Three weeks in this place had been far more than enough for her.
Jen struggled for a few moments, but finally got her sweater on, sighing heavily once she did. "I have decided I don't like getting dressed now." She said quietly, putting her left arm into her coat and looking over at Jay. "Help." She said softly, wincing when she moved her right arm the wrong way.
The boy got up from his seat at the window and helped her get the coat over her right shoulder very carefully before backing away again, not wanting to put her through anymore pain than she was already in. "Are you gonna be okay, mom?" He asked quietly, "'Cause you know that I can stay home and take care of you, right?"
Jen laughed softly, holding her jacket and standing. "Ducky, you know you didn't have to stay. I am perfectly capable of taking a cab." She said as she picked up her bag, wincing at the throbbing pain in her other arm. She was definitely not looking forward to the next year and a half of physical therapy.
Ducky smiled a little, taking the bag from her and shooing them both from the room. "It's not a problem, my dear. Don't be ridiculous. Besides, I'm already here and you're already ready to go."
She smiled, laughing softly as she made her way down the hall with Jay at her good side and Ducky close behind. "I can carry that." She said softly, dropping back a few steps to walk next to him. "Are you really sure we can stay with you for a few days?"
"You know it's not a problem, Jennifer. I have that great big house all to myself and it's been rather quiet since Mother left. Besides, Jasper is great company-" He was cut off politely by the boy on Jen's other side.
"He has so many stories, mom. Were you really kidnapped by a crazy guy and saved by Dad?" He asked, wide-eyed and curious.
Jen looked over at Ducky, surprised by this. "That is a good question. Ducky? Was I?" She asked, looking just as curious as her son did.
"You don't remember," He said quietly, stepping into the elevator behind the two of them. "Yes. Jennifer, it sounds like I have a few stories to tell you as well." He sighed, watching Jay eagerly jab at the button for the parking garage before returning to his mother's side.
She sighed deeply, dropping her head and wincing, standing up straight again when she discovered putting her head down caused pain in her shoulder. "I guess so…" She said softly, sighing softly once more and leaning back on the wall gingerly, favoring her left side. She reached up, rubbing her face and letting out a soft sigh- clearly frustrated and trying to hide it. "Maybe another day. I just want to lay down when we get back." She chose a spot on the elevator of the ceiling and stared at it intently. This wasn't going to be easy.
***
Ducky was making his way down the hall and paused at the room one of his current houseguests was occupying. He knocked on the door when he noticed she was just sitting there with her head down. "Jennifer, are you alright?" He asked, watching her carefully for a few moments.
Jen started from her thoughts, looking up at him and wincing when she'd moved a little too quickly. "Yes, Ducky. I'm all right. Just waiting for these damn pills to kick in so I can lay back down." She sighed, tugging her blanket a little closer to her. "You know, you get shot- and you just wonder if it's a feeling you'll ever get used to… But you never do. It hurts just as much every time, especially if it's in a different place every time. At least now I have matching scars." She laughed softly, her laugh coming to an abrupt halt when she realized how painful laughing was at the moment. She stared at her good hand for a few long moments and then looked up at him. "So. I've really lost that much? Almost ten years?"
His expression was solemn as he walked in and sat down on the edge of the bed, but he couldn't- no, wouldn't- lie to her. "Yes. I wish I knew why, my dear, but my best guess would be between the pills you took to make your heart slow- even though they saved your life, you lost enough blood to cause extreme shock." He explained quietly, "They figured, though, they might as well have done both surgeries since it was safer that way- it's safer to do more than one surgery under one round of anesthesia. Nothing was wrong with your brain- they got rid of the cancer no problem, so your memory loss could be a result of your injury much like when Jethro suffered memory loss when he was in that explosion two years ago."
She let out an audible breath, "He what?" She asked, looking both shocked and worried.
Ducky stared at her for a few moments, realizing she didn't remember being Director at all or anything that happened. "Yes. And it was you who helped him regain his memory," He said quietly, "He pulled through and went right back to normal- even when no one but you believed he would."
She relaxed, looking slightly relieved- but still very confused. "So. I still talk to him?"
He shook his head, "Jennifer, everyone thinks you're dead. I've already explained this to you."
She nodded, "Right. Sorry. Go on." She sighed, dropping her head again.
"Thank you." He said softly, "You don't remember being Director or anything at all from the past eight years? What about Ziva, does that name mean a thing to you?"
She looked up thoughtfully, as if trying to recall. "It's a very nice name. But who is Ziva?" She asked.
He looked slightly saddened by her words. "You don't remember Ziva? What about Anthony or Abigail?"
She shook her head, "No. Who are they?" She asked, looking slightly aggravated by him now.
"Jethro's team. Who do you know?" He asked, trying to find how far her memory loss had stretched.
"There's no one named Anthony on Jethro's team. It's just me and Leon and Jethro." She gave him a strange look; for some reason the name Ziva continued to nag at the back of her mind. She knew that name from somewhere.
He saw the look in her eyes like something was bothering her deep in the back of her mind. "What about Stephanie. Do you know her?" He asked simply.
Her eyes darkened slightly at the name- it made her jealous, although she wasn't entirely sure why it made her feel like that. "No."
He nodded slowly. "Looks like we've got a lot of talking to do, my dear. For now, maybe you should get some rest." He suggested, standing up and making his way toward the door. "We'll talk more once you've rested."
She sighed, frustrated completely now. "Can I call Jethro? Can I see him?" She asked, "Can't he know I'm alive?" He loved her- And she loved him- didn't he at least deserve to know she was alive? How much could have changed over eight years, really?
"Let's try to get some of your memories back first, shall we?" He suggested, "Lay down. Let young Jasper know if you need anything or if there's anything I can get for you." He pulled the door mostly closed and made his way downstairs to the dining room to write down what he knew so far. This was going to be a long and difficult process. There were a lot of missing pieces there that even he didn't know about.
***
Jen sighed deeply, running her good hand through her hair and carefully laying down on her left side, being wary of her arm. She was starting to feel a little gross and groggy from the medication but still that name nagged her mind even through her drugged haze. Ziva… Ziva… There was something missing there. She squinted at the intricate patterns in the lace curtain covering the window, which showed nothing but night sky beyond the glass. "David." She murmured, starting and opening her eyes. "David." She said again, she knew that name. "Ziva. David." She knew that woman. The face in her mind was blurred.
Her head began to pound at the same rate her arm throbbed and she got dizzy, relaxing against the pillows and forcing herself to sleep. She had a fitful sleep, one of memories she couldn't quite distinguish. Memories and dreams of Jethro and Paris- others of Cairo and this woman named Ziva. Although her mind stayed blurred and confused with the memories, whenever she thought of that Ziva she got the same warm feeling she had for Jethro- just not as intense. There was something there, something strong- and something more than friendship with that woman. She woke a few times, but the heavy feeling from her painkillers forced her back into the fitful dreams over and over. She made a mental note to talk to Ducky about this … Ziva, and find out what she meant- what she was to her. Maybe he had pictures or something- she'd heard about studies before- that sometimes voices or pictures jogged the memory.