A/N: Whew! I almost didn't get this one finished in time to update! In which Gibbs takes care of a sick Jenny, Zelda accomplishes a new goal, and Gibbs spends an unexpected night with his wife. Hope you enjoy!
Something was different. Gibbs couldn't quite put his finger on it as he walked through the house, but something was definitely off. His wife was nowhere in sight, and as he made his way up the stairs, he called her name. He hadn't seen her all day, with the exception of their ride to work, and when she'd gone straight home after her appointment with Dr. Lentz, he'd known something was bothering her. He walked into the bedroom, frowning when he noticed the one lone candle sitting on the dresser, and when he called her name again, he shook his head.
The bathroom door opened, and when he finally realised what he was looking at, it took all of his self control to keep his mouth from falling open. Wearing a satin nightgown with lace trimming that stopped just at the top of her thighs, was Jenny, her hair lightly curling at her shoulders, makeup subtle but captivating, and as she approached him, he couldn't take his eyes off her.
"Jen, what's going—"
"Shh..."
She stopped just in front of him, running her hands over his chest, trailing her lips along his throat. He swallowed thickly, his hands finding her waist, and she pushed the jacket from his shoulders, pulling his shirt over his head slowly. He still didn't have the slightest idea of what was going on, but he was beyond caring at this point. After all, if this was how she wanted to spend her night, who was he to argue?
Jenny led him to the bed, pulling him with her as she sat on the edge, and when her lips met his in a deep kiss, he ran his hands through her long red hair, pulling her closer. He kicked off his jeans and boxers, his hands moving to touch her thighs, slowly sliding the satin nightgown up, and he hooked his fingers into her underwear, pulling it down her legs. She didn't stop kissing him, her tongue dancing over his, and when he tried to slide his fingers into her, she shook her head, looking at him seriously.
She flipped him onto his back, her hair sweeping over him as she kissed him again, and he instinctively moved his hands to her waist, holding her gently.
"Tonight is about you," she said softly, her voice low in his ear, "Close your eyes."
He did as she instructed, struggling to stay still as she moved her mouth over his chest, and when she wrapped her lips around his hard length, a low moan fell from his lips. Her hands massaged his thigh as she took him in deeper, swirling her tongue over his head, and he whispered her name as his hips moved of their own accord. He tried not to move, worried about hurting her, but damn...she was good.
It seemed to last an eternity, with Jenny slowly bringing him to the edge, always lingering near it, but never once letting him fall over, and when she suddenly stopped, Gibbs realised he'd been biting down on his lip so hard that it was nearly numb. She kissed her way back up his body, pausing to circle his nipples with her tongue, and when she straddled his waist, her teeth lightly grazed his throat. She was still wearing the satin gown, but it moved up her legs in a way that easily allowed her to take him in, and when he felt himself suddenly enveloped in warmth, he gasped.
She moved her hips slowly, a torturous pace that was driving him insane, and as she kissed him again, he ran his hands along her side.
"Jen...you're killing me here."
She laughed, her voice low, and he moaned as she kept moving. God, even her voice was turning him on.
"Jen..."
"Hush," she whispered, "and keep your eyes closed."
Her hips rolled against his, still maddeningly slow, and he gripped her waist tightly as he felt himself getting closer to the edge again. She moaned when his hips bucked against her own, and though her body was screaming for its own release, she forced herself to stay focused, running her tongue along his collarbone.
Gibbs kept his hands on her waist, his fingers gripping her tightly enough to bruise, and when his climax hit moments later, it was strong enough that his ears popped, her name falling from his lips in a ragged moan. She smiled as he raised up to kiss her, still holding her in place, and when he finally opened his eyes, sapphire blue met emerald green in the darkness.
"I love you," he said quietly.
"I love you, too."
She kissed him again, her left hand running through his hair, and her right gripping his shoulder.
"Happy birthday, Jethro," she whispered.
Hours later, after they'd eaten dinner and Gibbs had spent time working on his boat, he joined her upstairs again, still trying to figure out what it was that was different about the house, and as he laid next to her, he frowned. He couldn't believe he'd forgotten his own birthday, and he shook his head slowly. He pulled Jenny into his arms again, smiling at her as he hovered over her, and when he kissed her, she smiled.
"You know, Jen...as great as your gift was, it was missing something."
She frowned.
"It was?"
He nodded, running his hand up her leg slowly, and as he pushed up the edge of her nightgown, he moved his lips to her throat, biting down on her smooth skin.
"What was—"
"It was nearly perfect, except for one thing," he whispered, trailing his lips down her skin, "I never got a chance to taste you."
His words made her moan, and as his mouth moved along her inner thigh, she felt her body begin to shake. He slid her underwear down her body for the second time that evening, and as soon as he dipped his tongue into her, her hands tangled in his hair, her eyes slipping closed. He knew she'd deliberately kept herself from getting her own release earlier in the night, and he was determined to give it to her now. He carefully placed her leg over his shoulder, pulling her as close as he could, and as he moved faster, he felt her breath catch in her throat.
She whispered his name, her left hand moving to brace against his shoulder, and he gently let his teeth move over her clit.
"Fuck, Jethro..."
He fought the urge to laugh, moving at the same pace, refusing to cut her any slack, and when he felt her fingers tighten in his hair, he knew she wouldn't last long. A long, low moan fell from her lips as he swept his tongue deeper, and she cried out wordlessly as she felt her orgasm hit her with the force of a train. Bringing her back down slowly, Gibbs moved back up her body, gathering her into his arms as he laid next to her. He kissed her hair as she laid on his chest, running his fingers over her arm lightly.
"Hey, Jen?"
"Hm?"
"Thank you."
She frowned.
"For what?"
"The best birthday ever."
Jenny smiled, raising up to look at him, and kissed his cheek gently.
"I love you."
"I love you more."
It suddenly hit him, so glaringly obvious that he didn't know how it had taken him so long to realise it, just what was different about the house, and he frowned.
"Where's Aries?"
Jenny laughed, shaking her head.
"Heather and Miranda kept him for the night. I didn't want to have any distractions. It took you this long to notice?"
He shrugged, kissing her hair again.
"I was kind of occupied."
From the moment Jenny opened her eyes, she knew something was wrong, but she couldn't afford to think about it. She swung her feet over the edge of the bed, trying to ignore the searing pain in her throat when she swallowed, and she shivered as she stepped into the bathroom, turning on the shower. If past experiences were anything to go by, the heat and steam from her shower would give her at least a little relief from the pain and cold, and right now she would take anything she could get.
She stepped into the warmth of the shower, letting the hot water cascade over her still-shivering body, and as she reached for the shampoo bottle, she realised her hands were shaking. She washed and conditioned her hair as quickly as she could, and when she noticed just how badly she was trembling, she slowly sat down on the floor of the shower, drawing her knees up to her chest. She didn't even look up when she heard the door open, and the sound of her name did little rouse her.
"Jen? You almost ready?"
She didn't answer, and when Gibbs peered around the curtain, he frowned at the sight of the redhead sleeping under the steady stream of burning water. He reached out to turn off the faucet, and when he wrapped her in a towel, she still didn't move. It wasn't until he lifted her into his arms that she stirred, her eyes struggling to open in the warmth of the steam, and she frowned when she realised she was no longer in the shower.
"Jethro?"
"Hey, Sleeping Beauty."
"I fell asleep?"
He nodded, setting her down on the bed, and he frowned at the slight flush of her skin. He supposed it could have been caused by the boiling hot shower he'd just pulled her from, but his gut was telling him otherwise. When she stood to get her clothes for the day, he noticed that she was moving slower than she usually did, but he reluctantly said nothing. She dried her hair, dressing carefully in her clothes, and when she had finally finished applying her makeup, Gibbs noticed that they were dangerously close to being on time for work, which was something he knew Jenny detested. In her mind, if you were early, you were on time. If you were on time, you were late. And being late was unacceptable.
Jenny gave him a tired smile as they made their way to his truck, and while he drove, she tried to convince herself that she would be fine as soon as she'd gotten a little coffee. After all, coffee was the cure for everything.
Less than three hours into her work day, Jenny was forced to admit that she'd been wrong. Horribly, disastrously wrong, and as she cradled her head in her hands, she couldn't stop the violent shaking that had wracked her entire body. A quiet knock on her door made her moan softly, the sound amplified to a hundred in her pounding head, and as she granted the visitor entrance, she closed her eyes tiredly.
Ducky gave her a concerned look as he walked closer, noticing the glassy sheen in her eyes as she finally raised them, and he frowned as he noticed the slight flush in her skin.
"Are you alright, Jennifer?"
She shook her head, instantly regretting the movement, and he took a step closer.
"You're not drunk, are you?"
"I wish," she answered dryly, "No, I feel like I got hit by a truck, Ducky."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"No, thank you. I'm just so damn cold. I can't stop shaking, and my throat is killing me. I'll be fine once I can get some sleep, though."
The doctor placed his hand gently on her forehead, frowning when he realised she wasn't actually cold at all, and shook his head.
"You're burning up, my dear. You should go home, get some rest. Whatever you've got to do today can certainly wait."
She gave him a weak smile, and shook her head, reaching for her coffee with pale fingers.
"I'll be fine, Ducky. I always am."
Even as she spoke, Jenny wasn't entirely sure if even she believed the words coming out of her mouth.
Just as Gibbs, Tony, and Ziva were sitting back down to their desks, the elevator chimed, though none of them even glanced in the general direction. Agent Timothy McGee stepped off the lift, the suspect he'd been escorting to interrogation directly behind him, and as he neared the center of the squad room, the team leader finally spoke, though his eyes never left his computer screen.
"McGee, you get Reznor to interrogation?"
"N-not exactly, boss."
Something in the younger man's voice made him pause, and Gibbs looked up slowly, wondering what was going on.
"What's the hold up, McGee?"
The agent shook his head, his eyes desperately trying to convey the severity of the situation to his boss, and he was shoved away from the suspect, revealing not only the gun that had been pressed into his lower back but also the explosive device attached to the suspect's chest, and Gibbs' eyes immediately darkened.
"Don't move. Stay where you are, and no one has to get hurt."
Gibbs nodded, his eyes locked on the device, and spoke quietly.
"Let me at least give people a warning."
"Fine. But no secret code words or any of that other cop bullshit."
"We're not cops," Gibbs reminded him.
"Navy cops. Same difference."
Gibbs picked up his phone, quickly dialing, and as it rang in his ear, he could feel his heart pounding in his chest.
"Security, how can I help you?"
"Agent Gibbs here. We've got a suspect armed with an explosive in the main squad room. Lock the building down, no one in or out."
"Yes, sir."
Gibbs hung up before any further questions could be asked, and as he placed his phone back in its cradle, Reznor spoke again.
"I want to speak to the person in charge."
"You got him," Gibbs said, his voice low.
Reznor shook his head.
"Not you. The person in charge of the whole building."
"How do you know that's not me?"
Rolling his eyes, the younger man laughed.
"I highly doubt you'd be sitting at a desk like that if you were. Get the main guy down here. The one that sits in those back offices, too good to mingle with the rest of you."
Seeing that there was no other way, and not wanting to risk the lives of anyone else, Gibbs finally nodded, picking up his phone again. It rang for longer than he would have expected, and when he finally heard that familiar voice come down the line, he blinked hard.
"Shepard."
"Got someone down here that wants to speak to you. Extremely insistent."
She sighed, and he knew she was trying to find a way around it.
"Is it an emergency?"
"Yes," he answered honestly, hoping she could sense his urgency in his voice.
"Be right down."
She hung up, and while it normally would have taken her less than thirty seconds to be on the catwalk, in her weakened state it took her more than a minute. Gibbs was relieved to see Ducky just behind her, and when their eyes met over the top of Jenny's head, the younger man shook his head minutely. Jenny made her way carefully down the steps, her hand gripping the railing so tightly that her fingers were pure white, and when she finally made it to the squad room, she frowned as she raised her eyes.
"Someone wanted to speak with me?"
"I want to speak the the person in charge."
"You are," Jenny answered firmly, in spite of the shivering in her body, "What can I do for you?"
"Yeah. You can get on your phone and make a call. My little brother was arrested for possession of an illegal substance and thrown in jail. I want him out, and I want a way for us both to get out of the country."
Jenny frowned.
"I don't have that kind of authority. We don't get involved in local police matters unless we're sharing jurisdiction on a case. There's nothing I can do to help your brother. I'm sorry."
Reznor shook his head, fixing Jenny with a hard look, and when her eyes landed on the device strapped to his body, she took a slow breath.
"You're going to make the call, Red. Because if you don't, then this isn't going to end well. For anyone."
Jenny blinked hard, trying to think through the blinding pain in her head, and when she spoke, her voice was slightly breathless.
"I'll see what I can do. Where was he picked up? By what precinct?"
"DC Metro."
She made her way to Gibbs' desk, reaching for the phone, and as she began to dial the numbers, she glanced up at the agent in front of her, meeting his bright blue eyes slowly. She held the phone against her shoulder, and just as it began to ring, Gibbs pressed the button to end the call, and she glared at him, her eyes wide.
"What—"
"We don't negotiate with terrorists," he said, his eyes hard as he looked at Reznor.
Though she couldn't argue the sentiment, Jenny couldn't believe that he'd done such a thing when so many lives were at stake, and when he moved just in front of her, blocking her from view, he discreetly took her hand, signing against her palm quickly.
Bomb's a fake. Wires aren't hooked to anything.
Jenny said nothing, gave no indication that she'd paid him any attention, yet he knew she had. He released her hand, stepping forward, and as he moved, Gibbs kept his eyes trained on the gun still held in Reznor's hand. While it was true that the bomb wasn't a threat, the gun was still a very real one, and he needed to act carefully.
He was just about to take another step when Jenny reached for the chair behind his desk, capturing Reznor's attention. He swung the gun in her direction, making Gibbs' heart race, and glared at her with his dark eyes.
"I said not to move, Red. Are you trying to get everyone killed?"
She looked at him, and Gibbs was again reminded of how she'd looked that morning in the house. The flush had returned to her normally-pale skin, and he frowned as she shook her head.
"Of course not," she answered quietly, "but—"
"But nothing. Stay where you are. Don't move."
She nodded, letting go of the chair, and when her hands moved to grip the edge of his desk, Gibbs finally spoke, his voice sounding much calmer than he felt.
"Will you at least let her sit? She's sick, she needs to—"
"She needs to stay put, and you need to keep your mouth shut. Pick up the phone, Red. Make the call."
Jenny reached for the phone, her hands shaking, and as she picked it up, it fell from her weak grip. As she leaned down to retrieve it from the floor, her vision swam and she sank to her knees, closing her eyes hard. Gibbs was by her side in an instant, helping her into the chair, and when his eyes met hers, he frowned. There was something in the viridian irises underneath the glassy pain, and she ran her fingers over the back of his hand lightly, discreetly telling him to trust her.
Reznor moved closer, the gun trained on both of them, and when Ducky spoke suddenly, his voice was strangely loud in the quiet.
"May I take a look? I am a medical examiner."
After a moment of consideration, Reznor nodded, and when Ducky knelt in front of the chair, he looked at her seriously, taking her wrist in his hand. As soon as he was near enough, Jenny met his eyes, her voice low enough that only he could hear.
"I'm fine, Ducky. Just follow my lead."
Though it wasn't entirely an act, she closed her eyes, allowing her body to go limp in Ducky's arms, and when he slowly placed her on the floor, he brushed her hair back from her face. Her skin was still radiating heat, but he pushed his worry aside, trusting her to know what she was doing. Gibbs took her hand in his, surprising even himself by not flinching when he felt Jenny begin to sign into his hand.
Keep an eye on the gun. As soon as he lowers it, make a move.
Reznor frowned, his hold on the gun relaxing as he took a step forward, and as soon as he was near enough, Gibbs threw his hand out, knocking the firearm to the ground. As Reznor scrambled for the weapon, Tony tackled him quickly, his body slamming into the ground harder than he'd anticipated. Ziva handcuffed him seconds later, and McGee frowned as he looked at the younger man slowly.
"What about the bomb?"
"Bomb's a fake," Jenny said quietly, pulling herself to a sitting position, laying her head on Gibbs' shoulder.
Gibbs could feel the warmth from her skin, and as he stood, he pulled her to her feet, frowning when she called Ducky's name softly.
"Still think anything I need to handle can wait?"
He gave her a pained look, and as Tony picked up his phone to call the security guard at the front desk, Gibbs placed his hand at Jenny's lower back, leading her towards the stairs. Her steps were shaky, and as they neared her office, Jenny closed her eyes. Gibbs looked at her worriedly, never releasing his hold on her, and as soon as the door closed behind them, she made her way to the couch, collapsing on it tiredly.
Moving to sit next to her, Gibbs pulled her into his arms, laying her across his lap, and as he combed his fingers through her hair, he leaned down to kiss her forehead.
"Jen, you're burning up. Have you taken anything?"
She shook her head, curling her body closer to his warmth, too preoccupied with the chills overtaking her. He held her gently, occasionally kissing her hair, and as she took a slow breath, she shivered.
"I'm so cold, Jethro," she said softly.
Her words threw him back in time, his mind taking him back to that freezing cold night in the rain, the blood-soaked pavement underneath their bodies, and he unconsciously tightened his hold on her.
"I know. You have a fever, you need to take it easy."
"My throat is killing me."
"Do you want me to have Ducky make you some tea? It might help."
She shook her head, and he shrugged his jacket off, draping it over her shivering body. She moaned quietly, curling her body as tightly as she could in an effort to stave off the cold she felt, and when she realised it wasn't going to work, she felt tears fill her eyes.
"You were brilliant out there today, you know," Gibbs whispered, kissing her cheek, "You were amazing."
"I didn't feel brilliant. I was terrified," she admitted.
"Couldn't tell. You did great."
He shifted her suddenly, walking to her desk, and as he pulled out the aspirin she kept in her purse, she raised her head weakly.
"What are you doing?"
"Aspirin. For your fever and sore throat."
She nodded slowly, taking the pills when he held them out to her, and as she swallowed painfully, she laid back down, pulling his jacket tightly around her. She didn't move when he leaned down to kiss her cheek, frowning when he realised her skin seemed to have gotten even hotter, and as he walked out the door, he gave her one last concerned glance. Tony was staring at him as he walked back into the squad room, a broad grin on his face, and he shook his head as he came closer.
"That was genius, boss. The Director pretending to be sick to get his guard down. Did you two plan that?"
Gibbs shook his head.
"She's not pretending."
Picking up the phone, he quickly called Ducky, hoping the doctor hadn't gone too far.
"Hello?"
"Hey. Ducky, got a question. Do you have a standard thermometer?"
"Yes, I believe I have one in my bag. I'm guessing this is about our lovely Director?"
"Yep."
"I'll bring it right up."
He hung up the phone, sitting down at his desk, and as he filled out his incident report, the silver-haired agent tried to pretend that his thoughts were occupied by a certain redhead upstairs.
Just as his team was leaving for the night, Gibbs reached out to turn off the lamp above his desk, frowning when a shadow was cast over the smooth surface. He glanced up, eyes locking on the Scottish doctor in front of him, and as he waited for the older man to speak, he picked up his cell phone.
"How's Jen?"
"Her temperature is extremely high, Jethro. I'm almost tempted to tell you to completely forgo driving home and advising you to take her directly to hospital. But, since I know how both you and Jennifer feel about them, I'll tell you the best course of action to treat it on your own. Have her drink plenty of fluids, get a lot of sleep, and dress lightly. I know she says she's cold, and that's common, but avoid too many layers as much as possible. If she feels up to it, have her eat a light broth that wont cause her to feel nauseous. If it doesn't break within the next few days, you'll have no choice but to take her in."
Gibbs nodded, and gave him a tense smile as he stood.
"Thanks, Duck. I appreciate it."
"Anytime."
Gibbs nodded at him once before making his way up the stairs, and when he slowly pushed open the door to Jenny's office, he smiled sadly. She was still sleeping on the couch, buried under his jacket, and when he knelt down next to her, he could see her shaking even in her sleep. His fingers pushed her slightly damp hair back from her face, his touch rousing her slightly, and when her glassy eyes locked onto his, he kissed her cheek.
"You ready to go home?"
She nodded slowly, and before she even had time to protest, Gibbs had lifted her into his arms, effortlessly carrying her to the door. He wasn't in the slightest bit concerned about her purse, phone, or any other personal items, and as he stepped onto the elevator, he frowned when he realised she hadn't so much as mentioned them. A quick glance showed she'd fallen asleep again, and as he kissed her hair, he sighed quietly. God, he hoped this worked.
Aries trailed him like a shadow as he carried Jenny to the bedroom, placing her gently between the cool sheets, and when the tiny dog jumped up next to her, Gibbs' first instinct was to put him back on the ground. A small shake of Jenny's head was enough to stop him, and when she reached out to weakly pet the top of his head, Gibbs couldn't help but smile.
"Let him stay," she said softly.
Nodding, Gibbs kissed her forehead, both as a sign of affection and as a means to test her temperature, and frowned. It didn't seem to be rising, but it hadn't gotten lower, either. Just as he was preparing to leave the room, Jenny's voice stopped him, making him turn in the doorway.
"Jethro?"
"Hm?"
"Is my DVD player hooked up to the TV in here? I don't remember."
He nodded, still unused to actually having a television in his room. Jenny was the only one who ever turned it on, and even then it was only at night to have noise in the background, the redhead now so uncomfortable in complete silence that she couldn't sleep. It was one of the many things about her that had changed since Carrington's attack, and though he understood her reasoning, it still made him irrationally angry. He looked at her now, buried under the blankets with Aries, her tangled red hair strewn over the pillow, and knew there was nothing he could refuse her.
"Yeah. What do you want to watch?"
"It's already in, can you just turn off the light?"
He flipped the switch, and again turned to the door, taking a step away.
"Will you stay? Just for a little while? Please?"
Well, that was that. No turning back now. He made his way back to the bed, climbing in next to her, careful not to hurt Aries, and when he pulled her into his arms, she smiled softly, laying her head on his chest. She turned on the television, the DVD already cycling through the opening credits and when he finally realised what she was watching, he frowned.
"Really, Jen? How old are you?"
She laughed then coughed, the harsh sound tearing from her lungs, and he winced.
"Leave me alone," she said weakly, "Alice in Wonderland is my favourite, and not that god-awful live action crap."
He laughed.
"I know. I'm just kidding."
Of all the ways Leroy Jethro Gibbs had thought his night would end, watching Disney movies in bed with his wife certainly wasn't one of them. But, even he had to admit, it was a damn good one.
Two days later, Jenny was feeling only slightly better, her temperature still in the high range, and Gibbs was beginning to become more concerned as each day passed. She ate next to nothing, spent her days under the blankets with her beloved dog, making her way through her vast Disney collection as well as the hundreds of other films she owned, and when he walked into the room late one afternoon after spending a few hours working on his boat, Gibbs looked at her worriedly.
"How do you feel?"
"Like death warmed over," she answered tiredly.
He nodded.
"Thought so."
Her voice was hoarse, and he knew even the smallest breath felt like knives to the inflamed area, and he held out the tea he'd brought.
"This might help."
She accepted it with a weak smile, and took a tentative drink, swallowing slowly. She still winced at the pain, but gave him a grateful look as she placed it on the bedside table. Her shaking hands caused the cup to fall to the ground, and she swore quietly, making Aries look at her curiously, and when Gibbs returned minutes later with a towel, he frowned at the tears in her eyes.
"Did you get burned?"
She shook her head, tears dripping onto the bed sheet, and he sat back on his heels as he finished cleaning the spilled liquid.
"What's wrong?"
"I just...even though I can see again, you're still stuck taking care of me. It shouldn't be like this. But I'm just a burden, and you, for some reason, you tolerate it. I'm always taking up too much space or time, and—"
"Hey..." he said quietly, taking her hands in his, moving to sit on the edge of the bed, "hey, wait just a minute. Who was it that took care of me in Positano? Who is it that insists I take a break when I get too caught up in a case? That's what we do, Jen. We take care of each other. Who do I come to when I need advice? You. You're just not thinking straight because you're sick. It's just a little tea. No big deal. Now, why don't you put on a movie and we can lay here and watch it together?"
She nodded slowly, pulling Aries into her lap to make room for him to lie beside her, and as he kissed her cheek, he gave her a smile. As she began to play the movie she'd selected, Gibbs frowned.
"How can you possibly like this movie? The entire plot is unbelievable."
"Because I don't poke holes in the story. And, Tom Cruise looks damn good in a Navy uniform."
He laughed, conceding her point, and when she suddenly frowned, she met his eyes slowly.
"Jethro, where is my phone? I haven't seen it since Friday night."
"I may or may not have left it in your office," he admitted somewhat sheepishly.
Jenny glared at him, shaking her head as she coughed again.
"You'd better hope an emergency hasn't happened."
She kept coughing, and when she pulled her hand away from her mouth, her eyes widened. There were a few small droplets of blood on her skin, and Gibbs frowned.
"To Hell with emergencies, Jen. You're in no condition to go anywhere. And has that been happening often?"
Jenny shook her head.
"No," she whispered hoarsely, "I think it's just where I've been coughing so much."
"If it gets worse, you're going to the hospital. No objections."
She nodded, settling back in his arms to watch the film she'd selected, and as he watched her, Gibbs tried to ignore the worry that was almost strong enough to make his hands shake.
Nearly a week later, when Jenny was finally feeling well enough to move from the bed for longer than ten minutes, she sat on the floor of McGee and Beth's apartment, watching Zelda as she attempted to pull herself up from the ground, Beth's hands poised to catch her if she fell. The child finally stood upright, her eyes lighting up as she realised she'd accomplished it, and Beth looked at her excitedly.
"Good girl. She's been standing like this for a few weeks now. I got her to take a few steps yesterday, but I didn't want to try it when I didn't have someone else here to help. And with Tim working..."
"Believe me, Beth, I'm so happy you asked me. Come on, Zelda. What do you think? Can you walk today?"
Zelda clapped her hands, pointing to the cup sitting behind Jenny on the table.
"Cup!"
"That's right," Jenny said with a nod, "I think that might be your favourite word."
"Zelda, can you walk to Aunt Jenny? Just a few steps and you'll be there."
Zelda seemed to think about this for a moment, raising her foot experimentally, and as she placed it on the ground in front of her, Beth smiled.
"Come on, baby. You can do it. Just a few more steps."
Jenny held out her hands, looking at Zelda with such pride that it almost made tears come to Beth's eyes.
"Come on, McNugget. You want to have something exciting to tell your daddy when he gets home, right?"
"Dada," Zelda repeated, looking around for her father.
"Daddy's at work, Z. Go on, walk to Aunt Jenny."
She took a hesitant step, then another, and three more landed her in the waiting arms of her godmother, who kissed her cheek as she laughed.
"Good job, Zelda! You did it! You walked all by yourself!"
"Walk?" Zelda asked, looking up at Jenny curiously.
Jenny nodded.
"Very good. You're such a smart little princess. I can't wait to hear what your daddy thinks when he sees you walking."
Beth laughed, shaking her head in amusement.
"He's going to be so excited. He's been waiting for this ever since she said her first word."
"I bet. Thanks for having me over, but I really should be heading out. I have an appointment to get to in about half an hour."
"Is everything okay?" Beth asked in concern.
"Yeah. Just checking in with Dr. Lentz. Pretty standard. I missed an appointment last week because I was sick, so...you know Jethro wouldn't let me get out of rescheduling it."
After kissing Zelda goodbye, Jenny waved, making her way to the front door, and as she pulled it open, she heard the best thing she'd ever heard in her life.
"Bye bye," Zelda said, waving, "Love you."
"Bye, Zelda. I love you, too."
Dr. Lentz gave Jenny a smile as she walked into his office, which she returned, but he frowned at the paleness of her skin.
"Are you feeling alright, Jenny?"
She shrugged.
"A million times better than I was last week, but I'm still a little shaky. Why?"
"You're just rather pale. More so than usual."
Jenny laughed, and as he sat behind his desk, he noticed that, for the first time since he'd started seeing her, she seemed almost...moderate. Her mood didn't appear to be in the extreme either way, she wasn't nervously twisting her hands in her lap as she so often did when she was anxious, and she hadn't avoided his eyes even once as she'd sat in the chair across from him.
"You seem to be doing well today," he commented lightly.
She nodded, giving him a smile, her eyes meeting his evenly.
"I am. I have my vision back, mostly anyway, I'm not coughing up my lungs or dealing with a raging fever anymore, and my goddaughter walked into my arms and told me she loved me for the very first time today. It's...it's a good day. Should I be concerned?"
She laughed nervously, and he smiled, shaking his head.
"No. This is exactly what I was hoping for when I changed your last medications and dosages. You're right where you need to be. That isn't to say that you won't have bad days, nothing can prevent that, but those days won't feel overwhelming now. As long as you keep taking the medication the way you have been, I think it would be safe to cut our appointments back to once a month rather than every two weeks. As long as you feel comfortable, that is."
Jenny stared at him for a long moment, hardly able to believe what she was hearing.
"Really? You think I'm ready?"
He nodded.
"Yes. You've done remarkably well, and I think you're on the right path now. Of course, feel free to schedule an appointment whenever you feel like it, and I'm always ready to help in any way I can."
When Jenny left his office forty-five minutes later, she was so excited that she could hardly stand it. How was she to know that it would be short-lived and that she'd been lulled into a false sense of security? No one could have predicted that, and even if they had, there was nothing they could have done to stop it.
A/N: Regarding Jenny and Disney...I can only speak for myself, but when I'm sick, all I want to do is crawl under the blankets with a good Disney movie (or any animated comfort show/film) and sleep. I turn into a kid again when I don't feel well.