A/n: Christmas one-shot for all of you.

Yes, I know it's not Christmas, or even Boxing Day. Shut up, and leave it be.

Jibbsey happiness for all to hear (read?).

Whatever. Enjoy.

-meg

"Christmas Miracle"

Jenny Shepard loved the holidays. The cheer, the camaraderie, the love that came with the season. Even after her father's death, she still made a point to have some sort of holiday celebration. She smiled and nodded to Stan as he opened the door to the car, handing him a mug of hot chocolate, her briefcase and a cardboard carry tray of cups in her hands. "Thank you, Stan. I'll see you around lunchtime."

The driver smiled, taking an appreciative sip of the drink. "Thank you, Director."

Jenny slipped into the elevator, sticking out a foot and holding the door for a last second entrant who looked up, revealing silver hair and blue eyes. "Good morning, Jethro."

He grunted in response, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his jacket.

The elevator stopped at the bullpen first with a ding, the doors sliding open. Gibbs made to step out, before realizing Jenny moved with him. He stepped aside to let her through with another grunt, brushing past once they had both exited the box.

"Morning Boss!" Tony's exuberant greeting fell on deaf ears as Gibbs breezed through towards his desk, ignoring Ziva and McGee's murmured accolades.

The senior agent shrugged, turning to Jenny. "Morning, Director Shepard." He eyed the carrier speculatively. "You, uh, expecting a long day, ma'am?"

"Hm? Oh, no, these aren't for me. Figured I'd drop some drinks by Abby and Ducky in the spirit of the season." She smiled and continued on her way, intending on stopping by her office to drop off her briefcase first. "Have a nice day, Agent DiNozzo, Ziva, McGee."

"You too, ma'am." Tony smiled back, settling comfortably back in his chair.

Jenny dropped another cup by Cynthia on her way into the office, brushing away the thanks with a smile. "I'll be down in Autopsy and the lab for a few minutes Cynthia."

"Yes ma'am."

She entered the back elevator with her final two deliveries, eyebrows rising in surprise as the doors opened on the very next floor to reveal Gibbs yet again.

His eyes widened in surprise, and then his face set in a pained facsimile of a smirk. He stepped in silently, glancing down at the lit numbers before leaning against the wall opposite her, avoiding her inquisitive gaze.

Gibbs stood back to let Jenny out first as the elevator stopped on Abby's floor, pasting a false looking half smile on his face as he followed the redhead through the door to the lab, wincing visibly at the loud and cheery Christmas music.

"Gibbs!" The Goth lunged forward and trapped him in a sharp hug, all smiles and exuberance. "And the Director! Happy Holidays, Gibbs!"

Jenny watched as the silver haired Agent grunted vaguely, patting Abby on the back gingerly. "Same to you, Abs."

The forensic scientist pulled back with a bit of a pout, rolling her eyes and turning to the redhead. "Always such a Scrooge, Gibbs." She eyed the cups in Jenny's hands, her gaze brightening in anticipation of a gift. "What brings you down to the Labby, Director?"

Jenny grinned, handing over one of the cups. "Figured I'd spread a little Christmas cheer and bring some hot chocolate by."

Abby accepted the drink with a wide grin, whirling to set it down before she attacked the redhead with a tight hug. "Thanks, Director!" She pulled back, glancing over at Gibbs. "Glad someone here has some holiday spirit."

He ignored the dig, jamming his hands back in the pockets of his slacks. "You need me for anything else, Abs?"

She sighed somewhat unhappily at his continued grumpy mood, shaking her head. "You can go, I guess."

Gibbs nodded shortly, turning on his heel. He had almost reached the elevator when Abby's voice called him back.

"Gibbs! Wait!"

He turned to face her, the false half-smile pasted on his face again. "Yeah, Abs?"

"Are you coming to the party at Ducky's?"

The fake look faltered, his eyes shuttering down, closing off his emotions. "No, Abs." He turned at the elevator's ding, slipping in-between the silver doors before Abby could get a word in edgeways.

Jenny gave the forensic scientist a sympathetic smile. "It'll be alright, Abby. Everyone else will be there."

"That's the problem! He doesn't ever spend any time with the team outside of work; he just sits at home with that stupid boat! I ought to set the thing on fire, if it weren't so bad for the environment." Abby folded her arms across her chest, scowling. "He's always grumpy around the holidays, he never accepts his presents so we've all stopped trying to get him any, which is really rude if you think about it, and he comes back into work the day after Christmas hungover and pissed."

"He comes to work drunk?"

"Well, no, not exactly, but he always smells like bourbon and his eyes are a little bloodshot and he drinks like ten gallons of coffee and yells at Tony a lot. Same thing every year since I started here."

"Huh. He was always a little touchy during the holidays when we worked together, but I do remember one Christmas where he actually seemed happy." Jenny trailed off, keeping the second half of her story to herself. Of course, I left him two months later, so that was probably the last Christmas he celebrated after that. "He never seemed that bad."

"Guess he hasn't gotten better with age?" Abby shrugged, her shoulders slumping a little. "I guess if he's really not that interested, I'll stop asking."

Jenny reached out and gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Sometimes, it takes a little Christmas miracle to make someone happy. You'll just have to hope Je—Gibbs gets his soon."

"Who says his Christmas miracle isn't already here?" The lab tech pinned Jenny with a knowing look.

Jenny blinked, shaking her head nervously. "Abby…I…I have to go see Ducky." She turned quickly and headed for the stairs, leaving Abby staring after her.

Jenny took a moment to collect herself in the staircase before she headed into Autopsy, pasting on a bright smile as the silver doors slid open with a 'whoosh'. "Hello, Ducky!"

"Jennifer, my dear! How lovely it is to see you. What brings our lovely Director all the way down here?"

She handed over the cup of hot chocolate with another bright smile, leaning over to give Ducky a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Happy Christmas, Ducky."

The ME's eyes brightened with a smile as he set the drink down to give her a small hug, his accented voice rumbling over her shoulder. "Thank you, my dear. It is oh so nice to see someone around here spreading some Christmas cheer."

"No problem. It's my favorite time of year." Jenny leaned against an empty table, folding her arms across her chest.

"And you'll be at the party?"

"Definitely." She let out a low sigh, glancing down at the ground. "Can't say the same for Jethro, though."

Ducky smiled sympathetically, shrugging as if he weren't bothered. "He never does. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure why I continue extending the invitation. I take it Abigail was turned down again?"

She nodded, sighing again. "I just can't see why he's got such an issue with the holidays."

"He's made a point of not celebrating them as long as I've known him. He tries to make a small effort for Abigail, but even that has been falling short of late."

"I can't see why it bothers him so much, though. He doesn't have any divorces on or around Christmas, I know, unless…" She glanced over at the doctor, conveying with a look what she refused to ask. Jethro's third and seemingly final marriage had always been a rather sore subject for her.

Ducky smiled gently, shaking his head. "No, Stephanie did not divorce him until they returned from Russia, which was closer to springtime."

"So what's got him so against Christmas?"

The ME shrugged. "I honestly can't say. He avoids the subject like the plague every time I've brought it up. Eventually a body just gives up trying, you know?"

Jenny nodded slowly, standing straight again. "Well, Ducky, anyways, I have to get back to my office."

"Of course. Wonderful to see you again, dear. Thank you for the hot chocolate." Ducky smiled, kissing her cheek lightly.

She smiled faintly, her hands in the pockets of her slacks as she exited Autopsy, deep in thought. There had to be something behind his dislike of Christmas.

Gibbs let out a low sigh as he fled to the elevator from Abby's lab, slapping the stop button as soon as the doors closed, leaning his forehead against the cool metal of the door. It was getting too hard to keep pretending for Abby. Christmas just wasn't the same without his family. He'd accepted ages ago that his Christmases were destined to be lonely. He wasn't planning on telling people about his family, he didn't need the false pity and apologies they threw his way, so there was no need for him to celebrate the holiday season. What was the point, anyway? Everything he had reason to celebrate for was six feet under in Arlington Cemetery.

He sucked in a breath, squeezing his eyelids tightly together for a minute to collect himself before he hit the stop again, letting the elevator resuming on its way.

The typical stoic 'Gibbs' face on by the time he exited the elevator, breezing back into the bullpen. "Anything, DiNozzo?"

Tony shook his head slowly. "No calls, Boss."

"We're on cold cases, then. Start with the Reynolds case, from Christmas two years back." His voice faltered slightly on the 'C' word, before strengthening again as he finished. "Going for coffee."

Tony murmured an appropriate response, standing to remove the cold case file from the cabinet next to him as Gibbs swept past to the elevator.

Gibbs raised a hand and headslapped himself sharply once the metal doors of the elevator closed behind him, irritated by his slip-up of an emotional response to the holidays again. He arranged his features into his usual scowl as the doors opened, striding out of the building towards his usual coffee shop.

He paused at an intersection, glancing left and right, offering a polite smile to the young blonde standing next to him, bundled up in a Georgetown University hoodie and scarf. The light changed, the walk signal flashing go as he and the young woman started across the street when the screech of tires on the icy pavement attracted his attention. He looked over to see a truck skidding out of control heading towards them, and acted without thinking, his arm reaching out to grab the woman, diving both of them out of the truck's path. They landed half on the curb, the girl pinned beneath his heavier form.

Gibbs shook a little snow out of his hair, his gaze dropping to meet hers. "You okay, Miss?"

She nodded jerkily, accepting the hand he offered once he clambered to his feet. "T—thanks. I didn't even see…" She trailed off, blue-green eyes narrowing slightly as she focused on his face. "Gunny?"

"Huh?"

"Mr. Gibbs?" The girl tilted her head to the side quizzically, staring at him unnervingly.

"Yeah, that's my name…how'd you know that?"

"It's me, Gunny, Maddie. Maddie Tyler?"

Gibbs sucked in a breath, staring at her with new eyes. "No…Maddie? You were Kelly's best friend."

"I am Kelly's best friend, sir." Maddie smiled, stepping forward to wrap her arms around him in a tight hug. "I thought you had moved out of the area. My dad got re-stationed just after Kelly's funeral."

He smiled a little at her declaration, his hand rising of its own accord to pat her back lightly. "I didn't even know you still lived here."

"I don't…well, sort of. I go to school here. Pre-med, and then veterinary school."

The smile widened a bit at that as he put his arm around her shoulders, laughing softly. "You and Kel were adamant that you'd be horse doctors someday."

Maddie nodded, stuffing her hands in the pocket of her hoodie. "It's good to see you, Gunny."

"Good to see you too, kid." He glanced sideways at her, brushing a bit of slush off of her shoulder. "You sure you're okay?"

She shrugged. "My side hurts a bit, from where we hit the curb. I'll be okay."

Gibbs shook his head sharply. "No, no, c'mon, my friend's a good doc and he'll see ya for free. We'll need to get you some dry clothes anyway, you're soaked."

She grinned a little at that, shaking her head. "Still the old overprotective Gunny, I see."

"Yeah, that's what they all say." He kept his arm around her shoulders as he led her back to NCIS.

"You work here?"

"Yeah. Had to retire from the Marines, my knee woulda kept me off of active duty." He shrugged. "This way, I'm still helping Marines and sailors, investigating crimes and finding…closure, I guess." He scrawled his signature down on the log, obtaining a visitor's pass for her as they passed security. "C'mon, kid."

Jenny stood on the catwalk, staring down into the bullpen lost in thought. Her gaze passed over Jethro's team, eyeing Tony, Ziva, and McGee huddled around the senior agent's desk, perusing a rather thick file, with Gibbs conspicuously absent. Her gaze snapped up as the elevator let out a ding, announcing the arrival of the supervisory agent, who exited the box with his arm around a young, blonde woman.

Her eyes narrowed. What was going on? Both were covered in snow and slush, and the knees of Jethro's khakis were soaked. She turned, heading down the stairs to the bullpen.

"Hey, Boss. No coffee?" Tony glanced up from his file, noting the disheveled state of Gibbs and his charge. "Everything alright, Boss?"

"Ziver, get Maddie some dry clothes, would ya?" The silver haired agent led the girl over to his desk, pushing her down in his chair as he picked up his phone, dialing a number. "Hey, Duck? I've got a patient for ya."

"Boss?" Tony stood from his desk, thoroughly confused. Ziva disappeared without comment, heading to grab her spare change of clothes from her car.

"DiNozzo, call the switchboard, get me any info on a black Toyota Tundra, license number Echo Zulu Tango Five Eight Bravo Nine. Put out a BOLO for…attempted Vehicular Manslaughter."

"On it, Boss."

"Ma-Gee."

"Yes, Boss?"

"Traffic cameras, intersection of 9th and M. Video from the past half-hour."

"Yes Boss."

Maddie glanced up, frowning slightly. "Gunny, I don't really think that guy was trying to hit us."

"Whoever they were, they ran from the scene of an accident, Mads. Intent or no, that's still a misdemeanor."

"Jethro? What's going on?" Jenny stood at the entrance to the bullpen, hands on her hips.

"Truck almost hit Maddie and I crossing the street."

"Maddie?" Green eyes settled on the young blonde woman being wrapped in Jethro's overcoat.

The girl chose that moment to introduce herself. "Madelyn Tyler. I'd stand up and properly introduce myself, ma'am, but Gunny seems to be a little overprotective right now."

Gibbs rolled his eyes, leaning against his desk. "You coulda got hit, kid."

"And yet you tackled me instead." She smiled, patting his knee. "It's okay, Papa Gibbs, we're safe now."

Jenny noticed his shoulders tense at the teasing 'Papa Gibbs' from the young girl. "You know Jethro, then, Miss Tyler?"

"Maddie, please, ma'am." She took a breath to continue further when Gibbs shifted, silencing her original comment with a sharp look. "Gunny is…he's um… a family friend. He served with my dad. I've known him since I was little."

"You knew Gibbs when he was younger?" Tony had apparently completed his assigned task, as he sat reclined in his chair, hazel eyes focused intently on Maddie. "Was he always this growly?"

"We're not playin' Twenty Questions, DiNozzo. I can find work for ya if you've got so much free time." Gibbs intervened rapidly before Maddie could answer, silencing the Italian with a glare.

"What's all this about a patient for me, Jethro?" Ducky's accented voice rang from the back of the bullpen.

"Here, Duck. We had to dive outta the way of a speeding truck, she hit her side on the curb when I fell on her."

The ME tutted lightly, moving around Gibbs to crouch at Maddie's side. "Hello, my dear. I'm Dr. Mallard, although most call me Ducky."

Maddie grinned, raising her eyebrows at Gibbs, who shrugged. "Nice to meet you, Ducky. I'm Maddie."

"If you'll just allow me to lift your jacket here, I can check your side."

Jenny walked over closer to Gibbs as Ducky tended to Maddie, lowering her voice. "You alright, Jethro?"

He blinked, coming out of his thoughts. "Hm? I'm fine, Jen."

"Mmhmm." She rolled her eyes, but dropped the subject, deciding to press another one. "You've known her since your Marine days?"

He grunted in acknowledgement. "Served with her father, like she said."

"But you stopped her from saying something else."

He looked over at her, startled. "What?"

"I can still read you relatively well, Jethro."

His face shuttered, closing off. "It's not important."

"Clearly it is, if you're coercing someone else into hiding whatever it is with you."

"I said it's not important, Jen. Drop it." His voice rose, garnering the attention of the other occupants of the bullpen. Gibbs stood abruptly, his shoulders stiff as he stalked off.

Ducky glanced up from his position wrapping Maddie's side with an ACE bandage. "Jennifer?"

She shook her head minutely, her lips pursed in a grimace.

Maddie thanked Ducky politely, turning in the chair to face Jenny. "You should go after him."

Jenny let out a rather inelegant snort. "I don't know how well you knew him back then, Maddie, but I have a feeling that this Gibbs is nothing like the one you knew. Going after him would only end in an argument. " Not to mention he's already irritable enough about the holidays…

"He's the same old Gunny, just a few more scars and a little more heartbreak." The blonde turned the chair; searching Jethro's desktop for something, frowning when she didn't find what she was looking for. She began opening drawers, gently shifting through the contents until her eyes lit on something. She pulled out a thin silver flask, an inexplicably sad look on her face as she ran her fingers lightly over it, as if tracing an engraving. "I'm not kidding when I say you ought to go after him. He looks at you the same way he used to look at Mrs. Gibbs."

Jenny's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't aware he was married when he was in the Marines."

Maddie's lips thinned. "That's why he didn't want me to say it." She seemed to be talking more to herself than anyone else, shaking her head. "He always was secretive, shouldn't have been surprised."

"Didn't want you to say what?"

"It's not my place to tell you, but…" She held the flask out after a moment's hesitation. "This might help explain things. Go talk to him. He likes rooftops, if I remember correctly. He'd go sit out on their roof when he was upset."

Jenny took the flask, curious. She tucked it into her pocket, borrowing Ziva's jacket from the back of her chair as she headed for the stairs, taking them up to the top of the building.

Gibbs blasted out the fire escape door to the roof, having figured out the override for the alarm years ago. He slipped a business card out of his wallet, jimmying the card into the latch so the door wouldn't lock behind him before walking to the edge of the roof, setting his hands against the rail as he cursed loudly.

Despite nearly seven years apart, Jenny could still read him like a book. He'd hoped to be able to stifle any questions about Maddie and get her out of the building before Jenny found out, but that clearly had blown up in his face.

He had enough issues with the season, let alone running into his daughter's self-proclaimed 'bestest friend forever'. Gibbs sank down with his back resting against the wall surrounding the edge with a sigh, resting his elbows on his knees. Just can't catch a break this Christmas, eh?

Jenny slowed her steps as she reached the fire escape door, noting the unlatched chain leading to the alarm box. Clearly, Jethro used the roof more often than they thought. Her fingers went into her pocket, sliding over the cool metal surface of the flask. She pulled it out, frowning as she turned it over in her hands, green eyes cataloguing the worn flask. She squinted in the low light, reading the light inscription there. Jethro, for good luck. Love, Shannon and Kelly.

The inscription was marred by what looked like a dent from a bullet or piece of shrapnel striking the flask, with the usual Globe and Anchor above the scripted words. Shannon and Kelly. Who were Shannon and Kelly?

She took a deep breath, her finger rubbing over the inscription again for courage, before she reached out and gently opened the door. She slipped the bent card back into the catch before she let it close behind her, squinting a bit before her eyes adjusted to the light. "Jethro?"

A low sigh to her left, then his gruff voice sounded across the roof. "I'm fine, Jen. You can stop following me."

"Yeah, like I'm gonna believe that." She crunched her way through the light snow covering the roof, sitting by his side.

"What do you want, Jen?"

Well, alright then, if he wanted to be direct, so be it. Jenny sucked in a breath, then held the flask out in his view. "Who are Shannon and Kelly?"

"Where'd you get that?" His voice was low and dangerous, close to the tone he used in the interrogation room on particularly tough suspects. He reached out, trapping her wrist in a vice-like grip.

"Maddie found it in your desk." Jenny looked over at him, her eyes wide. "Jethro, let go, you're hurting me!"

He blinked, releasing her wrist as if scalded, his hands going to hugging his knees. "She shouldn't have meddled…not her place…"

"She's worried about you, as are the rest of us. Answer the damn question, Jethro, you're deflecting."

"Shannon was my first wife. Kelly was our daughter."

His answer, voiced in a tone so low and laced with defeat, hit her like a sucker-punch to the gut.

"I'm going to assume by the past tense that Shannon and Kelly are no longer with us?"

He nodded jerkily, his eyes suspiciously wet. "M—Met Shannon in my hometown right before I shipped out for boot camp. She…she was a redhead. Better than anything a guy like me deserved, but she loved me for some reason. We got married just before I went for sniper training…Kelly was born a few years later." His hand fumbled in his jacket pocket, removing his wallet, where a worn picture was withdrawn.

Jenny took the picture reverently, staring at the people pictured. Jethro looked years younger, his dark hair shortened in the severe Marine cut, a wide smile on his face. A slim redhead sat next to him, her arm wound around his waist. She wore a gentle smile, her hazel eyes sparkling as they gazed upon the third occupant of the picture, a young auburn haired girl with startlingly blue eyes like her father and a toothy smile.

"They're…beautiful. She has your eyes."

He smiled at that, staring at the picture with something like longing on his lined face. "Kelly was…I'd say other than Shannon and yo—one other person, the best thing that ever happened to me. Had me wrapped around her little finger the day she was born." He swallowed convulsively, swiping a hand across his face. "I don't really think I could've refused her anything."

She set a gentle hand on his knee, squeezing comfortingly. "What happened?"

"I got sent to Kuwait, during Desert Storm. Sh—Shannon witnessed a murder at Camp Pendleton in California, I was stationed there before we shipped out…she…it was a Mexican drug lord. NIS…well, NCIS, whatever it was, put her and Kel under protective custody. Th—they were driving to go to one of Kelly's piano lessons and the Agent driving was shot. Shannon and Kelly died in the crash." He was close to sobbing now, sucking in heaving gasps of air.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, Jethro." Jenny turned, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him close in a hug, letting him cry against her shoulder. "Shh…it's okay, Jethro…let it out…"

His arms went around her torso in a surprisingly strong grip, while he kept his head tucked into the crook of her neck, his voice hitching on the words. "I miss them so much…"

Jenny nodded, continuing her soothing murmurs as she rubbed a hand up and down his back until the crying subsided. "So this is what makes you so growly during the holidays. You think that since your family is gone, you've got no one to celebrate with."

His response was muffled by her shoulder.

"Sorry, what was that? Didn't quite catch it?"

Jethro sat back, rubbing his eyes free of tears. "Said I haven't really celebrated Christmas since they died, except with you."

"That Christmas in Paris? Jethro, that was years ago!"

He shrugged. "Never really had reason to, after Paris."

"Jethro…you've got plenty of things to celebrate for. Your team here, they're like family. Ducky sees you as the brother he never had. Abby…Jethro, that girl looks up to you like a father, tries every year to bring you some sort of Christmas spirit. Tony, Tim, they look to you for guidance, they look up to you. Ziva's family is…well, let's not go there. Listen to me, Jethro. You've got a lot more than you think. You have a team who looks to you as family. You have friends like Tobias, and a lovely little surrogate niece in Emily. I realize you and Diane aren't the best of friends, but…dammit, Jethro, you've got so much, but you're blind to it! Open your eyes!" She reached out and rapped the back of his head in a light headslap.

Jethro blinked, surprised. "I…"

"Yeah, you didn't think of all that did you? You do have a family, Jethro, and we're all right here." She gripped his hand lightly, shrugging. "Besides, you're not the only one who's lost someone. When my dad died…for a few Christmases after, I couldn't find a reason to celebrate. Didn't want to see anyone, couldn't stand the sound of Christmas music. One year, I flew to the Bahamas in the hopes of getting away from all the holiday cheer. This…spiritualist, palm-reader type woman, approached me while I was sitting alone on the beach. Just up and sat down next to me, with all of her trinkets and charms. Kind of reminds me of Abby, now that I think of it."

She took a breath, drawing strength from the fact that Jethro had yet to withdraw his hand. "This woman, she turned to me and asked why the pretty American girl who was running up such a tab at the local bar wasn't out with the rest of the tourists celebrating Christmas. I said something along the lines of not having anything to celebrate for anymore. She just laughed and shook her head, and then turned and looked me straight in the eye, saying that we all have a reason to celebrate, be it family, friends, or just general acquaintances. That crazy old lady grabbed my arm and hauled me up and told me I just needed to look around to find my reason, then turned me around and shoved me towards the Christmas party in the town center. I've made a point to find some reason to celebrate the season since then, and it's…nice." She glanced over, meeting his gaze. "You just need to find your new reason, Jethro. Just remember…you've got a family waiting for you downstairs. Don't take too long looking."

With that, she squeezed his hand one last time, releasing it as she levered herself to her feet. She took a step forward, before turning back, where she bent and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.

By the time he looked up, his eyes wide with surprise, she was gone, leaving the faint scent of her perfume and the impressions of her feet on the empty rooftop.

Jenny sucked in a steadying breath as she made her way back down the stairs, her mind reeling with the information that had just been revealed. A family? He had a family before we all knew him. A wife, a beautiful little girl… She could see why he had such an issue with the holidays. And then her own revelations. She couldn't believe she'd said half of what she'd said.

She arrived back up at the bullpen, looking over to Jethro's team. Ziva had apparently returned with clothing for Maddie, she could be seen leaning somewhat provocatively against Tony's desk, her cheery laugh ringing out at something the Italian said. Tony reclined back in his desk chair, the playboy smirk lighting up as Ziva made a comment back. Jenny laughed, shaking her head slightly. She couldn't help but see a bit of herself and Jethro in those two. The same flirting banter, nearly blind devotion to each other that she and Jethro had, so long ago in Paris. Why can't we have that again?

Ducky sat on the edge of Jethro's desk, regaling Maddie with tales of Jethro's days at NCIS, his eyes twinkling with mischief. McGee had moved his own chair out from behind his computer and sat avidly listening, laughing along with Maddie at the appropriate parts.

She sighed, staring at the picture of the family Jethro had inadvertently formed in his time at NCIS. Even Abby, though the forensic scientist wasn't present, had her own little niche in the team's dynamic.

"Whatcha doin', Jen?" She jumped a mile as Jethro's low voice flowed over her shoulder.

"I—nothing, just…I was just heading back to my office."

The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile. "Wanna go get coffee? I wanted to ask you something."

She swallowed, suddenly nervous. What in the world could he want to ask her? "I—sure."

The two turned and headed for the elevator, unaware of the wise grey eyes focused on their backs.

Jenny walked along with him in silence, her hands tucked into the pockets of Ziva's coat. "So…what was it you wanted to ask?"

He smiled a little enigmatically, shrugging one bulky shoulder. "It wasn't exactly a question, per se. A question is part of what I need to say, but there's more."

She frowned in confusion, glancing sideways at him. "So…"

"Well, I wanted to thank you, first of all. For talking to me, and for listening. I haven't told many people about Shannon and Kelly. It was nice to have someone to just…listen, for once."

The frown turned into a slight smile. "I'm always willing to lend an ear."

He turned, giving her a sincere smile at that. "Well, anyways, thank you." His eyes shone with a swirl of emotions, gratitude at the forefront, for now.

"You're welcome."

"I thought about what you said. About me having a family. And I…well, I can see it now. You're right. I do have a family here at NCIS. They may be a bit unorthodox, but…well, it's a family nonetheless." He stopped, turning to catch her hands as he gazed at her sincerely. "I realize I'm sort of a blockhead sometimes, and…well, it's nice that you take the time to deal with me. Most others I know would've given up long ago."

Jenny swallowed, nodding a little unsurely. She couldn't find words to put together to express her feelings. His gaze stayed intently focused on hers, flashes of emotion flowing through. Could that be…love? Could he still love me, after all that's happened between us?

Jethro squeezed her hands gently once before taking a breath to continue. "I have one last thing to say. I suppose this would be the actual question part of it." He grinned, shaking his head slightly. "I'm rambling. Anyways…what you said earlier about needing to find my reason for celebrating the holidays. What I wanted to ask was…well, what if it's been right here in front of me the whole time?"

"Jethro…I don't…"

"Shh. Jenny…since Shan and Kel died, I haven't spent a happy Christmas. I've been…well, Abby wasn't really far off in her pronouncement this morning. I've been a bit of a Scrooge. The only truly happy Christmas I've had since Shannon and Kelly was with you in Paris." He took a deep breath. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I think you're my reason for celebrating. You're my reason for being happy."

"I don't…Jethro, I just…I didn't think you'd…how can you say I make you happy? All I've done is hurt you. I left in Paris, I refused you when I came back to NCIS…" She trailed off, shaking her head. "How do I make you happy?"

The corner of his mouth quirked in a crooked grin at that. "You know me, Jen. You don't try and change me, you just accept me for who I am. You…you get me, Jen. You're one of the only people I know who does. And I love you for it."

"You love me?" Jenny blinked, staring at him wide-eyed. "You still love me?"

"I'll always love you." He laughed, leaning forward to gently kiss her forehead. "It may have taken me nearly getting hit by a truck to figure it out, but I love you, Jen. You're my Christmas miracle." With that pronouncement, his arms rose to engulf her in a tight hug, pulling her against his chest.

Slowly, unsurely, her arms rose to encircle his torso, while she inhaled a deep breath, reveling in his warm and comforting scent, coffee mixed with bourbon and a hint of sawdust. "I missed you, Jethro."

His hold tightened briefly, before he pulled back, meeting her gaze again. "I missed you too, Jenny."

A/n: Well, there you are. Merry Christmas, happy Holidays, whatever.

reviews are awesome.

-meg