Jenny was aware of what was going on around her at certain points, she was vaguely conscious of someone sitting with her, keeping her hand in theirs, but not once did they speak. It gave her something to focus on though, something to pull her back from the edge when she felt like she was about to go under, when the darkness threatened to swallow her whole.
Ziva had came to visit, had sat by her bed and told her to wake up, told her she didn't save her life in Cairo just so she could die eighteen months later. Jenny could make out the emotion in the younger woman's voice as she went on to say that she couldn't lose the one person she turned to when things got difficult. As Ziva's voice began to break Jenny wanted nothing more than to reach out and tell her she could hear her but she couldn't it was like she was locked in, a prisoner in her own body.
Time passed, although Jenny didn't know how much, whoever had the hold on her hand finally began to speak to her, her heart quickened slightly when she realised it was Jethro. She listened as he asked her to come back and in that moment Jenny wanted nothing more than to open her eyes when he asked her too but she just couldn't.
After that Jenny didn't know how much more time passed by, it could have been seconds, it could have been months but soon her eyes felt less heavy and slowly but surely she blinked them open.
The hours after his declaration seemed to crawl by for Gibbs, he had truly thought she would open her eyes for him. Grief and rage whirled around inside of him, he needed her back, he had always needed her, he had just never accepted it before now. Why had it taken him so long to realise that? And why did it have to be when he was the verge of losing her?
Darkness fell and the artificial lights in the hospital flickered on causing him to wince as the brightness burned at his eyes. He had shut the blinds days ago, more content to sit in the grey bleakness since it suited his mood, ironically it was now on that fifth night that he decided he wanted them open. Gibbs looked out into the inky sky, the stars burned so brightly in it's backdrop that they appeared almost white, he noted that there was no moon tonight. As he stared out he thought back to Paris, the warm nights when he and Jenny had strolled through the winding streets hand in hand, they had sat in the park and looked up at the night sky. It had been then that she had told him that whenever she had needed to clear her mind she would look out at the stars, because she found them so peaceful and for some reason it had always made her feel better.
Sighing Gibbs glanced slightly at Jen's reflection in the glass, something he saw made him frown, her fingers were moving slightly. He whirled round, praying it wasn't an illusion, it wasn't, the hand he had previously been holding onto was moving, the fingers curling as though she was trying to grasp onto something. Standing in shocked silence he just looked on as her green eyes finally fluttered open. It was then something inside of him snapped and he moved quickly forward, sitting on the bed next to her, he grabbed onto her hand,
'Jenny can you hear me? Jen I need you too look at me again'
Her eyes fluttered open again and made contact with his, that mesmerizing green he never thought he'd see again took his breath away. He saw her lips briefly curl into a smile, her fingers curling around his as her eyes fluttered shut again.
After that the room was a whirl of doctors again and Gibbs found himself banished outside, although only after the doctor had threatened to have him escorted out of the building if he didn't wait outside. The moment the doctor walked out of Jenny's room Gibbs pounced on the man, 'What's going on, will she be ok?'
Slightly surprised the doctor quickly recovered, 'Agent Gibbs I am happy to inform you that Director Sheppard show's no sign of having suffered any brain damage from her arrest and we expect her to now make a full recovery. She'll probably sleep for the rest of the night until the rest of the sedatives are out of her system, you can of course sit with her', the man gave him one last smile before walking away, happy that for once he had been able to give some good news.
Jenny opened her eyes, the sunlight making her flinch, she hurt all over, turning her head she saw Jethro, he was sitting on the chair next to her bed, his head on his chest, his hand still in hers. Smiling softly Jenny ran her thumb over his knuckles, causing him to jump awake, he blinked rapidly at her before leaning forward, his hand trailing down her cheek. She turned into his hand and placed a chaste kiss to his palm, his thumb brushed over her cheekbone and he let out a shaky breath. Jenny lifted her hand and re-linked it through his as she croaked out, 'You look like hell'
Smirking slightly he replied, 'Yeah because you look like a million bucks right now', he frowned slightly, 'You want some water?'
'Please', Jenny shuffled up the bed slightly, wincing as she did so.
'You should try not too move too much'
'It's fine', she shook her head dismissively, 'I'm just stiff'
They sat for a few moments in silence as Jenny sipped at the water, she was unsure of what to say, 'How long have you been here for? Actually more to the point how long have I been here for?'
'Six days on both counts'
'You've sat here for six days!'
'Yeah, I wanted to make sure you were going to be ok'
'You didn't have to'
'I wanted to though Jen', Gibbs frowned and rubbed at the back of his neck, 'What do you remember?'
'I was walking home and somebody grabbed me, then I just remember pain'
'We got the guy, he pleaded guilty'
'Then why do you look like you've swallowed a pine cone?'
He looked up at her, his eyes red rimmed from lack of sleep and the tears he felt he had to try and constantly keep at bay, 'It was my fault Jen, we were arguing and you were distracted when he snuck up on you'
She tightened her grip on his hand, 'Believe me Jethro this wasn't your fault and nothing you could have done would have stopped this'
'Jen I….'
'No don't Jethro, don't blame yourself for this please', She gave him another small smile and decided to change the subject, 'The worst thing about this is the fact that I turn forty tomorrow and missed the last week of being in my thirties'
Gibbs let out a small laugh, 'Yeah because you had so much planned'
'Hey! I might have', she looked at him, taking in his slightly raised eyebrow before admitting, 'Fine so I didn't have anything planned'
Their eyes met again and Gibbs felt himself being pulled into her again, he glanced away letting out an awkward cough, 'I better go phone people and let them know that you're back in the land of the living'
Jenny didn't reply she just gave a soft nod and watched as Jethro left the room, wondering how she should tell him she still loved him.
As Gibb closed his cell he looked towards Jenny's room, she was back, she'd came back to him. He leaned against the wall and let out a sigh, now he just had to tell her he still loved her.
Unfortunately Jenny and Gibbs didn't get the chance to spend anymore time alone as the team raced to the hospital and all but set up camp in Jenny's room. Gibbs went to get coffee and then stood in the corner of the room watching as all the people he cared about sat laughing and joking, catching Jenny up on the events of the last few days.
Eventually the nursing staff came along and told them visiting was now over and they had to go. After much moaning and groaning they all left, promising to come back tomorrow and make Jenny's birthday as amazing as they could. Once they were all gone Jenny looked up at Gibbs and gestured that he should sit down on the bed next to her, he did so without argument. Swallowing hard she summoned up the courage to speak, 'Jethro I need to tell you something'
He looked at her slightly worried by the fear in her eyes, 'What's wrong Jen?'
She forced herself to meet his eyes, 'When I was lying there after my attack I realised something, I realised just how many mistakes I have made but the biggest one was the one I made when I walked away from you in Paris.' Her voice cracked slightly as she continued, 'I still love you Jethro and I'm sorry that I ever let you think otherwise and if I have to I will spend the rest of my life trying to prove it to you. I just I want another chance to make things right, I know we could be happy together'
Gibbs looked at her unsure what to say, he broke away from her gaze and stared at their entwined fingers instead, the words stuck in his throat, 'Jenny when you were lying here and the doctor's told me you wouldn't pull through I told you that if you woke up I wouldn't let us spend anymore time apart, I love you too Jenny and I think we deserve that second chance', He brought her fingers up to his mouth and lightly kissed her hand.
Beaming at him Jenny leaned forward and caught his lips in a kiss, her free hand curling into his hair. His hand wrapped round her waist and he pulled her into him causing her to let out a gasp of pain, Gibbs rapidly pulled back looking at her in concern, 'Jenny you ok?'
'Fine', she gave him a quick grin, 'I just don't think that I'm quite up to this yet, I promise I'll make it up to you though'
Laughing as he ran a hand through her hair as he brought her face very gently to his, 'I'll take you up on that one Jen but we have all the time in the world now, so we don't have to rush. I want to know you'll be ok'
'I'll be fine as soon as I get out of here', She looked at him eyes sparkling, 'Think you could break me out of here'
'Not a hope in hell, your stuck here until they discharge you'
Jenny let out a massive sigh, 'Fine, but will you stay with me?', she looked up at him, her green eyes hopeful.
Nodding Gibbs moved onto the bed and wrapping his arms around her pulled her gently into his side, smiling into Jenny's hair as she lay her head on his chest, their fingers still entwined together as they slowly drifted off into a contented sleep, together.
Just the epilogue left. Once again thank you for all the reviews :)
xxxxx
