Only With You
- Chapter 4 - Answers and Prepping -

The morning came with its usual bright sunshine. It peaked in through the window and slid along the figures resting in the bed. One in particular felt the sunshine and knew it was time to get up. He raised his head from its soft spot and looked at the other two. The mistress was still sleeping as was the master, but Duke knew who to wake up. He brought his nose close to his master's cheek and started licking him.

"Duke..." came the low growl. "Back to sleep."

The licking continued and the whining began. Gibbs glanced at the dog and over its head to find Jenny completely oblivious in her own world of sleep.

"Course, wake me, not her, come on dog," he sighed. He carefully got out of bed grabbing a sweatshirt, Duke following. He headed toward the door and Duke went racing past him. He checked the house as Duke went sniffing around the front yard taking care of business. Gibbs watched the dog carefully and picked up the newspaper glancing at the headline. Must have coffee, his mind processed. He went in quickly locating the coffee maker, Duke lying at his feet. He set it up and retrieved his earpiece and microphone. He glanced down at Duke for a minute longer before turning the devices on.

"Boss?" Tony's voice came online almost immediately.

"Something wrong DiNozzo."

"No Boss, well yea, actually Cynthia is freaking out looking for the Director. Ziva is threatening to restrain her. Apparently someone showed up unexpectedly, and..."

"Is that Gibbs?"

"Abby, what is going on?"

"Cynthia is freaking, Tony's afraid Ziva is going to gag her, I'm hoping she will, huh gag her that is, and McGee and I found something very interesting on your car," Abby explained.

"Where's Ziva?"

"Hello Gibbs," her voice came in. "I know Jenny likes her but I'm going to..."

"No you will not Officer David."

"Could you please get Jenny to check in with her?"

"She's asleep."

"Tell that to Cynthia," Ziva commented slapping Tony for making suggestive comments.

"I will, and slap DiNozzo again."

"On it."

"Agent Gibbs, this better be important."

"Cynthia the Director is fine, she's asleep."

"Asleep?"

"Yes, she's sleeping, so unless you want to be the one to wake her up..."

"I really think she needs to be here Agent Gibbs, this is something..."

"Fine, fine I'll wake her up," he replied. He clicked off his microphone. He walked up the stairs into the room, set her earpiece right next to her hear along with her microphone. "Okay Duke." The dog came in and dropped to the ground beside the bed. "Duke..." Apparently he wasn't quiet enough. He felt the barrel of her gun at his knee and her warm hand cover his mouth.

"One more sound, and I'll shoot you."

"Way to go Jenny!" Tony's voice came loud and clear through the tiny earpiece and Jenny's eyes opened glaring first at Gibbs and then at the irritating little device on the nightstand.

"DiNozzo, don't make me fire you."

"Sorry Director, uh Cynthia wants a word."

"What is it Cynthia?" She demanded, Gibbs trying to ease away carefully.

"Uh Director I'm not sure you want to hear this over the line..."

"Ziva your team goes off now," Jenny ordered she heard the affirmative and the click and glanced at Gibbs.

"They're off," he assured.

"Out Jethro, god only knows what this is about," she warned grabbing her cell phone hearing Cynthia pick up on the other end. "Cynthia this better be good."

"Director I'm sorry to disturb you but there are two senators here and..."

"Senators?"

"Yes, they're here about the three murdered couples, they want to speak to you immediately."

"Which Senators?"

"Sumter and Glock."

"Fine, put them on the phone." She could hear Cynthia chattering away.

"They want an in-person meeting."

"Can't do that Cynthia, matter of fact cancel all my appointments through the weekend, and tell them I will be unavailable. You'll get an explanation from Ziva."

"Of course Director." Minutes later she was assuring the two Senators that she was personally overseeing the investigation and that it was being handled by her best team and they expected results shortly. After she hung up, she starred at her phone; Duke put his head on her lap.

"Yea, yea, I love my job," she told herself and him. "Jethro!"

"Jenny?" he called just as loudly. Okay, point made. She pulled on a long fleece robe and wandered downstairs, Duke faithfully by her side. "You want eggs or French toast?" He inquired when she entered the kitchen.

"Uh...which ever you're making?"

"Both it is." He didn't even look up just continued working around the kitchen.

"Your team is quiet."

"Oh, I just called Tony and told him to handle things. He'll call us if he needs us," Gibbs said.

"Any news?"

"Abby found some trace on the car, she's analyzing. She thinks the engine may have been tampered with."

"Well it would explain why our friend left the restaurant."

"I told them to go through all of Colmen's employees. So far they've only found the assistant, no major hits but they're checking national and international."

"Okay, any idea why he was following us?"

"Could be standard, maybe to see just how much work we're going to be, or if we are who we say we are. If she's a serial killer, she'd probably want to make sure she's not found out."

"Unless he's the killer and he's trying to figure out which person to target," Jenny theorized. "Or he could know what she is and could be trying to warn us off, hence the messing with the truck."

"Well Abby will let us know if it was harmful or not and..." he was cut off as the phone on the table rang. It was their cover phone and they looked at each other. "You answer." Jenny nodded and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Jenny, Christine Colmen."

"Oh hello."

"I've just gotten off the phone with the venue for the retreat I was telling you about. There is one position left, would and your husband like to go?"

"Ah, one second," Jenny placed the phone on mute and turned to Jethro. "There's space on the retreat."

"Okay."

"So I'll tell her we're going."

"Fine," he sighed, getting up and leaving the room. She glared at his retreating form.

"Christine?"

"Yes dear?"

"We'd love to go along, thank you so much for the opportunity."

"My pleasure, now any questions?"

"Oh, uh we have a dog, would he..."

"He'd be more than welcome, we like the couples to be as relaxed as possible."

"Thank you," Jenny returned.

"Just one more thing, it's a five and a half day retreat we leave tomorrow afternoon and stay through Sunday."

"Of course, I'll be sure to get directions." Jenny wrote down the address Christine gave her.

"And due to our retreat, I will be doing mostly group sessions but each couple will have two individual sessions over the five days, so I would like to see you and Jethro Thursday and Saturday."

"Of course, are there any formal events?"

"Dinner each night is dressy, but otherwise play clothes. There will be skiing opportunities, hiking, ice skating, and it's a quaint old town with lots of historical place and little shops."

"Wonderful, thank you so much, we'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow." The phone clicked and Jenny turned hers off. Looks like I better dig out the ski stuff.

"Jethro?" She heard a woof from outside and so went out on to the back porch to find Gibbs trying to fix a part of the deck with Duke bringing him a ball to toss. "Arrangements are made, we leave tomorrow."

"Then we should probably go into the office today and sort everything out with them and find a place in that town for the team to get set up."

"We've done undercover before with out backup."

"Yea and you got shot."

"The couples were fine at the retreat, it was afterwards. We need to figure out what triggers her."

"Well I've been through all the obvious and unfortunately I think we'll have to try something else."

"Cheating?"

"Told her I never did, or that you would." Jenny looked confused for a moment.

"When did you do that?"

"Our five minutes alone."

"She asked you if you'd cheated?"

"Among other things."

"And what were these other things?"

"What did she ask you?"

"Don't change the topic, Jethro."

"I'm not, what did she ask you?" He repeated. She glared for a minute before conceding.

"She asked me if I thought you would divorce me too."

"And you said?"

"I didn't know," Jenny answered. He pondered that for a minute.

"That was all she asked?"

"Well what did she ask you?" Jenny tried again. He said nothing just went back into the kitchen and cleaned up the dishes from breakfast. She slumped down in the chair watching him for a second, ignoring how right the situation felt, even if she was irritated with him. "We can't ignore this forever, Jethro."

"Ignore what Jen?"

"You know damn well what," her voice went cold. He glanced over at her surprised by the anger he noticed radiating off her. "Go ahead, say whatever it is you want."

"Nothing to say," he responded.

" So that's it, you're just going to keep lying to me."

"Lying to you? You're one to talk," he snorted well aware that this was about to get rather ugly and probably delve into topics he had long since ignored. They were both surprised by the throat clearing in the doorway.

"I think you should both take a break," Duck's voice called.

"Ducky," Jenny greeted coolly.

"How'd you get in?" Jethro questioned.

"Abby gave me the key," he informed glancing at them both. "Don't let me interrupt."

"You weren't interrupting," Jethro assured, grabbing a cup for his old friend.

"I'll be in the study," Jenny said and left the kitchen, the door to the study slamming, Ducky noticed Gibbs cringe.

"So what did you do this time?" Ducky inquired.

"Me? What makes you think I did something?" Ducky just met his gaze and held it. "I didn't do anything, she's the one that wants to have it out."

"Is there something you two need to discuss?"

"It's a little late for that, Duck."

"Its never to late, she's still here."

"She won't tell me what the counselor asked her."

"And you won't tell her, so that makes you both even."

"I can't tell her."

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Did you ever think that maybe she can't tell you either?" Gibbs said nothing. "Jethro, what did the counselor ask you?"

"Something I couldn't lie about."

"Did you lie about any of the other answers?"

"No."

"Then what is the problem?"

"Because if she was asked the same question, she had to have lied."

"You don't know that for sure, till you speak with her."

"Well that's obviously not happening," Gibbs muttered glancing down the hall at the still closed study door.

"Did you two have to fill out anything?" Ducky asked hoping to draw out the cause of this fight.

"Yea, a questionnaire."

"May I?" Ducky reached for the form Gibbs held out.

"Suit yourself."

"Did she get one?"

"She put it in her purse," Gibbs said. Ducky smirked; it was probably the only place Jethro wouldn't search for something. He stayed far away from women's purses.

"Well then I'll just go get it." Ducky turned down the hall and stopped at the study door, knocking gently.

"Has hell frozen over?" Jenny questioned unlocking and opening the door, only to be shocked at her visitor. "Oh Ducky."

"Afraid not my dear"

"What can I do for you?"

"Well I thought I'd stop by and check in on you both, make sure you haven't killed him yet."

"I haven't, as you can see."

"And Jethro mentioned a questionnaire."

"Oh."

"Yes, he let me borrow his, I was hoping you might."

"Ducky..."

"Oh don't you worry, I won't let him see it, just like I won't let you see his," Ducky promised. Jenny was hesitant but knew that Ducky would keep his word to Jethro and in turn to her.

"Fine." She retrieved the form. "How's the agency?"

"We're surviving, most the teams are busy with cases. Ziva has not killed Anthony yet, but Abby might kill McGee."

"Oh, did she get the Caff-Pow I sent her?"

"Yes, she wanted me to thank you for that."

"Tell her she can have as many as she wants. I set up an account over there, on Jethro's tab."

"Jennifer..." he scolded lightly scanning the form. "How did the counseling go?"

"Pretending to be married to a man, who has multiple failed marriages, its rather amusing."

"You two have pretended to be a couple before."

"You know very well it didn't take much acting then," Jenny reminded.

"Jennifer it only takes as much effort as you think it should."

"Ducky, it's just...not the same."

"No, but seldom do things stay the same. You two have gotten along rather well lately, he brought you coffee the other day."

"So?" Ducky sighed; once in a while it would have been nice if Gibbs didn't always fall for the stubborn ones.

"Jennifer, what's the real problem here?"

"There is no problem. This is hopefully going to be over soon, and we can get back to business as usual." She said twisting the rings around her finger furiously.

"Very well, I'll read over these," Ducky announced settling into the chair.

"Ducky..."

"Hm?"

"Do you think she did it?" Jenny asked glancing at the file in front of her desk. Ducky could just make out the photos of the crime scenes.

"It is possible."

"Why physically torture only one?"

"Do you not think it was torture for the other to watch?"

"Of course but, why not just shoot them?"

"Well, and this is just a theory mind you, but based on the bodies and the lives of our couples here, I would say that whoever killed them wanted something from the partner that was not harmed."

"I'll stop hurting your partner if you give me what I want kind of thing?"

"Exactly."

"So why not just agree?"

"Well that's the frustrating part, unless what they wanted was to kill the unharmed one."

"I still don't see the problem here?"

"Do you think he would do that for you?" Ducky inquired carefully. She looked thoughtful for a moment.

"I don't know."

"Would you do it?"

"Yes," she answered without hesitation looking down at the photos. Ducky sat back in the chair watching her for a moment. Whether or not she knew Jethro's answer, he did, and was not surprised that it was the same as hers. "But...what if that's not it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Tony and Ziva think that this success couple, one of them is having an affair with the good doctor, they're just not sure which one."

"What do you think?"

"She might try to make a move on Jethro."

"You sure about that?" Jenny looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Woman intuition, very well, can't disagree with that."

"I didn't do anything, I'm not sure if any of the other couples would have cared so much."

"Well keep an eye on her Jennifer," Ducky warned. She nodded her agreement and turned back to the cases. Minutes later they both heard another knock to the door.

"No you may not come in," Jenny said clearly.

"Ducky..." Jethro's voice was as close to a whiny protest as he was likely to get and Ducky looked over at the woman. She was smirking faintly, no doubt enjoying the fact that he was still on the other side of the door. "Duke knock it off."

"Duke?"

"That's the dog, Abby picked him out."

"How very John Wayne."

"Ducky you done gossiping with her?"

"Very well Jethro," Ducky called. He handed Jenny one of the questionnaire forms back. "Fascinating read my dear."

"Ziva knows how to kill people without leaving any evidence."

"Point well made, do not worry," Ducky assured walking toward the door. He opened it to be met with Duke and Gibbs both waiting eagerly for access to the room. Duke was permitted in, but Ducky blocked Gibbs' path. "Let's have a cup of coffee, Jethro."

"Ducky..." But Ducky was already backing down the hall heading for the kitchen. Gibbs followed reluctantly after closing the door to the study. Jenny looked up as the door shut and found Duke beside her.

"Hi boy," she greeted scratching his ears. She picked up the questionnaire form going to put it back in her purse when she glanced at the writing. That's not my writing. She quickly discovered it was Jethro's and then she was presented with a very difficult quandary. She could read it; she could not read it and give it back to him knowing that he might have read hers, or she could read it, give it back and pretend she hadn't. Course he does know my tell. Damn you Jethro. She unfolded the form again, in the interest of preserving the investigation, she told herself.

What is the most irritating thing your signification other does?

She cut her hair, irritated the hell out of me, because I liked it, almost as much as I like her long hair.

Well that was news to her. She hadn't even though he noticed. She was fully aware that her hair had been something he loved and she'd cut it to make a point, which backfired.

Do you think your significant other still holds affection for you?

In her own way, yes.

And what exactly was that supposed to mean? She reread the answer. Was that what he thought, that she didn't truly care about him, because she knew that wasn't the case.

Where did you share your first kiss?

Well the official one was in this attic in Marseilles when it just sort of happened. But technically she was unconscious the first time I kissed her.

She reread that answer twice as well. She remembered their first kiss very well, sometimes she could still feel it, but the fact that he'd kissed her once before that without her knowledge was slightly unsettling. She tried to think back, guessing there was only one time. It was the same day as their first kiss, but she'd been so jetlagged she'd slept for a little while longer. She had felt what she thought was a kiss in a dream on her forehead, but maybe it was real?

How does s/he make you laugh?

I don't know how she does it. If I did I would get her to keep doing it, but she just does.

That made her smile because truly she hadn't heard him laugh in a long while, at least a true laugh. It made her warm and fuzzy inside to think that occasionally she could make him happy.

She read through the rest of it, smirking at his answer to any and all questions related to sex. It was not a surprise to her that he could so easily remember that aspect of their relationship, after all it was the first thing he remembered about me. She placed it away as she finished it pondering how she was simply to ignore the fact that to the last question on the page, he'd answered no, but elaborated. Her practical side was trying to reassert itself reminding her that this was exactly what she didn't need. She had a job to do, emotions could not factor in to that.

---

When Gibbs reached the kitchen Ducky was fixing some coffee into a travel mug. He watched his older friend fix it up exactly as he liked it and then pouring it perfectly.

"Jethro pouring coffee is not an art."

"What did she say?"

"She hasn't killed you yet, which I could see for myself."

"Cute Duck, what else did she say?"

"She asked about the agency and the team."

"That's it?"

"What did you think she would tell me?"

"Something more than that."

"I'm not her confidant Jethro, to be honest I'm not sure who would be." There was a silence as Ducky watched the younger man process the words. "Well I've left Mr. Palmer alone long enough, I best get back to work. Try not to get into trouble Jethro."

"Yea sure."

"Oh right, this is yours," Ducky handed over the questionnaire form and left. Gibbs sat down at the kitchen table contemplating what to do with the questionnaire. He unfolded it, only to fold it back up when he realized the thin flowy script was not his own. He could put it back in her purse, but Ducky had probably asked her for it so that would be suspicious. He could not read and give it back to her, knowing that she probably had his and had probably read it. He could just read it, or he could read it, give it back and pretend not to have. For my sanity, he thought opening it again.

What is the most irritating thing your significant other does?

Interrupts important phone calls.

He had been half expecting the barging into her office unannounced, but he supposed the two went together.

Do you think your significant other still holds affection for you?

In his own way, yes he does.

Well that was certainly a familiar answer. He didn't want to read too much into it that they had both answered more or less with the same, vague answer. He'd been fairly certain that she knew he loved her, but apparently not.

Where did you share your first kiss?

An attic in Marseilles, at sunset. It was a long night.

He smirked at that. Their first kiss had been not been unexpected it seemed almost inevitable. So when they'd had a few more glasses of bourbon than they might usually he hadn't been too concerned. He still wasn't sure who had kissed whom first, but it was something he could almost still feel. It had been the beginning of them, the way they were supposed to be. Since their...separation he'd lost count of the number of times he'd almost kissed her.

How does s/he make you laugh?

When he does something I least expect but should've known.

Well he'd file that away for future use, mainly because if she was laughing, he wanted to laugh to. He continued to read the form a content grin on his face as he read her answers concerning the more intimate parts of their relationship. It was something that was almost always floating around in the back of his head. It was sometimes very hard to take her seriously in her fancy business suits when he knew what lay underneath them. It was also very good to know that he wasn't the only one who was affected. Though as he refolded the questionnaire back in thirds he seriously wondered how he was going to ignore her answer to the last question on the form.

---

The rest of the day was rather quiet. Jenny had spent most of the day in the study working on reports that Cynthia emailed to her and dealing with the people who would not listen to her assistant in her place. Gibbs had spent the day in the downstairs room staying in contact with his team, along the side monitor always had running security footage of different areas of the house on one side and Jenny on the other. Through this it was easy to observe as she skipped lunch and just worked and worked. He on the other hand had wished he could be in the office so he could slap DiNozzo upside the head. The younger man was quickly earning multiple head slaps and Gibbs knew that he felt rather safe knowing Ziva would only slap him on camera at Gibbs orders. He'd contacted Abby and asked her to drive by Jenny's house and get Noemi to put together a bag for her trip, and then told McGee to go get his stuff. McGee had been more than grateful to get out of NCIS and had brought the bag to Abby's lab and Abby would deliver both bags around dinnertime. The phone ringing at a quarter to five brought Gibbs out of the basement and Jenny out of her study. They both made it to the kitchen, Jenny nodding for Gibbs to grab the phone, falling immediately into their covers.

"Hello."

"Jethro, Christine Colmen, so sorry to bother you again."

"Not a problem, what can you we do for you?"

"I just wanted to run over some points with you and Jenny, is she there?"

"Yes," he said gesturing for Jenny to come closer and turning the phone on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Oh Jenny good evening."

"Good evening Dr. Colmen."

"I just wanted to run over some stuff with you two, first I would like it if you could put together a photo album together, your selves, people in your life, that sort of thing, we'll be sharing some memories at the group sessions and go more in depth during our individual ones. I also just wanted to remind you to pack warmly it can get very cold at night."

"Of course, thank you Doctor," Gibbs responded.

"Well have a nice evening, see you tomorrow."

"Good night," Jenny answered. Gibbs hung up and the two stared at the phone mainly to avoid looking at each other. Jenny lost her patience first. "I saw that Abby brought by a couple pictures, mostly of the old team, but..."

"I have an album somewhere...it has a couple more of all of us."

"Yea I think I might have some too."

"McGee could probably make some."

"In one night?"

"I'll call Abby, does Noemi know where the album is?"

"No, I'll tell Abby." Gibbs dialed the number.

"Silver fox I'm running late!" Abby said into the phone.

"Don't worry about it Abby, I need you to do us a favor?"

"What's up Bossman?"

"I need you to get something out of the basement."

"What do you need? I'm not sure I can get the boat out of there."

"A photo album."

"Oh, oh..." Abby trailed off for a second. "Near the workbench?"

"Yes."

"I'll find it."

"Good, Jenny wants to talk to you." He handed Jenny the phone and left the kitchen.

"Abby, I need you to stop at my house, tell Noemi you're allowed in my room."

"I've got your bag already."

"I know, I need a photo album as well, there's a key in the bathroom drawer, taped to the bottom. It opens the safe in the back of the closet. The photo album is in there."

"And then I forget about it?"

"Something like that."

"Alright."

"Thank you Abby."

"Thanks for the Caff-Pow." Jenny hung up the phone and wandered back into the living room where Gibbs was starring at framed photo of their team in Europe.

"This came from you?" He inquired.

"Yes, Abby must have taken it out of the study."

"She getting the album?"

"Plural, she's picking mine up too."

"Oh."

"Well need an empty one. Well need a wedding photo too."

"That could present a problem."

"Not necessarily." He looked over at her as she ran her hand along the books on the wall.

"You wanna tell me something?"

"We could have had a causal wedding, four weddings Jethro, I can't imagine you aren't sick of brides in white."

"Causal wedding?"

"If we'd gotten married, we would have had to elope anyways, I'm sure we could find some photo of us, dressed up, with people around, and we could pass it off." He didn't say anything and they fell into an almost comfortable silence only broken by Duke's bark as Abby pulled in the drive. She was out of the car and up the steps quickly, Gibbs and Jenny waiting for her on the steps.

"Hi!" She called loudly.

"Hello Abby," Jenny called back. "Jethro get the bags, I'll get Abby something to eat." Gibbs rolled his eyes but did as he was told picking up the two duffel bags and bringing them in the house. The skis he glanced at for a second before looking around the house. There were no cars staking out the place so he figured it was safe to put the ski rack and the skis on the grey Ford Escape that sat in the driveway. He did it carefully knowing Jenny had already taken Abby in the house and was probably getting dinner ready.

"Duke," Gibbs called fifteen minutes later when he was finished. The dog bounded toward him from the back of the house. "Good boy. Let's get some dinner." He went in to find Abby and Jenny standing around the counter, the table set and dinner cooking. "What's for dinner?"

"Pasta," Abby answered happily.

"I figured it wasn't to hard," Jenny elaborated.

"Yea you should be able to handle that," He commented sarcastically. He missed Abby's disapproving glare, but noticed Jenny seemed unresponsive. Dinner was quiet; Abby was regaling Jenny with all the happenings and gossip of the office, while she seemed to ignore Gibbs. Jenny noticed but said nothing, sure that if there was tension between him and his favorite he'd deal with it himself. Abby helped Jenny clean up as Gibbs went to walk Duke. He came back just as Abby was putting her coat on to leave.

"Well I have a party to get to."

"Be safe," Jenny said.

"Of course, night Director," Abby replied.

"Good night Abby," Jenny said.

"Night Abby," Gibbs tried.

"Night," she said coolly. Jenny looked at him surprised but he simply glared at Abby who

glared back. Jenny walked the younger woman out to her car, stopping her from getting in.

"What's the matter Abby?"

"Nothing."

"Abby, why are you giving Gibbs the cold shoulder?"

"Because he shouldn't say those things."

"What things?"

"What he said about your cooking?"

"Abby he knows I'm more likely to burn the kitchen down then actually cook something."

"Maybe all those years ago, but not now. It's like he doesn't even notice," Abby protested. Jenny looked at her curiously.

"What doesn't he notice?"

"That you're not just the Director. He doesn't care that you could probably lose your job because you keep trying to keep him out of trouble, or that you defend him at all. He just expects you to do it."

"Abby, Abby calm down," Jenny pleaded wondering just how many other people underestimated the girl's skills of perception. "Abby he doesn't care because he doesn't know."

"He knows." Jenny conceded that, it was possible, after all he was Gibbs.

"Be that as it may, it's just the way he is. You and I both know that," Jenny pointed out. "Gibbs is the way he is and that's not likely to change."

"Then how come you still love..." Jenny covered the younger woman's mouth.

"Who told you that?"

"Found the picture frame in the safe."

"What picture frame?" Abby reached in to her car and pulled out a double frame, that was exquisitely made and Jenny remembered purchasing it in Cairo. She glanced from one photo to the other, the people in them. Some photographer took the first one beside a bridge randomly and she was staring up at him, smiles across both their faces. The second one, Abby had given to her, taken it when she and Gibbs weren't paying attention because they were too focused on each other. The frame was engraved with hieroglyphics.

"I can read them, it was a hobby," Abby explained.

"I see, well you know I don't have to tell you."

"A picture is worth a thousand words, and you have two."

"Very wise Abby, now off you go, he's probably already worried." Abby nodded, surprising Jenny when she hugged her. Jenny backed up the steps and watched Abby drive out, knowing the second he had stepped out side the door.

"She okay?" She glanced at him out of their corner of her eye.

"No, you upset her," and she walked past him into the house.

"Me? What did I do?"

"You'll have to ask her that," she responded giving him an answer he'd once given her. "But I wouldn't be surprised if she doesn't give you an answer."

"Why not?"

"Because she's your favorite, she's allowed to think those things."

"What things?" He looked at her. "Wait a minute does this have to do with you?"

"Not entirely."

"Jenny..."

"Just give her time to cool off, she'll be fine."

"You'll tell me if she's not?"

"I'll consider it." He realized that would be the most he would get out of it, but he was going to try one more time.

"Does this have anything to do with what I said in the kitchen?"

"It triggered it," she responded pulling her duffel bag into the living room. He picked it up for her and carried it. She looked at him for a second surprised by the gesture only to find him avoiding eye contact. "It didn't bother me, you were probably right."

"It doesn't mean Abby didn't know that."

"She didn't, but she's beginning to."

"Okay," he agreed trying to find a topic to lighten the mood. "So about those photos?" She pulled out her album and set it beside the empty new one. He placed his beside hers brushing the dust off it.

"So one from every city?" She questioned.

"Yea sure, unless we find more we like."

"Okay, possible wedding photos go in that pile and we'll vote."

"Okay." They worked steadily through the night sharing a few laughs, few moments of silence as they looked through photos of friends who were long gone. By about midnight they'd made it through the photo album and the bag of photos that Abby had apparently donated. Their wedding photo pile was rather small admittedly but it had a few good choices. What surprised them was that they had both picked photos from the same event.

"We could use them all," Jenny suggested after starring at them for moment. "Put them at the beginning of the album."

"Yea, there's this one, that could be the main photo." He held up a photo that was the larger shot, probably taken at the entrance of the event, which they'd decided, was some undercover thing. She had on an ivory dress with a pastel green overlay, and he was dressed sharply in a tuxedo. It was causal enough to wear to the event, but she'd believe it if someone told her this was a wedding photo. In this particular one, she was standing beside him turned toward him slightly and he had his arm around her. They looked every inch the loving couple, it'll do.

"Okay, I can put them in if you want to check with the team or something," she said beginning to place the photos in the album.

"I'll just take a shower, it's about a three hour drive." She nodded and turned back to the album. A minute later his voice came from down the hallway. "Uh Jen, I think Ducky gave me back your questionnaire, I'll just leave it on the desk for you."

"Yours is by the lamp on the desk," she called back and smirked lightly. That's certainly one way to ignore the giant pink elephant. She finished putting the album together and flipped through it again. They looked every inch a loving couple but looking at it like this Jenny could almost see the shift before her. As they got to the end of their partnership things had started to become difficult. She had doubted him, he was holding a piece of himself back and doubting her, looking at this way she wasn't surprised that the photos jumped ahead suddenly. She looked at the pictures from her first year as director. There was hardness in her that was missing in the earlier photos, and there was a difference in him as well, she just wasn't sure what it was. Together they still looked good, stood closer to one another than normal people might, suggesting a intimacy that was no longer present, or rather actively present. If she thought about it, there was a subconscious intimacy in their actions. He'd step to close to her when they were talking, she'd look over his shoulder and drink from his coffee. It was a leftover intimacy from their former relationship, one that always lingered on the sidelines. She wasn't an idiot; she knew there was a possibility that she'd never end up with anyone in her life, because she was content being around him. It was sad commentary in of out itself, but she knew it was the truth.

She closed the album and put their individual ones on the shelf. She wasn't quite sure what it meant that he had an album full of pictures of their time. She wondered if he'd kept photos of his ex-wives as well or if she was different. She supposed she wouldn't ever know, mainly because the odds of him letting her search his house were about as good as her letting him search her house. Regardless of her secrets her house held more, and she wasn't sure she wanted him to know that. Of course, the other side was that his house held secrets as well and it was a rather depressing thought that they both lived in the houses that held painful memories for both of them. Ironic too, she thought morbidly amused. She had heard the water shut off and was contemplating going upstairs, when she heard him on the stairs. Duke looked up from his spot on the floor at her feet, but didn't move as Jethro entered the room.

"You going to sleep anytime soon?"

"Yea, I'm just going to shower," she replied standing up and heading for the bedroom.

"I'll let Duke out."

"Okay." She gathered everything she would need to get ready for bed and double-checked just to make sure. She was not going to tempt fate in this situation any more than she had. She stayed in the shower a tad longer than usual letting the hot water take away her stress and tried to ignore the thought that on the other side of the door was one Leroy Jethro Gibbs. She dried off quickly put on her very sweats and tank top and ran her fingers through her hair. She didn't to turn on the hair dryer and wake Gibbs up if he was sleeping. She stepped out of the bathroom shutting of the light and walking back towards the bed. Gibbs was asleep on his side, or at least she thought he was asleep. She notice Duke had his own bed now, and if the skull and crossbones pattern was anything to go by, Abby was probably the one who bought it. She figured it wasn't a big deal that there wasn't an actually divider, two feet was plenty of space. She turned down her side and slid in rolling on to he side and curling up.

"G'night Jen." His voice was a surprise, but not an unpleasant one.

"Night." She closed her eyes and tried to go to sleep. Half-hour later she was just falling under the haze when she felt him shift next to her, stealing her own body heat. She wasn't coherent enough to object, and she fell asleep with a smile spread across her face.

Chapter 5