I had grown up in Stillwater. I was a single child. My best friend was Leroy Jethro Gibbs and we had grown up together, although he hated his name and I'd always called him Jet. We were the same age, we graduated high school together and then he went off to join the Marines. I had never told Jet that I was gay, 'cause truth be told, this was a small town. I had a crush on my best friend but I didn't let that ruin our friendship. So we stayed close friends until he went to join the Marines. Me, I chose to become a cop, so I went to the police academy. I joined up with Baltimore PD and I made my way up to detective by the age of twenty three. Things went good for me and I trained a few kids to make them good detectives too, the ones that were there for the justice.

Anthony DiNozzo was the best partner I'd ever had. He was already trained a little but I worked him hard and showed him some new tricks. About two months before he headed over to NCIS, I had transferred to New York City Gang Unit. I had a friend there that wanted me to move, and I was tired of Baltimore. Plus Tony was ready to work on his own. When he got transferred to NCIS, I was proud of him but we never talked about work. That worked well for me because we talked more about movies, that was our thing.

Then I took a bullet to my knee! Once I was ready to return the doctor basically said my knee would be a mess, possibly permanently but at best I would be out of commission for months and I would only be fit for light duties. So my chief basically said I couldn't be out on the streets so I had to do paper work. Now that really wasn't working for me! One day a friend called me, said he had a security company down in D.C., that did a bit of bounty hunter work on the side. It was good money and he wanted a good seasoned detective working for him. I could see myself doing that, it meant when my knee was back to working properly I could work as a bounty hunter, for now I can handle doing the searches.

Truth be told, doing desk duty was answering the phone a shit load. IN D.C. I would be doing some searches and going around asking questions, looking for a bounty. Which was cool with me. It was like detective work, I just wasn't able to go after them quite yet. I called Tony, who told me his spare room was free and I could rent it until I was ready to find my own place. That was my boy and we were still good friends. He was almost as close to me as Jet had been. The boy actually reminded me of him a little. I hadn't talked to Leroy since he joined the Marine, he had been too busy and keeping in touch was hard. So I just, well I guess, I didn't try to stay in touch either.

We knew kids a few years older than us that went into the military. They came back in wooden caskets. I told him I didn't want to lose him but I had said it all wrong. In fact, it went so wrong that we didn't talk again before he went off. I guess he had never forgiven me! We had said all those awful things to each other, the sort that everyone said & regretted in an argument, and I had never really had a fight that bad with him until then. The fact was that I had fallen for him, and we hadn't spoken since then. I mean there was only one thing I never told him about, and that was that I was abused by my old man 'cause he found out I was gay and he was a damn drunk.

When I got to D.C. Tony told me to come to the office, so I caught a cab to the Navy Yard. I went up to the office after clearing through Security. I hated the crutches and I made it to his desk. I grunted and looked at him.

"Nice set up, Tony. Way better then Baltimore PD." He laughed a little and nodded.

"Yep. And the team is better than a lot of those lazy assholes we worked with."

I smirked and nodded as I looked around. I looked at McGee and figured he was the computer geek of the team, then there was Ziva! He introduced me to them both. She seemed like she was a tough girl and could handle herself. I was looking at Tony and I laughed! He seemed to be doing well, I was proud of the boy. Then he glanced up and spoke again.

"Here's the Boss. He needs to check my paperwork then we can head home, Shawn."

I turned around and cursed under my breath to myself, "Yeah, this is how I reunite with Jet." Tony looked sharply at me, hearing what I'd muttered.

"What? You know the Boss?" I looked at him and just nodded.

"Yeah, we grew up together. We were those kind of friends that no one could separate." Tony just looked curiously at me.

"Tony, show him your damn paperwork so we can go home. I'm starved Tony."

Jet walked over towards us, looking at me.

"So, what, no hello?" I looked at him and stumbled slightly. He grabbed hold of my arm. I winced.

"Jet, I can't stand up any more. Get me a seat." I winced bad.

Gibbs snapped, "McGee get a chair over here, now. And Tony, call Ducky."

I took a deep breath. "Thanks Jet!"

I winced again as he kneeled down and rolled up my jeans. He took the brace off and looked at the knee. He put on a cool cloth that someone had fetched.

"You're not moving into Tony's place. It's got too many stairs, just to get to his place. You're moving in with me, you can sleep in the bedroom downstairs."

I went to stop him just as a small man with a black doctor's bag hurried up to us. Jet introduced him as the Ducky and explained that he is the ME for NCIS. He seemed like a nice man. He looked it over and I continued to wince when he touched it.

"We need to get him to the hospital, this wound is very infected and I can feel some fluid. My boy, whoever did this surgery, did a lousy job. We need to get you to the hospital before it gets to the point where you lose your knee. There was a man once in ….."

Gibbs got me up from the chair.

"Tony, help me! We'll get him to the car and then get him to the hospital. The rest of you guys can go home. Thanks, Ducky. You mind coming to make sure these doctors don't fuck up?"

Jet and Tony managed to get me to the hospital and into surgery. This wasn't exactly what I wanted to happen when I meet up with my best friend again. I wanted to tell him that I was sorry and ask if we were still tight?

I woke up and tried to run my hands through my hair and sit up. I felt someone gently pushing me back so that I laid back down.

"Shawn, lay down. You just woke up from surgery!"

I looked up and there he was! It wasn't a dream, he really was Tony's boss!

"What's up, Jet? Long time, no talk." He sat down next to the bed after he helped me get the bed to bend so that I could sit up.

"So, want to tell me how you screwed your knee up, so bad?" I leaned back again and slid my hands through my hair nervously. I looked at him, he was still so handsome and more. He had aged so well.

I leaned back and he handed me some water, making sure I had a good hold of it before letting go. There was a straw in it. God, if I didn't feel like I was five again and my mom was helping me drink from a straw.

"A store was getting robbed and I was buying some soda and a candy bar. They went to shoot a kid, so I shoved him out of the way and we both shot at the same time. I got him in chest and he got me in the knee. So, in a fucking second, my life as a damn detective was over." I took another sip of the water. "But a friend offered me a job here in D.C. at a security company, doing a bit of a bounty hunter work for them. When my knee is better, I can start doing more work but for now, it's better then answering the phones in the damn police department."

Gibbs nodded at me.

"I moved you into my downstairs bedroom. It has its own bathroom. The master bedroom is upstairs, there two more rooms up there, that share a bedroom. The house is plenty big enough and I needed a roommate. It's better then Tony's place, which is small and you don't need to be going up those stairs with your knee. Ducky says that you don't need to work your knee too much, right now." I looked at him, questioningly. I took a deep breath before I raised my head to look at him.

"Jet, thanks for the offer, but no thanks." I leaned back. I wasn't sure what to do, right now, damn it! We have not talked in twenty damn years but Jet was as determined now as he'd ever been when we were friends.

"Like hell you're not. Yeah, we've gone about twenty years without talking. No-one is around, so I can say that I missed you and I want my best friend back." I looked at him. He was doing something he doesn't do very often. Then he carried on talking. "Just live with me until you are totally healed. You can pay half the bills if you want and we can be roommates. I remember, when we were junior's in high school, that we swore we would be roommates and start our own business or something stupid. But we always wanted to live together, remember?" I laughed quietly.

"Fine, I missed you too, Jet! And I want to be friends again. We'll see how it goes." He just smirked and he pushed back some of my wild hair from my face. He leaned back so he could look at me.

"I had Tony call Tim and they got all your boxes moved to my place, to the bottom bedroom. So, once they let you out of here, I'll get you home and get you used to the place. Tony's worried about you. He told me that you were a good influence, and that you helped him train his instincts and become a better detective." I shrugged.

"The kid was a natural, but he did need a few more lessons. Otherwise, he was good at the job. You got a good one on your side." Jet nods to me.

"That's why I made him my senior agent." I nodded, and yawned softly.

"Jet, go home! Come get me in the morning." He stood up, and reached to push some hair out of my face again. He spun round and headed out without another word.

He was harder then he used to be, but at the same time, he also was the same old Jet; worried about me and taking care of me when I need someone to take care of me. Maybe this would work out. Maybe I would have my best friend back. That was true but could I handle living with the man that still had my heart in his hand? Even if he didn't know about it. I slid my hands over my hair and looked around, thinking: I hope our friendship is as strong as it was back then 'cause I don't want to lose the one thing that had held up when my old man beat me and abused me so bad. I had Jet, he'd kept me strong. If he had known about my old man, I think he would have beaten the shit out of him.

I fell asleep quickly. I was still tired from the surgery. When he I woke up Jet was there again. He stayed with me while I signed out. He got me to his place. I used the crutches because the doctor said I was not allowed to over do it and to rest for month. Jet looked at me and he put me in a recliner so I could put my legs up.

"So, I took month of vacation time off. I thought I could take care of you and also we could catch up." I looked at him and laughed.

"Sounds good to me, but you shouldn't use your vacation on my account, Jet." He shrugged, he had already done it and I don't really think I could have talked him out of it.

Jet looked at me as he took a drink of his coffee.

"So, I was thinking, either the last two weeks or just the last week, we would go stay with my dad and hang out in the small town." I nodded back at him.

"Yeah, I liked your dad. He was cool and your mom was sweet to me. I wouldn't mind hanging out with your dad some, maybe we could fish, sitting on the edge of the lake." He looked at me.

"I have a question," he said. I looked right back at him.

"Go ahead, I still won't lie to you! I still trust you more then anyone, and Tony is a close second." He looked at me and smirked.

"Same here." He looked back at me.

"Your dad killed your mother. There was more going on at home than you would tell me wasn't there? Those bruises, where you would tell me that you fell or something. Was your old man beating you, Shawn?" I looked at him and grunted. The one question he has to ask but its over now.

"Yeah, at first it was just because to him, I was stupid and always doing stuff wrong. Then he heard me telling my mother that I was gay. I was about twelve and then it got worse. I knew if I told you that I was getting beaten by my old man, he would tell you that I was gay and you would hate me too."

I took a deep breath, he was letting me talk. "When you went to boot camp and after we had that fight. My mom decided to finally protect me from my dad. He had come home and found me, he was drunk. He started with his fist, hard. He slammed a bat into my back once, then my mother tried to stop him and he pushed her down. He was so mad that he went over and just started slamming the bat into her head. I tried to stop him and I was so mad that he did that to mom, I slugged him and knocked him out after the second punch."

I took a drink of my coffee. "When it all happened and my mother was dead. My old man was going to jail and was going to be tried for murder. All I could think was that I needed you. Jackson came to my rescue and moved me in with him. Your mom pampered me and your dad let me talk to him. But the one person I needed wasn't there. I needed you but I knew that you were doing what was important to you, and I was proud of you. No matter what I said in that fight. Jet, you did the right thing, you served your country for the right reason."

He nodded and sighed, "My mom sent me a letter with the article about what happened and she kept sending them, so I knew all about the trial. I kept trying to figure out what to write in a letter to make you feel better but I couldn't come up with shit, so I just didn't. I figured my mom and dad were doing what was needed to help you." I looked up at him, sighing.

"Nothing would have helped, I guess. But, no worries, we were both stupid after the fight." He nodded and stood up. He walked to the kitchen to make lunch. He left the door open so we could still talk.

"Roast beef or turkey sub?"

I was hungry, I thought about it before answering. "Roast beef works for me, thanks."

Things seemed to be settling down nicely. We were back to being friends. We talked some more about the abuse and he didn't react badly to me being gay, that was a relief to me. We were friends again!

me. We were friends again.

He came back into the room and handed me the food. He sat down, leaning back in his seat.

"I've been bi-sexual since I was about sixteen. Well I was bi-curious initially. Then I met a bi man in the Marines. He showed me what it was all about, I liked it so I stayed that way. You would have liked Shannon and Kelly." I looked over at him and nodded encouragingly.

"Your dad came to visit me once, in Baltimore. He wanted to see me, it had been about two years after Shannon died and he told me about your daughter and your wife's death. Like you, when my mother died, I had no damn clue what to say to you."

Gibbs nodded to me.

"I was the same in knowing what to say to dad. I couldn't get leave to come to Mom's funeral and I wrote a letter but it sounded, I don't know, wrong 'cause I should have been there to say it to him." I just nodded.

"Yeah, sometimes talking on the phone and writing letters isn't as good as saying it to them in person." He looked at me.

"If I'd know what your father was doing to you, I would have gone and beaten the shit out of him, you know that, right? Mom and Dad would have moved you in with us, made sure you were in a safe place to live." I shrugged and looked at him. It was all water under the bridge now. It no longer mattered!

I looked down at my sandwich. "I thought, a lot of the time, that I deserved it. My mind was fucked up. I thought I was gay and I didn't like girls, so what was wrong with me? I wish you had been the first person I ever told about that. A case came up with me and Tony once, a kid had been killed by the drunk father. Tony was the first to say something, that his old man was a drunk. When we were off work we sat at his place, drinking beer and eating pizza. I told him my story and he told me his." I looked at Jet. "When he told me that his boss at NCIS was like a father to him, I was glad that he finally had that figure. Someone that cared about him and treated him like he always wanted to be treated. Jet, that kid went through a whole load of shit. I mean who wants their father telling them that they are the reason their mother died of cancer."

Jet looked shocked. He knew Tony had not had it easy but he didn't know all the details. Tony was too close for that. Jet sat in silence for a few minutes and then spoke.

"Tony is a good kid, and he works hard. He has my back at all times, and I have his. He would die for any of us and he would do anything to protect us." I nodded back at Jet, ageing with his assessment.

"Tony was like that with me. We were more like brothers than partners, sometimes. His moral code of protecting people is higher then most people's!" Jet nodded again before he stood up, stretched and then ran his hand over my hair for a second

"You really need a hair cut! Your hair's more wild than anything." I smirked right back at him.

"Been this way since we were kids, you know that! I like it this way."

He knelt down next to my chair and he touched my hand.

"I missed you. Hell, I even had a crush on you. But more then anything, I missed the one person I could tell anything. The one who always held my secrets and, when I needed comfort, was there for me. There was also the fact that I could let my mask fall in front of you and you were the only person I could do that with! It's so good to have that person back in my life." I looked at him. Did he really just say he used to have a crush on me well? I'm sure as hell not going to tell him I had one on him too.

"I agree, I have not been so close to anyone since you. It seems things really haven't changed between us and that's a relief to me. I'm so glad." He smirked at me and then stood up and headed back into the kitchen to wash the dishes from lunch.

I stood up and grabbed my crutches and headed after him. I moved over to help him. I picked up the towel and started drying. He looked at me.

"What the hell? You need to stay off your feet!" I flicked him in the head with the towel and took the next dish and started drying it.

"Shut up and let's get this chore done, huh?" He growled at me but we finished the dishes together. "I can't sit down the whole time, I'll lose my mind." He looked at me

"Well, then, we'll have to find a way to keep your mind off the fact you need to take it easy."

We had ended up not being able to go and see Jackson. It seemed the doctor wanted me to do some physical therapy after the first two months. It looked like my knee was more screwed up then they thought but I could go to work and they did have hope that I would be able to walk and run again eventually. When we got home after my first physical therapy session, Jet grunted as he helped me to my bedroom. He started to undress me, after he had started some bath water running.

"We need to get you in the bath and let those muscles relax."

He was knelt on the floor next to the bed, helping me get my clothes off. I laid my head on his shoulder and took a deep breath.

"Jet, that was hard! I feel like I let the lady down. I know I didn't but, God, I couldn't even do one freaking step on my leg."

He ran his hand through my hair and smiled at me.

"Its going to get easier and better, Shawn." He helped me to stand up and, when I reached the bathroom, he helped me get into the bath. I was getting used to this. At first, he helped by washing my body with a wash cloth since I couldn't get take a bath with the stitches. Now he helped me in and out of the bath and hovered close in case I needed anything else.

I took a deep breath after I got back to my bed. I was sore and in pain. He got me in bed and pulled the covers up over me. I was just in my boxers. He sat down next to me on the bed, leaning back against the headboard.

"Jet, if you were not such a hard ass to most people, you'd make a damn fine nurse." He laughed quietly and shook his head, looking at me.

"Hey, this is something I would only do for you or my team." I smirked back at him. I knew it was. He was a gentle person if you let him show it and he let himself. But in truth, he was right, I am the only person he lets that mask down in front of. I slid my hands down his cheek for a second. I reached over and kissed his cheek softly. Then I slide down under the covers, already falling asleep. Before I was fully asleep, I felt a gentle kiss on my cheek.

We both went back to work. He had got me a pass so I could come up to the bull pen at NCIS whenever I wanted to. It had been about two weeks since we had both headed back to work. Living with Jet was calm and relaxing, even with my feelings for him, I felt safe for the first time in my life. I came up to the bull pen. I had a pack on as I walked over.

"Tony, grab me a seat, would you, please?" Tony nodded and grabbed a seat for me and sat me down at his desk. I handed him a bag. "Ziva and Tim, come here. I got you guys lunch, too." They looked slightly shocked at me as I handed them their food.

Tony had called Abby, who I had met a few times when she came over to see Gibbs. She hugged me tight. I had to smile, she was a sweet girl. I handed her the food I'd got for her and handed Gibbs his.

"Didn't have a way to bring drinks. Sorry, guys." I started to eat. I was starved and Jet put a bottle of soda down in front of me. I nodded to him as I ate. I laughed at some of the things that came out of Tony mouth! I really missed being the boy's partner. I pushed his head and looked at him. "Tony, there are times when I don't think you actually think about what comes out of your mouth!" He blushed slightly and took a bite. He knew I was right! The whole team was laughing now. I even saw Jet give a quick smirk, before it disappeared.

The second reason I showed up here at least twice a week, is that I didn't want to make Ducky come to our house after work! He had to take care of his mother, who wasn't doing too good. But, it seems that he's the only doctor that Jet trusts fully. So Duck has been looking at my knee. He had permission to talk to my doctor about things and was allowed to look at my file. I had made Jet my next of kin, just in case. It seems that's something me and Tony shared, but we were both cool with it. If you ever want someone to be able to make decisions for you, when you can't, Jet was your man. 'Cause he would do what was in his heart and what was right. Every time!

I was down in the morgue later, sitting on an autopsy table, with Ducky looking at my knee while telling me one of his wild stories. Well, what he thought was wild and most everyone else thought was boring. Before I left he smiled at me.

"Good to see Jethro have a good friend around, outside work. Your knee is coming along well. The pins in your knee seem to be helping, more then I thought they would. You should be fully walking without help in a month or two." I nodded to him and replied before I headed out.

"Thanks, Ducky!" He smiled as I left, and I headed back up to the bull pen.

Tony saw me come in first. I took the same chair that I had before when I ate my lunch. They were all there, the group had become friends. Tony looked at me.

"So, what did Duck Man say?" I stretched out, leaning back.

"That it's healing well and I should be walking in a month or two, basically." Tony nodded happily. "He says my knee should be good enough, after a while, that I'll be able to start working bounty cases but I still need to stay away from the violent ones!" Tony grunted at this.

"I don't think he knows you well enough. Chief would tell us to take it easy and when something went wrong, you were always the first one to go head on." I just laughed.

"Just 'cause I could move faster then you, Tony."

I said my goodbyes and headed out. I had to get back to work. My boss had to laugh when he found out I had a medical examiner looking at me knee because my best friend wanted it double-checked that my knee was healing properly, but he understood. Driving with my good leg, I just had to drive slower then normal which was annoying but I didn't want to make people drive me around when I was capable so I put up with it. I finished work and got home at the usual time. Gibbs and the team were working on cold cases, crime was low right now, which was good. Trouble is, when you're a detective or NCIS agent, if it's quiet you get bored off your ass.

The next month passed fast and I was back to walking on two legs unaided. The last three weeks had seen the number of crimes pick up and Gibbs and his team had been busy. Sometimes, they even ended up staying over the weekend to solve a case. I knew how that went and I understood.

My knee wasn't good enough yet for me to be running. I came home and Jet was there. He smiled as I walked in.

"How does steak and baked potato sound to you?" I smiled back and walked further into the kitchen.

"God, it sounds good. We were so busy today, I forgot to eat lunch." He nodded and grabbed the food and went out to get the steaks on the grill, then he handed me a cold beer. I sat down outside with him. When we were done eating, we went inside and we both went down to work on his boat. His dad had been the one to teach us both woodwork, so we both enjoyed that, along with sailing, because of his dad.

While we were working Jet finally managed to bring up the subject that had been on his mind for a while.

"Hey, Shawn, you know how I told you I had a crush on you when we were teenagers?"

I stopped for a second but then went back to sanding, holding my breath.

"Yeah, what about it? I thought we already went over that subject." He watched me work. I wasn't looking at him, I was just keeping my eyes on the boat.

"I'm falling for you and I wanted to know, well….. what would you say to taking it slow but maybe going on a date or something?" I stopped and silently breathed out. I put down the tools I'd been using.

"Jet, I had a crush on you back then too and those feelings are still strong. But you don't want to even try with me."

I just headed upstairs before he could say any more. He caught up with me when I was almost to my room. He turned me around and pushed me gently up against the wall. He kissed me slowly. I didn't react at first, but I softly moaned and eventually began kissing him as his tongue softly slid along my lower lip. I parted my lips for him as he slid his tongue into my mouth and he slowly started to explore. I softly started to suck on his tongue, letting my tongue touch his softly and slide along his. His fingers were in my hair, when he eventually had to lean back to catch his breath.

"Shawn, don't run from this! I can't just stand by and not even give it a try." His hand was under my shirt, stroking my bare ribs, while his other hand stroking my hair.

"Jet, I need to go to bed." I moved away from him and went in to my room. He leaned against the door frame.

"Damn it, Shawn! Don't tell me you didn't feel that!" I looked at him.

"Jet, I felt a lot and it was nice, but you're my best friend! I am not meant to date or be with anyone. I've tried a few times and all I ever do is hurt someone." He walked across to me and cupped my chin softly.

"Stop looking down on yourself and saying shit like that." I looked back at him with a weak grin.

"Jet, everyone I have ever dated I have either hurt or screwed the relationship up so bad that we couldn't be friends any more." He looked at me before beginning to kiss again. This time it was short. "I can't hurt you or lose this friendship, Jet. It means too much to me!" He stepped back slightly and he growled softly at me.

"I am not giving up on this, Shawn. Goodnight." He shut my door and I could hear him going back down to the basement.

I stripped down to my boxers and laid down on my back. I covered my eyes and mumbled to myself. "This is exactly why I didn't want to be his roommate, 'cause I knew this is what would happen if he ever had feelings for me. To know he does makes me feel good, but I will not ruin this just 'cause I can't commit to a relationship. And I don't want to hurt him."

I decided that it's better that we stay friends. As my knee is now much better, I'll go and look for a place soon, I'll ask the people at work. A few days later after overhearing a conversation at work, the boss man said that since they owned the whole building, there were some apartments for employees. They were basically studios, but they were big enough for me. I ran my hands through my hair and I turned onto my side letting my body relax and finally fall in to a deep but restless sleep. All I had to do now was tell Jet!

I came down the next morning and got some coffee. He was sitting at the table so I sat down and took what was left of the paper and started to look it over.

"Since my knee is better, I'll be moving out. Thanks for taking care of me when I needed you, Jet, it really meant a lot. Now I'm going to get out of your hair." I said casually, not daring to look at him. He looked at me and I continued before he could get a word in. "I also don't want to be here 'cause you seem to think there can be something between us. I have commitment issues, I'll probably have them all my life." I took a sip of my coffee before continuing, "I do want to stay friends with you, instead of hurting you or pushing your feelings for me to a higher level, by living here. My work has a few studios and I am going to take one."

Jet slammed his coffee down on the table.

"You don't even want to try and see if you can change the commitment problem? You don't even want to try with me? Fucking hell, Shawn, you know you feel the same way I do and that our feelings are growing." I just looked at him. Eventually, I stood up and walked over to the sink and washed my cup before heading to my room.

"I need to pack, Jet!" I got in my room. What the hell was I to say? He was being hard headed and it felt good that he was. But words were not working, maybe if I say nothing and ignore it, he'll get over this! I felt arms slide around my stomach, pulling my back against his chest. I gasped.

"Stop being so damn hard headed about this. Please!" I closed my eyes. What should I do?

I moaned some, as I felt his hands slide down to where my cock was starting to grow. I moved against his hand, breathing hard. He stared to softly nibble on my neck, his hard cock grinding against my ass. He was undoing my pants and sliding his hands into my boxers. He began stroking my cock and it I grew harder, I moaned again. He turned me around, softly pressed me against the wall and he kissed me so slowly. He slid his hands back into my boxers and he ran his fingers over the head of my cock. I softly cried out, "Jet!"

He slid down onto his knees and he slowly started to lick around the head of my cock. He stood up after seeing my knee shake. He softly moved me to sit on the bed and he knelt down again in front of me and took my cock back into his mouth again.

He took my pants off as he softly licked my cock head. Then he carefully guided it down his throat. Damn, he was talented! He took his shirt off and I slid my hands along his bare shoulders. He came up and kissed me slowly. I moaned as he pushed me back on the bed, his hands sliding along my cock. He had taken his pants and boxers off but I wasn't sure when or how. He laid down beside me. I was on my back and he was laying on his side, he ran his hand down and stroked my chest as we kissed. I slid my hand down and cupped his cock, stroking it slowly. He groaned into my mouth. He suddenly sat up, he gave my cock a few firm strokes before he spoke.

"Stay here!" He took off and within moments he was back.

"Jet, we…." Before I could say more, he slowly started to kiss me again. He took my hand, guiding it to his cock. He softly moaned as I started to caress him again. He kissed down my neck. I moaned as his finger slid along my cock slowly. I whispered in his ear.

"Damn, Jet, you're as hard as a rock." My fingers were stroking him a bit more eagerly and he moaned in my ear.

"I want to make love to you, Shawn!" His lips a inch from mine, he was breathing hard. "I need to claim you!" He kissed me slowly, I felt him spread my legs and then I felt his lubed fingers stroking around my asshole. I softly whimpered.

He gently nibbled on my shoulder, groaning as I stroked him.

"Your hand on my cock feels good! I want to feel myself pumping into your hot core." When he added the second finger, he searched for and found my prostate. That sensation, along with my hand stroking his throbbing cock and his words, meant I couldn't think straight. I began to pant softly.

"Jet….. I need you in me, now!" He moaned urgently. He grabbed a pillow and slid it under my hips then I felt him slowly fill me. His fingers stroked my hips, then he started to slowly move in me. He found my prostate instantly and I groaned, moving my hips to help him. It had been awhile for us both, so when he started stroking my cock I couldn't hold back any more. My cum hit our chests and he thrust in me a few more times before he growled as he came.

As I started to fall asleep, I felt him pull the covers over us. He curled to my side. I couldn't think! We both fell asleep in each others arms.

He had proved his point, we had made love and it had proven that he was who I wanted in my bed, who I wanted to make love with. It was also that I wanted him in my life, in a relationship for ever. I turned over, on to my back. He was on his side, he looked to me and kissed me softly.

"Jet. I want to stay with you, to see where this goes. I am sorry about last night, okay?" He stroked my cheek and kissed me softly and smiled.

"I would like that! You know I want to have you here and I want this to work." I nodded and then I nuzzled my head into his chest, stretching out. He smiled at me.

"This is nice. Will you move into my room with me?" I looked up at and kissed his cheek.

"I would like that."

We moved all my things up to his room and put everything away. Then we went out to get some lunch.

"So, the director wanted to know if you'd thought on about being a consultant at NCIS." I took a bite of my food and then nodded.

"Yeah, sure. I mean, I wouldn't mind helping you guys out. You need to let the director know that we're dating, don't you?" He looked to me.

"Well, sure, but I need to tell you that me and Jenny, well we had a thing when we worked together in Europe, it didn't last but there was something." I looked at him, surprised he was telling me this. I nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, if you think she needs to know, then tell her. If you don't think she needs to know, don't tell her."

We had been in a relationship for about six weeks now and things were going well. I was enjoying being with Jet. I was happy and saw myself actually being with Jet all my life. I was eventually called in to help with a case. Tony smirked to me as I walked in.

"Good to work together every now and then, it's like old times! Well, with three extra people." I laughed, he was so enthusiastic sometimes. But we had worked together for a good two years before and we were good friends. When they started to show me the pictures of the dead woman, I froze and backed up. I went pale. Thank god there was a trash can right next to Tony's desk, I leant down to grab it and promptly lost my lunch.

Tony handed me some water just as Jet just came into the bull pen. He crouched down beside me.

"Babe?"

The whole team actually knew we were dating. It had surprised most of them but they had come to terms with it and seemed happy to see their boss in a relationship. I stood up took and a long drink of the water.

"Jet, you keep a spare toothbrush and some toothpaste , don't you?" He shook his head, immediately Tim handed me a new toothbrush and some toothpaste. I nodded to him.

"Thanks, Tim!" I went to brush my teeth in the bathroom. Jet came in with me and stroked my back gently.

"You okay, Babe?" I looked to him and leant against the sink.

"A little surprised! I have not got sick at a crime scene since I was a damn beat cop at eighteen. Then I got used to it. I may have just eaten something bad, Jet." He nodded and we both headed back out. I sat down at the spare desk next to his.

I turned the computer on to look over the info Tim had given me on a USB drive. Crap, I stood up and made it to the bathroom this time. I grunted as I came out of the stall to see Jet there. He was waiting for me, he handed me the toothbrush and paste and I brushed my teeth again.

"Let's have Ducky look at you. See what he has to say." I looked at him but he had that look that said I'd never win, so we headed down to morgue and he told Ducky that I had puked twice. Ducky had me lay down on one of the tables, with a sheet under me. He got his medical bag out and he stuck a thermometer in my ear to check my temperature. When it beeped, he pulled it out.

"Well, my dear boy, you have a temperature of a 101. It looks like you're sick, my boy." He saw the look on my face and he swiftly guided me over to the nearest trash can, where I puked again! Jet was looking worried and I mumbled something.

Ducky and Jet got me back to the autopsy table and sat me down. Ducky gave me a shot, saying that it would stop the nausea and another shot for the fever.

"Jetho, take him to Abby's lab and let him use the futon for some rest." Jet nodded and I grunted.

"I am fine, come on, we have a case." Jet looked to me as he guided me out.

"No way, you're going to rest, you got me?" I mumbled some and nodded as we headed to the lab and Abby got her futon mattress out. I laid down and fell asleep instantly. Guess I was tired after all! I woke up to Abby stroking my head, so I smirked up at her.

"Hey there, pretty lady." She kissed my forehead.

"Well, you're not burning up now and Gibbs has been calling all the time, checking on you. That man really does love you."

I smirked and softly kissed her cheek. "Abby, love is a strong word." She glared back at me, a la Gibbs.

"Yes, but I can tell in his eyes that he is in love with you." I stood up, she helped me. "You're still a little pale, Shawn." I smiled at her, she was such a sweet girl.

"Well, I am not nauseated, so I am happy." I left her and headed up to the bull pen. I walked over to Tony and stole the file he had in hand and started looking it over. Tony looked at me, puzzled.

"Boss said you're off the case. You need to rest." I looked at him and raised a brow.

"Tony, how often in the two years we worked so together did I let something like an upset stomach?" He grunted before replying.

"Yeah, well, you're not the head detective right now, Gibbs is! And he doesn't want you working."

Someone reached over me and took the file! "That's right, I am head of the team and I say you're off." I looked back at him.

"I am fine, just had a stomach problem." He gave me that look, he was getting pissed with me. I just took my back pack, threw it over my shoulder and started walking out.

"Yeah. See you when you get off work." I headed home. By the time I got there I was drained again. I took my temperature, it was normal but I was so tired that I went and laid down and went back to sleep. I woke up on my stomach with Jet rubbing my back. I rolled over to look at him, and then stretched out in the bed.

"What time is it, Jet?" He looked at me.

"Its midnight, just finished the case. Wasn't as hard as we initially thought." I sat up and grunted as I got dizzy.

"I have been asleep since I came home." He looked at me, I could see he was worried.

"Well, your sick! You needed to sleep."

He stripped down to his boxers and got into bed with me. He pulled me to him, and spooned up behind me.

"Let's sleep! Ducky said he would be here in the morning, to check you out." I looked at him over my shoulder.

"I'm not puking anymore. I don't need him to check me out, no more fever." He stroked my hair.

"I am just going to have him look you over. Get some sleep, huh?" I grunted but curled into him, glad he was taking care of me like this. We both fell asleep in each others arms, just like we usually do.

I woke up the next morning and I was sick again! I felt Jet stroking my back, as I was being sick. Eventually I started to dry heave, then it was over! I brushed my teeth and went back to bed and laid back down. When Ducky got here, I sat up carefully. He went to take some blood samples but I stopped him.

"No, just give me another shot for the nausea, there's no fever. It's probably just the flu and I don't want my blood tested for something that stupid." He started to get the shot ready with a disapproving look on his face. Jet looked at me.

"Just let him take your blood to be tested. It's no big deal." Ducky gave me the shot for nausea and I stood up, got dressed and headed down to the kitchen.

I grabbed my keys, my gun and my badge. I really did feel better now. Jet came downstairs with Ducky.

"Where are you going?" I looked to him and Ducky quizzically.

"Going to work. If I start to feel bad, I'll come home." Jet grabbed my arm as I headed past him, for the doorway.

"Babe, you were puking for a good five minutes, then for about five more, you were dry heaving." Ducky was looking at me.

"He's right, dear boy. You need to get some more rest. Jethro said that when you came home yesterday, you slept for a good six hours then you were able to sleep all night before you woke up and puked."

I pushed his hand off me and leaned against the wall.

"I am a grown man. I've got work to do. I will be sitting at a desk most of the day. I don't have any bounties." I looked at them and carried on before Jet had a chance. "If I feel bad, I'll ask one of the boys to give me a ride home." I didn't give either of them a chance to say anything. I just walked out and drove to work. I walked into the office and sat down. I turned on the computer and I looked through some searches I'd left running on the 'net.

Later, when my phone rang, I answered it! "Cahill" I was looking over some print outs and starting to type up the pertinent details.

"Babe, you doing okay? I still don't want you to be at work. I think you should be resting." I smirked, he was worried about me!

"I feel a little tired. Truth be told, I puked about thirty minutes ago and then again about ten minutes ago." I heard him sigh.

"Go home, get some rest and Ducky can give you another shot." I typed out a few things while we talked.

"I've got about two more hours to do, then I am off for the day." Before he could say anything else, I continued. "I don't want to see Ducky again. I don't want another damn shot. Whatever this is, I'll get over it." Jet grunted.

"Fine. I'll see you tonight." He hung up and I knew I had pissed him off, again.

I went home when I had done all my searches. It was one more hour later than I told Jet I would be home. When I came in he was sitting on the couch, waiting. I sat in the recliner.

"Sorry, had some extra work come in at the last moment." He handed me a bottle of pills.

"You don't want Ducky looking at you or more shots. Then these are the pill version of the shots he was giving you. Takes longer to work, but he agreed if you were throwing up like that at work." I looked at him and sighed. "Shawn, he says it's not good , puking as much as you said you puked today. You need to keep something in your stomach, you could become dehydrated." I stood up and headed upstairs. I was just starting to take a shower when I heard him come in.

"I'm worried, okay? I don't like how your puking and getting so tired that you sleep so much. Then you puke again, go to work where you puke more." I stepped out of the shower and started to dry myself off.

"If I get sick in the morning, I'll call in sick. Okay?" I slid some boxers on and crawled under the covers. I was drained. "I'm going to bed early tonight, Babe." He sat on the bed, and started stroking my back. I didn't move, I let him do it, it did feel good.

"When was the last time you ate?" I rolled on my back and looked to him.

"This afternoon. I took two bites and threw it up. So, when did I last keep food down? That was breakfast yesterday." He looked at me and slid his hand into mine.

"If you get sick in the morning, let Ducky draw some blood for testing. Please?"

I sat up and looked at him. He must be worried if he was saying please! I pulled him closer and kissed him softly.

"Goodnight, Jet. When your ready, come to bed, hmm?" He looked at me and stroked my face.

"Just some blood to test, that's all it is." I slid out of bed and headed downstairs. I grabbed a can of chicken noodle soup. I was hungry. I started to warm it on the stove. He came behind me and rested hands on my hips, holding me gently against his chest.

"Why are you being hard headed about some blood test?" I leaned against him.

"'Cause it's more then likely just stomach flu. There's no reason to have the test done." He kissed my shoulder.

"If that's all it is, then there should be nothing wrong with a blood test." I added some water to the pan as I stirred the soup.

When it was ready, I put the soup in the bowl and sat down on the couch. I took a spoonful. I was even more amazed when, after the third spoonful, I hadn't got sick. Jet sat down.

"I just want to be totally sure that you're okay, nothing major wrong. that should be treated." Ignoring Jet never worked! God knows, I'd tried it often enough over the years! I took some more food, it was good even if it was just chicken noodle soup.

"No!" I took another spoonful and then I drank the rest. I had finished it so I stood up and went and started to wash my dishes. "I am not sick enough to need some blood test done. All I need is to eat some soft foods and rest enough, to get my body back on track. You really want to keep fighting me on this, then I'll just go and get a damn motel room for the night." He growled at me.

"Fine!" He stormed off to the basement.

I woke up being spooned to Jet's chest. He loved to curl up to me while we sleep. Truth be told, I thought it was nice too. But then it hit me! I rushed to the bathroom and was sick again! When I finished, I realized he had left the bed and had been rubbing my back. I brushed my teeth and went back to the bed and slid back under the covers. He handed me a pill and a glass of water. I took the pill. I grabbed the phone before he could say anything and called work. I spoke to my boss, I told him I was throwing up a lot. He said that he'd noticed me doing it at work yesterday. He told me to take the rest of the week off, to just come back to work on Monday. I thanked him and hung up. I laid back, running my hands over my hair. I had five days off, maybe I needed to rest some more and see what happens.

Jet came in with some apple juice and I started to drink it.

"Boss says I don't have to come in until Monday of next week. He told me to get better." He nodded as he sat down and put the thermometer in to my ear. When it beeped, he checked it and went to put it away.

"Well, there's no fever this time." I leaned back and then stretched.

"I have my lap top here, I can do some searches here at home." I finished the juice and set the empty glass on the side. "Go ahead and go to work. I'll be fine by my self." He looked at me pleadingly.

"Let Ducky take some blood? This is the second morning and third day you have been sick."

I laid down and pulled the covers up, I was a bit cold, as I looked at him. "Jet, give up on this. I don't want to have any test done." He looked at me, I turned on to my side, facing away from him and adjusted the covers over me, then I curled up with a pillow against my chest. "See you when you come home from work."

Jet stood up, grabbed some cloths and went to take a shower. He got ready for work, never saying a work to me. He came and kissed me, softly.

"See you when I get off work. If you need anything, call me, okay?" I smiled sleepily up to him.

"I will, I promise, Jet." He headed off to work and I nuzzled my head into the pillow, thinking to myself that I couldn't remember when my stomach had ever been this sick. I'd had the stomach flu a few times, but man, this was a different!

I slept most of the day and took the pills one more time that day. I took a shower, then dressed in some baggy jeans on and slid on a tank top. I packed enough cloths in a duffle bag to last me about four days. I wrote a short letter to Gibbs. Yes he really was going to be pissed off at me, and worried!

"Hey Babe,

I know me taking off like this is going to make you worried and not telling you to your face with a good reason, is going to really piss you off. I should be back Sunday, possibly sooner. Be patient with me! I will be back. Please? I won't call 'cause I don't trust you not to try and track where I am and come, just 'cause I have been sick. But trust me, I promise to come back to you. I am not leaving you.

Shawn

P.S. See you Sunday, Babe."

I turned my cell off, slid it in my pocket, grabbed my gun and my bounty hunter badge, the latter I hooked on my hip. I grabbed my keys and slid my shoes on at the door, tied my shoes and headed out, driving off. I had downed one more pill as I just wanted to get out of the house. I headed to the bank, it should still be open I took out enough money for a two way greyhound bus ticket, to eat and a few other things I'd need. I didn't want to use a credit card 'cause if Jet was mad enough, and I think he will be, he would follow me. I went to Target and got a disposable cell phone with about two hundred minutes on it. I didn't need a lot. I went to my office, parked my truck and then I got a cab to the greyhound station and I bought my two way ticket.

I had about fifteen more pills that Ducky had prescribed me, so I was good for the next four days. When I called Mac, I told him I needed a place to crash for four days. He said that I could crash at his place. I told him what time I would get to New York City and he said he would pick me up. I was not sure if he would track my car, then start going to the airport and the bus stations, to see if I took off.

When I got there, Mac took me to his place.

"So how is D.C., Shawn?" I sat down, leaning back in the chair, as he handed me a cup of tea.

"Well, not too bad! I'm in a relationship with that man I told you I grew up with, the one that went into the Marines." He nodded as he sipped his own tea.

"Is that going good?" I nodded, smiling without realizing it.

"Great! He's a good man. He works as a NCIS Agent! He works hard to solve murders and such like of navy men and marines." We talked for a little while longer and ate some dinner. I headed to bed, in his spare room. In the early hours of the morning I woke up, Mac was getting ready, he had to head into work, he had a case. I had asked him to let me use his car and he had been okay with that. I woke up about eight later that morning and took a pill because I could already feel myself getting sick.

Then I called a friend who was a doctor here in New York. It wasn't that I didn't trust Ducky, it was more that if something was really wrong with me, then I wasn't going to worry Ducky, Tony and Jet. Well, the rest of the team as well if I was honest, they all seemed like family. I had a family here, with the CSI team and Don, but I knew this doctor wouldn't tell anyone. That was important to me. When I got there, he took some blood and asked me my symptoms. Then he said he would call me later with the results. I left him with the number to the disposable cell and I headed out. I was feeling okay today. I had put on sweats and a tank top so I started to run to get some exercise. I was feeling good!

I stopped at a store, got several burgers with fries. I also got some bottle sodas and made my way to the CSI building. As I came in, the team was in the hall, talking. I headed up behind Danny and laid my head on his shoulder.

"You guys look like you're working hard! I got you all some food and soda." Danny jumped as I'd known he would. He glared at me.

"Damn it, Shawn! Don't do that to me!" I smirked as first Stella gave me a hug, followed by Lindsey. Hawk clapped me on the shoulder and I smirked as I held up the food. We all went into the break-room and I handed out the food and drinks. They all had questions and I answered them the best I could. Once we'd all eaten I left them to carry on with their work.

The doctor called me on Saturday. I had told him that I had to head back to work in D.C. on Sunday. So when I came into his office, he looked at me and got straight to the point. He told me that the results of the test showed that I was eight to nine weeks pregnant. I just froze and stared at him. I couldn't believe it, I was a man! He took me to a room where he told me to lay down on a couch and he did an ultrasound. It was true! Good God, I was carrying a child! He told me he would email me the details of some good doctors in D.C.. I

headed out of his office, still in shock. I headed over to Mac, who was working, and told him that I was going to get on the bus tonight and that I would leave the keys to his car on the coffee table. I thanked him for letting me crash at his place and we said our goodbyes. I headed back to Mac's and then, later, home to Jet.

I had the new prescriptions for pre-natal vitamins. I leaned back, watching the scenery as I was on the bus back to D.C. Yes, talk about a damn shock! Well, at least it wasn't cancer or something that was going to kill me. Although Jet might! No, it was a child growing inside me and I had to think what the hell to do. I wasn't ready to tell Jet. Hell, how do you tell that to your lover? I had a cab take me to my truck, it was about 0600 on Sunday morning. I hadn't slept on the bus but I made sure to take a pill after I puked in the bathroom onboard the bus. So when I got home, my stomach had settled. I walked in to find Jet on the couch, asleep.

But he woke as soon as I came in I walked to where he was now sitting on the couch. I plopped down next to him. Before he started to talk, I spoke up.

"I went to New York City. I wanted to see my friends, see how they were doing. I've been able to keep food down, thanks to Ducky prescription. I got sick this morning on the bus coming back but it wasn't as bad as before, otherwise I have got better." He just looked at me.

"Better? The only reason you have not been throwing up, is because of the damn pills." Well, he had me there!

"I got some blood work done, by a friend of mine, in New York and I got the results. I am not dying, nor is some bad illness, so you can stop worrying about that!" He looked at me and his eyes told me he was both furious and offended.

"So what, you didn't trust Ducky?" I took a deep breath, I knew that one was coming.

"Yes, I trust Ducky, he a good medical examiner and doctor. I didn't want the results to come back bad, and if they did, I wanted it all to be under my control as to how you found out, and the rest of the team. That's if I told you, and just didn't skip out to die alone, so you didn't half to watch me." He cupped my face, looking me right in the eye.

"I would have come looking for you. I am in love with you, Shawn, and I want you by my side, forever." Oh damn, there was that four letter word!

"Jet, I don't believe in love! I do believe there are relationships, that people can live their whole lives with their partner and be happy. But love, that's just something for all those romantics that need more than just knowing they have found someone they can spend their life with." He looked at me and smirked.

"Well. I am going to have to teach you what love is, then. And show you that it is just as real as you and me." I grunted and rolled my eyes at him before I stood up.

"I'm going to get some sleep, Jet." I didn't want to even respond to that, so I headed to our room. I stripped down to my boxers and slid thankfully under the covers. My body was drained and I fell in to a deep sleep, instantly.

When I woke up, Jet was spooned against me. I had missed sleeping in his arms, seems he didn't sleep much either, while I was gone. I turned on to my back and he was looking at me.

"Morning, Sunshine!" I laughed softly as he kissed me and stroked my face.

"Morning, Jet. So, are you still mad at me for leaving without telling you and going to another doctor?" He looked at me and kissed my shoulder.

"No, I am not mad at you. But I wish you would had chosen to let Ducky test your blood." I still wasn't sure whether to tell him I was pregnant or not. But I had decided to go and see Ducky. He was a good enough man to not tell Jet and let me do it when I was ready.

I wasn't sure how to tell Jet that I was pregnant. Hell, I wasn't sure how I was going to tell Ducky, but I needed to tell someone. I know that if I called, he would be there soon. Sometimes you get you a doctor and they have so many other patients as well that it can be hard to see them. So I called and invited Ducky over for lunch. I asked him not to tell Jet, I had something I needed some help with. Later, at his knock, I answered the door.

"Hey, Ducky, I hope you don't mind eating Chinese?" He shook his head and he went to sit down while I was putting the food on plates. I handed him the file from the doctor in New York City. I felt honor-bound to explain myself.

"I went to him first, 'cause if something was seriously wrong, I wasn't sure how you would handle it. And, I don't know, I got scared." Ducky looked at me, a bit shocked I think. Then he looked back down at the file he was holding.

"You're pregnant, Shawn?" I nodded and sat down, handing him some food.

"Yeah, I know, a bit of a shock! I found out about two days ago and I just wanted you to know, in case something happens and I can't call my doctor. I know that if I'm ill, Jet will call you and I don't want to tell him yet. I need to come to terms with it myself first!"

Ducky nodded, looking over the file. "Have you found a doctor here, yet?" I shook my head and slid my hands through my hair. "The doctor gave me a list. But I want your opinion on who I should see. You know the doctors in D.C. better than I do." He nodded again and we started to eat our lunch.

"Well, I'll make a few calls, see what I can find out." I took a sip of my drink before replying.

"That file is yours, Ducky. I am sorry that I went to someone else." He looked over at me, smiling gently, and simply nodded.

"I understand why you did, dear boy, and you need to tell Jethro soon. He is the father, right?" I nodded and ran my hands through my hair again. Ducky continued, "But I am guessing that you are still deciding what you're going to do, yourself?"

I nodded to him and leaned back in the chair.

"I want to keep the baby. I don't agree with abortions at all." Ducky nodded, smiling as he ate his food.

"Neither do I, my boy, neither do I." We ate in silence after that. We were just finishing our food when I heard a car pull up. So did Ducky and he hurried to put the file in his bag. When Jet walked in, he looked a bit shocked but he smiled.

"Finally asked Ducky for some help, Shawn?" I nodded back, relieved. Ducky finished his food, stood up and smiled.

"Well, Jethro, Shawn, I need to get back to work and I will get back to you, Shawn, on your problem." He headed out the door. Damn! Jet looked at me.

"Problem, Shawn?" Great, I thought. I looked back at him.

"Not ready to tell you right know, Jet. I am not dying or in danger of anything." He looked at me some more, as if he was trying to determine if I was telling the truth. He walked over and sat down. I handed him the rest of the food.

"I don't like this, it makes me worry about you even more." I smiled.

"I know Jet, believe me, I know! I would too but right now, I can't tell you, Jet. I can't! I just need time to think on what I want to do and the right way of doing things." I stood up walked over to the window. I looked outside, absent-mindedly running my hands through my hair yet again.

I felt his hands touch my hips, guiding me back against his chest. He bent his head and kissed my neck, below my ear. I started to cry as he held me softly.

"Jet, I'm scared that I'll make a bad choice." I slid my hands on top of his and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath before the truth came rushing out. "I'm pregnant, Jet!" I felt him step back, away from me and I froze.

"You're what?" I closed my eyes again.

"No joke, that's why Ducky was here. Why I kept throwing up and the dizzy spells and all." He looked at me, shocked. I just stood there, trembling, waiting for him to say something else.

"You're pregnant and it's my child! Shit, I don't know what to do with this, Shawn." I sighed heavily, I just walked past him, he was still in shock. I walked through the front door, got in my car and drove off headed to somewhere, anywhere. I didn't really care.

I ended up going to the company where I worked. I talked to my boss and let him know what was up. He was shocked, that was a new one. I told him that I would keep doing searches for the security and the bounty hunter parts of the business but I would do them from home, if that was okay. I really didn't want to deal with everyone at work. There were going to be some people that were not going to accept this very well. He agreed. He said that he would fax or email over what I was going to need to search. He had been an okay boss, I figured he would understand because he was bi-sexual himself. This was a bit of a shock but it was a 50:50 chance that he would understand and accept this.

Truth be told, I had expected that response from Jet. He had had a wife and daughter and he'd lost them both. I didn't figure he would want another child and the chance that another little one was at risk of dying. I had seen it in cases, and in friends, where they had lost a child and they were scared to have another one, or just flat out refused to have one, because they thought they were replacing their dead child. Nothing, or no one, can replace someone that has died and I understood their feelings. I wasn't mad at Jet because this is a bit of the whole, a man being pregnant thing, and I think it would be hard on him to raise another child and being constantly reminded of Kelly.

I looked at my cell as it rang. I sighed, it was Jet and I didn't want to answer it because I knew that he would possibly respond badly to me being pregnant. I thought I had prepared myself for that, but it still hurt. I threw the cell softly onto the passenger seat. So, I drove to the one place I hadn't been in a long time. I drove up to Stillwater, hoping that I could stay with Jackson. I had stopped at a store and got myself some cheap clothes. T-shirts, boxers and socks, that sort of thing. I needed to go somewhere that Jet wouldn't guess I was. I drove until I got there. Jackson welcomed me with open arms. I was glad that he had internet, so I could still do my work. He smiled at me.

"Shawn, been awhile since you've been home. I enjoyed your emails but I am happy you came to visit." I smiled back, but the smile didn't reach my eyes.

"Thanks, Jackson. I just needed a break and a place to relax." He looked at me.

"So, I'm guessing when you're ready to tell me what's wrong, you're going to?" I nodded to him.

"Jackson, if Jet calls, don't let him know I'm here, right now, please?" He looked at me.

"Leroy told me that you two were together. I guess you had a fight or something?" I nodded again, not looking at him.

He smiled at me softly, and touched my back, guiding me in.

"Come on, son, let's get you set up in Leroy's old room." I followed him with my bags. I just put them down, with all my things still in them. I didn't need to take them out until I was going to use them. I set my back pack down, with my lap top in it. I put my badge and gun on the night stand. I wasn't going to need them here. I really didn't want to deal with the law here, even if I did have a permit to carry.

I laid down on the bed. I let myself relax gradually, eventually letting myself fall asleep. I had turned my cell off and put it next to the gun and badge before I had fallen asleep. I was still getting worn out from the pregnancy. I had planned on driving the four hours back to D.C. when Ducky had found me a doctor. I had emailed him and told him that I'd gone on a trip. I also told him that when he found a doctor, he could just set up the appointment and email me with a time and place. I woke up and there was a cover over me. That was Jackson for you, he had checked on me and probably covered me up. It was now night outside, looking at the bedside clock, I saw it was about seven at night. I stretched out and stood up to go downstairs.

I sat down at the table as Jackson served me some food. I took a deep breath.

"Jackson, you know those weird things in nature that sometimes happen?" He sat down and looked at me, smiling encouragingly.

"Even in this small town, we know about some of the weird things that happen in life, son." I leaned back and took a deep breath.

"Well, there's a rare condition for men, I have it and it isn't going to kill me. When I decided to tell Jet, well, he reacted badly and so I took off, giving him some time to think." He nodded at me.

"Son, I can tell that you're scared to tell me, even if it's not going to kill you. Spit it out, son. I am here for you and my son, no matter what."

I looked at him, my mind whirring like crazy, like you okay with us being together but are you going to be okay with this?

"Well, I am about two, two & half months pregnant with Jet's child." He froze and just sat there, looking at me.

"Well, I have been wanting to have a living grandchild. I think he may be more scared because of Kelly." I nodded as I leaned back.

"We may have a different form of serving and protecting but as a detective, I figured being gay was safer 'cause I wouldn't have kids, 'cause there's always that risk of being killed in the line of duty and leaving the child. Or, even worse, pissing someone off that will decide to go after your family."

I took a deep breath. Well, that was a better reaction than Jet's.

"Son, give him some time. I know Leroy, if you mean to him, the way he sounded on the phone when he told me you two were together, then I think he will warm to the idea. He has always loved children."

I started crying, rubbing my eyes.

"Freaking hormones!" He stroked my back and smiled.

"It's going to happen, Leroy's mother did the same thing, when pregnant with him." I laughed a little.

"Well, that's hard to believe for a man who doesn't like to show much emotion, ever since we were kids." Jackson just smiled and laughed as he handed me a glass of water. He sat down and we carried on eating dinner. Jackson had always been a good cook, whenever his wife was sick he would cook. I ate dinner here basically every night, it never seemed to bother them. I remember Jet's mother always saying that she had a second son, me.

I had gone with Jackson, to work at his store, the next day. I needed something to do or I would go mad. I didn't have any searches to do for my boss right now. I had started to do some work, helping out but Jackson wasn't allowing me to lift anything too heavy. I started to price some things, I was sat on a stool working on them. Then I heard the door open and Jackson speak.

"Hello, Leroy." I closed my eyes, but I continued to do with the job of pricing the objects. I had a list on the prices for the different things I was re-stocking. Jackson called out to me, he was stood at the front door.

"Son, I am going to go and get us some lunch. You watch the register for me?" I stood up and stretched. I had been sitting for two hours.

"Sure thing, Jackson." He patted Leroy on the back and headed out.

I sat back down and continued to price things, Jet came and he knelt next to me.

"I knew I'd forgotten one thing. You can track me with my truck's GPS." He leaned against the shelves

"I was an asshole, Shawn." I laughed softly and shook my head.

"No, that was a natural response to something that's different and to top it off, you're going to be a father again soon. You miss Kelly and this could bring back painful memories. So, no, it was a normal reaction." He looked at me as I continued. "I needed to get out of D.C. for a while. I thought I would come see your dad. I had kept in touch with emails and I wanted to visit mom. I was also making sure you got some time to figure out what you wanted." I stroked his cheek. "I want to keep the baby and raise it! You don't have to join me, if you don't want to, Jet."

He took my hand and began softly kissing my fingers.

"I told you, I love you and I want to be with you. I'm still getting myself used to the idea of being a father again, but I want to raise our child with you." I smirked.

"Go get another pricing gun and help me finish this, Jet." It was like the old times, working at his dads store together, as we priced things. That is what we did on breaks from school, to earn a little extra money to have fun with. We laughed as we remembered some of the stuff we did to piss his dad off and some of the trouble we got ourselves into. We worked together until it was all re-stocked.

When Jackson came in, he walked over to where we were talking at the counter.

"So, did you boys make up?" Jet looked at me, then at his father.

"So, I guess you know about Shawn's condition?"

"That I do, son. He was a bit put out that you responded the way you did, even if he understood why." I looked down some and Jackson smiled. "You two go on and get home. Shawn, you're looking tired." I was feeling a little worn out. Jet rested his hand on my back and started stroking it as we walked out.

We headed back to his dads place. Jet went upstairs to his room. He looked tired, probably he'd been worried about me since I didn't answer the cell yesterday. We both stripped down to our boxers. I slipped in and he followed. He laid on his side, as I was on my back, his fingers sliding over my stomach. As I fell asleep, I felt myself rolling to my side and Jet spooning up behind me, his hand placed protectively over my stomach.

I woke up and turned around to nuzzle into Jet's chest. He mumbled something as he slid his hands into my hair.

"Sleep good?" I nodded slightly.

"My stomach isn't feeling too hot." He slid his hands over my stomach.

"Where are your pills, Babe, and dad was always one to keep some ginger ale in the house." I told him where the pills were and he headed out to get them, along with a glass of ginger ale. When he returned I took the pill with some ginger ale. He had sat back down, and I was sitting between his legs leaning against his chest. He reached down and pulled the cover over me, as I was shivering.

"Ducky said that when you get to three months, you won't be getting nauseated." I nodded and just enjoyed it as he held me, stroking my neck and shoulders.

Jet watched as Shawn went back to sleep. He slid out from behind Shawn, pulled the covers over him and slid his jeans before he headed downstairs. Jackson smiled at him from the couch.

"Hello, son. Come, have a seat." Jet stretched and headed to sit down. Jackson went to the kitchen and came back out, handing Jet some coffee. He sat back down to drink his own.

"So, ready to be a father again?" Jet took a sip of his coffee.

"It is a bit scary, but Shawn makes me happy and I wouldn't mind having a small one in the house again. I am worried though, Ducky says there some risks, not ones to kill him but his blood pressure is already low." Jackson smiled at his son.

"Son, I am sure that everything will be fine. He needs support and I am sure that if he gets too sick, Ducky will be there as fast as he can, to help."

Jet looked at his dad before speaking.

"I was nervous when Shannon told me she was pregnant. Even overseas, I felt nervous and not sure what kind of father I would make." Jackson laughed kindly at him.

"When your mother told me she was pregnant with you, I was in the same state. I bet you anything that Shawn is too. Both of us have been parents, so we have some experience. What that poor boy's going through, along with the fact that he's got the child growing in him and his hormones and all the changes that are happening with his body." Jet nodded.

"Glad its not me!" They both laughed softly.

We stayed the weekend with Jackson. We had a relaxing time, Jet and his father were getting along better and that was a good thing. When he had said that he was going into the Marines they had really hit a bad note. Well before that, he wasn't completely rebellious to Jackson, but they didn't get a long a lot of the time. I mean my story was not normal, it happened but Jet and his father not getting along too well, it wasn't healthy but it was what happened.

As we drove back to D.C. I pushed the back of the seat down some to just relax. My stomach was hurting because I had been throwing up most of the night and this the morning. Ducky asked Jet to get me back so that he could get the doctor he'd found to check me out.

Jet slid his fingers through my hair gently. "Shawn, try to get some rest, please. Ducky said that would be good."

I looked at him. "Jet, I don't think I can! Why don't you drive your normal speed and get us home quickly to the doctor. Maybe he can ease this and I can sleep at home."

He nodded and, amazingly, as I had fallen asleep I didn't notice that he was driving slower more normal speed.

When we got there, the doctor did some tests. She smiled as she did the ultrasound, letting us all hear the heartbeat. "Someone has a strong heart! And the baby seems to be okay."

I smiled widely, thanking God inside my head, that he was okay. I looked at Jet, he gave me a small smile in return. Then the doctor did some more checking with some blood test results. "Looks more like a normal blood test" she said.

I sat up and laughed, softly. "Well, that's what I thought I had about a week ago, and now I have it again."

The doctor smiled "Now, I am going to give you some light medication for your stomach because we need to keep food in you. It's bad for the baby if you don't eat."

I nodded some. "Amen to that. I'm tired of my stomach growling at me."

The doctor laughed and let me get dressed, Jet helped me.

I laughed quietly. "I can get dressed, I'm not that sick, Jet."

He kissed me softly and smirks. "I like helping you get dressed!"

I smirked and finished getting dressed. We headed out to the car with the new prescription that Jet said he would go and get, after he took me home to rest. The doctor had given me a shot so I had fallen asleep under the covers of our bed. I didn't know when he had got home. I walked downstairs to find him working on the boat, I walked over and sat down on a stool. I took a knife and started to carve into a spare piece of wood.

He was sanding the boat, to get it to a perfect smoothness. "You look like you still need some sleep, Shawn. You got pretty sick last night and wore yourself out."

I carved some more of the wood. "I think I'll ignore that comment. I have the stomach flu and I'm pregnant, but I don't want to sleep anymore. Second, I am a thirty eight year old man, I think I can take care of myself Jet."

I stood and headed upstairs, I needed something to eat. "I'll be in the kitchen." I headed to the kitchen. I looked for something to eat but I ended up just calling for some Chinese take-out. I got something for Jet too, he would be hungry later. Okay, so it spooked me that I was pregnant, and I didn't know how to handle that, but I have had the stomach flu before.

I started to do the dishes and I felt arms slide around my waist. I had stopped jumping when he did this, I just got it in my head to be ready for him at anytime, to pull me into his arms. He really loved holding me close. I rested against his chest.

"I know you can take care of yourself but I want to take care of you, some of the time."

I grunted something and shook my head and turned around to kiss him slowly.

"Still trying to prove to me that this thing called love is real? I also know you do this 'cause you care but I won't believe in love! It's just a word to make people have hope."

I turned around as I talked. I was stopped as he kissed me slowly.

"I will prove to you that there is something called love. I am going to teach you what your parents couldn't!" He touched my stomach. "You will love the child you carry and will raise it well."

I heard the door so I grabbed the cash and headed to pay for the food. I came back in and sat down. I pushed his food at him, grabbed my chopsticks and started to eat it slowly. I had to make sure I didn't rush my food. I didn't feel like talking, he was so damn hard on this love thing.

"I care about you deeply, and I will care about the child that I carry. Isn't that enough, damn it?"

He looked at me. He knew I was getting annoyed. I took another bite and closed my eyes. Why does he have to push this shit? Yes, hearing the words "I love you" is nice, but I don't believe it and I won't say them to him.

"Shawn, love is real! You never had it with your parents and I understand that. I mean all your old man ever did was beat the shit out of you and your mother. She just did what she could to avoid being hit herself, she didn't take time to let you know how she felt about you."

I stood up. I had got through half of my food and I wasn't hungry anymore. "You can say whatever the hell you want to about my father, but you have no right to talk about her like that. She was the best she could be. If I don't want to believe in love, that is my choice."

I put the rest of my food away and just headed upstairs. I was pissed, he had no right to talk about my mother like that. I grabbed my medication from the bathroom and headed to the guest bedroom. We had talked about making into the nursery. I slammed the door, got under the covers and laid on my side. He had no damn right!

I was being hormonal but still that gave him no right to say my mother was a coward. She did what she did and she had her reasons. I wouldn't let anyone say anything bad about her, she died protecting me. It took her awhile to protect me but I couldn't blame her! My father abused her as much as he did me. My mother had been the one that told me that love was nothing. She said that she cared about me deeply, and always would. She said that love was just a word to make caring deeply for someone sound more romantic. This is why I didn't get in to relationships, because of this! Because people believed so deeply in it, that it lead to fights like this. Okay, so it wasn't a fight, it was more me getting pissed and storming off.

It wasn't all pregnancy though. There was pure Irish temper there as well. I guess I was scared too, because I was pregnant and I didn't want to have children because of my past. I know I wouldn't be like my old man but still, what could I give a child? But that didn't mean I wasn't going to try. I was the one that got pregnant, yes there was the fact that I didn't know I could, because I had never heard of a man being able to get pregnant. But I would never tell the child he or she was an accident because that's what I was told by my old man, all the time.

Hell, the thought did run through my head to just let Jet raise our child. I could still come see him/her, send presents when it was time for them and I would come to his/her games, let him know that I was there if they needed me. But raising him/her, I don't think I would do well at it but then, skipping out on a child like that, wasn't a nice thing to do either.

I sat up and slid my hands through my hair. Then I lowered myself back down, God, I was so confused and scared. The one thing I knew was that I wouldn't end the baby's life, that was just something I would never do, ending an innocent life was just not in my morals! I laid there, I had worn myself out and I fell asleep in the bed, curled against a pillow. Maybe when I woke up things would have calmed in my heart and my mind.

I felt someone running their hands through my hair. I opened my eyes to find Jet. "Time to take your meds, so you don't get sick again, Shawn."

I sat up and took the water and the pills, downing them both. I looked at the clock and saw the time. "See you after work." I laid myself back down and threw the cover over my head. I was still tired and I hated being sick.

"Shawn, we need to talk about this. I was wrong to talk about your mother like that, Shawn."

Well, at least he apologized. "Thanks for saying you're sorry. There's nothing else to talk about."

He pulled the covers down and looked me in the eyes. "Like hell there isn't. I love you and you need to know that. It's not just some word."

I sat up. Great, this again! He had a hard head and so did I, which sometimes really got us into fights. As deep as he believed this, I knew he wasn't going to give up because he believed that I needed to say the words, that I love him.

"Jet, you mean a lot to me and I care about you. I would die for you. I would do anything to protect you from harm. But I well not say those words. And you seriously need to lay off of it."

He cupped my chin, "Nope, 'cause you will see it, at some point, that there is love."

I sighed. "Or if you keep pushing, I will just leave you and let you raise the child alone. Take him on weekends, be there for his games and if he needs me. You chose, Jet, you want this word? Or do you want me?"

I wasn't sure what I expected from him after I'd said all that. "You would really do that to your own child, Shawn? A child needs to know he is loved and he needs to know that there is unconditional love, from both parents."

I stood up and walked to the bathroom, I started the shower and looked at him. "I can be unconditional without adding love. I can be there for the child and be proud of everything he does. Let him be who he wants to be, and support him in every way." I leaned against the door frame. "But if me not saying that four letter word to my own child, is going to make me a bad parent, then it's better off with you than me."

He looked at me but didn't say anything. "Go to work, Jet. Your job is important and I've got work to do, today."

He stood up and walked over to me. "Yeah, well you're important to me too, Shawn." I looked at him.

"I know I am, and you are important to me. But unless you can get over this, Jet, we might as well end this." I dropped my boxers into the hamper and got in the shower. "See you after work. I'll be at the office today." I heard the doors shut and him leaving.

I came home after work. I hadn't got a lot done because my mind was on what we talked about but I sat in the kitchen and turned the computer on. I had got a good internet connection here at the house. Jet really didn't like computers and I doubted that he would ever been able to get really used to them. I heard the door open and close.

He walked in to the kitchen, looked at me and sat down. "I am going to be patient, 'cause I know you will learn love."

I looked to him and I let that slide. "I'll give it a chance. Maybe I'll figure it out, Jet. We'll go from there, alright?"

He nodded at me and he sipped the coffee he had brought in. I missed coffee, that was for sure. I went back to getting the searches I had to finish. I flipped through the folder, looking over the new name. I grabbed my cell, why hadn't I seen the name before? Probably because I was just focusing on the fight me and Jet had had.

"Hey, Boss, this case of Andrew Jackson. I know the guy, worked a case on him for a year on and off, in Baltimore. He isn't a safe person to mess with. Whoever you send to get him, tell them he's good with a gun and if there's no gun he will fight to the end, if need be."

I listened to what he had to say. "Yeah, I'll talk with Henderson tomorrow, give him the low down on the guy. Truth be told, Boss, I think he's down here to get revenge on me. That's the only reason I can see for him to be here." I ended the call with a goodbye.

Jet was going to say something after hearing all that, I knew him well enough to know that. I stood up, put my files in my back pack. I would do a little more later but I felt like I needed a shower.

Jet looked to me. "You think someone may be after you for revenge?" I could hear the worry in his voice.

I looked at him as I slid my lap top back into the back pack. "Yeah, he was put away for battery. He had beat the shit out of a few people. Had a bad temper. When we put him away, he got three years. He should have got more. He told me that if he ever got out, he would come looking for me and make me pay." I put my back pack in the corner in the living room so I knew where it was later.

He stood up and walked with me to the bedroom. "I don't like this, Shawn. If someone is after you, I want to get someone to watch your back. With you being pregnant I would feel safer having someone watching you." He slid his hands along my stomach, as he kissed me slowly.

I felt him press my body to his as I kissed him back. My hands slid around the back of his neck and I moaned softly. I kissed down his neck and nibbled softly on his collar bone. I felt his hands slide under my shirt, stroking along my stomach, then up to my chest. I softly moaned again, licking and nipping along to his ear, causing him to groan loudly.

He whispered, "We need to talk about this, Shawn."

I pushed his shirt off and started to undo his pants, sliding them down and cupping his cock through his boxers. He returned the favor and softly pushed my shirt off and I looked at him. "We'll talk later. I need you, now."

I kissed him long and hard. I pushed his boxers down and fell down onto my knees and softly took the head of his cock in my mouth, I began suckling softly as my tongue worked around the head of his cock. My hands stroked the rest of his cock slowly. He groaned softly as I started to slide it down my throat. "God, Shawn, you're so good at that."

I slid one of my hands down to his balls and he slowly started to move his hips, working with the motion of my mouth. He helped me up and stripped me of the rest of my clothes. His hands slid down my body and he gently pushed me down on to the bed. He slid his hands down my stomach then he reached over and got the lube and started to prepare me. I moaned as I moved against his fingers, he slid a pillow under me. It had been a while since we made love, so he was being extra careful, easing himself inside me slowly. I gasped when he started to thrust gently into me. I moaned as I moved with him. He soon came, deep inside me. I wasn't done, so I moved him on his back and kissed him. "My turn, Jet."

Then I made love to him, slowly. We both came that time! He slid his hands along my chest as I collapsed next to him and fell asleep, feeling him slide his arms around me and spooning his back against my chest. I fell into a deep sleep, feeling safe in his arms.

I found a letter on the bedside stand. Jet had to go to work to do some paperwork for the Director or something and that he would be home later tonight. I got dressed in jeans and a tank top, grabbed my gun, wallet and badge. I slid my shoes when I got to the front door, where I'd left them. I was going to go talk to Henderson, he was a good kid. He was about twenty five, he wasn't green under the collar but he still had a lot to learn and I didn't feel safe with him having Andrew Jackson's case. Someone had to set this kid straight, he hadn't worked a lot of dangerous bountys before and this surely was one. I made a call to make sure where he was, on the stake out for another bounty. I met up with him and got in the car with him. I leaned back as he gave me the low down on who we were watching.

I watched the club. "Henderson, on the Andrew Jackson case, you really need to be careful. This guy isn't right in the head, and he likes to use force and guns. I put him behind bars in Baltimore, he threatened to come after me when he got a chance. I need you to play it extra safe with this guy, wear a damn vest."

Henderson looked to me then back to the club. "What, you trying to tell me what to do?"

I looked to him and raised a brow some before looking back to the club. "No, I am looking out for one of my own. You were in the Army, right, Henderson?"

He nodded as we watched the goings on of the club. "Yeah. I was, what of it?"

I smirked to myself, he had hurt himself on duty and was retired four years after entering. "It's like your men, they have your back and I have your back. Don't get me wrong when I first became a detective, I was a cocky little bastard. I didn't listen to my senior partner when he told me something sometimes, and sometimes I was lucky but sometimes I got hurt and learned my lesson the hard way."

Henderson seemed to think on what I said, then he nodded. "So, I'll wear a vest and watch what he is doing. What else do you think I should do, Cahill?"

I looked at him. "From what the file told me, he a big bounty, take someone with you that's willing to take a quarter of the bounty. Hell, you do that and you'll still be making some good cash."

He nodded some. "What about you? I mean, you are a bounty hunter and a retired detective."

I laughed softly. "Henderson, if I could, believe me! I wouldn't mind you taking this bastard down, he's broken parole and missed his court date, he's going away for quite a while. But Jet would kill me. I need to take it easy for a while, I can't risk getting hurt, right now."

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Jet, who's that? I thought I knew all the bounty hunters that worked with us." He looked back to the club.

I watched the club, wondering how to put this 'cause I didn't care that people knew that I was gay. "Nah, Henderson, I'm gay and Jet is my partner." I watched his reaction.

He looked to me shocked. "Wait, you're gay? You're the most hard ass of the others. I don't know how to take that, I don't mind that you are gay, I myself am as straight as they get." I could see that he thought I would put the moves on him.

I went back to watching the club, I looked at a picture of the bounty. "Relax, I'm happy with who I am and I am not one of those kind that try to turn straight men bi or gay. I don't hit on men unless I know they swing my way."

He seemed to relax as he took a relieved breath. Then we both saw his bounty come out. I wasn't thinking. "Let's go get this guy and you can keep all the bounty."

We both got out. We approached the guy, he had a girl hooked on either arm. He saw the badge as Henderson said, "Danny Atkins, we are here to take you back. You missed your court date."

He slugged me in the face and I was a little taken back but then I grabbed his arm as he went for a weapon. I turned him around, his arm behind his back and slammed him against the car. Henderson was on him, checking for weapons. He put them aside and handed me some cuffs, so I cuffed him. I got a thanks from Henderson as I handed him over. I went to my car and drove to a diner that was close by. I slid my gun into the back of my pants, so it was covered by my shirt. I then slid my leather jacket on and headed in, I sat down and smiled to the waitress. I ordered some food and a sprite.

By the time I got home, the shiner on the right side of my face was apparent. I walked in to find Jet watching the news. I looked at the time, shit, it was 02200.

He saw my face and stood up. "What the hell happen to you? I need to call Ducky."

I set down on the couch. "He only took a punch to my face. I had him pinned to the car before he could do more. We got him cuffed and Henderson took him in to the jail."

He turned around to look at me. "Wait, you went and helped on a bounty?"

I shook my head. "No, I went to warn Henderson about who he was dealing with and I forgot about being pregnant, when the bounty came out, I went to help him take the guy down. When we told him who we were, he threw a punch to my face. I got a hold of his hand before he went too far and pinned him to the car and cuffed him."

I saw the look and knew what he was going to say, so I kept my mouth shut. "You forgot you were pregnant? Damn it, Shawn, you can't be so damn careless."

I turned to look him in the face. "It was a mistake and I am sorry for doing it." I stood up and headed to the kitchen. I found some ibuprofen and took one, knowing better than to take more than one, being pregnant.

Jet had followed me, he watched as I pulled my lap top and some files out of my back pack and set them on the table before sitting down. "Just be careful, please, Shawn."

I looked to him nodding. "I promise, Jet. And about the protection from Andrew Jackson you were talking about, who are you going to put on protection detail?"

He sat down and sipped his coffee. "DiNozzo"

I looked at him nodded. I knew better than to fight with him because he would just have DiNozzo tail me. "All right, tell him to be here in the morning before I go to work, we'll take one car."

He nodded, relieved. "I'll be working on the boat if you need me. I'll let you finish your work." I nodded and he kissed me softly before he headed down to the basement to work on the boat.

Henderson had listened to my advice. He got someone to work alongside him. He had called me that day. I knew he was going to have a hard time catching Andrew Jackson, the man was smart. I slid out of bed as Tony was coming in the house. "Hey, Tony."

He smirked at me as he walked in, he patted my stomach. "What's up, Shawn?"

The boy had a sense of humor. It's why I liked him, sometimes he reminded me of a younger Jet. "I called my boss and told him last night. He wants me to work at home. We had discussed me working at home, in the first place, anyway."

I headed to the kitchen and Tony walked with me. "Well. I am on protection detail until they catch the guy."

I nodded as I started to make some breakfast. "I don't think I need to ask if you're hungry, right, Tony?" I had heard enough from Jet that the boy had a bottomless stomach.

He nodded. "Yeah, Boss wanted me here at 0600 before he headed to work. I forgot to eat." He sat down and leaned back as he watched me cook.

We sat there talking about our work together in Baltimore as we ate. He had some movies with him and he had brought a DVD player to set up to Jet's TV. The TC was an older version but he had with him the right cords to hook it up. He obviously knew Jet's TV from previous encounters! I had to laugh when he got bored three hours later. He got out his lap top and helped me do some searches. The boy really needed to learn how to type.

I slide an ultrasound picture at him. He laughed, "Looks like a little bean!"

I smirked to him as I typed away at what I was doing. "Yeah, that's what I have named it until we know what sex it is, so we can name it. I mean, I don't like saying the It."

Tony leaned back, looking at me. "You know, you would do well in NCIS. You could work with a team instead of doing bounty hunting. That's more dangerous 'cause most of the time you don't work with a team. You do the bountys by yourself, right?"

I looked at him. "Yeah, but remember there were times when you were a detective by yourself and had to work cases without a partner."

He shrugged and looked at me. "Yeah, but I was always able to call for back up when I needed it. I mean, the Boss doesn't send one of us alone to question someone or search a house, we always have a partner."

I nodded to him. "True, but DiNozzo, I am not sure I want to work with a lot of people I don't know. I can't be on your team 'cause me and Jet are in a relationship. I am not sure I can even get hired by NCIS 'cause we are together."

He shook his head as he handed me the ultrasound back. "No, it's not that strict. You just can't work cases or be on the same team as the one your dating or married to. I mean, your knee is back almost a 100% again and you could pass the test for field duty. I mean, after you have the baby and all."

I nodded slightly as I continued to work. "Tony, I'll think on it but I need to get these searches done, so I can take them to the boss, so he will have them."

He nodded as he started to help me again. We had always made good partners. I knew there was more to the reason he asked me to join NCIS. I would ask him later. I wasn't sure what his reasons were but, knowing Tony, they were good reasons. Tony was a good detective, he messed around, but I knew he was always one to get his work done.

When I finished setting out lunch, I looked at him. "Tony, there's more reasons why your asking me to join NCIS. Spit it out, man."

Tony looked to me and he nodded. "The Director wants me to lead my own team. Gibbs would have Tim and Ziva on his team but the crimes are picking up and she wants me to lead my own team. I need someone I know that can watch my back while I train the probie I'll get."

I looked to him, I had a feeling that was the reason. "Kid, I am honored and I will think about it. But I have six more months until the baby is here and then I need to be with him for two to three months before I can think about setting the little bean up in daycare."

Tony shrugged. "I can wait, but its up to you, Shawn. You want to do this, that's good with me. I could use the back up you have always given me, when we were partners, and we have worked together. It would be good to have someone on my team that I know. But I have not accepted the offer yet. I have about three months to say okay. I am still not fully sure that I want to leave Gibbs' team." I knew he would have to think on it because he respected Gibbs. He was like a father figure to him. "Well, let me know if you accept and I'll let you know then if I have decided yet." I looked at him. "Does Jet know you got this offer?"

He nodded. "I told him about it and he told me that if I was ready, I would accept it."

I agreed there. Tony would know what was right for him and Jet would let him go, knowing that Tony made his own choice and knew what he was doing. We finished lunch and headed to my office to deliver the file of searches we had made.

The third day that Tony was on protection detail with me, Jet came home. "Report, DiNozzo."

I had to roll my eyes at that. It had been the same as it was the day before. But I left him to give it, it was part of his job and I knew that Jet was serious about this and so was Tony. I leaned back as he gave the report and headed home. I slide my hands through my shaggy hair.

"I know you need to get a report but nothing is going down, Jet, and if it did, you would have known by now."

He looked up as there was a knock on the door. He went to answer it. I heard Henderson say who he was when Gibbs asked. "Henderson, come on in."

He came in and sat at the kitchen table where I was. Jet followed him in and started making some coffee. "Yeah, Cahill, I wanted some advice."

I shrugged and nodded. I stood up. "Let's go for a ride." I grabbed my gun and badge.

When Jet went to grab his gun and badge, I stopped him. "Henderson's got my back, so no, you can't come with us."

Jet looked at me. "I don't give a shit! I don't know him and I don't trust him to watch your back."

I looked at Jet. "So glad you get to make this decision!" I did it all in sarcasm. "You are not going with us. Go work on your damn boat. If I think that there's a problem and I need you, I will call." We walked out and got into Henderson's car and headed to a diner to talk.

When we parked, we both got out. I heard the gunfire. I got down, quick. I heard a thud on the other side of the car. I looked under the car and saw Henderson hit the floor, there was a shit load of blood. "Henderson, answer me!" I heard someone coming and I lifted up.

Shit, it was Andrew Jackson. I took out my gun, looked again and then I lifted up and fired my weapon just as he did. I felt pain in my right arm and watched as Andrew Jackson hit the floor. I walked over. my gun trained on him the whole time as I kicked his gun out of the way. I'd got him between the eyes. I checked his pulse, to be sure the man was dead.

I rushed over to Henderson and knelt down, I felt for a pulse and mumbled. I started CPR on him. I kept going until some EMT took over. I stood back and watched. Then they shook their heads at me. Shit. The EMT told me that it was just a flesh wound on my arm and they dressed the wound. A detective came over and started to question me. I gave him the low down on what had happened. I let him know that I had put Andrew Jackson away when I was a detective, and that he had threatened to come after me when he got out. I told him that I was a bounty hunter, making sure he knew that I wasn't the bad guy, but I knew they would be asking witnesses.

I had called Jet. When he got there I told him what had happen. He took me to the hospital, even when I told him no, that I was fine. He called my doctor who came and looked me over. "Well, Mr. Cahill, you seem to be fine. You just had a flesh wound. There's no stress on the baby."

I set on the edge of the bed nodding. "Thanks, Doctor. That's what I told Jet, that I would be fine."

The doctor nodded. "Well, I am glad he had you come in. It's good to make sure your okay."

The doctor let me go after I signed the release papers. We headed home and Jet said. "You should have let me come with you."

I looked out the window. "You know what, Jet, you really need to shove it! There's a man dead and he was a friend of mine. I really don't need to hear what I did wrong and how I was at risk. He was shot first and killed, so I had to protect myself. I don't give a shit if you should have been with me. You weren't and I have to deal with calling the boss and letting him know that we lost a good friend and colleague. So do me a favor and don't talk to me, right now."

I picked up my phone and called the Boss to let him know what had happened. We both knew it was a risk, part of the job. We talked for a good ten minutes. Then I called Tony to see if I could crash on his couch tonight. I didn't need to deal with Jet. I got out of the car still talking to Tony. I went in and headed up to our room to pack an overnight bag. I heard him come in.

Jet sat on the bed. "You should just stay here after what just happened. You should stay here and rest."

I didn't want him to think it was him. "Its not you. Tony and I have gone through this together a few times, when a fellow cop died. We sit and watch movies and eat pizza. It's a calming affect. Jet, I really need to just have Tony around. I need to clear my head and have some male time with someone that isn't my boyfriend."

He kissed me softly, and I saw the look in his eyes. "Why don't you call Tony, Jet, and tell him to come over and bring a movie. We can watch movies here and eat some pizza."

He went down stairs to make the call as I got out of the bloody shirt and put on some sleeping pants and a tank top. When Tony got there, we sat down together and ate some pizza and watched a movie. Jet slid me between his legs and I leaned against his chest. He seemed to want me close, he had almost lost me, so I didn't mind.

It had been about three months since Henderson had been killed and I was now six months pregnant. Jet had been busy, he made sure he was at all the doctor appointments with me. He came home that night at about 2300, I was already in bed. He slid into bed with me and spooned against me, his fingers sliding along my stomach. He gave a soft chuckle. "Connor is an active one, tonight?"

I grunted some as I closed my eyes, Jeth's hand relaxed the baby and reduced the kicking of my kidneys. I rolled on my back and stroked his hand that was on my stomach. I took his hand and gently slid it down and into my boxers, he slowly started to caress my cock and I moaned softy. "He's calmed down now and I've missed you."

I got harder as his hands continued to stroke my bare cock. "I can feel that, Baby."

His lips found mine as my hands slid down to stroke his cock slowly. He groaned into my mouth as I slid my fingers along his hardening length. He rolled me onto my side and he kissed my bare shoulders. We were both totally naked now. I felt his lubed fingers start to stroke around my asshole. Slowly he slid a finger in and I softly cried out at the feel of him. This felt so good. He moved my upper leg up to rest on the mattress to open me up more, his second finger went in, sliding against my prostate. I moved against his fingers, moaning softly. "Jet, please I need you in me, now!"

I felt him move closer to me, his hard cock sliding along my ass cheek. "I need you too, Babe. I am so hard." I softly moaned as he eased into me. When he was all the way in, he waited for me to adjust to him, moaning into my ear.

"I love you, Shawn."

I softly cried out as he started to move against my prostate. He bit my shoulder and he started to move a little harder. I moved with him as I felt his hand slide around and start to pump my cock, I whimpered. I heard him grunt as he gave a final, hard thrust and came. Then he gently pushed me onto my back and took my cock in his mouth. I cried out as he started to bob his head, not stopping until I came down his throat, softly crying out his name.

He went to the bathroom and came back with a warm damp cloth. He put me on my side again and he cleaned my cock and my ass from his cum. He kissed my shoulder as he stroked my stomach. He tossed the cloth into the dirty clothes hamper and then laid down, spooning me as usual, stroking my stomach and chuckling.

"Someone woke up!"

I whimpered as he stroked my stomach, kissing my shoulder.

"He likes to keep me up at night. He's a troublemaker. I think."

Jet kissed my shoulder and the baby started to relax too, due to his daddy's caress of my stomach. It relaxed me as well and as I started to fall asleep I felt the covers slide over our bodies and his hand going back to caress my stomach.

The next morning I was up before him, by a few seconds, as my movements were not too smooth. I stood up stroked my stomach. It was early but it was also Saturday. He joined me in the shower, where we made love before he helped me out, and finally got me dry and dressed. Our love life was good and I'm not sure if it was normal but I didn't care, we were both happy. When we got a chance we made love, cuddled and talked.

"Do you have today off, Jet?" He nodded, stroking my stomach and smirking.

"Active little boy." I grunted softly.

"You're telling me! We're going to have a hyper son, Jet." I stroked my ribs were he was going full force as I mumbled. "Daddy needs his ribs."

He laughed softly and kissed my shoulder, stroking my ribs to help me calm the baby down.

"We've got a doctor's appointment in about hour and a half. Gives us time for breakfast first."

I nodded and headed down stairs. I still wasn't getting this whole love thing that Jet was trying to get me to feel. But this was one of the few relationships I'd had that went all the way to past six months months! I think it was my second one. We had spent the weekend together and when Monday came around he went to work as usual. I was doing some laundry, which was one of the few things I could still do with my stomach starting to grow. I heard a knock at the door nock, so I headed out to answer it, it was Tim. I didn't like the look in his face.

"McGee, spill it."

He was nervous and had a scared look in his eyes. I didn't know if I wanted to hear what he had to say.

"Boss is in the hospital. He got shot three times. The doctors are trying their hardest to save him."

I sighed as he looked at me. "Let's get going, McGee." I grabbed what I needed; my cell, gun and badge. He drove me to the hospital and I ran my hands through my hair as I walked in. Tony walked up to me. I had to keep calm.

"Any news, Tony?"

He shook his head and resumed his leaning against the wall. The same fear was in his eyes, Ziva was doing better than Tim and Tony at covering her fear.

"No, Ducky just went in there, to see what is happening." I nodded.

Abby was shaking. I took the girl in my arms and held her close to me. She did a giggling cry that sounded strange, but that was Abby, nothing was ever normal coming from her.

"Connor is kicking."

I nodded and I slid my hands on my stomach. "Jet's the only one that can get him to calm down, he's better then I am."

She stroked my stomach, then grabbed Ziva and Tony's hands to put them on there too.

"We'll find someone that can do it, just until Gibbs comes out of surgery." She was trying so hard not to lose it completely but she wasn't doing a good job.

I saw a small smile from Ziva as she felt the baby kick. Tony just looked at me and shuddered, before saying, "Now that's just weird." I laughed some as their hands left my stomach.

"Yeah? Try feeling that inside you for the first time. That's really weird!" Tony shook his head vigorously.

"No thanks, Shawn."

Ducky came out. He didn't look too good, he stood there and looked at us all. "Jethro lost a lot of blood. They have finally finished the surgery but there's only a 50/50 chance that he will make it."

I wouldn't talk to anyone after that and they just let me be. Later, when he was finally in his own room he wasn't doing so good but he was good enough to get his own room. He eventually woke up enough to talk to me, the others were great about me needing to be with him. His fingers slid along my stomach softly.

"Shawn, you okay?"

I moved from his touch. He was going to live that's what the doctors now said.

"I can't take this, Jet. If this is the love you keep talking about, the feeling of something ripping my heart in two whenever you're hurt like this! I can't take it!"

Jet got the bed to ease him up, so he was sitting up more.

"What are you saying? Have you finally got what love is? You're not leaving me, Shawn. You can't."

I looked at him and took a deep breath.

"Yeah, I am in love with you and it scares me. I see why I stayed single and stayed away from commitment. I can't take it. I am going to go to New York City. I'll let you know when the baby is born." I slid my hands through my hair. "Jet, I'm sorry! This was great relationship. But these new feelings are scaring me and when that happens, along with someone I care about getting hurt, I'm always going to run. I thought I should let you know."

The nurse walked in as he started to try and stand up to stop me. I headed to the door. I didn't want to hear what he had to say. I got in my truck and I drove off, my stomach wasn't too big where the steering wheel would be uncomfortable yet. I started my long drive to New York City. I needed to get away and maybe I could clear my head. I may come back and I'm damn sure that he was going to come find me when he was out of the hospital. I was a chicken for running but I couldn't take this feeling. It was scary.

I am not sure if I was glad that he told me he was going. I mean he told me all the time he just ignores the guy if he didn't want to talk. He didn't answer the guy until he would eventually stop calling. But he had never had love in his relationships before and I knew that when he said it, he meant it. Maybe me almost dying on the operating table showed him what love was. I would give him time while I recovered to think things through. Then I was going to hunt him down.

Tony came in and sat down to give me a report of how the case was going. Then he looked at me.

"Hey, where's Shawn? I thought he'd be here, I stopped by to check on him."

I leaned back before answering. "He headed to New York City." I didn't want to say anything else on that really. But I knew Tony! They were close friends, he was going to say something!

Tony looked at me and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Damn, want me to go look for him, Boss? Try to get him to come back this weekend?" I looked at him gratefully and shook my head.

"Thanks Tony, but he needs some time to figure things out. He just realized something and he needs to figure what he is going to do about it."

I was in the hospital for two weeks during which time I got letter from Shawn letting me know that the doctor says the baby is doing fine and healthy. He says the baby's kicking a lot but that's fine and that he was staying with Mac Taylor right now. Two more weeks had passed after I was got home and finally I was able to move around with out getting worn out or in pain most of the time. Shawn would be about seven months along now. I had got a second letter yesterday, saying basically the same, that he went to see the doctor and the baby was fine. This time there was an added comment saying that he missed me.

I missed him too. When I finally got the all clear from the doctor, I told the Director that I would be gone for another week or two, there was something I had to deal with. She knew and was okay with that. Tony was doing a good job leading the team! I would give him a week or two more before I came back. I need to go see Shawn and see if we can fix this. Mostly since I wanted him near me, he was only two more months away from having his c-section.

Shawn's POV

I slid my hands through my hair. I had kept in touch with Tony to keep updated on Jet's condition. He was recovering quite well. He would be back to work in about two weeks. I was doing some work at the apartment I'd found. It suited me, you could rent by the month and there was no lease. It was not the best place but for now it would work. I had a fax and I had a phone. I did my work on my lap top. I had got a good internet connection, so I could continue with my work from D.C.

There was a knock on my door, it took me a little longer each time, to get up to go and answer it. It was Jet!

"Come on in." I moved walked back to the kitchen and across to the fridge. "I don't have any coffee to offer you."

He leaned against the counter as I grabbed some glasses and got some apple juice out.

"You going to come home?"

I handed him a glass of juice and got one for myself before putting the juice back in the fridge. I got my glass and went to sit on the couch. He joined me, and just sat looking at me until I finally answered him.

"I don't know!"

His hands slid under my shirt to stroke my stomach just as Connor gave his father a kick. He smirked.

"Then you won't mind me staying with you for two weeks, while you try to decide!"

I looked at him.

"Yeah, the couch pulls out into a bed. The place was furnished. We can buy some extra cushions for the bed, it will work." He stroked my stomach some more.

"I would rather sleep with you and Connor." I stood up when there was another knock on the door. Jet helped me up and I went to answer the door. I let Don in and he kissed my cheek.

"Hey, that appointment you wanted to make, I'll be here to get you." He came in with the Chinese and noticed Jet. "I didn't buy enough for another person, Shawn." I shook my head, I could see Jet just eyeing Don! I grabbed the phone.

"He can wait 30 minutes to get some food. Or he can have some of mine, I don't have much a appetite."

Don grabbed a bowl and put some of the food in it before handing it over to Jet.

"Yeah, well, the doctor says you're not eating enough, you're not the weight you need to be at seven months." He handed me my food and sat down in the recliner. He flicked on the game on the TV. I moved to were he was and shoved his head over to the side.

"The doctor says I am not at any risk. I'm sure as hell, not going to force myself to eat, when I am not hungry." Don rolled his eyes.

"Well, when Danny gets here, he going to annoy the hell out of you until you eat." I grunted and sat down, grabbing the food.

"Happy now?" I took a few bites before leaning back. I took another bite, it was good and I did have some appetite. Don smirked as he watched the game.

"Swimming with glee, smart-ass?"

Jet leaned back, just listening to this conversation, as Don spoke again. "You know, we need to get you a better place! This place just sucks." I shrugged offhandedly.

"When Connor is born he'll be going home with Jet." I nodded over at Jet. Don looked over at him.

"So this is the guy you ran from, 'cause you got scared? Man, we've really got to break you of this lack of commitment." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Hey, just 'cause we dated for two months. You didn't want a relationship either, you liked the physical aspect of the relationship." Jet looked at me.

"You're going to be helping me raise this kid. I am not doing it alone." Don looked over at Jet for a second, before going back to the screen. "The ex-Marine finally speaks!" I just shook my head and leaned back.

"I said maybe Jet, I never said yes I was moving back to D.C."

When Danny came with a large pizza I laughed. I knew there was enough for Jet. I introduced them and then we returned to the game, we watched it and nothing more was said. When the game was over they left and I let Jet into my bed. He held me, just like old times, kissing my shoulder. As we fell asleep it felt like I was back home, he was stroking my stomach until I fell asleep.

Jet stayed with me for about a week before I decided to move back to D.C.. Don and Danny helped us get all the things into my truck. We drove back together. We got to his house and he helped me set up everything in the house again in our room. I saw that he had finished the nursery with a lot of Kelly's furniture and I smiled, stroking the red wood crib.

The final weeks passed fast and I was just short of nine months along when they decided it was best to do the c-section. Jet stroked my hair. "I'll be in the waiting room. I can't wait until I have you both by my side, Shawn." I smirked and then laughed.

"Okay then, you get to deal with the night feedings!" Gibbs laughed softly and kissed me before slowly smirking.

"We'll talk about that later, just remember I love you." I looked at him, I can't believe I am in love! I never believed in it.

"Love you too."

They pushed me into the operating room to get the baby out of me, which would be great because I felt that I needed to lose that weight. When the surgery was happening I was awake, I could hear the crying and I saw Conner. I smiled some so much. He was put against my chest for a few minutes. Then he was taken away to be cleaned up before they took him out to Jet. I could hear the crying through the doors and laughed. He had some healthy lungs on him. I grunted as they started to stitch me up. Being shot was easer then this! But it was all worth it! I fell asleep, I couldn't help it, I was worn out. This whole experience wore me out.

I woke up to see Jet at the window jiggling Connor softly as the boy cooed and wiggled his hands. I sat up with a grunt.

"Hey! So do I get to hold my son too?" Jet walked over and slid him into my arms. I stroked his chest and just looked to him as Jet sat down next to me.

"He is perfect, Shawn. Isn't he?" I smirked and leaned against his chest.

"Yeah, he's a perfect little boy, that's for sure! They were not kidding when they said that a new born baby's skin is soft!" I felt Jet lift him as he went to sleep. He laid him down in the little crib and he walked back and sat back down. He slide a silver band out of his pocket.

"I want you to be my life partner. We can have a ceremony or just use this as our ceremony, whatever works best for you. I love you and I want you to spend the rest of your life with me."

I leaned up, wincing before I grunted, "Well there goes kissing you." He leaned forward and kissed me softly, sliding his hands over my chest softly.

"That work for you? So, you going to answer me?" I smirked at him and kissed him back.

"Yes, Jet. I'll be your life partner! You and Connor are my treasures and I want you forever."

He moved to where he could curl up to me in the bed and we both fell asleep in the bed. I felt his hand on my stomach, holding me as we slept.

~Finished~