Heather was right. Jenny was spiralling, and she was spiralling hard. She was going crazy obsessed with catching this La Grenouille guy and it was clouding her judgment and her morals. Jethro knew that, if Jenny was thinking straight, she would've never let the Jeanne Benoit situation go out of hand.

Her mental state was further weakened by the death of three of her agents in just a mere three days span. She hated doing calls to families for this reason – she hated this part of the job, she hated listening to the shock and the horror in the families' voices when they'd received the news, and she knew that no matter how much she told them that they were honourable, noble agents, it would never be enough. No amount of compliments would bring back their loved one from the dead.

And, like adding salt to a fresh wound, she had accidentally found out that Gibbs was finally committing to Hollis, who Jenny had heard talking on the phone to one of her girlfriends and telling her how he had planned to stay by fixing her pipes for her. After leaving the bathroom, she had looked so faint that Cynthia was alarmed, but after a few more moments, Jenny had appeared again, looking perfectly fine.

If that wasn't enough, her La Grenouille thing was going out of control. The entire team had just witnessed Tony's car blown up on screen with him still inside it, and Jenny was looking so faint that her eyes slid out of focus for a while before she stumble backwards into a chair. Only Ziva and Gibbs had noticed her – and even though there was still some ill feelings from Ziva towards the redheaded woman, Ziva could not help but be reminded of all the times Jenny had saved both their asses from kidnappers, bombers and shooters.

So she still approached the woman, who was clutching at her chest, as if she wanted to rip her heart out. Jenny was even paler than usual and her breathing had become heavy and rapid, as if she was drowning in the air.

"Jenny!" cried Ziva in alarm as the older woman tried to regain control again. "Gibbs – Ducky – I - what's wrong? I can't – she can't breathe, help her!"

"Go downstairs and fetch my kit, McGee." Said Ducky at once, as he knelt down beside Jenny.

Gibbs and Ziva were both watching anxiously as McGee did as he was told at once – Tony may have perished but there was no reason for them to lose yet another member of their team today.

"Jenny, look at me." Said the doctor in the most calming voice he could muster. "Close your eyes and try to breathe slower. It's all in your head, dear. You still have us – you musn't forget your family, Jennifer."

"I… have…no…family." Jenny heaved, tears stinging her eyes. "No…one."

"You have us, dear." Said Ducky. He forced her to let go of her chest and gripped her hand tightly in his. "You still have us."

The last thing she saw was both Ziva and Gibbs trying desperately to clutch her other hand before she blacked out.

~NCISJIBBS~NCISJIBBS~NCISJIBBS~

"… Stress, fatigue, anaemia, low blood pressure, underweight, Cynthia told me she's been skipping lunches and going into MTAC for the past four months, Jethro. Did you know about this?" demanded Ducky.

Jenny began to stir and saw that she was in her office, with an ice pack on her forehead. She made to remove it when a voice cut in:

"Don't touch it, you have a burning fever." Said Ducky without looking at her. The old man's glare was focused upon Gibbs. "You haven't answered my question, Jethro. Did you or did you not know about Jenny's condition?"

"I knew." Gibbs admitted silently. "I've known for a long time now."

"If you're gonna talk about me as if I'm not here, then can you both please get out." Said Jenny, who felt pain in every part of her body. "I can't rest while you two are arguing."

"Someone needs to look after you." Said Ducky, as his glare became more pronounced than ever. "Certainly not Jethro. I forbid any contact between you two."

The protest was immediate.

"Duck, you can't do that, you're not our father – "

"Ducky, please – "

"Enough. That is final. Whatever you two have been developing these past months – if anything has been developing besides animosity – it is finished. Now. Jenny needs real support and you're not giving it to her, so I'll find someone who cares. In the meantime, I will be taking care of you."

"You won't be able to find someone who cares about Jenny more than I do." Said Gibbs confidently.

"You're out of luck, Jethro." Said Ducky dismissively. "I've already contacted someone and they're on the way here. I suggest you leave before they get here, because I promise you that they'll want to ask questions you wouldn't know how to answer."

"Who have you called?" asked Gibbs frowning.

"Heather Shepard."

~NCISJIBBS~NCISJIBBS~NCISJIBBS~

"I could squeeze the life out of you right now without flinching." Fumed Heather.

They had bumped into each other outside NCIS, and Heather had made a beeline to him and Hollis. But right now, her focus was only on Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

"Didn't I tell you?" she screamed, furious. "Didn't I warn you, Gibbs? And you chose to walk away, take the easy way out – you are not at all what I thought you were, you are not the man she spent hours and hours talking about, you're a coward, and I hope you can finally relax now that Jenny's out of your fucking way."

"Heather – Heather, please." He had never been caught off guard before, but he knew he deserved it. "Please, don't. You could lose your job over this – "

"Jenny was right." Heather cut him off, jabbing a finger at his chest. "To choose her job over your ass. I hope she never forgives you for this."

She stalked off before he could even open his mouth to reply, leaving Jethro wondering how he could have ever doubted Heather's intuition.

~NCISJIBBS~NCISJIBBS~NCISJIBBS~

"Don't." was all she said when he came to visit her, a week after Ducky had given her the all clear.

He sat down silently by her bed.

"I'm clinically depressed, Jethro." She said. "I didn't think life could get any worse than, well…"

She trailed off. He wondered what she was going to say.

"I don't want to see you." She said. "Ever. I – I can't handle it. I thought I could, but I can't. I've never felt so alone in my entire life, Jethro. All because of one dumb mistake I made eight years ago, this is all I have now."

He didn't say anything.

"I don't want you to stay if all you're ever going to do is leave." She said, and their eyes met for the first time in a long time. "Don't."

"Not goin'." he said simply, as he remained in his seat. "I'm sorry. I know I should've helped you, but a part of me sincerely thought you were okay… I had no idea you were this hurt, Jen. I've failed you as a friend, and I want to make it up to you."

As a friend. Jenny sighed. Time was running out, but she didn't want to say anything yet.

When will they learn?