The hardest day of the year (Jen)

A/N: Another JIBBS oneshot, it's not connected to my 'Paris' or my 'Sickness oneshot' series, hope you enjoy, Angels.

The second the redheaded woman opens her eyes, tears spill over at the date that shows on her alarm clock.

It's her fathers death anniversary.

He's been dead a decade.

You know the saying "time heals all wounds?" Well that saying is the biggest pile of dog shit she's ever stepped in in her entire life. It still feels like last night she heard the gunshot coming from what now is her office to find her father dead on the floor with a gunshot wound to his head.

The woman, Jennifer Shepard, reluctantly gets out of her warm bed and goes into her bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth to rid her mouth of the horrible morning breath. She doesn't want to go into work today but she has to because she's the Director of an Armed Federal Agency and if she doesn't turn up, who knows what will happen to the world, not to mention what Jethro will do if she's not there, so she drags herself to her closet and pulls on a pantsuit, not bothering to wash her hair, instead she yanks it up into a ponytail and leaves her bedroom like it is: bed unmade, pajamas on the floor and dark.

She gets to work late, very late,  but she doesn't care today, Jethro's team is in the bullpen working on their newest case who all look at her as she enters the bullpen. She walks up the catwalk steps to her office without speaking a word to anyone.

"I miss you, Daddy. Ten years." She says to the photo. She puts the picture back down and looks at the stack of case files that are on her oak desk beside her computer. The time is only 0900 and already she wants to go back home and crawl into bed and cry herself to sleep.

Her office door opens to reveal the silver haired and blue eyed agent, Leroy Jethro's Gibbs. He carries two cups of coffee, one of which he places on her desk.

"Coffee." He says gruffly. She takes a sip of the stuff and looks at him. "Thanks." The redhead says. "How you doing?" He asks, taking a seat in front of her desk. Jenny sighs as she stares at him. Of course he'd know that I'm not okay. She thinks to herself. She shakes her head. "No, I'm not okay." She admits.

"It's his ten year anniversary today." She says quietly, Jethro leans over the desk and takes one of her hands, exhaling quietly.

"I know it is, Jen, I honestly didn't expect you to be in today." He tells her, squeezing her hand, Jenny gives a small smile before taking back her hand and logging onto her computer. She hears Jethro getting up.

"Jen, no one expects you to be here today. Why don't you take today off?" He suggests gently, knowing that she feels like crap. Jenny snorts as she stands up from her desk, abandoning everything, bringing the coffee with her.

"I appreciate that, Jethro, but I'm not a field agent anymore, I can't 'take today off', even though I want to." Jenny walks over to her couch and sits down with a sigh.

"Jen, you look like you'll burst into tears any second, take the day off." Her former boss orders her, Jenny snaps her green eyes to him, standing up. "I can't, Jethro." She snaps, her voice thick with tears. Tears pour down her face again and she buries her head in his shoulder as the former Marine folds her into his strong arms.

"It's okay, Jen, just let it out, let it out." He coos into her hair, kissing the ponytail.

And she does.

She cries into his shoulder for twenty minutes before she lifts her head and stares into his icy blue eyes. "I think I'm gonna take the day off and spend it at home or somewhere." Jenny says as she moves out of his arms and gathers her things. Once she has her things, Jenny walks to the door and looks over her shoulder at Jethro.

 
"Don't worry about me, Jethro. I'm a big girl with a gun. If I need you, I have you first on my speed dial." The redheaded Director says before leaving her office at 0950.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs answers his phone with worry flowing through him, he has two ideas who it could be at 2330 on the ten year anniversary of Jen's father's death: Jen or a bartender asking him to pick her up because of how wasted she is.

Phone call:

Gibbs: Gibbs.
Jen: Jethro.
Gibbs: You okay, Jen?
Jen: Can you take me to his grave?
Gibbs: Jen, it's 2330. Why don't I take you tomorrow?
Jen: It has to be today, tonight. There's only half an hour of his ten year anniversary left.
Gibbs (sights): Alright, where are you?
Jen: Outside.
Gibbs: Why didn't I know that? Just stay there, I'm on my way out.
Jen: Thank you, Jethro.
Gives: Don't have to thank me, Jen.
Phone call

Hanging up with his former probie and lover, Gibbs sprints upstairs and leaves his house, leaving the door unlocked like he usually does. Behind his truck and NCIS issued car, is Jen leaning against her own car, waiting for him.

Jen has changed out of her pantsuit in the hours she left the office this morning, she's wearing jeans with a sweater, ankle boots and a jacket. She looks beautiful. The Lead Agent thinks to himself as he walks to her.

"Hey, Jen." He makes his presence known by saying her name softly, Jen turns to look at him.

"Hey, Jethro." His redheaded boss says before getting into the passenger seat of her car, allowing him to drive them to the DC Cemetery.

The drive to DC Cemetery is spent in silence save for the sniffles coming from Jenny and the car driving along the roads.

Jethro parks up at the gates, killing the engine. Jenny takes a deep breath before getting out of the car,  picking up the flowers she bought. Taking Jethro's outstretched hand from where he's waiting for her, Jenny leads him into the cemetery, walking to the grave of her father:

Army Colonel Jasper Shepard.

Tears stream down her face as she places the flowers at the bottom of his headstone.

"Hi, Daddy. I know it's a bit late but I bought someone to finally meet you. You remember me telling you about my ex-boss who was a Marine Sniper? His name is Jethro, Leroy Jethro Gibbs to be exact. He's the one who I fell in love with while we were in Europe.

I have to go now, Daddy, I have an early morning tomorrow but I'm doing okay, I promise I'm okay, Jethro is making sure I'm okay. I love you, Daddy." Jenny says before straightening up and finding herself being pulled into a strong embrace. She sobs into his chest, crying out all the hurt, and pain and the anger she's been feeling the last ten years.

She's glad Jethro is here on the hardest day of the year.

Jethro drives them back to his  home with one hand in Jen's. They've not said a word to one another since he suggested they get home. He doesn't want her to be alone tonight so he's offered her his guest room but knows she'll end up falling asleep in the basement like she used to do when she was a probie. Looking over at her, the silver haired agent can't suppress a smile when he sees his third favourite redhead has fallen asleep with her head on the car window. He's always loved it when she's sleeping, she looks so peaceful, so relaxed.

Once he's parked her car behind his NCIS car, he gets out, walks around to the passenger side of the car and picks her up in his arms bridal style, his smile growing when she nuzzles his chest, making a noise of contentment. As always, he's happy he left his front door unlocked so he can just push it open with his foot and walk into the darkened house, heading straight to the stairs that will lead him to his bathroom and the bedrooms.

He watches from his rarely used bedroom doorway as the Director sleeps with the moon peering into the room from the window, casting a light on his former partner.

"Goodnight, Jen." He says from where he's watching her.

A/N: Shitty ending I know but my phone is on 1%, hope you enjoy Angels.