A/N: Just fair warning, my next chapter might be a bit delayed, as I've gotten a promotion at my job and as such, I'm taking on more responsibilities. Now, back to your regularly scheduled program, A Bloodstained Fairytale! Hope you like this one!
Watching his wife sleep was one of the few things that gave Leroy Jethro Gibbs a feeling of pure happiness. As he pulled her into his arms while sitting on his couch, he ran his fingers gently through her long red hair, smiling when she moved unconsciously closer to his warmth. He moved slightly to his right when he noticed Aries attempting to jump up onto the couch, and as the tiny dog buried his head in the bend of Jenny's legs, Gibbs smiled, shaking his head slowly. Jenny opened her eyes, frowning as she realised she wasn't alone, but when she recognised the hands that touched her, she smiled.
"What are you doing, Jethro?"
He shrugged.
"Working in the basement just isn't the same without you there, rambling on a million miles a minute."
She rolled her eyes, laughing quietly as she sat up, running her hand gently over Aries' head.
"I'll pretend that was a compliment."
Gibbs nodded, kissing her cheek as she made to stand up. He frowned as he reached for her hand, effectively stopping her movements.
"Where are you going?"
"I was going to make tea."
"I'll do it."
He stood quickly, not giving her time to protest, and as Aries climbed into her lap, she shook her head, laughing.
"Well, since you and Aries seem to be on the same page, I won't argue. I can't win against both of you. Aries is too cute, and you're too damn stubborn."
Gibbs said nothing as he made his way into the kitchen, more than a little relieved that she'd agreed to let him fix the tea. He'd never tell her, but he was worried about the paleness that had taken over her skin, and about the shaking in her hands that never seemed to leave her now. While it was true that she hadn't mentioned feeling unwell, he also knew her well enough to know that she never would. Though he knew it was likely a reaction to her medication, it still made him nervous, and as he finished stirring sugar into the cup, he sighed. Surely he was overreacting.
Jenny gave him a smile when he touched her knee to alert her to his presence, and when she took the cup from him, he frowned at the trembling in her hands. She didn't even seem to be aware of it, and he sat next to her, his eyes never leaving her.
"Hey, Jen?"
"Hm?"
"How would you feel about Zelda coming to visit for a bit today? McGee said Beth's been dying to get out of the house."
Jenny smiled immediately at the thought of her little goddaughter, and nodded as she took a careful drink of her tea.
"You really have to ask? I'd love to play with her."
Gibbs smiled.
"I'll let them know."
He quickly texted the younger agent, stealing glances at the redhead between words, and when he placed his phone back on the coffee table, he gave her a smile.
"I love you, Jen."
She frowned, shaking her head slowly.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing," he laughed, "Believe it or not, I can tell you that I love you without it being a bribe."
"You can, but it's unlikely. Regardless of your reasoning, I love you, too."
Conceding that he was correct, Jenny nodded, taking a long drink from her tea, deciding that the warmth in his voice was quite possibly the best thing she'd ever heard in her life.
As Jenny held Zelda in her arms, she frowned thoughtfully, thinking over Beth's question carefully.
"I guess that all really depends on how many people you invited. The venue is up to you. Are you planning on having the reception and the wedding in the same place?"
Beth nodded.
"I'd like to. That way, no one will have to drive, and it will just be an easier clean up when it's all over."
"We've only invited about thirty people," McGee added, "Just you, Heather, Miranda, the team, Ducky, and our families. Two or three of Beth's friends."
Jenny nodded, but she wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to the conversation. Her pulse was much too fast, her heart skipping in her chest, and the shaking that had at first been just an annoyance took over her entire body. She shook her head, trying to clear some of the fogginess that had settled over her, and when it didn't work, her irritation morphed into fear. Gibbs noticed her unease, looking at her worriedly as he noticed that her face had drained of all colour, and the tone of his voice was enough to make even Zelda look in his direction.
"Jen?"
She said nothing, blinking slowly, her eyes staying closed for a long moment, and shook her head once. McGee was just preparing to ask her what was wrong when she finally spoke, her voice slightly breathless.
"Jethro?"
"Yeah?"
"Take Zelda."
He did as she asked, and had no sooner lifted the baby from her arms than she fell forward, her body landing on the floor so fast that none of them had time to react. Gibbs passed Zelda to Beth quickly, bending down to grab a pillow and place it beneath her head, too worried about hurting her to risk moving her.
"McGee, go in the kitchen, find a dish cloth and soak it in cold water."
The younger man did as he was told, a quiet "Right away, boss" falling from his mouth so softly that he didn't even know if Gibbs heard it, and Beth hovered nearby, wanting to help but unsure of how.
"Jethro, what can I do?"
"Just hold Zelda. I might need you to call Ducky if she doesn't come around soon, so stay close."
He frowned as he held her wrist in his hand, and immediately changed his mind, looking at Beth sharply.
"Go in the bathroom upstairs. Find all of Jenny's medication bottles and bring them down here. I want to look at them."
Beth did as he asked, carefully placing her daughter in her playpen, and as he waited for the younger woman to return, Gibbs reached for his wife's hand, holding it in his gently.
The fact that she could see should have been the first thing that tipped her off to the fact that she was dreaming, but Jenny thought nothing of it as she walked down the darkened road. The air around her was thick with fog, so dense that it almost choked her, and she frowned as she looked up at Gibbs curiously.
"Where are we?"
He didn't answer, listening intently for any sign of movement other than their own, and shook his head. Jenny jumped slightly when she felt something grab the sleeve of her jacket, turning to her left, glancing down in confusion. A small child, no more than eleven, with dark blonde curls hanging just past her shoulders stared up at her with deep blue eyes, locking on her own emerald green as they walked. She knew, though she had no idea of how, exactly who this child was, and felt her slight panic disappear as she knelt down slowly.
"What is it, Zelda?"
"Where are we going? Where's my Mommy and Daddy?"
Jenny frowned, looking to Gibbs for help. She didn't have the slightest idea of how to answer, and gave the little girl a hug.
"We're going somewhere safe."
"I'm scared, Aunt Jenny."
"I know, McNugget. But do you remember what your Daddy always told you about being scared?"
"That's when we find out how brave we really are," Zelda quoted dutifully.
Jenny smiled, running her fingers through the soft curls, and nodded.
"Exactly. And you're one of the bravest little girls in the world."
Gibbs stopped suddenly, his eyes narrowing as he heard the unmistakable sound of approaching footsteps, and glanced behind them quickly.
"Jen, we need to move. Now."
She nodded, straightening, and fell in step behind Zelda, the two of them blocking her from anything that might come after her. Looking at the child seriously, she kept her voice low, her eyes never leaving the deep blue irises.
"I want you to listen to me, Z. Do exactly what I tell you. We're going to have to move fast now. Hold on to Uncle Jethro's hand, and don't let go. No matter what, you hold on to his hand. And I want you to run. As fast as you can. Do you understand?"
Zelda nodded, but frowned.
"What about you?"
"I'll be right behind you. I promise. Just run. Don't stop, and don't look back. No matter what."
Gibbs took Zelda's hand, giving her a smile, and as they began running down the dark road, Jenny could hear the footsteps trailing them becoming much louder, and she fought the urge to scream when a hand grabbed the back of her jacket. She didn't even look around as she swung her fist forward, gasping breathlessly as she ran faster, hoping to put as much distance between them as possible. In the distance, she could see a large house sitting on the top of a hill, surrounded by a privacy gate, and as they drew closer, she knew Gibbs had gotten the same idea.
Zelda's steps faltered as she tripped over loose rocks in the road, and when her hand slipped from Gibbs', he whipped around, fighting the panic building in his chest. Jenny shook her head, waving him forward as she came closer.
"Go! I've got her, Jethro."
Sweeping the child up into her arms, Jenny held her as tightly as she could, not daring to look behind her as she ran. Gibbs reached the gate first, thankful that the opening between the chain was forgiving enough that he was able to fit through it, though just barely. As soon as Jenny reached it, she stopped, setting Zelda on her feet and giving her an encouraging nod as she braved a glance behind her. The child slid through the opening easily, and Jenny bent down to avoid hitting her head on the lock.
She'd made it halfway through when her arm was grabbed from behind, and as she fought the scream building within her throat, Gibbs grabbed her other hand, pulling her to the other side, catching her in his arms when she stumbled on the uneven ground.
"The sooner we make it to that house, the better."
Jenny nodded, lifting Zelda into her arms again, and as they began walking up the hill, Zelda looked into Jenny's eyes, her own filled with tears.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Jenny. I didn't mean to fall, I—"
"Shh...it's okay, Z. I know you didn't. It's okay now, I've got you."
What seemed like hours later, though in actuality was probably only fifteen minutes, they finally made it to the house sitting on the top of the hill. Gibbs pried open the side door leading into the garage, and as they stood in the dark room, he nodded at Jenny seriously.
"Stay here. I'll clear it."
Though her instinct was to protest, Jenny knew they couldn't leave Zelda alone, so she nodded, still holding the child close to her. Gibbs was gone no less than ten minutes, smiling as he handed her a flashlight, and when they began walking through the rest of the house, Jenny couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. She shook her head as Gibbs led Zelda up the stairs, opting to stay behind and check it out more thoroughly.
"You go ahead. I'll be right up."
Not one to question Jenny's intuition, Gibbs nodded, and as the redhead began making her way back to the garage, she frowned. There was now the unmistakable scent of blood lingering in the air, and she took a step closer. Before she had time to react, she was grabbed from behind, falling onto the concrete floor painfully. Jenny tightened her grip on the flashlight in her hand, swinging it blindly, and when she felt it connect with something solid, she kept swinging, bringing it down over and over again until she couldn't hear anything except the sound of her own heart pounding in her chest.
She shone the light onto the floor, illuminating the deep red blood, and when she realised she had, no matter the reason, just beaten someone to death, the flashlight slipped from her numb fingers, and she began to scream, oblivious to the blood covering every part of her body.
Beth was just making her way back out into the hallway when Jenny's screams reached her ears, and she bolted down the stairs, skidding on the floor as she hit the landing. She was still laying on the floor in front of the couch, held in Gibbs' arms, her head buried in his chest as she sobbed, and as Beth made her way closer, she caught McGee's eye from where he stood in the doorway to the kitchen. He shook his head minutely, and she nodded once to show that she'd understood, saying nothing as Gibbs stood, hooking his arm under Jenny's legs as he lifted her from the floor.
A silent understanding passed between all of them as he made his way up the stairs, his whispered words doing little to calm the fear overtaking Jenny's every thought. While it had originally been his plan to get her to talk through whatever had scared her so badly, he could see now that it was useless, her panic making it impossible for her to speak, and as Gibbs laid her on their bed, he kissed her forehead softly.
Making his way into the bathroom, relief washed over him as he realised he still had a few of the Valium Ducky had given him in the aftermath of Matthew's death, and he shook one from the bottle, filling a cup with water before he walked back into the bedroom. Jenny was shaking so violently that he knew there was no way she would ever be able to hold anything, and so he raised her carefully to an upright position, running his fingers over her cheek lightly.
"Jen, I need you to take this, okay? I know you're scared right now, but this will make it better. Can you do that for me?"
She shook her head, trying to speak, and he reached for her hand with the one holding the pill.
"Shh...not now. You can tell me later. Right now, I need you to take this Valium so you can breathe."
Finally, after several panicked breaths, Jenny nodded, and he placed the small pill into her mouth, offering her the water in his other hand. She took a few small sips, just enough to swallow the medication, and as Gibbs helped her to lie back, he kissed her forehead again, running his hand through her hair slowly.
"Easy, Jen...it's okay. I've got you. I promise."
She reached for his hand, holding it tightly as she tried to draw in a breath, and when he felt her grip begin to loosen five minutes later, he knew the Valium was beginning to take hold. As her breathing began to even out and her eyes slipped closed, Gibbs let go of her hand, kissing her once before turning out the light, making his way back to the hallway. He closed the door quietly, feeling more than a little worried, and as soon as they noticed him in the room, Beth and McGee were instantly by his side.
"Is she okay?"
"You still have those bottles?"
Beth nodded, handing the tiny orange bottles to him, and as Gibbs began to read the labels on each one, he frowned in concentration. There was nothing on the first two that would have suggested Jenny would lose consciousness, but as he began reading the third, he swore softly. Beth looked at him as she walked over to where Zelda had begun to cry, and picked her up, shushing her quietly.
"What is it, boss?"
The silver-haired agent didn't answer, instead pulling out his phone, and as he dialed, he reached for his cup of coffee, taking a slow drink, not even noticing it had long ago gone cold.
"Hello?"
"Dr. Lentz, Jethro Gibbs. I need to talk to you about one of my wife's medications."
"Of course, which one?"
He read the name slowly, hoping he hadn't mispronounced it, and shook his head. Why did medical terminology have to be so difficult?
"She's been taking it for about a week now, and she hasn't stopped shaking the entire time. And today, she passed out in the middle of our living room. Should that be happening?"
"Well, elevated heart rate is one of the side effects, and if she's having that severe a reaction, have her try breaking it in half. If the effects still persist, I'll look into other alternatives, and we can discuss them at her session next week. Is she doing okay right now?"
"Asleep."
"Okay. Just keep an eye on her, Jethro, and have those who work with her do the same. If it gets to be too severe, absolutely take her to the emergency room. Is there anything else I can do for you today?"
"No. Thanks."
He hung up, looking at Beth and McGee when he realised he could still feel them watching him. A sudden idea came to him, and he gestured for them both to sit, taking Zelda from Beth and holding her on his lap, tapping the end of her nose lightly.
"What would you think about Zelda staying here for the night?"
McGee frowned.
"With you?"
Gibbs rolled his eyes.
"Problem, McGee?"
"N-no, but...I mean, we'd have to go back to our house and get her blanket, her bottles, diapers, clothes."
"And? You could take the night, just the two of you, maybe go see a movie, go out to dinner. Anything you want."
Though McGee still looked skeptical, Beth smiled, seeming to realise what Gibbs was thinking.
"I think it's a great idea. You guys can spend the entire night playing together, and Aries can get more comfortable around her."
Finally, McGee nodded, and after they'd both been assured that Gibbs would be perfectly fine watching her while Jenny slept upstairs, they climbed into their car to collect the necessary supplies that their daughter would need for an overnight visit.
As he drove back to his apartment, McGee glanced at Beth worriedly, more than a little unwilling to admit that he was nervous. It wasn't as though Zelda hadn't stayed with anyone else before, Beth's parents had kept her a few times, but given what had just taken place, he was slightly wary.
"Do you really think this is a good idea?" he asked suddenly.
Beth smiled.
"Relax, baby. Jethro knows what he's doing, and having Zelda there will be good for Jenny. It'll give her something to calm her down, and you know how much Zelda loves them."
Knowing that Beth would never do anything that would possibly endanger their daughter, McGee nodded, smiling when he felt her place her hand on his knee as he pulled up to a stop sign.
"Besides, we could use a break. I've got something for you that you won't find in any precious computer game."
Hours after Beth and McGee had dropped off their supplies, Gibbs walked up the stairs, cradling his goddaughter in his arms, and when he walked into the bedroom, he stopped slowly. Jenny was sitting up in the bed, pillows behind her for support, and she turned at the sound of the floorboards creaking under his weight.
"Trying to sneak up on me?"
He shook his head.
"Nope. But I do have a surprise for you."
She frowned, shaking her head in confusion.
"What?"
"Hold out your hands."
She did as he asked, and after positioning them in the proper place, he carefully laid Zelda in her arms, and Jenny gasped, leaning down to kiss the baby gently.
"What's—"
"She's ours for the night. I asked Beth and McGee if she could stay. They went back to their place, brought a few overnight things, and here we are."
Jenny couldn't stop herself from smiling as she felt Zelda reach up and take a lock of her hair in her hand, tugging on it experimentally. It wasn't painful, and when she heard the soft laugh from Zelda's lips, she unconsciously tightened her hold on the little girl.
"Jethro, she—she laughed. She's never done that before. Not with us, anyway."
He nodded, moving to sit on the other side of the bed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, pulling them both close. He kissed her hair, smiling at the sound of Zelda's laughter, and when he spoke, he kept his voice soft so as not to disrupt the baby's entertainment.
"Do you remember what happened earlier?"
Jenny thought for a long moment then nodded, her eyes confused as they looked in the direction of the child in her arms.
"Jethro, I...I could have let Zelda get hurt," she whispered, horrified.
Gibbs shook his head, kissing her hair again.
"No, you didn't. You told me to take her. Remember? You were more concerned about her safety than your own. I'm not worried about that. I know what caused you to pass out. I'm more concerned about the nightmare you had. What happened? You were screaming, panicked...I had to give you a Valium so you would be able to breathe."
Jenny shook her head slowly.
"I don't...I don't remember."
Though he wasn't entirely sure he believed her, Gibbs nodded, smoothing his hand over her hair, and as Zelda began to fall asleep in Jenny's arms, she snuggled closer to the redhead, making a genuine smile come over her face.
"Jethro, I think Z wants a bedtime story."
He looked at her, trying to determine if she were serious, and he nodded as he realised she wasn't asking for the baby's benefit.
"Okay...let me think."
Jenny moved closer to his warmth, resting her head on his shoulder, and as he began speaking, he pulled the blanket at the foot of the bed up, wrapping it around all of them. For one glorious moment, he knew what true happiness felt like, and as Jenny lightly ran her fingers over Zelda's cheek, he smiled.
"Once upon a time..."
Dr. Lentz's eyes never left Jenny as she finished describing the nightmare she'd had the previous week, and when he noticed that she was shivering, he frowned.
"Would you like a blanket, Jenny? I know it's a bit cold, and—"
"No, thank you. I—Dr. Lentz, I lied to Jethro about the dream. I told him I didn't remember what it was. I wasn't...I just...I couldn't handle reliving it again. It was bad enough telling you. Does this mean I'm crazy? Well, crazier?"
He shook his head, smiling as he wrote, and when he looked at her again, he noticed she was now twisting her hands in her lap.
"Not at all, Jenny. It's natural to want to avoid the things that frighten us. Even if they're a product of our own mind."
"It...it wasn't all bad, though. I could see Zelda. Even if it wasn't real, I could see her and Jethro, and...that almost made it worth it."
Dr. Lentz nodded, looking at her sadly.
"You've lost so much in the past year, Jenny. I'm sure it's occurred to you that the anniversary of the accident wasn't long ago, and that might be playing a part in the fear you're feeling now. You're wondering what else you might lose, in addition to your vision and your child. But you can't let those thoughts dominate your life. Eventually, you'll reach a point where you completely burn out, and I don't think I need to tell you the potential consequences of that."
She nodded, still nervously twisting her hands, and as he moved closer to his desk, he noticed she was turning the wedding band on her finger in circles.
"Jenny?"
"Hm?"
"You mentioned that Zelda stayed the night last week. How did that go?"
Jenny smiled.
"It was great. She laughed for the first time around us, and she slept in my arms almost the entire night. It was...I think it's the happiest Jethro's been in a really long time. He just sounded so much...I could hear it in his voice. It was the best thing I've ever heard. I just wish I could...I can't..."
She stopped, the shaking in her body returning as she sat in the cold office, and Dr. Lentz stood, pulling a blanket from the bottom drawer of his desk. He wrapped it around her shoulders gently, smiling as he walked back to the other side of his desk.
"You can't what?" he asked, waiting for her to continue.
Taking a deep breath, Jenny tried to collect her thoughts, and when she felt that familiar tightening in her chest, she gripped the blanket more tightly around her shoulders.
"Jenny?"
Dr. Lentz knew he had to tread carefully, and when she began to speak, her words came out in a rush.
"What if he's never that happy again? What if he resents me for not wanting another baby? If I can't do that, he's going to get tired of being with me, and—"
"Jenny, you need to slow down, okay?"
"I just know he's going to leave, and then I'll—"
"Jenny, take a breath."
"Oh, God...what if he decides that—"
"Jenny! Stop. Breathe, okay?"
She shook her head, trying to keep her racing thoughts under control, and when her breath began to catch in her throat, Dr. Lentz stood from his desk, walking around to kneel in front of her. He didn't dare touch her, with the exception of alerting her to his closeness, and when she stood from the chair, beginning to pace around the room, he frowned.
"Jenny, you need to sit down. You could run into something, and—"
"I can't. Don't you understand that? I need to make the thoughts stop, they're spinning everywhere, and I can't—it's too loud."
He deliberately placed himself in her path, stopping her with his hands on her shoulders, and he frowned at the violent shaking of her body.
"Jenny...please, come sit down."
He led her back to the chair, and when she finally agreed to sit, he released her, walking around to the other side of his desk.
"Has this been happening often? The panicked, racing thoughts?"
She nodded.
"Constantly," her voice was still slightly shaking, "I can't focus. Can't get anything done."
Dr. Lentz looked at her seriously, and after a moment of careful thinking, nodded once.
"Okay. What I'm going to do is prescribe a light anti-anxiety medication in addition to the one you're already taking. You only need to take this one at the onset of a panic attack, so hopefully it will be enough to take a little of the edge off. Can you remember that?"
Though the redhead nodded, Dr. Lentz still wrote the directions down on a piece of paper, handing it to her carefully.
"Put that somewhere safe and give it to Jethro when you get home. I don't want to take any chances."
It was with great misgivings that the doctor allowed her to leave fifteen minutes later when their session ended, and he sent up a silent prayer that she would remember to give the instructions to her husband. Or anyone, really, that would be able to help calm her when her anxiety threatened to overtake her life.
As much as she didn't want to, Heather Shepard needed to talk to her sister. Desperately. Though she knew her relationship with their mother was strained at best, the younger woman felt that she deserved to at least be aware of the fact that she was currently in a hospital, and as she picked up her phone, her hands were shaking so badly that she almost called Gibbs by mistake. Not that she supposed it would really matter. While she waited anxiously for the phone to ring, Miranda walked up behind her, wrapping her arms around her waist, and the light kiss she gave her was enough to make her smile as her sister's voice came on the line.
"Shepard."
"Hey, Jenny. How's your day going?"
"Not too bad. It's kind of a slow day here at the office, so I've basically been annoying my husband all day."
Heather laughed, shaking her head.
"That sounds fun. What's Aries been up to?"
"Right now, he's sleeping on top of my feet under my desk. I would say it's adorable, but since I can't see him, it's just an educated guess. How's your day? How's Miranda?"
"Good. She's fine. We were just about to leave for our meeting. I...Jenny, I have something to tell you, but I don't want you to get upset."
"You didn't burn the house down, did you? I've seen you try to make toast."
Heather rolled her eyes.
"No. I didn't burn anything down...Jenny, Morgan's in the hospital. The nurse called me this morning. I know how you feel about her, but—"
"That woman tried to murder me, she abused both of us at every chance she had, and she told me that losing my baby was a good thing. You have no idea how I feel about her," Jenny said, her voice cold.
"I know...and I'm not saying she deserves your sympathy or that you have to even care, but I did think you deserved to know. I'm not planning on visiting her, and I know you aren't either, but just in case something were to happen...I didn't want it to shock you."
Heather could practically see Jenny thinking on the other end of the line, and when her voice came back on, it was decidedly warmer than it had been previously.
"I appreciate that. Really, you didn't have to do that, and it means a lot. Thanks."
"No problem. Have a good day, and give Aries a kiss for me."
Jenny laughed.
"I will. Love you."
"Love you, too."
As Heather hung up the phone, Miranda returned from the kitchen, jacket held over her arm, and gave her a concerned look.
"How did she take it?"
"Fine, once I explained that I wasn't trying to get sympathy for our bitch of a mother."
Miranda nodded.
"Well, after everything you've told me about her, I don't think she deserves sympathy. Especially not from the daughters that she abused for a large portion of their lives."
Deciding that her girlfriend made a rather good point, Heather nodded, kissing her as she pulled her towards the door.
"Come on. The sooner we get this meeting over with, the sooner we can come back here and go upstairs."
It was, in Miranda's opinion, a very convincing argument.
As soon as Jenny had hung up her phone, Gibbs walked into her office, smirking when she rolled her eyes at the sound of her door hitting the wall behind it.
"Jethro, would it kill you to knock?"
"Probably. And don't lie: you love it."
She laughed, reaching for her cup of coffee, and when she misjudged the distance, her fingers knocking into the Styrofoam cup, she swore as the drink spilled over her desk. Not wanting her to burn herself on the scalding liquid, Gibbs pulled her chair back, careful not to hit Aries, pressing the intercom on her desk.
"Cynthia, could you bring a towel to the Director's office?"
"Right away."
The door opened less than five minutes later, and as the young woman entered, she frowned at the coffee covering her boss' desk.
"Is everything okay?"
Jenny nodded.
"Other than my being in drastic need of a new cup of coffee, yes. Cynthia, would you please bring me a new one?"
"Of course. You didn't burn yourself, did you? I can call Doctor Mallard, if—"
"No, Cynthia. I'm fine. Thank you."
Jenny gave her a smile, and as Gibbs set about cleaning up the spilled coffee, he looked at her seriously.
"Other than this, how's your day going?"
She shrugged.
"Not bad, I suppose. Aries has been keeping my feet warm all morning, so that's a positive. Heather called to tell me that Morgan is in the hospital, so that's a negative, but annoying you seems to balance it out."
"Wait. Back up, Jen. Your mother is in the hospital? Why?"
Jenny shook her head, her eyes cold.
"I don't know. I didn't ask, and I don't care enough to find out. That woman isn't my mother. She's nothing to me."
Gibbs nodded, but still frowned, his eyes watching her closely. She seemed sincere enough in her anger, and he smiled when Aries placed his front paws on her leg, his tail wagging as he vied for her attention. Jenny ran her hand over his head, leaning down to give him a kiss on the top of his head, smiling when he licked the end of her nose.
"So, you're not going to call and check on how she's doing?"
She shook her head, thanking Cynthia as she returned with her coffee, taking a careful sip.
"No. I've had enough drama with that woman to last a lifetime. I believe in peace, bitch."
Gibbs laughed, looking at her in amusement.
"Did you just call me a bitch?"
"Damn straight."
He moved closer, taking care not to step on Aries, and as he kissed her, he reached for her coffee, pulling it from her hand and taking a drink before she had time to protest.
"Jethro!"
"Who's a bitch now?"
Jenny laughed, rolling her eyes as he set the cup down on her desk, and when he pulled her up from the chair, she landed in his arms with a smile. She laid her head on his chest, closing her eyes when she felt his lips in her hair, and when his phone rang a few moments later, he sighed, shaking his head.
"Yeah. Gibbs."
"Boss, you might want to come down here before Ziva ends up killing Tony."
He frowned.
"What?"
"Well, he sort of...rigged the drawer in her desk and...I can't really explain it. You'll want to see it for yourself."
"On my way," he replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
Jenny gave him a kiss before waving him from her office, sitting back down in her chair for only a split second before walking to the door, her steps quick in an effort to catch up with him. He turned at the sound of her heels on the floor, and when he gave her a confused look, she could feel it even without her sight.
"You didn't think I would miss this, did you?"
"How are you going to know what's going on?"
She smiled as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"You're going to tell me."
He laughed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they walked down the steps, Gibbs pretending that he didn't notice the eyes of several people following their every move. As they reached the squad room, it took everything Gibbs possessed not to laugh at the sight in front of him, and he leaned down to Jenny, his voice low enough that only she could hear.
"Damn, I wish you could see this."
It was exactly something he would have expected of the Senior Field Agent, who was sitting behind his desk looking quite pleased with himself, unconcerned with the mess he'd made. Ziva David, covered from head to toe in sparkling glitter, looked as though she was indeed planning her partner's murder, and Gibbs forced the laughter to stay out of his voice as he spoke.
"What the hell happened here?"
Ziva glared at Tony, shaking in her anger, and McGee merely stood by his own desk, waiting to see how this would unfold.
"Tony put a glitter cannon in my desk drawer," she spat.
"She means a glitter bomb," McGee clarified.
Tony shrugged.
"You've been having a bad week. I thought I'd try to make your day a little brighter. This is the thanks I get for being considerate?"
"I'll be considerate when I slit your throat," Ziva threatened him coldly.
Every move she made caused glitter to fall to the floor, making Tony laugh harder, and even Jenny could feel the beginnings of a smile on her own face as she imagined what the Israeli must look like.
"Ziva, go try to get that washed off. DiNozzo, I expect this area to be spotless by the time you leave today," Gibbs ordered, still fighting his smile.
As Tony grumbled in protest, Ziva nodded, grabbing her bag as she headed for the elevator. Not even breaking her stride, she shoved Tony head-first onto the floor into the pile of glitter, glaring at him over her shoulder as his surprised yell fell from his mouth.
"Come on, Zee-vah! Lighten up!"
Everyone seemed to be watching the redhead, waiting for her reaction, and when she finally spoke, even Jenny herself was surprised at how steady her voice sounded.
"What colour is the glitter?"
"Blue and gold," McGee answered.
Jenny nodded, turning on her heel and inclining her head towards the stairs.
"Jethro, can we continue our previously abandoned conversation in my office?"
"Yes, ma'am."
As they made their way back up the stairs, Gibbs was still fighting the urge to smile, and when Jenny stopped at the top of the catwalk, she turned, looking in the direction of the squad room.
"Next time, use pink glitter, DiNozzo," she called.
Gibbs threw his arm around her, leading her to her office, unable to keep himself from laughing as they passed Cynthia's desk. She gave them both a confused look as Jenny opened her door, and as soon as it had closed behind them, the redhead dissolved into laughter, sinking onto her couch next to Aries.
"I love you so damn much, Jen."
Her smile was all the answer he needed.
A/N: Love it? Hate it? Indifferent? Let me know!