Un-betaed

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

When Past Meets Present an NCIS story

(Revised items in bold and underlined)

(Determined that the time frame from their first meeting to the second was too many years so instead of 30 years changed it to 'so many years ago'.

Chapter 1 (REVISED)

Whew!  Want a run!  I really needed that run after all that has happened in the last month.  That last assignment took a lot out of me.  So glad that I now have a week or two to relax and recuperate.  What better place to relax than in my favorite city, Paris?

Wait!  That man leaning against the building next to my apartment looks like he’s in trouble. I approached him and asked if he needed help. He looked at me and nodded yes.  He clutched his side and winced.  His face was pale and drenched with sweat. Should I try to help him?  Of course girl, you would want someone to help you if you looked like that.  I put aside my apprehension and grabbed his arm and put it over my shoulder.  I held him by the waist and felt moisture on my hand.  I pulled my hand away and saw that it was covered in blood.  “What happened to you? Should I call the police?” I asked.  He groaned out, “NO. Just get me off the street”, he added.

Slowly but surely we made it to my apartment.  So glad that the lift worked today and that he did not bleed all the way to my apartment.  That meant one less clean up for me.  I sat him in a kitchen chair and went to the spare bedroom to put plastic on the bed so that I could tend to his wound.  When I returned to the kitchen I found him with his head on the table but his hand still clutching his side.  “Come with me so that I can take a look at your side”, I said. I helped him to his feet and lead him to the bedroom.  I helped him to remove his jacket and shirt, which was completely soaked in blood.  He held the shirt and pressed it to the wound to slow the bleeding while I grabbed the suture kit. As I moved to the table for the suture kit, he noticed the gun in my waistband.  I noticed his glance and said, “I don’t know you or why this happened to you or if someone will come looking for you.  I must protect myself.  I may have helped you off the street but I am not stupid.”  He simply smiled and said, “Thank you”.  I noticed that he not only had a knife wound in the side but also a gunshot wound in his shoulder.  I told him that it would help if I gave him a sedative so that he would not feel the pain.  “Can I trust you”, he asked.  “You have no choice”, I replied.    

It took a bit of an effort to remove the bullet but I did and sutured that and his side wound. Applied antibiotics to stave off any infection and left him to sleep off the sedative.  While he slept I searched his clothing for any identification.  Finding none, I cleaned up the mess and dumped it in the hall receptacle.  I locked his door from the outside then went to my bedroom to shower and change.  Finally feeling refreshed I went to the kitchen to prepare lunch.  I ate and read for the rest of the day. My houseguest slept the day away.

The next morning I prepared pancakes, eggs and sausage for breakfast.  As I sat down to eat I heard a loud groan coming from the guest room.  I grabbed my gun, went to unlock the door and entered.  He was still lying on the bed but his face turned toward the open door. “Feeling any better”, I asked. “Not much, but thanks anyway”, he replied.  He continued, “My name is …”.  I interrupted him, “No names. I won’t ever see you again so no names needed.  If you want you can call me Margie and I will call you Ace.” He responded, “Ok, Margie.  What smells so good?”  “That’s breakfast.  Do you want some?” I asked.  “Yes, thank you”, he said.  We sat in his bedroom and ate breakfast.  He started to sag a bit and reclined on the bed.  I changed his bandages and suggested that he simply stay in bed for the rest of the day.  Within minutes he was fast asleep.  I didn’t ask him any questions about how he ended up wounded. The less that I knew the better. Plausible deniability.

Ace stayed at my apartment for a week.  We talked about boats, cars, cities, almost everything except our jobs and why he was shot.  “Other than the reason for why we met, I am so glad to have met you Margie. I will never forget your kindness. I have not felt so relaxed in a long, long time.  If we never meet again, just know that I will never forget you.  If we do meet again, who knows …” I smiled and replied, “I doubt that we will ever cross paths again Ace.  I’m glad to have helped you in a difficult time. Take care of yourself and stay out of the path of bullets and knives.” 

I had not thought about that time in years.  So much has happened since that day in Paris so many years ago.  I have led a charmed life.  My job has allowed me to travel the world. With that travel came peril and close calls.  One would call my line of work dangerous.  I would agree.  Working the in intelligence community entails a degree of danger and risk. Recruited out of college to join the agency I have been there and done that.  From serving 2 years in the Marines on an undercover assignment, training with the Navy Seals and Army Rangers, earning a JD and MBA from Harvard, taking the time to learn combat techniques from groups around the world, gaining fluency in several languages including Russian, Chinese, French, Italian, German to name a few and to working closely with the other intelligence agencies at home and abroad. I have used my time wisely.  Now nearing retirement I have reduced my fieldwork and have assumed a more administrative role in the agency.   

Tonight as a part of that administrative role I find myself at a meet and greet with the directors of the various governmental agencies.  It allows the directors to network in a non-pressure filled setting.  I made the rounds of the room trading pleasantries with those there when my colleague stopped me and introduced me to the director of Naval Criminal Intelligence Services (NCIS), Leon Vance and his lead agent Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I shook Director Vance’s hand and as I turned to greet Special Agent Gibbs and we looked at each other, we said at the same time, “Hello Margie”, “Hello Ace”.

Davno ne videlis’  (Long time, no see!)

Kak dela? (How are you?)

“Do you two know each other?” both Director Vance and my colleague asked at the same time. “We met many years ago”, replied Special Agent Gibbs.  We excused ourselves for a moment.  We walked to an empty corner in the room and simply looked at each other not believing that after all these years we have met again.  

So you work for the CIA?

So you work for NCIS?

Where have you been all of these years?

I could ask the same of you.

Well this certainly is not the place for such a conversation so how about we meet later somewhere?

Sounds like a good idea.  How about the Grill on the Green?  Do you know where it is?  Terrace restaurant, great views and great steaks.

I’ll find it.  How about Friday evening at 8?

Will see you there.  We better return to the meet and greet.

After we met at the Grill on the Green for our reacquainting meeting it seems that we fell into a routine of sorts.  We talked at least once every other day. We met for breakfast once a month at some diner he frequented near an overpass.  We had other dinners at other restaurants. Our jobs kept us both busy and even though I had reduced my fieldwork I still, on occasion, had to travel for assignments.

Several months into our reacquainting period, Ace invited me to his home for dinner.  I liked his home.  It looked lived in as opposed to my condo, which simply “looked” since I didn’t spend much time there.  My fieldwork kept me away from home for long periods of time. Ace asked me what kind of fieldwork did I do.  I explained that my job entailed acting as a liaison between the various intelligence gathering agencies around the world such as Interpol, MI-6, etc. I have contacts in China, Russia, Germany, Japan, and India, to name a few.  

“What I do is highly classified.  You know the old saying, ‘if I told you, I would have to kill you’?  Well if I told you I would literally have to kill you because I would not only violate my oath of service but the national security as well.”

“Have to ever been injured or captured?”

“Yes to both but I survived them all.”

“Were you on assignment when we met those years ago?”

“No more questions!  It is safer for the both of us if we do not discuss this any more or discuss this again.”

The mood changed after that and I did not want to end the evening on that somber note so I asked an innocuous question.  

“Jethro, would you have interest in accompanying me to an upcoming race event?  I will participate in the Quantico Triathlon next week  and the Marine Corps Marathon 2 months later.  You choose which one you want to attend and come to cheer me on.  I could always use one more in my cheering section.”  

He did not say anything.  He stared at me.  That was the first time that I had called him by his name, Jethro.  I usually called him Ace.  “Prosti.” (I’m sorry), I said.  “It’s probably best if I leave now.  Thank you for dinner.”  I rose to leave and he said, “I will try to call you at lunch time tomorrow for our regular every other day phone call.”  I turned and looked at him dumbfounded.  I thought for sure that this was the end of our “friendship”.  He smiled and said, “I do not give up that easily.  I have always enjoyed our time together and this one conversation has not changed my opinion on that.” He walked me to my car and I had a smile on my face all the way home.

Un-betaed

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

When Past Meets Present an NCIS story (REVISED)

(Revised items in bold and underlined)

Chapter 3 (REVISED)

“Hey, does anyone know where Gibbs is?” asked McGee.  “He went to lunch,” responded Bishop.  “Lunch?  Gibbs never goes to lunch!”  McGee responded questioningly.  “You are right,” Reeves chimed in.  “Have you noticed that he takes lunch sometimes now  and disappears from the office?” they all three chimed in at once.  “What’s going on?” Gibbs asked as he approached his desk.  “Nothing boss,” they all said and returned to their work.  

Jethro sat at his desk and smirked.  He had heard the end of their conversation as he exited the elevator.  Things had begun to change for him.  He couldn’t explain just how and why but he knew when.  When he saw Margie again.  He thought about her a lot these days.  That’s now common for him.  Jethro has had many relationships, some casual and others intimate.  He loved Shannon and grieved many years for her loss.  He married and divorced several times trying to find that “comfortable” place like what he had with Shannon but it never happened.  As his mind travels back and reviews his life a glaring realization manifests itself.  That week with Margie years ago was the one time that he felt “comfortable” after losing Shannon. They had not defined their current relationship as anything other than “friendship” but Jethro knew that he wanted more.  What that more was he wasn’t quite certain because he remembered one conversation that he and Margie had during that week years ago that really made an impression on him:

“Ace, do you have to love someone to have sex with them?” Margie asked.

Ace sat startled for a moment and replied, “No.”

Margie responded, “I do.  I can’t have casual sex.  I think that it would cheapen me and I value myself.  I am priceless.  I want to be in love with the person to whom I give my body.  I want to experience the sensation of an orgasm with someone who reciprocates that love.  You know they say that an orgasm is a “mini death’ so I want my lover and I to share that moment together knowing that we only feel that sensation with each other.   I also don’t want sex outside of marriage. I know that it may sound old fashioned but that’s what I want.  So until I marry I will keep myself to myself.”

Jethro didn’t have any more time to think about it as new information came in on a case that they were working.  He, McGee, Bishop and Reeves rushed out of the office to follow up on that lead.  Two days later they had wrapped up the case, completed all of the necessary paperwork and called it a day.  Tired and ready for a nice cool drink they all headed out.  Jethro checked his phone and saw that he had a missed call from Margie.  “Ace, guess that you’re busy. I haven’t heard from you and didn’t know if you still planned to attend the Quantico Triathlon tomorrow. I’ll look for you at the finish line.  If not, I’ll see you when I see you.  Take care.”  Oh no! he thought.  The race happened yesterday.  I totally forgot about it.  I’m sure Margie will understand.  Jethro tried to call her but only reached her voice mail.  He decided not to leave a message and instead drove to her condo.  He buzzed for entry but received no response.  He tried again to call her but still no answer.  Just as he prepared to leave he saw Lydia, one of Margie’s neighbors.  Margie had introduced them.  He asked Lydia if she had seen Margie.  Lydia told him that Margie had left a few hours ago.  Margie trusted Lydia to keep an eye out on her apartment.  Lydia works for the FBI and has worked several assignments with Margie.  He asked Lydia if she knew where Margie went and she looked at him and simply said, “Gone fishing”.  Jethro knew then that Margie was called away on a dangerous assignment.  Jethro thanked Lydia and left.

Jethro arrived at home still worried about Margie.  He knew that they both had dangerous jobs and could have to leave at a moment’s notice.  Margie never went on ‘run of the mill’ assignments.  All of her assignments were dangerous.  Her expertise was called upon only as needed. ‘Gone fishing’ meant an assignment that would take more than a few days.  ‘Gone shopping’ meant an assignment that would require less time.  ‘Kroykah’ meant extreme danger to all parties. She emphasized that if she ever used Kroykah* to me that I too was in danger.  That was another reason why she kept “herself to herself’.  She didn’t want to endanger any innocent parties.

She can take care of herself, he said to himself.  He mused that Abby calls Margie a cross between MacGyver, Jason Bourne, James Bond, Alias, La Femme Nikita, to name a few, all rolled into one.  He wasn’t sure who all those people were but Abby said it with such respect it had to have meant something good. Margie was a wiz on computers and was even better than McGee.  She could stand her own with Abby in the lab and even spent time with Ducky in autopsy.  Bishop said that Margie’s analytical skills are off the charts.  

He remembered one day when Margie had stopped by the office and McGee was trying to explain something about his computer search and none of us understand what he was saying. Margie translated for us. McGee looked dumbfounded. Then she did something that totally flummoxed McGee. She said something that McGee recognized as something from a textbook he used in his class at MIT.  McGee asked Marcie how did she know that exact verbiage.  She pulled out her phone, pulled up the screen that showed the name of the textbook and the authors.  There on the screen was Margie’s name.  Margie then smiled and said, “I told you that I got into computers early on.”

But Jethro thought that she wasn’t just about the job.  She enjoyed other things like reading, music, art, movies, fine dining, and running.  Tony would have loved her because she would quote movie lines as well as he did.  I remember she told me about her love for mystery novels.  But she didn’t like the “blood and guts” stories that many of the modern writers produce.  She said that she saw enough blood and guts in her line of work that she didn’t want to read about it.  She preferred Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle. She said that everyone knows the Sherlock Holmes’ stories like the Hound of the Baskervilles but she suggested that I read a lesser-known Holmes story, The Yellow Face.  It shows us that some times we can exaggerate our own importance.

“Breathe!” Margie said to herself.  You can do this.  You’ve survived scenarios like this a hundred times.  But something was wrong this time.  She felt it.  How did they know that we would try now to retrieve the data? Only a few people even knew of the existence of this critical piece of information.  It was a last minute decision to even leave when we did. 

I had just finished my Quantico Tri and looked up surprised to see Robert at the finish line. I was looking for someone else at the finish line but he wasn’t there.  “We leave at 0500,”Robert said.  We arrived at our destination and proceeded with the mission. I encrypted and transmitted the info. Robert left as soon as I had secured the package.  Wait, Robert left.  We were instructed to leave together.  Ok Margie don’t panic.  You know this area.  You know people here.  Plan and execute.  

I did exactly that. I met with my new contacts and made all the arrangements for the new rendezvous site.  While waiting for transport to the airfield my travelling companion, Stefan, and I happened upon a young man in a ditch.  He was badly beaten and barely breathing. I recognized him from a report about a kidnapping in the area.  Evidently his kidnappers left him for dead when their ransom demands were not met.  Stefan and I gathered him into our jeep and made haste to the rendezvous site.  With Stefan and the young man on the plane, I prepared to enter when shots rang out.  I turned and a group of five men advanced on the plane with Robert leading the way.  Without hesitation we returned fire and took out all of the men, including Robert, but not before I received a shot to my side and another to my shoulder.  Stefan managed to pull me into the plane so that it could depart.  We took off.  

Medical staff on board tended to my wounds but I was losing blood so quickly.  It was a blessing that they had a sufficient supply of my blood type to stabilize me until we reached safer shores. Upon arrival at the nearest military hospital, staff there patched me up but my superiors had me on the first transport back to DC with a medical helicopter waiting for transport to Bethesda. It seemed strange that I remained awake and aware of my surroundings the entire time from the shooting until we arrived at Bethesda.  Once we arrived at the hospital, I lost consciousness.

A week passed and I have not heard from Margie.  One week turned into two weeks and I started to worry again.  Work kept me busy but I had a nagging feeling that something bad had happened.  At the end of the second week, just as I stepped into my house my phone rang. “Hello,” I said.  “Special Agent Gibbs, this is Lydia.  Margie is in Bethesda hospital. She’s hurt pretty badly.” I felt sick to my stomach.  “I’m on my way,” I replied.  I made it to the hospital and Lydia was there to meet me. She told me that Margie had not regained consciousness and that the doctors were worried.  At that moment the doctor came out to say that they had stabilized Margie again after having to conduct another surgery to stop the internal bleeding.  They said that she should rest for the remainder of the night and that they were not concerned that she had not regained consciousness.  It was her body’s way of healing itself.  I thanked the doctor for his care of Margie.  

Lydia and I settled ourselves in the waiting room. 

“Do you love her?”Lydia asked me. 

“Yes,” I replied without hesitation. 

“She loves you but she won’t admit it because she doesn’t think that you love her.” 

“I didn’t realize it myself until just now”

“What do you plan to do about it? 

“I don’t know.  I need to talk with her.”

“Don’t hurt her.  She’s the best friend that I have and I love her like a sister.”

While in the waiting room, my mind wanders.  In my past relationships it seemed that I tried to 'recapture' the feelings and comfort that I felt with Shannon.  That wasn’t possible because none of those women were Shannon.  What Shannon and I shared was unique to the both of us.  I want to share new things with Margie.  Make our own life experiences together.  But she has to survive this ordeal for us to have any of that.

Margie makes me smile when I think of her. Her warm brown skin needs no ‘honey dust’ for it tantalizes all on its own.  Her dark brown eyes crinkle and her cheeks blush when she smiles.  Her laugh is more of a chuckle.  I have not heard a ‘deep from the belly’ kind of laugh from her but I will.  We will experience that together. I can’t think of my life without her but how do we have a life together?  Lydia says that Margie doesn’t believe that I love her.  I know that I haven’t told her that I love her because I didn’t know myself until today but I did know that I more than ‘liked’ her.  What’s there not to like. She’s even a Marine.  I say Marine and not ex-Marine because once a Marine always a Marine. 

I told myself that I would never marry again.  Multiple divorces will do that for you. I’m getting too old for “dating”. “I can’t have sex without loving and being married to that person. Until I marry I will keep myself to myself.”  Margie said that when we first met and she recently informed me that she has lived by that. What do I do?  I want her in my life but do I have to marry her?  Can I just remain friends with her and nothing more?  Am I thinking this way just because she’s hurt?  

My thoughts were interrupted as the doctor hurried into the waiting room.  The doctor said to Lydia and me, “There’s been a new development.  She’s taken a turn for the worse. It seems that she’s been poisoned.  We’ve identified the poison and have started treatment to counteract its effects and flush her system of it.  It was a slow release poison. Authorities have determined that medical staff at the intermediary hospital must have introduced it to her system.  They have detained the staff there. The next 24 hours will determine whether we actually did catch it in time. We have changed her condition from serious to critical. We have moved her to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) so that we can constantly monitor her condition.  ICU is two floors up. You can sit with her there.  Remain hopeful.  We will do all that we can to make sure that she survives.” The doctor left.

Lydia was stunned. “No, no, no this can’t be happening!  Not now, not ever to Margie.  She’s the kindest person I know.  She’s helped me so much.  She’s my friend.  She’s my best friend.  I need some air! I need some air!”  Lydia rushed to the elevator and left.

I stood there in shock.  Poisoned. Critical. Twenty-four hours. My Margie.  My Alexis Marjorie McGregor.  

Why does my head hurt so much?  I didn’t bump my head did I?  I thought that I was just shot?  Wait a minute!  I’m in the hospital and I can hear voices but I don’t see anyone even though my eyes are open.  I’m dreaming.  I’m so tired. Robert betrayed his country and me.  Why? Wait, wait, something comes to mind.  Several missions ago Robert disappeared for several hours and didn’t say where he went.  Ever since that time he acted a bit dodgy but I never thought that he would betray us.  I guess you never really know people do you, only what they allow you to see.  I will get to the bottom of this. I will find out who else is involved.  Wait, wait, wait! That’s it!  I know what they wanted.  Encryption!  Unlike most agents I always add a quirky data element to all my encryption codes.  When I transmitted the data Robert thought that he could intercept it using a traditional translator but he couldn’t because of the elements that I added.  When Robert realized that he could not access the data that’s when he came after me at the airfield.  He wanted to force me to translate. Will let the higher ups know that we need to tighten security and conduct additional training on data transmissions.  Great!  Now maybe I can get some rest.

But I can’t rest.  Jethro.  He didn’t come to the race.  He didn’t call.  I really wanted him there.  Maybe it’s for the best.  I want a ‘lifetime’ with him and maybe he just wants ‘temporary’ with me. When we kiss I feel like I will combust. There are just so many “cold” showers my body can take.  We need to talk and find out how we each view this relationship. Whew! Just thinking about all that has made me even more tired.  I think that I will just go to sleep for real now.  Margie slept peacefully.

During the next 24 hours I waited with Lydia and Margie’s parents, who are both retired Federal judges.  Margie’s superiors stopped by too, even the CIA Director.  Leon, Tobias, Ducky, Abby, McGee, Reeves, Torres and Palmer all stopped by for a short time.  I felt in a fog.  I realized that my earlier ranting was only me trying to prepare myself for her loss.  If I convinced myself that I didn’t have to marry her, that if she died, I hadn’t really lost anything.  That’s a lie.  I knew from the moment that I saw her again that she was now a part of my life.  Even if she had not incurred this injury I would still want her in my life.  All right then, I know what I have to do.  I pulled Margie’s father aside for a private conversation.

The twenty-four hours passed and Margie’s condition improved.  Within two days they moved her out of ICU and within a week she was discharged from the hospital.  Some things of significance did happen during that time before the discharge.  Margie conducted a debriefing with her superiors.  The case was more involved than first suspected. With the detailed information that Margie provided the authorities identified and apprehended Robert’s accomplice at the intermediary hospital.  Even in her dreams Margie doesn’t reveal ‘classified’ information.  Jethro and Margie had their long awaited conversation.

After the debriefing and after speaking with her parents Margie asked to meet with Jethro.

“Hi. I know that I look terrible but I really feel better.  How are you?” she said.

“I love you,” Jethro responded.

“You do?  I love you too.  You’re not saying that because you thought that I was going to die are you?” Margie asked with a trembling voice.

“I am saying it because it is true and because that is how I feel.  I won’t deny that you almost dying did have an influence on my saying it because it did, but not in the way that you think.  You almost dying made me realize that tomorrow is not promised and we must make every day count.  I don’t want another moment to pass without you knowing how deeply I love you,” Jethro stated emphatically.

Jethro took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead, her eyes, her cheeks, and finally her lips.  She gasped and he deepened the kiss until they both had to stop to take a breath. 

“Oh my, we need to stop or I will definitely need to take a cold, cold shower to cool off,” Margie whispered.  “You don’t know what you do to me when we kiss, when we touch, when I’m just with you,” Margie said as she put her hands over his hands as he held her face.  “What happens now?  We love each other.  Where does our relationship go from here? You don’t want marriage and I can’t give myself fully to you without marriage.  Do we just remain friends?  I don’t know if I can do that knowing how we feel about each other.  But on the other hand I don’t want to lose you from my life.  I definitely don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do…” Margie mumbled that last part because Jethro captured her lips again.

“Stop talking and listen,” Jethro said as he knelt on one knee.  “Alexis Marjorie McGregor will you marry me?”Jethro asked as he looked lovingly into the eyes of the woman who gave him a new purpose and a new desire to live and not simply exist. 

With tears welling in her eyes Margie smiled as she replied,“Yes!”  Jethro stood and kissed her again and she mumbled in the kiss, “but you have to ask me again when I get out the hospital and I have on some clothes, and I look presentable, and …”.  He kissed her again and she simply moaned.

Because of Margie’s great physical conditioning her recovery progressed quickly and given the fact that she had a wedding to plan and a honeymoon to anticipate she had all the motivation she needed to get better soon.  She returned to her condo after discharge from the hospital and her mother stayed with her during her recovery.  Although upon her discharge from the hospital Jethro had offered to have her stay with him during her recovery she declined.

“Why don’t you stay with me while you recuperate? I’ll take care of you like you took care of me in Paris all those years ago,” Jethro said.

Margie stopped in her tracks amazed at what he just said. “I can’t stay with you.  You have to work every day.  Plus with my arm in a sling I would need help with personal matters with which you cannot assist me,”Margie replied.

Jethro smiled and with a penetrating stare said, “I would be more than happy to assist you with all your needs.”

Margie smirked and returned his stare with one of her own and responded slowly and succinctly, “I just bet you would Special Agent Gibbs but that will not happen until after the ceremony.  And don’t you dare stare at me with those baby blues of yours. Would you take advantage of me in my weaken state?  Are you such a scoundrel to do that?”

“Weaken state? Hah?  Margie you don’t know what weak is. Even wounded you fought to stay alert enough to identify the perpetrator at the intermediary hospital. Even unconscious you put up a fierce battle to rid that poison from your system. After major surgery now you are going home after a week in the hospital. You can bring down a man three times your size so I know that you can handle little ole me,” Jethro teased.

Margie stopped and faced Jethro, took his hand to her face and said, “I would love nothing more than to go home with you but I can’t. To go to your home now to recuperate and then have to leave after recuperating is asking too much of me.  When I go to your home to sleep there I want it to be as your wife knowing that I don’t have to leave. And besides you couldn’t resist this luscious body in your house twenty-four seven.  Too much temptation for you old man.” 

Jethro laughed at that last remark, ‘old man’ and said, “As to the ‘old man’ remark need I remind you that you are only two years younger than I am, Agent McGregor.  Now as to the part about not coming to stay with me, I understand.  I look forward to the day when we will have twenty-four seven time together.  So now that we have that settled.  Let’s get you home.”

Now three months later Margie, her mother and Lydia are having a ‘Margie’s recovery and wedding shower’ just the three of them.  Lydia will have a party for anything.  Once years ago, after a grueling assignment, Lydia started these little parties.  It involved food and drink.  Lydia took every opportunity to celebrate even the little victories in life because she has had her share of loss. Lydia is a widow. Her husband was also an FBI agent who died several years ago of a cerebral hemorrhage. Margie’s mother was just glad that her baby was better and getting married.  

Margie had returned to work and received a promotion to Assistant Director of her division. That position did not involve constant fieldwork.  Margie knew that she had fully recovered when she felt well enough to enter another running event.  She loved to run.  It allowed her to relax and gave her such a calming feeling after all the day-to-day intensity of her job.

The wedding was planned to take place in a month.  Margie and Jethro had decided on a small, intimate ceremony with only friends and family.  Margie chose Lydia for her matron of honor. Jethro chose Tobias as his best man. Jethro would not tell Margie where they were going for the honeymoon. He wanted to surprise her.

One of the conversations that Margie and Jethro had after announcing their engagement was the matter of where they would live after the wedding ceremony.  Jethro really wanted to stay in his home but he felt that maybe Margie wanted some place new to the both of them.  He also had no idea how he would move all of his carpentry tools to a new place.  

When Jethro asked Margie about options for housing she replied, “Why, don’t you want to stay in your home?”  

Jethro answered, “Yes I would but wouldn’t you want to live somewhere new to the both of us?”  

Margie thought for a moment and then she looked at Jethro with a questioning tilt of her brows and said, “Jethro, your house is your home. You have lived there for years. You are comfortable there. Why would you need to move? Home for me is anywhere you are.”  

Jethro did not think that he could love her any more than he did at that moment. She had a way of saying things to him that would make him catch his breath.  She made him feel so loved.  Once they settled that they would live in his home after the wedding Margie made two requests.  

·      She asked that he purchase completely new furniture for the master bedroom from bed to dressers, nightstands, lamps, linens, etc.  She wanted them to start with a fresh clean slate.

·      She wanted them to spend the night of their wedding in their home.  She wanted their first time of making love to occur in their bedroom.

As to the honeymoon she left that to him.  She didn’t care where they went as long as they were together.  Margie loved him so much and she wanted him to understand just how much marrying him meant to her.  She finally said,

“Jethro I hope that you understand that for me ‘divorce’ is not an option.  I know that you have married and divorced before but you don’t have that option with me. ‘Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.’ You are it for me Jethro.”

Jethro smiled, looked at her and replied, “I may not know who ‘Kenobi” is but I do know that you are it for me too. Don’t think that you go into this marriage as a one-sided arrangement.  I love you Margie, more than I thought possible.  I almost lost you once and I will not willingly or intentionally do anything to lose you.  You are home to me too.”

The wedding day arrived.  The ceremony and the reception took place at the church that Margie’s parents attended.  The ceremony took place in the chapel and the reception took place at the grand hall.  Their friends and family all had a great time.  DiNozzo and Tali flew in from Paris.  No one knew where they would spend their honeymoon. Jethro did not tell anyone because he didn’t want anyone to accidently tell Margie.  They didn’t tell anyone that they would spend their wedding night at home.  That was information just for the two of them.

-----------------------------------------------------------

They said their goodbyes to their guests and departed.  They arrived at Jethro’s house, now their home, and Jethro carried Margie across the threshold.  

“Oh my what big strong arms you have, my love” Margie smirked.

“The better to carry you with my dear” Jethro replied.

Jethro placed her feet on the floor and captured her lips in a smoldering kiss.  He wanted her relaxed.  He wasn’t certain how experienced Margie was with making love and didn’t want to hurt her their first time together.  He would take things slowly at her pace so that she felt comfortable.  This was their first time together and he wanted it to be memorable and pleasurable for both of them but especially for her.

“Hold that thought.  You will make me light headed.  You know what effect you have on me when you kiss me.  I know, I know, now is the time to lose my head, but not just yet.  Let me slip into something more comfortable.  Let’s go upstairs.  I will change in the master bathroom and you can change in the guest bathroom and then…”  She didn’t get to finish what she was saying because he had picked her up and rushed up the stairs.

Jethro gathered his clothing and went to the guest bathroom.  Margie went into the master bathroom and changed her clothing. Margie knew that Jethro thought that she was inexperienced.  She remembered that she told him that she couldn’t have sex without love and marriage but that did not mean that she didn’t know about making love.  She made certain that her body was in peak condition and that everything was ‘firing on all cylinders’.  In her travels she gained a lot of knowledge about how to please a man and she knew the Kama Sutra by heart.  She knew techniques on erogenous zones and pressure points to heighten arousal.  Although she had never had to resort to intercourse on a mission she has used her knowledge on male antagonists which left them panting as if they had had intercourse.  Now that she was married she knew that once she opened this box of knowledge there was no way that she would put the lid back on it.  Jethro Gibbs was in for the ride of his life.

 Margie entered the bedroom from the bathroom and found that Jethro had turned back the covers on the bed.  He looked so handsome in his pajamas.  Margie had on a white silk waist length top and tap pants bottom which made her smooth brown skin glow.  She stood in the doorway so that he could get a good look at her.  She knew what she doing to him because she saw the effect in the tenting of his pajama bottoms.  She said in a sultry voice, “Hello stranger, come here often?”  He played along with her and responded, “No, it’s my first time.” Jethro walked to her and took her in his arms and took her to the bed.  He laid her down and kissed her.  “I love you Margie.  I love you so much,” he said as he removed her top and kissed her shoulders. “Oh, Jethro, I love you so much,” Margie moaned.  

They made love for the first time and it was explosive.  Margie, of course, felt things she had never felt before and Jethro was pleasantly surprised at what he and Margie could do together.  It was a time of sharing.  He also felt things that he had not felt before and believe it or not he thought for a moment there that he had passed out from the ecstasy of it all.  They both felt overwhelmed and joyful and looked forward to a lifetime of more with each other.

They honeymooned in Paris and did visit that apartment where it all began for them.

‘I may not be your first date, kiss, or love

But I want to be your last EVERYTHING’

When Past meets Present.  The End.

This is the end of this story but just the beginning for Margie and Jethro.  See you later.