A/N: Just in time for Valentine's Day, my loves! I hope you enjoyed the little cliffhanger of the last chapter. Now back to your regular programming! Hope you like it!


Previously...

"Why do you put up with me?" she asked quietly.

"You put up with me," he reminded her, "We're partners. In every sense of the word. Work partners, sexual partners, romantic partners, parental partners...face it, Shepard. You're stuck with me until you finally snap and shoot me."

Jenny laughed, leaning into his embrace.

"That's too messy. I'd just cover your face with a pillow while you were sleeping. Just until the twitching stops."

Gibbs laughed, placing a light kiss on the shell of her ear.

"You'd also enlist Ziva and Abby's help with disposing of my body, wouldn't you?"

"Damn right. So don't cross me, Leroy Jethro. I can kill you and leave no trace of evidence."

"Have I ever mentioned how sexy you are when you threaten my life?"

"You might have mentioned it once or twice," she answered with a laugh.

Turning her around so that they were face-to-face, Gibbs' eyes met hers, sapphire eyes locking onto emerald green, and he kissed her, running his fingers through her hair, slowly trailing lightly over her cheek.

"Even when we're both so old that we have to get Carly to push us around in wheelchairs, you will still be the most beautiful woman in the world to me," he whispered, "and nothing will ever change how much I love you."

She smiled, kissing him again and when he spoke again, he gave her a warm smile.

"Marry me, Jen."

"Okay, Jethro."


Gibbs

Staring at Jenny as though he could hardly believe what he had heard, Gibbs watched her eyes carefully, sure that she was merely being sarcastic. She appeared to be entirely serious, however, and when he finally realised that she was waiting for him to respond, he shook his head slowly.

"You mean it? You don't want to take it back?"

Her head shook, red hair falling around her shoulders, and she reached for his hand, giving him a reassuring smile.

"No, I mean it. I've been thinking about it for a long time, actually. I don't want to be with anyone else. I want to spend the rest of my life annoying the hell out of you."

He laughed, kissing her gently, and nodded in the general direction of her hands.

"We'll need to pick out a ring."

She nodded.

"Yeah, but don't say anything to Little One. I want to surprise her."

He watched her as she sat next to him, almost as if he couldn't quite believe what had just taken place, and when she moved closer, the fire in her eyes was so strong that it nearly took his breath away.

"How much do you want to bet that DiNozzo started a pool about this?"

Gibbs shook his head.

"Not a doubt in my mind, Jen."


Shepard

It was just nearing midnight when the ringing of Jenny's phone shattered the silence, making both her and the sleeping agent next to her jump up from the bed, each one trying to pinpoint the source of the sound. Finally, her tired mind realised that it was coming from her nightstand, and she reached blindly in the darkness for the shrill device.

"Shepard," she said sleepily.

"Mom, someone just broke into our apartment. I've been trying to call the police, but I can't get through."

Jenny immediately bolted from the bed, throwing on the closest pieces of clothing that her hands could reach, and though she wasn't looking at him, she could feel Gibbs watching her as she scrambled for her shoes.

"Hold on, Little One. Where are you? Are you somewhere safe?"

"I'm locked in the bathroom. One way in, one way out. Evan's working and won't get off until seven."

The loud crashing sound over the phone, combined with Carly's scream, made her jump, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on the device in her shaking hand.

"Mom! He's here! No! Please, don—"

Carly's screams were abruptly cut off and the call was disconnected, making Jenny's heart freeze in her chest, and she saw with just one glance that Gibbs had heard exactly what she had. After throwing Gibbs his keys and hastily tying her shoes, Jenny ran down the stairs, slipping as she dashed through the living room. They were out the door in seconds, Gibbs throwing the truck in gear so quickly that it jerked both of them forward in their seats, but Jenny said nothing, knowing that he was just as terrified as she was.

He made the trip in record time, breaking more than a few traffic laws in his panic, and as they both ran up to Carly's front door, Jenny could feel her agent instincts taking over. She quickly cleared the room after checking the corners, silently running in the direction of Carly and Evan's bathroom, and as her eyes surveyed the damage that had been done to the door, she swore internally. She felt, rather than saw, Gibbs moved in the direction of the kitchen and when Jenny slowly pushed open the door to Carly's room, her heart dropped into her stomach.

She barely had time to register Carly on the bed, held in place by the gun that was pointed at her head, before her daughter whispered for help, and when she realised that she recognised the person in front of her, she fought to keep her voice steady.

"Get away from my daughter."

"Now, Jenny...is that any way for you to speak to me? Surely our relationship means more to you than that."

Jenny shook her head, forcing herself to stay calm, wondering where in the world Gibbs was.

"We don't have a relationship. You assaulted me and held me hostage all because of your own delusions."

"No, no, Jenny. That was just a minor setback. I told you then how much I love you. I just want to make you happy. Dropping in on your daughter was just a way for me to ensure that you would be here."

She could see the panic building in Carly's bright blue eyes, and when the scent of coffee and sawdust came to her from behind, she began to think fast.

"Wait. I have an idea. I'll stay here with you, if you let my daughter walk out of here unharmed. Her dad will take her home and I'll stay here."

She could see his eyes narrowing in thought as he considered her offer, and he shook his head.

"What's the catch?"

"No catch," she said seriously, "I just want my daughter safe. Please."

For one horrible minute, she was sure it hadn't worked, but when he suddenly shoved Carly away from him, she finally released the breath she'd been holding. Carly scrambled away, throwing her arms around Jenny, and she could feel her shaking as she held her tightly.

"Go with your dad. Call Evan and make sure she doesn't come home by mistake. She can stay at our house."

"But Mom—"

"Do as I say, Little One," she said sternly, looking at her seriously, "I love you."

Carly nodded before running from the room, and when she felt Gibbs reach for her hand, she shook her head.

"Get Carly out of here."

"Are you insane? I'm not leaving you," he snapped.

"Jethro, please. I need to know that she's safe. I can handle this."

She could see that he was struggling with his desire to keep both her and Carly safe, but finally he nodded, kissing her hard before backing away slowly.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, Jen."

As she watched him disappear from her line of sight, Jenny wondered if she'd just made the biggest mistake of her life.


Gibbs

To say that Leroy Jethro Gibbs was worried out of his mind would have been the understatement of the century. He'd gotten Carly home safely and was now waiting for Evan to arrive so that she wouldn't be alone (as well as to ensure Evan's safety as well). If Jenny thought that he was going to sit idly by while that bastard—hell, what the hell was Jenny thinking? How could she have done something so reckless? He supposed he couldn't fault her for wanting to make sure their daughter was unharmed, but to put her own life at risk wasn't the most ideal way to achieve that.

The quiet knocking on the front door announced Evan's arrival, and as soon as Carly opened the front door, she hugged her best friend tightly, her entire body still shaking.

"Are you okay?" Evan asked.

"Yeah. Just a little shaken up. We're definitely not getting our security deposit back," she said in an attempt to lighten the mood, "Our bathroom door is completely obliterated."

"I'll fix it," Gibbs said from his position in the kitchen doorway, "Shouldn't be too hard."

Carly smiled, though it was tense, and Gibbs decided that given their current situation, he would take what he could get. Evan frowned as she looked around the room and he tensed, already knowing what her next question would be.

"Where's your mom? Is she working late tonight?"

"She...she stayed behind," Carly whispered, "She basically traded me for herself."

Evan looked to Gibbs for confirmation and when he merely nodded, he saw her eyes fill with tears.

"We can't just leave her there."

Gibbs nodded again, having come to the same conclusion mere seconds after Jenny had made her decision, and he prayed that he hadn't put her life in jeopardy by his own actions. Damn, he hoped she knew what she was doing...


Shepard

"So...what now?"

He jumped, not expecting her to speak, and glanced at her slowly.

"I told you: I'm going to make sure that you're happy. I love you, Jenny. I don't like seeing you so upset."

She was struggling to remember this man's name, though she knew he had told her during their last encounter, and she frowned as she searched her memory. John? Jacob? Jeremy? No, wait! James! That was it, she was certain.

"James...I...I'm sure we can be happy together," she lied, hoping she sounded stronger than she felt, "but what about my daughter? This is her apartment. We can't just stay here forever."

His eyes lit up as soon as she said his name, ecstatic that she had remembered it, and she suddenly felt a wave of sympathy wash over her. She couldn't imagine how lonely and sad this man must be to have the nerve to commit such a crime and she shivered slightly as he slowly ran his fingers over her skin, slipping into her hair.

"You do make a very good point, Jenny."

He frowned as she instinctively moved away from his touch, and shook his head.

"Don't be afraid. I'll admit, I wanted to hurt you after what happened the last time we were together, but I know now that it wouldn't solve anything. It's going to take time for you to trust me and until that happens, I can't let you out of my sight."

She closed her eyes as he touched her cheek again, forcing herself not to move, holding her breath as she tried to think of a way out of this.

"I love you, Jenny. So very much. But if you try any kind of stunt, you'll leave me with no choice but to plaster your brains all over these walls. Do you understand?"

Jenny nodded, opening her eyes slowly.

"I understand," she whispered.

Something in his face changed and he moved closer, his fingers tilting her face up to look in her eyes.

"I told you I loved you, Jenny. Now I'm going to show you just how much."

"Don't you think we should get to know each other better first?" she asked, praying this would delay his actions.

He shook his head, pushing her down on the bed, the gun in his hand never leaving her.

"There's plenty of time for that later. I can't wait any longer and deep down, you feel the same way."

She automatically recoiled from his touch as he pushed the hem of her shirt higher, his free hand moving to cup her breasts, and when he placed the gun on the ground, her eyes followed it carefully. His left hand continued to touch her breasts while his right went into his own jeans, touching himself slowly, and he suddenly frowned, glaring at her.

"What's going on? What did you do to me?"

Jenny was more than a little confused at first, but then his meaning became clear. She said nothing, knowing that it would only serve to make him angrier, and when his left hand connected with her face, her head snapped back painfully.

"You fucking whore! What have you done to me? You're making me look weak!"

"I didn't do anything," she said quietly, hoping that someone would hear his raised voice and investigate.

"You did! You fucking bitch! You slut! You're the one causing this!"

He slapped her again, harder this time, and she blinked to keep her eyes from watering. He seemed to have given up trying to keep his erection, and when his hand closed around her throat, she instinctively kicked outward, hoping to cause enough damage that he would release her.

"I don't think this is going to work out between us, Jenny," he whispered, his face close enough to hers that she could feel his breath, "I gave you every opportunity to prove yourself, but you couldn't manage even that simple thing. I thought you were different. But you're not so special after all."

As she struggled to break free, her dizzied mind barely even noticed the sound of the front door crashing open, and when she heard a voice call out, it came to her distorted, as though she were underwater.

"Let her go and turn around with your hands up!"

It was enough of a distraction for her to break his hold on her throat and as soon as she drew in a breath, she made a dash for the door. His hands grabbed her by the shoulders, throwing her painfully into Carly's wooden dresser, and as her body crashed into the corner of the wall, she blinked slowly. The person who had spoken ran after James as he fled from the room, and as she tried to remember how to breathe, it dimly occurred to her that she wasn't alone.

"Jenny, are you okay?"

She blinked again, trying to make her eyes focus, and it took her a long moment to realise that she knew the owner of that voice.

"Red, can you hear me?"

Red...who did she know that called her that? It was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't seem to figure out how to make it work. Wait! Of course...she knew now.

"Tony?" she whispered, her voice hoarse.

"Jesus, Shep, you scared the hell out of me. Can you stand up?"

He held out his hand and at first she was unsure of what he expected her to do. Why was everything so complicated?

"Tony," she coughed, her every breath ripping through her throat as she finally took his hand, "what are you—" she coughed again, "How did you—"

"Gibbs," he answered simply, "You didn't really think he would leave you to do this alone, did you? He called us, said he was staying with Little One and Evan, said we needed to get here as soon as possible."

"Where...is he?" Jenny whispered, nodding towards the door as they began walking.

"He ran. Ziva's on him, though. She won't let him get away."

She stumbled over her own feet as they walked past Carly's bookcase, and DiNozzo looked at her worriedly, leading her to the bed.

"Take it easy, Jenny. You really should get looked at."

Jenny shook her head.

"I'll be okay. Just a few bruises."

Her throat was killing her, not that she would ever admit it, but she thought that her voice was giving her away regardless. DiNozzo sat down next to her, watching her carefully for any sign of worsening injuries, and when she took a ragged breath, she closed her eyes in pain.

"I owe you, Tony. You and Ziva saved my life."

"Nah," he said, giving her a slight nudge, "How many times have you saved my ass over the years? Once partners, always partners, you know that. I've got your back."

She gave him a small smile, wanting nothing more than to go home and crawl in bed for the rest of her life, but she knew that at least for now, it would have to wait. Right now, she would have to give her statement to the police and relive one of the most emotionally painful nights of her life.


Gibbs

The sun was already in the sky by the time Jenny made it back to the house, and the relief Gibbs felt when he saw DiNozzo helping her out of his car was so intense that it nearly made his legs collapse beneath him. He nodded at the Senior Field Agent as he drove away, and as soon as the front door closed behind them, he pulled Jenny into his arms, burying his face in her fiery hair, beyond thankful that she was safe. They stayed that way for a long moment, each taking comfort in the other's presence, and when he pulled back to look at her, he frowned at the bruises forming on her face and around her throat.

"Jen?"

"I'll be fine" she answered quietly, "It wasn't as bad as it could have been."

He nodded, knowing that Carly was waiting anxiously in her room for news, and as he ran his fingers through her hair, Gibbs frowned when he noticed her flinch away.

"Carly and Evan are upstairs. We should go let them know what happened."

Jenny nodded.

"Okay."

He let her walk in front of him, both to make her feel guarded and to reassure himself that she was there, and when he knocked lightly on Carly's door, he kept his voice quiet.

"Carly, you awake?"

The door opened slowly, and she immediately launched herself at Jenny, clinging to her so tightly that the redhead winced in pain, and when she finally loosened her hold, she glared at her.

"Are you out of your mind?" she said angrily, "He could have killed you, Mom!"

"Better me than you, Little One. I'm not about to let anything happen to you."

They made their way into the room and Evan gave them a smile as she sat up on the bed.

"Are you sure you're okay, Jenny?"

Jenny nodded.

"I'll be sore for a few days, but it's nothing a warm bath and some aspirin can't fix. Speaking of which, your bathroom—"

"I heard," Evan said with a laugh, "Mr. Gibbs offered to fix it, so hopefully it won't be too terrible."

Carly hugged both Jenny and Gibbs again, and when she stepped back, Gibbs could see just how worried she had been.

"I love you guys."

"We love you, too. Why don't you and Evan get some sleep and then later today we can go get coffee or hot chocolate?"

Carly smiled.

"Sounds great!"

After hugging her one last time, Jenny made her way into the master bedroom and when Gibbs followed her seconds later, he closed the door, locking it securely behind them. Jenny sank onto the mattress, closing her eyes tiredly, and Gibbs frowned at the paleness of her skin. It was clear she was exhausted and when he sat next to her, she stayed where she was.

"Jen...are you sure you're okay?"

She nodded.

"I'm okay," she said softly, "I'm just so tired."

Moving carefully to avoid causing herself more pain, Jenny laid down on the bed, pulling the blankets close to her body, and she sighed. Gibbs leaned down to kiss her cheek gently, feeling her flinch again, and when he stood, he wondered just what had happened in Carly's apartment. He had almost made it to the door, intent on giving Jenny time to rest, when her voice made him pause.

"Jethro?"

He turned, looking at her carefully, trying to gauge her emotional state, but said nothing.

"Will you stay?"

He nodded, making his way back to the bed, and he laid down beside her, careful to keep some distance between them.

"Hold me, Jethro."

Needing no other invitation, Gibbs pulled her into his arms, cradling her against his chest, and though he could feel her shaking in his arms, he didn't relax his grip.

"Please don't let go," Jenny whispered.

He shook his head, kissing her hair lightly.

"I won't, Jen. Ever."


From the moment he reached out to touch Jenny's hair, Gibbs found himself on edge, though he couldn't have explained why.

There it was: that slight flinch that occurred every time he touched her, that minuscule movement that made him feel like a criminal, that stabbed him right through the heart each time it happened. He didn't even think she was aware of it, she certainly gave no indication of it, and he frowned as he picked up his bourbon. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the worry that something was wrong between them, or maybe it was the slight anger that flared up each time she moved away from him. Whatever the reason, he took a slow breath, bracing himself for what he was about to say.

"Is something wrong?"

Jenny frowned, looking at him in confusion.

"What?"

"You flinch every time I touch you. It's been happening ever since that night in Carly's apartment. Just wondering why."

"Nothing's wrong."

He said nothing else, letting her think that he was satisfied with her answer, and returned to his drink. Several minutes passed before he reached for her hand, feeling her fingers twitch against his palm, and he shook his head.

"Just like that," he said, nodding at her hand, "You flinched the second I touched you. What's going on?"

"Jethro, I'm fine."

"Bullshit," he snapped before he could stop himself, "Talk to me. What happened that night? What did he do to make you afraid of me?"

"I'm not..." she paused, taking a deep breath, "Jethro, I'm not afraid of you."

"Then what is it? Jen, please...talk to me."

She was silent for a long moment, twisting her hands in her lap, and she sighed, shaking her head slowly before she spoke.

"He...he kept saying how much he loved me. How he wanted to be with me. And every time he said something like that, he touched me. It wasn't even sexual at first, he just...he would touch my face, or...run his fingers through my hair. It was such an intimate touch, something that was reserved just for you and...Jethro, I'm so sorry. I didn't even realise how much it had affected me, how it...ruined something that was so special."

Gibbs nodded, reaching slowly for her hand, still slightly annoyed that she flinched again until he noticed that her entire body was shaking, and he suddenly felt like an ass.

"You said...Jen, you said it wasn't sexual at first. What else happened? Did he—"

"No," she cut him off quietly, "but he tried. He had me at gunpoint, pushed my shirt up...he touched my breasts, but..."

She broke off suddenly and when she blinked, he saw the tears shining in her bright green eyes.

"You don't have to keep going," he told her softly.

"No, I...you asked, and I think you have a right to know. That's the only time he touched me sexually, but...he kept saying it was my fault. That I did something to make him weak. He was...he couldn't get an erection...he tried, and I know he would have...if he could have done it. He was so angry, Jethro..."

"You didn't do anything wrong," he said, moving close enough that he could wrap his arm around her shoulder, "and I promise you that I will never hurt you."

Jenny nodded.

"I know you would never hurt me," she whispered, "I just...I guess I didn't realise how much it had gotten under my skin."

"I wish you'd told me sooner. But I understand."

She looked up from her hands, emerald eyes meeting sapphire, and she reached out to run her fingers through his hair, shaking only slightly.

"Can you forgive me?"

He smiled, kissing her slowly, running his own fingers through her long red hair.

"Nothing to forgive, Jen."

"Have I mentioned how much I love you?"

"Once or twice, yeah."


Shepard

Staring at the small silver ring on her finger, Jenny couldn't help but smile as she sat in her office late one afternoon. They had picked out the simple diamond a few days after the break in at Carly's apartment (though she still hadn't noticed it), and she couldn't deny that she had never felt happier. The soft knock on her door broke her concentration and when she granted the person entry, she hoped the bruises on her skin weren't too obvious. Ducky gave her a warm smile as he entered her office and she returned it happily, nodding at him as he sat down in the chair in front of her.

"Good afternoon, Ducky. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I heard from young Anthony about what happened at Carly's apartment and I wanted to see how you were."

Jenny smiled again, touched by his concern.

"I'm fine. A little sore, a little bruised, but otherwise okay. Honestly, Little One's bathroom door sustained the most damage."

"And Carly? How is she handling it?"

"Well, she's pretty shaken up, but I think she'll be okay in time. She wasn't hurt physically, so at least we have that to be thankful for."

Ducky nodded, his eyes searching her face intently.

"Are you quite sure that you're okay?"

Jenny laughed, shaking her head.

"Absolutely. Honestly, I'm so glad he's in jail and I don't have to worry about him coming after me again. Who would have thought being polite at a coffee shop would cause such a problem? I'm going to start being a bitch."

Ducky laughed, nodding once.

"That sounds like a wonderful plan, Jennifer. How have you been feeling otherwise? I know a few weeks ago, you'd been dealing with some pretty severe symptoms with your MS."

She ran her fingers through her hair, sighing heavily.

"I swear, Ducky, it's like...one day I'm perfectly fine, and the next day, I can barely move. My head aches, my body refuses to cooperate, I can't hold anything...it's so infuriating."

The doctor looked at her knowingly, reaching for her hand, not noticing the way she jumped at the contact.

"Unfortunately, that is the nature of this beast. The good news is that with medication and listening to your body, it can be manage—Jennifer, is that an engagement ring?"

He ran his thumb slowly over the ring on her finger and Jenny couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. She nodded, leaning forward slightly in her chair.

"Jethro asked me the night of the break in. I'm not making an announcement, I'm just waiting to see who notices the ring. The only person we're going to actually tell is Little One. We're having her over for dinner tonight and we're going to tell her then."

"Congratulations, my dear. You two are very good for one another."

Jenny laughed.

"Technically, this was like the...twentieth time he's asked me. I always turned him down before."

"I see. And what changed your mind?"

"Well, before, I had always thought it was just a joke. He would always jokingly say "Hey, Jen, marry me." and I would always say no. Something was different about the last time he asked me. He actually seemed serious and I'd been thinking about our relationship for a long time anyway. I knew I didn't want to be with anyone else and there was no reason to keep saying no. I love him and I know he loves me, so it was just the right time."

Ducky lifted her hand, examining the ring more closely. It was a small, round-cut diamond with leaves adorning the silver band, not too big to be gaudy, but big enough to be seen, and each movement of her hand caught the light, sparkling brilliantly.

"It's a beautiful ring, my dear. Have you set a date or it that a future endeavour?"

Jenny laughed.

"I was thinking autumn, but I haven't decided which autumn. This one, the next one, a few years from now...I'll definitely let you know if I figure it out any time soon. Which reminds me, would you be willing to walk me down the aisle? I mean, my father's dead, but if you'd rather not, I can ask someone else, or—"

"I would be delighted to, Jennifer," Ducky answered, kissing her hand gently, "Nothing would make me happier."

Smiling at the Scottish doctor, Jenny finally felt the stress of the last few days begin to subside.


"How was your day, Little One?"

Carly sighed, shaking her head as she picked up her fork.

"One of the patients had a panic attack in the middle of a session. We had to stop for about twenty minutes. It was pretty rough."

"Sounds like it. How many hours do you have left for your job shadowing?"

The younger girl smiled, taking a drink of her water.

"Twenty-two. Then I can get my letter of recommendation for my advanced classes."

Jenny smiled, exchanging a proud look with Gibbs.

"You're doing really well, Carly. We're so proud of you."

"Thanks. It'll still be a few years before I graduate and start out on my own, though."

"True, but you've come such a long way already."

They ate in silence for a few minutes, Gibbs and Jenny trading looks over their glasses every so often, and when he finally nodded, the redhead took a deep breath.

"You know, we actually invited you over for more than one reason tonight."

Carly frowned.

"You're taking away my allowance?"

Jenny laughed.

"You wish you still had an allowance, Little One. No, this is something a bit more important than money."

"Is everything okay? Did something happen? Did you relapse? How can I help? I'll do any—"

"No," Jenny laughed again, "Relax, honey. Nothing bad happened. Yes, I had a few rough days after the break in, but I didn't relapse. Speaking of which, how are you doing in that regard?"

Carly shrugged.

"I'm okay. It's been a little tough, but Evan's been great at kicking my ass when I need it."

"Good. But if you do ever need to talk about it, I'm always here."

"I know," Carly said warmly, "but I really am okay right now."

"Jen," Gibbs said sharply, his eyes amused, "You're getting sidetracked."

"Right. Little One, close your eyes."

After looking to Gibbs for confirmation, Carly did as she was told, closing her eyes slowly, and Jenny moved closer to the table, holding her hand just under the younger girl's nose.

"Okay, open."

She opened her eyes, confused for a moment about what exactly she was looking at, but when her bright blue eyes landed on the ring sparkling on Jenny's hand, she screamed, grabbing her hand tightly.

"Mom! You're getting married?! When the hell did this happen?! Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

Jenny laughed, glancing over at Gibbs, the smile on his face making her happier than she'd been in months.

"He asked me the night of the break in. We wanted to surprise you."

"He always asks you to marry him. Why did you finally say yes?"

"It just seemed like the right time. I'm not looking for anyone else and neither is he. We love each other and there's really no reason not to."

"Can I be in the wedding?"

Jenny nodded, pulling her hand from Carly's grasp and settling back into her chair.

"Of course you can, you silly girl. You can be my Maid of Honour if you want."

"Hell yeah, I will! Dad, did you guys set a date yet?"

Gibbs shook his head, taking a drink from his bourbon as Jenny drained her own glass.

"Not yet. I'm going to leave most of those details up to your mom."

Jenny poured another glass of bourbon, emptying half of it in one go, her eyes widening as a thought occurred to her.

"We have to tell Jack and Eric. I can't wait for them to notice the ring, I don't see them often enough. Remind me to call them tomorrow."

Gibbs nodded and she could feel his eyes watching her as she polished off the last of the bourbon in her glass, but she chose to ignore it, focusing instead on the tingling in her fingertips. She picked up her fork, taking a small bite of her food, and as she and Carly continued discussing the wedding, she had never felt more free.


Gibbs

By the time they retired to the bedroom later that night, Jenny was more than a little buzzed, though it was only her relaxed nature that gave her away. She laughed more easily, smiled more, and most noticeably, she didn't flinch once as he held her in his arms. While he was grateful for this last, he was concerned by her means of achieving it, though she gave him little opportunity to question the matter. She ran her fingers through his hair, her free hand tracing patterns along his arm, and when she spoke, there was no hint of a slur in her voice at all.

"You know, I've been thinking about something."

"Oh?"

"Are you sure you're really ready to marry me?"

He frowned. Where on earth had that question come from?

"What?"

"Well, it's just...I know how much Shannon meant to you. How much you loved her. It has to be hard, even the idea of some other woman being your wife. Of having the same title she held. The same place in your heart."

Ah...now it made sense. He knew Jenny had always felt somewhat inferior to Shannon, whether she had ever admitted it or not, and while he couldn't exactly fault her for that, he knew that he needed to tell her the truth before they even thought of marrying.

"Shannon..." God, even saying her name hurt, "Shannon and I...we loved each other so much. We were together from the time I was eighteen until she died, but the thing is...we were so young. I've learned so much about life since I met her and even more about myself. I told you once that I don't think Shannon would have loved the man I am today. That's where you're different. You see all my flaws, all my scars, my jaded outlook on love...you don't care. You love me in spite of those things. Yes, I love Shannon. I always will, but...you hold a different place in my heart. You'll have the same title, sure, but it will be an entirely different experience. I love you for you, Jen. Not because I'm trying to use you as her replacement."

Jenny was silent as she turned his words over in her mind, taking a little longer to process them in her intoxication, but she met his gaze steadily, not even a hint of hesitation.

"You'd better not be lying to me, Leroy Jethro."

He shook his head, kissing her slowly, deeply.

"Not a chance in hell, Jen. And if I have to spend the rest of our lives proving it to you, then I'll do whatever it takes."

"I don't think that will be necessary."

He raised his eyebrow, looking at her with a slightly amused smile.

"Oh no?"

"No," she answered quietly, pulling him closer to her, "all you have to do is kiss me."

He nodded, leaning down, frowning when she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"Kiss me like it's the last time you'll ever do it."

His lips met hers in a kiss that started slow, his hands winding into her hair, and as his tongue gently parted her lips, exploring her mouth, Jenny's grip tightened on his shoulders. He didn't stop kissing her until his lungs were screaming for oxygen, and when he finally pulled away, Jenny opened her eyes slowly, laying her head on his shoulder.

"I think I can die happy now," she whispered.

Gibbs laughed, holding her close, silently agreeing with her as they laid in the dim light.


A/N: Let me know if you liked it. Reviews are like finely aged bourbon: delicious and they make me smile!