Only With You
- Chapter 2: Counselling Session -
Gibbs paced along the floor of her office as Jenny typed away on the computer. He glanced over every so often, and chastised himself every time because what she was doing wasn't helping his not thinking about her. She had her bit her lip, her habit when she was concentrating on something she really wanted to work, or when she's keeping quiet, he thought and shook the thought off quickly.
"Names?" Her voice came out of nowhere and he glanced over again to find her looking at him curiously over her glasses.
"For what?"
"Our cover."
"Oh, I don't know, something easy."
"What was your name in McGee's book?"
"Tibbs, or at least that's what Ducky said."
"Alright, we'll mess around a little bit, Jethro L. Tibbs, work for you?" She inquired.
"Yea sure, you?"
"Jenny Shipford-Tibbs."
"Jenny short for?"
"Nothing, just Jenny," she answered. He shrugged, it was easy enough, he could still call her Jen, he was still the only one who did that anyway, at least the only one he knew about. "Hm... suppose a doctor might be too hard to fake."
"What?"
"Well I should really have a PhD, but that's too risky, so we'll just have to hope she buys it."
"Great," he agreed. She printed out some documents and saved the covers so the respective departments could print the ideas required and the credit cards.
"Wedding bands?" She called out to him as he finished his half pace.
"What?"
"Do you want wedding bands?"
"Sure, get yourself something sparkly," he remarked.
"Simple not sparkly," she corrected, sending an email off to the props team. She mused for a moment that it was probably a good idea he'd never thought of marrying her. "Do you want to call or do you want me to?"
"This is your idea Jenny."
"Fine, I'll call, but you have to at least participate in this," she said. He gave her the classic Gibbs not interested look. Her phone rang and she answered it, giving brief commands before hanging up. "Alright, let's go. The ids are ready."
"Oh goody," he replied sarcastically. "You're going to have to change."
"What?"
"Your clothes, I don't think scientist wear Pravda." She ignored that, and stood gathering up some paperwork that she could do without creating suspicion. He held the door for and followed her down to the props floor. The lead guy in charge had everything waiting for them in two bags and said nothing as the Director and her former partner appeared to collect it. He knew Gibbs would probably kill him if it got out so he decided he would keep it quiet and watched them leave.
Jenny and Gibbs walked back through the bullpen where Tony and Ziva were hard at work. Jenny waited patiently while Gibbs grabbed his coat, weapon and his badge. He walked back over to her slapping Tony once for good measure.
"Ziva, you have my permission to do that," Gibbs ordered.
"Of course Gibbs."
"Boss!"
"DiNozzo, don't even start. I want answers in two hours." He stepped into the elevator with Jenny and hit the floor for the garage. "Want a ride home?" She shrugged and he assumed that meant yes. He drove them first to her house where she grabbed a bag of stuff and changed her clothes opting for a more causal jean and sweater look with a pair of flats. They went to his house still caught up in the silence and he tossed some stuff in the bag.
"Can I call from here?" She asked.
"Yea sure, phone's on the kitchen wall." She went into the kitchen hearing the basement door open, not particularly surprised that he would want to spend some time with his boat rather than her. The conversation went smoothly and by luck of a cancellation they had managed to get a beginner's appointment for that afternoon. Oh goody, she thought moving toward the basement stairs to call for Gibbs. She entered the darkened room and watched a moment from the top step.
"We have an appointment for four o'clock this afternoon." He stopped half way through a stroke of sanding and paused a moment before finishing it.
"Who did you sweet talk for that?"
"Apparently there was a cancellation," she informed irritated. "You should probably get ready."
"Yes dear," he replied sarcastically. She cringed and he smirked slightly. They had never had endearments before, at least none of the cliché ones, but that could change he also knew there would be some form of payback for it. He walked up the stairs toward her and she moved out of the way back into living room of the house to wait him out. He went to his room to shower and change figuring she wouldn't be that bored by herself. When he came out fifteen minutes later she was sitting on the couch in the living room looking at a photo that sat on the shelf. She looked up as he came in the room and glanced from him to the photo once before her attention refocused on the photo.
"Your unit?" She inquired. He nodded and she glanced at it again trying to see if she recognized the man standing in the customary Marine Corp uniform. "Event?"
"Christening of a ship." She nodded knowing best to end the conversation before it got out of their comfort zone of vague details. "We should probably get going," he suggested. She got up following him out the door and to the car. She stopped a second before getting in the vehicle.
"Problem," she began.
"What?"
"We can't take government issued vehicles, can we?"
"Probably not, but do you think anyone will notice?"
"Should we risk it?"
"No probably not," he conceded. "We'll take the truck." She moved toward the old pickup and waited in the front seat for him to get the keys. They pulled out of the drive moments later. "You do have your weapon don't you?"
"Both of them, and a knife." The rest of the drive was completed in silence as he navigated the turns and curves of the road in front of them. They pulled in front of the building, which looked more like an upscale townhouse then an office, much sooner than Jenny had anticipated. She took a deep breath before sliding into a façade that Gibbs recognized all too well.
"Ready?"
"Yes." They got out and walked toward the door stopping just before entering. "Not ready."
"Jen," he drawled.
"We didn't think this through, we don't have a plan except to figure out if she can kill or not, but..." He put his hand over her mouth.
"Just relax."
"Do married couples going to counseling even hold hands?" She asked, he cocked his head to the side, he hadn't considered that idea, but he supposed probably not.
"Probably not, follow my lead," he told her, placing his hand on her lower back as he had numerous times before when he was guiding her someplace. It was a formal posture, but displayed enough intimacy that he didn't think it would be unusual. She seemed fine with it, perhaps standing a bit closer than she might usually, but allowed him to lead.
They entered the office both taking in the natural decorations. There were pictures of couples up on the walls, success stories they would learn, a nice black couch with a coffee table covered in magazines for a waiting area. There was a center desk, which appeared to be the check in area, and Gibbs lead Jenny over, pressing just light pressure to her back the message being clear, she would do the speaking at first. It certainly helped that the receptionist was a younger man who had looked up the second they had walked in. Jenny was about to place her hand on the counter when Gibbs realized one big problem. Their rings. He took her left hand and held it out of sight, she looked at him momentarily before she too glanced down and noticed the lack of rings. She barely inclined her head and moved her hands.
"Excuse me, we have an appointment to see Christine Colmen," Jenny spoke softly.
"Names?"
"Jethro and Jenny Tibbs," she answered without any sign of emotion.
"She'll be with you in just a moment, if you would just sit and fill out these brief questionnaire forms we'd appreciate it," the man said with an extra wide smile. Jenny barely cracked a grin, more than aware of Gibbs standing beside her. She took the forms with her right hand and held them to her as Gibbs led her over to the couch. They sat down next to one another closer than they might have usually.
"You got the rings," he whispered. She reached into her purse and pulled them out carefully insuring that no one could see.
"You could have reminded me." He took the one from her and placed it on his left hand staring at it for a second. He glanced over at her to see that she had the wedding band and then the diamond ring on her finger. He sighed reaching over for her hand. "What?"
"You have them on wrong." She looked at him in surprise and looked at her hand, which he had within his grasp. He slid the rings off her finger and turned them around so they connected together before sliding them back in place. She tried to suppress all of the emotions that came bubbling up the surface with that one act. He let go of her hand just as quickly as he'd taken it and grabbed for one of the questionnaires. He smirked as he read the first question.
"What?"
"Oh no, you get to fill out yours, I'll fill out mine." She glared at him before turning her attention back and reading the forms. Some of the questions made her smirk; What is the most irritating thing your significant other does? Others made her want to shred the form; Do you think your significant other still holds affection for you? And then there were those that just made her smile briefly, probably not the questions but the memories they inspired. Where did you share your first kiss? How does s/he make you laugh? She finished hers in about the same time he did and then proceeded to fold it in half. "Wanna trade?"
"Nope," she grinned enigmatically.
"Well I'm afraid you will be trading," a woman announced as a door came fully open in the side room. Gibbs and Jenny stood up. "I'm Christine Colmen," she greeted holding out her hand.
"Jethro, this is my wife Jenny," he responded shaking her hand and allowing Jenny to do the same.
"A pleasure to meet you both," Christine said. "So shall we go in?" Jenny and Gibbs followed her in to the room a comfortable room with a desk and seating area. "If you'd both sit on the couch." They did as told and looked from each other to her. "My assistant said you were recommended by a couple of mine?"
"Ah yes," Jenny began. "The Rothmans," she continued knowing to look grieved.
"Oh I see, what a terrible tragedy," Christine comforted.
"We didn't want to waste time," Jenny agreed. "Fighting."
"Do you fight often?" Christine inquired. Jenny glanced at Gibbs.
"We disagree a lot," Gibbs rephrased. "She's stubborn."
"Look who's talking," Jenny muttered.
"Jenny would you disagree with your husband's comment?"
"We are both stubborn, he just has to always be right."
"I see," Christine commented watching the pair in front of her. "Well the way this first session usually works is you share your answers to your questionnaire, but I think we'll continue with this and that can be your first assignment."
"Assignment?" Jenny echoed glancing at Gibbs.
"Yes, part of my job is to make sure the counseling actually helps your marriage, it'll be little things, like going out to dinner, or perhaps you would like to go on a retreat?" Christine suggested.
"Retreat?" Gibbs echoed.
"Eight couples I work with along with some of the successful ones go to a winter resort, it gives you the chance to bond with each other as well as meet some people who maybe in the same situation you are and can offer their own advice." Gibbs noticed Jenny's faint smile cross her face and knew that meant she had come across something useful. He for one hoped it had nothing to do with this retreat, but the second she turned her head to him he knew it did.
"That sounds nice, doesn't it darling?" She commented raising an eyebrow in the dare you to accept that one look.
"Yea sounds great, except you hate the cold," he replied.
"We'll just have to get warm...uh hats," she stumbled at the end, fully aware of what word was about fall from her lips and what a magnificently bad idea it would be.
"Well I will see if we have an opening and get back to you, but now, let me ask you, where did you get married?"
"Positano," Gibbs answered relieved to have a change in the topic. He glared at Jenny briefly and he noticed her stiffen fully aware they'd be continuing the retreat conversation later.
"Lovely area, did you live there?"
"Sort of, we were working in the area, it was temporary," Jenny explained.
"Why don't you tell me a little bit about your jobs? Jethro you start."
"I served in Desert Storm, now I just do Marine Guard, security things," he said.
"Any injuries?"
"A few."
"And Jenny what do you do?"
"I'm a marine scientist."
"Oh?"
"Water currents, sea surface temperature, boring topics I assure you," Jenny played it off.
"And how did you two meet?"
"We worked together," Gibbs answered. "I was assigned as her team's guide."
"And did you get along?"
"No," Jenny laughed. "Not for a month or two anyways."
"And how did that change?" Christine questioned and noticed the sideways glances they shot each other.
"It just did," Gibbs responded.
"How long after you met did you get married?"
"About six months," Jenny said studying the woman's reaction. She didn't seem to have one aside from a slight nod.
"Have either of you been married before?"
"No."
"Yes."
"And how many times have you been married Jethro?" Christine asked.
"A few," Gibbs remarked.
"And did you know this Jenny?"
"Yes."
"Do you know how these marriages ended?"
"Divorce," Jenny responded glaring at the woman for a moment to see if she could determine what other answer she'd been expecting.
"Jethro is there a reason you haven't divorced Jenny?" He shrugged; it was hard to come up with a reason to divorce her, when he had never really considered marrying her. Well that's not true, he thought for a second. He'd asked her to move in years ago, what would have happened? He pondered it, you know why. You would have lost her, for good. Just like you lost Shannon and Kelly. The idea that he hadn't wanted to marry her to protect her, did not sit very well.
"Jethro?" Jenny's voice cut through his thought and she looked at him concerned for a second. He noticed Christine looking from both of them but he knew why Jenny sounded worried. It had been an unspoken agreement that one wife did not count in this and that she knew every moment would remind him of it. He took her hand squeezing it slightly before turning his attention back to Christine to find a brief look of surprise cross her face. He filed that away for future thought.
"Well I'm glad you two sought counseling, divorces can be messy," Christine remarked. Jenny nodded in agreement, not withdrawing her hand from Gibbs' grip. They spent the next twenty minutes discussing people in their life, people they both cared about and Christine seemed willing to listen more and more Jenny was convinced that there was something off about her. As their session came to a close Christine stood. "Now for the last ten minutes I'd like to spend five minutes with each of you individually, so Jethro if you would step outside please."
"Sure." He let Jenny's hand go, giving her a good look. She nodded her assent that she would and could handle what ever happened next. Gibbs shut the door behind him and glanced around, the younger man was still there so he couldn't snoop, so he did what he figured most husbands did, he paced.
Meanwhile Jenny was sitting fidgeting with the rings on her finger twisting them around. She didn't usually wear a lot of rings; they affected her ability to write and were uncomfortable to type with, but these she knew she was expected to wear until this mission was over. She watched Christine come back and sit in front of her.
"Now, I usually want to have a few minutes with each person, to work out maybe what they feel they can't say in front of their significant others. So just a few questions, unless you have anything to say?"
"Uh no, ask away," Jenny smiled.
"Your husband has had multiple divorces, does that bother you?"
"He wouldn't be Jethro without them, it's just a part of who he is," Jenny answered honestly smirking slightly.
"Do you think he will divorce you?"
"We..." she paused a moment, she knew her answer had to be believable. "I don't know."
"Do you think your husband loves you?" Jenny froze at that one. There had been a time she wouldn't have hesitated to say Jethro Gibbs loved her, but that was certainly not this moment. She pushed away the thoughts of their present and focused on their past, when she had been the woman in his life.
"Yes, I...I know he does," she replied. Jenny stood aware that her five minutes were up and it was Jethro's turn, knowing the questions she was asked she wondered if he might be asked the same. She had just reached the door when Christine called her name.
"Jenny."
"Yes?"
"Do you love your husband?" Jenny was very glad she was still facing the door, sure that the color had drained from her face. She took a deep breath, not liking the fact that her heart had suddenly jumped to her throat and a single word almost slipped from her lips. She turned to face the good doctor with a sweetened smile on her face.
"Of course." She then opened the door and stepped back into the waiting room. Gibbs had looked up the moment she stepped out and didn't like the fact that she looked paler than normal.
"Jenny?"
"Your turn," she gestured for him to enter the room and he noticed that she simply sat down in the chair tapping her foot, her impatience already evident. He didn't think he was going to like these questions.
"Ah Jethro come in and shut the door."
"So why the solidarity, I thought this was couples counselling."
"Yes but there are two people in a couple, and sometimes they don't always get to say what they want with the significant other right there."
"Okay."
"Have you ever cheated on your wife?" Christine questioned. He smirked.
"No." He'd have to be insane to cheat on someone who could easily kill him or was friends with an assassin.
"Do you think your wife ever cheated on you?" He paused a moment, sure there had been ops where Jenny had been required to show a little more skin then he would have liked but while they were together...if she had, which he was pretty sure she hadn't, would it have bothered him so much? Well yea...his thoughts drifted as he realized that he just didn't like the fact that she attracted as much attention as she did, but as cliché as it might have sounded he knew what they had had meant something to her. He wasn't sure he could say that for her other liaisons.
"No."
"Do you think your wife loves you Jethro?" He defiantly didn't like these questions. How exactly was he supposed to make that sound believable? Especially when he wasn't sure he'd ever really known if she loved him or not, but this isn't Jenny Shepard, she's asking you about your fictious wife.
"I know she does." Christine nodded appearing somewhat puzzled about what he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Obviously he and Jenny were going to have to talk about this later. He got up when Christine was silent for a minute and moved toward the door. Just as he was within reach she called out to him.
"Jethro, do you love your wife?" He looked back at her trying to see if there was another motive to this question. He took a deep breath suppressing the immediate answer that had bubble up for someplace he thought he had locked and buried.
"Of course," he answered stepping out into the room very glad to be out of it. He found Jenny sitting on the couch tapping her foot, she stood right up when she saw him, but seemed hesitant to move any closer. Christine followed him out of the room and Jenny was sure she didn't imagine the woman's eyes drift below Jethro's belt. At least she's not a redhead, but Jenny knew the best way to get rid of that attention was to be possessive, and yet at the same time she wondered if that would weaken their chances of being a target.
"Well I thank you both for coming, I'll give you a call tomorrow if I can get you guys into that retreat, would this weekend be convenient?"
"Jen?"
"We have nothing planned," Jenny replied.
"Wonderful, well now you too think about this session and I would like to see you on Friday afternoon if possible?" Jenny and Gibbs both nodded. "Good, now Jethro go take your wife out to dinner." She held the door open for them and Gibbs made sure he led Jenny out the same way he'd led her in. They walked outside to the truck, separating only to get in, looking over the hood at each other to determine whether it was safe or not. He barely moved his head but she got the action and simply climbed in the truck silently. Once they were back on the road the silence became painful.