Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS; do you imagine what I would do to it if I did? Anyway the peoples at CBS do and Donald P. Belisario does lucky people!
A/N: Had this prying on my mind since I saw Quarantine 2 Terminal other day on the 08/09. There was a character called Jenny in it, my mind soon ran away with it's self soon there after, I hope you all like. I like this idea I had, I just HAD to write it out!
Quarantined
Jethro Gibbs carried Jenny's life depleting body up the stairs, each step hurt him as he helped her to stay upright with her arm slung over his shoulders, he held her up, keeping her alive; thinking that if he kept them both moving she'd stay alive, the process won't begin he hoped, just yet at least. Just as long as he keeps her brain firing on the task at hand. Jethro knew he was holding on to the tiniest shred of hope, but he couldn't give up on her just in spite of that he had his arms around her waist, just underneath her rib-cage keeping her close to him. She was close enough so that he could smell her strawberry shampoo in her short flame red hair.
They had taken the stairs from the lab to her office in fear that the electrics will cut and they'd be stuck in a small confined space unable to get help, then he would be unable to escape her as once Jenny dies, she'll turn. She'll cease to exist anything that she was before, he wouldn't be able to look in those beautiful emerald eyes and see reflected in them all the warmth he once felt, all that he once knew a lifetime ago in Paris. She wouldn't be Jenny Sheppard anymore; she would be a shell of her former personality.
Jethro had is gun drawn in case any turned in apprehension that the Quarantined agents confined to the NCIS building had unfortunately turned, with the infection now being somehow airborne by some means having evaded Abby's keen eye. Gibbs' NCIS issue weapon was grasped tightly in his hand that supported Jenny at his side, stepping into the bullpen he looked across slightly at Jen's tired wilting eyes; he could see her fight was draining out of her, draining out of the bite on her leg. His grip tightened on her arm his fingers touching her cold ashen inner wrist with a feather light touch, feeling her slowing pulse, strangely reassured that her life was not draining.
Well not too much, he hoped.
The NCIS warning lights was on inside, sending the bullpen into an amber glimmering disco lighted prison cell, as they wasn't allowed to leave until they had come in and inspected the scene and those who were contaminated and the dead and those turned that needed killing.
Gibbs lifted Jenny's paling form a little, pulling her on her toes and back down again, waking her from the clutches of death that ever neared with every single passing second. He looked into her eyes; the light within them was dying. Gibbs, sighing quietly, saw even less of his lover in this stranger in pale skin; she was becoming less of the Jen he knew and more of whatever she was turning into. He touched her cheek slightly, mumbling against her cheek, "We're nearly there, Jen, don't leave me yet, don't you die, don't you dare. We're nearly there." He repeated it several times, urging a response out of her. Each time he told her he ran his thumb the length of her colourless cheek.
"I... I wouldn't dream of it, Jethro." Jen whispered then smiled weakly, her breath hitching in her throat as she broke the steady rhythm of her breathing.
Jethro matched her weak smile with one of his own; the journey up the stairs from outside of Abby's lab to the bullpen had seriously taken its toll on her beaten body. As they neared the stairs to Jen's office, he noticed her breathing was becoming more laboured. Gibbs tightened his grip on her shoulders and bent down slightly pulling her knees together and lifting them a little so she was fully in his arms, he then raised her body so she hung in his arms, Jen was fully supported by her ex-lover, her arms hung limply by her sides in the air as he carried her up the small flight of stairs, occasionally glancing across at her closed eyes and blank face, her cheek was resting against his chest. Jethro knew walking any further would tire her out completely and drain any last drop of life out of her body.
Gibbs carried Jenny up the entire flight stairs to her office, if this scenario hadn't meant life and death it would've been highly romantic; just the fact that Jen would trust him to carry her somewhere, the perfect scenario would've been them going out for a drink, Jen having one too many and him carrying her back to his then it would've meant them making love under his boat or in his bed. Jethro had to banish this thought from his head as it would hinder his chances at putting a stop to stopping the process later.
Jethro lowered her form to the floor, putting her feet securely on the floor, Jen whimpered slightly as he broke the contact from her, as she was desperately seeking the warmth he gave her as they embraced, Jethro warmed her flesh when he touched her, giving her the strength to keep upright and alive. Gibbs, still keeping a hold of her, as he tilted her chin in his hand to look at him, he gave her a slight smile and whispered quietly that there wasn't long to go, he also begged her to hold on just for a little while longer.
Jethro wrapped one arm around her, keeping her close to him, as close as he could feel her slow heartbeat through her thin cream blouse, he cocked his gun and pointed it in front of him as he opened the door that would lead into the small waiting area and reception that lead to Jen's office.
Gibbs tried the handle, it opened at once and he swung it open and hit the wall adjacent with a dull thud, he pulled Jen against him as he raised his gun to his eye level, pulling Jen with him at they stepped into the cold confines of where Cynthia would normally be.
Jethro glanced around at the area quickly, noting that there wasn't any immediate threat in the room, Gibbs pulled Jen away from him a little, looking into her eyes, "You gonna be alright by yourself as I look around?" Gibbs spoke softly to her, his large hands on both of her soft sallow cheeks; he stroked the white flesh on them slowly. Jen nodded slightly and took her hands away from him, placing one on her forehead and one over her heart; obviously feeling for her pulse.
Gibbs, with his gun drawn neared Cynthia's desk, he strolled up to it and rounded on it, seeing no signs of life, he was about to go back and check on Jen when he saw Cynthia sitting behind her desk with a can of pepper spray in her shaking hands, she shot up, a gasp escaped her lips as she nearly sprayed Gibbs square in the face when he snatched the pepper spray away and grasped he by the shoulders, pulling her roughly to him.
"It's me, Cynthia! It's Agent Gibbs!" He yelled at her, pulling sharply together, she whimpered at her attempted attack on him, her eyes filling up with tears she put her hands to her mouth before replying.
"I'm so sorry, Special Agent Gibbs, oh, I thought you were one of them, but I don't even know what they are, Sir, I'm just... I was so..." She rambled as tears spilled out of her brown eyes and down her cheeks as she eyes the dishevelled sight of Jenny, her friend and boss as he panted slightly near the doorway.
"Director!" Cynthia cried, breaking out of Gibbs' grasp and ran to Jen's side, pulling her into a hug.
"Hey... Cynthia." Jen gasped between pants at her breath returned to normal.
Cynthia eyed up her redheaded friend, they have only known each other for nothing more that a year but had grown quite close to Jenny Sheppard, they have had laughs together and the occasional drink after work when Jen doesn't have any work to finish or when SecNav doesn't want to yell at her. She'd heard numerous stories of the Great Leroy Jethro Gibbs when Jen would come and perch on the edge of Cynthia's desk and share a coffee when work was moving at a snail's pace. She'd fixed her broken bra strap once, called in Gibbs and stopped him from going into her office, never managing to do so as he would just ignore her and just go barging in. Jen never yelled at her for allowing Gibbs to traipse in her office like a bull in a china shop with a rant aimed directly at her, when Gibbs left her office after usually an hour of yelling he would slam the door that would bounce back on its frame as Jen would come out to an apologetic Cynthia and just merely say with a smile 'make sure it doesn't happen again, Cynthia.' She saw her more than a boss, she wasn't a boss to Cynthia she was a friend, a best friend.
Cynthia saw the oozing bite mark on Jen's inner leg and gasped putting her fingers to her lips and looked into the dull green eyes of her friend not saying anything, letting her emotions speak a thousand words instead.
Jenny looked at her friends scared expression and put a hand on her wrist and tried to reassure her by looking warmly at her and said, "I'm fine, Cynthia, honestly." She smiled slightly and pulled Cynthia in for a hug, rubbing her back tentatively.
Jethro walked over to the pair, hearing Cynthia sobbing quietly, he put his hand on her shoulder and whispered to her cautiously, "Cynthia, I need the key for Jen's office."
Without word Cynthia pulled away from Jen smiled sadly at her, wiping away a few lingering tears around her eyes, sniffling as she went to her desk, pulling opened a draw she rummaged around underneath a tray of stationary and under there was a key, she brought it to Gibbs who had Jen in his arms and had his knuckles to her forehead as she walked over she caught some of their conversation.
"...well your flesh is boiling now, Jen. Are you sure you're alright?" Jethro soothed, his voice is a quiet whisper as he talked.
Jen nodded as she realised Cynthia was practically next to them, Jen looked up at Gibbs and said, "Lets just get this over with."
Gibbs was about to reply, hating that broken, scared look in her jade green eyes, he then looked to where Jen's attention was on. He then saw Cynthia holding a key out to him, her eyes red and watering silently he took the key off her and gave her back the pepper spray. Gibbs then tugged Jen to him a little, she immediately put an arm round him so he could guide her to her office door, there she leaned her head against it as Gibbs opened the door and steered her inside Jethro locked it behind them and placed Jen on the edge of her uncluttered desk.
Gibbs looked at her for a few moments, taking in the sight of her pixie cut ruby red hair framing her pale skin and muted dull dark green eyes before pulling her into his arms ever so gently like she was made of glass and as if he applied just a ounce more pressure she'd break in his arms. Gibbs pulled away from her just enough so he could look into her paling eyes, wetting his mouth and his rough lips, not knowing his mouth was dry until this very second. He placed his hands on her cheeks, he'd done this before, holding, cradling her head in his palms a lifetime ago, but back then her cheeks were pinkish and warm not just in touch but also in colour, all them years ago in Paris, but back then they were together, partners, and they were in love. He loved her and would take a round in his thigh if it meant saving her life, he would do it a hundred times over if it meant kissing her equally red ruby lips. Back then was as very different to now as Jen raised her voice to him more times than what he had received when they were lovers, Jen was a completely different being to what she was in Paris.
And Jen was still changing.
Gibbs ran his thumb over her cheek bone, not feeling anything similar to what he once felt all those years ago. Jethro looked into her eyes then shifted his eyes to her rose-pink full bud lips and lowered his to meet hers in a gentle parting kiss on her lips. They'd barely kissed for five seconds when Jen pushed him away, breaking their contact,
"Jethro, I could've just infected you!" Jen after pushing him away by placing her small hands on his chest and pushing him away with all the rest of her strength she gasped before she spoke to him, "I didn't hear all of Abby's speech about... how it can be passed and contaminate another person, but even I know that it..." She gasped in a breath, "travels it blood, mucus and saliva." Jen explained tapping his lower lip gently when she mentioned saliva.
Jethro kept his hands on her, not wanting or willing her to leave his grasp as he explained looking her deep in the eye, "Jen, if kissing you meant dying then I'd more then happily buy a headstone." Gibbs smirked lightly but it soon ended as he saw the horror in her eyes.
"But, Jethro-" she began, trying weakly to get out of his barely firm grip but Jethro cut her off by silencing her with a finger on her scarcely warm lips.
"Jenny, I'd rather kiss your lips and die than never kiss your lips again." He whispered to her, his lips millimetres from hers, so close as so she could feel his breath on her neck, but not close enough so their lips would easily meet. Jen smiled as she ran her knuckled down his cheek and mirrored his intimate actions by placing her palms on his face, silently asking him to kiss her once more, just once. She smiled at him slightly and crossed her arms behind his head, pulling herself up to meet her lips with his. Gibbs fought off his inner demons and shut up his oh-so famous gut instinct yelling at him as he closed the gap between himself and his Jen, pressing his lips to hers, his fingertips slowly reaching her hairline as he widened his fingers, caging her face in his large hands as he deepened their kiss, touching her lower lip with his tongue slightly, feeling her open up to him; Jenny on contact slipped her hand into his silvery hair and simultaneously tightened her grip around his neck as Jethro lowered his hands from her cheeks to her shoulder, where his index finger slightly brushed against her main vein in her neck. His hands travelled further down her body; Gibbs, not wanting to forget what she felt like underneath his fingertips, he ran his fingers down her torso and waist, pressing one hand to her lower back, earning a sigh to escape her lips as he grasped her tightly. Dancing his fingers down her thigh reaching the hem of her grey skirt, he pushed it up; exposing more of her pale skin, Jenny stopped him pushing it up any further as she abruptly broke away from his grasp with more of an order then a reminder, the Jen he once new still in her voice as she spoke.
"You've brought me here to kill me, not to kiss me, Jethro."
And... I've decided to leave it there; I thought it'd be more mysterious! Okay, if you're confused, Jenny's been bitten by something and she has to die before she can infect someone else basically...
Anyway I hoped you liked and are interested in what's happening, I will continue this scene in the next chap but will be doing a flashback scene on how and who infected Jenny with what, keep 'em glued! ;) Xxx
