I was hoping to have updated last weekend, but I started college last week and I got really busy really fast. But schedule permitting I am from now on going to try to update about once a week. Thanks for sticking with me! You guys are awesome :)
This episode is primarily based on the season 5 episode Chimera. To put it in the timeline of this story it is the first week of December.
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Jenny was in a bad mood. She had the cold from hell and Team Gibbs was on a ship in the middle of the ocean for the next day or so. She would have gone home at 3 PM after her last meeting, but she was waiting for a satellite update from her husband. She took a sip from her coffee cup and grimaced. The coffee was doing nothing but irritating her throat. She threw her pen down, slipped her heels back on and headed to autopsy to get some tea from Ducky's stash.
On her way up from autopsy she stopped by Abby's lab and caught the tail end of Jethro's update. She was currently pacing in front of the screen in MTAC waiting for Commander Skinner. She was torn between being angry and being scared to death. The ship was completely empty and the research doctor on board was killed by what Ducky thought was viral hemorrhagic fever. If that was the case they were all exposed when they boarded the ship and if it was as he feared Ducky estimated that they would all be dead by morning.
When Commander Skinner came on screen, Jenny halted her pacing and stood up a little straighter.
"Director, I assure you that there is a relief boat heading out to the Chimera as we speak."
"Commander, I need to know what's going on, on that ship."
The Commander quickly replied, "It's classified."
"I have top secret clearance, Commander." Jenny reminded, trying not to let her irritation soak her words.
"The mission is above top secret clearance, Director. But trust me, it's pretty mundane stuff."
Jenny mentally rolled her eyes. She knew this was going to be the start of a very long night.
The second conversation with Commander Skinner, Ducky and Gibbs went no better. The Commander flat out refused to say anything about the ship. Ducky used his authority as medical examiner to quarantine the ship and told the commander he was going search the ship himself, because he wanted to know what was going to kill him. Ducky moved from the screen and Gibbs followed after sending Jenny a brief glance.
"Commander, I think it's time you tell me about your ship."
"I cannot divulge any more of the Chimera's mission than I already have over a MTAC feed."
At that point Jenny lost her usually impeccable self-control, "I will tell my team to investigate everything on that ship from top till bottom until they find what they are looking for. I will be waiting for you and your file." Jenny quickly swiped her hand across her neck and the screen went black before the Commander could reply.
Commander Skinner arrived promptly in her office, file in hand, one hour later. He had just read her in and had her sign the file.
"The support vessel heading to the Chimera has quarantine faculties and should be at the Chimera sometime tomorrow."
"Show it to me." Jenny said
"You're going to have to trust me."
"I don't know you well enough Commander." Jenny said smartly
"We can fix that." The Commander said suggestively
Jenny leaned over her desk and leveled the commander with her best interpretation of the Gibbs glare, "You can cut the charm. Higher ranking, richer, and definitely better looking men have tried that on me and didn't get very far. Now I can't speak for you, Commander, but I didn't get where I am because of my looks, so get your eyes off of me and put some on that ship."
Commander Skinner actually did as she asked and had quickly hurried back his office at the Pentagon, telling her he'd be back in the morning. Jenny pushed the paper work on her desk away from her and rubbed eyes tiredly. It was past 3 in the morning and she had to be up at 7 for the arrival of the commander and hopefully by then the support vessel would be close to the Chimera. Jenny grabbed the blanket off the back of her couch and almost immediately fell asleep.
By midafternoon the next day Jenny was sitting in MTAC. The lights were dim and the screen was black. She reached for her cup of rapidly cooling tea and stared ahead. She had seen the ship blow up and for about half an hour she didn't know whether her husband was coming home or not. She dreaded having to go tell Kate that her dad, boyfriend and grandfather figure were not coming home. She didn't want to tell Abby that her father figure and mismatched family were gone.
When the support vessel radioed in saying they had Team Gibbs safely abroad, Jenny had never been so relived in her life. After the feeling of relief settled in, anger quickly came bubbling through. She knew Commander Skinner had made the call for the missile. She vowed to stunt his Navy career in its tracks, but that was a challenge for another day. Gibbs and the team were being helicoptered back to Anacostia and they would be back at headquarters within the next few hours.
Jenny retreated back to her office in an attempt to get some work done, but she quickly surrendered to the pounding in her head and curled back up on the couch. The next thing she knew someone was shaking her awake. She cracked open an eye and blinked a few times.
"Hey mom, I brought some food for dinner." Kate said softly
"What time is it?" Jenny rasped, a hand resting on her throat in an attempt to sooth the burning.
"It's after five. The team should be back by a little after six. I got Chinese from your favorite place."
"Kate, sweetie, I'm really not that hungry." Jenny said slowly sitting up.
Kate gave her mom a look, "I know for a fact you haven't eaten anything of substance for at least a day now. I brought egg drop soup and your favorite raspberry tea."
Jenny sighed and took a seat at the conference table next to her daughter. As she listened to her daughter talk animatedly about her last few days of class, Jenny realized how much she had missed her daughter these last few months. Jenny leaned over and pulled Kate into a hug.
"Mom, what are you doing?"
"I've just really missed you. I don't get to see you that much now that you only work a day or two every week."
"Mom, I think you have a fever."
Jenny pulled back, "I do not have a fever."
Kate laid the back of her wrist on Jenny's forehead, "You definitely have a fever. Dad's going to kill you when he gets home. You swore to him you wouldn't overwork yourself and you would get some sleep while he was gone."
"Yeah well, when I made that promise I wasn't anticipating him being lost at sea on an abandoned ship. Plus I have all weekend to recuperate."
"Tony just texted me, they're getting in the elevator right now!" Kate exclaimed before rushing out of the office.
Jenny smiled and followed her daughter out of the office at a much slower pace. She was exhausted and her legs felt like jelly. When she stepped into the bullpen, Kate and Tony were wrapped up in each other and Abby was affectionately mauling Ziva and McGee at the same time. Jenny was quickly pulled into her husband's embrace. She leaned into him and tucked her head into his neck and inhaled his sent.
"I love you." Jenny whispered
"Love you too, Jen." Gibbs replied, "How are you feeling?"
"Awful." Jenny answered truthfully
"You didn't go home last night did you?"
Jenny just shook her head slightly; she figured that at this point it was best to just be completely honest. Gibbs pushed Jenny back slightly and placed a kiss on her forehead.
"Jen, you've got a pretty high fever."
"That's what Kate said."
Jenny moved from her husband's embrace to give Ducky a quick hug. She then buried into Jethro's side and let him support her weight. She closed her eyes for a second and when she opened them again Tony was on one knee with a ring in front of her daughter.
"I've been carrying this ring around with me for a month just waiting for the right moment. This wasn't exactly what I had in mind but last night I thought I was never going to see you again. We don't have to get married right away if you don't want to; I just want everyone to know you're mine. So Kaitlin Marie Gibbs, will you marry me?"
"Yes."
*TBC*