⌖ reader and Gibbs have the day to laze around and be in each other’s presence.
⌖ gibbs deserves so much love. i love him and i love his character and he deserves so much more.
“Hey, you,” rumbled Jethro from behind you. His arms wrapped securely round your waist- exhaling stress and letting his eyes close. Jethro’s soft greys tickled your neck as he leaned into you.
Your heart sped up a touch. Moments like these- the domestic peace that Jethro initiated (especially so early in the morning)- were few and far between. Work had been… less than pleasant as of late. So this- just the feeling of him there with you- seem to put everything in place. “Morning, love.”
You finished cooking the eggs and plated them. Placed the plate and his designated mug at his spot on the table. It was only after you put your own plate on the table did Jethro finally unattach himself from your back to eat his own food.
The day was thankfully slow after breakfast. Jethro worked on the boat during the morning, with you making idle conversation. You were reading a book at one point, but you got more than a little distracted watching your husband’s back flex as he sanded wood.
Lunchtime rolled around. You warm up some leftover chicken from dinner the other night to eat. You opted to serve it with half a glass of whiskey for Jethro, knowing he would be more than thankful for the familiar burn.
During the afternoon you convinced Jethro to watch a few movies with you. But watching movies quickly turned into folding clothes and tossing folded socks at each other whenever the other wasn’t paying attention.
Ziva had called the night before to see if the two of you would have dinner with her. You said yes, naturally, because Ziva had wormed her way into your heart and you knew it wasn’t always easy for her to reach out to people so you jumped at the chance to see her.
1700 rolled around. You were just laying the necklace against your neck when Jethro came up behind you. Yes, he had a habit of following you closer than your own shadow. Yes, he did it to make sure you were safe. Yes, you found it endearing.
He said nothing as his scared fingers took the delicate chain with one hand and moved your hair to the side with the other. You watched in the vanity as Jethro’s eyes twitched as he fumbled with his thumbs to get the clasp buckled. When he finally got it, he moved your hair back and his eyes found yours through the mirror. “Beautiful,” he muttered, hands finding their spot at your hips- because, hell, Leroy Jethro Gibbs had a thing for hips.
When dinner was over and you stepped up into Jethro’s truck, his hand tucked itself between your thighs. The ride home was mainly just you talking about Ziva and how crazy the demeanor change was when she was off company hours. Jethro agreed, saying she was great at compartmentalization. But you knew that. You had to be great at compartmentalizing if you had her father and her job and her life.
Jethro took your clothes off and all but launched his shirt and boxers at you to wear because he knew you preferred his clothes over yours. You fell asleep listening to the comforting rumble of Jethro’s voice and the light ghosting of his fingertips on your stomach.
You wished more days were good like this, but you’d take what you could get.
hey sugar! can i request gibbs with the prompt “i think there’s someone in the house” but they had just gotbough a dog and that’s what the noise is
title; dog in the dark (Leroy Jethro Gibbs x fem!reader)
prompts; “i think there’s someone in the house” — from three hundred assorted dialogue prompts
warnings; established relationship, husband!gibbs, reader is wife no.5 lol, they’ve got a dog (breed undescribed so go wild i guess), soft!gibbs, if i missed any lmk!! (344 words)
one year masterlist | main masterlist
— thank you for celebrating my one year!!! | submissions are now closed
you jolted awake in bed, a sound downstairs causing a panic.
beside you, Jethro remained sound asleep, one arm drawn tight across your front even as you sat upright.
the noise downstairs continued, as if someone had broken in and couldn’t find their way around, bumping into furniture as they fumbled for a light switch.
it continued, even as you tried to wake Jethro.
“i think there’s someone in the house”
you whispered as he stirred groggily, your words catching his attention as he listened out carefully for the noise downstairs.
once he hears it, he chuckles tiredly, shaking his head while amusement plasters itself across his face.
“it’s nothing”
that made your brows knit together.
“nothing? it sounds like someone’s downstairs”
instead of answering, Jethro simply pulls you down into his side, trailing his hand soothingly along the length of your back.
he chuckled again, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.
“it’s just the dog”
you paused, resting a hand on his chest as you pulled your head back to meet his eyes.
Jethro chuckled, holding you tight against his side as a smirk tugged at his lips as a look of realisation painted your features.
“..the dog”
his hand made another pass along your back, trailing his fingers soothingly.
“the dog, that’s all it is”
he hummed as you rested your head on his shoulder again, continuing to run his fingers along your back.
of course it was the dog, how could you have forgotten about the dog?
“sorry for forgetting about the dog”
Jethro shook his head, glancing down at you while you looked up at him, a small frown tugging at your lips.
“damn thing is probably just lost and looking to cuddle”
that made you smile, a small giggle bubbling past your lips.
“you don’t want him in the bed”
he chuckled at your words, his hand squeezing at your hip as he leaned in to kiss you.
the kiss was soft, but his words were softer against your lips.
He tries to keep his rough exterior, but he totally melts for you
He’ll definitely dance with you in the basement if you ask sweetly enough, and even if he pretends not to, he loves just swaying with you to some old country loves songs.
(This would definitely play through his radio)
Or kiss every one of you fingers if you come home from work and say they’re sore.
He will put you back in the car if you try to open your own door.
He’ll learn how to put your hair in a pony tail or a bun if you hurt your shoulder and can’t do it yourself. Plus he’ll keep brushing your hair for you, sitting snugly between his thighs and enjoying his warmth, long after you heal.
He sings to you if you wake up in the night reliving your darkest times in your dreams. He’ll wrap you up as tightly as he can in his strong arms, strong enough to remind you you’re safe with him, and whisper the words to any old song that pops into his head.
He loves to leave you little notes by the coffee pot or on your bedside table when he leaves before you do:
Have a good day, my love. See you tonight
- J
You agree not to marry early in the relationship
You’d both been around that block more than once, and it seemed like that fancy piece of paper just complicates things.
Of course, you’re exclusive to one another, but you just can’t bring yourselves to risk changing what you have by changing your last name. It seems so insignificant when you think of it that way.
Most of your neighbors and friends just assume you’re married, anyway. So when a letter arrives in the mail addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs, you aren’t surprised. It makes you smile to see it on paper, but nothing is going to change your minds on this.
His love language is 100% acts of service
He’ll unload the dishwasher, fold the laundry, bring you home fresh flowers for no reason at all, have dinner ready if he somehow makes it home before you do one day. He rarely lets you bring in any groceries or luggage. Even though he knows you are tough enough to literally take him down, he wouldn’t dare letting you carry something too heavy or inconvenient.
Any little thing he can do to brighten your day, he does.
In turn, the small acts you grant him, like taking his suit jackets to the dry cleaners, setting his shoes and thermos out for him before work, picking up a new book about boats, make him fall even more in love with you.
He makes you things
J will make you anything he thinks you might like. A wooden stand for your plants, a step stool when you mention that the bed is just a little bit high off the ground for you, shelves to proudly display your knick knacks, a sled for Christmas after you tell him you never had one as a child.
He’d even try his hand at a ukulele if you mention wanting to learn to play.
Of course he’s made boats named for Kelly and Shannon, but his newest project is adorned proudly with your name, sprawled across the hull in flowing letters.
His hobby turns into more than just that, it’s his way to show you how much he loves you, and you soak in everything he’ll give you.
He’ll use his jacket to shield you from the rain
Jethro is usually prepared for anything, but rain can sneak up on you. In that case, he’ll peel his jacket off and cover you as best as he can. Even if it means he’ll get soaked to the bone, he’ll make sure you’re covered a least a little bit more than he is.
He tones down his crazy driving for you
The first time you got in the car with him, you about passed out from an anxiety attack. You don’t want to be a backseat driver, so you just grin and bear it for a while, but he picks up on your discomfort pretty quickly.
He slows down, starts using his turn signal, and stops cutting people off, but every now and then, when it’s late and the roads are empty, he’ll take you for a high-speed cruise just to get your blood pumping.
He’s much touchier than you ever imagined
A strong hand on the small of your back, fingers ghosting over your exposed thigh, a reassuring squeeze to your shoulder when you’re uneasy, or just brushing against you to pass, even when there is plenty of room to spare.
Anything he can do to have his hands on you, he’ll do. You two are like a safety tether for each other, always there to make sure you don’t drift too far away.
As far as PDA goes, Jethro is pretty limited in what he’s willing to show the world, but he’ll always find a discreet way to connect himself to you. A brief brush of your pinkies, a quick kiss to your forehead, or a full-on embrace if you find a moment alone. Whatever it is, his touch still sets you on fire every time.
He is so gentle and fatherly to children
The two of you decided early on that you would avoid having kids. Given his past, you understand and agree to the arrangement. When you get together with your young nieces and nephews, though, Jethro turns into a total kid right along with them.
He’s quick to join in a game of cops and robbers, always quipping how it’s so much more fun being the bad guy, or plop down in the grass and find pictures in the clouds.
When someone takes a tumble or scrapes up their knee, though, he’s the first to scoop them up in his strong arms and hug the pain away. He’ll make them feel better with a story about when he hurt his knee, too, or how chicks dig scars (you always smack him playfully for that).
He makes a mean cup of coffee
You’d never thought of yourself as much of a coffee snob, but after tasting Jethro’s version, brewed slowly over the fire if time allows and mixed with the perfect amount of cream and sugar, you could never go back to any coffee shop again.
Same goes for his cooking. He doesn’t make much, but when he does, damn it is good.
“The secret ingredient is love,” he’ll joke to you, mocking your own phrase, and you’ll roll your eyes as the flavors envelop your tastebuds.
All in all, our man Jethro is basically the best partner you could ever ask for, and you love showing him how much you appreciate him.
Tagging some of my LJG lovers 💕
@instantnoooodles @daphne-bourne @museofbooks @ilovemark1951 it won’t let me tag you :( @yestwlightfan
Soooooooo, despite disappearing off of the face of the earth for months basically (I have exams and hate my life), I'll be taking a bit of a hiatus for a while to get me through this study period. I've genuinely wanted to do this for the longest time (create a fic collection) but never had the ideas to do it.
I'm taking my chance now though, and there will be fics uploaded every week for the next (minimum) 5 weeks - bare in mind, these are unedited - and the last 2 might come a bit later than their planned dates, just because I haven't had time to write them while studying.
Anyway, the song-inspired fics are:
Thursday - James Potter (14th April)
Friendly Fire - Remus Lupin (21st April)
Kissing in Swimming Pools - Jimmy Palmer (28th April)
Author's Note: Since my other account @cheekyredwillow got deleted. I am adding some of my favorite fanfictions to this account and revamping this one with new ones. I hope to make an actual list of fandoms I am still a fan of! NO requests for the time being.
Warnings: sick reader (almost dies), PTSD from Paraguay, but mostly fluff. Soulmate AU where the longer one is away from soulmate, the sicker they get
~~~~
Since Jethro and Tim have been in Paraguay and captured, you and Delilah have been incredibly ill. Delilah of course from not being around her soulmate but you did not want to admit your boss Gibbs was your soulmate. So you tried to push it. You went to work. Headaches, stomach pain, vomiting, bloody coughs, and more occurred the longer they were gone.
Ellie knew what was going on. You have never been this sick since working but whenever Gibbs went on missions, you strangely got sick. Nick didn't really know till Ellie explained and when he saw you getting sick after Paraguay.
It got bad enough that you were hospitalized for your sickness. It was eating you from the inside out. Delilah was getting thinner but was able to stay at her apartment to wait for McGee.
Probably the torture at Paraguay made it seem like the two of them were not getting sick. McGee especially because he always thought of Delilah and it made him better. Gibbs was going through his own torment with his mind and body. The only thing strangely enough is that the thought of you made him feel somewhat better.
Now Gibbs was no idiot. He noticed since you joined the team and when you took days off, he would get sick. Oddly enough Ducky was the one who explained the phenomenon of soulmates. Specifically by not being around them causes the two of them to be sick. Especially during long periods of time, the soulmate's body would turn inside out because of it.
But when Gibbs and McGee were rescued from Paraguay, the first thought Gibbs had was you. Were you okay? Were you sick since he's been gone? Are you still living? Ducky mentioned that some soulmates could die after periods of alone time.
When Jethro got back and was checked over at the hospital, Ellie was there. She wanted to check on them and tell Gibbs you were in the same hospital but he beat her to the punch.
"Where is Y/n?" Gibbs demanded.
"Gibbs, she's down the hall." Ellie said softly.
"What do you mean?" Gibbs snapped.
"Since you had been gone, Y/n has gotten extremely ill and near dying multiple times. She needs you." Ellie said as she ushered him down the hall.
It did not take Gibbs long to get down the hall to your room. His heart felt like it stopped seeing your pale, thin body. Your eyes were shut and hollow. Your heart rate was faint. The only thing that made him happy is that seeing gift baskets from Nick, Ducky, Leon, Ellie, Delilah, and Abby. He moved to the side of your bed to get close.
Your hand was outstretched and Gibbs reached for it. Your hand was still soft like he remembered and slightly warm. He did not notice your eyes were slowly adjusting to the light or that your heart rate began to become normal.
"Y/n I have been away too long. The only reason that got me through was you. I think you're my soulmate. I hope that you are." Gibbs sighed.
Your hand twitched slightly causing Gibbs to immediately look up. He sees your e/c eyes barely open but looking at him. Your face showed a soft smile.
"Hey G-Gibbs." You croaked.
"Hey Y/n, how are you feeling?" He asked.
"Like I've been hit by a truck." You sighed.
"Let me get the nurse and then we can talk." Gibbs said as he squeezed your hand.
The nurse called the doctor in to look you over and check vitals. The doctor said you did need water and food but your vitals were turning normal. Gibbs was patiently waiting for the doctor to finish and watching you. He had to admit but seeing you awake and alive made him feel tons better.
As the doctor left and the nurse brought in some food, Gibbs sat beside your bed to help you eat. The nurse left with a smile on her face and did not say a word.
"Can I ask you something?" Gibbs asked as he handed you some crackers to munch on.
"You just did." You said as Gibbs rolled his eyes.
"Do you think we're soulmates?"
Gibbs noticed your shocked expression on your face and you knew your face was hot to touch. You really did not want Gibbs to figure it out like this.
"I d-do." You stuttered out before Gibbs handed you a spoon of soup.
"That's good. I would have thought I was going crazy from Paraguay if not. I was being serious that the thought of you helped me through it." Gibbs said softly. "But apparently me being gone so long made you so sick you could have died."
"But we found you. Or at least the team did. You're safe and I'm feeling better. I'm not coughing up blood or vomiting." You explained. "I'm just glad we finally admitted it."
"So am I. Do you mind if I give you a kiss? I've been wanting to for the past few months." Gibbs asked as you immediately nodded your head.
Even though you were still recovering, the kiss was sweet and calm. Sure you kissing back was rather weak but Gibbs guided the kiss. After you two broke for air, you didnt notice the nurse peak in just to check your heart rate but she did tell the others what happened.
Your stay in the hospital lasted for a week but Gibbs stayed by your side unless he had to meet a psychiatrist or go back to the office. Even when you returned from the hospital, you two decided to move into Gibbs's place so you two could stay by each other's side.
We're Finally Having Our Baby! - An Agent Gibbs Fanfic (Gibbs X Reader)
Description: You and Gibbs are getting closer to finally meeting your bundle of joy! What will the future hold for you and Gibbs?
Warning: pure fluff, enough to make me gag and cringe (my first time actually writing fluff and not adding any drama to spice it up, so hopefully it's good)
(Part One) Want to read more, visit my Masterlist!
Looking at Gibbs putting the final touches on your crib made you realize how close you both were to having your baby with you in person.
You smiled at the thought of him cradling your newborn, showing them around the house and bringing them downstairs to show them all the tools, wood, and the little things he's made down there.
Gibbs had jumped at any chance he could get to help you get his place ready for the baby, even while he was on cases. He'd always come to check in on you after you went on maternity leave and made sure you were fine and that you didn't need anything.
It was sweet the way he was showing you that he cared and how he wanted to change how he acted for six months to you and your baby. And you were grateful that he decided to be a part of this journey with you.
When it was time for you to find out the gender of your baby, you had told the doctor no because it just didn't feel right not to find out without Gibbs present even if he wasn't going to be in the child's life. But now seeing him at appointments telling the doctor that he wants it to be a surprise and how excited he was to see who the little one was when they were born brought tears to your eyes.
"Jethro," you called out from the basement stairs top platform, "it's time for work."
He continued to sand a small piece of wood when he answered, "I'll be right there. I'm just finishing up this knob for the crib."
"Okay, but hurry up or you'll be late." You knew he still had plenty of time, but when he was in the zone, you knew that time was all but forgotten for him, so you made sure to tell him he was late so he'd get to work on time.
You smiled as you watched his face scrunch up as he concentrated, and you turned away to the kitchen to pack up a to go cup with coffee for him. You always had made a mean coffee but were too afraid to have Gibbs taste yours until you moved in and he asked if you could one morning when he was running too late to grab one at his usual coffee shop. Since then, he has been hooked on how you make it and always asks you to make him some.
"I love you." You heard him say as you felt his arms come around you and hug you from behind. He stayed like that for a few minutes, face pressed against your hair as he held you tightly.
He pulled away after a few minutes and gave you a peck on the cheek as he collected his jacket and coffee from the counter. "You are so beautiful." He whispered, causing your face to flame up.
Gibbs had been trying to tell you how he felt about you, which communication was one of the things you told him needed to change those three months ago. And since then, he's been nonstop saying whatever comes to mind. At first you were flattered but then you thought he was saying it just to say it and when you brought it up during one of your mood swings he told you everything he says out loud is what he's always felt and thought. He always thinks about how beautiful you are, and he doesn't want to stop thinking that.
You pulled him in for a front ward hug, your large belly slightly pushing you away from him. "Be safe, okay?"
He nodded in reply and gave you one last peck on the lips before he headed out the door and heard the car engine start. You cleaned up the counter where you spilled some coffee, locked the front door and went to head upstairs to put on an outfit for the day. You got to your closet and pulled out a white lace sundress that had little spaghetti straps. You slipped on some sandals and brushed your hair back when you heard the front door open.
You quietly sat your hair brush down, went over to your bedroom door, and slightly closed it. Hearing footsteps go around downstairs, you opened up your nightstand and grabbed your gun. Going into the bathroom, you hid behind the door, gun cocked and ready.
You heard footsteps headed up the stairs and heading down the hall to your room. You heard the slight creak of the door opening, and the floorboards groaned with each step as they got closer to the bathroom's door. When they were right outside of the door, you swung it open, gun aimed only to find a surprised Gibbs looking at you with his hands up.
"Jethro!" You shouted, upset that you almost shot him. "Don't scare me like that!"
He chuckled and took the gun out of your hands, setting it on the bathroom vanity. "I did call you to tell you I was coming back, but you didn't respond." Gibbs took you in his arms as you hugged him tightly, still in shock that you could have easily killed him. "I'm sorry, my love. Next time, I'll call your name as I go."
"It's okay," you whispered. "All forgiven."
Gibbs pulled away slightly and frowned when he saw a few tears leaking from your eyes. He quickly wiped them away with his thumbs as he cradled your head. "I'm okay, Y/N. You're okay. Just relax, okay?" He murmurmed as he hugged you again, stroking your hair.
You nodded and let a few more tears fall. He was always like this when you cried, a wonderful part of your mood swings. The first time he saw you cry, he paused for a second in shock since he's never seen you cry before, but he went right into comfort mode for you. Even if the tears are over something silly, he will always comfort you.
He gently picked you up to sit you on top of the vanity and rubbed the sides of your belly as he stood between your legs. "I'm now just noticing the dress, and if I wasn't super late for work, I would be taking you in the bedroom. You are just breathtaking."
You chuckled through a stuffed nose at the site Gibbs must have been seeing when he looked at you. Half brushed hair, puffy eyes from crying, tears staining your cheeks, a stuffy nose from your crying, and your swollen belly protruding from your dress while the rest of your body was swollen in areas they usually weren't. "You're funny. I'm a sight for sore eyes." You laughed, as you blew your nose.
"Nah," he shook his head, "you're just plain gorgeous." He leaned in and gave you a sweet kiss on the lips before deepening it.
You kissed him back passionate as you wrapped your arms on his shoulders, tangling on hand through his short hair while his roamed your body. He moved the hem of your dress up, exposing your lower area, as he ran his hands up and down your thighs, causing you to moan. He picked you up, never breaking the kiss, and carried you out into the bedroom.
The elevator dinged as you walked with Gibbs hand in hand into the squad room to find Abby practically bouncing up and down at the sight of you. The rest of the team stood behind her smiling when they saw you and Gibbs get closer.
"Y/N!" Abby shouted, running to you as she crushed you into a hug as best she could. " I miss you so so much!"
"I missed you too, Abby."
"Abs, let her go before you crush her." Gibbs joked.
"Oops." Abby said as she let go and then gave you one more tiny hug before stepping back.
The rest of the team came up one by one as they gave you hugs.
You were near your due date and begged Gibbs to bring you with him to work since you were slowly going insane home alone. It was nice to finally see your friends, even though they came by often, and Abby, Ziva, and yourself went out on their days off. It was just nice to see everyone back in a familiar environment.
Gibbs sat you down in his chair, gave you a peck on the forehead, which caused Abby to coo, and left to go talk to Director Vance. You sat there rubbing your belly as you chatted away when you felt something warm trinke down your leg. You stopped what you were saying and looked in shock at the team. "I think my water just broke." You whispered.
The team looked in shock for a second before springing into action. "Palmer, go find Gibbs." Ducky said, as he took your hand in his as he helped you up.
"There's a secret go bag under Gibbs' desk," Ziva called out as she helped you into your sweater.
McGee bustled under Gibbs desk and came out with a very large diaper bag. You smiled happily at the thought of him keeping an extra bag under his desk just in case. You walked over and unzipped it and looked in at all the things he packed when you felt a sharp pain in your abdomen, causing you to cry out.
"We aren't waiting, Miss. Y/N," Ducky said as he pulled you away from the diaper bag. "We need to get you to the hospital."
He sat you down in Gibbs' chair, and Tony pushed it over to the elevator as another pain hit, causing you to cry out once again.
You saw Palmer run over as the elevator doors opened and Tony rushed you inside. "He's not up in Vance's office or in MTAC, does anyone know where he is?"
The rest of the team filled in as another more painful pain shot through your body. "No," you said as you gritted through the pain. "Just find him, or he's a dead man."
Palmer nodded as the doors closed and shouted out a good luck as you saw him run off. The team ended up using Ducky's truck since it had the lights on it and a comfortable place to lay, which was disinfected Ducky had said before placing you in.
The ride was short and comfortable but painful. You were whisked quickly into a room, while the team waited outside as they prepared you into a hospital gown and checked to see how far along you were. "Still two centimeters, so you have time. We can administer medicine to help with the pain in a bit if you want." You nodded as another pain shot through you. "Try to relax as best as you can with the pain."
The doctor left and met with a group outside the door. "Is anyone here the father?"
"No, but he should be coming soon." Tony answered.
"How far along is she?" Ducky inquired.
"Two centimeters at the moment, she can get an epidural but we have some medications to help with the pain before that. I do need someone to fill out some medical questions before we can proceed."
Ducky perked up, "I know her medical history, I can fill those out for her."
"Awesome, I'll see the rest of you and her shortly. You can go check in on her."
The team filled into the room, Abby and Ziva taking your hands as you cried out through another painful contraction.
"Where's Gibbs?" You screamed out as another one hit you harder this time, causing your torso to come forward towards your legs.
"I am right here, love." Gibbs shouted as he ran into the room. He took the hand Ziva was holding, sitting on the bed as his other hand brushed away the sweat that was gathering on your forehead. "I'm so sorry that I walked away and you couldn't find me. " He kissed your knuckles as you squeezed his hand harder through a smaller contraction.
"Don't do that ever again." You whispered as you leaned back into the bed, already tiring out from the pain.
"I won't."
"Miss Y/L/N, we can administer some medication now before the epidural of you'd like."
"Yes, please."
They administered the medication, and you laid back feeling the medicine kick in.
A few hours later, they were administering the epidural, and you were lying against Gibbs between his legs, a comfort position that you've enjoyed during your pregnancy, especially when your body ached.
"This feels so much better." You whispered as the epidural started to kick in. "Remind me why I decided to have a kid? It's so painful."
Gibbs chuckled as he massaged your shoulders. "You'll know in a little bit."
He sat up a bit and massaged your arms, chest, and legs and then rubbed your belly. "I'm going to miss this."
"Miss what? I can always give you massages."
You looked up at him, with a smile. "No, you rubbing my belly. I really liked it."
He smiled down at you and gave you a small kiss. "I guess we'll just have to make more babies then." You giggled against his lips.
You gave a slight rub to your belly and smiled. You grabbed the pitcher of lemonade and brought it outside to the small gathering that was in your backyard.
You were holding a small party for the twins' first birthday. That's right, twins. You and Gibbs were shocked when the doctor said to continue pushing as soon as your first baby came into the world, but you were blessed with two beautiful girls - Shannon Jennifer and Francine Kelly.
Gibbs was shocked when you mentioned the names, since you didn't bring them up when you both were talking about names, but you wanted to honor those who loved and cared for Gibbs. You couldn't pick one first name, so you decided each girl would have two first names, and they could decide what they wanted to use more.
You sat the pitcher down on the table and looked around to see the twins in the sandbox as they played with Tony and McGee. You smiled as the two boys helped pack the sand into a bucket for the twins and watched them clap and squeal as Tony and McGee slid the sand out of the buckets to make a small castle.
A pair of arms circled your chest, and a small kiss was placed on your shoulder. "If everyone could gather around." Gibbs called out, and the party moved closer with Tony and McGee picking up the twins to bring them up to Gibbs and you.
"Make way for the birthday girls!" Tony called out, and the crowd chuckled.
Once the girls were brought over, you crouched down and held them as they stood up leaning against you as they took in the crowd of people around them.
"I know I'm not a man of very many words, but I've been trying so bare with me." Earnign Gibbs a few laughs. "I just want to thank everyone who's helped Y/N and myself the last year and throughout her pregnancy. It's made the transition easy, especially when Y/N went back to work. Now, I was always afraid to love someone again and to start a family, but with Y/N, it was easy. I couldn't imagine anyone more perfect for our girls than you. And I couldn't imagine anyone more perfect for me than you. You've helped me learn and grow so much since I've met you, and I couldn't imagine my life without you."
The crowded cooed, and you wiped a few happy tears from your eyes as you held your girls in your arms. Gibbs knelt down in front of you and ruffled through his pocket until he brought out a tiny velvet box, causing you to gasp as he opened it, revealing a diamond ring. "Y/N Y/L/N, will you make me the happiest man by marrying me?"
You nod vigorously as you burst out into tears as Gibbs took Francine Kelly into his arms so he could slide the ring onto your finger. The crowd around you clapped as he cupped your cheek to give you a kiss.
Abby took the girls, and you stood up and gave Gibbs a big hug. "I can't wait to be your wife." You whispered.
You squealed as Gibbs dipped you and gave you a passionate kiss on the lips. "I can't wait to call you Mrs. Gibbs."
The crowd buzzed around excitedly as he set you on your feet, and you gathered the attention back. "I wanted to do a small surprise today, but after that huge surprise, I'm unsure." You laughed. You grabbed a small wrapped box from the table behind you and handed it to Gibbs who was knelt down with the twins. "This is for you."
Gibbs looked at you curiously and then had the girls help him unwrap it. He opened the box to a small pair of baby shoes with a small card reading, 'Baby Gibbs will be meeting the world in 7 months.'
"Are you serious?" He asked, in shock.
You bounced on your toes happily. "Yes!"
He stood up smiling and picked you up, spinning you around and giving you a kiss. He held you tight and showed the crowd the box. "Baby number three!"
The crowd once again cheered, and everyone came up to you congratulating you excitedly. Once everyone was done, the party went back into full swing as everyone played with the girls.
You stood under the yard's twinkle lights while Gibbs wrapped a small sweater over your shoulders and then gathered you into his arms. "Thank you." He mumbled.
"For what?"
"For giving me a happy ending after all these years."
You gave him a kiss and then leaned back into him happily as you watched your two girls laugh and squeal with those who you called your family. Your now ringed hand covered Gibbs as he rubbed your small belly that held your new bundle of joy.
Three days. It took Aurora three days to come to the realization that Agent Gibbs did not like her-- more so than the other two agents that replaced his team. With every step she took and every word she spoke, his disdain for her grew more and more apparent. She did her best to ignore his scrutinizing glare, but she could swear he knew her secret.
Michelle told her she needed to stay late to work. She stayed too, assuring her it would be better if they left together, but she wasn’t going to leave her here by herself. As Michelle worked, Aurora kept busy at her desk, keeping her in her peripheral at all times.
Sudden ringing startled both women. Aurora picked up her cell, frowning when she saw the caller. She spared a quick glance at Michelle before she answered.
“Tobias? Why are you calling--”
“Aurora, turn on ZNN.” His tone was sharp enough to cut through glass. He and her father had worked together several times before her father retired. He was a frequent presence in her life, more so than her own father. It was sad to say that they had a much closer bond for it.
“Wha--”
“Now.” She stood from her seat and grabbed the remote off Michelle’s desk. She flipped through the channels until the spotty helicopter footage on ZNN was on screen. She sat down on Gibb’s desk and turned the volume up. “Did you find it?” His question fell on deaf ears as she watched the camera zoom out, showing a burning SUV with two indistinguishable figures nearby. The scene before her was absolute carnage.
“We’re getting reports that an explosion has rocked a neighborhood in the vicinity of the federal plaza. Authorities have closed down the entire area and are not going to give any information at this time.”
“Oh my.”
“Yeah.” Aurora shook her head, focusing her attention back on her phone call. “Yeah, I’m seeing it now. Are you there? Are you okay?” Her heart sped up slightly as she bit the tip of her thumb.
“No. I’m in DC, but your dad is there.”
“And with eight suspicious incidents in as little as three weeks, we have no room but to speculate whether or not there will be more attacks.” She turned her attention back to the screen as a woman appeared, standing in front of an ambulance. “We have no word yet on any injuries, but with the explosion as far away as Prince Street, an unconfirmed report said it was a car bomb. NYPD’s emergency services, as well as federal--” She shut the television off, excusing herself. She went around the corner, enough to keep Michelle out of earshot, but within eyesight.
“Why is he in a federal building?” she asked, keeping her voice low.
“I thought you knew. Your dad left retirement a few months ago, Kid.” His words stung. She took a deep breath, glancing over her shoulder. Michelle had turned the news back on and was watching intently.
“What do you know about his case?” Her attention was back on the phone call.
“Not much. I know they were in New York for ‘nother possible Son of Sam situation, but that’s it. You know your old man’s not one for sharing.”
“Okay, well contact someone on his team and see if he’s there or--”
“That’s the thing Kid. No one can get a hold of anyone on the team.”
She hung up the phone. Checking one more time to make sure Michelle was still distracted, she began dialing her father’s number. It rang and rang and rang but he never picked up. He didn’t pick up the second, third, or fourth time he called either.
Her heart picked up as she looked at her desk. She thought about leaving, driving up to New York and searching every street until she found him. But she couldn’t leave Michelle here unsupervised. If she was the rat, then she couldn’t leave her alone with valuable government secrets. But this was her dad. Sure he hadn’t been present much in her life, less so now, but he was her flesh and blood.
She see-sawed back and forth, unsure what she should do. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she dialed the one person who could help her at a crucial time like this.
“Hello?”
“Hey Mom, it’s Rory.”
“Oh Rory! How are you sweetie? Why are you calling so late? Are you in trouble?” There was a slight panic in her mother’s voice, and she knew she couldn’t tell her about Dad, or her job.
“No! No, I’m fine, but I have a question to ask you. I-- my friend is in a bit of a dilemma.” Her mother hummed, and she could see the knowing smile on her face. “You see, she has a job to do-- a really important job, but someone close to her is in trouble-- really big trouble. But if she goes to the person, she’s risking her job and a lot of people’s safety. But this person is irreplaceable. How does she know which one to do?”
After a moment of silence, her mother finally responded, “Well, your friend does have a big decision. But it ultimately comes down to what they feel is right. However, I will grant you this parcel of wisdom to pass on: jobs are important, yes, but they come and go. It’s the people in our lives we should worry about, because when they’re gone, they’re gone. And nothing can change that.”
“Thanks Mom.”
“Good luck, sweetie.” She disconnected the call, looking at her desk. Her mother was right, of course. She couldn’t abandon her father now, not when his life could be in danger. She returned to her desk, grabbing her jacket and bag.
“Rory? Are you okay?” Michelle stood from her desk, walking over.
“Uh. Yeah.” She spared a quick glance to her desk drawer before bringing herself back to the present. “Yeah. Family emergency. I gotta go.” She left her standing in the bullpen, brows furrowed.
As she assaulted the elevator button, she took her phone out again, dialing yet another person. Thankfully she knew he was up at least.
“Vance.”
“Sir, Agent Lee is still in the building. Last I saw her, she was in the bullpen. I’d have stayed with her but something important has come up and I have to go.
“Agent Baker, I don’t know how things used to run when you were in deep cover, but these types of things need to go through proper channels.” There was an air of annoyance in his voice as he spoke. She rolled her eyes, stepping out into the car lot. “You’re in the middle of a delicate and volatile case, and asking to leave--”
“With all due respect, Director,” she cut in,” I wasn’t asking. She hung up the phone, throwing her stuff into the passenger seat of her car before speeding off into the night. She knew she’d be reamed into the next year when she returned to work, but there were other important things for her to worry about and only one place she could go.
She reached down into her glove box, pulling out her emergency phone and dialing one last person. Her other phone was ringing like crazy, so with her emergency phone between her ear and shoulder, and her left hand on the steering wheel, she fished around until her hand came into contact with the buzzing metal. She powered it off just as the receiver picked up.
“Fornell--”
“Tobias, it’s Rory. Don’t save this number, it’s a burner. I need you to do something for me.”
“Rory--” There was an underlying exasperation tone to his voice.
“Please. I want the case file Dad was working on. If I can follow his steps, I might be able to know what happened.”
“That’s a whole lot of ‘ifs’ and ‘might’s’ Kid, but I’ll see what I can do.”
It was a little more than half an hour before she was pulling into the driveway of a grand house. She let out a puff of air, shaking her head. Fame, it seemed, had treated her father well. She stepped out of the car, making her way to the front of the house. She stopped at the birch tree by the patio, digging a small hole before wrapping her fingers around a tarnished key.
She dusted the dirt off the key, and made her way inside. She let out a low whistle as she took in the exterior. If there was one thing her father was fond of, it was the finer things in life. As she hung her jacket up, there was a deep bark and the sound of running coming at her.
“Mudgie!” Her father’s brown lab came barreling down the hall, tongue flopping in the wind. She dropped to one knee as the dog nearly toppled her over, licking her face excitedly. “I’ve missed you too, boy. You’ve gotten so big!” She knew he didn’t understand what she was saying, but that was okay. She was happy he was just happy to see her.
She stood up, using her sleeve to wipe away the saliva coating her face. Her dad had done quite a lot of renovations since the last time she’d been here. Of course that had been years ago, so she wasn’t too surprised that things had changed.
She turned on the small television he had in his kitchen, watching as the woman still covered the story. She pulled her laptop out of her bag and took a seat at his counter. There was an email containing her father’s case waiting for her. His entire case was at the tip of her fingers, and she had no time to go through every bit and retrace his steps. She squared her shoulders, ignored the panic tears wishing well in her eyes, and set forth.
The hours began to tick by, yet she was no closer to figuring out what was happening with her father than she was about what he was dealing with in New York. She combed through every piece of evidence she could, watched countless videos of murder, and waited for any type of call to let her know he was okay or hurt or dead.
It was hours before she ended up passed out on the counter, computer full of a gruesome case. Her cheek rested on the cold slab of marble, a little bit of drool falling from the corner of her mouth. Her phone was clutched in her hand, the insistent ringing from Vance had ended earlier in the night.
She didn’t hear when Mudgie barked happily as his owner stepped through the threshold, hand tightly wrapped around his glock. She didn’t see the soft look that crossed his face as he reupholstered his weapon. He powered down her laptop, setting it to the side. He went to the living room, pulling out a blanket and draping it over her shoulders.
More hours passed and the smell of fresh coffee pulled her from her slumber. She let out a high-pitched whine, stretching her arms out as her back cracked and groaned from the horrible position she slept in. As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and the drool from her mouth, she found her father seated across from her. He had two mugs of coffee in front of him and slid one to her. She gave him a tight-lipped smile as she took the cup, careful to avoid contact.
The tension between them was enough to suffocate anyone. Both looked anywhere but each other, taking sips of their coffee. She’d been worried about him, of course, but now that he was here and alright, she didn’t know what to do or what to say. So she settled for keeping her eyes focused on her cup, letting the hot liquid warm her up.
“So, wanna tell me what you’re doing here, Kid?” His voice brought her eyes up. Of course the first thing he’d say to her would be direct and to the point. Her father was never one for short pleasantries.
“I got a call that a bomb went off in New York City, where you were because, apparently, you’re out of retirement.” Her words were true, but how she said them made them seem unnecessarily harsh. “Then no one can get in contact with you or your team. Where else was I supposed to go?”
A ghost of a smile crossed his face as he looked down at his cup. “I assumed you’d have gone to your mother’s.” He brought the cup to his mouth, giving her a pointed look.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t want to worry her. It was bad enough I was panicking, I didn’t need her freaking out too.” She looked down at her cup, guilt creeping up her back. “She doesn’t know, by the way, about what happened or that you’re back at work.” She let out a deep breath, pushing the cup away from her. “Besides, you seem okay, so I guess I should go now.”
She made a move to stand, but he was faster than his age let on. He stood in front of her, both hands up to stop her. She let out a breath, giving him a pointed look.
“Stay, let me make you breakfast.”
“It’s two-thirty in the afternoon.”
“It’s never too late for Dad’s special pancakes.” He gave her a hopeful smile, and somewhere deep down inside her, it warmed her heart to see him making an effort.
“Only if they’re chocolatechip.” She sat back down, bringing the coffee back towards her. He clapped his hands together, moving around to grab an apron from a nearby pantry.
“Your wish, is my command.”
As he began pulling out the necessary ingredients, she went to the living room where his albums were and picked up one of her favorites. The wonderful sound of the Beatles filled the living room and the kitchen, and she listened as her father hummed along. She returned to her seat at the counter, watching as he expertly made his way around the kitchen, just like the rare times he was home when she was a child.
The fragrance of cake batter and chocolate swirled around her as he set a fresh plate in front of her. The two of them chowed down in silence, letting John and Paul fill the room.
Once the music died out and their plates were almost empty, she collected them, setting to work on washing the dishes. He poured them fresh cups of coffee and waited until she was seated before he spoke again.
“It’s been a long time, Kid.”
“Over seven years.” Another awkward pause settled between them. “I didn’t think you’d leave retirement.”
“Jason, uh, he resigned after a particularly nasty case. I offered to come back.” He licked his lips, taking a sip of his coffee. He cleared his throat, setting the cup down. “Your mom told me you got a new job.”
“I didn’t realize you and Mom still talked.”
“Our marriage wasn’t a bad one, just a badly timed one. And we’ll always be in each other’s lives, especially because of you, Rory. So come one, tell me about the new job.”
“I, uh, I still work for NCIS. I just kind of have a desk job now.”
“Desk job? Didn’t take you as the type to sit around all day. What do you do?”
“I’m, uh, I’m a field agent on the NCIS Major Case Response Team.” She took a sip of her coffee and he let out a chuckle.
“Should’ve known. Too much like your old man.”
Once again a thick silence fell over them, like a fog on a rainy morning. Several minutes passed where the only sound around them was Mudgie’s desperate whining and them taking sips of their coffee. She glanced at the clock and saw she’d missed an entire day of work. She was screwed seven ways to Sunday, but that was another day away.
“Well, it’s been great catching up Dad, but I have to go. I’ve missed work and I haven’t been home in over a day now.” She stood up quickly, gathering her stuff and making haste for the front door. She paused at the door, hand gripping the door handle. She glanced over her shoulder to see Mudgie had returned to her father’s side, resting his head on his leg. “I’m really happy you’re okay.”
“Me too. If you want, we can do dinner sometime. Just the two of us.”
“I’d like that.”
The last thing she saw before she closed the door was her father’s smile, something she hadn’t seen in a long time. There was a bittersweet silence in the moments that followed. She looked down at her phone as she let out a deep sigh. She had several missed calls from Vance, Michelle, and Brent, and only one missed call from Gibbs. Somehow, that terrified her more than Vance’s missed calls.
The next day was probably worse than not knowing if her father was alive or not. Thankful as she was that he was, now she’d have to face the two people who had a say over her livelihood. As she gripped the steering wheel on her way to work, she didn’t know if it’d be Gibbs or Vance that was going to yell at her, and she didn’t know which she’d prefer.
She swerved into the parking lot, narrowly missing Agent McGee as she found her parking space. She squared her shoulders and gathered her things. Just like her mother said, this was a job.
“You drive almost as bad as Ziva.” McGee was standing there with an annoyed look on his face.
“Yes, well, depending on Gibbs’ mood, you might not have to worry about me much longer.”
“What?” His face fell as he fell in step with her. “Why? What’d you do?” They stepped into the elevator together. McGee didn’t mind being a few minutes late today.
“I didn’t show up yesterday and my phone was shut off.” She swallowed the lump rising in her throat as she reminded herself to take deep and steady breaths.
“Well, do you at least have a good reason?”
“I like to think so.”
McGee gave her a pat on the back as the elevator doors opened to reveal her level. She took one step at a time, keeping her head held high as she found her way to the bullpen.
Michelle and Brent were bent over their respective desks, focused on the files in front of them. They didn’t hear her as she carefully set her stuff behind her desk. She was mere inches from sitting down when a loud and clear voice rang throughout the room, capturing everyone’s attention.
“You.” Gibbs stood at the other end of the bullpen, coffee in hand and eyes laser-focused on Aurora. He marched his way towards her, setting his coffee on his desk as he did so. As he passed her, she followed obediently. Vance had warned her about his elevator interrogations. She kept her chin up until he stopped the elevator, turning to look at her.
“You wanna tell me where you were yesterday?”
“Virginia.”
“What the hell were you doing in Virginia that was so damn important?” He raised his brows, staring at her expectantly. She had to tell him the truth about her.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her wallet. She handed him her drivers license and the picture she kept tucked behind it. He glanced down at them. His brows furrowed as he held them further away from him, and she had to restrain herself from laughing.
“My real name is Aurora Rossi. Baker is my mom’s maiden name. My dad is SSA David Rossi, renowned crime author and federal agent. Two nights ago, it was brought to my attention that he left retirement, when I got a call that a bomb went off where he was during a case he was working.
“That picture is one of the few pictures where me, him, and my mom are all together. After their divorce, my dad’s career began taking off. He was home less and less. Days between visits turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and finally, months turned into years. Before yesterday, it’d been almost a decade since I last spoke to or saw him.”
There was silence between them. She felt like a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and in that moment, she didn’t care if Gibbs was angry or not. He handed her back the picture and ID, allowing her to put them back before he spoke again.
“Why don’t you use his name?”
She couldn’t resist letting out a scoff. “Isn’t it obvious? Anything I did in life would have been because of him, not because of me. My accomplishments, my work, my life would be his, not mine. And I hate groupies.”
He let out a soft chuckle as he turned back towards the elevator. He exhaled, glancing over to her. “Rule eight: never take anything for granted. You did the right thing, Kid.”
Hearing him say that made her feel better. Though she wasn’t out of the woods just yet, she felt more confident facing Vance, knowing Gibbs backed her up. She let a tiny smile slip through as he flipped a switch to get the elevator moving again. But just before the doors opened, he reached up and slapped the back of her head.
