Chapter 7: More than friends

A/N: Song by Meghan Trainor
Hey guys, I'm super sorry I haven't updated in ages but I started law school in summer and saying that I'm swamped with work is an understatement. I seriously think I've never did that much work in my entire life. Exams are coming up soon but I'll try and get this story going again.

Morrow had always had a special timing but this time around he really outdid himself. Saying this was going to be a disaster didn't even come close...

Leroy Jethro Gibbs didn't consider himself an expert concerning women but after three marriages and a good amount of girlfriends he thought he kind of got their way of thinking. But apparently Jennifer Shepard was an exception. When he first started to work with her he couldn't figure her out and it had bucked him. But after he came to trust her as a professional and a friend he had pushed his first thoughts aside. Now he realized that this had been a mistake. He still couldn't figure her out and that fact alone made it distinctively harder to find out what the hell was wrong with her.

Her mood had only gotten worse when he had returned to work. He couldn't exactly put his finger on it but her mood bothered him. He used all his free time to wreck his brain about what he could possibly have said that had set her off but he just couldn't come up with anything. He came to a point where he was so desperate to get the old Jenny back that he considered asking Kelly for advise. But the teenager had enough on her plate already, she didn't need to deal with his problems as well... So on the day he finally worked up enough courage to call her out on her behavior, Morrow threw them in for a completely different loop. He called them up shortly after they arrived that morning and let them wait in his office for a total of twenty minutes before he cared to show up. By that time Gibbs was pretty pissed off and annoyed as hell because Jenny seemed totally unimpressed by the situation. When Morrow finally walked in, he carried two dark blue folders with their names on it. He slowly sat down behind his table and stared at them for a moment. When he was satisfied with the undivided atention he seemed to have he handed each of his agents a folder.

For Jenny it felt like the day Gibbs and herself got the invitations to the summer ball. Only thinking about it made her hands tremble slightly and her breathing a little heavier. She took a deep breath before opening the folder - completely unprepared for what was inside. The first words that managed to catch her eye were confusing as hell. Classified. Undercover. Europe. Paris. Married. Her mind went into overdrive. Morrow couldn't be serious. Just as she was trying to get away from Gibbs, Morrow was going to send her undercover with him? As a married couple? Was he crazy or just trying to win the betting pool about Gibbs and her that existed for month now? Her mind was reeling. But then another, a more important thought crossed her mind.

"What about Kelly?" She didn't realize she had said it out loud until both Morrow and Gibbs turned to her - staring. She didn't know why but that was the only question she needed an answer to right now. What was going to happen to the teenage girl when her father was somewhere in Europe doing God knows what? They couldn't just leave her behind. But she had to go to school as well and she definitely wasn't to put into danger.

Gibbs just looked as if the thought hadn't occurred to him until now. But after getting over the first shock he turned away from Jenny and directed his questioning stare at the director instead. For a second Morrow looked lost as if he hadn't realized this would be how the conversation would turn out but with both his agents glaring daggers at him he was fast to give a response.
"Don't worry, I've taken care of that problem. Kelly is going to join you in Europe. At least partly. I called the school and checked in with her teacher. She is willing to send schoolwork for the next 12 to 18 month over at first. We are not sure how long this assignment will last so we'll be ready in case Kelly needs more material. Ducky is joining in as well, so he is going to take on the role of Kelly's teacher. I just talked to him a few minutes ago. I have never seen anyone so excited by the mentioning of school work but it seems as if his new role as teacher is already exciting him. So with that setteld, would you mind returning to the original topic?" His smile was warm. He obviously knew what Kelly meant to both of them. When he received a nod from both sides he continued. "Your base will be Paris. Your undercover names will be Elizabeth and John Stirling. You've been married for about a year and the trips through Europe are part of an extended honeymoon. Ducky is going to act as John's uncle Robert Murray and is staying in Paris with you. You'll have a few shorter assaingments that will send you down the french coast or even to other european countries. The plan is to hold Kelly out of this but when it comes down to it she will have a cover as John's niece from Florida, Faith Jacobs. She'll be okay to leave the house because your Paris mission is mostly about intel but I suggest to not mention her on any of the other trips you might take. Everything else you need to know about your covers is in these files. Ducky already has his and I have another one for Kelly in my safe. She can pick it up tomorrow after you talked with her and only when she is up to it. I know you are a single dad, Gibbs, so if there should be any reason this doesn't work for you I can find Agent Shepard a different partner for this mission." He took a good look at Gibbs who shook his head forcefully. The last thing he wanted was Jenny acting as a couple with another guy in Paris. "We'll be fine."

Next to him Jenny sighed. She definitely didn't want to be acting to be married to Gibbs but she didn't want any other guy either. She felt torn and suddenly she had no idea what she really wanted. Did she want Gibbs to leaves her alone or not? Maybe if they just got the sexual tension out of the way she would realize that she was just attracted to his body and nothing else. But somehow she didn't quite believe herself when that thought crossed her mind. Well, it seemed like she didn't have a choice. Jenny looked over at Jethro who studied her intently. She knew he knew something changed but she wasn't ready to explain that to him. Actually she wasn't sure she could explain it even if she would be ready. But she had to focus on the task at hand right now and that was this mission and Kelly for that matter. She nodded shortly at Gibbs, the first real connection they had in weeks, and then looked over at Morrow, her gaze determinded. "We'll be fine", she repeated her partners statement. And just like that it was decided. They would fly to Paris, as a married couple, with a teenage girl and a top secret mission. This had the word "disaster" written all over it.

That night she found herself at Gibbs' house again. It had been a while since she had been there and she realized she kind of missed it. For a moment she considered ringing the bell or knocking - she had given up her right to just walk into his house whenever she felt like it weeks ago. But then he would definitely know that something was wrong. So she took a deep breath and walked through the door, leaving her jacket and purse in the fronthall. She left her heels on on purpose. The sound of them on his hardwood floor sounded through the whole house and was a dead giveaway. If he didn't know she was there the minute she pulled into his driveway he now for sure did.
She walked over to the fridge, got herself a beer and then made her way over to the door that would lead her directly in his basement. He was sanding the boat - like always. And Kelly was sitting on the old couch in the corner, her feet up on a nearby chair, reading a book - like always. A feeling of security swamped over her and she automatically felt guilty. That feeling was another thing she had sworn of when she had decided to distance herself from Gibbs.
She shook her head to get rid of these thoughts. This was not about her but about Kelly and their mission. She put on a fake smile and walked down the stairs. Kelly squealed the moment she saw Jenny. She jumped up and right into the redheads arms. "Hey, I missed you." Jenny smiled softly at her. "I missed you too kiddo." She didn't offer anything more. She had no explanation and Kelly didn't seem to want one. So that was settled. Kelly pulled her over to the couch and they sat down like they had so many times. "What are you doing here?" Jenny looked over at Gibbs who stopped the sanding and nodded at her. "well, your dad and I have something we need to talk to you about. We.." Kelly suddenly squealed again and happily asked "Are you getting married?" Silence took over the room."What?", exclaimed Jenny and Gibbs at the same time, looking shocked.
"What?", said Kelly in response. Obviously confused and a little embarrassed. Jenny shook her head again and then cleared her throat. "What I wanted to say was that we got assigned to an undercover operation in Europe. And we want you to join us and Ducky in Paris for as long as the mission is taking." Kelly looked from one to the other, the grin on her face becoming wider and wider." Are you kidding me? Of ourse I'm coming with you. That is so cool. Wait. Am I gonna get an alias too?" Gibbs just nodded and she squealed again. "That is the best early birthday present ever." Then suddenly she got quiet and looked at them. "And what are you going to do the whole time?" Jenny opened her mouth to answer but Gibbs beat her to it. "We are getting married", he quipped. Kelly squealed yet again and Jenny just groaned. What had she gotten herself into?

Later that evening she stood on his front deck looking at him leaning against the door frame. She bid him a quiet good night and turned to leave but his voice stopped her. "Any preferences for an engagement ring?" She looked at him, stunned for a moment and then shook her head. "I trust your gut." And with that she disappeared into the night.

6 days later she was sitting on a plane, looking out of the window and seeing D.c.'s skyline getting smaller and smaller. A ray of sunshine passed through the glass and caught the gorgerous dark blue Saphire rimmed by little clear dimonds on her left ringfinger. Right next to it a simple silver wedding band. She sighed. That was definitely not what she had signed up for. She turned and looked over at her
"husband" and her "niece" fast asleep in their chairs. She sighed again. So not what she signed up for.