[rp for albuquerque_liz]

[on_jennys_terms]

After an incredibly long day, Jen is beyond exhausted.  But she's still not asleep.  Food comes first, of course.  She managed to eat very little today and now she's starving.  Or she was, anyway.  She opted not to go out for dinner with Jethro after her last meeting and now she's parked on the bed in the hotel room with a plate of pancakes.  He's

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[albuquerque_liz]

Liz is sprawled on her bed, watching the night emerge through the open doors to her bedroom. She's not feeling all that well and is actually glad for the peace of the night. The phone call, expected, makes her stomach flutter a bit. She knows that as Jenny gets busier, these will happen less and less. So she reaches for the phone and answers it, peace settling into her voice. It's one thing that went right today. "Hey you."

[albuquerque_liz]

Liz laughs. "It's fair company to be in," she teases back. There's a microsecond where the petulant girl inside of her screams that she doesn't want to be in anyone's company when it comes to Jen, but the girl is quickly squashed by logic, reason, and maturity. She sighs a bit, "Am I keeping you up?"

[on_jennys_terms]

The microwave beeps at her and Jen pulls the door open with a slight shake of her head even though Liz can't see her. "No. I didn't really get to eat much today, so now I'm making up for it. I was going to wait until we hung up, but, you know--hungry."

[albuquerque_liz]

Liz chuckles. "I wish I was." She shakes her head and takes a sip of the sprite and wishes she hadn't said anything. Hopefully Jen won't push. "What's for dinner?"

[on_jennys_terms]

Jen frowns again, but know enough to not say anything. She's trusting Liz to take care of herself. But part of her longs to be there just to be a food buddy. "Well. Dinner was spaghetti. About two hours ago." She rolls her eyes at herself. In the moment, on the phone with Liz, it's something to be amused over. But later, when she's alone with her thoughts and the bathroom mirror, she'll feel terrible.

[albuquerque_liz]

Liz chuckles a bit, but also doesn't press. They're in the same boat when it comes to food issues and tonight is not the night to mess with it. "Well, spaghetti is always good," she smiles and sips her sprite. At least it's calories. "I am amazed at how quiet the house is," she says, changing the subject only to keep talking. "There isn't nearly as much creaking. It's so strange." Her voice is light.

[on_jennys_terms]

"Fewer people walking around, maybe," Jen offers with a shrug. She pulls her plate from the microwave and decides to sit at the small table near the door rather than hunch over in bed. She pushes her computer aside and sets the plate down before taking a seat.

[albuquerque_liz]

Liz chuckles. "Yes, that is actually the reason. It's still strange." She sighs, content for now. "Are you guys in DC for the long haul now or are you heading back to New York?"

[on_jennys_terms]

"Well," she pokes at her pancakes as she thinks, "I had been planning on going home tomorrow afternoon at some point, but now I'm wondering if we should stick around for at least the weekend to go house hunting. I really do not want to be living out of a hotel again." She glances over at Gibbs, "And I'm sure neither does Jethro."

[albuquerque_liz]

Liz nods. "You both deserve better than that." For a moment she's not sure if she's talking about Jen and the baby or Jen and Jethro, but it doesn't matter. The truth is they need a place to live. "So stick around. It also gives you a chance to remind people that you might not be completely back yet, but you are around."

[on_jennys_terms]

"I imagine we will. Who knows, we may find something. But now I'm suddenly confused as to what to do with or for the nursery. I want to keep our place in New York--and I told him I'd pay for it if he wanted, but he never gave me a real answer."

[albuquerque_liz]

Liz swallows the instant response that runs through her mind. The truth is, J is as old school as her own man and there are some things they will have a hard time accepting. As it is she is amazed there was such little fight from him when Jen said she wanted to return to work. She has a feeling he has enough money stashed away that even though she's the primary income earner, he will always have more. "Well you have time to figure it out. And you'll be working so he can work dawn til dusk on getting whatever house you come across set up for you guys to your specifications. But it doesn't hurt to keep the place in New York. In fact, it's probably a good thing. You have the space, as a place for whatever comes along."

[on_jennys_terms]

If Gibbs hadn't been distracted at the time, he probably would have brought up issue with the idea. Jen had expects him to the next time she brings it up. She's had such a weird relationship with money recently, she's still not entirely sure where they stand. But once she starts getting paid again, finances won't be a problem at all. She might even be able to resurrect her old bank accounts. At least now she feels like she fits in with their UES neighborhood. "We haven't really talked about it yet. We don't have a whole lot of time, but it doesn't have to be done this week. Soon, though."

[albuquerque_liz]

Liz chuckles a bit. "It's just another thing on the list." She stretches out a cramp in her leg and closes her eyes, listening to Jenny on the other end. "You'll get it all figured out."

[on_jennys_terms]

"Yeah, I will. With some luck and a little bit of magic," she says and then pops another bite of her pancakes into her mouth.

[albuquerque_liz]

Liz chuckles. "Well, I've got the magic covered for you." She takes a sip of her sprite and then sets it aside, cuddling up under the blankets so that she can fall asleep just talking. "You're on your own with the luck."