Chapter 2

Tony and Franks met Gibbs at a deserted wooded area not far from his house. Tony hadn't seen his boss in days and was not prepared for how bad he looked. He still hadn't shaved, so the wild look he'd gotten in Mexico was returning. It was more than that though. Even after Kate's death, Gibbs had known what to do, but there was a look in his mentor's eyes now that told how lost Gibbs was, how sad, almost like he was falling to pieces with no one to stop him. The outside was as tough and rugged as it ever was, but Gibbs was wearing his heart on his sleeve and it was taking some pretty bad shots.

"Boss."

Gibbs looked up at Tony at the word and then at Franks. "You didn't tell him?"

"Probie, you need to wait until Jenny's awake before you make that call," Franks told Gibbs, his eyes as concerned as Tony's.

Gibbs shook his head, but didn't explain and Tony knew better than to ask. "Why'd you bring him?"

Franks was quiet, giving Tony a chance to explain why he'd come. For a split second, he thought about just turning around and going to sit in the car, not liking this part of his friend. Gibbs was in the zone that Tony had learned long ago to be dangerous, the one that meant he didn't care if he lived or died, as long as he got what he wanted. Tony knew the people that hurt Jenny were never going to stand trial or even see the inside of a federal building, not that anyone really wanted them to. Tony knew he had abandoned Jenny when she needed him and knew this was the only thing that he could do to try to make it up to her. "I want to help Jenny."

Gibbs paused, considering this for a moment, being eerily quiet before he nodded. "What did you tell him?"

"That after they got Jenny, they're after you," Franks answered.

"They haven't gotten her yet." It was why he'd requested an NCIS agent be stationed at the house, whether he was there or not, wanting to feel that his girls were protected.

Tony studied his boss. "Do you think they'll go to the house?" He wanted to hear that nothing else would happen to Jenny, that Shelby was safe, but deep in his heart, he didn't think so and knew no one else really did either. Gibbs' only response was a look. "Do you want me to stay with them?" Gibbs hesitated, too long to Tony's already guilty mind, thinking that Gibbs blamed him for what happened to Jenny as well. Gibbs finally nodded his response. "I found these in Jenny's desk." He handed the envelope and picture over to his boss and left.

Franks watched Tony walk away before sitting next to Gibbs. "He reminds me of you, probie."

He smiled. "That's what Jen says too. She says that's why I get so aggravated with him, I see myself in him and never cut myself any slack…"

"He's a good agent. He blames himself for Jenny."

Gibbs looked away and back at him. "I assigned him and Ziva for a reason. I trusted them. They knew Jenny well enough to know if she was upset as they said; they never should have left her."

"They shouldn't have…or you shouldn't have?" Franks finally asked him.

Gibbs looked over at his friend. "That obvious?" He paused. "I should have gone to the funeral with her. I was mad at her…she was keeping secrets. I would have gotten over being mad; we always do. It shouldn't have happened...not to Jenny." He would trade places with her in a heartbeat. "All I know is…it shouldn't have happened. I wasted the last two years, the last ten."

Franks paused, for just a moment. "She's going to wake up." He paused again. "You can't go through this half-assed. It'll get you in that bed right next to her…or worse."

He looked at the picture Tony had brought him, holding it in his hand. Ducky had taken it ten years ago, when they were on the boat on the English Channel. It was early morning, the sun was behind them, and Jenny was curled next to him on deck, her head on his shoulder, his arms around her protectively, both asleep. Back then he'd really believed nothing bad could happen. They'd never formally married, but she'd always felt like his wife, like getting a second chance at love, another soul mate. He hadn't had pain like this since Shannon and Kelly were killed and he wondered if he would lose Jenny as well.

"Probie." Gibbs looked over at Franks. "Are you ready?" Gibbs nodded slowly, putting the letter and picture in the glove compartment, starting to tell his friend what information Ziva had been able to pass along.

Tony dismissed the NCIS agent at the doorway, knowing the young man could be used better at headquarters since they were so short-handed. He opened the door, letting himself in, seeing that nothing really changed in his boss's house, even under these circumstances. He smelled the coffee and poured himself a cup, debating whether or not to go back to the bedrooms where he knew Jenny and Shelby would be or to sit and wait in the living room when he heard the click of a gun, putting his hands up, turning around, scaring both himself and Shelby to death as she lowered the gun.

"Damn it, Tony. Don't you know better than to…?" She didn't finish the sentence before she started to cry, looking tired, stressed, and not a little scared.

"Sorry," he said, pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry, Shelby. I didn't think about it." He wiped the tears away from her cheeks. "I'm sorry." He handed her the cup of coffee and she took a drink.

She shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I…I guess my nerves are shot." She paused. "With Jenny..." She couldn't even say the words. "And Jethro being so damned secretive, putting that guard outside the door, Franks coming in and out at all hours…They think whoever shot Jenny's going to try again…don't they?"

He wanted to lie, but couldn't, not to her. "Yeah. I'm not going to let that happen though. Not…"

She cocked her head to the side slightly. "Not what?"

He stopped, looking into her blue eyes. "Do you need to be with her?" He was unsure how things were set up.

"She'll be okay for a few moments." Shelby studied him, having never seen him this torn up inside before, even after Jeanne's departure. "What's wrong?" He sat down on the couch with her and began to talk.