Only With You
- Chapter 7 - A Conversation Overdue -
The following morning, they woke up closer than they had expected to, but naturally nothing was said. Gibbs took a cold shower to wake himself up and got ready quickly, Jenny spent a few minutes more in a warm shower trying to wash away memories that kept filtering in the through the cracks in the locked door. They calmly took Duke out, looking every inch the couple they were pretending to be. He called the team while she played with Duke, switching only so she could talk to Abby and Ziva and make sure her agency and Cynthia were alright. Satisfied with the phone call, but not happy with the team's lack of progress they strolled back toward the lodge, taking Duke back to the room and then joining the other couples in the solarium. Christine was sitting with some of the other couples and greeted them offering coffee which they both accepted gratefully. Jenny knew it wasn't exactly the brew Jethro would prefer but he didn't complain. As the other couples settled in, Jenny and Jethro found a small couch to sit together on, that was also a little back from the circle so they could observe everyone's interactions.
"Well good morning everyone, our first spouse game is going to be done as always in pairs. This one each individual will earn points based on how well they know their partner and each couple will get a designated number of points based on how many each individual has at the beginning. So the way this works, you are asked a question about your spouse, you must give an answer and they get to tell you whether they are right or not. Obviously to keep this fair we're going to ask you to write down your own answers to the question so we can see what you said and what your spouse thinks." It was a quiet few minutes as they each filled out the cards and then passed them back in. "I will be the moderator, and randomly draw the card. First question, Jenny, what is your husband's choice drink?"
"Coffee," Jenny replied without batting an eye.
"That is correct." They listened as a few other couples went Russ and Lynna obviously not knowing basic information about each other, and Steve and Maria scarily having the same answers. The questions finally came back around to Jethro. "Jethro, your wife's favorite book?"
"Book?"
"Yes."
"Ah...let's see
"That's correct." The questioning session continued for another hour or so, Jenny and Jethro escaping with only five total questions and all correct answers. Unfortunately the hour quickly came to a close and Christine let the group go, before turning back to Jenny and Jethro. "We usually do the sessions in the closed sitting room, that alright with you two?"
"Fine," Jenny agreed quickly hoping this would be as relatively easily as the first session. They moved to the new room, Jethro sitting down next to Jenny, Christine sitting across from them.
"Now last time Jethro, I told you take your wife to dinner."
"We went to a fish place in the market area."
"And how did that go?"
"Went fine," Jenny answered. "We had some car trouble, but otherwise it was a nice change of pace."
"Good, that's what I like to hear. Now I also asked you to share your questionnaires with one another, did you?"
"Yea we read them," Jethro responded quickly.
"And discussed them?"
"Not thoroughly," Jenny replied. "We...were a little busy with the packing and stuff."
"Well I want you to try and talk about it tonight, or perhaps go and do something fun afterwards and talk about it." The two nodded fully aware that that was one thing they would most certainly not being doing. "Now I want to ask you about the more personal aspects of your marriage."
Christine watched as Jenny took a deep breath and Jethro's eyes moved over the room. They seemed bothered by this conversation but Christine hoped it hadn't meant they'd forgone this part of their relationship.
"Is this aspect of your relationship suffering?" She inquired.
"I would think not," Jethro answered.
"Jenny do you agree?"
"Same as it always was," she agreed careful to look straight across the room to the far wall.
"Jenny, what's the most erotic thing your husband's ever done?" Christine inquired in a conversational tone. Jenny's eyes widened to saucer size.
"Ah...it involved ice cubes." She could feel her face turning several shades of red and prayed to God that they'd remembered to shut off their communication devices before coming in here and that McGee had not wired the room.
"And Jethro?"
"Uh...well I was on the phone and she came in and I don't remember much of the phone call afterward." Jenny looked at him for a second, remembering the time he was talking about but sure the memory was familiar another way.
"Do you general stay in one position, or have you tried sharing?"
"We share," came the rather fond answer. Her eyes bore holes into his head trying to figure out where the ease in this was coming from.
"Have any tricks?" At the word it clicked in Jenny's brain and she drew the line between the scattered dotes. He read my magazine, shit. Well Jenny it was nice while it lasted.
"We're creative," Jethro informed. Oh she'd slap that smirk off his face, if she could.
"Jenny?"
"Yes?" she questioned.
"What do you think your husband's favorite thing to do after sex is?" Jenny smirked slightly.
"Drink bourbon," she responded meeting his eyes as they widened for a second. "He's very passionate about his bourbon," she continued keeping the eye contact, almost positive that he was thinking exactly what she had been.
"And Jethro?"
"Uh yea?" He responded his attention being torn away from his fond memory.
"What's your wife's favorite thing to do after sex?"
"She cuddles," he replied. Christine seemed to take note of this and Jenny watched her closely, she told herself it had nothing to do with the fact that the woman was clearly focusing most her observation on Jethro.
"Have you ever had sex at either of your work places?" Both of them looked surprised by the question.
"Well...no," Jenny answered trying to rack her brain.
"Yea I'd have to go with no on that too."
"Ever wanted to?" Christine pushed.
"Oh sure, who hasn't," Jethro remarked as Jenny laughed lightly.
"Jethro, do you always kiss your wife when you want to?"
"Ah...sure," he responded confused by the question.
"Has there been a time when you wanted to kiss her but didn't?"
"I'm sure there was," he replied still trying to think it through.
"Any in particular you remember?
"Ah well about a year ago, I guess," he began.
"A year?" Jenny questioned, Christine look just as curious.
"It was a rather memorable argument, something about a margarita safari," he continued. "Anyway she pushed me up against this large window." He glanced over at her to find Jenny with the I-Knew-It look on her face.
"That wouldn't have been in your best interest," Jenny answered. "For multiple reasons."
"One being?" Christine dug.
"I was about two steps from killing him, and I was at work," Jenny responded leaving the most obvious, he was dating another woman, out of it.
"Has there been anytime when you wanted to kiss him but didn't?"
"None that immediately come to mind."
"You sure?"
"It's only fair Jen," Jethro taunted. She looked at him in surprise.
"When we were watching that kid for Tony," she informed. He looked at her for a second.
"Really?" She rolled her eyes, if he hadn't figured it out than; he certainly wasn't about to clue into the message now.
"Well I think you two will have lots to talk about. I want you try setting aside time for personal things in your daily lives. It will help you reconnect," Christine advised. The two nodded hopping this meant they were free. "Now just like before I'd like to do five minutes alone with each of you, so Jethro, if you wouldn't mind."
"Not at all." He left closing the door behind him.
"Now, what was the little eye roll about?" Christine questioned.
"Oh, he can just be...oblivious sometimes."
"Do you usually start your intimate time?"
"It's fifty, fifty."
"Did it have to do with the child you were watching?"
"In part," Jenny answered not sure she could say too much without giving anything away.
"Do you want children Jenny?"
"I'm not going to be unhappy if I don't have them. They'd be icing on the cake, but as long as Jethro is there, I'm happy," she replied honestly surprising herself for a moment. Jenny got up sensing there were no more questions.
"Jenny?"
"Yes?"
"Would it be difficult for you to seduce your husband?" Jenny thought about it for a moment.
"No, it wouldn't." But it wouldn't be the same. She left the room leaving the door opened, nodding to Jethro as he entered.
"Jethro, do sit." He did. "Would you consider you and your wife to be open people?"
"Not really, we like to keep our private life private."
"So you are uncomfortable showing her affection outside of the home setting?"
"I wouldn't say that, we just don't broadcast it."
"I see," Christine commented idly. "Is your wife a frigid woman, Jethro?"
"Anything but," he assured with a brief smirk. Sure she may have earned the Ice Queen nickname but he was fully aware of how wrong that was. He got up hoping it was the end of the questions when she called to him. "Yes?"
"Would it be difficult to seduce your wife?" Difficult? No, but probably suicidal, he thought briefly.
"No, it wouldn't be."
"You should think about that," Christine called after him. Jethro kept walking Jenny waiting for him outside the door. They wandered back to their room, getting Duke before deciding to go on a long walk toward town. As soon as they were to the road, they knew they were safe to talk. That's not to say that either really knew what to talk about.
"So..." Jenny began searching for some topic they could converse on.
"Yea..." he faded off just as quickly as she did. They each focused on the road beneath their feet.
"What happened Jethro?"
"Haven't we had this..."
"Not that, what happened to us, we used to be able to talk to each other, what happened to that?"
"I don't know," he said with a shrug of his shoulder.
"You don't ask my opinion anymore."
"You run operations behind my back, with my agents!"
"Once Jethro, one single time and yes I wish it hadn't happened that way, but it did. I have to live with it."
"If you weren't so damn..."
"What? Revengeful? Obsessed?"
"Difficult."
"Me? Look whose talking."
"I'm easy to understand," he commented, she snorted.
"You Leroy Jethro Gibbs are about as easy to understand as... string theory."
"What's string theory?"
"Exactly!"
"You were the one who..."
"Oh don't even go there, I had to do what was best for me."
"And you always do, so how do I know I'm best for you."
"You think it was easy to just walk away?"
"You certainly..."
"It wasn't some decision I made at the drop of a hat."
"You could have told me."
"I tried, you wouldn't listen," she shot back.
"I heard you when you said no off the job."
"Can you imagine what would have happened if I hadn't said that?"
"Well..." Oh yes...we would have gone home.
"You wouldn't have gotten Ziva to kill Ari."
"I wouldn't have gotten to kill Ari," he corrected.
"Are we still going by that?" She inquired. He looked surprised she even knew. "Fine, you wouldn't have gotten to kill Ari."
"Yea...but..."
"But what?"
"What about after your kidnapping?" Her eyes followed Duke's movement through the small drift of snow.
"What about it?"
"Why not then?" She turned away. "Jen?"
"What?"
"Why not then?" She said nothing. It dawned on him what came next in their timeline and he studied her for a second. "I don't remember everything before the explosion do I?"
"No you don't."
"So fill me in."
"Things were changing," she said gently. "They just hadn't gotten changed completely and then the explosion and, you left."
"You never said anything before."
"I was giving you the out, I wasn't even sure you remembered or not."
"You could have said something."
"What exactly was there to say?" She questioned. "You never told me about them, and it hurt, but at the same time I couldn't say anything because I hadn't mentioned my father."
"What about in your entryway a couple months ago?"
"You said no," she pointed out. "I made a choice, can't unmake it."
"So who's the guy?" He inquired positive he already hated him.
"There isn't one, I'm rather enjoying my single life. The agency keeps me busy enough as it is."
"So if when I said no, I meant not yet, would that change anything?" She looked over at him for a second watched him watch Duke run around.
"It would depend."
"On?"
"Well for starters you would have to get rid of Rule 12 and reinstate the one you taught me."
"Thought you might know about that switch."
"Word travels fast."
"And? What else?"
"No more secrets, you have to let me in a little bit."
"What about you?"
"If I'm asking it of you, only fair I do it myself," She said with a shrug of her shoulders. He nodded his understanding. They walked silently for a few minutes each digesting the minute shift in their relationship. They reached the town shifting to a more comfortable silence, wandering through the shops until Gibbs noticed the sky darkening. He'd been looking in the sports shop hoping maybe to convince Jenny to go skiing later when he noticed the sun fading, deciding it might be a good idea to walk back he went to look for Jenny who had wandered off. He spotted Duke sitting patiently outside an art shop, and the dog barked once to get his attention.
"Hey Duke, where'd she go?" Gibbs asked the dog. Duke just starred at him, eager for an ear scratch, which Gibbs willingly gave. He entered the art shop and found Jenny standing in the back browsing some photos. "Jen."
"Oh, there you are, I was about to look for you," she commented not even looking up from the paintings.
"We should head back, its getting dark, and cold," he informed.
"Thought you were a Marine," she teased.
"I am," he protested.
"Then don't complain about the cold." She on the other promptly issued a low curse as they stepped back outside.
"Look who's complaining now," Gibbs retorted. She handed him the leash for Duke and turned to walk back towards the inn. He caught her easily enough taking her arm and looping it through his. They walked back that way, and reached the inn, just as the last bit of sunshine left the sky. They changed quickly for dinner and sat down, hoping the other couples wouldn't be as irritating.
Dinner was again loud, full of snide little fights and Jenny and Jethro exchanging looks wondering how some of these people even managed to get married, let alone stay that way. Jenny also kept her focus on Russ and Christine, trying to figure out what warning bells were going off, and Jethro focused on the ‘success' couple of Serena and Darien. They were both aware that once the team got back to them on the background checks they would have a better idea, but observation certainly didn't hurt.
After dinner was a group session to which Christine, Serena and
"McGee, I don't want to hear nothing, this time," Gibbs warned as they entered the room, McGee placing fresh towels down.
"Well Boss we don't have nothing, Abby found out that Russ does have a small record, mainly Real Estate fraud, but the military seemed to have straightened him out and his wife Lynna, she's the head of the Officer's wives club on the base they live on."
"Yea we could have told you that."
"Well, they both have a lot more money than you might expect on a military salary, but..."
"That hardly means anything," Jenny commented idly. "Some people come from wealthy families."
"That's the thing, there is no family. We haven't found a single thing that suggests there were parents or something," McGee informed. "Tony did find something on your marriage counselor."
"Some time tonight McGee," Gibbs snapped.
"Well she was married, husband was in the military, but we have no idea where he is."
"His Commanders doesn't know?"
"Well technically he was listed as missing in action, but then the records just sort of disappeared, like someone tried to erase them."
"Well find them McGee."
"On it Boss," he answered. "Oh and Abby's working on trying to figure out how the attacker got into the houses." Gibbs nodded and made sure McGee was prepped for the night before turning back to Jenny.
"Well Russ is looking good for this," Jenny remarked. "Especially if one of the other couples recognized him from his Real Estate days."
"Three couples seem excessive though."
"True and to much coincidence..."
"I don't..."
"Believe in coincidences, I know Jethro," Jenny finished for him. "There has to be another motive to this. Maybe Russ is the one having affairs? Maria said he was a cheat."
"With three different woman?" Jethro questioned.
"Well there's one way to test it..."
"No," Jethro cut her off. "Not happening. Again I might add." He turned a full Gibbs' glare on her and she just smirked in return.
"Wasn't like I enjoyed it much either," she mumbled. There was no need to share that thought though. "I still think Christine is involved somehow," she spoke up.
"Never trust a shrink."
"She's a marriage counselor not a shrink and..." she was cut off by a sharp thud to the wall. "Did you hear that?"
"Huh uh." It went again and this time they both looked around, till the sound became continuous. Jenny got up from her spot on the couch and wandered toward where the sound was loudest trying to figure out what was causing it. She wandered over to the far wall of the living area, which she knew connected to another room on the other side. She froze as the sound became more and more obvious.
"Are they..."
"If you have to ask..." Jethro trailed off grinning cockily at her. The sounds suddenly stopped and Jenny looked back over at him again. He glanced at his watch and sighed. It was Jenny's turn to smirk.
"Talk about a reputation for the male specimen," she mocked. "That wasn't even three minutes." She walked past him toward the bedroom.
"You never know, maybe she can't pace herself."
"Positano Jethro," she called back over her shoulder, shutting the door.
"
"That was a week after I took a bullet and had said wound infected!" He met her eyes noticing the fire lurking in their green depths and simply smirked.
"Uh huh." She stuck her head back inside and left the door slightly ajar.
"You coming to bed anytime soon?" She inquired; he picked up the words and the tone. Almost an invitation.
"That an offer Jen?"
"Offer of what? I could lock the door and you could sleep on the couch, or you could come lie down in the soft bed where there is plenty of room for you, me and Duke." He came into the room to find her decked out in the sweats and tank top she'd been wearing to bed for the last few nights. She was saying good night to Duke, who was loyally lying on her side of the bed, ready at any moment to jump and defend her. He changed; lay down on his side watching her curl up onto her side trying to find a comfortable position.
"So kiss goodnight?" She looked up at him; with what he thought was surprise.
"Never kissed someone before they took me out to dinner, just a rule."
"Ah but see I have taken you out to dinner, multiple times."
"Very good point." She leaned over slightly and kissed his cheek. "Good night Jethro." She rolled on to her other side and shut her eyes. Jethro on the other hand stared at her back in shock. It was inconceivable that a butterfly kiss to the cheek could raise these emotions in him. He almost tried to roll her back over, but her breath evening out told him she was already asleep and despite how she may react to be kissed awake, he wasn't sure it was a good idea to try it now. I'm going to get you back for that Jen.