A/N: In which we see Jenny out in the field. Hope you enjoy!
Gibbs frowned as he tried yet again to reach Tony DiNozzo, frowning as his call went to voicemail. They'd been tracking a suspect for days and now, just when he had gotten a lead, he couldn't reach any member of his team. He was beyond furious, after all Rule Three was not to be taken lightly, and as he threw his phone down in frustration, a new idea came to him. He picked up the small device again, and as it rang in his ear, he frowned again.
"Shepard."
"I need backup for a case. Interested?"
"Jethro, I'm not a field agent anymore. Where's your team?"
"McGee's out of town for a funeral, Ziva's following up on another lead, and I have no idea where the hell DiNozzo is. Not answering."
He could picture her now, weighing the options in her mind, and when she sighed, he knew the answer.
"Give me five minutes."
Jenny walked down the steps of the catwalk, sidearm already in place, and as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, he gave her a smile.
"What do you have?"
"Fourth murder this month, same calling card every time. All the victims were female, under forty, Caucasian, throats slashed."
Jenny nodded, clipping her ID and badge to her belt.
"And the calling card?"
"Permanent smile. Think Black Dahlia."
As they walked to the elevator, Gibbs looked at her seriously and she frowned.
"You sure you're up to this?"
"Ducky gave me the all-clear a week ago, Jethro."
He nodded, still not looking away.
"Yeah, for the Director's job. Not field work. If you need to sit this out—"
"No. I'm doing this. Come on."
She sidestepped him into the lift, and when he joined her, he glared at her, making sure she knew he was serious.
"If you die, Shepard, I'm gonna kill you."
She laughed, and nodded.
"Same to you, Gibbs."
He smirked and as the doors slid shut, he kissed her hard, pulling her against him. The doors opened again seconds later, and Jenny smiled as she followed Gibbs to their car. She'd have been lying if she'd said she hadn't missed working this closely with him.
Clearing the area of the abandoned house they were searching, Gibbs signaled to Jenny and as she made her way silently into the next room, he couldn't help but admire the way she moved. It had been far too long since he'd gotten to see her in action out in the field.
"Gibbs."
Her voice was low, and he glanced over at her. She pointed to the ground ten feet away from her and he shone his flashlight in the proper direction. The body on the ground was still, possibly cold, and undeniably dead. Nudging it with her foot, Jenny grimaced as she took in the young woman's face, slit ear to ear, and he nodded at her.
She kept moving, her every sense alert as she tried to pick up any sound that didn't come from them. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and as he pulled it out, he frowned at the name on the caller ID.
"DiNozzo, where the hell are you?!"
"Sorry, boss. My phone wasn't charged. What's up?"
"Tracking our suspect. Few miles outside of Georgetown. Get your ass out here now."
He gave the younger man their exact location, and hung up. He glanced around the dark room, frowning when he didn't see Jenny, and as he moved to a different room, he called out her name.
"Shepard?"
He didn't even realise that he had slipped back into using her surname out of habit. She waved him over from the corner of the kitchen and when he approached her, she pointed to the steps leading to what he assumed was the basement.
"Could be down there," she whispered.
He nodded.
"I'll take point."
Before he could protest, she had drawn her weapon again, and he had no choice but to follow her down the dark steps.
It was nearly impossible to see in the pitch black of the room, and as Jenny moved, she frowned. A slight shuffling reached her ears and she held up her hand to stop Gibbs from moving. He halted his steps, and just as he was about to tell her that she was imagining things, he felt movement behind him. The tall figure pushed past them both, rushing to the steps, and Gibbs immediately fired. He couldn't tell if he'd hit his mark, and he took off after him, Jenny close behind.
They crashed into the kitchen again, and Jenny's eyes frantically scanned the room. As they passed the door, she felt strong hands grab her from behind, and she immediately started fighting.
"Shh! It's me, Shepard."
She nodded, relaxing slightly, and as he released her, he pointed to the back yard.
"That way."
They ran to the yard and before he could react, Gibbs winced as he felt a blinding pain shoot through his lower leg. Glancing down, he could just make out the silver of the blade protruding from his shin, and Jenny swore as she tried to steady him.
"Go. It'll be fine."
"Gibbs, I'm not letting you—"
"Go, Shepard! Don't lose him."
Looking into his eyes, Jenny nodded, holstering her gun as she ran. He watched her for a moment before turning his attention to the wound on his leg. This was going to hurt like hell.
Tony DiNozzo frowned as he walked through the dilapidated house, and when he called out for Gibbs, he frowned. He'd seen the body on the ground, and he only hoped he wasn't walking into an ambush.
"Gibbs? Boss?"
"Outside, DiNozzo."
He followed the sound and when he saw Gibbs kneeling on the ground, he knelt down instantly.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," Gibbs said through gritted teeth.
He pulled out the blade, ignoring the blood that dripped from the wound, and nodded his head to the right.
"Find the bastard. Shepard's not far behind him."
"Shep—wait. Director Shepard?"
Glaring at him, Gibbs pointed, and Tony nodded. He took off in the direction his team leader had given him, and he tried to imagine Jenny out in the field. That was surely a sight to see.
Jenny had never been more thankful that she ran in the gym in her life. Still, though she was in remarkably good shape, her leg was burning as she pursued their suspect. She knew Ducky was likely going to kill her if the running didn't do it first, and as she closed the distance between them, she had the distinct feeling that she was being followed.
Figuring Gibbs must have decided to tail her, she paid no attention and as the man in front of her lost his footing, she jumped, her arms locking around his ankles. She dodged his blow, and delivered one of her own, feeling an immense satisfaction as she heard the bone crack. Blood poured from his nose and it was enough to distract him. She aimed her weapon at his chest and as he registered the gleaming metal, his eyes widened.
"Don't move."
"You broke my fucking nose, you bitch."
She shrugged.
"No need to thank me."
He reached for her, and she automatically stepped back, raising her gun higher.
"I believe she told you not to move."
Jenny turned at the sound of Tony's voice behind her, and as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs, she nodded at him.
"Gibbs?" she asked quietly.
"Still at the house. Waiting for Ducky to come get the body."
Tony pulled the man up, glaring at him as he protested.
"On your feet. Now."
Tony shoved the man in front of them and once Jenny was sure that he had the situation under control, she ran back to the house, hoping the wound Gibbs had sustained wasn't serious. Tony watched her as she ran, smiling as he felt a new sense of respect for his redheaded boss.
By the time Tony made it back to the house with their suspect, Ducky had already arrived and stitched up the cut in Gibbs' leg. As the younger man threw him in the back of their car, Gibbs eyed the blood curiously.
"You broke his nose, DiNozzo?"
Tony shook his head.
"Not me, boss. Director Shepard. You should have seen her, Gibbs. She was amazing."
Glancing over at the redhead who was currently speaking with Ducky, Gibbs smirked at his second-in-command.
"Told you she was a damn good agent."
"No kidding."
Wincing slightly, Gibbs walked over to the medical examiner, looking at Jenny as he passed.
"Same deal as the others?"
Ducky nodded.
"Yes. We'll know more when we get this young woman back. As for you, I suggest you sit down and take the pressure off of that leg. Between the both of you, I'm surprised you can walk at all."
Jenny laughed quietly, and as Gibbs stood next to her, he draped his arm around her shoulder. He'd never admit that he was using her to balance, but the look in her eyes suggested that she already knew. They walked back to their car, and when they passed Tony, Gibbs made sure to speak loud enough that he could hear.
"Nice work, Shepard."
Jenny glanced at him, smirking, and helped him into the passenger seat.
"Anytime, boss."
The look of shock on Tony's face was worth more than all the money in the world.
"I'm telling you guys...it was awesome. You should have been there. Director Shepard totally tackled the guy then broke his nose."
Tossing back his shot, Tony looked to Ziva.
"You worked with her before. Tell them."
The Israeli nodded, finishing her shot of tequila.
"Director Shepard is one of the best I've ever worked with. She did not get her position by accident."
Abby rejoined the table, glancing around for McGee.
"Where's Timmy? Didn't want to come?"
"He just got back in town. I don't think he's in a celebratory mood."
Pulling out her phone, Abby frowned as she called the probationary agent.
"McGee."
"Where are you? Come out and have drinks with us."
"Abby, my college roommate just died. I don't really—"
"You'll miss hearing about the Director breaking a suspect's nose."
"I'm serious, I—she did what? Fine I'll be right there."
Looking extremely pleased with herself, Abby smiled at everyone around the table.
"Should we call Gibbs? Feels weird not celebrating with him."
Without waiting for an answer, Abby began dialing the familiar number, smiling as she heard the familiar greeting.
"Yeah, Gibbs."
"Gibbs! We're all out having drinks to celebrate closing the last case. You and the Director should come. Please."
"I don't think so, Abs."
"Come on, Gibbs. Point After is fun! Everyone's here, even McGee."
"Not tonight, Abby."
Pouting slightly as she hung up, Abby returned to her drink just in time to see McGee walk in and she smiled as she waved him over.
"Hey. So what's this I hear about Director Shepard breaking a guy's nose?"
Tony's eyes lit up as he began telling the story again, and as he finished, he made them all lean in closer.
"Best part? She called Gibbs "boss" as we were leaving."
"No way," McGee said softly.
"Way. He said "Nice work, Shepard" and she said "Anytime, boss". It was epic."
"He called her "Shepard"?"
Tony nodded.
"Well, that is her name," Ziva pointed out.
"Well, yeah...but he usually calls her "Jenny" or "Jen". It was trippy. Must have been what it was like when she worked under him."
They began drinking again, and as their conversations turned to other various topics, Tony found himself wondering what else had been different before Jenny had become their Director.
Jenny frowned as she watched Gibbs move slowly around his basement and sighed dramatically.
"You should be resting," she said pointedly.
"M'fine."
She rolled her eyes.
"Uh-huh. And would you accept that from me if the roles were reversed?"
He was silent and she nodded.
"Exactly. I'm not taking "no" for an answer. Upstairs, Jethro."
He glared at her, and she walked over to him slowly.
"Jethro..." her voice was low, her breath warm in his ear, "I can make it worth your while."
He shivered, and as he looked at her eyes, normally so light and clear, he was surprised to find that they were now a dark forest green.
"Jenny..."
"Upstairs. Now."
He swallowed thickly and nodded. She pulled him to the steps, knowing they would have to be careful, but intending to make good on her promise. As he followed her to the bedroom, she smirked as she pushed him down on the bed, slowly trailing her lips across his throat. His hands found her waist, pulling her closer, and as his hips jerked upward, Jenny smirked against his skin.
"Be still," she murmured.
He rolled his eyes.
"Easier said than done."
She bit down lightly on his earlobe, a low laugh falling from her lips as he hissed, and his hands gripped her tighter. Her hand moved lower, brushing over him gently and he groaned as she kissed his throat.
"You're killing me, Jen."
"Hell of a way to go," she whispered.
Unable to take it any longer, he pulled her up by her shoulder, crashing his lips onto hers. His tongue danced over hers as they fought for dominance and when she pulled his bottom lip between her teeth, he moaned. She broke away, breathlessly kissing his chest as she removed his shirt, and when her fingers moved to the button on his jeans, his hips jerked again.
"Stay still," she repeated, her voice low.
"Jen, it's my lower leg, not upper. I'll be fine."
She shook her head, hair brushing over his bare skin, and he shivered. Slowly, so slow that it drove him crazy, she slid his jeans and boxers off, her hand reaching up to stroke him gently. It was enough. His hips jerked up again, and as he felt himself engulfed in deliciously warm, wet heat, he moaned. She moved her hips slowly, but enough that it made him want more and he grabbed her waist, trying to speed up her movements.
Getting the hint but purposefully ignoring it, Jenny leaned forward, brushing her lips across his chest. He sat up carefully, holding her weight so she wouldn't fall, and kissed her deeply, wanting—needing—to hear her moan as his tongue swept into her mouth. Her head tipped back as she moved, and he kissed her collarbone, gently biting down.
The torture seemed to last for hours, and when he finally felt his climax hit, it was so strong that he couldn't breathe. Jenny smirked as she rolled carefully to the side of the bed, and when he pulled her back into his arms, he kissed her hair lightly.
"Jesus, Jen."
"Took you long enough," she laughed.
"Maybe it was you."
She gasped, laughing as she smacked his arm,
"You little bitch. It was amazing and you know it."
"Yeah," he agreed, "it was. Thought you were trying to murder me for a second there."
"I considered it," she answered seriously.
He laughed and as she raised up on her arm to look at him, she ran her free hand through his hair.
"Now will you get some rest? I kept up my end of the deal."
He nodded, kissing her gently. She stood, picking up one of his old NIS shirts, and as she put it on to walk out the door, his voice made her stop.
"Hey, Jen?"
"Hm?"
"Hell of a job last night."
She smiled.
"It was nice. I kind of miss being out there in the middle of it all sometimes."
"No," he said sarcastically, "I never would have guessed."
She flipped him off from the doorway and as she walked down the stairs, she could still hear his quiet laughter.
Though she had tried to ignore screaming in her head, Jenny sighed as she attempted, in vain, to read the book sitting on her lap. She'd read the same paragraph over twenty times, and it refused to register in her distracted mind. Gibbs was down in the basement and while she would have normally joined him, she found that she didn't particularly want to be around him (or anyone) for the time being.
Is this really what my life has become?
The thought had been circling around in her head for days, and she sighed as it came back again. She'd come to realise that she repeated the phrase "Just get through this day" in her mind every single day, and she was beginning to wonder if that was all her life was: an endless cycle of hoping things would get better.
She tried to imagine where her life would be even five years into the future, and it saddened her to realise that she couldn't do it. Wasn't even sure if she wanted to. The thought of living to see forty with nothing to show for it was daunting to her, and she wondered if perhaps it would be easier to let it all go. After all, she still wasn't too old to die young.
Shaking her head, Jenny tried to push the thought away, but once she had acknowledged it, it refused to leave. She closed her book, tossing it onto the couch and make her way down the basement steps, not bothering to be quiet.
"Distract me."
Gibbs turned at the sound of her voice and frowned.
"What?"
"Distract me," she repeated, "I don't want to think right now. I need something to get me out of my head."
He nodded, looking at her seriously.
"Are you sure? You know you can talk to me. About anything."
She shook her head.
"Not this."
His frown intensified, and he tried to ignore the slight anger flaring up.
"Why not? Don't trust me?"
"I trust you completely."
"Then talk to me. I want to help you through it, not help you pretend it isn't happening."
She sighed, looking at the ground and finally after a moment, she nodded.
"Fine. But I need a drink."
He poured a generous amount of bourbon into a mason jar and slid it across the table. She raised it to her lips and he sat down, leaning against the boat.
"How old do you picture yourself being? I mean, before you die."
"I dunno, Jen. Never really thought about it."
"I have. And I can't see myself living much longer."
He frowned, studying her as she took a drink of her bourbon.
"Something you need to tell me?"
"No, I just mean that I can't picture my life five years from now. I don't really think I want to. The thought of wasting my life, of spending each week saying "Just get through one more day" ...it doesn't seem worth it. What's the point? If we're all going to die anyway, why prolong the inevitable? Why not just get it over with? End the pain."
He stood, crossing the room in two steps, and looked down at her seriously.
"Jen. Jen, you don't mean that. Yes, life can be painful, and I know the last few months have been more than painful, but...it's so much more than that. It's not about where you're going, it's about how you get there."
She shook her head.
"Jethro, no one would care if I was gone. It wouldn't make national headlines, it wouldn't affect the world at all. No one would even remember me."
"I would. Jenny, I would be devastated if I lost you. You are the single-most important thing in my life, and I can't imagine being without you. Losing you would kill me."
She was silent, and he reached out to touch her cheek, willing her to look at him.
"How long have you been feeling this way?"
"A long time. Longer than I can remember."
He pulled her into his arms, holding her as tightly as he could, and he kissed the top of her head.
"Jenny, please believe me. I can handle a lot of things in life. But I absolutely, without a doubt, could not handle losing you. I love you. So much more than you realise."
She looked up at him, trying to keep her tears in check, and when she couldn't, she buried her head in his chest.
"I don't want to feel this way. I don't want to die, I really don't. But then, sometimes I do. I think that it has to be better than the pain. But I could never forgive myself if I hurt you. I've never loved anyone as much as I love you."
He kept his hold on her, running his hand over her hair, and when he spoke, his voice was as close to begging as he'd come in years.
"Don't give up, Jen. Don't let the pain win. You're stronger than that. If you ever need to talk, or cry or scream...hell, if you want to hit something, come find me. I don't care where I am, what I'm doing. Nothing is more important to me than you."
"I'm sorry, Jethro."
Her words were muffled and he pulled back, frowning.
"You can't help the way you feel, Jen. Have you told Ducky about this?"
She nodded, unable to meet his eyes.
"He told me that I might want to consider seeing a professional."
"Yeah?"
"I can't do that. Could you imagine the press? First female Director of NCIS going to therapy because she's emotionally unstable? That would be a riot."
"Jen, your health is more important that a damn job. That's what I keep trying to tell you. You work too much and it's making you so stressed that you literally passed out in your office. Or did you forget that?"
Jenny glared at him, her eyes cold.
"No, I haven't forgotten. But it's not that simple. If it makes you feel any better, I'll think about it more seriously, though."
She stepped out of his arms and when she picked up her drink, she gave him a sad smile.
"I just want you to be happy, Jen. I'm not trying to control you."
She drained the glass, already feeling the effects of the alcohol and set it down harder than she intended.
"I know. And I appreciate your concern."
He watched her as she walked to the steps and when she turned at the bottom, he smiled at her.
"Thanks for listening," she said quietly.
"Anytime."
Gibbs frowned when he walked into their bedroom and saw Jenny sitting on the bed, holding the picture frame Abby had given her and twisting the ring she wore around her neck. He knocked lightly on the door frame, and when she looked up, she gave him a smile.
"Hey."
"Hey. What're you doing?"
"Just thinking about where I want to hang this once my house is repaired."
"Any ideas?"
She nodded, setting it to the side.
"Yeah. Maybe above the fireplace. Seems like a good spot for it."
"I'll help you when you're ready. If you want."
She brushed her fingertips lightly over his hand and brought her lips to his. Though she would never tell him, she'd been feeling more than a little lightheaded all day, and it was beginning to concern her. He kissed her once more before leaving the room and as he closed the door behind him, she pulled out her phone.
"Hello?"
"Hi, Ducky. It's Jenny."
"Good afternoon, Jennifer. Congratulations on your work the other night. Anthony hasn't stopped talking about it since."
She smiled.
"Thanks, Ducky. I hate to bother you, but I have a favour to ask."
"Of course, my dear. What may I help you with?"
"I know it's a long shot, but do you still have that vial of blood that you took from me a few weeks ago?"
"No, I'm afraid I don't. I'm not in the habit of storing blood. Is something wrong?"
She sighed, running her hand through her hair.
"I'm not sure. I've been feeling really dizzy lately, I've had quite a few bad migraines, and something just doesn't feel right. Would you mind running a few tests?"
"Certainly. I know you've likely already considered this given the always buzzing rumour mill, but is there a possibility that you're pregnant?"
Jenny laughed.
"No. Not unless my birth control stopped working."
"I'll run the test just to be sure. Is there anything else?"
"Could—could you keep this between us? Just for now? I don't want Jethro to worry."
"Of course. Come by whenever you want and I'll get right on it."
Thanking him, she hung up and pulled on her heels. She wasn't particularly eager to be poked with needles, but the sooner she had answers, the better she would feel. Or so she hoped.
The quiet knock at her door made Jenny glance up from the email she was typing and when she saw Ducky standing in the doorway, she waved him in with a smile.
"Come in, Ducky. How are you?"
He smiled, but she couldn't help noticing that it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I'm fine. How are you feeling this morning?"
"A little tired, but I didn't get much sleep last night."
He frowned.
"Nightmares?"
Jenny shook her head, smirking.
"No. Jethro."
He laughed and she glanced down, noticing the paper held in his hands.
"May I sit?"
"Of course, Ducky. By all means."
He sighed, looking at her seriously, and she took off her glasses, setting them on her desk. He was beginning to make her nervous and she twisted her hands in her lap.
"I have the results of your blood test."
"I'm not pregnant, am I?"
"No."
He handed her the folded paper and as she read the words, she frowned, raising her eyes to his.
"Lyme disease?"
He nodded.
"I didn't notice the abnormalities in the previous test because I was more concerned with your lung functions. To put it simply, I didn't see it because I wasn't looking for it. This explains all of your symptoms, even your emotional distress, and I am so sorry that I didn't catch it sooner."
Jenny nodded, and when she spoke, her voice was little more than a whisper.
"Am I going to die?"
He shook his head.
"Lyme disease is manageable, my dear. If left untreated, it can be fatal, but as long as you take care of yourself and take medication, you can live a relatively normal life. You will have days where your symptoms will be worse than others, and it will be difficult, but it's by no means a death sentence."
"What do I do?"
"Get plenty of rest, stay hydrated, I'll be happy to prescribe you some medication to manage your symptoms, and chances are, the antibiotics will cure it."
"It can be cured?"
Ducky nodded, reaching out to take her hand gently.
"Yes. It will take time, but it can be cured. You may still experience symptoms afterward, but it's nothing to worry too much about."
Jenny stood and made her way around the desk. She wrapped her arms around the doctor, and as he kissed her cheek, he gave her a reassuring smile.
"I'll bring your medications as soon as I get them. Until then, try to stay calm."
He hugged her once more as he left her office and as Jenny sank down into the chair behind her desk, she only had one thought running through her head.
How in the world was she going to tell Gibbs?
A/N: I love Jenny calling Gibbs a little bitch. Also, I know some of you thought I was going to make this a Jenny-gets-ill-and-dies story, but that's not my intention. I'm also not a huge fan of baby-fics either, though there are exceptions. Honestly, sometimes, the characters have minds of their own. We'll see what happens. I'm just along for the ride.