Ex-Files take Two
Author: A'serene
Category: Humor, Romance
Rating: P13
Spoilers: 5x03 Ex-File
Contents: We saw Stephanie, the last of the ex-wives, possibly one of the more docile ones, what happens when its Diane that's being investigated, more then one relationship is put in jeopardy.
Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS or any of its characters.
A/N: This picks up in the office where Erik reveals the name of the Ex-Wife...
"Name?" Colonel Mann inquired.
"Diane Slager." Gibbs paused half step, please no.
"Diane Emily Slager?"
"Yes." The Colonel looked at him in surprise and leaned closer as they turned to leave.
"You know her?" Hollis inquired.
"Yea, I was married to her." Hollis looked as startled as he felt. Oh this is going to be a good day. No sooner had they arrived at NCIS then he was following his current girlfriend up the stairs to Director Jennifer Shepard's Office, his ex-partner and lover. They stood in front of her, Gibbs wanting to look anywhere but into her green eyes.
"We have a little issue," Hollis began. Jen looked slightly amused.
"We?"
"You want to tell her Agent Gibbs?"
"No, not particularly," he replied, meeting Jen's quizzical glance.
"Is this problem going to involve lawyers?" Jenny asked, lawyers made her job suck.
"It already did," Hollis answered gaining Jenny's undivided attention. "It's his ex-wife she's a material witness in the case." Jenny looked more then a little amused.
"And which ex would that be?"
"Diane." As he expected the color drained from her face.
"Lucky number two?" Jenny tried to joke.
"Yes." He knew Hollis was getting increasingly curious as to this woman.
"The lawyer who liked, what was it, baseball?"
"Golf."
"Well it's hard to live with someone who likes golf," Jenny shot back. "Do you think he should divorce himself from this case, Colonel Mann?"
"No, no ma'am."
"Nor do I, I don't see a problem if you conduct the interview." Jenny turned her attention back to him. "Do you have a problem with Colonel Mann interviewing your ex-wife Agent Gibbs?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"No," the women answered simultaneously.
"Problem solved," Jenny answered. "Oh and Gibbs..." The two turned back as Jenny stood grabbing a case file. "I think I'll place a call over to the FBI, I'm sure there's someone who could help you out with this."
"Director," Gibbs began, but clearly what ever he could say was not meant for Hollis' ears.
"I'll be in MTAC," She replied following them out of her office. She walked past them on the stairs and heard Gibbs whispered curse as they retreated down stairs. She entered the darkened room and took a breath; today cannot get any worse. She picked up her cell phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Fornell."
"Fornell, I'm calling in a favor."
"Jenny, what an unexpected pleasure, what did Jethro do now?"
"I believe you're going to need to pick up Emily."
"Emily? She's with Diane."
"Diane will be in NCIS headquarters for an interview, I'm sure Emily would like to see her father."
"He try to OJ her?"
"Not yet, but Colonel Mann is here as well."
"Oh one big happy family, this ought to be fun, I'll be there in a bit."
"I'll call Gibbs and tell him."
"You're not at NCIS?"
"I'm in MTAC."
"I see...probably for the best." The line went dead and Jenny sat down in a chair to watch some missions going on. So glad this room is a secure one.
---
In interrogation, Hollis was standing across from a lovely woman with long red hair. She was pretty; she had to give Gibbs credit for that one. She was silent, probably been lectured long enough about keeping her mouth shut. What did he see in her? She didn't seem anything like Jennifer Shepard, which could be why he dated them, but she ignored that thought. Director Shepard hadn't looked to thrilled about Diane being mentioned as she might have suspected which led her to believe that she was some how involved in all of this.
"So how long of have you known Gi...the Commander."
"A few years, Gibbs longer," the woman replied amused. "I see he traded in his young girlfriend, where is she anyway?"
"I wouldn't know what you're talking about it."
"Please, you may not be a redhead but it's not hard to figure it out. He hiding somewhere back there? Trying to ruin my life again Jethro?" She snapped angrily.
"Sit down Ms Slager."
"Please, what number will you be four? Five?" Diane questioned. "Jethro I have to say you're starting to learn variation." The door swung open and Gibbs entered with a cup of coffee.
"Diane."
"Jethro."
"Tobias is bringing Emily over," Gibbs informed. Hollis looked a little confused, whose Emily?
"I see you traded in your leggy partner."
"Jenny is the Director of NCIS, we haven't been partners for a long time," Gibbs reminded.
"Hm...yes I know Fornell talks about her too. God what is with that woman?"
"Tobias wants a word with you too."
"Oh I just bet he does, I'm surprised you didn't send Jenny to interview me, we'd have loads to talk about."
"She'd prefer to stay alive," Gibbs answered back. Well that makes things interesting, Hollis thought. Gibbs was always very quiet about his relationship with the Director of NCIS, she knew they'd been involved but that was about it, she wondered just what Diane knew that no one else seemed to. DiNozzo appeared in the doorway.
"Uh Boss..."
"What?"
"Agent Fornell just arrived, says the Director...uh our Director ordered him here."
"I'll get him," Gibbs said. Hollis knew to stay put. She watched as the two men left and turned her attention back to the red head.
"So about the Commander?"
"We had an on again, off again thing."
"When did this start?"
"When Jethro was in the Mediterranean." Oh, Hollis thought. That could explain why Diane was not well liked. "He came back, we divorced...he met his little partner."
"So the Commander..."
---
Gibbs followed Tony out into the squad room where Tobias stood next to his desk, the little brown haired child next to him. Ziva looked a bit confused with the kid, and McGee and Tony were staying unusually quiet.
"Uncle Gibbs!" Emily Fornell cried out happily.
"Hey kid," Gibbs greeted. "Tobias." Fornell nodded.
"Daddy says Mommy hasn't been very nice to some people," Emily informed.
"Something like that, hey Emily have you met Abby."
"Actually I was wondering if Aunt Jenny was here?" Emily inquired looking up at her father and then to Gibbs. Gibbs was momentarily stunned.
"Uh sure, she's in MTAC, Ziva take Ms Fornell upstairs to see her Aunt," Gibbs ordered and Ziva complied taking the little girl's hand. She waved excitedly as she skipped alongside Ziva. "Aunt Jenny?"
"Don't ask, Jenny was at the house one time when I went to check on it, Emily adores her," Tobias answered.
"Diane..."
"Doesn't know."
"Probably a good thing."
"She killed your current girl yet?"
"I think I'm more worried about Jen."
"Yea, so where is our lovely ex?" Tony and McGee wisely stayed put as Gibbs and Fornell went back to interrogation. Tobias entered the room to spy Diane and the Army Colonel he knew Gibbs was seeing.
"Tobias."
"Diane, a lover get you into trouble again?"
"I did not kill him, you two on the other hand..."
"You did enough to the bank account," Gibbs inserted. Hollis had come to stand beside him and was listening intently trying to learn what she could about this other woman in Gibbs life. Gibbs stepped outside letting Hollis follow him before closing the door.
"So she's an ex-wife."
"Yep, I warned Tobias, but he never listens," Gibbs sighed.
"She's not very fond of your Director."
"No, she's not." And in true Gibbs fashion, Hollis knew that was all she was going to get out of him. They rejoined Tony in the squad room where Ziva had also come back downstairs. She caught Gibbs glancing every so often up at the catwalk and wondered what he was waiting for her. Then she heard the laughter. Jenny walked out of MTAC with a small brunette child right beside her. They looked caught up in some form of amusement, the child telling some story to Jenny. She glanced over at Gibbs and found him starring at the two.
"Jethro?" She called bringing his attention back.
"DiNozzo you got anything yet?"
"Not yet Boss," Tony replied bracing himself for the head slap. Gibbs simply glared and that was enough to get the younger man back to work. Hollis was not fooled, she wish she knew what his first wife looked like, perhaps instead of seeing Jenny, he was seeing his wife and daughter... She had no doubt his first wife was a redhead, she just wondered who she was more like, the one he never married or the three he did. Gibbs disappeared down to the lab and Hollis went up the stairs to the Director's office, only Ziva and Tony observing her.
"Think she is about to ask about the ex?"
"I really, really hope not," Tony responded.
Jenny was tossing cards into a bowl with Emily and they were laughing and having fun. Jenny knew she had given the chance for this kind of happiness up, but sometimes she truly envied Diane. Emily was a great kid, and she truly cared for her. Their fun however was interrupted by a knock on the door; Jenny stood telling Emily to keep going and went to answer it praying it wasn't Diane.
"Colonel."
"Director, is this a bad time?"
"No, no of course not," Jenny said opening the door. Hollis spied the child on the ground, somehow she couldn't picture Jenny sitting there throwing cards but apparently she had been. "Emily, say hello to Colonel Mann."
"Hello," Emily greeted politely.
"It's nice to meet you," Hollis responded. Emily simply nodded and turned her attention back to Jenny.
"Aunt Jenny, can we still play?"
"How about you read one of your books while the Colonel and I talk for a minute and then will go back to playing?" Jenny suggested. The girl agreed and went and sat on the couch. Jenny gestured for Hollis to sit in one of the visitor chairs while she sat at her desk. "What can I do for you?"
"Diane..."
"Gibbs and Fornell's ex wife."
"Right, I thought they were friends."
"They are, they had similar experiences," Jenny said simply.
"She was asking for you," Hollis informed deciding to gloss over the phrases used.
"You don't have to give me the kid version, I know what she thinks of me, I have a few choice words for her, too," Jenny replied keeping her voice quiet so as not to bother Emily. Hollis simply nodded and was about to explain when both women heard the raised voices.
"What do you mean she's with Emily?" Diane did not sound please. Emily looked up from the couch.
"Emily why don't you stay here a minute with the Colonel, I'm going to go talk to Gibbs," Jenny said. "Colonel, do you mind?"
"No of course, not." Well yes she did, but she figured if the fight was going to be loud she could hear it from where she was. Jenny stood and slipped out the door to intercept Diane.
"Jenny," Fornell greeted. Jenny nodded standing in front of Diane with Gibbs and Fornell on either side of the women.
"Diane," Jenny said.
"Jennifer Shepard, Director of NCIS, well that's certainly a fast climb."
"Diane, I'd remind you that Emily is in there and can probably here every word you're saying," Jenny informed. "You don't mind if I borrow your conference room, do you Jethro?"
"What?" But it was too late; Jenny had walked past them towards the elevator, Diane hot on her heels. The two women had stepped in and Jenny had closed the door before Gibbs could get in. She flipped the emergency switch.
"Well let's have it, shall we?" Jenny said.
"I see he traded you in for a new girl, a blonde even," Diane began.
"In case you forgot Jethro and I haven't been together in a very long time, he married and divorced another woman all before I became Director."
"And like you haven't been involved since then." Jenny simply met her gaze. "You're joking..."
"I don't joke about things like that," Jenny replied. "And if you really want to know we weren't even involved until after you were divorced."
"Like I believe that."
"Believe what you want, that's the truth."
"And what about Stephanie? She know about your little affair?"
"I believe he told her it was strictly professional."
"Which was a euphemism for..."
"Diane, you really don't want to go there, let him be happy."
"How can I when he's destroying Erik's career."
"If he is found innocent I will personally see to it that he suffers no career damage, fair?" Jenny bargained. "And you should be lucky Gibbs hasn't said anything to Tobias about him."
"Fine, fine. Now about Emily."
"Don't be stupid Diane, it was pure chance we met, it's not my fault she likes people who know Gibbs."
"You were always cunning, worming your way into people's hearts."
"If I am I shall be the last to confess it."
"I know what you are Director," Diane said coldly.
"And just what am I Diane? A husband stealer? Too good at my job?"
"I would go with the husband one."
"You were divorced, yes we may have been partners before that, but nothing happened till we went to Europe and by then you were more then a month divorced."
"And just how long did he wait between you and Stephanie?"
"I wouldn't know," Jenny bit back.
"Hm...and now his latest prize, feeling replaced yet Jenny?"
"I had no claim to him, how could I feel replaced?"
"Same way I did, when just months after we divorced I find out he has a new girl," Diane responded. "He still comes to your defense, you know."
"Diane, whatever may or may not have happened between him and I, is between us. The Colonel knows we had a history..."
"You actually think he told her."
"I know he did, I don't think she knows details just that it happened a long time ago, after he divorced you," She restated. Diane seemed to quiet at this and Jenny hoped that was the end of the fight.
"Well...shall we wait five more minutes?" Diane inquired straightening her skirt with a roll of her eyes in a very Gibbs like manner. Jenny smirked and glanced at her watch, five more minutes he'll be about ready to have a coronary.
"Pick that look up from Gibbs?" It was Diane who smirked then.
---
"They've been there a long time," Fornell remarked staring at the elevator door.
"Jenny had her weapon."
"She wouldn't...she likes Emily," Fornell stressed. The door to the Director's office opened and Hollis stepped out.
"Where's the Director?" She inquired.
"Conference Room," Fornell answered. "Hey Emily," Fornell called and the little girl emerged a second later.
"Aunt Jenny back yet?"
"Not yet, she's talking to your mom," Gibbs responded.
"Oh...hey Uncle Gibbs how come you never..." whatever the small child was about to say was muffled by Fornell placing his hand over her mouth.
"Emily, what did we talk about?" Fornell warned in a very fatherly tone, Gibbs smirked; he could only imagine what the precious child was about to say.
"But Daddy it would be perfect!" Emily protested.
"Emily Fornell not another word." Emily hung her head but it was quickly brought up by the sound of the elevator opening.
"Mommy! Aunt Jenny!" Admittedly it was Emily who moved closer to the two women followed by Hollis and then Fornell and Gibbs lagging behind. It was Fornell who noticed DiNozzo and Ziva on their way up the stairs.
"Train wreck..." the younger man coughed and Ziva looked up to spot the three women standing near the child. "I want to look away but I can't." Fornell ignored the younger man, convinced that Gibbs obviously hadn't heard.
"You going to be alright..."
"I think the ex's united," Gibbs sighed. He rolled his eyes in Fornell's direction.
"That the look you're talking about?" Diane asked Jenny loud enough for both men to focus their attention on the center redhead.
"Yea that's the one," Jenny replied with a sweetened smile. Hollis glanced over and smirked.
"Yea we've all seen that one," she agreed.
"Correction, they all united," Fornell whispered.
"Well take yours."
"Can't handle your women Jethro?"
"You could take yours and your mini one," Gibbs suggested.
"Aunt Jenny, why didn't you ever..." This time it was Diane who covered the child's mouth.
"Darling," Diane stressed. "Aunt Jenny is busy talking to the Colonel, don't interrupt." The little girl stamped her foot impatiently; Jenny thought she was utterly adorable.
"It's alright, what is it?" Her eyes were down on the child and so only Hollis noticed the warning look the mother gave her offspring.
"Never mind," Emily huffed. The she smiled noticing her aunt's confused expression. "It's a secret, and Uncle Gibbs says the best way to keep a secret is to tell no one...which explains a lot."
"Alright, well Emily I think you've had enough fun at NCIS, let's go back to Daddy's office shall we?" Fornell suggested. "Don't need you any more corrupted."
"Diane you can go, unless of course..."
"No she can go," Gibbs agreed.
"For now," Hollis added. Diane and Fornell led the child quickly down the stairs and into the elevator. The doors closed. Tony and Ziva watched the rest of the scene as if it happened in slow motion.
"Cute kid," Jenny commented.
"Yea...surprising really," Gibbs responded. Neither noticed the other's fond look, only Hollis stood by and saw the whole thing. It was what hadn't been said that had her concerned. She knew Gibbs had had no other children, but she wondered if he hadn't thought about it at one time. Emily would be the right age... She banished that thought; she didn't need to live in the other woman's shadow. Jenny nodded her goodbye and retreated back to her office.
"Bet you never been happier to see me Boss," Tony said dragging the older man out of his thoughts and giving a glare. He and Ziva explained what the wife was up to and watched Hollis and Gibbs continue to the lab. "Train wreck."