So, this story is not connected to the "Changes" storyline, meaning Kate and Kirsten are not included in it. It's basically an Alternate Reality storyline. Just the usual characters and Lexi. Hope you all enjoy this kind of angsty, kind of heartbreaking/heartwarming story, as it's not really what you're used to reading from me, haha!

~*~NCIS~*~

"BOOM CLAP THE SOUND OF MY HEART, THE BEAT GOES ON AND ON AND ON AND ON AND, BOOM CLAP YOU MAKE ME FEEL GOOD, COME ON TO ME COME ON-" Lexi sang at the top of her lungs as she walked into her house. Her performance was sadly interrupted by an even louder bellow from the living room.

"ALEXIA!" her mother shouted, causing Lexi to freeze.

"Sorry, Mom. I didn't realize you were home yet," Lexi apologized with a blush. She didn't mean to give Jen another headache, as she truly didn't know that any of her parents were home from work as yet.

Jen sighed and smiled a bit. "It's fine, babe. Come, sit beside me and tell me about your last day of volleyball tryouts," she replied, patting the space in the couch beside her.

Lexi grinned, kicked off her volleyball sneakers, pulled her kneepads down to her ankles and flopped next to her mother in the couch. Jen put her arm around Lexi's shoulders and pulled her closer to her.

"Okay, so I have no clue what I was so nervous for on the first day! It went amazing and the coach said that for someone who hasn't played in 2 years, I'm doing great! It was a lot of fun to have all my friends supporting me, too. I'm kind of scared, though. Coach Giudice says that there are a lot of cuts that are going to be made," Lexi rambled excitedly.

"That's great, sweetie! Oh, don't you worry. You'll be fine. You've worked very hard this summer and you will surely make the team. How will you know that you made the team or not?" Jen inquired.

"Well, Clarissa says that she tells us face to face individually. I'd rather that than a list and have everyone know that you did or didn't make it," Lexi replied.

"You'll do fine, Lex," Jen assured her, kissing her temple. "I'm about to start on dinner."

"Can I help?" Lexi offered.

"Sure, love. But I'd shower and change first," Jen told her.

"Ah, you're probably right. I'll be right down," Lexi chuckled.

Lexi ran up the stairs, but soon stopped, placing a hand over her abdomen. She was recently feeling some discomfort around her belly-button, but it was now a sharp shooting pain around the right side of her abdomen that returned when she was active. Lexi knew that it wasn't menstrual cramps, and she shook it off as nothing major and continued on to the bathroom to shower.

~*~NCIS~*~

"What do you mean you aren't hungry, Lexi?" Jen asked in concern. It was unusual for Lexi to say that, as her appetite could compete with that of Tony's at times, especially after sports practices and games. Jen put down the plate of baked chicken and mashed potatoes and eyed her suspiciously.

Lexi shrugged. "I'm not hungry," she mumbled.

"Honey, I know that after any sports practice, you usually vacuum the entire contents of the fridge and pantry. Are you feeling sick?" Jen remarked.

Lexi bit her lip and debated whether she should tell her about the abdominal pains and nausea waves or not. "No, really. I'm fine," Lexi replied, her voice shaky.

Jen sighed and placed a hand on Lexi's shoulder. "Sweetie, I want you to promise that if there is anything wrong with you, you'll come straight to me, or any adult."

"I promise," Lexi replied, not believing herself for a second.

Jen nodded and took the plate of food from her. She knew that Lexi was a horrible liar, and as her mother, she knew when something was wrong. Her maternal instincts were going off.

~*~NCIS~*~

"I dunno, Maeve, it's just a small stomach pain I get from time to time," Lexi sighed, pushing away her lunch. Her friend, Maeve, was eyeing her in concern.

"You sure? Because you could have a stomach virus. If you're nauseous, have stomach pains, and loss of appetite, it could very well be that," Maeve stated.

"Whoa there, Maeve O'Reilly, look at you sounding all smart. You almost sound like Ducky. You even have the accent," Lexi remarked, rolling her eyes.

"Actually, Ducky's a Scotsman. I'm Irish," Maeve pointed out. She had just moved to America from Ireland two years before.

"Semantics. But really, Mae, I'm fine," Lexi chuckled.

"Did you tell your Ma?" Maeve inquired.

Lexi smiled sheepishly. "Yes?"

Maeve gave her an exasperated look. "Ugh, Lexi! Really, get it through your head that you can't keep secrets from your Ma, especially about your health!"

"I know, I know. But I've already promised that I would tell her if anything was wrong with me. Technically, it wasn't a lie. She made me promise AFTER I told her I was fine. But if she finds out something's wrong, she'll go Mama Bear on me. Then she'll give me endless lectures about how my health is important and she's my mother and that I should come to her when something's wrong yada yada yada," Lexi commented, mimicking Jen's previous lectures.

"I don't see why it's so difficult just to say, 'Ma, my stomach's achin' me. What do I do?'. S'not that difficult at all," Maeve stated, flicking her dark brown hair from her face.

"I dunno...it's just that, I know Mom loves me to the end of the universe and back. But I still get flashbacks of me at 8 or 9 years old when I'd get sick, and my evil birth mom would tell me to 'tough it out, and stop being a weak little brat'," Lexi admitted.

Maeve eyed Lexi with empathy in her emerald eyes. She knew her story, and it broke her heart each time she heard it. "You know your Ma's not like that, yeah?"

"Of course not," Lexi replied quickly. "It's just...I feel weak when I have to complain about sicknesses or injuries. God, if Ziva ever found out I think that. She went through the same thing at our age, and she'd kill me if she found out that I call myself weak,"

"Well you're not, babe. You're one of the bravest, strongest people I've met since I've been here," Maeve remarked sincerely. "And yes, Ziva would skin you alive for having those horrid thoughts in your head. And Miss Jen would probs kill you double time."

"Yeah. But it's nothing to worry about, Mae," Lexi reassured.

"Sure. I knew something was wrong with you the moment you let me have your French fries and cupcake from your lunch. You never share your food," Maeve scoffed.

"Whatever, Maeve. I'm just not hungry," Lexi laughed.

"Exactly. You're so stubborn," Maeve chuckled.

"No I'm not," Lexi replied, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, then. Tell your Ma what's going on," Maeve told her.

"No, Maeve. I'm not going to," Lexi said deadpan.

"Fine," Maeve answered, throwing her hands up in defeat. "Your arse."

Lexi silently mocked her words and rolled her eyes. She was fine. But somehow, she just wasn't quite so sure of herself.

~*~NCIS~*~

"What's got ya so quiet over there Gibblet?"

Lexi took a deep breath and closed her eyes in annoyance. Why oh why couldn't she get this ridiculous Geometry homework done without being bombarded by idiotic questions that could only come from the King of Idiots himself, Tony Dinozzo? He'd been bugging her for hours since she'd walked in after school.

"I'm trying to concentrate on my homework, Tony," Lexi replied in a low whisper.

"Even before that. You've been kinda distant, and you're looking kind of pale. You alright?" Tony continued.

Lexi grasped her pencil as she was writing so tight, her knuckles turned white. "I'm fine," Lexi growled.

"You sure? I mean-"

SNAP!

Lexi's pencil snapped like a twig and she abruptly stood up, her textbook and papers hitting the ground.

"I said that I am FINE, ALRIGHT? I'm not distant, I'm about as close to reality as I possible can be! I'm quiet right now because that is a sign of focus, if you had any! And the rosiness of my cheeks is completely normal! Now, could you shut up, mind your business, and let me finish this STUPID homework in peace!?" Lexi roared.

Ziva looked up from her report in shock, Tim's head shot up from the code he was encrypting, and Tony gazed at her as if she had slapped him. The bullpen was so tense and silent, you could cut the air with a knife. It was a good thing that Gibbs was up in MTAC with Jen.

Lexi suddenly doubled over, clutching her abdomen, then covered her mouth and made a mad dash for the bathroom. Ziva hurriedly got up and followed her. Lexi bursted through the bathroom door and quickly dropped in front of one of the toilets. Ziva silently held Lexi's curls back and rubbed her back as she vomited forcefully into the toilet.

When Lexi was finished, Ziva tied her curls into a bun, then quickly walked out to fetch her some water. Returning with the water, Ziva knelt beside her as she drank gratefully.

"Now. What was all of that about?" Ziva asked softly.

Lexi set the cup down and sighed. "I-I don't know...I didn't mean to yell at him. I just found myself getting mad and...and I just snapped," she whispered.

"I know that that was not just you getting angry, Lexi. There is something wrong-" Ziva started.

"There's nothing wrong with me," Lexi snapped.

"Lexi?"

"Yeah?"

"Do not interrupt me," Ziva warned.

"Sorry," Lexi whispered.

"Is there something that you need to share with me? And before you answer, I want you to know that I will know if you're lying as I am a trained interrogator."

Lexi looked down at her hands. "I'm fine."

Ziva nodded. "Alright. Maybe I will just go and get the Director-"

"No!" Lexi yelled urgently. "Alright! My stomach hurts, and I don't want to eat and I'm nauseous," she confessed.

"So that is why you have been acting this way," Ziva said, everything starting to make sense to her. "Have you told your mother as yet?" Ziva inquired, helping Lexi stand.

Lexi shook her head. "And why not?" Ziva asked.

"B-because...she'll think I'm weak," Lexi admitted quietly.

Ziva's eyes clouded and she placed a firm swat to Lexi's backside. "Ouch!" Lexi yelped.

"Are you kidding me? Why would you even think that, Alexia?" Ziva scolded.

"I dunno, my birth mom-"

"Is Jen anything like your birth mother!?"

"No-"

"Does she verbally abuse you?"

"No-"

"Does she call you weak?"

"No, but Zi-"

"Don't you dare 'but Zi' me, Alexia. I am speaking," Ziva growled, scaring Lexi with the sudden intensity. "You know damn well that no one here will ever think less of you for being sick. Especially Jen."

Lexi's gaze was directed at the ground once more. "I'm sorry, Zi. I just don't want to tell her."

"Well you need to. I lost my mother at 11 years old, just like you. I was called weak from an early age, even when I broke my leg and shed a few tears when I was 5. You have people who love you no matter what. Now you either tell your mother, or I will."

"I-I'll tell her," Lexi sighed.

"Good," Ziva replied softly, pulling Lexi into a tight embrace. "Go out there and apologize, Lexi. Tony can be a total idiot, but he did not deserve that," Ziva chuckled.

Lexi grinned and followed Ziva out of the bathroom. Her grin faltered as the abdominal pains returned with a vengeance.

~*~NCIS~*~

"Um...Mom?" Lexi weakly called out, putting her bags down with a slight wince.

"Yes, sweetie? How did tryouts go?" Jen called from her study.

Lexi slowly walked into the study and saw Jen filling out reports at her desk. Lexi gently eased into the chair in front of the desk. Every laugh, yell, and abrupt movement sent a deep pain through her abdomen. She'd survived the relatively short tryout, and the bus ride home. She was also feeling sluggish due to the fact that she was running a fever. But she didn't let it slow her down during tryouts.

"Great...I made it," Lexi replied with a small smile.

"That's great, Lexibear. I knew you had it in you," Jen praised proudly.

"Yeah...thanks," Lexi answered,

"You feeling okay?" Jen inquired at the lack of enthusiasm. Lexi had been exciting and preparing for this for weeks.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Lexi groaned.

"Because we are concerned for you," Jen stated.

"Where's Gibbs?" Lexi asked.

Jen noticed the way Lexi changed the subject. "On a stakeout with Tony and McGee," she replied. "Listen, Lexi. You know that there are people that you can go to whenever something is wrong."

"So I've heard," Lexi mumbled, rolling her eyes.

Jen ignored the attitude and continued. "No one will think less of you if you aren't feeling well, sweetie."

"I'm not a baby, Mom. I don't have to go running to every adult for every tummy-ache or paper-cut I get," Lexi remarked, attitude heavy in her voice.

"Excuse me?" Jen demanded in a low whisper.

The pain in her abdomen and pounding in her head were obviously clouding her judgment and filter of her mouth, so Lexi continued. "You expect me to go running to you every time I get sick. Don't you think I can take care of myself for once?"

"You are out of line," Jen growled. "You insist on acting insolent and throw a tantrum when you don't get your way, but let me tell you, little girl, I won't stand for it. I am your mother, and it is my job to take care of you."

Lexi was shocked into silence. "You were so used to being told you were weak and cowardly by that bitch who supposedly gave you life, and she never loved you like she was supposed to. How many times do I have to tell you that all that she said were lies before you get the point? Now we both know that attitude gets you nowhere, so cut the crap," Jen finished. "I'm going to ask you again. Are you feeling alright?"

Lexi didn't know quite what to say at first, then she finally did find her voice. "I'm fine."

"You are so stubborn," Jen replied in frustration. "Everyone can tell that you aren't yourself. You are pale, you haven't eaten, you threw up at NCIS-yes Ziva told me-and you wince with every action. We know you well enough to see that something is up, and you won't even tell us."

"No one knows anything about me," Lexi growled.

Before Lexi had time to continue, she doubled over, clutching her abdomen. Her face twisted into a mask of pain and agony.

"Lexi, what-"

Jen was interrupted by an anguished, distressed scream from Lexi. Lexi felt as if someone had set all of her intestines on fire. Jen quickly ran to her daughter's side.

"M-my side! It hurts, Mom, it-" Lexi grunted before letting out another scream. Jen scooped Lexi up into her arms, then grabbed her purse and hurried out the door. The first thing that Jen noticed was that Lexi was extremely warm, she was running a high fever. Jen gently deposited Lexi into the backseat to lie down on her back.

"Don't worry, baby girl. You'll be alright," Jen promised, turning the key in the ignition. Lexi tried to mumble something, when she passed out from another wave of pain.

~*~NCIS~*~

"What!?" Jen demanded urgently.

"She has a bad case of appendicitis. Her fever is very high, she is dehydrated and infection is spreading throughout her body. We have to get her into surgery," The doctor told Jen after giving Lexi a CT scan.

"Doctor, how long has she had it?" Jen asked worriedly.

The doctor sighed. "About a week and a half. Her appendix had been inflamed for that long. The pain she felt today was her appendix rupturing. We aren't very sure at this point, but if all goes well during the operation and with some antibiotics to fight off the infection, she will make a steady recovery."

"And if not?" Jen inquired.

"Then there will be failure of her organs due to the infection. Right now, it is pretty slim due to the amount of time she walked around with her appendix in that shape, and the infection is spreading quickly. We're doing all we can," the doctor sighed.

Jen nodded numbly, taking in the information that the doctor gave her. This meant that she could very well lose her pride and joy.

"Jen?"

Jen turned to see Gibbs, Tony and McGee standing by the doorway of the waiting room, all looking anxious.

"How is she?" Gibbs asked quietly.

"The infection is spreading quickly. There's a chance that-that we might lose her if she doesn't fight off the infection," Jen's voice cracked, and Gibbs took her into his arms.

"God, Jethro. Why is she so damn stubborn? She could have came to any of us," Jen cried into his arms.

"She doesn't have permission to stop fighting, Jen. She gets the stubbornness from me and you both. All she has to do is fight," Gibbs sighed.

~*~NCIS~*~

Lexi felt like she was floating. She looked down to see the doctors operating on her and felt herself landing gently on the ground.

"What the heck?" Lexi remarked, patting down her body, confirming that she was indeed intact. But she was confused at the fact that she was actually watching herself get operated on, and the doctors obviously hadn't heard her.

"I don't need to watch this..." Lexi grumbled, pushing through the OR doors. She was met by a girl about her age with red hair reading a book.

"Um, hi. I'm kind of lost," Lexi greeted.

The girl looked up and smiled. Lexi thought that she looked very familiar, she just couldn't place it. "Where are you going?" the girl asked.

"Back to my mom, please. I'm pretty sure she's in the waiting room with the team," Lexi replied.

"Sure," the girl answered. Suddenly, they were in the waiting room. Lexi saw Jen and Gibbs in a tight embrace, the team talking amongst themselves.

"Mom!" Lexi said, relieved at seeing her parents. She ran at them, arms outstretched, but was disappointed when she ran straight through them.

"W-what? Hey,what's going on?" Lexi demanded.

"They can't hear or feel you," the girl chuckled.

"A-am I dead?" Lexi whimpered.

"No no no, you're not dead. You're having an outer-body experience. But the infection is really spreading. You're between the lines of life and death," the girl explained.

"Come, meet my mom," the girl said, waving Lexi forth to follow her.

"Wait! Why should I trust you? I don't even know your name," Lexi commented firmly.

The girl turned and held out her hand. "I'm Kelly. Kelly Gibbs,"

~*~NCIS~*~

Yeah...so Lexi had appendicitis and then her appendix ruptured. Not exactly sure of how that must feel as I've never had it, but my friend told me that it's like getting stabbed in the right side of her abdomen. Lexi is not dead, but she's pretty close right now, so she's having an outer-body experience. And yes, Maeve O'Reilly is a real person and a close friend of mine...hope you like this!

(On other news, I made the Junior Varsity volleyball team yesterday! *cheers*)

-Ally :)