Chapter Seven – Protection Detail

The team, along with Jenna and Brenna, gathered around Abby. Everyone was inquiring as to her welfare, asking if her attacker had said anything and basically hovering in every possible way.

"It was a woman," Abby told them.

"Thought so," Gibbs confirmed. "What did she say?"

"Nothing, Gibbs!" Abby gave Jenna a sideways look as she tried to convince Gibbs she was telling the truth. Eyes open wide, she continued, "I swear, Gibbs! She didn't say anything."

"Abs!" Gibbs barked, knowing she was withholding something from him.

"Seriously, Gibbs."

Gibbs gave her a look that told her he knew she was lying, but was going to let it go – for a while. "Abby, you're going home with Tony. You go with McGee," he said, nodding toward Brenna, "and you're with me," he finished, grabbing Jenna gently by the upper arm.

Gibbs sensed that something besides the deal with DAX was going on, and it had to do with Jenna and Abby.

"Umm… I can understand the need for protection, but shouldn't we stay together? Safety in numbers and all that?" Brenna asked.

"Abby was just attacked while we were all here together. If I hadn't suspected something was up, she would be gone right now," his voice was dangerously low. "If whoever attacked Abby is still out there, we are sitting ducks. We need to split up, and we need a buddy system. Tony, you go nowhere without Abby. I mean nowhere. McGee; same goes. You will not leave her side under any circumstances."

"Gibbs, wouldn't it be better if I went with McGee?" Abby asked, not wanting to send him home with Brenna. "I mean, we know that DAX is after Brenna; I was just a means to an end. Wouldn't you want your senior agent to guard her," she appealed.

"Abby, you are very clearly a target. I won't send you with McGee. You manipulate him too easily. The next thing I know, he'll have to go out to get a toothbrush and leave you alone."

"Boss, I promise…"

"Gibbs, I promise…" McGee and Abby spoke in unison.

"I said Abby goes with Tony," Gibbs barked. "McGee, I trust you won't make a mistake this time. Besides, whoever I assign to Brenna will need to be with her while she's working in the lab; I'd rather that be you than Tony."

"Yes, Boss," he answered, and then swallowed at the smile on Brenna's face.

Throughout the conversation, Gibbs never released Jenna's arm from his grasp. She stood motionless, both wanting him to release her and wanting him never to let go. She could tell he was suspicious of her. She was afraid he would interrogate her, and she wasn't sure she could hold up under his intense stare. But at the same time, the idea of having this man focused solely on protecting her gave her chills – in a good way.

"Ziva," Gibbs continued giving orders. "I want you to be the link between us. It's your responsibility to check in with each group every six hours. If something were to happen and neither person can get to the phone, we'll know more quickly if you're on top of things."

"Sounds reasonable," she agreed.

"No one is late tomorrow," Gibbs barked his final command as he led Jenna toward the door.

"I need to get my things," she reminded him.

He released his hold on her arm. "Of course."

---

Franklin was pacing his office. "Hours spent in a useless search." His cell phone rang and he flipped it open, barking, "WHAT?"

"Is this a bad time?" the voice asked.

Calming down a bit, Franklin responded, "It depends on the reason for this call."

The voice lowered and said, "We got a tip earlier today that DAX Pharmaceuticals was developing a biochemical weapon."

Narrowing his eyes, Franklin asked, "Where did this tip come from?"

"NCIS; DC office."

Franklin sat down. "NCIS? How did they? … Davis. Thanks for the call." He closed his phone and sat thinking. Now what?

---

Abby walked into Tony's apartment and looked around. "It's different from the last time I was here."

"New furniture," was Tony's reply.

Abby wandered around to see what else had changed. Seeing his movie collection, she grinned. Some things about Tony never changed.

"Why new furniture?" she asked, checking out the newest additions to his movies.

Tony didn't answer and Abby looked at him in time to see him lost in a memory. "Jeanne?"

Setting Abby's bag down, he admitted, "There were enough memories without keeping the same furniture."

Abby walked over and hugged him. "I'm sorry you were hurt, Tony."

Hugging her back and smiling, Tony said, "Thanks, Abs." He pulled back to look her in the face. "You want to tell me what happened out there tonight?"

Abby sighed, "I already told everyone what happened. What, you don't believe me now?"

"I want to hear what happened without all the background noise drowning you out."

Abby sat down on the new couch. "I walked outside to throw the trash out, and this woman jumped out and knocked me off my feet. She bent down and grabbed me. That's when Gibbs came out and she ran. I don't know who she is."

"You can do a sketch of her face?"

"Of course! And I will as soon as we get into the office in the morning. For now, let's get some sleep."

Abby started arranging pillows on the couch and Tony make a negative noise. "Gibbs said I'm not to go anywhere without you."

"What, so that means we have to share the bed?"

Tony grinned. "It's a big bed, Abby," he said in a low voice.

Pushing him away, she grinned, "Not tonight, Tony." Laughing, she added, "You're incorrigible."

"Yep, that's me."

They settled on Abby taking the bed and Tony using the sofa bed. "I knew this would come in handy when I picked it out," he joked as they made it up together. When he was satisfied that she was asleep, he settled down to get a few hours of rest himself. He would never figure out how Abby could go on so little sleep.

---

Jenna watched as Gibbs opened his front door without a key. "You don't lock your door?" she asked.

He ushered her in and turned around. Locking the door lock, he slid the dead bolt home. "I do when I'm on protective detail."

Nodding, Jenna waited for him to go further into the house. When he finally did, she closed her eyes briefly before steeling herself. Tonight was not going to be any fun.

He led her upstairs and showed her the guest room. He set her bag inside the door and explained where the bathroom was and the linen closet for towels and washcloths. Taking her back downstairs, he went to the kitchen and started coffee. That's when Jenna knew he intended to question her about tonight and DAX and her relationship with Abby.

"Do I have time for a quick shower before you begin your grand inquisition?" she asked him.

Gibbs looked up at her and nodded. She disappeared up the stairs and he smiled. So she did have spunk. Good. She'd need it.

Twenty minutes later she walked back down the stairs, and he was surprised by several things: one, she was back in twenty minutes; two, she was wearing long pants and a t-shirt instead of something skimpy other women her age might wear; and three, she made his shampoo smell a lot better than he did. He poured a cup of coffee and handed it to her.

"I don't have cream, but there is sugar in the cabinet behind you."

Jenna added a little sugar and stirred. Sipping the hot liquid, she smiled. "Maybe I could wean myself from the cream and sugar a little at a time."

Tamping down an errant smile, Gibbs sat down at the table. Jenna followed his lead, sitting across from him and brushing her still damp hair out of her eyes. "What do you want to know?"

Gibbs took a drink of his coffee. "Everything."

Jenna grinned. "So you don't like to sleep at night, is that it? You'd rather talk straight through?"

"You're attempts to avoid this won't get me off track."

She sighed. "I kinda figured that. So, everything... Any particular topic you'd like to start with?"

"Abby."

"Right, okay. I met Abby through her brother, Ben. We dated in high school. Abby and I have kept in touch more than Ben and I. When we ran from Texas and started talking about who to contact, I thought of Abby and Brenna thought of Sean, an old college friend. We agreed to start with Abby and if she couldn't help we'd go to Sean."

"Where does Sean work?"

"He's with the FBI. I know, I know! Why go to NCIS before the FBI? I just had this feeling that we'd be safe with NCIS," Jenna told him, looking down at her hands.

Knowing it was a lie, he waited. When she didn't continue, he asked, "What did you do at DAX?"

"I was the executive assistant to Damien Xavier. I started right out of high school in the secretarial pool. As I went through school, a position came open for an administrative assistant to one of the lower level managers. From there I worked my way up and have worked for Damien for the last two years. He was out of the office the day Brenna and I ran. I haven't called him yet."

"Do you think he has anything to do with this?"

"Damien? No way. He wouldn't harm a soul. It's been his life's work to create a line of drugs with as little side-effects as possible. I've never seen any suspicious activity from Damien's side of things. He's too open for that. There is no way on earth he'd contribute to a drug that would take a life."

"You seem pretty sure of that." Gibbs was watching her closely.

"I am sure. I have worked by his side day after day; spent countless hours with him and his family. I know him. He's not behind this."

"What happened tonight?"

Jenna looked puzzled. "I have no idea. I was in the apartment."

"Do you think someone from DAX found you this quickly?" Gibbs asked.

"I couldn't say, Agent Gibbs. A lot of things are possible, but Brenna and I have been very careful to not leave any trail between Texas and here. I don't know who that woman was or who she was with." Her coffee had cooled and Jenna took a big gulp then made a face. "Oh man, cold coffee. Why do people drink that stuff?"

Smiling now, Gibbs told her, "I haven't been able to work that one out myself. Go on to sleep, Jenna. We'll talk more tomorrow." He took her coffee cup and rinsed it.

"Goodnight, Agent Gibbs," Jenna said softly, and then headed upstairs to the room he'd shown her earlier.

Gibbs turned and headed downstairs.

---

"I still think you could protect me better if you let me drive," Brenna tried for about the third time, from the passenger seat of McGee's car.

McGee gave her a look she couldn't quite interpret in the darkness. She smiled, knowing he wouldn't relent, but enjoying teasing him.

"You're very tall, you know," she stated, as if he were unaware of his own height. "This is a car much better designed for a small woman; short, even."

"Nice try," he said with a grin. "But we're here now."

McGee grabbed Brenna's suitcase, while she tossed her overnight bag over one shoulder and grabbed her purse in her other hand.

"Right this way." He led her upstairs to his apartment and unlocked the door.

"Nice place," she said, hiding her surprise.

"Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in your tone?"

"Just a bit," she admitted with a huge smile. "I guess everything really is bigger in Texas."

He chuckled. "Yeah, it's small, I guess. But it's somewhat affordable. Things cost a lot more here."

"True," she conceded. "Only one bed?" she quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, sorry," he blushed. "One of us can sleep in the chair, or…"

"Are you kidding me? I'm small, but I'm not THAT small. And you couldn't possibly be comfortable in a chair all night." She paused a moment, looking around. "It's probably for the best; you're not supposed to leave my side anyway, right?"

"Well, I don't think that's really what Gibbs had in mind."

"Well, if you're afraid I'm gonna invade your personal space or attack you in the middle of the night…" her voice trailed off as she smiled. "Maybe you should be a little worried," she added under her breath.

"Of course I'm not afraid… What did you say?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it. I'm just gonna have a shower, and then we'll go to bed. To sleep, McGee," she added as his blush deepened even further.

---

Gibbs was in his basement, working with his hands. The motion of the sandpaper over wood helped calm him and it cleared his mind to think through things. Abby and Jenna were definitely keeping something from him. What bothered him most was the feeling that it had nothing to do with DAX Pharmaceuticals. Hearing the floorboards overhead creak, he grabbed his handgun and started up the steps quietly. Clearing the hallway, he silently walked toward the front of the house when a noise in the kitchen made him turn in that direction. He turned in the door and ran into a body. Glass shattered and a very female "Dang it" filled his ears.

Still holding his gun, he reached out and flipped the lights on. "Jenna!"

Jenna was standing barefoot in the middle of broken glass. The bottoms of her pants were wet from the water that was all over the floor. She stepped back and winced. "I was thirsty," she explained.

Gibbs noticed the wince and tucked the gun into the waistband of his jeans. "You stepped on the glass, didn't you?" He lifted her off her feet and set her on the counter near the sink. Taking her foot in his hands, he saw the piece of glass in the small cut on her heel. Gently pulling it out, the blood welled and he grabbed a paper towel to put pressure on the cut.

"I'm sorry about the glass."

"Why didn't you tell me you were thirsty?"

"I didn't want to wake you."

"I wasn't asleep."

"How was I to know that?" Jenna asked. "Where's your broom and dustpan?" She moved to hop of the counter, and Gibbs stopped her with his hands at her waist.

"I'll clean it up. You'll just cut your feet again."

Gibbs turned away and Jenna slumped on the counter top. He set about cleaning the mess she had made very efficiently. She hopped down and apologized again. "I'm sorry I made such a mess."

"Apologizing is a sign of …" he stopped before he completed his usual sentence.

Her brown eyes looked up into his and she asked, "Sign of what?"

"Weakness," he finished.

Jenna grinned at him. "Well, now, depends on what you're apologizing for. Sometimes it is a sign of great strength." Winking at him, she kept her heel up as she limped past him. He surprised her by lifting her and carrying her up the stairs.

"Wait here, I'll get you a Band-Aid."

"I have a first-aid kit in my bag," Jenna told him. He opened it, pulling out the kit.

He waited just long enough for her to put the Band-Aid on her foot before leaving her to go back to sleep. Getting into bed himself, he realized she never did get her drink of water.