Pragma - enduring love

Gibbs shook his head at his bickering team - which even included Abby and Palmer, though he had no clue how the latter happened nor did he want to know. All he knew that they were all somehow involved and probably all somehow at fault and absolutely no work was getting done. And it probably wouldn't get done for the next twenty minutes because none of them looked like they were running out of steam anytime soon.

The question was did he let them argue or did he put an immediate stop to this nonsense? It wasn't like there was anything pressing at hand, just some reports that Jen hadn't even started to pester him about yet. And then they'd be moving onto cold cases, something none of them particularly enjoyed. And he wasn't really in the mood to hear them whine and complain an out them just yet. No, he would put that off as long as possible thank you very much. There wasn't much point in breaking them all up for that. Not yet, anyway. No, he would just stand and observe and make sure no one tried to kill each other. And yes, he was keeping a close eye on Ziva.

Feeling eyes on the back of his head, he looked up. Blue eyes met green and he rolled his eyes at Jen. She was watching all of this go on with great amusement, leaning over the railings from above. Just like he was. Huh. They really weren't that different, were they?

Debating on whether on not he should pretend that he was going to make them get back to work, his eyes flicked up to her again. She didn't look too bothered by the insanity happening right in front of her. Looking back at his team, who weren't even starting to lose steam, he decided not to waste his breath. He soon joined his old partner up by the railings, standing shoulder to shoulder as they watched the antics below. This was definitely better than complaints and reports. And it was kind of nice to have company for it too. Her company. Not he was that good at admitting it to himself. Nope. He was here. She was here. It was nice. That's all the thought he was going to put into it.

Because it was easy, standing by her. It was easy and comfortable and familiar and he didn't mind it one bit. They didn't need words, not after all this time. A look or a tilt of the head could communicate so much for them. Words tended to result in bickering so sometimes it was best to do without them. Which suited him just fine, he much preferred silence.

She seemed to as well. Most of the time. Also, happy to stand side by side whenever they could. They were drawn to each other. Much like Tony and Ziva but less volatile, less dancing around each other. They didn't need to do much of that anymore. They just knew each other too well.

This friendship of theirs, it was more than just friendship. Always had and probably always will even if they decided to act on certain things or not. There was too much history, too much time between the two of them for that not to be the case. But there was also too much history, too much time between them to simply act on what they felt impulsively. They couldn't do that anymore. That was all in the past. But not completely in the past.

It might sound complicated but it worked for them. They knew each other.

Suddenly his coffee was out of his hand as she stole a gulp. He glared at her but she just smiled cheekily at him and dared to take another sip! He snatched it back, much to her amusement and he was about to say something snarky to her when an indignant noise came from someone below. It sounded like McGee but it wasn't followed by him complaining about Tony for a change so who knew what was actually going on back there. And Ziva was now brandishing a paperclip. Because of course she was. He was about to call down but she threw it back at her desk. Crisis averted somehow.

He shook his head at the madness below.

"Idiots," he said under his breath.

Sure, they were his idiots but they were still idiots. He didn't say that quietly enough though.

"You love them really," she said with a soft laugh.

He just grunted in return, neither confirming nor denying this. Again, she just laughed at him. That knowing laugh of hers. And yes, she had different laughs and he's he knew how to decipher them. Of course, he did. She used to be his partner and a hell of a lot more. Knowing those sorts of things just came with the territory.

"They're my team," he said gruffly.

"They're your family," she corrected.

"Mmm."

She gave him an amused look. "I know that sound, Jethro. It means that you know I'm right and you don't want to admit it."

"Mmm."

Her head got fling back as she laughed at that. A proper laugh. He hadn't heard that in a long time.

"Yours too," he offered.

"Excuse me?"

"They're your family too."

She just shook her head but didn't disagree with him. Instead, she looked down at the chaos below, a smile playing about her lips.

"It always surprises me just how childish they can become."

Gibbs just snorted. "Not me." An indignant noise came from below and he glared at them, not that any of them noticed.

"Oh, you enjoy playing the strict and gruff father to them, Jethro," she said with a knowing look.

He gave her an irritated look but found that he couldn't deny it. She would just argue with him further if he did anyway.

She smiled over her coffee mug. "Oh, I just know you, Jethro. You know that."

She did. Annoyingly so. But he supposed that he was the same as her. And probably more annoying about it as well, though he'd never admit that to her.