NCIS Directors' Conference

“Just breathe.”
Jen’s words echoed in my head, seconds after she had uttered them.
“Thank-you.”
I delved further into the suite as Jen took her seat in the front row that sat across from the three television screens that showed three of my predecessor on them. I walked over to my seat, clearing my throat as I went to signal the others that it was time to start. Vance took the seat next to Jen that was closest to the buffet table. It was clear that he was avoiding me like the plague. My seat was next to Jen’s in the center of the room. By lunch we had taken a break to eat. By now everyone that was in attendance knew that I was pregnant thanks to the article.
All I was able to stomach at this point was water. So I had poured myself a cup of water. As I was drinking Jen came over, she seemed a bit on edge. Like she had something to tell me but she was a bit hesitant in telling me.
“If you have something to tell me then tell me and stop worrying on how I’m going handle whatever news you have for me.”
“There’s no easy way to say this, but I’m not my normal self.” Jen said to me.
“Don’t tell me; your illness came back and you are sick again. I knew this would happen. I’m moving in.”
“Relax Jay, my illness didn’t comeback and even if it did you aren’t moving in when you have a family of your own to take care of as well as a life to live.”
“Okay then if you aren’t sick, then what the hell is going on with you?”
“Let’s just say you aren’t the only one in the family that is expecting.”
“Kelly’s pregnant again? It hasn’t been that long since she had Liza.”
“Kelly isn’t pregnant, Jay. I’m the one that is pregnant.”
At that moment I had to throw up; so I rushed out of the suite to the ladies’ room down the hall, leaving Jen in the suite and completely disregarding my protection detail.
“Well that’s not the response I was hoping for.” Jen said to herself.
A few seconds later Jen was in the stall next to me just as nauseous as I was.
“Looks like the Shepards do things together.” Former Director Whitney Sharp commented as Jen darted out of the suite.
Jen’s morning sickness wasn’t as bad as mine was but she was still nausea. I waited for Jen after I had finished puking my guts out. In my mind it was hard for me to fathom the idea that my sister who was twenty years older than me and had gone through menopause was pregnant with Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ baby. In the back of my mind I had hoped that she was having a boy this way Jayla would be the only girl being born, which would be a luxury she would have over JD for their entire lives. I also hoped that they were having a boy so that Kelly would still be Jethro’s Princess.
“Sorry I rushed out on ya. The baby is kind of running me ragged at the moment. I am so happy for you and for Jethro.” I had said as Jen washed up.
“Thank-you, we’re pretty happy about it. We weren’t actually planning on a baby; let alone trying to have baby of our own considering Jethro and I are both in our sixties.”
“Give it a rest, Jen. Age doesn’t mean anything. Besides you and Jethro were always a unique couple that did things on your own terms.”
“That we do.” Jen responded as she remembered their night in Marseilles twenty-nine years ago as well as the nights Jen had stayed at Jethro’s side when he was in his second coma twenty-two years ago.
“Yeah I know, besides you and I both know if age was a fact then I wouldn’t be pregnant right now with my fourth child.”
We then headed back to the suite to wrap up the conference. Unlike Vance, I wasn’t extending the conference for another two days. Eli had arrived shortly after Jen and I returned to the suite. Amsterdam was top priority much to Vance’s dismay. At the moment I just wanted to get home.
Little did I know, I was going to have bit of a surprise waiting for me when I got home from this dreaded conference.
Jayden and Jocelyn were over at their friends’ house while Nick was still at work. JD was home by herself or at least that is what Nick and I believed she was. What we didn’t know is that she had company. JD had been seeing a guy by the name of Dave for awhile now just as Hannah and Leah had been seeing their respective boyfriends for awhile. Hannah and Leah’s boyfriends had already met Tony and Ziva. They had also met Jethro and the others. Just as always Jethro was quite protective of the girls, so it was a bit nerve racking for them to send their boyfriends to the lion’s den.
Now it was Dave’s turn, he had requested to meet Nick and me despite what JD had said to him. He said he’d be able to handle whatever we threw at him. I could see it now, Dave would want to bolt out of the room he was in with Jethro when they finally met. Little did JD know but when Dave met Nick, myself and Jethro; he’d also be meeting Jen. JD was the first girl to be born after my mother had me forty-four years ago, then there was the fact that she was the daughter of the Director of NCIS; which meant she along with her sisters were a bit more protected than the other kids were.
“Meeting my parents, my aunt and uncle isn’t something to take lightly. They will put out all the stops to make sure you’re good enough for me, my uncle will go all out.” JD said to Dave.
“It will be okay, I’ll be able to handle whatever they throw at me.”
“I am serious, Dave; you’re not dating just another girl. You’re dating the daughter of the Director of NCIS. I’m protected.”
Dave nodded.