Late the following night, Jenna and her partner, Jack Wilkes, were busy getting ready to begin their latest mission. She would be working with an informant and going under as his girlfriend, looking to buy into a portion of the dealing business of a local gang leader. Once she saw the merchandise and was given an offer, the rest of the team would enter and make the bust. Wilkes would be listening in, as well as Bilson, their sargent.

"Lt. Caine know you're doing this?" Jack asked as he worked at attaching the very tiny lead of a wire to the back of her top.

"I don't keep secrets from him."

"You know, there have always been stories running through the city about his brother. About what happened to him. I've heard lots of versions of it."

"If you're looking for gossip here, Wilkes, you're not getting it from me."

"No," he said. Final adjustment completed, he spun her around to look at him. "I'm just thinking that Horatio must be pretty worried right about now."

"Everything will be fine." Jenna was trying to keep her own nerves at bay. Any suggestion that there may be something to worry about was not helpful. "Easy in, easy out. Right?"

"Right," he said. "You've got this, Quinn." He squeezed her shoulder.

Bilson entered the room. "Are we good to go?" he asked.

"Yeah," Jenna said.

"Alright. Give us a safe word, Quinn, in case you get in a jam."

Without thinking too hard, Jenna said, "Gruyere."

Jack scrunched up his face. "Gruyere? Like the cheese?"

"Yeah," she said. "What? It's good."

"How are you going to work that into a conversation with a bunch of gang bangers?" he asked.

"Like this, 'Man, I bet some Gruyere would really liven up this party.'"

Jack chuckled and Bilson rolled his eyes. "Works for me," the sargent said, "Let's go."

MMMMMMMMMM

The plan she set up with Horatio was that she would text him when she finished working for the night, return to the station to clean up, and meet him at his house in the early morning hours. The first night, she wound up there a little after three, fell into his bed, and slept until about noon, not even stirring when he rose to leave for work. Various cases had led them to opposite shifts before, so they were not frazzled by the schedule. But by the second night of dealing with the pain and suffering of those she manipulated throughout her undercover operation, as well as the near constant groping by her informant who tried to make everything appear legit, Jenna realized that she did not want to be near Horatio. She texted him that she was fine, but going home. This continued for two more nights because sometimes an easy in and out operation turns not so easy On night number four, Jenna didn't bother going back to the station to clean up. She went directly from working to collapsing on her bed. Too much alcohol had been drunk, she faked using, and she wound up almost jerking off her pretend boyfriend before the target left them alone. She felt dazed and dirty and had not even bothered to text Horatio, which is why he found himself standing in her bedroom doorway at eight the next morning.

He had entered the apartment using his key and crept to her room taking note of the messy condition of the place along his way. Jenna was never one to be described as messy. If the lack of a text had not alerted him that something was amiss, this certainly did. He wasted no time covering the distance to her room. He stood in the entrance of it for a moment to take in the scene in front of him. Jenna lay on her stomach on top of her covers dressed in a skimpy outfit from the previous night. Her hair tangled down her back. She faced away from him. The most disturbing part of the vision was her service weapon which lay on the pillow next to her head, her hand on it, finger near the trigger. Two long strides brought him to the side of the bed where he leaned over her and placed his hand on top of hers on the gun. He knew this action would startle her awake, so his other hand went to her back and he lowered himself onto the bed. Her eyes opened wide and her grip tightened on the gun, but he kept it stilled. "It's me, Jenna," he said. "It's Horatio." Her body relaxed a bit in recognition of his voice, and his touch, but her hand kept hold of the gun. "Let it go, Jenna. I got it." She obeyed his command. By the time Horatio placed the gun on the bedside table, Jenna had sat up and fallen into his arms.

After a few minutes he said, "You drank a lot." She reeked of alcohol and a whole lot of other stuff. "Did you use?" The shake of her head relieved his fears. He waited a couple of beats to say what he knew she didn't want to hear. "I'm pulling you out."

She pushed herself up and away from him. "You're not my boss," she said. "You can't pull me out."

"I can call your boss."

One call from Caine and the whole operation would fold. They both knew it. "Horatio, don't you dare undermine me."

"Fine. Then you call Bilson. Tell him you're done with this mission."

"And ruin my career? No. I'm close, Horatio. So close. I just need one more night. I can get this done."

"Your life and your health are worth more than your career." He tried to reach for her but she pulled away from him. "Jenna, you're not ok. I promised you I wouldn't let this change you. That I would be here for you, but you've been shutting me out. Because you know you're not ok."

She hated the wounded animal tone he was using on her. "I need a shower. Cook for me. Then let me sleep. That's how you can help me. I'll get this guy tonight and it will all be over. Everything will be fine. I promise."

He tried to believe her.

AN: Hope you like this. There aren't many readers left in this group. Please review. Thanks!