Kate entered the bullpen, her face slightly paler than usual. Tony, Carrie and Liam where sitting around Tony's desk laughing. Tony looked up at Kate's arrival, but was greeted by a cold stare. Tony cocked his head to the side slightly, trying to figure out what was bothering Kate, but got no reaction from her. Carrie and Liam where still in a fit of giggles at this point.
Kate turned to them, "What's so funny?" she asked, smiling at the pair.
"Nothing…" Carrie said between laughs, "It's just something that Liam said; long story."
"Oh, well, what's everybody up to tonight?"
"Nothing," both Liam and Carrie said together.
"Well there's this movie on at the cinema tonight; wanna go Carrie?" Liam asked a bit too quick; Carrie hesitated. She hadn't dated in a long while, and as much as she liked this new guy she had her doubts. She'd given herself time to get over the loss of Paul, though somehow it always seemed like not enough. If he were here now, he'd be telling her to go for it.
"Ok," she said, smiling although her stomach was about ready to give way. ‘Why had she said Ok?'
"Cool!" said Liam, grinning broadly. He suddenly realized there were other people in the room and turned to Kate, "You're invited as well, Kate; and you Tony," he added quickly.
Tony had half got this mouth open before Kate answered, "Tony and I have already got plans for tonight," Tony was silenced by a quick stare that Kate slid his way.
"Oh okay, that's cool. I'll pick you up at eight then?" Liam said standing up, looking over at Carrie.
"Ok, you don't know where I live though."
"I'll phone you when I'm in the car and you can give me directions."
"Ok," Carrie said, smiling again.
"It's a date," Liam said, before rushing out of the bullpen. Carrie looked slightly flustered.
"What is it, Carrie?" Kate said, seeing her friend's obvious anguish.
"It's nothing…just that…well; I'm a bit out of practice at this, that's all."
"You're doing fine," Kate said.
"Hmm, well, I've got to get ready for my date tonight," Carrie said, standing up. "See you both tomorrow." Carrie bent and gave Tony a hug, a bit tighter than normal. She whispered in his ear, "You've got to tell her. Do it now."
"Bye, Carrie," Tony said, trying to ignore what she'd just said. Carrie gave him one last stare, said goodbye to Kate and left the bullpen.
Tony looked up at Kate, "You alright?"
"I'm staying at my place tonight; I'll see you in the morning." Kate hurried out of the bullpen and Tony was left staring at an empty floor.
"Great."
***
Carrie walked past the Interview Room, hoping to bump into Gibbs. It was weird; he wasn't in MTAC or the Directors office. Annoying too; she'd thought long and hard about his question and had come to an answer. As she looked into the Interview Room, she saw a man huddled in the corner of the room. ‘That was strange; there wasn't anyone to be questioned at the moment.' She opened the door and the man lifted his head. Carrie was shocked to find that it was McGee.
"What are you doing in here?" she asked. McGee didn't answer, Carrie wasn't even sure that he could. She quickly crossed the room and knelt beside him. He was breathing hard and rapidly.
"Oh my God, you're hyperventilating!" Carrie said shocked, she quickly opened her purse and pulled out a brown paper bag, handing it to McGee. McGee took it and gave her a confused look.
"I have panic attacks," she said unembarrassed, "now just breathe into the bag." She pushed the bag up to McGee's face.
Within a few minutes, his breathing had already slowed. "Abby…is…" he started.
"Don't talk, just breathe," she said, pushing the bag back up to his face.
Another few minutes and he was ready to talk, "Abby is pregnant," he said.
"Oh," Carrie said, as if that cleared the whole matter up, "I hope you didn't react like this to her face."
"No," McGee said, "I was really happy; and I genuinely was…until I got into the elevator and it hit me. I'm going to be a father. Me! A father!"
"Yes, and a bloody good one, let me tell you."
"Abby will make the most amazing mother," he said ignoring, Carrie's last statement, and staring adoringly into the distance.
"So will you," Carrie said.
"Kids and me don't mix."
"What? Of course you do."
"My cousin, Tracy, has just had twins, and I tried to hold them, and they just wouldn't stop crying."
"That's nothing. All parents have trouble at first; you'll figure it out."
"They do?"
"Of course they do. You'll be a great father."
"You really think I will?"
"The best," she said flatly.
McGee hung his head, "I wish I was as sure as you," he stated and his breathing got gradually faster again.
***
Jethro returned home to find Jen sitting at the kitchen table, using her laptop. Her eyes were squinting and she looked drained. She didn't even notice Jethro come through the door. He walked up behind her and put a solid hand on her left shoulder. She jumped and turned round.
"Oh, Jethro. It's just you…" she said calming herself down. She turned back around and went back to concentrating on what was written on the screen of the laptop. Jethro placed both hands on her shoulders and rubbed deeply into her neck. The knuckles of his thumbs massaged up and down the ridges at the base of her neck at the top of her spine. She relaxed under his tender hands and closed her eyes.
"How long have you been working?" Jethro asked, his voice quiet and soothing.
"Since I've got home," she moaned in pleasure as Jethro smoothed out a particular knot that he had found in the top of her back. "It was um…a busy day at NCIS," she paused barely able to speak, but somehow managed to carry on. "Everyone wants to know what we are doing about this serial killer."
"It's not serial killer yet, and I don't intend for it to be."
"I know that, but the press doesn't know you like I do…oooh…do that bit again." Jethro repeated exactly what he'd just done and she moaned again, "How do you do this so well?…Anyway, I keep telling them that I've got my best agents on this…but they won't stop hounding me…I'm trying to write a statement now that I can release tomorrow…"
"Take a break," he said.
"I can't; I seriously need to get this done…"
"Come on," he said and took his hands away from Jen's neck.
"Don't stop," she said, almost drifting off to sleep. Jethro leaned forwards and slid his hand into hers.
"Come with me."
"I really can't…"
Jethro pulled her to her feet.
"Oh, okay then; but we can't be long…"
He led her through the house, hand in hand.
"Where are we going?" she asked, noticing they'd passed the bedroom door.
"Wait and see," he said, taking her nearer and nearer the door.
"Why are we going down here?" Jen asked as they descended the flight of wooden stairs behind the door.
"I'm going to teach you something."
"Like what?" she asked. "I really don't have time for games you know…"
"Just wait a minute," he said, releasing her hand and walking over to his workbench. He picked up a rag and walked back over to her.
"What is that for?" she said cautiously, "If you think…" Jethro stood behind her and placed the rag over he eyes. "Jethro this is not funny."
"Just wait a minute," he said tying the rag gently at the back of her head. "Ok, done." Still stood behind her he reached around her and held each of her hands in his. He guided her forwards slowly.
"Jethro, what are…"
"Shhhh," he said almost whispering. Jen kept silent and trusted Jethro as he walked her forwards towards the wooden carcass of his boat. When they reached it Jethro placed her hands on the wood and put his hands around her waist, "Right, now feel the wood," he said quietly.
"This is stupid…"
"Just do it," he said.
Jen sighed and rushed her hands quickly up and down the wood, "There, will that do?"
"No, like this," he said, removing his hands from her waist and pacing them on top of hers. He pushed her hands into the wood and slowly moved them up the curve of the wood.
She let out a small gasp, "It's so smooth! Like silk," she said surprised. Jethro smiled behind her and continued to move her hands up and down the wood. He felt them pull away from his and he placed his hands back around her waist. She didn't even notice as she was now deeply concentrating on the wood in front of her. Jethro smiled as she ran her hands over the smooth surface of the beam.
"That's it you've got it," he said.
"Shhhh," she said moving forward slightly out of his grip. He walked back over to his workbench and grabbed something off of the tabletop. He took Jen's hands tenderly off of the wood and placed them around the object. "What's this?" she said quietly.
"You'll see," he said placing her hands along with the object against the beam of wood in front of her. He slowly pushed her hands and the object up the beam and then back down again. "There you go; you've felt the wood; you know where its weaknesses and strengths are. Use your knowledge and the tool to shape the wood. You and the tool are one now. Hand tools are just extensions of the human body."
Jen slid the object up and down the beam, just like she had been shown, feeling the wood as she went. Some bits she spent more time on, some bits she glided over with ease. Jethro just stood and watched her smiling. This was probably the sexiest he had ever seen her, and she handled the boat with ease, just like he knew she would. After a while, Jen came to a stop from smoothing the wood and removed the blindfold.
"Where did you learn to teach like that?" she said admiringly.
"I didn't really teach you anything," he said. "It was all you."
"Come on," she scoffed. "That was amazing; I could actually feel where to work at the wood."
"That's how I learned to massage."
"Oh come off it."
"Same principles; you find out where the bits that need attention are and you work away at them until they are smooth again."
"Hmm, well you are very good at doing that," she said smiling, moving towards him and wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Oh really?" he said laughing, "Well I know a couple of other things I'm quite good at as well." Jen laughed, getting up closer to his firm body.
"How did I know that was coming?" she asked, laughing too, and she pulled him into a deep kiss, exploring his body like she had the wood. Jethro surprised himself by letting out a very small shudder.
"I believe I have taught you well," he said smiling, making Jen laugh again seductively, and then carried on the kiss, enjoying every second of it more and more.
***
Author's Chapter Notes:
Carrie finds McGee in a state and Jethro returns home to an overworked Jen