A/N: Quite a lot happens in this one, so I hope you're ready! Happy Saturday, everyone! Hope you enjoy!
"Do I look okay?"
The question was soft, a mere whisper, but as he glanced to his left to answer it, Anthony DiNozzo fought the urge to laugh. It was utterly ridiculous that she'd ever looked anything less than stunning in the presence of others, and he smiled as he hooked her arm through his.
"You look beautiful, Jenny," he answered honestly.
Though the day was hardly about either of them, the redhead breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted was to embarrass Beth or McGee on their wedding day, and she gave Tony a smile as they waited for their cue to begin walking. As the music began, Tony leaned closer to kiss her cheek, his voice warm as he whispered his next words.
"If you fall, just blame me. I'll even try to make it look believable."
Jenny smiled, trying not to laugh as they began walking down the aisle, and though Tony had given her a way out, they made it to their destination without incident. Jenny could hear the quiet murmuring around them, and when it grew suddenly silent, she knew without a doubt that Beth had made her appearance. The redhead didn't need her eyesight to know that she looked absolutely stunning, but that didn't mean she wished for it all the same.
While Jenny couldn't see Beth, McGee certainly could, and he took a slow deep breath in an attempt to control the shaking in his hands. He didn't think he'd ever been so nervous in his entire life, and even if he'd tried, he couldn't have torn his eyes away from her. The dress she wore was simple, knee-length white lace fabric accented by beading at the neckline and outer edges of the skirt, her shoes had been borrowed from Jenny Shepard, a modest ivory heel that he would have never expected she would own, and her thin lace veil rested delicately on her long hair, glittering in the setting sun.
They began reciting their vows, and just as McGee was pledging his loyalty to his future bride, Jenny heard the unmistakable sound of someone whispering in mortification, and when she realized what was happening, she smiled. Zelda, mesmerized by the ceremony, had managed to escape her grandmother's grasp, and was swiftly crawling towards her mother, tugging on the fabric of her dress as soon as she was near enough.
Beth glanced down at her, bending to lift her into her arms, and as she kissed her daughter's cheek, she smiled. She held her as long as she possibly could, turning to Jenny when the pastor asked for the wedding rings, and smiled again.
"Jenny, could you…?"
"Of course."
She took the baby, kissing her hair gently, and speaking quietly as they continued with the ceremony.
"You can just stay here with me, Z."
She could hear Sarah McGee laughing quietly next to her, and Jenny carefully balanced the baby on her hip, smiling when she felt Zelda wrap her hand around her finger. She could feel someone watching her, more intently than anyone else, and she kissed Zelda's hair as she realized she knew exactly whose eyes were locked on her. It took everything in her power to keep from rolling her eyes at him, and she knew that he was infuriatingly aware of that fact, that he knew exactly how much his gaze affected her.
It didn't take long for the rest of the ceremony to pass, and as Beth and McGee shared their first kiss as husband and wife, Jenny couldn't stop the tears from filling her eyes. They made their way back down the aisle, Beth pausing to kiss Zelda on her walk past, and as the rest of wedding party dispersed, Jenny felt a hand at her lower back, supporting her as she carried Zelda back to her grandmother.
"You look stunning," Gibbs whispered.
"Do I?" Jenny asked, raising her eyebrow as she handed Zelda off.
"Well, yeah," he answered as though it were obvious, "Have you seen yourself?"
"Not recently," she reminded him with a laugh, "Blind, remember?"
She allowed him to lead her to a table near the back corner of the room, and as they walked, she glanced in his direction.
"Speaking of which…how did she look?"
Gibbs smiled, wrapping his arm around her as he held out her chair.
"Like a princess. I've never seen her look so happy. McGee, too. Hell, even DiNozzo cleans up nice."
Jenny laughed, shaking her head as she remembered what he'd said to her as they'd prepared to walk down the aisle.
"He offered to take the blame if I fell today."
Gibbs smiled as he glanced at the younger agent, touched by the gesture. It never failed to amaze him just how far the members of his team were willing to go for one another, and he reached for Jenny's hand as Heather and Miranda made their way to their table.
"Jenny, you look so pretty!" Heather exclaimed, "And damn, Jethro, you look pretty freaking sexy yourself."
Miranda laughed, offering to get Jenny a glass of champagne, and when she hesitated, Gibbs kissed her hand softly.
"It's a wedding, Jen. Celebrate a little."
Finally, she nodded, and when the younger woman returned a moment later, Jenny began to laugh as a thought occurred to her.
"Miranda, you have red hair, right?"
Miranda nodded, confused.
"Strawberry blonde, yeah. Why?"
"Just thinking….my husband is known for his attraction to redheads. He's married five of them. Now, he's sitting at a table surrounded by them."
Gibbs rolled his eyes, shaking his head as Heather burst into laughter, glaring at his wife regardless of the fact that she couldn't see him.
"Jethro, stop looking at me like that."
He frowned.
"How—"
Jenny smiled, taking a drink of her champagne.
"I told you, your glares and eye rolls are audible."
She completely deserved the head slap, to be honest. Jumping slightly when Beth hugged her suddenly from behind, she bit down on her lip to stop herself from screaming, and forced a smile on her face as she turned.
"Jenny! Thank you so much for everything! You have no idea how much this means to me."
"I'm honoured to be part of it. Congratulations. You're both going to be so happy, and I can't wait to see what amazing things you accomplish together."
Beth hugged her again, and as she made her way around the room, Gibbs glanced at Jenny, leaning close enough that she could feel his breath on her skin.
"Hey, Jen."
"Yes?"
"Dance with me."
Staring in his direction as though he'd gone insane, Jenny shook her head, an almost perfect look of confusion on her face.
"Jethro, we didn't even dance when we got married," she reminded him.
He nodded.
"I know. Which is why I'm asking you now."
Finally, after considering his request, Jenny nodded, saying nothing as he pulled her to her feet and onto the dance floor, holding her as close to his body as he possibly could. The scent of her perfume lingered on her skin, interwoven with the strands of her hair, and Gibbs smiled as he took a slow breath to memorize it. The song was slow, the perfect excuse to hold her in his arms, and when she laid her head on his chest, he lightly touched her cheek, his fingertips ghosting over her skin.
"This dress is a great color on you. Pale green, a little glittery for my tastes, but I bet Ziva loves it. It brings out your eyes."
The mention of the glitter bomb Tony had placed in Ziva's desk made Jenny laugh quietly, shaking her head as she raised her eyes in his direction.
"How glittery are we talking? I don't look like a stripper, do I?"
Gibbs laughed, shaking his head as he spun her around the room.
"No. You look beautiful."
Jenny smiled as he held her closer, resting her head on his chest, and as he glanced up, Gibbs caught the eye of McGee as he held his bride in his arms, nodding once. McGee gave him a smile, and returned the gesture before leaning down to kiss Beth as they danced. The song came to an end, and as Gibbs and Jenny returned to their table, McGee picked up Zelda, dancing with her as the next song began. It was such an endearing sight that Gibbs suddenly found his eyes burning, and he looked at Jenny, leaning close as she reached for her drink.
"Oh, Jen, I wish you could see this."
She frowned.
"What is it?"
"McGee dancing with Zelda."
Smiling sadly, Jenny took a slow drink of her champagne.
"I bet it's the most precious thing in the world."
He nodded, reaching for her hand and kissing it gently.
"It really is, Jen. It really is."
One of the best things about taking care of a baby, in Jenny's opinion, was the way Zelda curled up in her lap while she was sleeping. Her tiny hands curled around the redhead's shirt as she snuggled closer to her warmth, and though her arm had fallen asleep nearly an hour ago, Jenny didn't have the heart to move, too wrapped up in her emotions to wake the child. Gibbs walked into the living room, smiling at the sight, and while it was undoubtedly the most beautiful thing he'd seen in years, he felt that familiar feeling of sadness that always tugged at his heart when he saw his wife holding Zelda.
It reminded him of all they'd lost, of the heartbroken look in Jenny's eyes, the desperate way she'd begged him to let go as he'd pulled her from the hospital room, and ultimately the haunted emptiness that had lingered in her every breath the morning of the funeral. She must have heard him step into the room, because she glanced in his direction, shaking her head slowly.
"Shh...she's asleep."
"How long has she been down?" he whispered.
"About an hour and a half," she answered quietly, running her free hand over Zelda's cheek gently, "Long enough for me to not be able to feel my arm anymore."
He laughed softly, shaking his head, and as he was opening his mouth to ask her if he could get her anything, the low vibration of Jenny's phone made her roll her eyes.
"Will you answer that, please?"
Gibbs nodded, reaching to pick up the phone, and as he answered it, he kept his voice as low as he possibly could, not wanting to face Jenny's wrath if he woke the baby sleeping in her arms.
"Yeah. Gibbs."
"Jethro? Where's Jenny? I need to talk to her."
"She's holding the baby. What's going on?"
"I need to talk to Jenny. Please. Give her the phone."
He handed Jenny the phone, her eyes conveying her confusion more than her words ever could, and he shrugged.
"Miranda. She sounds pretty upset. Think you should take it."
Indeed, the younger woman's voice had been verging on hysteria, and as she nodded, Jenny carefully handed Zelda to him, breathing a sigh of relief when the baby didn't wake.
"Miranda, what's wrong?"
"Jenny, thank God. You have to come to the house. Your mother is here, and she keeps banging on the front door. Heather's trying to get her to leave now, but she's been here for over twenty minutes. Please, Jenny...I don't know what to do, and Heather's so scared that—"
"I'm on my way. Whatever you do, do not open that door until I get there. Do you understand?"
"We won't. I promise."
She hung up the phone, standing quickly, and as Gibbs gave her a worried look, she searched for her shoes, slipping them on so easily that he felt a wave of pride sweep over him.
"We have to go. My crazy bitch of a mother is at the house. Miranda's never dealt with her, and I don't know how well Heather can hold her own. Even I can hardly do that."
Gibbs nodded, but when she walked past him, he grabbed her arm, halting her steps.
"If this goes bad, we're calling the police."
Jenny's eyes were hard as she nodded, and she pointed to the stairs sternly.
"Aries, you go upstairs and get in your bed. Mommy and Daddy will be back soon."
The little dog dutifully went up the steps, and Gibbs handed Zelda back to Jenny as they made their way to the door.
"You can do this, Jen."
"It's not me I'm worried about," she replied honestly.
All things considered, Gibbs thought she made a very good point.
Jenny unconsciously tightened her grip on Zelda as she walked up to her house, taking a slight comfort when she felt the baby tug on her hair lightly. She frowned when she didn't hear anything coming from the porch in front of her, and Gibbs leaned down to whisper in her ear as they walked up the steps.
"She's watching from a few doors down. Car's parked at the end of the street."
Jenny said nothing, but acknowledged his words with a gentle squeeze of his hand, and when she opened the door with the key she kept on her key-ring, she kept her voice carefully light.
"Heather? Miranda? Can we come in?"
Heather launched herself at Jenny as soon as the door closed behind them, and kissed her cheek, placing a soft one on Zelda's cheek as well.
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you. Is she still out there?"
Gibbs nodded.
"She'll probably be back in a few minutes."
They made light conversation, each one waiting to hear anything from the outside, and when Jenny suddenly tensed, Gibbs immediately looked towards the door. He knew, just from her body language, that Morgan Shepard was on the other side of the door, and when the loud knocking broke their quiet words, he shook his head.
"That didn't take long."
Jenny stood, ignoring Gibbs' attempt to stop her, and when she opened the heavy oak door, she shifted Zelda to her other arm, holding her protectively.
"What do you want?" she asked coldly.
"What a beautiful little girl, Jennifer," Morgan said, ignoring her question, "That was fast. Didn't spare much thought for the one you let die, did you?"
Jenny glared at her, not caring for a moment that she couldn't see her, and when she felt Gibbs come to stand behind her, his hand on her lower back, she shook her head.
"I'll only ask once more. What do you want?"
"I'm simply wondering why neither of my daughters could be bothered to visit their mother in the hospital. I guess you I can understand, seeing your little one. What's her name? She's got her father's eyes."
Turning to face her husband, Jenny smiled in a way that did nothing to calm his unease, and took a step closer to him.
"Jethro, would you take the baby upstairs? Please?"
Her voice was so sweet, so carefully crafted that he didn't doubt for a moment that she had a plan, and he nodded, taking Zelda from her arms.
"Sure. Let's go, princess, Time for you to eat, anyway."
It didn't escape his notice that Jenny never once answered a single question about Zelda, and he smiled at her fiercely protective nature. She'd refused to give her mother any information that could potentially lead to the older woman finding the baby later, and he kissed her cheek once before disappearing up the stairs. Jenny took another step back, knowing this wouldn't be easy, nothing involving Morgan Shepard ever was, and when the blonde forced her way into the house, the eldest redhead made no move to stop her.
Heather frowned when she realised Jenny had deliberately allowed her in, and though she was confused, she didn't question it. She trusted her sister's judgment, and when Jenny spoke again, there was no disguising the hatred in her voice.
"Do you have some reason for forcing your way into Heather's house?"
"Heather's house?" Morgan repeated, "Your father didn't—"
"Dad left this house to me, and I've given it to Heather. I don't need it. Jethro and I have one of our own. You know, like happily married couples do. The kind that don't fuck around with their husband's friends."
"Watch your tone, Jennifer. And since when did you get married? I wasn't invited to the wedding."
Jenny rolled her eyes.
"Why? Why do you suddenly want to force your company on us? Are you dying? Do you need money? Because I will gladly pay you at least a thousand dollars if I never have to hear from you again."
"That's no way to speak to your mother."
"You're not our mother," Heather said suddenly, walking to stand next to Jenny, "You used to beat the shit out of Jenny, and even me when you got tired of hurting her. You're the most pathetic excuse of a person I've ever—"
Hot tears filled her eyes as her head flew back, and Jenny's fury, which had only been simmering under the surface, boiled over, flaring up as she took a step forward. It turned out to be unnecessary, and Miranda shoved Heather behind her, her eyes flashing dangerously as she glared at the blonde.
"Back the fuck up, bitch," she snapped, "If you ever lay a hand on her again, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
"And you are?" Morgan asked rudely.
"She's my girlfriend," Heather answered, "and you need to leave. Now."
Morgan looked between the two, and a disgusted look came across her face as she shook her head slowly.
"My daughter is a lesbian? I think not. I didn't raise you to behave this way."
"You're right," Jenny said, her voice shaking, "You didn't raise us. And if I could see you, I'd choke the life out of you myself."
Her mother frowned, confused.
"What are you talking about?"
"Jenny's blind, you idiot. And she's still a million times the mother than you could ever hope to be. When are you going to realise that we don't need you? We never have, and we sure as hell don't want you. And my girlfriend is the best person I've ever known except Jenny and Jethro. They've all been there for me when you would have let me die. As far as I'm concerned, you can get out of my house and never come back."
Jenny had never been more proud of her sister, and Miranda reached for her hand as she stood shaking in front of her.
"You're blind, Jennifer? How?"
"Like you even care," Jenny snapped, shaking her head, listening closely as she heard Gibbs' footsteps on the stairs.
He appeared in the room seconds later, and when he noticed the reddened skin of Heather's cheek, he frowned.
"Everything okay here?"
"Everything's fine," Jenny answered, her voice taking on that honey-sweet tone again, "Heather was just telling our dear mother how she feels."
"You don't mean all that, Heather," Morgan began, "I took care of you when you lived in Chicago, and—"
"Took care of me?" Heather repeated incredulously, "You gave me cocaine and turned your back on me any time I asked for help."
Morgan laughed, shaking her head.
"I gave you life. The least you can do is loan me a few dollars until I—"
"I knew it," Heather whispered, "I knew you wanted something. Jenny was right, you never checked on us unless you needed money."
As they continued arguing, Jenny reached for Gibbs' hand when he came to stand next to her, and moved her fingers slowly against his palm. He frowned when he realised she was signing into his hand, and as he kissed her cheek, he let his mouth linger near her ear.
"You got it, Jen," he whispered.
Excusing himself to the kitchen under the pretense of getting a glass of water, Gibbs waited until he was certain he was out of sight before pulling out his phone.
"911, what is your emergency?"
"I'd like to report a trespasser and domestic violence."
"What's the address, sir?"
As he answered the dispatcher, he kept a watchful eye on the doorway, praying none of the women decided to enter the room. He hung up less than a minute later, returning to the room and as he took Jenny's hand, he began signing discreetly.
Police are on their way. Just keep her talking for about ten minutes.
She nodded imperceptibly, and when Morgan spoke again, her words made Jenny freeze.
"Aren't you at least going to introduce me to my granddaughter, Jennifer?"
"She is not your granddaughter," Jenny snapped.
That was at least the truth no matter the situation, and when the older woman shook her head, Jenny frowned at her laughter.
"Nonsense. You can't keep her from me, Jennifer. I have the right to see her."
"Like hell you do," Jenny whispered, "Stay the hell away from her."
Morgan Shepard began walking towards the stairs, and before any of the women had time to react, Gibbs had grabbed her by the arm, yanking her back, and pinning her to the wall, his face inches from hers as his bright blue eyes bore into hers. They were Jenny's eyes, so similar that it was almost impossible to distinguish them, but there was something in hers that he'd never seen in his wife's. It was this coldness that reminded him just who he was dealing with, and he shook his head once.
"If you even think about getting near that baby, I'll break your damn neck," he growled, "Do you understand me?"
He had never laid his hands on a woman in anger, and it was taking every ounce of his self control to keep from doing so now. He flinched slightly when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and when he turned, he found himself looking at another pair of emerald green eyes, though these were softer, warmer.
"Jethro," her voice was soft, almost unbearably gentle, "let her go."
He frowned, but when he met those impossibly green eyes, his wife's eyes, he knew she was right. Nodding slowly, he released his hold, not even sparing Morgan Shepard a glance as she moved away from him. He couldn't stop looking at Jenny's eyes, needing to ground himself, and when he heard the sound of approaching sirens, he turned to glance at his mother-in-law.
"Looks like your ride is here."
She glared at him.
"What?"
The loud knocking at the door made her jump, and when Gibbs opened it, the officer gave him a serious look.
"We received a call about a trespasser and a domestic violence situation, sir."
He nodded.
"She's right there."
As he pointed to Morgan Shepard, she shook her head angrily, glaring at all of them.
"I'm not trespassing! This house belongs to my daughter. Heather, Jennifer, tell him."
Heather shook her head, deliberately allowing her hair to fall back to reveal the still-red area of her cheek.
"You're not my mother. You slapped the hell out of me, and I want you out of my house."
The officer grabbed her by the arm, ignoring her protests as he looked at Heather, eyeing the mark on her skin intently.
"Ma'am, would you like to also press assault charges?"
"Yes," Heather answered without hesitation, "No question."
"Heather, you can't do this! I'm your mother!"
The younger woman shook her head, her eyes cold.
"You haven't been my mother since the day you tried to kill Jenny. Get out, and don't ever come back."
Morgan Shepard was pulled from the house as the officer read her rights, and as soon as Gibbs had closed the door behind him, Jenny threw her arms around her sister, kissing her cheek hard.
"I am so, so proud of you, Heather. You did it. You stood up to her, and told her to fuck off."
"You did great, darling," Miranda added, hugging both of them gently.
"Me? What about you? Baby, you were a total badass. But...there's still one thing I don't understand."
"What?" Miranda asked.
"How did the cops know to show up? I didn't call them."
Gibbs nodded at his wife, the pride in his eyes so strong that it was almost palpable.
"Jen. When I came back downstairs, she grabbed my hand and told me to call. Signed it into my hand. Called as soon as I went to the kitchen."
"That's why you let her in," Heather realised, "You planned it. You wanted her inside the house."
Jenny nodded.
"I knew she wouldn't be able to refuse, and once she was in the house, it was a clear-cut case of trespassing."
Gibbs pulled her into his arms, kissing her gently, running his fingers through her hair.
"You're brilliant, Jen."
Heather had to admit, he was right, a smile playing across her lips as Miranda hugged her again.
Late that night, hours after Zelda had gone down for the night, Gibbs walked up into the bedroom, smiling when he saw Jenny sitting on the bed, running her hand gently over Aries' ears, occasionally leaning down to kiss the top of his head. She glanced up at the sound of the door closing, and when he whistled for Aries to get in his own bed, she smiled as he did as he was told.
"He's learning so much."
Gibbs nodded.
"Smarter than I gave him credit for. And he loves you, so that's a plus."
He moved to lay next to her in the bed, pulling her closer, and when he kissed her, she frowned slightly. Something was different about his kiss, but she couldn't put her finger on it, and when she pulled away, she shook her head.
"Jethro, what's—"
"Look at me."
Her confusion intensified.
"You know I can't see y—"
"General direction. Please."
Thoroughly confused now, she raised her eyes to his, and as he looked into them, he unconsciously held her closer.
"Jethro, is something wrong?"
He kissed her again, ignoring her question, and pushed her back onto the mattress, slipping his hand under the long satin nightgown she wore. She tried to lose herself in the feeling, the touch of his fingers, which was normally enough for her to forget everything else, but it was no use. She could feel the desperation in his movements, in his very breath, and she gently pushed his shoulder, tearing her lips away from his.
"Jethro, wait. Something is bothering you. I can feel it. I can taste it. Talk to me."
He was silent for a long moment, still holding her against his chest, and she reached up to frame his face with her hand.
"Please."
Nodding, Gibbs knew he had no choice now, could never refuse her anything when she said "please", and he sighed.
"You have your mother's eyes."
She frowned.
"And?"
"I pinned her up against that wall today, and...Jen, all I could see was you. Your eyes. But hers...hers were so cold, so heartless...so cruel. I'm...I'm having trouble separating them now. I look at your eyes, and see her."
Jenny shook her head sadly, running her hand through his hair slowly, feeling both an anger that threatened to consume her, and a sadness that threatened to destroy her.
"Don't let her win," she whispered, "Don't let that bitch in your head. She doesn't deserve a single thought from you. You're so much better than her."
Gibbs looked at her, met her eyes evenly, and he saw the pain that always lingered there, but more than that, stronger than anything else, he saw love, warm and gentle, something Morgan Shepard had never been. He kissed her again, and this time, she let him, pulling him closer as he again ran his fingers over her skin. His tongue found hers easily, exploring every corner of her mouth, and when her hands slid underneath his shirt, he whispered her name, running his hands over her body slowly.
She shivered as he slid the satin down her legs, though she couldn't have said whether it was from cold or emotion, and when he tossed his own clothing onto the floor, she bit down on her lip to stay quiet, remembering just in time that Zelda was sleeping in the next room. He wasted no time in entering her, slightly painful but in the best way, making her breath catch in her throat as his hips met hers. It took everything she had to keep from making any kind of noise, and he smirked as he realised what she was doing.
Grazing his teeth over her skin slowly, with just enough pressure to leave her desperate for more, Gibbs moved faster, trying ignore the emotions he could feel building each time he looked into her eyes. His rhythm changed, and Jenny reached for his hand, opening her eyes as she brought her lips to his throat.
"Look at me, Jethro," she said quietly, "Look in my eyes."
He did as she asked, and though she couldn't see him, she knew his eyes were locked onto hers, and she ran her hand over his arm.
"I'm not her," she whispered, "Don't you dare let her fuck this up."
She kissed him hard, holding onto his shoulder tightly, and looked at him seriously as she pulled back.
"I love you so much. Please remember that."
He nodded, kissing her again, and as he began moving once more, he reached for her hand, holding it securely in his own.
"I love you, Jen."
In spite of the way the day had began, Gibbs thought it was a damn good way to end it.
Frowning as her phone rang, Jenny answered it slowly, wondering who could possibly be calling her so early when everyone at the office knew she'd taken time off to watch Zelda for Beth and McGee.
"Shepard."
"Ms. Shepard, this is Dr. Rinaldi's office. Is there any way you would be able to come in today for a follow-up appointment? It's a rather important matter he would like to discuss with you."
Jenny immediately felt her heart begin to race, and struggled to keep her voice calm as she spoke again.
"Of course. What time?"
"8:30 is his earliest opening."
As Jenny accepted the appointment, she tried to control the shaking in her hands. What in the world was going on here?
"Good morning, Jenny. I'm sorry to spring this on you with such short notice, but I wanted to make you aware of it as soon as possible. I've come across a surgeon who recently moved to the area that specialises in reversing the effects of traumatic optic neuropathy, and I wanted to bring you in to discuss your options. Given the nature of the accident that caused your loss of vision, it's entirely possible that this could be fixed with surgery, and if that's something you're interested in—"
"How soon could it be done?"
"I could schedule an appointment as early as tomorrow morning if you want. I understand if you'd need to discuss this with your husband, and you can certainly take that time to think it over—"
She shook her head, effectively stopping his words.
"I want to do it. No discussion needed."
"There are things you need to be aware of, Jenny. You'll likely lose your peripheral vision and depth perception, so you'd need to be very careful when doing certain activities like driving. And for the first few weeks after the surgery, you absolutely cannot strain your eyes, so you'd need to take it slow. If you experience a headache, that's your warning to stop reading. Don't push through it. You could cause damage if you do. Okay?"
She nodded, still hardly able to believe what she was hearing. She gave Dr. Rinaldi a smile, and as he led her from the office, she couldn't stop smiling.
The first thing Jennifer Shepard-Gibbs was aware of when she woke was a slight pain behind her eyes, but she quickly dismissed it. Though she was beyond excited to see if the surgery had worked, she couldn't deny that there was still a lingering fear underneath that excitement. What if had failed? True, she wouldn't be any worse off than she had been before, but it was too depressing to consider. Ripping away that hope would be a devastating blow, and she buried it deep inside as she took a deep breath, opening her eyes.
Here it was: the moment of truth...
The room around her was slightly blurry as her eyes opened, but as she blinked, they began to adjust, her surroundings becoming clearer with each passing minute, and she couldn't stop the tears that filled her eyes. She looked to her right, noticing that the chair next to her bed was glaringly empty, and she frowned. Where was he? Surely he wouldn't have gone far...She knew he'd been here earlier, but there was no sign of him now.
When the door opened, the mystery was solved, as Gibbs entered, holding Zelda in his arms as he walked closer. He noticed at once that she was awake, but frowned at the tears in her eyes.
"Jen?"
"Jethro," she whispered, shaking her head, "I...I can see you."
He smiled, holding up his hand and looking at her jokingly.
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Three," she snapped, laughing, "Don't be an ass."
Her eyes landed on Zelda, and she sat up straighter, holding out her arms.
"Let me hold her."
He did as she asked, bringing the baby over and placing her in Jenny' arms, feeling tears of his own burn his eyes as Jenny stared at her goddaughter for the first time, the wonder on her face the most amazing thing he'd seen in years.
"Oh, Zelda," she whispered, "You are the most beautiful little girl in the world."
Zelda reached for Jenny's hair, captivated by the fiery strands, and Jenny laughed, tears falling down her face.
"Bye bye?" Zelda asked.
Jenny nodded.
"Yeah, McNugget. We're going bye bye soon."
Gibbs wrapped his arms around her, kissing her hair gently, running his thumb under her eyes to catch her tears.
"I love you, Jen."
She raised her eyes to his, looking at the bright blue irises for the first time in a year, and threw her free arm around his neck, not even trying to stop crying.
"I love you, too. So much."
Jenny didn't think she'd been so happy since her son's death, and as they signed the release papers thirty minutes later, she didn't think anything had the power to take away that joy. She could see again, and not even Morgan Shepard could ruin it for her.
"Heather, since when did I tell you that you could wear my clothes? I already gave you the house. My wardrobe didn't come with it."
Heather laughed as she turned to look at Jenny, shaking her head.
"I'm just borrowing it, calm down. It's not like I—wait...how do you know what I'm wearing? Jethro, did you tell her? That's not cool. It's like a violation of the bro code. Or the girl code. Or...something, I don't know."
Gibbs shook his head, smiling at Jenny as she walked through the kitchen door.
"I didn't say anything. I've been standing here silently the entire time."
"Then how did you know?" Heather asked suspiciously.
"I can see you," Jenny said simply.
Her words took a few moments to register in Heather's mind, and she shook her head as she realised what Jenny had said.
"You can s—how? Jenny, you're...you're serious?"
The other redhead nodded, and when Heather ran across the room, she threw herself onto her sister, hugging her fiercely, so excited that she could hardly form a coherent sentence.
"Jenny, that's great! How did—oh, never mind! I don't care! You can see! Miranda! Miranda, come down here!"
The other woman came into the room, running a brush through her long hair, and Jenny smiled as soon as she saw her. She really was gorgeous, and she was beyond happy that her appearance matched her personality.
"What?" she asked, shaking her head, "I told you I would be ready to go in ten minutes."
"No, not that. Jenny, what colour is Miranda's hair?"
"Strawberry blonde," Jenny answered.
Miranda frowned.
"Everyone knows that. Heather, what's—"
"Hush. What colour is her shirt?"
"Burgundy silk with a black lace overlay. And before you ask, she's wearing a black skirt with tiny sequins along the seams."
Now, Miranda was utterly confused, and she looked at Jenny seriously.
"Are you psychic?"
Jenny laughed, shaking her head, and Heather began bouncing on her feet, clapping her hands in excitement.
"She can see! I don't really know how, because I was too excited to ask, but Jenny can see again!"
"It was a surgical procedure," Jenny explained with a quiet laugh, "I still have a few blind spots, like my peripheral, but I'll take that over complete blindness any day."
Miranda smiled, walking over to hug her gently, and as Jenny stepped back, she took Zelda from Gibbs' drinking in her every feature as she held her against her chest. She didn't think she would ever get enough time to look at her, but forever was a good start.
A/N: I did a lot of research to find out the causes and options for traumatic optic neuropathy, and to be honest, I just couldn't leave Jenny blind. After all she's been through, she needed a break.