A New Life
- Chapter 3 -

Sleeping next to each other certainly had it perks. One of them being the 'waking up next to Jenny' part. At least according to Gibbs. His arm was wrapped around her waist and she was curled up next to him stealing body heat. Just as she had last time.

'Enough of this, you can't have what you've once lost. She ended it.' With that on Gibbs' mind the moment was gone and he quickly rose to take a shower before Jenny could occupy the bathroom for what usually seemed like hours.

At the orphanage Jenny and Gibbs were nervously looking through the contracts, not sure how to handle their rampaging emotions.

Jenny was definitely in director mode as she asked for a pen to sign the papers with, but Gibbs felt more like he did the day Kelly was born. He was strangely happy and yet a calmness had taken its hold on him, making him give Jenny a relaxed smile.

Until he saw her sign the sheet. With her own name.

He looked at her questioningly but had no choice but to play along if he didn't want to jeopardize their mission and blow their cover.

Taking the sheets from her he decided to follow her lead and therefore signed the contracts with his usual signature. As soon as everything was in order they were finally shown to the infant they were taking on.

It was a beautiful baby girl. Appropriately enough she had auburn hair and green eyes, just like Jenny. They both did a double take as they laid eyes upon the baby and couldn't help but get all emotional.

Gibbs took Jennys' hand in his and he saw her shed a tear of happiness.

"She's adorable," she whispered and he could only nod in response as his heart constricted in his chest.

They got a little acquainted with the half year old before it was time to go, both Jenny and Gibbs falling more and more in love with little Cassandra with every passing second.

As they drove off, with the baby girl secured into her car seat in the back, Gibbs noticed how pale Jenny looked. Even her hands trembled.

"Jen?" She could hear the concern in his voice and took his hand in hers reassuringly.

"I'm ok."

"No you're not. You're trembling and white as a sheet."

He pulled over and killed the engine before turning in his seat to face Jenny properly. The love and insecurity he found in her eyes tore at his heart and he let his hands cup her face.

"Everything will be fine. Cassandra is going to be kept safe by us and the bad guys have nothing but prison waiting for them when we're done."

Jenny couldn't help but shed a tear at his gentle words and she leant forward to kiss him sweetly, on the lips.

"Thank you," she told him sincerely.

"For what?"

"For taking care of me, and for always watching my back."

"We're partners right? This is what we do." He grinned at her and then drove off to meet with the buyers.

At the meeting place everything went surprisingly smoothly. They met with the buyers, carefully showed them Cassandra and just when the exchange was going to take place the local police stormed the crime scene to capture everyone present.

After a thorough questioning Jenny and Gibbs finally got Cassandra back; the plan being to return her to the orphanage.

"Jethro, do you mind stopping the car for a while?"

He silently waited for Jenny to start explaining.

"I... I've always wanted to have a child. I can't just leave Cassandra like this."

"But you have to Jen."

"Why? I signed the papers already; she's legally mine you know."

"You can't raise a child on your own with your schedule."

"You could help you know."

Gibbs swallowed hard, not sure where she was going with this.

"Come again?"

"You also signed the papers..."

"Don't you think it would be hard to raise a child considering we don't even have a relationship?"

Jenny leant into him and stopped only inches from his face. He could feel her hot breath tickle his lips, making his heart race in his ribcage.

"Leaving you was probably the biggest mistake I've made in my entire life. I'm so sorry Jethro. Right now, I wish things could just be like they were back then."

He was a little shocked at this revelation but kept his mind as clear as he could in case she didn't actually mean what he thought and hoped for.

"I don't," he whispered and had to take hold of her chin to stop her from pulling away.

"I wish things were better than they were in Paris, because I never stopped loving you."

Jenny threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, resolute to never ever let him get away again. They were about to take things to the next level when Cassandra suddenly made a noise in the backseat of the car, making her new parents jump apart like a couple of teenagers caught in the act.

Laughing they drove as fast as possible to Jennys' house, only one thing on their minds at the moment.

Cassandra turned out to be a doll and as soon as she was fed and changed she fell asleep in her new bed in the guest bedroom. Gibbs raised an eyebrow to Jenny as they walked down the hall, stopping just outside her bedroom.

"And where did you plan on letting me sleep tonight since our little Cassandra has occupied my bedroom?" he asked teasingly, making Jenny walk up to him sporting one hell of a grin.

"Your bedroom has just been moved."

"To where then? I'm feeling a bit tired tonight, maybe I should go to bed."

"Yes you are going to bed Jethro, but not to sleep. And concerning the bed, the mommy and the daddy always share."

She kissed him thoroughly, seducing him with her hands and lips, while she moved them into her bedroom. Lying down on the bed with a lot less clothes than they started with Jenny decided to let her walls down completely this time.

"I love you Jethro, you've always been the man in my life."

They didn't know what would happen tomorrow, but one thing was for sure. They were all going to have a new life.

END