To Her Wine

            It wasn’t long before Jenny, Jethro and the team arrived at their destination. On the way over Jenny had been notified that their destination had just become a crime scene. So Jenny called Ducky and Palmer in. Once they were at the crime scene they had been told a Petty Officer had been gunned down moments after he came out of the neighborhood Chinese restaurant by a passerby.  Of course the cop that was standing behind the police tape guarding the crime scene was a bit reluctant to let a bunch Navy cops by.

            “We get no respect at all.” Tony complained as the cop let them pass the tape.

            “What do you expect, Tony? NCIS is at the bottom of the armed fed food chain.” McGee said.

            “We’re not quite at the bottom of the armed fed food chain.” Jaylyn said as she and Ziva caught up with McGee and Tony.

            “CGIS is at the bottom are the armed fed food chain.”

            “Semantics, Probies.”

            “You really need to cut that out Tony. We aren’t probationary agents anymore.” Ziva said.

            “I only say it out of love.”

            “Cut it out.” Jaylyn said assertively.

            “McGee take photos.”

            “On it, Boss.”

            “DiNozzo liaises with the state troopers.”

            “Yes, Boss.”

            “David, take measurements.”

            “On it, Gibbs.”

            “What about little ol’ me; Jethro?” Jaylyn asked in the same innocent voice Jenny used from time to time that annoyed the hell out of him.

            “Assist Dr. Mallard and Palmer, Shepard.”

             “On it, Jethro.” Jaylyn answered sweetly just as she and Jenny shared a look.

            While Ziva was taking measurements she looked up as she overheard the exchange between Jaylyn and Gibbs.  She saw the look between Jenny and Jaylyn afterwards, nostalgia was setting in for Ziva and she knew that wasn’t good.  She had to focus on the job before her.

            “Everything okay, Ziva?” McGee asked.

            “I’m fine, McGee.”

            When Tony heard this he knew Ziva was lying through her teeth.

            “Ziva, what’s wrong?”

            “Later Tony.”

            Ziva returned to her task.

            “What’s going on with her?” Tony asked himself as he walked past Ducky, Palmer and Jaylyn to rejoin the state trooper he was talking to before.

            “My dear boy, its obvious what is going on with her.”

“Ziva misses Ari.” Palmer said.

“No, it’s not that Mr. Palmer.”
“What is it, Ducky?”

            “She misses her sister.”

            “That doesn’t make sense, Ducky.”

            “It actually does Tony.” Palmer said.

            “Ziva is surrounded by people with siblings. Jenny and Jaylyn, Sarah and McGee a few years ago, Abby and both of her brothers.  It’s only logical that she feels this way; my boy.”

            “DiNozzo get to work.” Jethro called when he saw Tony talking instead of working.

            Jethro and Jenny then separated some and searched the surrounding area within the taped off area of the crime scene.  Jaylyn, McGee, Ziva and Tony had finished their tasks they had joined Ducky when Palmer went to fetch the gurney from the van. The quintet watched Jenny and Jethro work before them.

            “Now that’s art.” Ducky commented.

            “They always are, Ducky. You know that as well as I do.”

            The group watched Jethro and Jenny gather evidence for Abby to look over when they got back to the agency.

            “It’s like they’re doing a dance with the way they move.”

            “They’re completely in sync.”

            At that moment Jaylyn and Ducky each remembered a time where Jenny and Jethro were just like they were now.  Jenny had found the remnants of a blasting cap that was about three feet from where the Petty Officer lay.

            “They were like this when the Director helped Gibbs and I after I shoved the French policeman off the cliff.”

            Tony, McGee and Ziva smiled as they remembered the first time Ducky brought up this story during the Bright case they had with the FBI.

            “They were like this when the three of us flew over to Rome a few months after Jen took the position on Jethro’s team after she graduated from FLETC. She’s learned quite a bit from him.”

            “You all have, my dear.” Ducky said.

            Jethro then found a bit more the bomb that was likely the cause of death for the Petty Officer. Palmer was back with the gurney. After Palmer and Ducky had the Petty Officer loaded into the van, Palmer had joined the others who were still watching Jenny and Jethro who were wrapping up their task. Ducky could see it in the eyes of each of his young colleagues, they wanted what their bosses had. But what they didn’t realize was that they already had what Jenny and Jethro had but in their own way.

            Being the one who wasn’t with anyone at the moment allowed Ducky to see what the others couldn’t. He knew eventually his colleagues would realize what he had.

            “What’s wrong, Jaylyn?” Ducky asked as he saw the look on Jaylyn’s face.

            “I miss my girls. I came back too soon.”

            At this point Jenny and Jethro had rejoined the group.

            “I told you that you came back too soon, J.”

            “Jen.” Jethro said as he took Jaylyn in the same lovable, protector hug he did with Abby when her ex was stalking her and with Ziva whenever she let her guard down.

            “Don’t talk to me like I’m a child, Jethro. She knew it was too soon and that she needed more time.”

            “Ignore her J.”

            “So now what, boss?” Tony asked as Ducky and Palmer got back in the M.E. van and headed back to the Navy Yard with the body.

            “Now you, Ziva and McGee are taking the Director back to the agency along with the evidence we collected while I bring Jaylyn home.”

            “Agent Gibbs.” Jenny said pissed at the fact that Jethro had once again countermanded her.

            “No Jen, you’re not pulling rank on me this time. Your sister has two jobs now and she is still learning how to balance both of them just like you did. So stop acting like her boss for a moment and start acting like her sister. It’s what she needs right now.”

            Tony, Ziva and McGee were stunned that Jethro had just told Jenny off in front of them.

            Jenny just stormed off to the car and waited to leave.

            “I’d get going if I were you.” Jethro instructed his senior field agent and two of his three junior field agents.

            “See you back at the squad room.” Ziva said.

            “She’s going to have you sleeping on the settee again for this.” Jaylyn said once the others had left.

            “Don’t worry about me, I’ll deal with it and with her later. Now let’s get you back to those beautiful nieces of mine.” Jethro said as he and Jaylyn got into the second car.

            Kasey was surprised to see Jaylyn home so early when she walked into the house, but when Jethro walked in behind her; Kasey realized why she was home.

            “Which one do you want first?”

            “All three.”

            “You sure about that?”

            “I am a mother and a special agent, Kase; I can manage holding all three of them.” Jaylyn said as she sat down on the couch.

            “That’s the Shepard stubbornness I told you about.” Jethro said as he assisted Kasey with the girls.

            Jaylyn sat on the couch with Aliyah in her right arm, Juliet was lying on Jaylyn’s thighs while Zoey was in Jaylyn’s left arm. A few hours later Jaylyn and the girls had fallen asleep together on the couch. Jethro took a picture with his phone and sent it to Jenny in hopes that the picture would bring Jenny around.

            I remember when this was you with our girls when they were this age and J was the one taking the picture.

            Shortly after she got the picture Jenny arrived at her sister’s house. When she came into the living room; Kasey and Jethro gave her a moment as they went into the kitchen to grab a beer  before they head outside to the deck.

            Jenny took her nieces one by one and placed them back in their crib before she got Jaylyn to lay down. After she covered her sister with a blanket she sat on the edge of the couch with her sister for a moment.

            “I remember what it’s like to be a new mom, J. I didn’t mean  to be so harsh.” Jenny whispered.

            “I know, Jen.”

            With that Jenny got up and joined the men outside with a beer in hand.

            “Thank-you.” Jenny said as she kissed her husband and nestled into his arms as they watched the night sky with Kasey.