State Dinner

           
           

            The following evening marked one of the most highly anticipated State Dinner at the White House. Since Jenny and Jethro had put their personal lives out there for the entire agency to know; Jenny had figured that it was safe for her family to make their first public outing. Now Jenny knew that Jethro wouldn’t be thrilled about her not letting him be on her protection detail would piss him off to no extent. She knew that he would want to be discreet when it came to public appearances. But in her opinion, Jethro would have to deal.
            Jenny had everything planned out. Tony, Ziva, McGee, Jaylyn, Cassie and Dunham would be on the detail. The girls had gone shopping after school to pick out their evening dresses and they picked up Jenny’s dress for her. Now came the hard part of trying to convince Jethro to go along with what she had planned. Convincing Jethro to do something he didn’t want to do was as always easier said than done.  Jenny had Cynthia call Jethro up to her office. This was going to get interesting to say the least. 
            “We’re attending the State dinner tonight at the White House per the President’s invitation.” Jenny said once her husband had entered her office.
            “We as in you and I?”
            “Yes, Jethro; you, me and the girls.”
            Jethro stared at Jenny completely admonished at the fact that his wife had decided to put their four seventeen year old daughters in the DC limelight. Never in a million years would Jethro have thought that Jenny would resort to this due to her and her sister’s upbringing.
            “Don’t give me that look Jethro. The President invited our entire family and you know as well as I do that you cannot say no to the President.”
            “It just surprises me that you are so willing to put the girls in the spotlight despite the fact that both you and Jaylyn hated being in the limelight when you two attended events with your father. Hell the both of you still hate being in the limelight to this day.”
            “Jethro, the girls are fine with going to the State dinner. In fact they can’t wait. Besides this will allow us to kill two birds with one stone.”
            “How so?”
            “The girls will be able to meet your team since they’ll be here in less than an hour to start getting ready. So I suggest that you go rent a tuxedo once you leave my office.”
            “Who’s on the detail, if I am your escort for the evening?”
            “DiNozzo, David, McGee, Shepard, Yates and Dunham.”
            “You think that it is a wise thing to have DiNozzo being on your detail, he’ll spend more time trying to flirt with Ziva, Jaylyn and the girls than protecting you.”
            “I think Tony values his life too much to even bother flirting with our daughters, Jethro. Besides I think that after the incident at the diner, Tony is going to focus on the protection detail.”
            With that Jethro left their discussion where it was and kissed Jenny on her head before leaving Jenny’s office.
            “Jethro, you know better after seventeen years.”
            “Jen.”
            “You owe me more than just a kiss on the head. For God’s sakes, you’re not kissing one of your ex-wives good-bye.”
            With that jab to his ego, Jethro walked back over to his wife to appease her. As usual whenever Jethro initiated a kiss, Jenny was the one who deepened the kiss only to make it harder for Jethro to leave her.
            “You’re always such a tease. That will never change.” Jethro said once he was able to pull himself away from Jenny.
            “Love you too.”
            Jethro nodded back at Jenny as he left her.
            “One of these days, I will get him to say I love you when we’re at work.” Jenny said to herself as she finished looking over files she needed to look over before the State dinner.
             Before long time had passed, the girls had arrived and it was time to get ready for the dinner. Jenny was hoping that Jethro got a tuxedo after he left earlier. Along with hoping, Jenny had arranged it so that the girls were able to come up to her without being seen by Jethro’s team before it was time for all of them to meet before it was time to depart.  Jaylyn was the only one that was allowed to come to Jenny’s office to help out. Jethro stayed down in the squad room with everyone else. He wanted to be surprised when he saw his wife and daughters descend the squad room stairs.
            “You girls look absolutely gorgeous.”Jaylyn said complementing her nieces.
            “Thank-you.” The girls said in unison.
            “What about me?” Jenny teased her sister.
            “I’m gonna leave that one to Jethro, sis.”
            After that Jaylyn took a few pictures of Jenny and the girls together. Once Jaylyn had rejoined the others, the girls and Jenny began their descent down to the squad room. Much like they had eleven years prior; Tony, Ziva, McGee, Abby and Ducky were completely awestruck at how beautiful Jenny looked. Shortly after she had come down from her office and was at Jethro’s side, Jenny introduced their daughters to Jethro’s team.
            “Tony, Ziva, McGee, Abs, Ducky; Jethro and I would like you to meet our daughters, Delilah, Arabella, Emilina and Madison.”
            “Girls this is my team.”
            For the first time ever, Tony actually behaved himself; which impressed Jethro quite a bit. Abby was the first one from the team to welcome their bosses’ daughters. In the typical Abby fashion; Abby embraced the girls in a huge group hug.
            “It’s quite nice to finally meet all of you.” Ziva said once Abby released the girls.
            Madison was the one to walk over to Ziva. In one fluid movement, Madison encompassed Ziva in a hug.
            “Thank you for saving them.” Madison discreetly whispered to Ziva.
            “It was an honor to.”
            Tony and McGee welcomed the girls after Madison rejoined her sisters. Ducky then hugged each of the girls.
            “You girls are just as beautiful as your mother and just as brave as both of your parents combined.” Ducky said.
            Once the introductions were complete it was time to head over to the State dinner. At the dinner the protection detail Jenny had created prior to the event took their positions and kept a protective eye on Jenny and her girls. Upon arrival the guests were introduced to those who had already arrived.
            “Director Jennifer Shepard – Gibbs; her husband, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and their daughters; Delilah, Arabella, Emiliana and Madison.”
            Jenny and Jethro descended the stairs followed by the girls after they had been announced.
            “Let the mingling begin.” Arabella said to her sisters.
            “Did someone remember the flask?” Emiliana quietly whispered.
            “I have it, we just have to be discreet about it.” Madison answered.
            “Agreed, we don’t just have Dad, Mom and the protection detail watching our every move; we have the press and every single federal agency director along with their protection details watching us.” Delilah said.
            “Them and the President and his wife. And SECNAV too.”
            “If any of us gets too overwhelmed by all of this and needs a bit of liquid courage, the code word to use is Jack. And be discreet when you’re alerting the rest of us. ” Delilah instructed her sisters.
            Arabella, Madison and Emiliana nodded in acknowledging what their sister had said.  A few hours into the dinner and way too many prying questions from curious people, the flask that the girls had brought was nearly finished. As much as they liked being the center of attention, the girls were more than ready to go home. It wasn’t until they saw the sight before them on the dance floor that they had unanimously decided to give things a bit more time.
            Before them, the girls saw their parents on the dance floor dancing together. It was a beautiful sight to see. Jenny was absolutely radiant with her hair pulled back which allowed her emerald green eyes to shine through. Jenny’s copper colored dress only made her look more enchanting in Jethro’s mind.
            “You are absolutely gorgeous tonight.” Jethro said.
            “Thank-you. I could tell that you liked how I look by the look in your eyes. You are an easy read Jethro.” Jenny said with a smile.
            As they continued dancing Jenny let her head rest on Jethro’s shoulder while everyone else let Jenny and Jethro have the dance floor to themselves. It was as if the power players of DC were giving Jenny and Jethro their approval in regards to their marriage.  At the end of the song Jenny and Jethro met up with their daughters. It was time to call it a night. Jethro signaled Tony, who in turn went with McGee to check the outside perimeter of the White House before they told the rest of the protection detail that stayed with Jenny, Jethro and the girls that it was safe to come out.
            A thirty minute limousine ride later, the Gibbs family was home for the night as the limousine took the protection detail back to the agency so they could drive themselves home. The girls wasted no time in going to bed; they knew full well that come morning they were going to have to find some way to hide their hangovers from their parents.  On the other hand they knew it was a 50/50 chance that they would be able to get this past Jenny and Jethro.
            While the girls changed and fell asleep, Jenny and Jethro’s night went on into the wee hours of the morning.
            “Its time to play, Mrs. Gibbs.” Jethro said with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
            “Jethro, you know perfectly well that I hate being called Mrs. Gibbs like that. Mrs. Gibbs doesn’t exactly have the best connotation to it with your track record.”
            “Will you stop dwelling in the “I’m wife number four” mode and kiss me already.”
            Jenny kissed Jethro knowing full well that Jethro was going to deepen the kiss as they ascended the stairs to their bedroom. That kiss would lead to a bout of foreplay which would then turn into countless hours of sex. Sleep was definitely not in the cards for either of them tonight. But tomorrow held the promise of coffee for both of them, countless cups of it.