What The Heart Wants
- Chapter 10 -
Jenny spread a play mat on the floor and set some of Anthony's toys around in, she sat him in the middle and watched him reach out for a soft cube that jingled as it moved. Gibbs cell phone began to ring, he passed Aaron his bear as he flipped it open. 'Gibbs, on my way,' Jenny shrugged, 'when you get the call...' Gibbs nodded and ruffled Aaron's hair, 'be a good boy for Jenny,' Aaron flattened his hair down and frowned at Gibbs.
Ten minutes later
Gibbs tapped on Jenny's office door and pushed it slightly open, he stopped and smiled at the scene before him. Jenny was sat on the floor facing Anthony and Aaron was perched on the couch with his book, Aaron was bouncing on his hands and knees entranced by the stuffed penguin Jenny was waving in front of him. He started moving his knees forwards and then his hands as he crawled towards her, he took the penguin in his little chubby hands and giggled with delight as it squeaked.
Jenny picked him up under the arms and held him up in the air, 'who's a clever little boy, who's a clever little boy, you, you're a clever little boy aren't you, yes you are, yes you are,' 'Jenny,' Gibbs hissed from behind her. She completely ignored him and rolled the baby onto his back and began tickling his feet, 'Director,' he called a little louder. When she still ignored him and continued to play with the baby in front of her he almost shouted, 'Director Shepard.'
She turned around and her eyes widened as she saw the woman in a suit beside Gibbs and his team watching her from behind them. 'Director this is Ms McMahon from child welfare,' Jenny smiled; her cheeks burning as she quickly put the stuffed penguin back into Anthony's hands. She smiled politely and stood up to shake the stranger's hand, 'please, come in, it's a bit of a mess right now but...' her voice trailed off.
The woman smiled and flicked her glossy black fringe from her eyes, 'it comes with the territory, toddlers and mess,' Jenny smiled at her and nodded. The woman watched her for a second, her eyes flicking over Aaron and Anthony before resting on Jenny's face. Jenny opened her mouth as she turned to Jethro, 'who, who called you, I was going to contact social services in a few minutes.' 'Which time?' the woman smiled, 'we were contacted three times,' Jenny stared at her, 'three times?' 'A Tony DiNozzo, a rather hysterical young woman who wouldn't repeat her name, Gabby? And Agent Gibbs, all insisted you should be considered for adopting Aaron and Anthony.'
Jenny's jaw dropped, 'the woman was very insistent, my colleague had to keep reminding her to breathe,' Jenny smiled, that sounded like Ab's all right. 'I'd like to talk to you in private, without the boys, ask you some questions, maybe start filling in some paperwork, you know the sort of thing, preliminary chat.' Jenny nodded, the enormity of the task in front of her hitting her like a ton of bricks, yes she could take care of the boys and love them but that all depended on social services allowing her to adopt them, and knowing how long it took to get things done in her own office, she knew that could be a long way off.
Gibbs bent down and lifted Anthony into his arms, the little boy whimpered and complained but brightened up when his penguin was waved in front of him. He reached out and grabbed it happily. 'Come on Aaron let's go downstairs, you can show Abby your book,' the toddler grabbed his bear and book and ran across the room and out of the door. Gibbs sighed, 'I'm not used to this,' he followed Aaron out of the room and closed the door behind him.
A while later Jenny led the woman from social services across the walkway and down the stairs, she showed her to the elevator and shook her hand before the doors closed. She turned back to the team who by now were all watching with anticipation; she walked towards them slowly and folded her arms over her chest. 'If any of you do anything like that again,' she snarled, glaring at them with narrowed eyes.
They all jumped back in fright, except Gibbs, he just grinned, 'I might just have to hug you,' she smiled then turned to Gibbs, 'and slap you,' he opened his mouth in feigned shock, he looked down at Aaron, 'did she just say she'd slap me?' Aaron nodded grinning, 'it's not funny,' he nodded giggling, Jenny smiled too, 'oh it is.' 'I take it your talk went well Jen,' she nodded, 'I've been made their guardian until the adoption process is completed.'
'Adoption process?' Tony asked, she nodded, a single tear falling down her cheek, 'I'm adopting them. If all goes well, it's going to be a long and exhausting process, and I'll need to prove my ability to provide for them and care for them, my support network...' 'all six of us,' Abby grinned bouncing Anthony on her knee. Jenny nodded, 'yeah, I really appreciate what you all did,' they all smiled at her as she began to cry.
Aaron ran up to her confused, he wrapped his arms around her legs then her waist as she bent down to him, 'no cry,' he told her chest, 'no cry Jenny,' she lifted him into her arms and balanced him on her hip, the tears streaming down her face. 'No cry,' he told her, wrapping his arms around her neck, 'happy tears Aaron, they're happy tears,' 'happy tears?' she nodded smiling through her tears, 'yeah,' 'why?' 'because I'm gonna be your new mommy.'
Aaron frowned at her, 'what's wrong?' Jenny asked him as he looked around, his eyes settling on Anthony as he stared up at Abby, completely oblivious to what was going on. 'Anthony's new mommy?' Jenny nodded, 'Yeah i'm gonna be Anthony's new mommy too,' he nodded and slipped his arms around her, 'good, we like you.'
Gibbs couldn't suppress the grin that spread across his face as Jenny tickled the toddler's nose and giggled with him as she asked him what colour he wanted to paint his room, he thought for a second and pulled a face of deep concentration. Gibbs took a swig of his coffee before Aaron answered, 'Black,' Jenny stared at him, 'black?' 'like Abby,' he nodded. Gibbs held back a snort at Jenny's wide eyed stare, her mouth agape.
He looked away to prevent himself from laughing and felt small hands poking his waist, he looked down as he took a gulp from his coffee, 'you my new daddy?' he asked innocently, Gibbs choked on the coffee and spilled some down his front as he coughed. Tony stared at his boss trying to stop the smirk he could see on the lips of all his colleagues, Abby was bouncing on the balls of her feet and Ziva and McGee were both staring at Jenny as her cheeks turned a deep ruby red.
'Can't blame him for asking Jen,' Gibbs said staring resolutely in the opposite direction out of the window. Aaron looked from Jenny to Gibbs confused, 'no Aaron he's not gonna be your new daddy,' 'why?' She sighed, 'he's just not,' 'but,' he stammered climbing onto her lap, 'he sleep,' he curled over Jenny's shoulder putting his arms as far around her as he could reach, 'like this, and make juice, do this,' he brushed Jenny's fringe from around her eyes, 'and this' he pursed his lips and kissed her hair, 'and this,' he kissed her cheek 'and,' he moved to put his mouth on hers, she placed her hand over his mouth and looked into his eyes, 'Aaron,' he grinned under her fingers, 'you're embarrassing me.'
'Gibbs didn't do all that did he?' Tony asked Aaron innocently, the toddler nodded to him and jumped off Jenny's lap, 'yeah, and she was all icky sicky,' Jenny frowned into thin air as Tony commented, 'was she, was she all icky?' he nodded completely serious. 'I wouldn't do that if she was all icky, urgh, sicky Jenny urgh,' he stuck his tongue out and pulled a face, Aaron giggled.
He stopped giggling and looked down at Tony's lap, then over at Abby, then Ziva and finally McGee, he thought for a moment and walked over to Gibbs, he tugged on his arm; he whispered something into Gibb's ear. Gibbs snorted again, 'what?' Jenny asked, Gibbs stared at the toddler, he threw his empty coffee cup into the bin and lifted Aaron into his arms, 'ask me again,' the toddler whispered into his ear looking uncomfortably at Jenny as he spoke, Gibbs chuckled, 'I thought that's what you wanted to know.'
'What? Jethro what did he ask,' Gibbs looked at her and then down at Aaron, 'those thing's Jenny's got that I haven't, they're breasts,she has them cos she's a girl and i'm a guy and I don't need em, and you'll find out why Tony stares at them when you reach puberty,' Jenny pulled her jacket close around her neck, 'that's what you were doing this morning,' she muttered. Aaron whispered something else into Gibbs ear, this time Gibbs repeated it laughing, 'why doesn't Jenny have a penis?'