Jenny had five shocked faces staring at her. Gibbs was happily munching on his pizza, seemingly unfazed by Jenny's sudden appearance in his basement. "You all look as if you've seen a ghost." Jenny joked as she approached the group. "How about if we get a broom for this." She gently suggested pointing to the broken glass on the floor of the basement. Before she could move Tony dashed to pull the broom and dustpan off the wall. Jenny stuck out her hand and Tony just stared as he placed the broom in her hand. "Somebody…say something!" Jenny demanded through the uncomfortable silence that blanketed the basement. "This is some primo pizza boss… good work!" DiNozzo said giving Gibbs the thumbs-up signal.
"Why am I not surprised…always the class clown Anthony." Jenny said as she swept up Abby's mess. Abby who was usually the first to help clean up was still standing there staring at her former boss. She loved ghost stories, and the paranormal, but this was beyond fantasy. It was reality…a distorted reality Abby reminded herself. As Jenny stood up Abby reached out and much to everyone's surprise she pinched the former director's upper arm, right above her elbow. Jenny let out a howl and dropped the broom and dustpan. "Abby!" Jenny said sharply. Abby stood back and smiled at her co-workers. "Yep she's real…this is no ghost, Director Sheppard is back." Abby said it with a devious smile. "You pinched her!" Ducky scolded Abby. "Yeah…I know on purpose, a real ghost wouldn't have felt it, only a real person can feel pain…see she's real and that's great news, considering the alternative." Abby said it as if it were common knowledge, and she walked right past Jenny who had begun to re-sweep the mess that was left behind from dropping the dustpan and broom.
"Abby where are you going?" Ziva yelled through a bite of pizza. "I need another beer…this is too freaky…even for me." Abby said as she bounded up the stairs. As Abby headed upstairs there were shouts of "I'll take another one!" "So, would you care to elaborate on your re-appearance Director?" McGee asked quietly as he finished off a piece of pizza. "Well first of all Timothy it's not Director anymore, or ma'am, it's just "Jenny." Jenny had corrected the young field agent. "Okay then…Jenny can you elaborate for us?" Tim said it with a smile. "Not until Abby returns, it's going to be easier to explain it once instead of five separate times." Jenny had politely declined McGee's request.
Abby returned with an armful of beer a few minutes later and everyone accepted a fresh bottle with happiness. "I know I have a lot of explaining to do." Jenny said as she stood in front of the boat that was still covered in a blue drop-cloth. "It's really complicated, but before I get into it I have to say that it all worked out for the best and I am really sorry that this was the only way it could be settled." Jenny had stressed the word best as she shot Gibbs a sweet look. He winked at her and she continued.
"Let me start from the beginning." Jenny said drawing in a deep breath. She hadn't needed this much courage in a long time. Five curious people hung onto her every word as she explained the details of what had transpired in California, and then Japan. She also explained that she had left NCIS voluntarily, and that she would never return to work again. Jenny also elaborated that because of her age and illness she couldn't possibly return to duty even if she had been re-instated. By the time she was done talking Jenny had admitted every mistake, and abuse of power. "Now…for the really hard part, I want to talk to all of you, privately. It seem as if it's the only way to be fair." Jenny said it as she looked at the floor. "Ducky, you're first." Jenny said it so softly that the group assembled in the basement could hardly hear her.
Ducky made his way through the basement and followed Jenny upstairs to the kitchen. She pulled out a kitchen chair and motioned for him to sit. Jenny made her way around to the opposite side of the table and sat across from the older man. She looked across the table into his kind eyes, and she could see they were welling up with tears. "Ducky…I owe you an apology, I am so sorry that you had to lie for me, and bend the needle on your moral compass." Jenny said it as she folded her hands and rested her elbows on the edge of the table. "Jenny, I did it because I wanted to not because I had to. I could have retired years ago, did you really think that Vance holding my job over my head ever scared me for one minute? I wanted you to go to Japan, I wanted you to get better, I accept your apology although in my opinion it's unnecessary. On to other things, how is your health these days?" Ducky's words comforted her. Jenny did the math in her head. "One out of five…so far, one person who doesn't hate me. Maybe this will work out for the best." Jenny thought to herself. Guarding her words carefully Jenny thought about Ducky's question. "I wouldn't say my health is fine, but I'm a lot better than I have been in over two years. My hands were going numb so often when I was in California that I was surprised I could still shoot. I've been in full remission for eight months, and I have a dozen different meds that I rotate in and out…you know depending on the day, and the pain, or the lack there of. " Jenny said it honestly. Much to Jenny's surprise Ducky reached across the table and gently took one of her hands in his. "It's good to have you back Jenny, I'm assuming the chronic numbness is still a problem at times?" Ducky asked as he began pressing his index finger on sections of Jenny's left hand. Jenny nodded. "That's just as frustrating as the pain." Ducky added. "The doctors in Japan explained that the numbness is actually a good sign. Anything is better than the pain." Jenny commented. "I would have to agree, and as for check-ups?" Ducky asked as he loosened his grip on Jenny's hand. "Twice a year in Tokyo." Jenny said with a smile. She had loved her time in Japan and was thrilled to be able to return, although she wished it could be under different circumstances. "Your reflexes are just fine, and I didn't see you fall out of your chair from a sudden jolt of pain, so I would have to agree with Dr. Lee." Ducky smiled as he said it. "What else?" Ducky asked. Jenny knew exactly what Ducky meant, he wanted to know the side effects she had endured. "Weight loss, and poor vision, that's about it." Jenny said smiling. "You do need to put some weight on." Ducky commented looking the former Director up and down. "I'm trying." Jenny said. "I would imagine for someone who is naturally thin anyway it's a challenge." Ducky added. "Well you know, the chubby people want to be thin, the thin people want more meat on their bones, and all the people with straight hair want curls…the list never ends Ducky." Jenny said it with a grin. "Yes, quite a comment on the human condition, we never seem to be happy with ourselves." Ducky said it as he pushed his glasses up and stood. "I've taken up enough of your time, you've got four other people to talk to." Ducky said it as he stood up. "Thanks Ducky." Jenny said it as she stood up and followed Ducky to the basement.
She stood in the doorway and yelled for Ziva and Tony. Jenny had agonized about talking to them separately, but they had been together in the aftermath of Los Angeles. It was easier to talk to them together. Tony bounded up the stairs while it seemed Ziva took her time. Nobody sat this time, the trio stood in the kitchen, and it seemed as if Tony could barely look Jenny in the eye. Ziva and Jenny hugged tightly, and Tony's embrace wasn't genuine, and Jenny had an idea why. As she stood facing Tony and Ziva Jenny felt ashamed of herself. Two very good agents had been in agony over what had transpired. Jenny couldn't change the past, but she was attempting to put a firm steady grip on the future. "I am so sorry. I had no way out. I can't even imagine what it must have been like for you two. Doubting yourselves, grieving. Believe me if there had been any other solution it would have been implemented." Jenny said it and stared at the floor. "It's good to have you back Jenny." Ziva finally broke the stony silence, and hugged her former director again. "Ziva you seem relatively unfazed by all of this…"Jenny trailed off. "In Mossad the dead are alive the next day, and the alive dead the next day, people come and go, sometimes they're the person you've always known them to be, sometimes they come back as somebody else." Ziva said it as if it were a normal occurrence. For a Mossad agent it probably was. Jenny had remembered the time she spent with Ziva in Egypt. They had kept themselves entertained on a stakeout swapping stories about going undercover. Ziva had done everything in her life, she had pretended to be a man, and she had pretended to be a Muslim widow, anything to help her beloved Mossad. The most exciting thing Jenny had to share was pretending to be an exchange student first in Paris, then Serbia. It wasn't glamorous, but Jethro had been with her. That part hadn't been shared with Ziva though.
"Tony, please say something." Jenny begged. Tony nervously shoved his hands in his pockets and looked Jenny in the eye for the first time all day. "Let me get a grip on my temper first." Tony said angrily. Finally Tony spoke. "I doubted myself for months. Everybody told me it was okay because I had followed orders. I tried to believe them. I forced myself to agree with everybody else. I always felt responsible for your death. Even now sometimes I have moments where I wonder what I could have done if I had just followed you. Now I suppose I should stand here and tell you it's all for the best, and give you a big hug, but I just can't Jenny. You did some damage when you left, and it will take a lot more than pizza and beer to clean up the fallout. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled you're alive and kicking, with your disease in remission, because let's face it death sucks, but you can't mess with our minds like this." Tony was shaking as he quit talking and ran a nervous hand through his gelled hair.
"Tony! Just calm yourself!" Ziva exclaimed reaching out and putting a hand on his shoulder. "Ziva, lest we forget…this is the second time that our esteemed former Director has owed me an apology for doing her dirty work." Tony almost spit the words as he said them stressing the word "former." He had of course, been referring to the whole situation with LaGrenouille and the aftermath of falling in love with the daughter of an arms dealer. "Tony I am sorry." Jenny said. For the second time in less than a day she was crying. "Jenny, you'll have to excuse him, he's been a bit touchy since he had to pull me out of an Al-Queada camp in Somalia a year ago." Ziva said it as she wrapped Tony in a hug. Tony buried his head in Ziva's shoulder and whispered something inaudible in her ear. Ziva patted his back gently. Breaking free from Ziva's embrace Tony shot Jenny a dirty look and headed to the basement. Crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow Jenny stared at Ziva. "Gibbs will calm him down." Ziva said exhaling deeply. "Good work Ziva, Gibbs can talk sense into anybody, but what about Somalia?" Jenny asked, wanting the gritty details. Slowly, Ziva explained what had transpired with a mysterious man named Michael Rivkin, and how she had been set up by her own father to die in a terrorist training camp. Mossad Director Eli David hadn't counted on NCIS looking for Ziva. "So when they found me I came home to Washington D.C., renounced any ties to Mossad, and applied for American citizenship." Ziva said the last part with a smile. It was a long road to full citizenship but it was delightful to be reunited with her team. "Wow. I'd be slightly overprotective as well if I were in Tony's shoes." Jenny said. "It's good to have you home Jenny." Ziva said as she turned towards the basement. "Likewise." Jenny replied thrilled that her friend was going to become a citizen.
"Please send Abby up." Jenny requested politely. Ziva nodded and headed towards the basement. Jenny tried to process the living nightmare Ziva had endured as she heard Abby's platform heels pound their way up the basement stairs. Abby stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the basement. "Yay! You're home!" Abby yelled as she ran and tackled the former director in a big hug. In her excitement Abby had managed to pick Jenny up and spin her around. "Abby!" Jenny yelled. Jenny was a big fan of hugs, but she just couldn't tolerate the spinning. It made her head hurt. Without warning Abby let go of Jenny and she stumbled out of the embrace. The two women sat at the kitchen table. "I owe you an apology." Jenny said simply as she stared at the new tattoo on Abby's upper arm. It was an intricate design Jenny had never seen before. It seemed to be some sort of tribal design, but Jenny wasn't sure. She made a mental note to ask Abby later. Abby raised one hand to interrupt her former boss. "No need for apologies. You did what you had to do, plain and simple. If the roles were reversed I may have done the same thing. Or maybe I would have carved my own path. The point is that nobody knows how life will play out." Abby said it with a sweet smile. Jenny was grateful for Abby's candor. She was the most understanding person on the team and Jenny had always admired her empathy. "Thank-you." Jenny said with a smile. "It makes sense now." Abby said resting her head in her hands and tapping her fingers on her cheek. "What?" Jenny asked curious. "Vance, randomly showing up in my lab, sorting through the evidence, and stuff that I knew I had cataloged disappearing into thin air. And on the anniversary of your death I went to evidence lock-up just to pull the box off the shelf, only to find it had been incinerated. Which is really weird because we don't incinerate evidence until five years afterwards." Abby said it with a curious expression, as if the light bulb in her brain had just been screwed in a bit tighter and the light was bright once again.
"Well, the mystery is solved, and here I am." Jenny said. "It's good to have you back director." Abby said it as she stood up. "I'll send Tim up." Abby said plainly as she skipped out of the kitchen. Jenny rested in her chair and leaned back. Tim she thought to herself. Abby had referred to him by first name. It was something she rarely did. Jenny wondered how much longer it would be before the couple went public, but for now she was happy to play along with their charade. "You wanted to see me?" McGee said as he stood at the kitchen table. Jenny nodded. "Please, sit McGee." She invited. McGee pulled out a chair and sat. "I am sorry about all of this. I really am. I never meant to hurt anybody. I tried to do what was best for NCIS as a whole." Jenny said it looking into Agent McGee's blue eyes.
"It's a bit odd, all the comic books I've read over the years, and the fantasy games I've played. I've never seen anybody actually come back from the dead…it's kinda cool. It's a great premise for a book." McGee said it with a smile. "Well I'm glad I could entertain you." Jenny said winking at the computer nerd. "Don't worry about it, I've got no gripes with you. You protected the team and NCIS the best you could. "I'm glad you're cured…that's awesome." McGee said it with a smile. "Technically it's remission." Jenny corrected him gently. "Oh right sorry." McGee said apologetically. "After you died I thought it was weird. There was stuff, evidence that was hard to track down, that shouldn't have been, like drivers licenses, and then the stuff that should have been hard to find was actually quite easy…it was creepy, especially Vance, he tried too hard to act like Gibbs but it makes sense now." McGee elaborated on about the investigation that had taken some odd twists and turns after Jenny had left NCIS. "Well I'm glad we're on good terms." Jenny said with a sigh. "Jenny, don't worry about Tony, he'll come around, he always does. Just last night he bought Trent Cort a beer." McGee stood up and pushed his chair in. Jenny stood up and she was in shock.
"Really?!" Jenny asked aghast. Trent Cort was a CIA Agent who had been tracking LaGrenouille for years. He had rigged Tony's Mustang to explode, and when the two men finally met face to face at NCIS headquarters Tony had shoved Trent up against a filing cabinet and punched him. It had taken Gibbs and McGee to peel Tony off of Cort. Jenny was shocked the two were now drinking buddies, but it also gave her hope that after the shock and anger wore off Tony would come around. Jenny and McGee hugged and Jenny whispered "thank you for understanding." McGee only nodded. The pair made their way back down to the basement. The group was still eating pizza and drinking beer.
Jenny could tell her presence made Tony uneasy. He gave her a dirty look and turned to Gibbs. "So let's move this boat!" Tony exclaimed as he pulled the blue drop cloth off the boat only to reveal a mere skeleton of the boat that was yet to be. The entire group stared at the frame. "Now this is hinky!" Abby said as she slowly turned her head and stared at Gibbs. "I had to get you here somehow." The older man said and shrugged his shoulders. "Free beer usually is enough for me." Abby replied sourly. The rest of the team chorused "Ditto." She was hoping to see exactly how the boat was freed from the basement. "Allright…" Jethro said holding his right hand over his heart. "I solemnly promise to finish this boat and bring the team over for a boat-moving party." Gibbs said it like he was taking an oath in court. Everybody laughed. It was refreshing to hear Gibbs joke. Rarely did he expose his sense of humor, but when he did it renewed the team somehow.
"Boss…are we done here?" Tony asked. "Yep." Gibbs said looking at Jenny who was sitting next to Abby. "Good I have somewhere I have to be." Tony said grabbing his Ohio State sweatshirt off the workbench. "A date?" Ziva asked cautiously it was a private joke between the pair. "Anywhere but here." DiNozzo said as he bounded up the stairs without another word. "Well he's a grumpy Gus." Abby said as she polished off a beer. "He's not taking this so well." Jenny said with a sigh. "There's something he's not telling us, I am certain." Ducky said as he closely examined the craftsmanship of the boat. "What do you intend to name her?" McGee asked absentmindedly following Ducky around the boat frame. "Not sure yet…I already have a Kelly and a Shannon, I had a Diane, but it got used for kindling." Gibbs said it honestly, which shocked Jenny. Usually he didn't discuss boat names with anybody. He thought they were personal, and he had his own way of choosing names. "Kindling…" Jenny said trailing off, knowing the full story behind the "Diane." "Did you use it to get my brownstone roaring?" Jenny asked with a grin. Four shocked faces stared at Jenny. They all knew that she was the only person in the world who could talk to Gibbs that way and get away with it. The team held a collective breath as they waited for a reply from their boss. "Actually Franks got it going with a lighter and some nail polish remover, I just made it look electrical." Gibbs was absolutely stone-faced as he said it, unwavering in his lack of emotion. Jenny knew in her heart that Gibbs had done it to save face. He would have never been unnecessarily reckless.
"And that my friends is how you say goodbye to an historic Brownstone in Georgetown that's been in the family for over a century." Jenny replied with a grin. "So where are you living?" Abby asked shamelessly. She was dying for details and figured that with all the catching up that Gibbs and Jenny had to do it would be at least a week before they could schedule a coffee date. "I rented a condo in DuPont Circle, just until I find something more permanent." Jenny said it swiftly. The rumors were bound to start, and Jenny wanted to keep them at bay for as long as possible. Announcing that she had her own place might help, but it might not she thought to herself. NCIS would be abuzz on Monday morning. Everybody would have their own theories, but out of all the agents Team Gibbs would know the real truth, and that was all that mattered to Jenny.
"So what happened to the Diane?" McGee asked not taking the hint that the conversation had steered in another direction. "Somebody else sailed away on her." Gibbs said plainly as he fiddled with a piece of sandpaper. He was nervous Jenny noted. Gibbs was only nervous when he talked about ex-wives. McGee had a puzzled look on his face and he stood there next to Abby. Finally, she smacked the back of his head. "Ow!" McGee yelped. "Oh I get it!" McGee said wearing a proud expression. Gibbs let out a sigh. For a genius McGee could be a bit on the slow side at times. "You are so desk sometimes McGee." Ziva said. "You mean dense darling." Jenny corrected Ziva. "Yes…dense." Ziva said staring at McGee. "I best be going…Mother's nurse is only available for a half day on Saturdays." Ducky piped up. "See ya later Duck." Gibbs waved absentmindedly. As he put on his hat and coat Ducky made his way over to Jenny and kissed her cheek. "Welcome home." Ducky said it with sincerity and Jenny thanked him. Ducky made his way up the stairs, and Jenny could hear his Morgan start.
Twenty minutes later the rest of the team was gone. Ziva had a martial arts class she wanted to attend, and McGee had a lame excuse about opening a chat portal for one of his on-line games, and Abby was going shopping apparently, Freak Store was having a big weekend sale. It was Abby's favorite boutique and she couldn't resist the discounts. Jenny hopped off her stool and began cleaning up the empty pizza boxes and beer bottles. "You didn't eat a bite." Gibbs finally said as they were rinsing the beer bottles in the kitchen sink. "Are you the food police?" Jenny asked with a grin. Somebody had to tease Jethro and right now it was her job. "I was nervous." Jenny said it truthfully. Ever since she was a little girl her nerves had affected her appetite. It didn't matter, dance recitals, speeches, NCIS entrance exams, raw nerves killed any desire to eat. "What's to be nervous about now? It's all done and over with." Gibbs said as he tossed beer bottles into the recycling bin. "No it's not Tony hates me, and I'll never forgive myself." Jenny said it softly. "He doesn't hate you Jen." The boy has a ton of baggage. He'll sort through it eventually." Gibbs said it matter-of-factly.
