Jen & Jethro

December 2038; something had been going on over the past seven weeks. Something that occupied Abby, Ziva and Jaylyn’s attention for what seemed like every waking moment to Jethro.  DiNozzo and McGee were just out of it from time to time. Ducky was off of his game as far as Jethro was concerned since he hadn’t been sharing one of his stories like he would whenever they were in the middle of a case. In fact there had been a few times when Jethro had walked into Autopsy to get answers from his friend only to find Ducky hurriedly shoving what he had in front of him in the desk draw while Palmer turned back to organizing the supplies or counting the pipettes.

If that wasn’t odd enough; Jenny had picked up on their daughters, even her own step-daughter acting a bit weird from time to time over the course of the past seven week time frame. Of course Jenny had told Jethro about the girls after he had told her about his team.

“What is going on?”

“I’d like to know that myself too, Jen. My half of my team is off doing something in secret and the other half is playing dumb.”

“Well Jethro there’s only one way for us to get the answers we want.”

“We can’t interrogate them.”

“That’s not what I was saying. We have to do what we use to do ever so well.”

Jethro got a mischievous look on his face.

“Get your mind out of the bedroom, Jethro and let’s get some answers.”

“Okay Jen.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

April 2039; the planning for Jenny and Jethro’s surprise 40^th anniversary party had been in full swing over the past four months. Abby, Ziva, Jaylyn, Kelly, the quads and the twins had started all of the planning back in December, right before Christmas came around. Of course they picked up where they had left off after Christmas since they had some time before New Year’s.  They knew that Jenny and Jethro were a bit suspicious, but for all intent and purpose the group had to forge on if the party was going to be a success in July.

The guest list was all set. The hall had been rented out for the day the party was going to be held and payment for the hall had been paid in full thanks Ducky and the money he had from when his mother past. Ducky was writing his speech in his spare time as were Jaylyn and all seven of her nieces. Tony and McGee would give the girls a heads up whenever Jenny and Jethro were starting ask questions. Now all that had to be done was for Kelly to convince her mother to help her and her sisters when it came to getting Jenny and Jethro to the hall.

Of course while they were planning everything alongside their aunt, Ziva and Abby; Tony had in a lapse in judgment had asked why Shannon was the only ex-wife attending the party in three months and why none of Jethro’s other ex-wives had been invited. After a moment or two of processing, Tony had realized that not having the three ex-wives that felt like they had been a bit more scorched by Jethro than Shannon felt was the best route for everyone involved. Although Tony did find it a bit entertaining that Fornell, Emily and her husband had been invited when Diane and Victor weren’t. He even got a chuckle out of the fact that Sam had been invited when Hollis wasn’t.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

July 2039; the day had finally arrived. Today, Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Jenny Shepard had been married for forty years. All the final touches for the party had been made and everything was set. Ducky and Jaylyn had decided to keep their speeches short so that the girls would have more time. Kelly would give her speech after Jaylyn gave hers and before Delilah gave hers and her sisters.

The guests had all arrived on time. The cater made it and the waiters were setting up shop as the guests took their seats. The guests of honor were on route with Shannon. When they had arrived Shannon gave the girls a heads up so they could get ready and turn the hall light off.

As Jenny and Jethro walked into the dark room the lights had been switched on once Shannon was near the switch. All the guests shouted surprise at the top of their lungs to a surprise Jenny and Jethro who had both fallen in love with the elegantly decorated hall. Ducky took his place at the microphone as his friends took their seats.

“Forty years together as husband and wife, what an accomplishment. Over those forty years, the two of you have grown together and fallen deeper in love with each other. You’ve also raised six beautiful young women. Here’s to forty more wonderful years, my dears.” Ducky said to his friends.

With that Jaylyn switched places with Ducky.

“Well that’s going to be a tough act to follow.” Jaylyn teased.

Ducky smiled from where he sat.

“Forty years ago today, I was at the wedding that led to this day;  so it’s quite an honor to be standing with the two of you again forty years later as we celebrate that magical day. Now I know Jen wishes as much as I do that our parents were here to witness this occasion but we both know that the Colonel and Mom are here in spirit. And I know that both of you know that the two of you have made us all believe in love. You’ve shown us that happily ever after does exist. So before I break out into tears, let me just say this. Happy 40^th anniversary to the best sister a girl could ask for and to the only man in the world that could ever tame my sister while being a great brother-in-law. To the next forty.”

Jaylyn rejoined Kasey and their family at their table.

Kelly took her place.

“A number of years ago during what seemed to be the mass chaos of mine and my mother’s return back to the land of the living, while I was still a bit perturb at the fact I came from a broken home; my dad gave me seven great gifts. Leroy Jethro Gibbs gave me a step mom, who has been just a phenomenal as my own mother in every way possible and who has become my best friend. He also gave me my sisters. Forty years of marriage to the same woman is quite a feat for my dad, and as much as I have wished that it was my mom keeping him in line all these years. But since it isn’t, I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to keep him in line than Jenny. To forty more years of wedded bliss.”

After Kelly took her seat next to Charlie, her six younger sister went up to where she had been.  Delilah stepped up to the microphone while her sister stood behind her.

“What can we say that hasn’t been said already? The six of us have been six of the most fortunate people over the years. We have the best parents, but of course everyone says that about their parents. We meant it. If Mom and Dad hadn’t walked down that aisle together forty years ago then the lives of my sisters’ and I would be a lot different than what it is today. And of course we know that it probably wasn’t easy for them to get married then or for Mom to have the picture perfect wedding she had always hoped for since she was pregnant with Em, Aria, Maddy and myself at the time; she and Dad still managed. And thankfully eighteen years after they said “I do” Kate and Kassidy came into the dysfunctional fold as we all know. So since Mom and Dad had four out six of us in the way when they had their first dance at their reception, our gift to you both is a redo of that first dance. To forty more years of magic, we love you both.”

The band started playing the song that Jenny and Jethro danced to for the first time as husband and wife forty years ago; What A Wonderful World by  Louis Armstrong.

“May I have this dance, Mrs. Gibbs?” Jethro asked as he held his hand out before Jenny.

“Yes you may, Mr. Gibbs.” Jenny responded as Jethro led her to the dance floor.

Of course Jethro did the whole bit where he let Jenny stand away from at arms’ length while he stood at the center of the dance floor and showed her off their guests. Everyone in attendance watched in awe.

Once the guests of honor had returned their seats and shared a kiss, Tony stood up and made his way to the microphone; ignoring Ziva’s pleas to not ruin the beautiful moment that had just happened. Of course some of the guests; Jaylyn, Ziva and the girls rolled their eyes.

“I just wanted to say, at least for those of us NCIS Gibblets that I am quite sure that Kelly and her sisters would agree too as well as all the kids when I say; the two of you us made us all believe in love again. Thank-you.”

Tony took his place next to Ziva back and the festivities continued on for quite some time before Jenny and Jethro thanked their daughters, Abby, Ziva and Jaylyn for putting the party together.