A/N: Thanks for your patience. And thanks again to all who leave feedback – always fun to hear your thoughts.
***JIBBS***JIBBS***JIBBS***
Gibbs and Jenny were still in her bathroom, taking a moment just to hold each other. She smiled, feeling relaxed in his arms. "You give the best hugs."
"Better than Abby?" he teased.
"I can breathe when you hug me." She felt him vibrate against her. "Is that your phone or are you really enjoying this?" she smirked.
He rolled his eyes, amused, as he reached into his pocket. "Yeah Gibbs."
She watched as his mood turned serious, to the point she felt him almost shaking against her. Her hand was resting on his chest, and she could feel his breathing speed up and heart rate increase. Her eyes widened as the feeling in her gut told her something was very, very wrong.
His face paled as he thanked the person on the other end of the line, hung up and dropped his phone. Gibbs looked at Jenny, stricken. "She died an hour ago," he whispered, his face with a haunted expression – obviously in shock.
"Oh God," Jenny cried out before reeling in the volume of her voice. Her breathing intensified, as the tears came streaming down her face. "Oh my God."
On the couch, Mildred heard the phone crash and Jenny's cries. She had no idea what was going on, but she could tell it wasn't good. She scooped up Julia onto her hip and then reached her hand down for Sam, who had just entered the office. "We're going to leave you two alone and go for a walk," she warned.
"Thanks," managed Gibbs, grateful to the nanny for her quick action. He wrapped is arms around Jenny, holding her tight as she cried for the woman she barely knew and the son they both loved. "How do I break his heart?"
"I don't understand. I thought she was getting better?"
He looked down into Jenny's questioning eyes, moist with tears. "The doctor said something about an infection? I don't know."
She leaned her forehead against his chest, breathing heavily. "I… I can't believe this, Jethro." She looked up, searching his eyes for comfort. "How in the world will we make him understand this? I don't even understand it."
"Together," he said. "Please tell me you'll help me tell him. I don't think I could do this without you."
She threw her arms around and held on tight. "Of course I will. Maybe Mildred has some thoughts. And I have another idea… that you might not like."
"DiNozzo?" She nodded. Gibbs held her tightly against him. He absently threaded his fingers through her hair and rubbed her back. "Okay," he whispered finally.
"Do you want me to call him up here?"
He sighed. "Not yet. I need you to hold me a bit longer," he whispered, squeezing her tightly against him. "Jen, if anything happened to you…" he broke off, too choked up to finish his thought - burying his face in her hair.
She threaded her fingers through his hair and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "I know. I feel the same way." She then sucked in her breath after another realization. "Her poor husband. This is all so horrible."
He took her face in his hands, looking deeply into her green eyes. "Please tell me you know how much I love you, that you're everything."
She nodded her head furiously as she stared just as fiercely into his blue eyes. "And you're my everything. I love you."
They crushed their lips into each other, needing to feel alive, to connect. Gibbs could feel his wife's fresh tears on his face. He stopped kissing her but didn't pull away, their noses rubbing against each other before their foreheads met.
Jenny leaned back, wiping away her tears. "I'll call Tony."
Gibbs nodded, allowing her to walk past him but before she had, he reached for her hand. He squeezed it briefly, lowered his head and let go.
She cleared her throat, wanting to make sure her voice was okay before she dialed his extension. She then did her best to smooth out her hair as she waited for him to pick up.
"DiNozzo."
"Tony, it's Jenny."
Gibbs flinched hearing her voice crack at the end. He went behind her and rubbed her shoulders.
Tony could tell immediately something was wrong even if she hadn't said her first name in the way she did. It was quiet – and sad. "What's happened?"
"Sam's mom just died."
He closed his eyes, the ramifications of her words obvious. He saw Ziva and McGee looking over at him, obviously alarmed. "Do you need me to do anything?"
Jenny sighed. "Could you come upstairs? Mildred will be back soon with Sam, and we both would appreciate if you were here to help us break the news to him."
"I'll be there, Jenny. Thanks."
Ziva and McGee reacted to his calling the director by her first name. They immediately stood up and went to Tony's desk, waiting for him to update them.
Tony put the phone down, still in shock. It meant a lot to him that Jenny emphasized the word both. He understood the implications of it. But his mind was still reeling at what he knew was going to be a horrible moment in his young friend's life. He looked up at his co-workers after he made sure Sam wasn't around. "Vivienne Summers just died. This is now a murder investigation." He stood up. "I'll be in the director's office. I have a feeling Gibbs will be out of commission for the rest of the day. Tim –"
"Let Ducky and Abby know and see if she's found out any more information."
Tony nodded. "Ziva –"
"Follow up on the BOLO and then check in with Virginia PD."
"Thanks." Tony headed up the stairs and through Cynthia's office. She nodded for him to enter. He looked at Jenny and could tell she'd been crying even though she was doing her best to cover up that fact. "So we're waiting for him to return?"
Both Gibbs and Jenny nodded, looking a bit lost.
She walked over to him and touched his arm. "Could you keep Sam occupied while we talk with Mildred? We want to see if she has any advice." Tony nodded.
Gibbs took a seat on the couch and held his head in his hands.
Tony looked around. "Where's Simon? Does he have him?"
All three adults looked at each other, panicked, before searching the office top to bottom. Gibbs was on the floor, looking under Jenny's couch. She was searching Sam's knapsack while Tony was over by Julia's playpen and floor gym.
Mildred returned with the two kids. Sam, holding Simon, looked at the three adults who had yet to notice they were there - and then back at Mildred – completely confused. "What are they gooing?"
"I have no idea, Sam," she said, an eyebrow raised.
Tony, Gibbs and Jenny – all looking guilty – quickly stood up. When they saw Simon with Sam, they gave a collective sigh of relief. Tony immediately went to the boy and smiled. "Hey, buddy, let's go talk with Cynthia for a few minutes."
Sam shrugged. "Okay."
Tony closed the door behind them.
Jenny immediately reached for Julia, hugging her daughter close. Mildred looked questioningly at Gibbs.
"His mother just died," he said gruffly. "Any advice on how to break it to him?"
Mildred sank into the couch. "That poor boy."
Jenny handed Julia over to Gibbs, knowing he'd need her special brand of magic as well. She watched as he held the baby close and rubbed his nose against her head. The maternal instincts that were so strong within her now threatened to restart the tears because of the empathy she was feeling for both Sam and Vivienne. She took a deep breath, trying to hold it together.
Mildred sighed. "I only had to deal with the loss of a pet for any of the kids I've taken care of, but… I'm not sure he'll understand much at his age other than he's not able to see her. I would suggest being direct, no euphemisms."
They nodded. Gibbs put Julia down in her playpen and joined Jenny on the couch, reaching for her hand.
"Anything else?" Jenny was feeling all sorts of emotions.
"That little boy is very lucky to have you two." She saw the doubt in their eyes and understood their insecurity. "The fact that he's already staying with you will hopefully offset some of the fear about security he's likely to experience. But this is going to take a long time for him to process and understand. I really am sorry. Anything I can do to help, I hope you know I will."
Jenny nodded. "Thank you."
Mildred stood up. "I'll get him. Do you want privacy? I can take Julia for another walk."
Gibbs shook his head and motioned with his hand for her to sit back down. "Stay."
"We'd appreciate it if you would," added Jenny. "Agent DiNozzo is going to help too."
Gibbs stood up, walked to the door and motioned for Sam and Tony to come inside. He also asked Cynthia to hold all of the director's calls. All three headed for the couch. Tony sat across from them on the coffee table while Gibbs lifted Sam onto his lap, next to Jenny.
The boy looked around at all of the adults. "Am I in trouble?" he asked, his lower lip quivering.
Jenny caressed his face and shook her head. "No, Sam. You've been such a good boy."
Gibbs took a deep breath, dreading what he was about to do. "There's something we need to tell you." He waited for his son to look at him before he began. "It's about your mommy."
He smiled. "Is she all better? Do I get to go live with her now?"
Gibbs shook his head sadly. "Sam…" He looked at him and got choked up. His eyes went to Jenny, silently asking for her help.
Jenny sighed. She didn't want to be the bad guy, the one to tell him but she realized it might be for the best. She reached for his hand. "I'm afraid your mommy won't be getting any better. She… she died this morning."
He looked at her, his confusion obvious. "Okay," he said sadly.
The adults looked at each other, not sure what to think.
Sam tugged on Gibbs' blazer. "Can you take me to see her now? I want to make her feel better."
Gibbs felt horrible. "She can't feel better. She can't feel anything, Sam. She's in heaven now."
He looked at the adults. "What's heaven?"
Gibbs looked at his wife again, feeling totally inadequate. Jenny was about to take a stab at it when Mildred stepped in.
"Sam, have you ever looked at the stars in the sky?" He nodded. "When people die, like your mommy just did, they fly up to heaven and become a star. So she's up there looking down at you and protecting you."
Sam began to panic. He looked at Gibbs desperately. "Get her gown from there. I gon't want Mommy in heaven. I want her with me," he cried, tears streaming down his face. "What's going to happen to me? I want my mommy." He buried his face in his hands.
Gibbs put his arms around him. "I know you do."
Jenny leaned against her husband and put an arm around Sam as well. "Nothing is going to happen to you, Sam. Gibbs and I will continue to take care of you. We love you, honey."
"And you have friends like me, Sam," added Tony. "Me, Ziva, McGee, Cynthia and Abby – and Mildred. We're all here for you, whatever you need. And don't forget Simon."
Sam hugged his teddy bear extra close to him. "What about my gaddy? Is he going to heaven too?"
Jenny sighed as she caressed his head. "I don't know but we hope not. He's a fighter. But you know your other daddy, right here," she said, tapping on her husband's chest, "will take care of you always and will love and protect you. Me too."
He crawled off Gibbs' lap and buried his head in Tony's instead. The very special agent was shocked but lifted him onto his lap, hugging him close as he cried.
Gibbs looked at his wife, deflated. She took his hand in both of hers as they helplessly watched Tony give the comfort they both wished Sam would accept from them.
