Classified

            The weekend came and went for the Gibbs family. Jenny was able to get all her work done before the start of the work week came. Jethro on the other hand spent the remainder of Saturday and all of Sunday trying to get Jenny to let loose again. Jethro liked the fun version of Jenny a bit more than the serious Jenny after all. But of course Jenny kept in check and didn’t let Jethro win out.  At one point Monday morning Jethro was beginning to think that he said or did something over the weekend that made things between him and Jenny as they were. So Jethro racked his brain trying to figure what was wrong between them.

            Jenny on the other hand was just trying to keep her head clear. With a classified op she had to oversee in MTAC that morning the last thing she needed was to have Jethro on her mind and the ways that she would be able to get back at him after the escapade in the kitchen Saturday morning. But when they got to the office that all changed within a heartbeat. With this job that seemed to happen quite a bit. Once again at a local high school on a Marine Base some kid had walked into classroom with a bomb strapped to their body. When Jenny heard of this incident and that Jethro was heading over to the high school with his team she instantly went into panic mode just as she had ten years prior.

            It was driving her crazy just sitting in her office waiting to hear from them. Part of her something had already gone wrong that prevented Jethro from calling her to update her. Then her mind jumped to if there was something that maybe something had happened to Jethro and Tony being the next in command on the team was avoiding making that phone call back to the agency. But then again Jenny knew that if neither Tony nor Jethro were going to call in that she could count on Jaylyn and Ziva to do it for them. Either way Jenny was just hoping that nothing was going to happen to her daredevil husband.

            She wasn’t ready to tell the girls any bad news if something were to happen to Jethro.  Having to tell them when they were seven that their father was in a coma and that he didn’t remember them was hard enough, if she had to tell them that something happened to him again it would be even harder. So with that Jenny opened her desk draw that her sig sat in and took it out.  Her badge was sitting on her desk before her so she took it and hooked it up to her belt before doing the same with her side arm. This time around she wasn’t going to allow Ducky or anyone to prevent her from going down to the high school this time around.

            As she had expected just as her side arm was situated in the right spot Ducky came into her office and he was able to sense that there was something wrong. By this point the entire agency had heard of the high school hostage situation.

            Meanwhile as he had a decade before Jethro decided to take matters into his own hands and went into the classroom. But back at the office things remained tense.

            “Anything new?” Ducky inquired.

            “Just got off the phone with J. Still no contact.”

            “What happened?”

            “Jethro happened, Ducky. Went in to talk the kid down and was invited to stay.” Jenny said as she paced behind her desk.

            “But how could he have…. oh he probably planned it.”

            “Jethro doesn’t plan, Ducky. He follows his damn gut.”

            Both Jenny and Ducky were having déjà vu at this point.

            “My dear, it usually serves him well.”

            “No Doctor Mallard, it gets him in trouble.” Jenny said as she continued her pacing.

            “You’d only be a hindrance down there.”

            “What makes you think….”

            “You’re wearing your side arm.”

            “Ducky,  with all due respect I am not letting you convince me into not going down there. My husband is down there being held hostage. I am going down there and solving this right now before Jethro, his team or the students in that room get hurt.”

            “But what if something happens to the both of you? Those lovely daughters of yours would be parentless.”

            “No Ducky they wouldn’t.”

            Ducky was puzzled.

            “J would take care of them with Jackson and Franks’ help. They promised me that seventeen years ago and they would never break that promise. J especially wouldn’t let me down. She loves them too much to have them go through what she and I went through.”

            With that Jenny left her office and headed down to the high school.

            “None of us will ever let them go through that.” Ducky said once Jenny was gone.

            “I’ll send a car and an agent to pick them up.” Cynthia said to Ducky as he left Jenny’s office.

            “Thank-you.”

            Down at the high school Jenny had arrived. She was about to duck under the police tape when an MP stopped her in her tracks.

            “Identification ma’am.”

            “Here.” Jenny said as she flashed her side arm.

            “Sorry ma’am that won’t work, I need to see identification.”

            “Lieutenant, she’s fine. She’s with us.” McGee said coming to Jenny’s aide.

            “I still need to see her identification whether she’s with NCIS or not, sir. Its protocol.”

            “Lieutenant, she is NCIS; so let her in.” Ziva said coming to help.

            As expected since everyone pretty much feared Ziva as much as they feared Jethro, the Lieutenant did as instructed.

            “Thank-you, Lieutenant Sanders.” Jenny said.

            “You’re welcome Ma’am.”

            “Told you she was NCIS.” Ziva said cockily.

            “She an agent?”

            “No.” McGee replied.

            “Then what is she?”

            “Director Jennifer Shepard – Gibbs of NCIS. Don’t mess with her or you’ll face someone worst than her, myself and Agent Shepard combined.” Ziva said warning the first lieutenant.

            “Who?”

            “Her husband.”

            The marine was puzzled still.

            “Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.” Ziva said filling in the blanks.

            As Jenny walked to the command center that had been set up with Ziva and McGee she contemplated on dropping her maiden name from her last name and just going by Jethro like his ex-wives and Shannon had. After all no one was taking her seriously as of late and the first lieutenant was only the latest on that list.

            Once they reached the command post Jenny took over the mission since she was highest ranking field agent in the room much to Tony’s dismay. Meanwhile the girls were safe and sound at NCIS waiting with Ducky and Abby to hear from their parents and aunt.

            Minutes after her arrival Jenny had an extraction plan and everything ready to go. All that needed to be done was to implement the plan. With a mess load of Marines and the MCRT team at her disposal Jenny was set to do just what she had planned.

            Jenny played with her wedding band until she took it off to remind herself of the inscription that was on it. Her ring inscription was the same as Jethro’s.

                        We were made for impossible.

            “They’re not going to listen to you Director. The Marines don’t see this as a case at all. They just see it as a stubborn fellow Marine who decided to make matters worse.” Tony said.

            “That stubborn Marine in the classroom is my husband, the father of my daughters and your boss the last time I checked Agent DiNozzo.  So get off your high horse and deal with me being here. I’m here to stay.” Jenny said putting Tony in his place.

            Tony was about to rebuke what Jenny had said when he was stopped.

            “Tony.” Ziva said as she placed her arm on Tony’s bicep to further her point.

            “You need to back off and deal, Tony. She is the highest ranking here so what she says goes.” Jaylyn said as she gathered the Marines together.

            “As Director of NCIS, I say this situation is now an investigation and I am in charge. Everyone reports directly to me, Marines and Agents. Do I make myself clear?”

            “Yes Ma’am.” the Marines said in unison.

            “Crystal.”  Tony said a bit annoyed still.

            McGee, Ziva and Jaylyn nodded in agreement. They had a lot on their plate. They had to do what Jenny wanted to do just as Tony had to and they also had to keep Tony in line so that Jenny had one less thing to worry about.

            Once Jenny had the Marines and her Agents to follow her orders, it was time to implement Jenny’s plan to extract Jethro and the students out safely.

            Hours later everything was back to normal for everyone was involved.

            I wasn’t a hindrance, Doctor.

            After that Jenny and Jethro went home with their daughters in tow. The girls were tired beyond belief so they went straight to bed as did Jenny and Jethro.

            “Don’t ever do to me again.” Jenny said to Jethro as she fell asleep in his arms.

Weekend Off, Finally

           This particular Saturday morning Jenny was the only one up. Jethro was still sleeping. The girls were still as well. Jenny had allowed the girls to go to a party the night before and they had came home in the wee hours of morning so Jenny figure that it was only right to let them sleep in. It was quite early in the morning and once again Jenny was unable to sleep. This time her nightmare had nothing to do with her dad like the one she had a few months back. When it came to this nightmare Jenny wasn’t sure if a glass of bourbon would aide her in her desire to forget the nightmare. Her second choice was a strong cup of black coffee.

            Noemi had the day off so it was up to them to take care of things around the house. It was one of the few days that as a family Jenny, Jethro and the girls switched from the high society living that Jenny had lived her entire life to the simple small town living that Jethro had lived. It was one of the things that Jenny and Jethro agreed upon when they got married.  Jenny had wanted their kids to know what it was like to do things on their own even if they had money.

            With each sip of coffee Jenny took her horrid nightmare faded out of her mind.  By the time Jethro had woken to the scent of coffee wafting through the house up to the bedroom. Jenny could see the sleepiness in Jethro’s eyes. Jenny found it absolutely entertaining that for once since the girls were born to see the famous Leroy Jethro Gibbs like he hadn’t gotten any sleep in days.

            “Want some coffee?” Jenny said cheerfully.

            “How many cups have you had? You’re as wired as Abby is when she’s had twenty Caf-Pows and just as many Red Bulls.”

            “Cute Jethro and I’ve only about three cups so far. I woke up a few hours ago, couldn’t sleep.”

            “Nightmare again?” Jethro said as he held out his cup for Jenny to pour him some coffee.

            “Yes.” Jenny answered as she poured the coffee for him.

            “Your Dad again?”

            After seventeen years together Jenny knew that Jethro was a man of very little words until he had his first cup of coffee. She was the exact opposite once she had coffee.

            “No.”

            “Then who?”

            “Mom.”

            “Worst than the one about your Dad?”

            “What do you think Jethro? I was the one who found the both when they died and had to tell J that we were motherless and that we orphans three years later. It’s not an easy thing at any age.”

            “I know, Jen. I just don’t see why you are reliving those days in your mind when they are so painful for you. Especially when you have a loving husband and kids that should be every possible reason for you not to relive those days.”

            “I could say the same about you reliving what you went through when Shannon and Kelly died.”

            “That’s different. I lost my wife and daughter, you lost your parents.”

            “I’m your wife now, Jethro; Delilah, Emiliana, Arabella and Madison are your daughters now. Not Shannon and Kelly. Have you ever stopped to think that maybe just maybe that Shannon and Kelly were the reason why things didn’t work out between you and your ex-wives? Either way, I am not going to let that happen to us; we’ve been married too long and invested too much in this marriage for me to let it end up in the crap shoot now.”

            “Jen.”

            “Okay I know this is the last conversation we need to be having just after us making up after the last fight. You know I get emotional like this when it comes to my mom.”

            With that Jethro set his coffee cup down, took Jenny’s and set hers besides his; and took her into his arms. Much like he had done after he, Tony and McGee had rescued Ziva from Saleem Ulman seven years prior, after Jethro had told Ben – Gidon to tell Eli that Ziva was off limits; Jethro whispered something into his wife’s ear that only she and him would know. Just like he had whispered whatever he had into Ziva’s ear in interrogation seven years before after Ben-Gidon had left NCIS to fly back to Israel and Mossad without Ziva at his side. Unlike that time Jenny didn’t have to do damage control like she had to when Eli called to bitch about Jethro.

            “So what’s for breakfast? Hope it’s not just coffee.” Jethro asked.

            “I wasn’t sure what to make. It’s only going to be the two of for breakfast this morning anyway.”

            “Why?”

            “The girls are up in bed sleeping. They got in late from the party I let them go to, so I told them to sleep in since its Saturday and all.”

            “When were you going to tell me that they went to a party?”

            “Jethro, they are the most responsible seventeen year olds anywhere. They do well in school plus they train every day for their gymnastic and martial arts meets. I think letting them go to a party is allowable since they have federal agents as parents. They need to let loose somehow and working on whatever project you have going on downstairs doesn’t work as well as it did when they were Kelly’s age.”

            “So what’s for breakfast?” Jethro asked in attempts to keep them out of another argument.

            “I don’t know. You’re the one who’s cooking this morning; I have case files to look over. One of which is the latest one from you and your team.”

            “Where are you working on them? Your study or in here while I cook?”

            “I was thinking of going to my study but now that you bring it up, working in here would be perfect. I’d have a great view in front of me.”

            Jethro had came down from their bedroom in only his sweatpants which gave her the prime view of not only his chiseled, Marine Gunnery Sergeant torso and his tight lower body; Jenny had found it hard to say no to working at the kitchen island while Jethro made breakfast. Jethro knew just why Jenny had chosen to stay in the kitchen. She never had the greatest poker face. He also knew what the reason was behind him secretly hoping that Jenny would stay in the kitchen with him. She had always been such a tease.

            Jenny had decided the night before when they had gone to bed to ditch her bra for the night and went with one of Jethro’s old USMC shirts and a pair of her panties that she knew would send her husband over the edge when he saw her. Last night her chosen attire had done just as she wanted it to. This morning as she perched herself on one of the chairs that surrounded the center island; Jenny had sent Jethro over the edge once again. It would be a while before the girls got up; both Jenny and Jethro knew that. In the back of both of their minds was if they had enough time to have one of their whirlwind encounters or not.

             Part of Jenny want to, she loved taking risks like these. Her other side was completely against it. But she knew that no matter which side won out, Jethro would have her up against island counter in a heartbeat. Sometimes it was hard to say no to Jethro, especially when it came to this particular aspect of their marriage. The one thing that was always one of the things that Jenny could count on was that her and Jethro’s movements mirrored each others.

When Jenny moved Jethro would move and vice versa, they were like magnets. The other thing she knew was a definite was that they fit together, a perfect fit in every sense of the word; but with them it was the correct fit in the physical sense. Jethro was only a few inches taller than Jenny so when they were as close as humanly possible like they were that one time that they had both been in Abby’s lab with Abby late one night a few years back when Jenny had first taken the Director’s office after Kate’s death and Morrow switched agencies. Back then Jenny knew if she did what she had that Jethro wouldn’t say anything since they weren’t alone at the time. Of course they both knew that Abby knew what was going on between the two of them even though neither of them had said a word that night.

So around 0815 that morning déjà vu was happening all over again for a certain emerald eyed, crimson haired fearless leader and her just as fearless, salt and pepper haired, cobalt blue eyed husband.

As predicted Jethro pinned Jenny against the island. In a matter of minutes foreplay was underway. But this time around Jenny was the one with very little patience. She wanted to get it all done and over with. Before the girls caught them and before she didn’t want to look over the case files. That and Jenny was super hungry at the moment. Unlike Jethro sex wasn’t what she was craving.

Sometime later Jethro had breakfast ready and had just sat down next to her after he got coffee for the both of them. At one point Jethro noticed Jenny playing with her rings as she stabbed the sausage link that was on her plate.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“Nothing.”

“Seriously Jen, what are you thinking of?”

“I told you, I’m not thinking of anything.”

“Okay, I guess I have to pry it out of you then.”

“Jethro, don’t.”

“You thinking of your dad?”

“No.”

“Your mom?”

“No.”

“Then what?” Jethro asked getting annoyed at this point.

“Its need to know and you don’t need to know, Jethro.”

“Tell me.”

“Or what, you’re going to give me my first head slap. You wouldn’t.”

“It may come to that if you don’t tell.”

“We’re not at work; Jethro so the vague, semi – intimidating threats won’t work.”

While Jethro cleaned up from breakfast Jenny got her files together so that she could go elsewhere to work that had a little less Jethro in it. Before Jenny left the kitchen she left a note for Jethro where he’d see it.

We were made for impossible.

                    Love Always,

                              Jen.

“You’re always a tease. Now I have to find you.” Jethro said to the nothingness that was around him.                                                                                                                          

Filling in the Blanks

            “You know that your team has been trying to figure out you and me?”

            “You mean DiNozzo, Abby, Ziva and McGee?”

            “Of course them, Palmer too. Ducky has been trying to get them to lay off but he’s not having any luck, Jethro. We have to do something.” Jenny said as they stepped into the elevator at the end of the work day.

            “Well I was just checking, Jen.”

            “Why would J try to figure us out? We basically raised her since she was fifteen, she doesn’t need to figure us out when she was there.”

            “Jen, you raised her longer than I have, I only came into the picture completely after Marseilles. She’s been your handful since 1992.”

            “That was a hard year for both of us.  At least you had more time to recoup from losing Shannon and Kelly. J and I weren’t as fortunate.”

            “I know barely a full three years later and you two were burying your dad.”

            “Okay enough of this conversation.” Jenny said.

            It was quite clear that the conversation they were having was getting to her.

            “So what are we doing about the gossipers?”

            “Don’t know.”

            “Well you should, Madame Director. You are their boss and their Mother as Abby says.” Jethro said.

            “So when their gossiping about us they are my kids and they’re yours when they’re actually behaving. What am I gonna do with you Jethro?”

            “Oh I have a few ideas.” Jethro said.

            “Jethro get your mind out of the bedroom; today isn’t the day for that, maybe tomorrow.”

            “Is it that time of the? If so I don’t think I can deal with a moody wife and a moody boss on top of the girls being moody.”

            “No Jethro, it isn’t that time of the month. It’s something else.”

            “Are you, are we pregnant? Cause if you are acting a lot calmer about it than you did the last time.”

            “No Jethro, I’m not pregnant. My tubes are tied, remember? It’s something else besides that time of the month and pregnancy. I’m wearing black from head to toe or did you not see that?”

            “Damn Jen, I’m sorry; I didn’t realize that was today. You sure you’re okay to go in today, cause if you’re not; I’m sure Jarvis would understand.”

            “I’ll be fine Jethro, if anything it’s probably better for me to go in. It will get my mind off of today.”

            “Is Jaylyn going in or is she taking the day?”

            “She’s going in, she’ll be fine.”

            “You sure that you two will be fine?”

            “Yes Jethro I am sure, we are Shepards after all.”

            About an hour or so later Jenny and Jethro were walking past the squad room. Tony, Ziva, McGee and Jaylyn were at their respective desks. Abby was in her lab while Ducky and Palmer were in Autopsy. Tony had spent the morning trying to find out why Jaylyn was dressed in black from head to toe like Jenny was even though Ziva had told him to lay off. Ziva was the only person who really understood how hard this day was for her friends since she had gone through the same thing herself. Jethro understood too, but he just didn’t have the same sort of firsthand experience that his wife, sister-in-law and surrogate daughter had.

            Now Tony had eventually stopped pushing when it came to getting an answer from his teammate about her chosen attire until his bosses came in and he saw that Jenny was dressed just like her sister; that had sparked the inquiry all over again. Ziva; once again went to protection side and told him to lay off.

            Jenny ignored Tony’s questions just as Jaylyn had been doing since 0500 that morning and went over to her sister’s desk.

            “You didn’t have to come in today, he understands.” Jenny quietly said to sister.

            “You didn’t have come in either, Jarvis would have understand. You should be with the girls, especially today.”

            With that Jenny and Jaylyn hugged before Jenny went up to her office.

            “What’s going on with them? They aren’t like this normally.” Tony commented once Jenny was in her office and Jaylyn was focusing on her computer in front of her.

            “Leave it alone Tony.”

            “Tony, its need to know and you don’t.” Jaylyn said as she turned to look at the picture on her desk.

            “But I want to know.”

            “DiNozzo, drop it.” Jethro said as gave Tony the stare.

            “Dropping it boss.”

            Meanwhile up in her office, Jenny was looking at the same picture that Jaylyn was looking at downstairs.

            “J is right, I shouldn’t be here today. I should be spending the day with your granddaughters.  September will be here soon once again and they’ll be off at college. I should be spending as much time with them as I can.”

            Back downstairs at Jaylyn’s desk.

            “Why did you have to leave us so soon? I was barely eight and Jen wasn’t even twenty-three yet. Why did you have to die so young?” Jaylyn asked the picture she was looking at.

            Jethro had gone for coffee once he gathered that Tony was going to keep his mouth shut. While he was out he was on his phone with Jenny who was still up in her office.

            “So we have to fill in the blanks for your team.” Jenny said.

            “I know but how and when?”

            “How about dinner tonight?

            “After work?”

            “Nice answer my question with another question why don’t you.”

            “Well if we go out then the team will finally shut up when it comes to us, then Jen.”

            “I know that. Then maybe we can have a bit of normalcy in our lives for once.” Jenny said.

            “But if we do dinner there’s the chance that DiNozzo will start to pry into your past like before.”

            “I can handle Tony, I learned from the best on how to deal with him years ago. Or did you forget that and the fact that I had to deal with him when you were in Baja with Franks on that four month retirement of yours that Ziva and Fornell had to pull you back from.”

            Jethro could tell that his supposed retirement was still a sore subject for Jenny even though it had be a decade since then. He knew that on some level it hurt Jenny that she wasn’t able to convince him to come back State side all those years ago. Even the fact that he had a wife and daughters at home had done nothing to bring him back home back then.

            Over the phone Jenny heard the bell that hung in the coffee shop doorway ring.

            “You want anything while I’m here?” Jethro asked.

            “Yes, you know what I like.”

            “I know a few things you like.”

            “Jethro.” Jenny said just as modest as she had eleven years ago inside of MTAC just after it had been revealed to Jethro that she was his new boss.

            “What can I do for you, sir?” the barista asked.

            “Coffee black and a large Caffé Macchiato to go.”

            “Jethro say please.” Jenny said over the phone.

            “Please.” Jethro said to the barista before she went to get the coffees Jethro had ordered.

            “I swear it’s like I have five kids sometimes.”

            “Ten Jen.”

            The barista came back with the coffees and handed them to Jethro.

            “Say thank-you, Jethro.”

            “Thanks.”

            Once Jethro got back into his ‘71 Dodge Challenger RT Hemi the conversation between him and Jenny resumed.

            “So dinner tonight with DiNozzo, Abby, Ziva and McGee?”

            “I am thinking we should just get a pizza delivered, it would make Tony’s night.”

            “Sounds good, I’ll be up in your office in 10 with your coffee.”

            Later that night around dinner time the pizza that Jenny ordered had arrived which made Tony’s night.

            “Share Tony.” Jethro said.

            After that Jethro and Jenny filled in the blanks for the team before heading home for the day.

            Jenny wanted it to be a quick dinner so that she could get home to her girls.  By 1700; Jenny, Jethro, Jaylyn and Ziva were the only ones at the office besides the cleaning crew. Jethro and Ziva waited for Jenny and Jaylyn near the elevator. Right after everyone else had left and it was just the four of them, Jaylyn put up the Marine Corps dependent picture NCIS had on their mom up on the plasma in the middle of the squad room.

            “Happy Birthday Mom.” Jenny and Jaylyn said in unison to their mother’s picture.

            Jethro told his wife, sister-in-law and surrogate daughter to go ahead of him.

            “They turned out quite well, ma’am. You’d be proud of both of them. Jenny is wonderful mom and a great wife. Thank-you for that, ma’am.” Jethro said before he turned off the plasma and the last of the desk lights before joining his wife, sister-in-law and Ziva down in the parking lot.