The Ultimate Test

Author: A'serene

Category: Romance, Humor

Rating: P14

Contents: Tony gets sick of losing bets and takes drastic actions, while convincing the team that he's got the right idea.
Takes place through Judgment Day.

Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS at all. If I did this probably would have happened.

Author's Note: I'm pretty sure this qualifies as a crack fic.

---

"I can't take it anymore," Tony whined throwing his coffee cup into Abby's trash can.

"What?" Ziva inquired following her partner in.

"Them!"

"Who's them?" McGee asked.

"Boss and Lady Boss," Abby guessed.

"Exactly!" Tony announced. "It's like...like..."

"Like the little boy who tugs on the girl's pig tails and pushes her down?" Ducky finished.

"Playground flirtation is defiantly one way to go about it," Tony agreed. "I was going to go with Entrapment, with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Sean Connery and the endless flirtation..."

"Playground antics is more appropriate, deep down their both stubborn children," Ducky sighed.

"Have you heard the latest?" Tony asked. The team looked. "Director is going to LA for a funeral of a mutual friend, Gibbs told me and Ziva to go with her."

"William Decker, I had heard, he was their contact agent when they were partners. Jethro is not going to the funeral?"

"No," Ziva responded.

"Not even as a detail?" Ducky was in truth shocked.

"No, didn't even bother to offer condolences."

"Something has been bothering him lately," Abby inserted.

"Yea I got one word for it. Frogs," Tony snapped.

"You don't seriously think..." Abby faded off glancing at her friends.

"Jenny is quite capable," Ziva said glancing at Tony who looked more than a little uncomfortable. A silence descended amongst the group before McGee shuffled around.

"I think its ridiculous, I mean she's a redhead, Gibbs likes redheads. It's been three years, and its more than a little obvious that she has feelings for him, Colonel Mann was evidence of that."

"Don't remind me, Gibbs really disappointed me with that," Abby sighed.

"So we need to do something," Tony concluded.

"We?" Ziva echoed.

"Yes, we, they obviously can't do it for themselves, so we'll deal with it ourselves. Remember when she was kidnapped?"

"Anthony...I don't think kidnapping the Director is quite legal."

"Well, we're not going to kidnap her, that's not drastic enough, we need some good Gibbs emotions."

"Like what?"

"Remember how she was like when he was in the hospital? We need that."

"Put them in the hospital?"

"Nah...we'll figure something out while were in LA, distance makes the heart grow fonder right?"

"I thought it was absence," Ziva said. Tony just smirked and lead his partner away.

"I don't like this Timmy," Abby commented.

"It's Tony it's never a good idea."

---

Tony could not believe the luck he was having. The Director had given him and Ziva the day off, Ziva protesting but nonetheless following him back to the hotel. They were still trying to work out a plan to get Gibbs and Jenny together without much angst and they were finding it rather difficult. That was until the call came in.

They found Decker's girlfriend and Ziva knew it was time to locate the Director. Tony was against it but only put up half a fight. The Director could easily get herself into trouble and as much as he wanted something to happen to get Gibbs and Jenny together, if she died, Gibbs would kill him. So they went out to the diner, knowing they were getting in way over their head when the spotted the car they saw at the gas station. The two entered the diner carefully noticing the bullet ridden bodies and finally Tony heard Ziva.

"Tony..." she sounded scared and that caught his attention, there lying in a pool of blood was their fearless Director. He moved slowly hoping to God that his juvenile wish hadn't become reality. He felt for her pulse feeling it there underneath his fingers and exhaled. He nodded to Ziva who relaxed fractionally until the phone on the ground starting vibrating. They checked to caller ID and found Gibbs cell, in that moment Tony thought he had gone insane at what he had decided.

"Jen...Jenny are you there?"

"Boss," Tony whispered.

"DiNozzo, where's the Director?"

"Boss, I'm...I'm sorry. She..." He took a deep breath. "She's gone." There was a dial tone second later and Ziva's hand slapping across his face.

"You just said she had a pulse."

"She does...but..."

"You boy, are in one world of trouble," a heavy voice said from the corner. Mike Franks stepped into the light glancing down at the woman lying before them, that Ziva had been trying to save. "She'll make it, she just went into shock."

"Great now Gibbs will really kill us."

"It's a good thing for Probie to get some perspective!" Franks said supporting Tony. "Matter fact, think I'll head off Probie and pass along some of our conversation."

"We should get her to a hospital," Ziva said hoping the blood would stop soon.

"All right, I'll call the Assistant Director."

"We can't tell the world she's dead!" Ziva snapped. "Abby will kill us!"

"And what if she didn't get them all?"

"She didn't," Franks said. "There's a woman coming after Gibbs."

"Okay, so we tell Vance, if Gibbs hasn't, and we'll tell Abby and McGee where to find Jenny." So Tony and Ziva moved her to Franks car and he took her to the hospital while they waited for Vance and Gibbs.

When Gibbs did show up, after calling Ducky, Tony nearly blabbed on their secret. The haunted look on his face when he entered was not what Tony was expecting and felt worse about what they'd done. Ziva could not meet his eyes trying to avoid speaking if she could. The trip back to DC was deadly silent and Tony was fairly certain that Gibbs was restraining himself. When they did get back to NCIS Gibbs disappeared to the morgue and McGee tried to provide comfort. When they were going to check on Abby, Ziva cornered him.

"We have to tell McGee and Abby," she stated.

"How?"

"I don't know but we have to, she's awake," Ziva said quietly. "She thinks someone set her up."

"Besides herself?"

"Tony she thinks someone gave out Decker's name, someone is out get her and Gibbs and they're using past enemies to do it."

"Traitor."

"Which leads us to?"

"Vance?" He guessed.

"My prime suspect, he was a little too quick on the response."

"So we convince him she's dead and find a way to put Gibbs on his scent."

---

Tony and Ziva were surprised at how easy that was. Gibbs was looking for someone to take revenge on and after Syvtlena, Vance was a nice logical target. All it turned out to need was a well placed slip from Ziva that had Vance rushing out to historic Georgetown to find Gibbs. Gibbs had been walking down the street when he heard the fire trucks and turned Mike following along beside him. He noticed the fire in her house and held back a gasp. Vance appearing minutes later wasn't a surprise, nor was the fact that he wanted to lie to the press.

"Tell me Vance, how long have you wanted her throne?" Gibbs inquired quietly.

"Agent Gibbs the funeral will be tomorrow, I'll speak to your team after that." Vance said nothing more and simply began to walk away. Gibbs noticed the faint smirk and felt rage he hadn't noticed before. He noticed two pairs of eyes following Vance and identified them as Ziva and Tony. What is going on with them? The two had the good sense to wait until Vance was gone to approach.

"Boss..." Tony tried hesitantly not sure of his welcome.

"DiNozzo, something you want to tell me."

"I...we think Vance had something to do with this," Ziva informed.

"Tell me something I don't know," Gibbs muttered. "He'll be dealt with, arson charges and murder, although I was just going to stick with murder."

"But Boss...there's no one...I mean...she's not here to press charges."

"She left the house to Ducky," Gibbs said. The two nodded. "Franks..."

"I'll see you later Probie, let me know when you want to come down." Mike walked away from the three and Tony and Ziva watched worried that their plan may have just fallen apart.

"You're...going to Mexico?" Ziva inquired trying not to sound scared. Gibbs said nothing but gave a good glare that had Tony and Ziva swimming in guilt.

"Boss...maybe you should uh...go home," Tony suggested.

"I need to talk with Abby and Ducky."

"I think Abby is being taken care of and Ducky is trying to finish up the..." Ziva was muffled from saying the word autopsy.

"McGee?"

"With Abby, Boss," Tony replied. Gibbs resisted the urge to ask where they had been when this hell happened, instead he turned toward his car. He could hear Ziva and Tony whispering behind him. "Hey Boss!" Gibbs turned back and watched Ziva elbow him.

"What DiNozzo?"

"Uh...nothing Boss, never mind," Tony responded shrugging his shoulders to Ziva. Gibbs got in his car fully aware that they were tailing him. On the one hand he was glad they were on the other he wished they had put their following skills to better use in LA. Gibbs knew there was no point in holding a grudge especially since he was sure Jenny had told them to leave, still...he could be angry for awhile.

---

Gibbs entered his house, the door still unlocked as always. He moved to the kitchen to notice the coffee already brewing and stopped in the entry. He didn't think he'd left coffee on before he'd left. He'd been drinking bourbon down in the basement trying to prove Jen's innocence or guilt in the froggy matter. When he noticed the coffee was hot he was even more curious. Perhaps Abby stopped by? He figured that was a logical explanation for it. He poured himself a cup and moved toward the basement door only to hear noise on the second floor. He listened carefully realizing that someone was in the house with him. He hadn't noticed a car in the drive and he peaked out the window again. Nothing. So perhaps this was an intruder, in that case... He laid down his gun and badge on the kitchen counter and walked back into the living room standing in front of the window. Let them come.

"There you are," came a voice as sweet as sugar. "I was wondering when you'd show up. Did you know someone torched my house?" She sounded outraged and Gibbs turned slowly not believing his eyes. There was Jenny standing in his old NIS sweats one arm in a sling, hair pulled back, and eyes green and full of life as he remembered. The day flashed before him and he made a mental note to give DiNozzo a concussion before moving quickly across the room and pulling her into his arms. She was honestly surprised at the movement and resisted the urge to flinch as he held just a little to tightly. She tried to adjust herself and he pulled away immediately looking worried he'd hurt her. She assured him the opposite. "If this is the response I'll have to break into your house more often," she laughed.

"But...you're..."

"Jethro, spit it out."

"Tony said you were..."

"Tony? Oh he was there wasn't he. Mike said he and Ziva did find me, little rascals I told them to stay put."

"Mike?"

"Franks? You're old mentor? Ringing bells?"

"Loud and clear, he was with you?" Gibbs wasn't too sure how he felt about that!

"Not in the way you are no doubt trying to kill him in your mind for. He was helping me, I need some outside NCIS assistance."

"For Syvtlena?" She froze.

"How..."

"I uh...shot her in your study."

"My study?" He nodded. The pieces falling into line for her and she turned on him. "YOU BURNT DOWN MY HOUSE?"

"No...honey that was Vance, you're wonderful Assistant Director who by the way set up the whole thing and leaked us to the bad guys." She arched her eyebrow at the endearment before slowly letting the information sink in.

"So Vance burnt down my house?"

"Yes," Gibbs answered.

"To cover up the murder?"

"Uh no...to uh change the circumstances of your death."

"My death?"

"DiNozzo said..."

"DiNozzo? You're relying on Tony for information now?"

"He told me you were dead when I called you to ask you about..." he paused now was not the time to bring up the past. "something."

"Dead?" Gibbs nodded. "Well, I've been unconscious but don't think I've died today. I can't believe Ziva would have agreed with it."

"She did."

"So the whole team thinks I'm dead?"

"Ducky said it was a matter of time."

"Ducky said what?"

"He said you were sick."

"That's news to me," she informed.

"So you're not sick...then what's been with all the secret meetings?"

"I had a small health problem that could become bigger but it was caught early, I'm fine Jethro, just like I told you in the elevator."

"Forgive me if I didn't quite believe you then," he muttered.

"You don't believe me know either."

"I'm trying to come terms with the fact you're not dead."

"Ah...shouldn't you be happy with that?"

"I am...means I just get to be pissed later about what I wanted to be pissed about before you conveniently died."

"And that was?"

"The frog."

"I've been wondering when you were going to ask about that."

"Where's the gun?"

"I haven't a clue, with my sword perhaps."

"Cut the crap Jenny, where is it?"

"You really want to know?" He glared. "That glare doesn't work on me."

"You're talking."

"Oh all right...you got me, the gun is sitting in the CIA weapons safe under the name Trent Kort."

"Kort?" Gibbs questioned. She nodded. "I'm really starting to hate that guy. So he did it with your gun."

"I never said that," Jenny answered.

"You got away with murder."

"Look who's talking," she retorted before turning. "Now if you don't mind, could you drive me to NCIS, I'd like to reclaim my throne." The phone prevented him for answering.

"Gibbs...What Abby? A guest in the house? Yes, but...Abbs...could you just..." Gibbs sighed and handed the phone out to Jenny. She looked at him suspiciously. "Abby wants to talk to the guest in my house."

"Abby?" Jenny said tentatively and quickly pulled the phone away from her ear as a shriek sounded through it. There was a dial tone and all of a sudden they both heard the front door flying open. Gibbs quickly moved only to find Abby pushing past him and throwing her arms around Jenny as McGee and the rest of the team followed her in. Tony and Ziva hovered in the entryway ready to make a quick escape. Gibbs noticed them but said nothing as he pried Abby away from Jenny.

"Abby she's injured."

"Oh! I'm sorry! I'm just so happy that you're okay! Tony said you weren't dead but we couldn't leave because we had to make Gibbs think you were and..."

"Abby!" Gibbs snapped causing the Goth to cover her mouth.

"Opps."

"Let's back up to the part where you thought it was okay to tell Gibbs I was dead," Jenny instructed feeling like she was about to discipline her children.

"It was Tony's idea," Abby informed.

"Abby!" Abby shrugged.

"DiNozzo, you better start explaining."

"It was a...test?"

"A test?"

"Yea Boss, you know I read it in this story, guy won't admit he likes girl, so guy's friends conspire and tell the guy she's in the ER and he goes rushing in like a madman only to find out she's perfectly fine and then he storms into her office and tells her how he feels."

"Uh huh...sure this wasn't in a movie?"

"No, it was a story," Ziva assured. "I read it as well, and it...seemed like a good idea."

"So is there a reason you skipped from ER trip to death?" Jenny asked.

"Well, the Boss is..." Tony caught the death glare and rephrased his thoughts. "The ER thing didn't quite work on you, so we figured with the Boss it would have to be drastic."

"This was exactly the original plan," McGee piped up trying to make things better."

"Oh really?"

"Well, originally we were just going to have Ducky doctor some medical records and let them accidentally slip," Abby informed. "I mean Tony was going to get Ducky to do it."

"But then this happened, and you were already shot so we just went an extra step farther and..." Tony faded off at the dual Gibbs glare. "See you guys even glare the same!"

"So how exactly did you expect this to end?"

"Well, we figured you'd be so happy to see her that you would I don't know...kiss her, but Abby kinda ruined the moment," Tony sighed glaring at his accomplice.

"And you thought this was okay?" Jenny clarified.

"We did get the bad guy," Ziva pointed out.

"That makes it better?" Jenny snapped quickly loosing her patience. She could only imagine what this had done to Jethro not to mention how she would feel if the tables had been reversed.

"The kiss would have made it better," Abby assured.

"Right...I mean come on Jenny I can even explain how to..." Ziva was smothered.

"You read my diary?" Jenny hissed.

"You have a diary?" Came the response from Gibbs and Tony. She glared.

"I didn't!" Ziva protested. "You just happen to say interesting things while on pain killers."

"You're dead," Jenny whispered.

"I look forward to it," Ziva smirked. "You can thank me later."

"OUT!" Gibbs snapped. "Ducky we'll deal with your hand in this later."

"Now Jethro, I was simply making sure they didn't get out of hand."

"Out of hand?" Jenny exclaimed.

"They told me she was dead!" Gibbs reminded not sounding very pleased with his team.

"That would be our cue," McGee suggested and the others turned to leave.

"Go do what you're paid to do!"

"Oh yea! Knew there was a reason we came by, Director, could we have your signature?" Tony inquired.

"To what? Legalize my death?"

"Um no...arrest warrant for one Leon Vance."

"Oh with pleasure," she replied signing it carefully. "Now get out and tell Vance he owes me a new house!" Gibbs and Jenny watched the team leave high fiving to the cars before driving off. Jenny then plopped down on the couch and Gibbs sat tentatively on the coffee table across from her.

"You should rest, you're not dead but you're still hurt."

"I'm good for now," she replied. He nodded.

"I uh...about the house..."

"Yea, I'm still processing that, haven't quite gotten over being told I was dead."

"Right," Gibbs agreed. "Um...you can stay here, if you want," he suggested.

"You wouldn't mind?"

"It's partially my fault," he pointed out. "I know how attached you were to some of your stuff."

"In the end it's all just stuff," she pointed out.

"Yea...I know how that feels," he sighed. "Anyway, you can have my room, I..."

"Your room?"

"I don't sleep...in there," he finished lamely. "And it has the bigger tub, I know you like bubble baths."

"I'm not kicking you out of your room."

"It's fine Jenny really."

"You don't have a guest bedroom set," she pointed out.

"The couch folds out, but I mostly sleep in the basement anyway."

"Jethro one of these days you should try a bed, it won't hurt and your back will thank you."

"Was that a backwards invitation?" he teased.

"You told me I could have your room first," she countered. He smiled gently taking her running his hand lightly over her injured arm.

"I am glad you're okay," he said quietly. "And I am sorry about the house, and Vance."

"Vance was always a problem, I just didn't think his illusions of grandeur had escalated to attempted murder."

"You need an assistant Director who doesn't want to be Director," he decided.

"Know where I can find one?" She sighed rubbing her temple with one hand and trying to switch. Gibbs watched for a minute.

"Let me," he tried brushing her one hand away and gently rubbing her temples with his.

"Thank you," she sighed quite happily.

"McGee is a good choice."

"He needs a bit more training, but I've been meaning to ask you if you thought he was ready for his own team."

"What about DiNozzo?"

"McGee's team wouldn't be a field team. I want him to run cyber crimes, he can still be a field agent and attached to your team, but this way he could have a better chance of promotion."

"And Tony?"

"After I kill him and bring him back to life for this stunt, I'll see about that award he's been nagging me about."

"And Ziva?"

"I'm trying to make her a permanent fixture, but if her father doesn't agree..."

"She can't go back to Israel Jen."

"I know, believe me I know. I think he'll agree though. He really was more Director than father to her, I think he might appreciate letting one of his offspring survive to old age plus its good for Mossad."

"And how should I deal with Abby?"

"She's your favorite."

"No caff-pows?"

"Works for me, and I'll delay the delivery of the new Mass Spec she wanted."

"That would certainly stop her from agreeing with these brilliant ideas of DiNozzo's."

"You mean planning them right?"

"What?"

"The team was right," she sighed. "Daddy's little girl does no wrong, open your eyes Jethro, she holds the book on the bets and she stands to get the most out of this scheme of theirs."

"How much?"

"Seven thousand dollars," she informed.

"The pool on us is worth seven thousand?"

"Nah, more like ten, but three thousand has to be donated to the agency on the off chance we ever find out about it they can say they did a good thing."

"This is a when we get together pool?"

"Nope." He scratched his head confused. She smiled. "It's a when are they getting BACK together pool."

"Ah...and Abby has evidence to suggest here was a before?"

"You really need to pay more attention to what she does in her free time."

"And what does she do?"

"Hack the hotel security archive systems in France, Italy, and London."

"They keep footage that long?"

"Yep."

"So much for that secret," he mumbled.

"Don't feel bad it took me a little bit to figure out where there hell she'd found out about certain things."

"Like?"

"Hm...remember that lilac jumper I had in Positano?" She inquired, his smirk was a good enough answer. "She has the destruction of that on film."

"Okay...that's not...good, and?"

"Hm...one of them had sound, I believe it was the conversation where you suggested what we could be doing while Morrow was on the phone with us." He blushed at that. It was all her fault that he was more open about stuff like that.

"That was a good conversation," he informed. "Remind me to ban Abby from caffeine for a month."

"What ever you say," she laughed.

"And this footage is?"

"Abby won't tell me where it is, she swears up and down Tony hasn't seen it and I'm pretty sure he would have made some comments if he had."

"What about Ziva?"

"That I don't know. Although it could be why I don't know where Abby keeps the film. I wasn't aware Ziva's loyalty had shifted."

"I deal with them, but back to this assistant Director thing..."

"I have someone in mind."

"Already?"

"It was who I wanted to pick two years ago but I didn't think it would go over well."

"And now?"

"I don't know, are you ready to give up the field?"

"No but why...wait me?"

"It was for my sanity as much as it was for your health."

"You've thought about it."

"I have, I knew you wouldn't go for it."

"That was then...now...I don't know. I want to keep my team together."

"That's doable, DiNozzo in charge?"

"Yes, and I want to get to oversee them on the really good cases."

"I thought they were all good cases."

"Serial killer cases and any FBI dealings with Fornell."

"Done."

"And I get to keep my desk."

"Just your desk? I can move to the office then."

"I want a window with a view of the harbor," he insisted smiling.

"I'm sure I can find one."

"I want a couch like yours."

"You hate my couch!"

"Nah, it's just really comfortable to sleep in."

"Fine a couch, your desk in an office with a view, your team, and jurisdiction when the FBI comes to play, anything else?"

"I don't have to go to award ceremonies."

"You don't go to them now," she reminded.

"Right...no dealings with the press."

"That was a given, I have put quite a few public relations people into jobs because of you," She said.

"Just doing my part."

"Uh huh...Anything else?"

"One more thing."

"Only one?"

"Well, I'm still new to this negotiating thing, you're much better at it then you used to be."

"Continue."

"This is going to be like a partnership."

"I'm still your Boss," she stated.

"Yea and I'm sure you love it, but alas nothing else changes except one thing."

"And what would that be?"

"We get out partnership back and maybe talk about the whole off the job thing, I mean after all you're going to be living here."

"You turned me down six months ago," she reminded.

"I didn't think you were serious." She rolled her eyes.

"When you lie, you avoid looking in my eyes," she informed.

"I do not!"

"Ah! No, you just protest like a child," she told him. He gave a rather good huff. "All right we'll talk about off the job since I'll be living here and all," she conceded.

"Excellent and one more thing."

"Jethro, you said one more thing, three things ago!"

"This is more for you, well, I'll enjoy it too," he said as an afterthought. She sighed. "Since your clothes are probably ruined and I know how attached you are to some of it I thought I'd give these to you," he said getting up and pulling her to follow. They entered his room and he rummaged through his closet pulling out a large brightly colored bag and he handed it to her. Jenny sat down on the bed with the bag in her lap and quickly began to pull things out. The first item was a lilac sweater.

"Jethro...where did you find this?"

"Uh...it was under the bed in that hotel room...I found it after you..." he drifted off.

"I thought I lost it."

"No." She pulled out some more clothes and found they were new jeans and some other tops. "I heard you talking to Ziva and Abby about how you never buy jeans anymore."

"Thank you," she was sincere in her gratitude if not a little surprised.

"There's another thing in the bag," he said motioning to it and she reached her hands in grasping the soft material. She froze for a second realizing what it felt like before pulling it out of the bag and gasping softly. Her fingers gently ran over the white material as she clutched it tightly to her.

"How did you..."

"It's not a new one...I uh found it while I was cleaning out some stuff," he lied. "It's the same size as the red coat your wear sometimes so I figured it would still fit." She reached in the pockets and found her gloves and scarf that she'd loved with the gentle red plaid print. "This way you won't have to buy a new winter coat."

Jenny smiled gratefully fingering the clothing in her hands. She realized what this was...it was him opening up. He had turned her down six months ago because he wasn't sure what she wanted, wasn't sure he would be enough this time. She could understand that thought. This was his way of saying it was okay, and he wanted to try and the fact that he had had this stuff obviously put together for some time suggested that he'd been thinking about it for a while, even before Tony's genius plot.

"Jethro..." her voice was shaky as she held back the tears.

"I...was worried, with the whole thing and Ducky keeping secrets wasn't helping. I just...thought maybe you'd let me back in. After today, I just thought it was appropriate."

"Jethro," she paused putting her thoughts in order. "You've obviously been planning this, but the fact you haven't given it to me tells me you weren't ready, if Tony forced your hand..."

"I...was waiting for your birthday, I couldn't think of another reason to give you gifts since we didn't exactly celebrate anything else, Tony didn't up the time table...he just gave me a really good excuse to do so. I keep thinking that it could have happened this way today. That you could have been dead, and I don't know...I told Franks I'd see him in Mexico."

"You would leave your team?"

"Maybe not for a little while, but the job just wouldn't be the same anymore," he told her gently. "He said you had regrets."

"I think we both do," she said quietly. "Mike told me what you talked about while you were on your Margarita safari...strangely the topic of conversation was not quite what I had imagined it to be."

"He told you what I said?" Gibbs sounded quite put out about that.

"He paraphrased, though he said he wasn't entirely surprised you stuck around after I stopped by. I always wondered if what I said made any difference at all, I just always thought it was your team and the guilt with leaving Abby in tears that did it."

"It helped, the guilt with Abby and stuff, but you were right," he said stiffly. "Besides I figured if you hadn't actually processed my resignation than you must have seen something that I didn't. I used to trust your judgment, figured it wasn't a terrible time to start trusting it again, since I hadn't been making good calls." She nodded surprised with his answer but hiding it. "That and Fornell said you missed me."

"I never told Fornell..." his laughter cut off her protests. "That was mean!"

"You knew the house had termites!" he reminded.

"Because Fornell and I were checking on it."

"Uh huh...so the fact I found your perfume bottle here after I came back?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she assured. Damn! I'd been wondering where that bottle disappeared to. His laughter died down and they drifted into comfortable silence as she sat there surrounded by clothing that he would have happily suggested she try on if she didn't look so pained. Still he figured there was one thing he could try.

"Say, about the coat..."

"Jethro..." she began warningly. She didn't want to fight over their last breakup.

"How come I didn't get the same thank you as the first time around?" he inquired sounding rather petulant. Her eyes went wide for a second and he turned away. Too soon, damn it! She watched his inner battle before smiling faintly and taking her uninjured hand and dragging his eyes back to hers.

"I can handle that," she replied. "Thank you for the coat mon amant," she whispered against his lips before letting hers cover his and kissing him gently. He didn't think she would seriously take him up on the offer but he certainly wouldn't protest. He carefully wrapped his arms around her as she deepened the kiss, her one hand wrapping around his neck. He lay back bring her along with him, so she was carefully lying on top of his chest. He knew they would have to stop soon before she got even more hurt and so he pulled back slightly, keeping his one hand tangled in her hair. They were stretched out on the bed, the clothes and jacket lying around them.

"That's part of the deal too," he said sternly.

"Hm...I can live with that too," she assured. "But only if there is a renegotiation after this damn sling is gone."

"Oh yea, that's doable."

"Good you're hired," she informed kissing him lightly. She'd forgotten how addictive his kisses could be and she fed her addiction as they lay together. "You think we passed DiNozzo's test?"

"Hm...I'm not sure, maybe we should try again?" She laughed lightly nodding her head before leaning back in for another breath stealing kiss. "Mon amante," he whispered to her just as he took possession of her lips again. She smiled against his and surrendered. Tony's test results could wait.

END

mon amant/amante means my lover in French