Sorry for the huge delay, but I started a new job that's going to demand a lot of my attention through the spring. I'll keep on writing when I get time so please bear with me.

Chapter 3

A week had passed for Gibbs and Jenny on the island. He watched as Jenny swam in the gentle surf. He brought a hand up and ran it over the beard that had grown in the past week. The back of his mind was churning with the many scenarios and 'what if's'. He looked around at the small open camp they had established and decided that it was time to settle in for the long haul. Gibbs went into the trees and began gathering what was needed to assemble a shelter.

In the meantime, Jenny walked to the area of the beach that had some large rocks and decided to look for any shell fish that may be hanging around the rocks. She found it relaxing to be on her own and doing something productive. She dove down under the water and began to look for anything edible.

After an hour Jenny decided to call it quits. She walked casually back towards the campsite and noticed a difference. "Jethro, what have you been up to?"

He glanced at her from around the small three sided lean he'd assembled with limbs from the native trees that were tied together with strips of palm leaves. "I figured that we might want a little bit of cover if we get another storm."

Jenny smiled at him. "Do you think we'll be here that much longer?"

Gibbs shrugged. "I hope not. I could use a shave."

"You could." She saw him smirk at her comment. "I guess you'll just have to pretend we're in some exotic country where women don't shave."

Now he had to laugh. "I think this counts Jen." Gibbs stopped working and pulled his knife from the sheath. "If you want to give this a try…"

"Ha! I'm not putting that huge sharp knife anywhere near where I need to shave."

"Didn't think so." He went back to working. "So, I guess we'll just have to get used to each other's extra hair for the time being."

Jenny shook her head and heard a splashing noise. "Jethro, something's in the water."

They both walked down to the shoreline and noticed the cause of the noise. "It's a tuna." Jenny stopped and watched as Gibbs approached the struggling fish. "Looks like something already tried to eat him." He removed his knife and stabbed the fish in the head. "You like tuna?"

Gibbs used his knife to cut up the fish while Jenny stoked the fire. "How much are you going to cook?"

He laughed. "All of it. Or should I put the leftovers in the fridge?"

"Smart ass."

"Put these on those leaves." He handed her several cuts of the meat and she arranged them. "Now just set it right on top of the fire." Gibbs watched Jenny as she placed the leaves with tuna over the fire. "Well, at least you can't burn the kitchen down."

"Ha ha Jethro." She watched as he continued with his construction project and she watched the fish cook on the leaves. "Do you think they're even looking?"

"Of course. Don't start thinking negatively now Jen. You know just as well as I do that they are looking."

Middle of the Pacific Ocean

After a one day delay in the harbor, Tony, Ziva, and the two former members of Gibbs' platoon arrive at a small group of islands that Abby indicated as the start of possibilities. As the yacht cut through the surf Tony and Ziva looked ashore with binoculars hoping to see signs of their bosses.

"Gibbs would love the name of this boat." Tony commented to her as he searched. "I mean it's perfect, 'Beer Thirty'. Even I couldn't have thought of anything better.

Ziva glances down at her watch and sighs. "It's been a week since there was any sign of the plane."

"So, that doesn't mean squat when it comes to Gibbs." Tony snapped quickly. "Gibbs isn't just going to lay down and die." Tony sighed deeply. "He's out here somewhere."

Washington DC

Abby has a map set up with blips indicating islands that have been searched by Tony and Ziva. She sat in her desk chair looking at the new dot she just added when Ducky entered her lab and noticed her solemn mood. "What's the matter my dear?"

"It's taken Tony and Ziva a week to cover the first five islands. By my estimation if Gibbs and Jenny are on the last island, two months could pass before they are found. How long can a person survive on bananas?"

Ducky laughed at her banana comment. "I bet there's more to eat than bananas on the islands. There are other fruits and a variety of fish. I'm sure Jethro is taking good care of Jenny."

The Island

"Jethro!" Jenny screams out as she reaches her peak and climaxes beneath Gibbs. He grunts as his release hits him causing his body to shudder. She ran her hands up and down his back feeling his muscles beneath her fingertips.

Their time on the island so far has taken a toll on their bodies. Gibbs has dropped about fifteen pounds and Jenny has dropped a few herself.

"We need to keep a positive attitude." He reminds her.

"After that, I'm positive."

Gibbs laughs as he moves to lie next to her under his small shelter. "What's it been now, almost three weeks?"

"Something like that." She responded. "I hope they hurry. I don't know how much more of this island diet I can take."

With a smile Gibbs pulls her to his side and kisses her hair. "Just let me know if you're going to go crazy on me."

The next morning Gibbs and Jenny went about their usual routine. Gibbs would make adjustments to his small shelter and Jenny would forage for fruits further in on the island. Her usual bounty consists of bananas and papayas, but this morning she notices a mango tree.

When she returns to camp, she reads the note in the sand from Gibbs and smiles. After placing her fruit on the ground, Jenny heads off towards the small area where Gibbs has the most luck fishing. Jenny perched herself on a nearby rock and watched as he waded slowly through the small pool and speared another fish.

"You're getting good at that." She commented.

"Better than getting worse. We'd probably starve to death." Gibbs replied. "I know I've lost quite a bit of weight, and you don't have much spare to lose."

While the fish was cooking Jenny was becoming nauseous from the smell. "I'm getting so sick of eating fish."

"Hey, we need to eat protein." Gibbs noticed her face. "You feeling okay?"

"The smell…" She stood up and took several steps towards a near-by tree and vomited the small contents of her stomach.

Gibbs was by her in an instant. "Jen." He rubbed her back as she tried to empty her stomach. "I'll look for something else besides the fish."

When she felt as if she wasn't going to continue to throw up, Jenny stood up and rubbed her face. "Thanks."

"Why don't you lie down for a while today. I'll go see if I can find something else to eat." Gibbs helped her back to the shelter and removed the fish from the fire. He picked up several pieces of cooked fish before walking off into the trees. Jenny did as Gibbs requested and eased down on the warm sand. She was asleep in minutes and felt completely at ease.

Gibbs walked through the large stand of trees and noticed a downed tree. He approached the decaying wood and pulled his knife. Cutting through the dried wood was relatively easy for him and it exposed a gathering of large white grubs. He pulled several of the grubs from the wood and wrapped them up in a palm leaf. After gently closing the log, Gibbs returned to the camp site. He smiled at Jenny as she slept and wondered how he was going to get her to eat grubs.

While he's cooking his new catch for lunch, Gibbs notices the kelp Jenny has hanging on a small drying rack he constructed. Deciding to experiment, he lets the grubs cook a little longer before taking one and wrapping a piece of kelp around it. With a big breath of confidence he pops it in his mouth and quickly chews and swallows.

Once he's decided that it's not as horrible to eat as it looks, he prepares one for Jenny. "Hey Jen." She wakes and glances at him. "Got something for you to try."

"Better not be worms."

He glances down at the kelp covered grub. "No worms. Just pop it in your mouth chew and swallow."

She takes his offering and does as he suggested. Gibbs watches her eat the grub and waits for a shriek of horror, but it never comes. "It's food I guess. What is it?"

"Do you really want to know?" Gibbs asks and glances down at the covered grubs.

Jenny follows his eyes but can't see what he's talking about. "I guess it's best kept as a surprise."

Gibbs smiles at her. "I can do that." He looks at the forgotten fish. "Fish?" He offers.

"Ew, no. I've had enough fish for a lifetime." She took another kelp wrap from him and ate it. "I'm going to finish my nap."

Washington DC

McGee had been going over every aspect of security footage from the airport in Honolulu. He was looking for any link to explain why his bosses were rerouted and left for dead. Again he's working at his desk well after dark and regular NCSI hours. McGee runs his hands through his hair almost admitting defeat when he catches something. "What the…" He double checks the tape and notices in the far distance two men entering the hanger dressed as pilots.

The next morning he and Abby are going over the many angles of the videos to try and track the two mystery men down. Abby is determined to follow and even after losing track of them several times, she paused the tape right before they enter the plane. "Check out his hand McGee."

He watches as Abby zooms in. "Can't hide that."

"Nope. As to what organization he's representin' will take me a bit longer, but we can confirm that the pilots Gibbs said were dead on the plane were on a suicide mission." She began to furiously type away on her key board while McGee worked next to her.

Several hours later Abby and McGee stood in MTAC with the acting Director and SecNav presenting their evidence. "The tattoo traces back to an old school Russian mob that was once thought to have fizzled out but in reality, they were just lying low." Abby explained. "This man, Sergei Mikhailov…" She shows his picture. "…is apparently now in charge and has been seen associating with a Natasha Lenkov, who runs a successful import/export business."

"We know they have done business in the past, but we're not sure how to connect them to Gibbs and Director Shepard." McGee says.

"Good job you guys. Keep digging into the past of these two Russians and see what you can come up with." SecNav Davenport ordered.

The Island

The following morning Gibbs and Jenny are sitting quietly in the sand enjoying one of the mangos she had gathered. "I've never really been a fruit eating guy, and I guess after this is over, I still won't be a fruit eating guy."

Jenny laughed at his comment. "Well, fruit is good for your health."

"I think too much fruit can be hazardous to your health." He took another bite of the fruit getting juice in his beard. "So, any new conspiracy theories?"

She slowly shakes her head. "I just want to go home."

Gibbs sighed at her sentiment and silently agreed with her. "Fish for lunch or kelp wraps?" He noticed the color vacate her face at the mention of the fish. Jenny tied to hold back as her stomach churned but was unsuccessful. She rushed away from the campsite to empty her stomach once again. Gibbs was right behind her. "Jenny, something's going on here. Yesterday and today you're vomiting." She continued to empty her stomach as Gibbs held her hair. He patiently waited for her to finish and calm down. As Gibbs held her he suddenly had a brief flashback from his past. "You know, this reminds me of when Shannon had morning sickness with Kelly." Jenny glances up at him with a stunned look on her face. "Jen, you and I both know there's a possibility you could be pregnant. This only confirms any suspicions."

She decided to stay quiet and just let him hold her. Gibbs took her silence as a way to compromise and after several minutes helped her to her feet. He escorted Jenny back to the site and helped her to lie down. Once she was comfortable Gibbs eased down behind her and instinctively his hand rested over her bare stomach. Deep down inside, Gibbs was hoping that resting beneath his hand was his growing child.

TDCSI