A/N: Here we are again, my loyal readers! I hope you enjoy this latest chapter!


Shepard

The day of Carly's seventeenth birthday found Jenny standing in the kitchen, thoughtfully stirring a bowl of cake batter, thankful that her "daughter" was currently at school. She'd been in the kitchen for hours, painstakingly combining her ingredients and drinking so much coffee that her hands were beginning to shake, and as Gibbs walked into the room, he gave her a curious look.

"What are you making in here, Jen? You've been here all day."

She smiled.

"A cake for Carly's birthday. Don't tell me you forgot."

He shook his head.

"Nope. Got her a card."

Jenny glared at him as she poured the batter into two cake pans, her eyes hard.

"Leroy Jethro Gibbs, don't you dare tell me that all you got for her was a card."

He remained silent, walking over to where she stood, and before she could stop him, he stuck his index finger into the bowl, running it along the side. He popped it into his mouth as she glared at him, not phased in the least by her annoyed expression.

"Jethro, are you five years old?"

Shrugging slightly, he dipped his finger into the bowl again. He tapped her lightly on the nose, leaving a smudge of chocolate behind, and she smacked his arm lightly, unable to keep the laughter from her voice.

"Do you mind? I'm trying to bake here."

"Nope," he replied, kissing her cheek, "Not at all."

She rolled her eyes as he left the kitchen, wiping off the bit of chocolate on her nose, and as she placed the cake pans into the oven, she shook her head. Walking into the living room, she smiled at the bouquet of flowers sitting in a vase on the table, and when she pulled Carly's gift from her purse, she carefully draped the thin silver chain over the roses. Gibbs wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissing the base of her throat lightly, and when she tilted her head to look into his eyes, she smiled.

"Jethro, the flowers are beautiful. She's going to love them."

He nodded, kissing her again, and when he hooked his arm under her legs, lifting her easily into his arms, she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"You know, we've got an hour until Carly comes home."

"Jethro, I have a cake baking. It will be ready in thirty minutes."

He shrugged, making his way to the stairs.

"I like a challenge," he replied wickedly.


Jenny had just barely finished icing the cake when she heard the sound of Carly's car in the driveway, and as she carried it into the living room, she called Gibbs' name. He emerged from the basement wiping sawdust from his jeans and as the front door opened, Jenny lit the candles sitting on top of the cake. Carly was so consumed with trying to hang up her jacket that at first she didn't notice them, and when she turned around, her eyes widened at the sight before her.

"Happy birthday, Carly!"

She smiled, leaning over to blow out the candles, and as soon as Jenny had placed it on the coffee table, Carly threw her arms around her, tears filling her eyes.

"You didn't have to do this."

Jenny rolled her eyes, looking at her seriously.

"Of course we did, little one. We couldn't ignore your birthday. Now, see if you can find your presents."

Carly laughed, looking over her shoulder at the flowers.

"Is it the roses?"

"That's not all. Look closer."

Carly picked up the vase, examining the flowers carefully, and when her eyes landed on the small teardrop diamond on its chain, her eyes clouded with tears all over again. She reached out to pull it from where it rested around the roses, and as she held it up to the light, she blinked, tears falling down her face.

"Jenny...Jethro...this is...thank you both so much!"

She kissed them both on the cheek, hugging them each as she fastened the necklace around her throat, and Jenny nodded in the direction of the kitchen.

"Come on, little one. Cake time, and then you're free to do what you want before work."

Jenny took the cake into the kitchen, oblivious to the fear in Carly's eyes, and as they walked, Gibbs squeezed her shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile.


It was obvious to all of them that Carly was near panicking about the small piece of cake sitting on the plate in front of her, and as she held her fork in her hand, Jenny reached out to touch Carly's shoulder.

"I'll make you a deal, little one. You eat just one bite of the cake and I won't throw up what I eat. Deal? We can be each other's support, however you need it."

"You'd do that for me?"

Jenny nodded, smiling slowly.

"Of course."

Agonisingly slow, Carly raised the smallest forkful of cake to her mouth, chewing it carefully, and once she had swallowed it, she gave Jenny a weak smile. The redhead sipped her coffee slowly, never once touching her own piece of cake, and when Gibbs excused himself from the room, Carly looked at her seriously.

"Jenny?"

"Hm?"

"Is it bad that I want to eat more of it?"

Jenny shook her head, her bright green eyes locking on Carly's blue.

"Of course not. You can eat however much of the cake you want. I won't judge you."

Carly nodded, staring at the cake with a combination of fear and longing, and when she slowly took another bite, Jenny couldn't help the feeling of pride that swept over her. As soon as she'd indicated that she was finished, Jenny removed the cake from the table, feeling slightly guilty that she hadn't even touched the piece that she'd tossed into the bin. Still, Carly had made progress, and that was all that mattered.


Hours later, Jenny was curled up on the couch, her feet tucked under her as she read, and she was so absorbed in the book in her hands that she didn't even notice Gibbs when he entered the room. He smiled at the look of concentration on her face, and as he sat down next to her, he placed a hand on her knee. She jumped, glaring at him as she tore her eyes away from the book, and he gave her his trademark smirk, laughter in his bright blue eyes.

"You scared the hell out of me, Leroy Jethro."

He laughed.

"Wasn't trying to. What are you reading?"

She shrugged.

"Book about Ted Bundy. I've always found serial killers fascinating, though I don't have a clue why."

Gibbs laughed, running his fingers through her hair.

"Maybe it's because you're analytical. You like figuring out what makes people act the way they do. You'd make a great psychologist, Jen. Maybe you and Carly should study together."

She nodded, marking her place in the book and placing it on the table next to her.

"I'll think about it."

He leaned closer, kissing her slowly, and as he pulled away, she gave him a smile.

"You know, if Ted Bundy looked like you, I'd be dead in an instant."

"Good thing I'm not a serial killer then," he commented lightly.

"True," she agreed, "but I'm still extremely interested in what makes you act the way you do."

She ran her fingers gently through his hair, pulling him closer as she kissed him, and as her right hand slipped underneath his shirt, he drew in a sharp breath.

"Jen..."

"I have a great idea. Carly's at work, we've got the whole house to ourselves...what do you say you and I spend a little time getting to know each other."

He smiled, standing up and pulling her to her feet.

"I say you're brilliant."

Before she knew what had happened, Gibbs had thrown her over his shoulder, carrying her, laughing, up the stairs, and as soon as they reached the bedroom, he kicked it shut. He carefully tossed Jenny onto the mattress, covering her body with his own in seconds, and he ran his hands over her clothing, unbuttoning her blouse with ease. Her hands tangled in his hair as she kissed him, her eyes locking onto his, and as he pulled his own clothing off, she slowly trailed her lips down the expanse of his chest.

He slid her jeans down her slender legs in one fluid motion, kissing his way back up her body, and as soon as he entered her, a low moan of his name fell from her lips. He moved slowly at first, wanting to prolong the moment, but as soon as she kissed him again, her tongue fighting his for dominance, he began to move faster, rolling his hips against hers. Tearing his mouth away from hers, he lowered it to her breasts, circling the nipples with his tongue, and her head fell onto his shoulder as she gasped.

"Jethro..."

He knew, just from that one whisper of his name, that she needed him to be rough, that she wanted it to be slightly painful, and he slammed his hips into hers again, pulling her left nipple between his teeth. Her right hand gripped his shoulder tightly, nails digging into his skin, and as he moved faster, he pushed her hair to one side, giving him access to her throat. He whispered her name, shifting just enough so that the angle drove him deeper, and she cried out wordlessly, her eyes closing tightly.

"Fuck, Jethro..." she whispered, hooking her leg around his waist.

The closer he came to the edge, the more his rhythm began to falter, and as her hips met his, Jenny's breath caught in her throat. She began to feel that familiar heat and tightening, urging her onward, and when her body stiffened suddenly, he knew she'd fallen over. A few moments later, he knew he wouldn't last much longer, and as he reached between them to touch her, he smiled as she came a second time, her grip on his shoulder the only thing keeping her from sinking into the mattress.

His own climax was so strong that for a moment, he saw only white behind his closed eyes, and as he breathlessly kissed her slightly damp hair, he gave Jenny a warm smile.

"Have I mentioned how much I love you?"

She laughed.

"Once or twice. Maybe."

"Well, it bears repeating."


As she passed Carly's room late that night, Jenny was surprised to find a strip of light from underneath the door, and she frowned. Surely she wasn't still awake at this hour? Knocking lightly, Jenny slowly pushed open the door, blinking in the sudden brightness.

"Carly, did you fall asleep with the light—

As soon as her eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room, Jenny was suddenly aware of the blood droplets on the floor, and when she took a step closer, she noticed that Carly was curled onto her side, her arm covered in a towel. She fought against the onslaught of memories that flooded her, memories of Heather on the bathroom floor, and as she pulled back the towel, she swore loudly.

"Carly, can you hear me?"

Carly moved away from the sound of her voice, but opened her eyes, frowning at her urgency.

"Jenny, what's wrong?"

"What happened to your arm?"

"It's nothing, I just—"

"Nothing, my ass. Jethro! Get in here! Now!"

Gibbs' footsteps were unbearably loud in her near-panicked state, and when he asked her what was wrong, she merely pointed at Carly's arm, unable to articulate the words she needed. He frowned at the long thin cut running the length of her forearm, and as he made his way into the bathroom to find his first aid kit, Jenny left the room, shaking uncontrollably. How had this night taken such a drastic turn?


Gibbs

Gibbs kept his eyes down as he cleaned the wound on Carly's arm, wrapping it in a cloth bandage, and when he had finished, he could feel her staring at him.

"I guess you're angry with me."

He shook his head.

"No. Just confused."

"I...I ate the cake. I just...I didn't want to disappoint Jenny, she worked so hard on it, but I didn't know how to handle it. Is she mad at me?"

"She's scared. You sure picked a hell of a way to get your point across. Same thing her sister did, but she died. Give her time. Try talking to her in the morning."

Carly nodded, saying nothing as he pulled her blankets more securely around her, and when he kissed her cheek, he frowned at the tears in her eyes.

"We can get you help, you know. If you want it."

She blinked back her tears, looking at him fearfully.

"What if they lock me up? I don't want to be locked in some mental institution!"

Gibbs shook his head, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Try seeing a therapist first," he told her gently, "No one is going to lock you up. Not unless there's no other option. I promise."

She visibly relaxed, leaning back against the pillows, and gave him a worried look.

"Tell Jenny I'm sorry. Please."

He merely nodded, turning out the light as he left the room, and as he walked down the hall to his own bedroom, he tried to think of what he was going to say to Jenny. It was clear that this had shaken her, and as he approached the bed, he frowned. She was sitting on the mattress, full glass in her hand, and when he noticed the empty bottle of bourbon on the bedside table, he suddenly understood. Silently, he sat next to her, knowing she would speak when she was ready, and he ran his hand slowly over her leg, hoping he was providing even a small measure of comfort.

She took a slow breath, draining the liquid in her glass quickly, and as he watched her, she blinked. He could tell that she was fighting against her emotions and the tears in her eyes, and when she finally looked at him, he could feel her pain radiating off of her skin in waves.

"Is she okay?"

He nodded, taking the empty glass from her and placing it on the bedside table.

"Wants you to know that she's sorry."

Jenny sighed, shaking her head slowly.

"Did she say why she did it?"

"Panicked about the cake."

"So it's my fault...I should have never made her eat it, but—"

Gibbs shook his head, taking her hand in his, staring at her as her own eyes remained on the floor.

"Not your fault at all. You didn't put the knife in her hand, you didn't hold her down and force her to eat. Jen, don't beat yourself up over this."

"How can I not?" Jenny asked, blinking again in a desperate attempt to keep her tears in check, "I'm failing Carly just like I failed Heather! I couldn't keep Heather safe and at this point, I can't even do anything to help Carly. What if she—"

"Shh...Jen, stop. You're not to blame here. No one is. Just take a breath and try to calm down. It's late. Let's go to bed, we can talk more about it in the morning."

Finally, Jenny nodded, and as he reached out to turn off the lamp on the table, she pulled the blankets tightly around her.

"Jethro?"

"Hm?"

"Will you hold me?"

Without hesitation, Gibbs pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head softly.

"I got you, Jen," he murmured gently, pretending he didn't feel her tears on his skin as they fell.


The breaking of the morning light found Gibbs down in his basement, diligently working on his beloved boat, and when he heard the sound of footsteps descending the stairs, he frowned. There was no telltale sound of Jenny's heels and when he heard Carly call his name, he shook his head. It was definitely going to take some time for him to get used to her being in the house.

"Here."

She made her way closer and he found that his eyes automatically gravitated towards the bandage on her arm, no matter how hard he tried to stop them.

"Have you seen Jenny?"

He shook his head. Jenny had been gone even before he had woken, making him slightly nervous given the way they'd ended their night, and Carly sighed.

"I really need to talk to her."

He said nothing, reaching for the hand saw on his worktable.

"I heard you guys talking last night," she admitted quietly, "I know I shouldn't have done—"

"She's just worried," he told her with a look she couldn't quite identify, "You have to understand what she's gone through in the last few years. It scared her to think she could lose you. She loves you."

Carly nodded.

"I know. And I love her, too. Both of you. You've both done so much for me, I can never repay you for that, and I never wanted to hurt you. Especially not after all Jenny's been through."

"She knows that. She's just got to work through her emotions on her own first. Should have seen her the week after her mom died."

"Was it bad?"

He shrugged.

"Dunno. Probably. She avoided me the entire week. Didn't really see her again until the funeral. Jen shuts people out when she's in pain. It's how she's made it this far. Probably not healthy, but it works. For her, anyway."

"Sounds like we have that in common."

Gibbs laughed, nodding at her as he picked up his sander, placing the saw back in its proper place.

"You sure you're not related?"


Shepard

As she sat in her office, it took everything Jenny Shepard possessed not to throw herself through the window behind her desk. She'd just lost an entire team of agents on a case and while she was beyond thankful that it hadn't been her former team, she was still incredibly upset by the entire ordeal. Combined with the trouble at home with Carly, it was enough to make her depression return with startling swiftness, and she sighed as she held her head in her hands.

She was just arguing with herself about whether or not she wanted to leave work early when she heard a soft knock on her door, and she raised her head tiredly.

"Come in."

The door opened, revealing her favourite Scottish doctor, and as he sat down in the chair across from her desk, he gave her a worried look.

"Jennifer, are you alright?"

Jenny sighed, shaking her head slowly. As she explained her current situations, both professional and personal, she twisted her hands in her lap, feeling uncharacteristically nervous. She could feel Ducky's eyes on her, watching her carefully, and when she had finished speaking, she raised her eyes to his slowly.

"That is quite a lot for one person to handle. Have you made the necessary phone calls?"

She nodded.

"I've already notified the families, yes. As for helping Carly, I don't know what to do. I'm...I feel so confused. Should I be upset that she didn't come to me? Would it have even made a difference if she had? Ducky, what were you thinking, sending her to me? I'm not equipped to handle this."

He smiled, reaching out to steady her trembling hands with his own.

"On the contrary, my dear. I think you're more qualified to handle this than anyone. You have firsthand experience with an eating disorder—" he paused at her disgusted sigh and subsequent roll of her eyes, "I know you don't want to call it that, but let's not kid ourselves. You also have lost both your parents, you're in a stable relationship now, and Jethro has experience with children, so that is a great help...it won't always be easy, but I have every confidence in you."

"I'm glad someone does," Jenny muttered.

"You're much too critical of yourself, Jennifer. Just take a moment to step back and breathe. You'll realise that you're so much stronger than you think you are."

The beeping of her intercom halted the words she'd been planning to say and Jenny frowned at Cynthia's soft voice as it came over the speakers.

"Excuse me, Director. Your daughter is here to see you."

Ducky smiled at her as if to say "I told you so" and nodded at her encouragingly.

"Send her in, please."

"Yes, Director Shepard."

The door opened slowly, Carly on the other side, and as she walked into the room, Ducky stood, leaning over the desk to kiss Jenny's cheek gently.

"Best of luck, my dear," he whispered.

Jenny didn't answer, merely watching the younger girl as she approached the desk, stopping to hug Ducky as he passed her, and when she took his former seat, she looked at Jenny seriously.

"You're not busy, are you?"

Jenny shook her head, reaching for her cup of coffee.

"If I were, I would have said as much. Powers of deduction, Carly."

She could tell that using her given name rather than her usual nickname had upset the younger girl and she sighed, looking at her carefully.

"Is something wrong?"

"I just needed to talk to you. And you've been working so late that we're never home at the same time anymore."

Nodding, Jenny took a long drink, waiting for her to continue.

"I'm sorry about the other night. I was panicking and I didn't know what else to do. I heard you and Jethro talking after he helped me bandage it up and I know I shouldn't have been listening, but I want you to know that it isn't your fault. You didn't force me into anything and I don't want you to blame yourself."

"Will you come to me if you feel like doing that again?"

Carly nodded, her eyes locking on Jenny's.

"Jethro wants me to see a therapist."

"It isn't a bad idea," Jenny agreed, "With all you've been through this year, it might help you sort through some of your emotions. There's no shame in that. Even I've been to one."

Carly frowned.

"You have?"

Jenny nodded, a slightly sad expression in her eyes.

"All agents are required to go to a psychologist if they're involved in a shooting or otherwise deadly situation. So when I was attacked by Sergeant Henry, I had to see someone."

"Did it help?"

"In a way. I had to come to terms with the fact that I would have permanent physical scars on my hands and face because of the attack and I had to find a healthier way to deal with that other than drinking myself into oblivion."

Carly tilted her head in confusion.

"But you're still unbelievably gorgeous, Jenny. I don't even really notice the scars unless I actively look for them."

"Maybe so, but that doesn't change the fact that they're there. But that's not the issue here. If you do decide to give therapy a try, I'll support you every step of the way. I'll even drive you if you would prefer."

"I'll think about it," Carly answered finally.

She stood suddenly, walking around the desk, and threw her arms around Jenny, hugging her tightly.

"I really am sorry. I promise that it won't happen again."

"Just remember you can always come to me. Or Jethro, if you'd rather talk to him."

Carly smiled, kissing the redhead's cheek warmly.

"Thanks. I love you, Mom."

Jenny laughed, wrapping her arms around the younger girl, kissing her long reddish-golden hair.

"I love you too, Little One."


Several long, painful hours later, Jenny wearily returned to her office, intent on nothing else than collapsing on the couch for a few precious hours of sleep, and she frowned as soon as she closed the door behind her. Resting on her desk, right in front of her keyboard, was a single red rose, with a small Post-It note underneath the stem. Curiously, she made her way closer, picking up both, and as she read the short note, a smile came across her face.

Come home, Jen.

Taking great care not to crush the delicate flower, Jenny slipped into her jacket, grabbing her purse as soon as she'd turned off her computer. Yes, she thought, home sounded wonderful.

From the moment she entered the house, Jenny could tell that something was different, and as she walked through the living room to the kitchen, she frowned. It took her all of thirty seconds to understand what was so different about the house, and when it finally hit her, she shook her head. It was quiet. Much more quiet than she'd ever heard it, with the exception of the first time she'd been in it, and it was almost enough to make her feel uneasy.

She very nearly jumped when she felt arms wrap around her from behind, but the scent of bourbon, coffee, and sawdust was immediately calming, and she smiled, turning to face him.

"I got your gift."

He nodded.

"That's not all. Go look upstairs."

She raised her eyebrow in question and laughed.

"Is this where we go upstairs and fall in bed together?"

He laughed, shaking his head.

"No. Not tonight. Carly left you a surprise up there."

"Why are you two being so generous? Who died?"

"No one, Jen. Just accept that we love you and don't need a reason to show you."

Jenny laughed, making her way up the stairs, and as she entered the bedroom, she frowned. She could smell the lavender and eucalyptus candle burning in the room, and as her eyes adjusted to the candlelight, she noticed that a glass of wine rested on the bedside table. Gibbs gave her a smile as he appeared behind her, kissing her ear lightly.

"Take some time for yourself, Jen," he said softly, "You don't always have to save everyone."

She kissed him gently just before he left, and as she sat cross-legged on the bed, she took a deep breath. Maybe there was something to this meditation thing after all.


Gibbs

It was well past midnight when Gibbs returned from the basement, and just as he reached the stairs, he heard the sound of Carly's key in the lock, frowning as she opened the door. She was unsteady on her feet, her lipstick smudged, and he thought that he could detect the scent of alcohol even from where he stood. She glanced up when he cleared his throat, jumping at the sight of him, and shook her head.

"This isn't what it looks like."

He raised his eyebrow.

"Looks like you're drunk."

She said nothing, merely staring at him, and he sighed.

"You drive?"

"No," she answered quietly, "My friend Evan drove me. She's the one who picked me up from work."

"You should go to bed."

Carly nodded, making her way clumsily to the stairs, and before she could protest, Gibbs had lifted her into his arms, carrying her up them easily.

"Don't need you breaking your neck," he said by way of explanation.

Carly was silent as he placed her on her bed and just before he turned out the light, he heard her voice, soft in the silence.

"Are you mad?"

"Goodnight, Carly."

"Night."


Late the next morning, long after Jenny had gone to visit Jack, Carly made her way down into the living room, her hair disheveled and clothing rumpled, making Gibbs smile secretly to himself in amusement as she immediately poured herself a cup of coffee.

"How're you feeling?"

Carly merely shook her head, taking a long drink of the scalding liquid, and Gibbs looked at her seriously over his own cup.

"You gonna explain?"

After a long moment, Carly seemed to realise that Gibbs wasn't going to back down, and she nodded, taking another drink.

"I met Evan when I was in eighth grade. We've been best friends ever since. She was there for me when I first got sick, when my parents died, everything. She's always telling me how worried she is about me, how much she loves me like a sister, and she wants to help me get better. You know how when you get high on marijuana it makes you hungry?"

He didn't, but Gibbs nodded anyway.

"Well, for me, that happens when I drink. Then I eat. I'm too drunk to think about the calories, to obsess over my weight. So, every so often, Evan and I go out for drinks. She either calls a taxi or stops drinking early enough to drive us safely home. She said it makes her feel better knowing that I'm eating at least once a month."

Gibbs considered her words carefully as he watched her drink her coffee, and when she spoke again, her voice was small and worried.

"Jenny's pissed at me again, isn't she?"

He shook his head.

"Didn't tell her. She's out with Jack right now. Probably getting even more drunk than you were last night."

Carly frowned, her eyes locking on Gibbs' seriously.

"Why didn't you tell her?" she asked in confusion.

"Jen doesn't need to know everything," he said with a shrug, "Long as you're being safe, I don't see that using alcohol once in awhile to help you eat is all that bad."

"You're not gonna lecture me about drinking underage?"

"Always disagreed with that law. At your age, you can join the military and possibly die for your country, but not have a beer? Doesn't seem right."

"I'm only seventeen, Jethro," she reminded him.

He shrugged.

"Point still stands."


Gibbs frowned when he realised that it was well past eight and Jenny still hadn't returned home. Just as he was preparing to call her phone, he heard the sound of her heels on the front porch, making him visibly relax, and when she walked through the front door moments later, his first instinct was to laugh. Her hair had fallen from the clip she'd been wearing when she left the house that morning, giving her a slightly wild appearance, and he fought the urge to smile when she immediately kicked off her shoes inside the doorway.

"Jethro, what time is it?"

"Almost nine. Why?"

"Just wondering," she replied, her words slightly slurred.

"Have a nice time with Jack?"

She nodded, making her way closer, laying her head on his shoulder as her eyes closed.

"Jack had more fun. He met someone."

Gibbs laughed.

"Damn, guess he won't be pining after me anymore."

"Nope. Now you're just stuck with me."

Jenny moved closer, kissing him slowly, tangling her hands in his hair.

"But pining isn't all I can do for you, Leroy Jethro."

Gibbs laughed again, shaking his head once.

"Not tonight, Jen. You're wasted."

"All the more fun," she replied with a laugh.

The sound of Carly's footsteps on the stairs shattered the moment, making them break apart, and Jenny smiled when she saw her.

"Hi, Little One. How was work?"

"I was off today."

"Oh," Jenny frowned slightly, shaking her head, "Must be getting confused."

Carly laughed, looking at Gibbs in amusement. He could tell she was enjoying seeing this side of the redhead, could practically see the wheels turning in her head, and as she was pulled into Jenny's arms for a hug, she frowned.

"How much did you drink, Jen?" Gibbs asked.

"Lost count. Oh, guess who we saw at the bar?"

"Jesus," Gibbs said sarcastically.

"No, you ass," Jenny replied, smacking his arm as she released Carly, "We saw Tony. He was with some girl that looked young enough to be Carly's age. Made me feel really old."

Gibbs laughed.

"The last thing you are is old. But you're going to feel like crap in the morning if you don't get to bed now. Let's go."

"Wait. One minute. I want to play you something. But you can't laugh."

Before he could even comprehend it, Jenny had somehow made her way over to her keyboard, sitting tucked into one of the corners of the room, and as she began to play, he froze. She messed up only once in the beginning and as her fingers moved effortlessly over the keys, he found that he couldn't take his eyes off her. The melody was hauntingly beautiful, slightly melancholic, and when she had finished, Jenny raised her eyes to his, waiting for an answer.

"You hated it, didn't you?"

He shook his head.

"No. It was beautiful. But what was the name? I didn't recognise it."

"It doesn't have one yet. I just wrote it. I've been trying to write music of my own now that I'm getting better."

"Wow, Jenny! You wrote that yourself? It was so pretty!" Carly said with a smile.

"Thank you."

She gave a tiny mock bow from her position behind the keyboard and when she stood up again, she swayed slightly on her feet, laughing as she brushed her hair out of her face.

"Okay, Jen. Bed."

"If you say so," Jenny said with another laugh.

"I love drunk Jenny," Carly said, laughing as well.

Gibbs rolled his eyes, wrapping his arm around Jenny's shoulders as he led her closer to the stairs.

"I wonder what drunk Jethro would be like," Jenny mused thoughtfully, raising hazy green eyes to his piercing blue, "I know what my goal in life is now: to get Jethro drunk and see what happens."

"Make sure you do it on a night I'm not working," Carly told her, kissing her cheek lightly.

"Oh, don't worry, Little One. I definitely will."

"Hush," Gibbs snapped in false annoyance, "it's time for all of us to go upstairs."

After saying goodnight to Carly, Gibbs finally coaxed Jenny into the bedroom, frowning each time she tried to deepen his kiss, unsure of what she was trying to run from. He'd only seen Jenny drink so heavily after the death of her mother and it was making him slightly uneasy.

"Jen, what's bothering you?" he asked finally, unable to stand it any longer, "the truth."

She sighed, twisting her hands in her lap as she always did when she was nervous, and shook her head.

"Carly called me "Mom" the other day. It made me feel...I can't explain it. I'm worried that she's going to..."Mom" is such a special thing to call someone. What if she's betraying her actual mother by passing that to me? And I mean...I'd be a terrible mother."

Gibbs frowned, considering her words carefully before speaking.

"I don't think she means it as a betrayal. Like you said, it's a special thing to call someone. You obviously mean a lot to Carly if she feels comfortable enough to call you "Mom". I wouldn't take it as a bad thing. She holds you in the same regard that she held her mother. It's a honourable thing."

"How would you feel if she called you "Dad", then?" Jenny countered.

"It might throw me off for a bit, but honestly Jen, it's been so long since I've been called "Dad" that I think I would love it just as much as I did when Kelly first started speaking. It would make me proud to be held in such high esteem. Like you said, not everyone has the honour of being called those names."

As she thought about his words, Jenny finally nodded, laying her head on his shoulder tiredly.

"I guess I was just looking into it too much."

"You do have a tendency to do that."

She smacked his arm lightly, laughing softly.

"That's not very nice, Leroy Jethro."

He shrugged.

"For what it's worth, I think you'd be a great mother."

Jenny shook her head, her eyes wide.

"No, thank you. Carly is enough."

He nodded, kissing her gently.

"Get some sleep, Jen."

Yawning, Jenny nodded, moving away from him just enough that she could be comfortable, and as he he held her in his arms, Gibbs smiled, breathing in the scent of her perfume. Maybe, just maybe, Ducky had known all along just how much they'd needed Carly in their lives. After all, who was he to doubt the intuition of a wise Scotsman?


A/N: They're finally becoming a real family!