'So what do you think is going on with Penny? I mean she takes sudden vacation time and then suddenly turns up in New York at our crime scene.' Tony said with genuine concern.
'I do not know Tony, but she didn't seem her usual self; neither did Gibbs for that matter.' Ziva replied.
'Yeah there's definitely something that they're not telling us; but you know Gibbs if he wants us to know he'll tell us.' McGee added.
Penny and Gibbs walked towards them and their conversation was stopped dead.
'Ah Penelope good to see you my dear.' Ducky said as he appeared from the alleyway and warmly hugged the young agent.
'Good to see you Duckmeister.' Penny replied as she hugged him back, using the nickname she had affectionately christened Ducky with.
'Are you going to be investigating this case?' Ducky asked.
'Err…no, no I'm going back to my vacation, but I'll be back to NCIS soon. Sounds like you guys are going to be around for a while anyway.' Penny explained. 'Right guys I'm gonna get back to my hotel. I'll see you all later.' She said as she headed off down the street.
'Right what've we got?' Gibbs asked his team before him.
A few days later, back at NCIS, Jenny sat in MTAC watching the large screen, where she had been pretty much since Penny had left. She still hadn't heard anything from Penny and it had now been nearly a week.
She had turned to work to try and block out the pain and worry she felt, only it just seemed to add to it rather than help it.
She had been working off a tip off that there was going to be an attempt on someone's life at a government and agency ball being held in a couple of days' time. She was supposed to go, giving that she is the NCIS director, but she didn't feel up to it since Penny had not yet returned and she still had no idea where she was. She did not particularly feel up to being sociable.
Whilst she was staring at the screen before her Gibbs appeared at her side, placing a comforting kiss on her cheek.
'You staring at pictures of our enemies in the dark again Jen?' He asked with a mischievous smirk.
Jenny gave a small smile back as photographs of various terrorist suspects appeared on the screen before her.
'One of these, if not more, are planning to take out at least one member of either the government or a government agency director.' She explained whilst attempting to stifle a yawn.
'You need to get some sleep Jen, you look exhausted.' Gibbs said quietly.
'I'm fine Jethro; nothing a little coffee won't fix. When did you get back from New York anyway?' She asked, trying to divert his attention.
'About forty minutes ago.' Gibbs replied before pressing the subject of her exhaustion again. 'It was a tiring four and a half hours, could do with an early night.'
Jenny gave him her best attempt at his famous "Gibbs stare" which didn't really have any affect.
'Come on Jen you're going to make yourself ill.' He added caringly.
'I can't Jethro; every time I close my eyes I see her face. She looked so hurt and so upset. And if that doesn't keep me awake then the worry I feel does. I just want her back so that I can tell her how sorry I am.' Jenny explained as a single tear rolled down her face.
'It's alright Jen, she already knows.' Penny said as she walked down the gangway into MTAC.
'Penny?' Jenny exclaimed as she leapt up from her seat.
'Hey Jen.' Penny replied simply before walking towards Jenny.
Jenny grabbed her in a tight hug, happy to feel her close to her once more. Her tears ran down her face freely, and she felt her shoulder getting wet as Penny released all of tears too. After a few minutes they released each other, and Jenny cupped Penny's face in her hands.
'Don't you ever do that to me again.' She said as she pulled her in for another hug.
Gibbs watched for a few moments before getting up from where he was sat to give them some privacy.
'I'll be downstairs if you need me.' He said as placed a hand on Jenny's shoulder.
They both gave him a weak smile before turning their attention back to each other.
'Where've you been?' Jenny asked as she looked at Penny's eyes and loving stroked her hair.
'I went to New York. Ended up bumping in to Gibbs and the guys; and before you say anything he was under very strict instructions not to say anything to you.' Penny explained and interrupted Jenny before she could interrupt her.
Jenny pulled Penny down towards the seats before she continued. She had rehearsed what she was going to say in her head many times over the last week, but now it came to it she couldn't remember anything that she had wanted to say. Except for one thing.
'Penny I am so sorry, I never meant to hurt you.' Jenny explained as calmly as she could manage.
'Jen…' Penny began before stopping suddenly and then smirked. 'Never apologise, it's a sign of weakness.' She said finally and successfully made Jenny laugh. 'I know I shouldn't have left like that, or at least I should have called, but I couldn't face you. This has really hurt me Jen, but it's not the fact that you're my mom that's done it, it's the fact that you lied to me.' Penny explained as she fought back her tears.
'I know, I know and I'm really sorry, weakness or not.' Jenny said with a small smile and was relieved to be greeted with a small smile back. 'I never wanted you to find out like that…'
'But you wanted me to find out?' Penny interrupted.
'I always wanted you to find out, but Mom never did.' Jenny replied.
'So you gonna tell me what happened?' Penny asked as she prepared herself for the truth.
Jenny braced herself for the conversation before beginning her explanation.
'It happened whilst I was in my senior year at school. This guy had moved into the area from San Francisco and was in some of my classes, and he was so lovely.' Jenny explained with a slightly glazed over look as she recalled some painful memories. 'We started dating and realised we had a lot in common. His dad was also a colonel in the army and he'd spent his whole childhood moving round the country.' Jenny took a deep breath before continuing, but was then interrupted by Penny.
'What was his name?' She asked quietly.
'Danny Green. He was on the school football team, basketball, baseball you name it; but he was bright too.' Jenny replied fondly.
'So what happened when he found out you were pregnant?' Penny asked sadly.
'It came as a massive shock, which doesn't mean I regret anything because I don't; I just wish things had been different for us. Danny was less from happy, demanded that I had termination…which I obviously didn't have.' Jenny explained as the tears sprung to eyes again.
She looked at Penny and smiled slightly, stroking her short red hair. She was thankful that she looked more like her thank her biological father.
'When I came home and told Mom and Dad I was pregnant they flipped. They were concerned about what people might say. Dad had just started at the Pentagon and Mom was lecturing at the university and was up for promotion. They kept the pregnancy secret and I was home schooled for a while, so no one knew about you. Danny didn't want to know after that, I think he assumed I'd gone through with the termination; Mom and Dad wanted me to give you up for adoption, but me, I wanted nothing more than to keep you and I want you to know that Penny. When you were born I couldn't go through with giving you up to some stranger, so Mom and Dad decided to take you and raise you.' Jenny explained before breaking off.
Penny sat silently trying to take everything in.
'Wow, Jen I'm so sorry. I never realised. I thought maybe it was because I didn't fit into your "five point plan"' Penny said as she made speech marks with her fingers.
'It was never like that Penny I swear.' Jenny said quickly.
'Yeah but if you'd kept me then you'd probably never have gotten to wear you are today.' Penny replied.
'You're probably right, but I would give all of this up in a heartbeat if I could change things. I never wanted to lie to you and it's been the hardest thing I've ever had to do.' Jenny said as she held out her arms to Penny and held her tightly.
Penny and Jenny sat in MTAC all night chatting. They talked about everything before drifting off to sleep in the early hours of the morning. Although they didn't look particularly comfortable in the seats, it was the best night's sleep either of them had had in a week.