hand and they sat down. Silence fell between them.

"What do we do now?" Stephanie asked, and Gibbs looked at her, not knowing what to say.

"I don't know, I really don't. What do you want to do?"

"I-" She looked at him, shaking her head. "I really don't know. I really don't. I want this to work, I want nothing more than for this to work, but-"

"We can't carry on as we have."

"No, no we can't Jethro. I can't cope with that." He looked at her and nodded, pulling her into a hug. She sighed, her senses filled with the smell of coffee, sawdust and something that was just Jethro. "I'm willing to give it one last ditch attempt. One more time and then if that doesn't work…"

"One last go."

"One last go."

He softly kissed her lips, and looked at her. His heart broke, he knew it wouldn't work, but at the same time he just couldn't manage to actually let her go. Not when he was constantly reminded how perfect Jenny's relationship was – how perfect her new life was. "Does this mean I'm allowed home again?" The red head just laughed, smiling softly.

"It's your house."

"Yeah I know but you kicked me out and I don't want to get hit by a gold club again."

"I'm so sorry." Her eyes were honest and raw, and he just nodded.

"So am I."