"Let's slow down" he said.
"I'm ready now." she persuaded. "I feel so much better with work and the team. The girls are beautiful. Now it's time to go farther. Think of how close we got last night. It was one specific spot. We'll just avoid it."
"Can't do that." he said shaking his head.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"That spot... that's hard to avoid." he said in a whisper. "Cause of Paris"
"I can control it." she said.
"We both know you can't." he doubted.
She sighed. "Well... we could do what we did yesterday just a little more."
He hesitated. "Don't rush yourself."
"Maybe tomorrow" she agreed. "I'm pretty tired. Long day."
"How'd it go?" he asked. They hadn't yet gotten a chance to talk about that, and he felt like he should know. His day had gone great, seeing his team again, but he knew based on the way she looked when they went home, it hadn't gone as well for her.
"Fine." she said.
"Don't lie to me Jen." he said.
She went to pour herself some bourbon.
"Maybe we should try therapy again."
She laughed. "Really Jethro? After everything that happened last time? I think I'd rather never have sex again."
"It's not all about sex"
Her voice dropped. "I get it Jethro. Really, I do."
"Then you'll try it?"
"It didn't work last time even before she stole the girls. It's awkward; uncomfortable." she explained.
"You gotta talk to someone Jen. It's easier with a stranger."
"No... it's not" she said pouring him a cup and then pouring herself one. She drank most of it in one sip and then refilled the glass. He took the bottle from her and gave her a look. She just smirked.
"Surprised." he said. "That you'd be willing to give it up."
"Really?" she asked. "Why's that"
"Paris" he smiled. "Didn't do much else."
She smiled too. Oh Paris...
NCIS squad room, Thursday 14:50
"So we know something for sure." Tony concluded. "She's not doing so good."
"I still don't see how it's any of your concern DiNozzo" Kate said stapling a few sheets of paper together while sitting at her desk. "But for some reason I have this overwhelming urge to just agree with you and move on."
"Jenny to Gibbs to Me. Anything that has to do with him is my business." Tony defended.
"So we're all your business." McGee stated.
"Yes" Tony replied thinking it over before he spoke.
"What are you gonna do?" McGee asked.
"About?" Tony asked.
"Jenny" Ziva cut in.
Tony shrugged. "I dunno. She's a strong woman, she can handle herself. And plus she has Gibbs. What do we have to do?"
"I already talked to her" Ziva said bitterly remembering how upset she was when she talked to the director who was also her friend. "She's determined. Too much for her own good"
"You think Abby's gonna talk to her." McGee asked.
"Probably" Kate exclaimed. "Abby's been waiting forever to see her. I'm surprised they haven't talked already."
"Maybe she's holding it off." McGee questioned.
Tony stood up. "I'm gonna go talk to Abby. See what she got on the... um... case."
Forensic Lab of Abigail Scuito, Thursday, 14:57
"Hey Abs." Tony said walking into the lab. She looked rather busy but that would never stop a curious Anthony DiNozzo from finding out what he wanted to know.
"Hey Tony" she said. "Have something for me?"
"Caf-pow" he said handing a half empty cup of caf-pow to her. He smiled when she glared at him. "I got thirsty on the way up here."
"Can I help you with something?" she asked suspiciously.
"Yeah... you talk to Jenny?" he asked.
"Not yet. I'm going to today. Why? Is she okay?"
"Not so much anymore." he said.
She sighed. "What do you need me to do?" she questioned not sure if she wanted to hear the answer.
"Don't act like everything's normal." he declared. Maybe, just maybe if someone reminded her about what had happened she would realize what a wreck she was and wait a little longer to come back." Tony DiNozzo loved having her back but he could see the stress it was putting on her.
Abby nodded and right about then Gibbs and Jenny came in together both completely focused on the case.
"I'll talk to her now but you gotta distract Gibbs." Abby whispered before greeting them both.
"Boss, uh McGee has something. A witness. He's got an address." Tony lied.
"Yeah, take Ziva with you." Gibbs said.
Tony thought for a second before speaking the next lie. "ziva and Kate are busy with... paperwork"
"Get McGee then."
"Working on tracking the victim's cell boss."
"Go alone" he said.
Damn this was hard, separating them two from each other. Unless she was in her office Gibbs was always by Jenny's side, and obviously he didn't want to leave. So Tony improvised.
"He has a history boss." Tony said. "Accused for three murders, one of them a FBI detective."
"Go Jethro" Jenny said. "I'd rather you go, then have the paperwork to do for a dead agent."
He made eye contact with her. "You're okay?" he asked.
"I'll be fine." she said.
"Lock the door" Tony whispered to Abby. She giggled a little knowing Gibbs was going to kill Tony when he found out the witness was imaginary and that Abby was going to talk to Jenny without him there. She wondered how long Tony would hold up the lie and smiled to herself as Tony made a 'god help me' face walking out of the lab.
"What do you have Abby?" Jenny asked.
"WHAT?!" Gibbs shouted from the squad room. Abby closed and locked the door.
"Problem?" Jenny asked.
"No... not a thing." Abby said smiling. She was a horrible liar. Jenny saw through that smile and eyed her suspiciously.
Abby wrapped Jenny in a hug which surprised her. "Abby? What's going on?" she asked the goth so was now squeezing her tightly.
"What do you mean? After everything you've been through you need much more then a hug! I wish we could just go back. If I just would've called you and asked you to stay a little longer. Or told Gibbs. I shoulda told Gibbs that you loved him and maybe he woulda taken you home. Not like... I meant it like he'd drop you off or something... not that... well rule number twelve and stuff." Abby said losing focus of what Tony had told her.
"It's not your fault, Abby. How could you have known?" Jenny questioned. Poor Abby. She wondered how long she had been down here in the lab blaming herself for something that wasn't even her fault.
"Its not your fault either" Abby stated.
"I'm fine" Jenny said. "It's like nothing happened."
"NO!" Abby shouted. "Something did happen! You were the one who told me to accept reality! You should be at home not here! You were raped!"
She could see she was causing the director pain, for tears swelled her eyes and she bit her lip to keep from crying. Abby knew how much this hurt Jenny, but she had to . Tony was right, somebody needed to be the realist, and even though Abby was never a realist she knew right now she had to be.
Jenny shook her head as if in denial. "Don't say that"
"It's nothing to be ashamed of!" Abby argued. "If its not my fault then it can't be yours either. You have to just accept it! YOU WERE RAPED".
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO SAY THAT MS. SCUITO!" The director shouted. She had never been this professional with Abby before. It surprised them both.
"Accept it!" Abby said back. She jumped when she heard a pissed off Gibbs banging at the door. Jenny wanted to run to him and let him hold her but she had seen Abby lock the door and knew she'd just look like a fool.
"Say it Jenny" Abby said more calm now.
"I was-" she froze, not able to say the last word. She shut her eyes tightly. "Raped"
"Say it together" Abby said.
"I was raped" she said starting to cry.
Abby opened the door and Gibbs came barging in, wrapping Jenny in his arms and letting her cry there. He looked at Abby who looked as though she was going to cry herself. 'Thanks Abs' he mouthed to her. She did what needed to be done. Jenny needed to hear the truth and accept it.
About three hours later...
NCIS Office of Jenny Shepard, Thursday, 19:50
"What happened to you?" Jenny asked.
"Boss broke it" Tony said his hand covering his nose.
"Jethro...care to explain?" she said.
Gibbs shrugged. "Accident."
Jenny's eyes went to Tony now. "Accident?" she asked.
Tony gave Gibbs a quick glance. "Of course Director" he said.
"Go ahead and get it checked out. I'll take care of him." she said.
"I'm sure yo will direc-" Tony said receiving a head slap and glare from Gibbs. He quickly walked out before anything else could be broken.
"You broke his nose Jethro!?" she exclaimed more then asked as soon as Tony walked out.
"It was an accident." Gibbs said.
"Explain that."
"I head slapped him pretty hard."
"You head slap people in the back of the head."
"Yeah Jen I know that." he said. "He fell."
"He fell?" she asked. "That's a pathetic excuse Jethro. Strike One."
"I'm serious Jen."
"Whatever." she said playfully, rolling her eyes.
Meanwhile...
"How'd it go?" Tony asked Abby.
"Horrible." she said pouting. "She hates me now."
"What'd you do?" he asked.
"Would you hold still?" Ducky asked annoyed since he had told the special agent to hold still about five times before.
"I forced her to admit it. She started crying Tony! I made our rock hard director cry!" she said.
"She needed to hear it from one of us, my dear. And she doesn't hate you Abigail. It would take a lot more to ruin the mother daughter relationship you two share. Now Tony this is going to hurt." he said.
"OWW" Tony shouted as the doctor bumped his nose back into it's proper place.
"Good as new!" Ducky said.
"You mean it wasn't broken?" Tony asked.
"Just a little sprained that's all." Ducky replied.
"You never did tell me what happened with Gibbs." Abby said.
"He didn't take it well." Tony said. "I fell when he head slapped me. Pretty sure I have a minor concussion."
Abby laughed.
A/N: Kind of a crappy ending to this chapter but the next one is going to be pretty interesting...
- Sasha
