When Jenny woke up she wasn't feeling too great. She was weak, lethargic and feeling sick. Rolling over in bed with a groan she stared up at the ceiling. Mesmerized by the pattern in the paint she thought about getting up. But really she did not feel like going into work today. Doctor Swanson had warned her too rethink her nine to five, Monday through Saturday schedule though it was more like seven to eleven. She hadn't taken it into much consideration then, however now she was. Slowly she sat up and blinked rapidly steadying her double vision. She grabbed the phone from her bedside table and dialed the SecNav's number. She told him about her new schedule she had just thought up. He was angry. He told her that this treatment wasn't supposed to mess up her work. She apologized feeling drained from the argument. He begrudgingly gave her a week off and she promised to be on the top of her game when she came back. After slipping on some loose jeans and a sweatshirt she walked downstairs and made herself some tea.

. . .

Something about what Ducky said was bugging him. "She seems to have had a revelation. No doubt she will be calling each of you soon." What was that supposed to mean? Had she concocted an excuse for her behavior? Now that would be a sight, Jenny blaming her actions on something she couldn't control, like WM. She was good at that; blaming her actions on anyone but herself that is. She had done that to him in Paris and most of her career at NCIS, just trivial things but still. He wondered what it would be this time. His thoughts were interrupted however by the ringing of his phone. After setting it back on the hook he stood up, grabbing his badge and gun. "Gear up! Dead petty officer in Quantico." He said gruffly and his team shot out of their seats.

. . .

She was done hiding in the shadows and living her life in fear. It was time to call her mom. Picking up the phone with some confidence amplified by a glass of bourbon she dialed her mother's number. It rang a few times then someone answered. "Hello?" The voice on the other end answered but it wasn't her mothers, it wasn't even a woman. She was dumbstruck for a moment before regaining her composer.

"Is um Ann there?" She asked. It sounded so foreign so say her mother's name like that.

"Yeah hold on a minute." The deep voice said and Jenny closed her eyes in embarrassment and covered her face with her hand. She should have known her mother would have moved on from her father but yet still it was hard to take and embarrassing that she expected her mother to still be single. Her mother's voice came on the line.

"Hello?"

"Hi mom it's Jenny." She said rubbing her temples. She could practically see her mother's features lighting up. She wasn't one to hold a grudge and Jenny was so thankful for that.

"Jenny! Oh my God how are you? What have you been up to?" She asked in an excited and disbelieving tone. Jenny smiled and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"I'm okay. Actually I was wondering if I could come down and see you for a week." She said hesitantly and her mom didn't respond for a moment. "Mom?" She asked frightened she would want nothing to do with her after she basically fell of the map when her father died.

"Honey I would absolutely love it if you came and visited." She said sincerely and Jenny smiled running a hand through her messy hair.

"Thanks mom. Would it be okay if I came like… tomorrow?" Jenny asked as she stood up and stretched. Now that she was sure her mom didn't hate her all she had to do now was deal with her sister.

"Um sure whatever you want sweetheart." She said surprised at the recent change in her daughter behavior.

"Okay. I love you mom." Jenny said pacing the room. Her mother was shocked for a moment. Jenny hadn't said that since 1995 before her father died.

"I love you too sweetheart." She responded sincerely.

. . .

As he sat stoically at his desk his mind wandered to the Director. He let the anger; hurt and betrayal wash over him like cold water that made him grit his teeth. But then settling down he thought about her, really thought about her. It had probably been a good two years since he thought about her feelings and what she must be going through. Selfishly he had always thought about the effects of her actions and how they always seemed to fall on him. First it was Jeanne and lying to the team and then it was this. Her…condition. He had looked it up when nobody was looking: Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia. It was an ugly cancer. Affecting you silently and wearing you down. Cancer was always horrific. He had a great uncle that died of cancer once, granted he was only five and barely knew what was going on. In reality he didn't know what she was going through and had no right to judge her. However he did know that her behavior over the last year was unacceptable. Despite whatever she must be going through her course of action was disrespectful, degrading, rude and coldhearted. He couldn't just overlook that.

For a moment he actually felt bad for her. The cancer isn't curable. But it is treatable. He just couldn't wrap his head around the reasoning of why she was acting so unlike herself because of a treatable illness. It wasn't anything to get so worked up over really. So he really did feel bad for her for a moment. Then he realized all the overpowering reasons that he didn't feel bad for her. He had to be honest with himself, he didn't feel bad for ranting about Jenny like that in front of the team, she deserved it. "Tony!" Ziva's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned his head to her.

"Yeah Zee-Vah?" He asked enunciating every syllable. She propped her cheek up with her palm and stared at him curiously.

"I called your name five times and you did not answer." She said waving her hand around like she usually did for dramatic effect.

"Really, that many?" He asked plastering on his usual smirk. "Why do you need me so bad?" He asked and she rolled her eyes standing up and walking over to him.

"I was just wondering about what you are thinking about. You seem to have been lost in your thoughts for quite some time." Ziva said leaning on his desk looking down at him questionably. He leaned back in his chair and held the back of his head with his hands to get a better look at her without craning his neck.

"Just the case. What was the petty officer doing in that restaurant so late when he had a mandatory meeting across town at the same time? Why would he not want to go to the meeting?" He asked her avoiding saying what was really on his mind. After his outburst yesterday the mention of the Director was considered a faux pas. Once somebody said her name they got into a long heated discussion that was anything but pro-Jenny. It was only ended by Gibbs's headslap and an order to get back to work. Ziva just rolled her eyes again.

"Tony I know you better than that. What are you thinking about, really?" She asked in a softer tone. He sighed.

"The Director." Tony said icily and Ziva raised an eyebrow slowly.

"What about the Director Tony? We have discussed her mistakes extensively." She said shrugging. In the day since Tony's outburst she had been talked about more times than they liked to count. Tempers were running high and just in the last hour things had finally started to cool down.

"I don't know Ziva. Something just isn't right. I know what she did was totally wrong but I think we're missing something. Why would she act like she did when she knew the cancer was treatable? It just doesn't make sense." He concluded and Ziva looked at him, narrowing her eyes.

"You are sympathizing." Ziva said suspiciously and Tony shook his head then shrugged.

"Well I don't know Ziva. I mean come on, on some level don't you?" He asked pleadingly and Ziva pursed her lips in thought then shrugged, unwilling to answer the question.

"I still think what she did was unacceptable." Ziva said and Tony nodded.

"I agree but let's face it, something's off. Why would she suddenly have a change of heart now? It's not like she's gonna die or anything?" He asked throwing his hands up and sitting up. Ziva got off the desk realizing this conversation was shifting from his normal joking or even dodging conversational tone to a serious talk. This was unusual for him. She ran a hand through her messy locks and looked at him seriously.

"You really want to do this?" She asked and slowly he nodded.

"Yeah I do. Something isn't right." He said for the umpteenth time.

"I know Tony. You have said it about ten times already." Ziva joked and Tony cracked a cheeky smile at her.

"What if her doctor told her she was dying so she was trying to make amends for last year?" He asked raising his eyebrows curiously. Ziva raised her eyebrows too.

"That would not explain why she was bitter towards us." She said folding her arms on her chest. He pursed his lips and nodded slowly.

"Yeah." He drawled trying to come up with some kind of explanation.

. . .

Brain Matter was playing softly in the background as McGee sighed. He was resting his chin in his palm and his eyes drifted around the beeping machines. "What are you thinking about Timmy?" Abby asked as she leaned back in the swivel chair behind her computer. He shrugged.

"How could things just go so bad so quickly?" He asked absentmindedly. "I mean the whole team's being ripped apart by Jenny." Tim said finally looking at a solemn Abby. The Goth pressed her lips into a tight line and shrugged.

"I know but there's nothing we can do about it. If Jenny wants to be a complete bitch to us and then expect us to just forgive her on a whim then that's her problem." Abby said and Tim nodded slowly.

"Yeah I guess you're right."

. . .

All that was separating him from Ducky were two steaming hot mugs of earl gray tea. Normally Gibbs didn't drink tea nor did he like it that much but at the moment anything was better than nothing. "I know what you're thinking Jethro and I agree with you. Jennifer had no right to do what she did." He said and Gibbs nodded his head slightly, burying his nose in the mug before taking a small sip. After setting down the off white china he looked up at the ME.

"What the hell was she thinking Duck? How can she be such an ice queen?" He asked angrily and rather animatedly. Ducky raised an eyebrow and sighed, shifting in his seat.

"There is obviously something she isn't telling us." He said treading on thin ice. Out of all of them, whether he showed it or not, Gibbs had taken her behavior the hardest.

"Ya think?! DiNozzo and David have been yammering all day about her and McGee and Abby have been in her lap moping all day! They know it too!" He exclaimed throwing his hand up. Gibbs sighed and ran his hands down his tired face and shook his head softly. "I just don't know any more Duck."

"I heard she took a week off." Ducky said casually and Gibbs looked at the old Scotsman.

"Jenny never takes days off." He said coolly and Ducky nodded understandably.

"Ah yes but chemotherapy can wreak havoc on the body. She'll be feeling tired, nauseous, lethargic and out of breath for the next few days." He said and Gibbs took a slow, steady breath.

"Did you forgive her?" He asked after a long silence. Ducky pressed his lips into a tight line briefly.

"This kind of forgiveness takes time Jethro but I believe that in time Jenny will redeem herself." He said with an air of finality in his demeanor.

A/N Hoping you guys like it. I've tried to make the team more in character than they were before because I know it was getting a little OOC.