A/N: Happy Saturday, loves! Hope you're all doing well! I present to you the latest chapter in our favourite couple's journey. In which there's a sweet moment between Jenny and Heather, Tony gets insulted, and Gibbs compares Jenny to Audrey Hepburn.

Though he was still slightly uncomfortable with the idea, Gibbs said nothing about Heather Shepard staying at her sister's house after being released from rehab. Jenny had insisted, however, and he couldn't argue with the fact that she would likely go back to their mother if left on her own. He didn't completely trust the younger woman, especially not after the way their last in-person interaction had gone, but if Jenny was willing to give her another chance, who was he to protest?

Jenny had decided to stay with her the first night following her release, and though Gibbs knew she would call if anything happened, he still couldn't bring himself to relax. Still, he trusted Jenny's judgment, and as he worked that night in his basement, he found himself even missing the clicking of Aries' nails on the floor above his head. Jenny had taken him with her for the night, perhaps thinking he would provide a welcome distraction, and for once, Gibbs was uncomfortable with the silence.

Silence gave him time to think...and thinking was something he was desperately trying to avoid.

"He's so precious, Jenny! I bet he has Jethro wrapped around his little paw."

Jenny laughed, nodding as Aries climbed into her lap, licking the end of her nose.

"Oh, definitely. He claims that Aries annoys him, but he secretly loves him. I caught them sleeping on the couch together a few days ago. It was the most adorable thing I've seen."

Heather reached out to pet the tiny dog, giving her sister a smile.

"Jenny...can we talk about something? Seriously, for a moment."

The elder Shepard nodded, her eyes confused, and Heather continued, taking a deep breath.

"What I said...about your baby...I didn't mean it. I can't even imagine how difficult that must have been for you, and I'm so so sorry."

"It's okay," Jenny said quietly.

"No, it isn't," Heather insisted, shaking her head, "I was being a heartless bitch, and you didn't deserve that. I know you would have been the most amazing mother, especially if the way you took care of me was any indication."

Jenny frowned.

"What do you mean? Dad was—"

"Don't you remember? All those times you told me to hide in the closet when Morgan was drinking, or the time you pushed me out of the way when she tried to hit me? You had so many black eyes and bruises when we were younger, just because you took my punishments."

Shaking her head, Jenny ran her hand over Aries' head, kissing him gently.

"Those weren't punishments, Heather. That was our bitch of a mother abusing us every chance she had. She was always careful around Dad, though. Never let him see it, and the one time she did, he put a stop to it."

Heather laughed, remembering the night well.

"I thought he was going to strangle her. I've never seen him that pissed."

"He scared me that night," Jenny admitted, "I didn't know which one of them was going to hit me first."

"Dad would have never—"

"I know that now. But back then, I was a terrified little kid who had been pushed down the stairs by one parent, and the other was threatening to kill her."

Heather took a drink of the tea in front of her, nodding slowly.

"Yeah...I remember hiding under my bed that night because I didn't want her to find me. I'm sorry about that, Jenny. I should have tried to stop her."

"You were a child, Heather. Don't blame yourself for being scared. Hell, I was scared. I should have hidden under the bed with you. Maybe then I would have stayed out of her way."

Heather shook her head, leaning forward to wrap her arms around her sister, kissing her cheek gently.

"I'm so sorry, Jenny. For everything. The drugs, the horrible things I said to you about your baby, all of it. I don't blame you for hating me. I'm so fucked up that it isn't even funny."

Jenny was still for a long moment, trying to keep her emotions in check, and when she pulled away, her eyes were bright with tears.

"I don't hate you. I never did. And you're not the only one who's fucked up. You know, sometimes I think that what happened to Matthew was a blessing in disguise. Maybe it was for the best. I can't tell Jethro that, he wouldn't understand, but—"

"What are you talking about?"

"I..." Jenny paused, unsure of how to explain, and shook her head slowly, "I have...I'm sick. And it isn't something that's ever going to go away, and there's a very high possibility that I would have passed that onto Matthew. Or worse, that I would have lost control and been just like Morgan. Sometimes, I get so angry, so irrational, and...I've literally thrown things across the room at Jethro...I could never live with myself if I hurt Matthew."

Heather shook her head, blue eyes staring deep into Jenny's green, and hugged her tightly.

"There's no way you would ever be like her, Jenny. Never. For one thing, Jethro would never let you. And you're so much stronger than she could ever dream of being. Matthew was the luckiest little baby in the world for the time you had him, and do you know why? Because you were his mother. You are his mother, and no one in the world can ever take that away from you."

Jenny smiled, blinking to keep her tears from falling, and hugged her sister tighter than she had in years.

"I love you, Heather. Don't forget that, okay?"

Heather nodded, giving her a smile, and as they both walked up the stairs. Jenny wrapped her arm around the younger girl's shoulder. It didn't erase the years of pain, of distrust, but it was a start, and that was good enough for Jenny.

When Heather woke around three in the morning, she made her way silently down the hall to her sister's room, hoping she wasn't sleeping. She'd woken up feeling extremely disoriented, shadows jumping out at her from every corner, and as she pushed open the older redhead's door, she frowned. Jenny was sleeping in the bed quietly, and Heather moved closer, crawling into the bed next to her. Jenny opened her eyes slowly, smiling when she realised her sister was with her, and wrapped her arm around her, kissing her cheek gently.

"Love you, Jenny," Heather whispered.

Jenny smiled again, holding her closer, and lightly ran her fingers through the tangled red strands.

"Love you, too."

She closed her eyes, silently thanking whatever deity existed for this second chance, and for once, she slept without dreaming.

The soft moan woke Heather hours later, and she frowned when she realised Jenny was awake next to her. Her wide green eyes found Heather's blue, and her sharp ragged breathing was alarming enough to make the younger Shepard sit up in the bed.

"Jenny? What is it? Are you okay?"

A muffled scream forced itself between her closed lips, and when Heather noticed the tears falling from her eyes, she reached for her hand.

"Jenny. What can I do?"

Trying to keep her panic under control, Heather fumbled for the light, nearly crying in relief when she found Jenny's phone on the bedside table. She unlocked it quickly, thankful that her sister didn't have a complicated pass code, and when she found the number she was searching for, she took a deep breath.

"Yeah. Gibbs."

"Jethro, it's Heather. Heather Shepard. I—"

"What's wrong? Why do you have Jenny's phone?"

"She's...something's wrong. She's in bed, she's awake, but it's like she can't move. I asked her what was wrong, but...what do I do?"

She heard him sigh in relief, and unconsciously gripped the phone tighter.

"Stay calm. I want you to take her hand and get her to hold it. She likely won't be able to at first, but that will pass."

Doing as he said, Heather reached for her sister's hand, looking at her carefully.

"Jenny, can you hold my hand? I know you're scared, but I'm right here, okay? And Jethro's on the phone. Hang on."

She placed the call on speaker, setting it on the bedside table, and reaching out to brush her sister's hair from her face.

"Jenny, take my hand. Hold onto it, okay?"

Heather turned to the phone, knowing it would calm Jenny to hear Gibbs' voice.

"Jethro, can you walk me through this? Please?"

"Make sure to keep calm. Both of you. Panicking won't help anything."

"She can hear you, you're on speaker."

Heather moved closer, pulling Jenny's hand into her lap, and raised it to her lips, kissing it softly.

"Jen, listen to me. Heather's right there with you, just remember to breathe. This won't last long, and you'll be fine. Take slow deep breaths, okay?"

Tears continued to fall from Jenny's bright green eyes, but she gently squeezed Heather's hand, her fingers curling around the younger girl's slowly. Heather glanced down at her, and when she noticed that Jenny was beginning to move again, she smiled.

"Easy, Jenny. Slow, okay? Don't rush it."

She took a breath, the sound so painful that Heather nearly closed her eyes, and when she reached for the phone with her left hand, her sister shook her head.

"It's on speaker. Just take your time."

"J—Jethro?"

"Yeah?"

"T-thank you."

"Anytime, Jen. I'll be right over."

Her tears fell faster, and after thanking Gibbs, Heather disconnected the call, pulling Jenny into her arms. She ran her hand over her long hair, smoothing out the tangles, and as she leaned down to kiss her hair, Heather found herself feeling closer to her sister than she had in years.

"Shh...it's okay, Jenny. It's over now. Shh..."

The older redhead was still shaking, crying so hard that Heather was beginning to get worried again, and by the time Gibbs arrived twenty minutes later, Jenny had fallen into a restless sleep. Her fingers were wrapped around the hem of Heather's shirt, her head resting on her sister's leg, and Gibbs smiled when he found them in the bedroom.

"Jethro. Thank God."

"How is she?"

Heather shrugged.

"Sleeping for now. What happened to her? I've never seen her like that."

Gibbs frowned, sitting on the edge of the bed, running his fingers over Jenny's arm slowly.

"Sleep paralysis. Doesn't happen all the time, but it's common enough."

"Will she be okay?"

He nodded, looking at the younger woman seriously, and she shook her head slowly.

"Can I tell you something?"

Waiting for her to continue, Gibbs moved slightly closer, leaning over to kiss Jenny gently on the cheek. Heather took a deep breath, unsure of where to begin, and when she finally spoke her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I've been really struggling lately with what happened between Morgan and Jenny. I know that they've never been close, especially given what happened to Jenny as a kid, but...I feel like this time it's my fault."

Gibbs shook his head, his own blue eyes meeting hers carefully.

"Not your fault at all. Morgan came here intending to start a fight. Jen's not a little girl anymore, and stood up to her. That's what pissed her off. She's so used to everyone backing down and giving her what she wants that when her own daughter fought back, she lashed out."

"I wish I could be like her. Jenny's always been the strong one."

"Gets her into trouble a lot," Gibbs remarked with a soft laugh.

Heather nodded.

"Yeah, I could see that. She doesn't want to let anyone help her. Ever. With anything. I think she's insane to believe what Morgan said, but—"

"What?"

"She...she told me last night that she thought maybe what happened to Matthew was a blessing in disguise. Said she was worried about passing her illness to him, and she was scared she'd end up hurting him like Morgan did to us."

Gibbs glanced down at Jenny, shaking his head, and when he reached out to gently wake her, his eyes were sad. She protested being pulled from her sleep, frowning when she realised she was laying in Heather's lap, and when she noticed Gibbs in front of her, she sat up slowly.

"Jethro? What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, kissing her softly, and she turned to look at her sister, her green eyes confused.

"Did I miss something?"

"No," Heather assured her, "We were just talking."

Though she was slightly skeptical, Jenny said nothing, and when they all made their way down to the kitchen for coffee ten minutes later, Gibbs could feel her eyes following him, waiting to see if he would confide in her.

When Jenny walked down the catwalk to see Tony DiNozzo sitting behind his desk, shirt completely unbuttoned, her first instinct was to yell at him. However, she was far from a woman to let an opportunity pass, and as she neared his desk she met the eyes of the team leader silently. He seemed to understand that she wanted to be unnoticed, and wisely said nothing, waiting to see what she had planned. As soon as she was close enough, Jenny reached out, slapping the back of the younger agent's head, smirking when he let out a yelp of surprise.

"What the hell—oh! Director Shepard! I—um—I—"

"Is there a reason my agency is beginning to bear a striking resemblance to a strip club, Agent DiNozzo?"

Though she already knew the answer, Jenny waited, curious as to how he would attempt to talk his way out of this.

"Well, um...see, it's just...I'm..."

His eyes flickered to the members of the team, and Jenny fought the urge to laugh, reaching into her pocket slowly.

"Air conditioning's out," Gibbs answered shortly, rolling his eyes at DiNozzo's stuttered response.

"Thanks, boss."

Jenny arched a perfect eyebrow, her emerald eyes dancing with laughter as they roamed over the rest of his team.

"And yet Agent DiNozzo is the only one in a state of undress."

The Senior Field Agent's eyes were wide, and as he attempted to explain himself, Jenny flipped a coin onto his desk, hardly able to contain her smile. McGee laughed at the nickel sitting on the smooth surface, and Tony looked appropriately offended.

"A nickel? That's sad, Tony," McGee laughed.

Jenny gave Gibbs a look that none of them could identify, and as she made her way to the elevator, she glanced back at the team.

"Hit the gym a bit more, DiNozzo. I tip better that way."

Ziva burst into laughter as Gibbs followed her to the lift, leaving Tony to stare after them in disbelief.

"Did she just call me fat?"

As soon as the silver doors shut behind them, Jenny gave in to her laughter, leaning her body against the cool metal. Gibbs gave her a smile as he moved closer, kissing her gently, and she found her hands tangling in his jacket without her even realising it. She pushed it from his shoulders, smirking when it fell to the floor, and as he pulled her hair to the side of her neck, his lips trailed along the smooth skin of her throat.

Though she wanted nothing more than to continue, the heat was beginning to make her nauseous, and Jenny gently pushed him away, her eyes apologetic as she kissed him again.

"Jethro, not now. It's way too hot in here."

"Well, yeah, Jen. That's why clothes come off."

She shook her head, leaning against his shoulder, and as he ran his fingers through her hair, she smiled.

"While I agree with the sentiment, not now. It really is too hot."

He nodded, kissing her chastely, and as the doors opened, she swept past him, frowning when he followed her.

"Is there a reason you're following me to autopsy?"

He shrugged.

"I like the view."

Jenny laughed, rolling her eyes, and as they entered the one room that was still cool, Gibbs looked at her seriously.

"What are you doing down here? You hate autopsy."

"I needed to talk to Ducky, but he's not here."

After glancing around the room, Gibbs was surprised to find that she was right, and shook his head. Jenny gave him a light kiss on the cheek, preparing to walk away, and as all of the lights went dark, she froze, her eyes wide. Gibbs made his way closer to the door, and when they stayed still, he rolled his eyes. Jenny frowned as she watched him, and pulled out her phone, dialing quickly.

"Cynthia, just checking in. Yeah, us too. Down in autopsy. Agent Gibbs. Haven't seen Doctor Mallard yet."

Gibbs laughed quietly as she continued speaking to her assistant, shaking his head as she placed the device back in her pocket.

"Power's out," she said conversationally.

He nodded, reaching out to help her as she hopped up on the metal table, her legs dangling over the edge. She could tell he had something on his mind, he'd been looking at her all day like he'd wanted to ask her a question, and she suddenly decided that there was no time like the present to find out what it was.

"Is something wrong?"

Frowning, Gibbs glanced at her, raising his eyebrow in question, and when she continued, his confusion only grew.

"You've been looking at me all day like you want to ask me something."

He frowned, unsure if he should tell her about his talk with Heather, and finally he decided that she would find out anyway if he didn't, and sighed.

"Heather and I were talking..."

Jenny immediately tensed, and he walked closer, running his hands over her legs slowly, and he gave her a gentle kiss.

"Don't worry. She just told me something that made me confused."

"W-what did she say?"

"You think what happened to Matthew might be a blessing?"

Damn. Jenny shook her head, reaching for his hands, and as he met her eyes, she tried to ignore the way he seemed to look into her very soul.

"Jethro, it isn't what you thought. I just...I remember what it was like growing up with Morgan. I know what it feels like to be so terrified of your own mother that you hide in the hallway closet when you hear her car in the driveway. I don't want to cause that kind of fear in my child."

"You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I? Did you forget the night I threw your coffee pot across the room? Did you forget California? La Grenouille? Did—"

"Jen, stop. You wouldn't ever be like that. No, I didn't forget those incidents, but did you forget Aries? Heather? Beth? I've seen you take care of so many people who needed you. You're a wonderful mother."

"I'm not a mother anymore, Jethro," she said quietly.

"Yes, you are. Did I stop being a father because of what happened to Kelly?"

She shook her head, trying to ignore the tears falling from her eyes.

"Exactly," Gibbs told her, pushing her hair behind her ear, "Just because they're gone doesn't make me any less their father, and that applies to you, too."

Jenny's eyes never left his, shaking her head as she tried to make him understand.

"I'm so scared that I'm going to become her," she whispered, "I'm mentally ill, and that isn't going to just go away."

"No, but look at how much good you've done in the world. Morgan hasn't done that, and she isn't mentally ill. She's just a bitch."

It was enough to make her laugh, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her against his chest. There was a slight flickering, and as the lights came to life around them, Gibbs helped her down from the table. She nodded her thanks, leaning into his hold as he led her towards the elevator, and when the lift doors opened, he kissed her cheek.

"Guess we'd better do some damage control. Though I can't promise that DiNozzo won't be naked by the end of the day."

Jenny laughed, throwing him a look over her shoulder as she stepped out into the squad room.

"If this air conditioning doesn't get fixed by the end of the day, he won't be the only one."

As it turned out, imagining a naked Jenny in her office was just the thought he needed to keep him from killing his second-in-command that day.

She'd been watching him work on his boat for hours, almost completely finished rebuilding the shell that Carrington had destroyed all those months ago, and when she grew suddenly quiet, Gibbs frowned, his sander halting in its movement. He glanced over his shoulder as he reached for his mason jar of bourbon, and when he realised she'd fallen asleep, he smiled. Her head was laying on her arms, leaning over his worktable, and he drained the alcohol in one final swallow.

Making his way closer, he silently set down his tools, lifting her carefully into his arms, and he kissed her hair gently when she unconsciously buried her head in his chest. Aries glanced up at them as the basement door swung open, and Gibbs nodded his head towards the stairs. The puppy bounded up them, tail wagging happily, and by the time he'd placed Jenny in between the cool sheets, the soft sound of canine snoring filled the room. It took everything he possessed to keep from laughing, and when he turned to look at the sleeping dog, he rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

"Jethro?"

He turned at the sound of her sleep-filled voice, not surprised in the slightest that she wasn't even looking at him.

"Hm?"

"Promise me something."

Taking a step closer, he looked at her seriously, his eyes the first thing hers saw when they opened in the darkness.

"Don't let me turn into her," she whispered.

Gibbs stared at her for a long moment, shaking his head once.

"Never," he promised.

When Jenny walked down into the basement less than forty-five minutes after he'd carried her up to the bedroom, Gibbs didn't think he could have been more confused if he'd tried. He'd immediately tensed after hearing the door open, but when she came into view, he relaxed, though his frown stayed on his face.

"Jen? What are you doing up? It's late."

She shook her head, eyes downcast as she walked, and he couldn't tell if she were merely trying to keep her balance or if she was deliberately avoiding his eyes. With Jenny, either option was possible, and it annoyed him that he couldn't pinpoint her actions now.

"Jethro, are you busy?"

He shook his head.

"No more than usual. Why?"

"Can...can you come upstairs with me? I'm really freaking out, and I don't know why."

Setting down his bourbon, Gibbs was by her side in two steps, already leading her back. She was shaking slightly, and as he kicked the basement door shut, she gave him a confused glance. He led her no farther than the couch, not wanting her to attempt any more steps than necessary, and as she sat next to him, he took her hands in his.

"What is it?"

She shook her head, closing her eyes as she tried to organise her thoughts, and when she finally spoke again, her voice was shaking.

"I just...everything is so loud. I had this really strange dream, and when I woke up, I couldn't think. I don't know what to do to make the noise stop, and it's making me panic."

He frowned, looking at her seriously.

"Have you taken your medicine today?"

He honestly couldn't remember if he'd seen her take it, and when she pulled her hands free from his grasp, he knew he'd said the wrong thing.

"Not everything is a result of my not taking my medication, Jethro! I'm not—"

"I didn't mean it like that."

Jenny stood suddenly, her eyes flashing dangerously, and for once, he was afraid to touch her.

"It doesn't matter. You always assume that my behaviour is a result of not taking my medication, you can't seem to grasp the fact that even when I take it every day, I'm still going to have bad days. The pills don't magically make it go away, and whether you want to accept that or not, it doesn't make it any less true."

Before he could do anything more than say her name, Jenny had made her way up the stairs, keys in hand, and as she walked to the door, he finally stood.

"Jen, wait, you don't have—"

"Stop. I can't do this anymore. If you won't trust me to—"

"Hang on. You've gone nearly a week without taking your medication before, you've overdosed on that same medication, and you're going to say I don't trust you? Can you honestly blame me for being suspicious? This isn't easy for me, either, and watching you go through this is just as painful for me as it is for you."

Jenny froze, her hand on the door, and when she turned to glare at him, he shook his head, more than a little angry now.

"Not done. You're constantly telling me how you're sorry that you're not normal, how you wish you could make all of this go away, but you won't do anything to change it. I told you that you have to meet me halfway, and yeah, you've gotten better, but can you blame me for asking?"

Tossing her hair over her shoulder, Jenny shook her head as she took a step closer than before.

"No, but you went behind my back, called my psychiatrist, and literally forced me to sit in his office—"

"I was worried, Jen! I feel like you're slipping away from me, and the last time I had that feeling, I lost you for six years! I'm not going through that again."

Though she knew he made a valid point with everything he'd said, she wasn't ready to give up the fight yet, and she laughed bitterly.

"Maybe if you'd learned to say what you mean instead of always hiding behind a glare and your precious stoicism, you wouldn't have ever lost me in the first place! I know my behaviour is irrational, I know it's difficult for everyone to deal with, but I can't even handle it myself."

Without even realising it, her trajectory had changed, and she found that her anger had all but disappeared, leaving her with a quiet resignation that Gibbs found all the more puzzling. It was as clear as crystal that she wasn't angry, but he didn't have the slightest clue what the pain in her eyes meant.

"I haven't been fair to you, Jethro. I'm sorry about that, but I think maybe it's for the best if we don't see each other until I can sort this out."

As she walked through the door, Gibbs' shocked mind finally began to comprehend what she'd said, and he ran after her, grabbing her by the arm.

"Wait. You can't walk away from me. From us. Not again."

She shook her head.

"I'm not. Not forever. I just—"

"You said I never stopped you from leaving in Paris. I'm stopping you now. Jen, don't leave. Please."

"That was different. This time I'm leaving to help you, not me."

Pulling her arm free, Jenny stepped out onto the porch, her shaking steps leading her to her car. Gibbs called her name as she climbed behind the wheel, but as she threw it into gear, she didn't spare so much as a single glance back.

Heather frowned when she heard the sound of Jenny's keys being placed in the lock, and when the door swung open, her confusion only grew stronger. Her sister's normally bright green eyes were clouded with tears, her makeup running down her face, and as she leaned against the heavy oak door, Heather placed her book down on the coffee table.

"Jenny? What are you doing here? I thought you were staying with Jethro. Is everything okay?"

A single shake of the head was all Jenny could manage, and as her eyes closed, tears dripped onto the floor, making her sister stare in horror. The younger woman stood and quickly made her way closer, wrapping her arm around Jenny carefully, not wanting to startle her.

"What happened, a fight?"

"Something like that. I told him..." Jenny paused, taking a deep but shaky breath, "I told him that I needed to figure things out before we could be together."

Heather led her over to the couch, offering her a drink, and the younger woman shrugged, deciding it was probably for the best.

"I know you're upset, but...Jenny, he loves you more than anything, anyone else in the world. You have to know that."

"Of course I do, but I'm not being fair if I ask him to put up with my bullshit without taking the steps to fix the problem."

Heather frowned, sweeping Jenny's hair behind her shoulder.

"Okay, but why do you have to leave? You can work on that while you're with him. It doesn't have to be an "either/or" situation. You don't have to do it alone."

"I think I do...I can't keep hurting him while I figure out all the shit in my head."

Wrapping her arm around Jenny, Heather pulled her closer, smiling sadly when the older woman laid her head on her shoulder.

"How did this get so fucked up, Heather?" she whispered, "How did we get here?"

Heather sighed, running her fingers through Jenny's hair, kissing her cheek gently.

"I don't know."

Jenny was puzzled when she opened her eyes and found herself alone on the couch, wrapped in a soft blanket. Her vision was slightly blurry, though she thought nothing of it, figuring it to be the result of crying so much the last few hours. Though she didn't see Heather, she assumed she was somewhere in the house, and as she buried herself further into the blanket, she let her dreams take her to a place where there were no arguments, where she could be wrapped in Gibbs' arms for eternity.

If Gibbs had thought that he couldn't be more thrown that night, he was sadly mistaken when he heard footsteps above his head. He frowned when the door opened, revealing a pair of Converse sneakers rather than the heels he had expected, and when his eyes finally understood what they were seeing, he shook his head.

"Heather? What are you—"

"You and my sister are both idiots."

He rolled his eyes, reaching for his screwdriver, and as she made her way closer to him, a sudden thought made him turn again.

"How do you know where I live?"

She merely shrugged, and as she slid on the stool to watch him, he shook his head again.

"You gonna elaborate, or just intrude?"

Heather smiled, examining the tools around her, and when she finally spoke, Gibbs jumped at the suddenness.

"You just let her walk away. And she thought it was a good idea. Regardless of the fact that you're both so in love with each other that it's ridiculous. She loves you enough to walk away, you have to love her enough to make her stay."

"Can't make Jen do anything," he pointed out.

Heather nodded, laughing softly.

"You're not wrong. But if it's something she really wants to do, you're not really making her. You're just helping her to see that she's being stupid."

Gibbs frowned, setting his tools down, turning to look at her seriously. Perched on the stool, her legs crossed, she looked so much like Jenny that it hurt, and he took a step closer.

"Why am I hearing this from you and not your sister?"

Heather laughed, her hair spilling over her shoulders.

"Because she's a stubborn bitch," she said bluntly.

He neither confirmed nor denied her statement, and when she hopped down from her seat, she fixed him with a look that he was sure Jenny had taught her to perfect over the years.

"Now, are you going to make me call a taxi for a ride home, or offer me one like a gentleman?"

"Wasn't planning on going anywhere tonight."

The younger redhead began walking towards the steps, laughing as she started up them.

"Neither was I. But come on, Boat Boy. You're giving me a ride, and you're not leaving our house until you work things out with my bitchy sister."

"Well, when you put it like that..." Gibbs muttered sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes as he dusted off his jeans, and as he turned off the light above the table, Gibbs knew he'd never really had another option in the first place.

Try as she might, Heather couldn't help the way the door slammed when she returned home, and when she heard Jenny call her name from the living room, she answered quickly, not wanting her to worry.

"Yeah, it's me, Jenny. Sorry if I woke you."

Jenny made her way slowly into the room, shaking her head. Her vision was still blurred, and when she finally realised that they weren't alone, she frowned.

"Heather, what—"

"You two were being stupidly stubborn, so I brought Boat Boy back here. You're going to talk, and you're going to work this out, because I don't need to deal with your drama along with my own shit. Got it?"

Jenny frowned but said nothing, shaking her head when she heard her sister's footsteps on the stairs. She waited until she'd heard the door to her room shut before looking in Gibbs' direction, tilting her head in confusion.

"Boat Boy?" she repeated.

"Shut up, Jen."

She couldn't help the quiet laugh that fell from her lips, and he walked closer, not stopping until he was directly in front of her. She didn't seem to notice his closeness, and when he placed his hand on her shoulder, she jumped.

"Jesus Christ, Jethro!"

"What? Didn't you see me here?"

She shook her head, hair falling over her shoulders, and when he realised that she wasn't joking, he gave her a puzzled look.

"How long has that been going on?"
Jenny shrugged, and when he led her into the living room, she frowned as her eyes refused to focus.

"I thought it was because I'd been crying," she finally admitted, "But now I'm not so sure."

Gibbs sat next to her, though not touching, and she took a breath, wanting to speak before she lost her nerve.

"Jethro, I overreacted tonight, and while it isn't an excuse, I'm just really worried that you're going to get tired of dealing with my insanity and leave."

"Not going anywhere."

"Everyone else did," she whispered, shaking her head, "Morgan, Heather, all the friends I used to have...even my father. I can't have you be the next person I lose in that line."

He reached for her hand, noticing just how badly she was shaking, and he leaned closer, kissing her cheek gently.

"Don't you think if I wanted to leave, I would have already done it?"

Her head shook, causing him to frown, and he unconsciously moved closer.

"You felt obligated," came her quiet response, "If you'd left directly after the accident, you would have felt guilty, and after Matthew...you decided that it was just expected of you to stay."

"You done telling me what I think?" he asked, his voice slightly harsher than he'd intended, "Let me tell you what I think. I think you're an incredible woman. The most beautiful, crazy, stubborn, infuriating, impossibly flawed, perfectly imperfect woman I've ever known."

"What about Shannon?"

He shook his head, unsure if she could even really see it, and sighed.

"Shannon...she was beautiful, kind, funny, all of which you have in common. She wasn't perfect, and I know it seems like I paint her that way, but...nothing is farther from the truth. She refused to fold laundry, would leave it in the dryer for a month if I didn't do it myself. And sometimes I do look back and forget that, but she had her flaws, just like I do. Just like we all do. And I'm not going to walk away just because you're not perfect."

He paused, nudging her gently with his knee, and when she moved closer, he smiled.

"Shannon and I had nine amazing years together, and we had our beautiful little girl. But...it wasn't supposed to be permanent. Everything happens for a reason, and losing them brought me to you. And Matthew. Don't you see how much you mean to me, Jen?"

Jenny smiled, looking at him through slightly glassy eyes, taking his hand and bringing it to her lips gently.

"Can't see much of anything right now," she quipped.

"Cute. But I mean it. Nothing else matters. As long as we're together, the rest of the world can burn."

Twisting the dog tags around her neck nervously as she sat in the examination room, Jenny closed her eyes as she ran her fingers over the lettering. At the suggestion of nearly everyone in her life, she'd finally decided to see an eye doctor about her blurred vision, and to say she was anxious would have been an understatement. She pulled her cardigan more tightly around her shoulders, convinced that doctor's offices were kept at a freezing cold temperature on purpose, and tried to remember that she was doing the right thing. Having always hated doctors, it had taken more than a little convincing to force her to make the appointment, and she was already beginning to regret it.

The knock on the door made her glance up from the floor, and the doctor gave her a smile that she could hardly make out.

"Good morning, Miss Shepard, I'm Dr. Rinaldi."

Jenny automatically flinched at the formality, feeling instantly annoyed with herself, and nodded, a small smile on her face.

"Good morning."

"Okay, so I've had a chance to look over the results of your tests, and unfortunately I'm afraid the news might be a bit upsetting. These results showed that you've suffered traumatic optic neuropathy, which is most commonly diagnosed after an accident. Have you recently had some sort of auto accident, or any other kind that may have contributed to this?"

Jenny nodded, but frowned.

"Yes, but...it was almost a year ago. Why is this happening now?"

"While it is unusual for such a thing to progress slowly, it's not unheard of. In your case, while the retinas of your eyes weren't immediately detached following the accident, it was gradual. Most likely, there were a few small tears that have progressed over time, and that's why you're noticing a change in your vision now. Have you recently been getting headaches or having trouble focusing?"

"Yes," she answered slowly, thinking back, "I thought they were stress headaches, and I didn't think much of it at the time. Those are pretty normal for me."

"As I figured. That's also a contributing factor. If you weren't accustomed to headaches, it would have been more of a red flag, so to speak, and we might have caught this earlier."

"Is there anything I can do to fix this?"

Dr. Rinaldi frowned, looking at her seriously.

"In infants, retinas can often be reattached, but in adults, it's much more rare for such a thing to work, and it poses a very high risk of causing more damage than good."

Without even realising it, Jenny had begun to shake, and she could feel her heart racing in her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe.

"What does that mean?"

"I'm very sorry, Miss Shepard, but it means that you're going to lose at least ninety percent of your vision."

"I'm—I'm going to be blind?" she asked breathlessly.

"I am so very sorry."

As she gathered her things ten minutes later, Jenny felt as though she'd been punched in the stomach. What was she going to do?

Gibbs frowned as Jenny tossed her medication to the back of her throat, swallowing them dry, and when he asked her what was bothering her, there was no mistaking the tears lingering in her bright green eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Jen. Please."

She sighed, shaking her head, and as he watched her reach for her coffee, he frowned.

"You had an eye appointment this morning, right?"

A nod.

"Well?"

There was a long silence, and when she finally spoke, her voice was a mere whisper, shaking with unshed tears.

"I'm losing my vision. I'm going to be blind, Jethro. Ninety percent of my vision will be gone."

"What?" he asked weakly, sure he'd heard her incorrectly.

She nodded, tears finally falling in spite of her best efforts, and he reached for her hands. They were freezing, and he rubbed his hands together in an attempt to warm them.

"How long?"

Jenny closed her eyes, a last attempt at stopping her tears, and Gibbs kissed her hand, his lips lingering on her icy skin.

"Depends. If I don't strain my eyes, it could slow the process, but probably by the end of the year. Jethro, what am I going to do? I won't be able to work, drive, read..."

"Take a breath, Jen. One thing at a time. Work might be a bit difficult, but you might still be able to manage it. You can still go to budget meetings and all of the boring parts of your job, and you can have Cynthia read letters. McGee can probably rig your computer to read your emails and such out loud...the only thing that might pose a problem is the ops you oversee. We can figure that out when the time comes. You already have a driver, and I'll drive you anywhere else you want to go. You can listen to audio books instead of reading..."

He leaned over her desk, kissing her gently, and released her hands to run his fingers through her hair.

"We can get through this, Jen. I promise."

Standing suddenly, Gibbs walked around to the other side of her desk, pulling her from her chair, and wrapping her in his arms, his hand smoothing over her hair.

"I love you, Jen."

"I love you too. But I'm so scared, Jethro," she whispered.

He kissed her hair, holding her tighter, and she buried her head in his chest, trying to force herself to stop crying.

"I know. You have every right to be scared. But I can tell you this right now: you're going to be the most badass blind woman in the world."

"Like Audrey Hepburn in Wait Until Dark?"

He smiled, laughing quietly, and kissed her hair again.

"Just like that."

A/N: Poor Jen...