A/N thank you for your reviews. I had thought this was the last chapter...er nope, show what I know doesn't it. :)

Anyway sorry for the delay the muse decided to throw me a curve-ball half way through the chapter.

Disclaimer, It's not mine...if it was the episodes would be longer and there'd be a heck of a lot more action. :P

Chapter 11

The clock hit five thirty and Jimmy got up off the couch, it for him, had already been a hard day, talking with his dad about the ins and outs of living with Bruce Palmer as a child and finding a balance that he and his father could live with.

Explaining about his mother's drug habits and what following the twelve-step plan would entail for both himself, his mother and Jethro.

Gibbs had moved all his bourbon to the basement and found a padlock to put on there. Eunice had never been a big drinker but she had a tendency to hit the bottle when trying to quit drugs. Jimmy had booked the next two weeks off to help get his mother settled into the plan.

Jackson had offered the use of the spare room in his house for Eunice when they finally returned home. Although Jimmy had been skeptical that both his parents could have a civil conversation, he wanted to believe his dad when he promised that he held no grudges against his mother.

"Well!" Jimmy said standing up; "Here goes nothing…" he walked up the stairs and knocked on the door of his mother's room.

Eunice Palmer was finishing brushing her hair as Jimmy entered the room.

"Jimmy, where am I? I heard your voice is this your house?" she asked

"No ma' it's Leroy's house." He said.

Her face clouded over "Why am I here?" She asked her voice getting low and angry.

"I'm staying with Leroy and dad right now, he's said you can stay till your well and I arranged for you to stay with dad for a few days when you're well enough to go home." He said glad he had found a way to help his mother.

Eunice hit out at her son and backhanded him around the face. For a second Jimmy looked hurt as he hit the floor, but his mom's temper was known to be volatile and instantly she crouched down and hugged her son, "Jimmy I'm so sorry, you shouldn't have made me mad like that." She said to her son.

Jimmy wiped the small trickle of blood that ran down his face from his nose, "I'm sorry momma," He smiled as she calmed down.

"So," She said the last few minutes forgotten, "How do I look?" she asked.

Jimmy smiled, "You look beautiful Ma?"

"Jimmy don't leave me alone with him will you?" She asked herself looking fearful.

"It's ok Ma, dad's changed…" Jimmy started.

"He'll never change, he hates me, I was never good enough, and I wasn't Anne." She said sadly.

"Please mom." Jimmy said gently tugging his mother towards the stairs.

Eunice nodded and slowly and a little unsteadily followed Jimmy down the stairs.

Jethro and Jackson sat in the living room drinking coffee as Eunice came down with Jimmy.

"Mrs. Palmer. I hope your feeling better." Gibbs said as his father looked at her.

"Yes thank you Leroy, the sleep was very restful." Eunice said politely.

"James what happened to your cheek?" Jackson asked his son.

"I knocked it helping mom in the bathroom," Jimmy lied.

Gibbs looked at his brother, he had seen enough abuse cases over the years for his gut to say his brother was lying, but he did not say anything hoping Jimmy would talk to him later.

"Eunice." Jackson said looking at Jimmy's mother.

Eunice looked furtively over at her ex. "Jack."

"You're looking better; we are going to cook for you while you're both at your meeting so dinner should be ready when you get back." Jackson said to her.

"Why?" She asked.

"Because you'll be hungry; you haven't eaten all day and the doctor said you need to eat regularly." He told her,

"And as usual you know what's best for me?" She sniped.

"Mom!" Jimmy said exasperated but was silenced by a look.

"I can't do this Jimmy, we can go to your place and I can take care of myself." She snapped at him

"I…I don't have a place Mom," Jimmy told her.

"But…Bruce was sending you $200 a month for rent?" She said to him.

"No he wasn't." Jimmy replied.

Eunice turned to her son, "You're lying I gave him $200 each month out of my paycheck to him to send to you he told me you had a nice apartment."

Jimmy backed up forgetting where he was seeing the look in her eye.

"Mom, please I really didn't get anything from Bruce, he told me when I left not to bother you for money, I stayed in shelters like he told me…I…I didn't…." Jimmy yelped as Gibbs put his hands on his brother's shoulders standing behind him.

"Eunice, I believe him, Jimmy loves you and he isn't a liar. I have offered him a home here, you are welcome to stay until you are well, but you will not hurt him." Gibbs said gruffly.

"Leroy, I have never hurt my son in my life." She said insulted, "Have I Jimmy." She looked at him.

Jimmy looked at the floor, "No…." he started feeling uncomfortable again, "Look Mom, we have a meeting in half an hour, we should leave now so you can have a coffee before the meeting starts and meet some people." He said and ushered his mother out of the door.

Jackson looked at his eldest son, "Leroy, do you think maybe…"

"Do I think she was hitting him as well as Bruce….yeah…maybe…but Jimmy would have to admit it for me to be able to do something, Lets get to work on dinner dad. Hopefully when they get back she may be in a better mood." Gibbs said.

Two weeks past.

Eunice kept going to her meetings and she settled into life at Gibbs. Things between her and Jackson were getting less strained in fact Jimmy had told his brother at work that he had seen them looking through an album and laughing, Gibbs had been pleased at the smile on his brothers face. "…and I swear Jethro, he…he held her hand and smiled at her." Jimmy continued smiling.

"I am glad they are getting on Jimmy, but you know you can't push them right?" Gibbs said smiling back.

"Yeah, I do. Dad's going with mom to her meeting tonight, Dr. Mallard came to see her this morning he says she's doing better and should be able to go home next month." He said. "They asked if I can go down the weekend after she goes home with him."

Gibbs was pleased. Deep down Eunice was a nice person, she had her problems but she had come out of her shell whilst spending time with his father and he could see them getting together although even she knew not to push it.

Gibbs and Jimmy had been carpooling to work in the mornings, but due to Gibbs work schedule Jimmy got a lift home with Agent Dorneget "Thanks Ned." He said and waved as he got out of the car, grabbed his bag and walked into the house.

It was quiet he had expected to find his mother on the sofa resting quietly before her next meeting.

He heard quiet laughter filtering down from upstairs his mother's voice, then a man's voice. For a second he thought he parents were upstairs together, 'Eww!" he thought with a grin. The he noticed Jackson's car was not outside. There was a crash and he ran upstairs, taking the steps two at a time.

"Mom!" he called and ran into her room.

He looked frantic as he saw his mom on the bed in her dressing gown passing a crack pipe to the stranger sitting on the bed with her. He started to go over to her and stopped as the man moved to show him the gun in his hand.

"So you're the son, she never said you were so pretty," He said obviously stoned.

"Who are you? Mom? Why did you do this?" Jimmy said unable to stop the tears of disappointment from running down his cheeks.

"Jimmy, this is your Uncle John, Bruce's brother, He was waiting outside my meeting. Bruce got bail and they came to see me, he wants me back." She said slurring her words her eyes unfocused but she looked deceptively happy.

"They…!" Jimmy said in a small voice.

"Hello son." A voice came from behind him.

Jimmy's blood turned to ice as he turned and instantly collided with the fist of his stepfather.

Jimmy's last coherent thought was "I hope dad doesn't come back,"