Missus Julia Marie Hildebrand had been having a lousy twenty-four hours.

She was the young trophy wife of the Louisiana state governor, Clark Hildebrand, and because of him, everybody knew her name and loved her. It was true that she had married her husband when she was quite young, but she hadn't cared, because she liked being married to a man with power. Her life was charmed, to the people who didn't live it. Otherwise, it was kind of her own little hell, and she just wanted to get herself and her children out.

Julia had spent almost the entirety of her adult life to date married to Clark, and in a short amount of consecutive years, she'd given birth to one son and three daughters. But Clark wanted more. When Julia told him she was done having children, she was met with years of badgering for one last baby, anyway.

In the aftermath of learning that she was expecting once more, Julia also came to the realization that she and Clark had been growing apart that it was, and that they were only keeping things together for appearances. She needed to leave Louisiana to start over. Because of the pressure to reproduce, and for a long litany of other grievances, she came to the realization that a divorce was the only mature conclusion.

But then came the straw that had broken the camel's back.

Clark's personal aide, Lance Corporal Ian Baranski, had informed her that his boss was up to some 'bad business,' and that he was even cheating on her. He'd also let slip the name Sarah Cartwright. Julia remembered her as one of the journalists from the mansion, but she wasn't sure if she was the mistress or the red herring.

Feeling overwhelmed, she left by train with her children and her dog to see her parents in Richmond. They could help her think things through. It was with renewed vigor the following morning that Julia left her parents' house to look into serving her husband with divorce papers.

The journey back to the hotel was fine until for an unknown reason, Chloe had gotten sick on the train vomited. Julia's only desire was to put Chloe to bed, and rest her feet.

But Chloe had vomited again at the sight of crime scene tape up at their hotel room door.

"Okay, you." Julia said to her daughter after she finished cleaning her up. "You stay put at this wall."

"Yes, mama." Chloe sat on the floor and leaned against the wall behind her. "My legs are kinda wobbly, anyway."

"What about the rest of us?" Junior, the eldest, asked cautiously.

"Just line up beside your sister."

The children fell into place, and Junior pointed to his mother's bag. "Want me to hold Cyber, mama?"

Cyber was the name of Julia's dog. He was regularly very quiet and very pleasant, but he was getting antsy inside his dog carrier.

"You're a good boy." Julia told her son as she handed him the bag. "Thank you."

Beaming at the praise, Junior took the bag, and went to join his little sisters.

Julia finally approached the agents, although they stood a small ways away from her offspring.

"I've had a really long twenty-four hours gentlemen. I just want take care of my family, and have a rest." she said. "What's going on?"

"You're Senator Hildebrand's wife?" Gibbs asked her.

"That's what I said, and this is our hotel suite."

"Missus Hildebrand, I'm Special Agent Gibbs from NCIS, and this is one of my people, Special Agent DiNozzo. The tape is up because this is now a crime scene."

"Excuse me?"

Tony took a small step forward. "When was the last time you saw your husband?"

"Yesterday, just before I took the kids and the dog with me to Richmond. We were visiting my parents."

"I'm so sorry, but your husband has died."

Julia was aghast. "What? How?"

Her legs gave out, but Tony caught her and eased her to the floor. Tony knelt in front of her, speaking gently.

"It's probably best to talk about it away from the kids."

Julia rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand as tears began to fall. "But we don't have anywhere to go—we were just in Richmond, but our home is Louisiana!"

Tony continued to be patient. "Do you know what NCIS stands for?"

"Naval Criminal Investigative Services, I think."

"That's exactly what it stands for. We can all talk there."

Julia wiped her eyes again and let out a steadying breath. "You won't mind my kids, or my dog?"

"No, m'am." Tony rose and held out a hand. "How about we get you back on your feet now?"

Julia let Tony help her stand, and he even caught her when she teetered.

"Everything alright? All things considered, I mean?"

"It's just kind number five, being silly." she pointed to her middle. "We're fine."

Julia let out another shaky breath, and then went back to her children, forcing herself to smile at them.

"Come on, babies—up, up, up!" she made a rising motion with her hands. "We're going for a ride!"

The Hildebrand children hadn't heard any of their mother's conversation about what had become of their father, so they were all immediately enticed by going to another place already.

Meanwhile, Tony was once more wondering about how many kids he and Ziva would have in the years to come.

Upon Gibbs filling her in on the case's newest developments, Jenny decided to update Ziva, too. Everyone else was busy, and she had nothing to do, so they met up on the catwalk, in front of the office door.

"What was it that you wanted to see me about, director?" Ziva wanted to know.

Jenny pointed. "Them."

Both women looked down to the main floor, just in time to see Gibbs, the Hildebrands, and Cyber the dog piling out of the elevator. They didn't see Tony or McGee, but surmised that they were taking the stairs.

"Is that four children, and a dog?" Ziva asked her CO in surprise.

"Yes." Jenny told her. "Tony found Missus Hildebrand and the kids—or they found him, rather."

"Meaning that the newest person in the morgue is her husband."

"Correct, and until Ducky and Palmer prove otherwise, the official word is that this was a suicide."

"How sad, but I understand what you are saying." Ziva watched as Gibbs led the visiting party through the doorway on the other side of the room that led to the lounge. "Have you been told the names of our visitors?"

"Missus Hildebrand's first name is Julia, and the children are called Clark Junior, Chloe, Lauren, and Alyssa."

"What of the dog?"

"That little guy is a Yorkshire Terrier named Cyber." Jenny replied. "Gibbs also told me that Missus Hildebrand is even pregnant again."

Ziva shook her head in wonder. "Wow—four young children, plus one more. Three children are my own limit…"

Even as she finished this thought, it became apparent to Jenny that the younger woman had something else on her mind.

"What is it?" the redhead asked.

Ziva turned to her. "Does the name Audrey Wildwood ring a bell?"

"No. Should it?"

"To you, I suppose not, but to me, yes. She is a journalist whom Tony and McGee just interviewed."

This was news to Jenny. "Oh, really?"

"Truly. She also happens to be friends with my father, and was to have met with Baranski today."

"Because of Eli?"

"Yes."

"He has connections everywhere, Ziva. What the hell happened?"

Out came what Ziva had learned about the meeting with Audrey Wildwood. Jenny found it fantastic, but more in a flabbergasting way.

"And then Audrey just left?" she finally blurted.

"Yes. She was thoroughly spooked, and clearly has a part in whatever this is."

"I'll say." Jenny agreed. "Baranski is dead, and now Hildebrand. By Audrey's logic, she feels that she, Sarah, or Clementine could be the next targets."

"I have started a background check on her."

"Outstanding. Send me a copy when you're done."

"Yes, director. Of course."

For the second time in as many minutes in the conversation, Ziva grew lost in through. Jenny realized immediately where her train of thought had gone.

"If you had a middle name, this would be the part where I use it!" Jenny put her hands on her hips. "I know that look—it's the same one that you wore when we saw that Orli Elbaz was getting cozy around your father!"

Ziva sighed. "I have heard of Audrey before."

"Go on."

"I do not know much, other than that during one video call last year, he told me they had met and hit it off. He even showed me a framed photograph of the two of them that he keeps on his desk." Ziva fought to keep herself in check. "The only other pictures he keeps there are of myself, my mother, and of my brother and sister. The kicker—if that is the correct phrasing—is where the photograph was taken."

Jenny wrinkled her hose. "Where? Not the farm in Haifa, I hope?"

"No—try on the bank of the Jordan River, in the summertime!"

"Oh, boy."

"Precisely."

Other than being one of the most historical places in the history of the world, the Jordan River was a very beautiful place. In the summertime, it was more enchanting than usual, and a bit of a Lover's Lane.

"Do you think Eli and Audrey could be sleeping together?" Jenny asked after a beat.

"I hope it is just that, and nothing more. I do not want any more siblings, or a stepmother who is younger than me." Ziva shivered at the thoughts of what could be. "Tony said that both my father and Audrey described each other as friends, but he also said that her first question was about my father's well-being."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that never mind the river photograph, there could be something more!"

At this, Jenny gave Ziva a sympathetic, motherly look. "You know the saying your mother was fond of using—a little fire burns a great deal of corn."

Ziva spoke with petulance. "Yes, yes… but Eli is my father."

"And you love him. I was fond of my father, too; I get it." Jenny patted her underling on the shoulder. "Do you think you can keep it together while the Hildebrands are here?"

"Yes."

"Good, because I see DiNozzo and McGee getting off the lift, and Gibbs and Missus Hildebrand making tracks for the stairs. We're going to gather in the conference room."

"I will keep it together." Ziva reaffirmed as she put on her best poker face and centered herself.

"Just what I want to hear. Let's go get the room ready."

Gibbs and Julia were the last to arrive, and when they sat at the table, she had a start at the sight of one person in particular.

"Oh, my God." she said when she saw McGee. "You're Sarah's brother."

"Yes, I am." he said in equal surprise. "Missus Hildebrand, how do you know my sister? From the mansion?"

"Yes, and my friend Ian Baranski mentioned Sarah yesterday. I want to talk to her…"

Before things could get any further away from what mattered, Jenny held her hands in the time-out position. "Missus Hildebrand, I'm Director Shepard, and I run this organization. On my right, here, is Officer Ziva David, but I'm sure you've been introduced to everyone else around the table by now?"

Julia nodded. "We're here to talk about my husband."

"Correct, I'd love to hear what you know about Sarah Cartwright, and Lance Corporal Ian Baranski."

The last thing Julia wanted now was to be cooped up for any longer than she had to be, but she cooperated. "Of course, m'am. How did my husband die?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"I need to know."

"Our medical examiner is working as we speak, but the cause of death is currently suicide."

Naturally, Julia's heart lurched at this, but because of the recent state of her marriage, the first words out her mouth were, "That can't be right. That can't possibly be right."

"How's that, Missus Hildebrand?"

"Please—it's Julia." she sighed. "This can't be right because Clark may have been a moron, but he just wouldn't have offed himself."

"What makes you call him a moron?"

"Apparently, my husband was mixed up in something bad, and he was cheating on me."

"Where did you hear that?"

"From Ian. He told me yesterday, when we were all getting ready to fly up here, and he also said that Sarah Cartwright might have something to do with it."

Jenny arched an eyebrow. "Do you have any idea what your husband was mixed up?"

Julia shrugged. "No, which is why I'm looking for Sarah. Not that I'll have the time…"

"No?"

"Look, I was Clark's trophy wife, alright? I've also got four young kids to look after, and a fifth on the way. I'm also not even thirty yet—but my kids, and even my dog, are all I have time for."

"So you wouldn't begin to know what your husband did, or whom he talked to regularly?"

"No, director, not even for work. That's Ian's job." Julia looked around at them all, a new dot connecting in her brain. "Did something happen to him?"

Across the table from her, Gibbs nodded. "He's dead, too."

Julia blanched. "Jesus Christ, what a shame. When did it happen?"

"Late last night. You said that you were in Richmond? Visiting your parents?"

"Mhm. Is this where I tell you all why?"

"From the top."

"Please." Tony chimed in. "Sometimes he forgets to say that part."

So Julia told the room full of NCIS officials all that she knew, and also about her marriage. By the end, she was finally starting to cry.

"Now it seems ridiculous to still be mad." Julia said shakily. "I just want to know who did killed my husband and why, so I can give the kids an answer when they're old enough, and so I can plan a funeral for him. I also have to clean myself up, tell my kids that their daddy went to Heaven, call my parents, and figure out where we're all going to sleep tonight since our suite is now a crime scene! Is there anything else any of you need?"

"Two things," Gibbs decided. "The first of which is, do you know a Clementine Sciuto, an Eli David, or an Audrey Wildwood?"

Julia thought about it. "No. I don't know any of those people."

"Then do you know if your husband, or Ian would have gone to a massage parlor at all since you've been all been up here?"

This just sounded so ludicrous to Julia that she became bewildered. "What?"

Seeing that she'd clearly reached her limit, Gibbs concluded the meeting and stood. "Never mind. Officer David will help you with your kids, and with arranging for a lift to wherever you need to go."

Julia liked the sound of this and followed Ziva out of the room. Tony and McGee went after, closing the door behind them at the director's request.

She stood, too, and blew out a breath. "What a day this is shaping out to be. About Audrey Wildwood, though..."

"Now there's a character." Gibbs mused. "What about her?"

"Ziva's already doing a background check on her, but she also seems to be holding on to an idea that Audrey is possibly sleeping with Eli."

"DiNozzo did tell me that they met in Tel Aviv last summer, but what brought Ziva to this conclusion?"

Jenny ran her fingers through her hair. "She knows for a fact that Eli has a picture of himself with Audrey at the Jordan River. It's a sacred place, yes, but if you're a local, it's more the kind of place that you bring someone you care about."

Gibbs promptly raised an eyebrow. "Rules thirty-nine, and thirty-nine a, Jen."

Almost immediately, Jenny fought the urge to roll her eyes at her former teacher. "I know: 'there is no such thing as a coincidence,' and 'there is no such thing as a small world,' but Leroy, please."

"I'll keep an eye on Ziva, and an ear out for Audrey. Don't worry." Gibbs kissed Jenny's cheek, and grinned when he felt an elbow roll under his palm. "How are the kids?"

"Jumpy, and in desperate need of names." Jenny griped when she felt a few kicks. "I need something to call them when they're keeping me from focusing on work."

Gibbs kissed her again. "You have my word that we'll talk about those things tonight, after dinner."

"Thank you."

Jenny seemed a little down, so Gibbs pulled her into a hug. She responded by wrapping her arms around him.

"This job…"

Gibbs gave her a back rub. "There are days when it's more than a little nuts."

"But I love what I do, and I could never stop."

"I couldn't, either."

They held each other for just a little bit longer.