Ten days past and Jenny remained in her coma, Rebecca remained at her bedside and Gibbs remained camped out in the waiting room. The rest of Jenny's family had become accustomed to the sight of an exhausted Gibbs slumped in a hard hospital chair, coffee in hand and all had tried to convince Rebecca to at least let him have five minutes but the woman had stubbornly refused, insisting that he wasn't getting anywhere near Jenny. At first she had allowed Abby to visit but when the woman had started to try and plead clemency for Gibbs she too found herself relegated to the waiting room As for Gibbs's team and Ducky they took it in turns to sit with Gibbs, not that he said anything to them. They just sat in an uneasy silence, waiting, and so the days dragged by as hope began to fade.

Rebecca gave a small yawn and stretched out in her seat, her eyes flittering over her nieces form before looking over at her husband who was currently asleep in the chair next to her, the days paper lying open across his stomach. He was snoring loudly, so loudly in fact that he woke himself up, jumping in his seat and staring around the room in confusion. Holding back a small laugh Rebecca told him, 'You were so loud you woke yourself up again'

Thomas rubbed at his eyes, 'Hmmm sorry'

'It's ok, it cuts through the silence, drowns out that bloody machine!'

Wrapping an arm around his wife he asked, 'Are you ok? Maybe you're spending too much time here, maybe you should go home and get some rest'

'No, I want to be here when she wakes up'

Thomas squeezed her shoulder and smiled softly, 'Ok, well I'm going to get some coffee, do you want any?'

'Yes please', she shot him a grateful smile.

As Thomas went to get up he decided to try and talk some sense into his wife, he inclined his head in the direction of the waiting area, 'You know I bet he's still out there, you've got to give the man credit for his persistence'

Rebecca averted her gaze from her husband as she replied, 'He can be as persistent as he likes, he isn't getting in here'

'Becca I don't think it's wise for us to cut him out like this'

'Why? In case Jennifer doesn't wake up and he wants custody?', she looked up at her husband who nodded slightly. Rebecca shook her head, 'I wouldn't worry about it because it won't be happening, I will fight him every step of the way. I've already spoken to Mel and James and if worst comes to worst then they'll raised the baby'

'Is it fair to cut him out like this?'

Her eyes flashed in anger as she snapped, 'There was nothing fair in the way he treated Jennifer! I am simply returning the favour. If this baby cannot be raised by their mother then they will at the very least stay with us, in a family who will love them unconditionally. Not with a man who cheated on his wife and then ignored the woman he supposedly loves calls for help'

'Her fall wasn't his fault'

Her eyes filling with tears Rebecca stood up to face her husband her voice wavering slightly as she replied, 'If he had turned up when she had asked, like he said he would be, then she wouldn't have been alone and that burglar would never have had the opportunity he got!'

'And I am sure that he is already torturing himself over that, do we need to add to it? For all you know Jennifer would want him here, with her. He's been out there for eleven days now, surely that proves he cares'

Thomas watched as his wife drew herself up to full height and knew she was about to let her anger loose, lose the self-control she had been clinging onto, but before she got the chance the sound of violent coughing filled the air. The couple whirled round too see Jenny's eyes wide open as she gasped against the tube in her throat, her hands trying to tug it away and out of her mouth.

Gibbs shuffled in his seat and glanced up at the clock, he had been here for three hours already today, he only went home when the nursing staff ordered him out and then would turn up again first thing. Not that sitting waiting was getting him anywhere, Jenny's aunt was still refusing to let him anywhere near her and it was killing him inside. He needed to see her, needed to tell her he was sorry but she was point blank refusing to give him that chance. The rest of Jenny's family had at least taken pity on him, occasionally even sitting down next to him and telling him if there had been any progress in her condition. Just yesterday Thomas had sat down next to him and handed him a coffee as he told him, 'We all make mistakes, Rebecca will come round eventually just give her time'

'No offence but that's time I could be spending with Jenny'

Thomas had just sighed softly and patted him reassuringly on the shoulder before getting up and heading back towards Jenny's hospital room.

Sighing Gibbs rubbed at his aching forehead, he should be in there at Jenny's side, not hanging around like a spare part out here. Yes he had made mistakes but so had she, neither one of them was perfect, they both had their flaws.

It was at that moment that he heard a commotion coming from the direction of Jenny's room and her doctor ran into the room. Jumping to his feet Gibbs all but ran to the room only to be stopped by the nurse, 'I'm sorry Sir but you'll have to wait outside'

His eyes darted past her trying to see what was going on but with no success, his voice hoarse he croaked out, 'Please I just need to know if she's ok'

The nurse gave him a sympathetic look as she told him, 'I'm sorry but you're not family'

Gibbs swallowed heavily and nodded, before stepping backwards slightly, letting the woman shut the door, leaving him once again standing alone in the corridor.

She tried to breathe in but she couldn't, something was blocking the air, gasping her eyes flew open, the bright light burning them. Her arms were stiff and ached slightly as she brought them up to her mouth trying to pull away whatever was at her mouth. Jenny was aware of someone pulling her hand away, was aware of someone talking to her but she couldn't focus, she needed this thing out. Suddenly a loud voice broke through the fog, 'Ms Sheppard you're in the hospital, I'm Dr Reid', he firmly drew her hands away from her mouth, 'I need you to stay calm and nod your head if you can understand me', Jenny nodded her head sharply, her eyes watering from the effort not to gag. Dr Reid continued, 'Good, now you currently have a breathing tube in, nod once more if you want it removed', Jenny nodded again and as the tube was removed she took a massive breath in before coughing madly, falling back onto the pillows behind her.

Taking a moment she looked around her surroundings, she could see Becca and Thomas gazing at her, their hands clasped, their eyes tear-filled. Jenny let her eyes flitter over to the doctor who was watching her so intently, then for a moment she was filled with a sense of impending doom as she spoke, her voice dry and broken, 'My baby……'

'Is fine', the doctor smiled at her, 'You on the other hand gave us quite the scare. Do you remember what happened?', he handed her a glass of water which she gladly accepted.

Jenny sipped at the water, frowning slightly as she cast her mind back before shaking her head, wincing when she realised that her head hurt like hell, 'No, I called Je…..someone and I heard something in the hall, I thought it was him but it was someone else……..I don't remember anything after that'

'Well I won't go into much just now but you took a tumble down your flight of stairs and you've been unconscious for the past eleven days'

She couldn't help it, her mouth fell open in shock as she spluttered out, 'Eleven days!', her hand drifted down to her stomach and she looked up again, 'My baby's really ok?'

'Yes we did a scan when you were admitted and your baby is fine, we'll do another scan soon though', he patted her hand, 'Now I recommend that you get some rest just now and I'll come back and check on you later'

Jenny watched as the medical staff left the room, she felt Becca pick up her hand and had to force herself to listen to what she was saying, 'Thank God you're ok! We thought we'd lost you for a while back there, don't you ever scare us like that again!'

Forcing a smile Jenny couldn't help the feeling of loneliness that was creeping up on her, she looked over at her aunt, not sure how much she knew and spoke slowly, 'Before I fell I phoned someone…….did they find me?'

Becca's grip on her hand tightened slightly as she answered, 'No darling they didn't, your security found you in the morning'

Jenny felt numb as she spoke again, this time it wasn't to anyone in particular, 'He didn't come, I asked him, I told him I needed him and he didn't come'

Thomas decided to speak up, 'He's been outside for the past eleven days, he wants to see you, he's been worried'

Jenny shook her head, 'No he feels guilty, there's a difference. Tell him I don't want to see him and ask him to leave'

'Jenny are you sure? The man's been distraught, if you're aunt had let him in I doubt he would have left your side'

'I'm sure his wife is thrilled by this turn of events', she held up her hand when he tried to interrupt, 'I have spent too long waiting for Jethro Gibbs to decide what he wants and I need to move on, I gave him one last chance and he blew it. As far as I'm concerned it's just me and the baby now'

Thomas sighed as he left the room a few minutes later, after her speech Jenny had quickly drifted off. The doctor's had assured them that this was to be expected and it would be at least a few weeks before her strength began to build up. Rebecca had insisted on sitting with her and this meant the task of breaking the news to Gibbs had fallen to Thomas.

Gibbs was currently sitting with his head in his hands, he looked up when he heard the approaching footsteps and Thomas noticed that the man was ashen, his eyes red rimmed as he asked, 'Is she ok?'

'She's awake'

At this Gibbs jumped to his feet, the relief on his face was obvious, 'Can I see her'

Thomas shook his head, 'I'm sorry but Jenny doesn't want to see you, she's asked that you leave'

Gibbs looked like he'd been slapped, 'But I need to see her, even if it's just for a minute I need to speak to her'

'She's upset and I'm although I don't think she's right I'm going to support her decision, I suggest that you do the same', Thomas turned to leave, he looked back once more, 'I am sorry though'

With that he left Gibbs standing there, not quite sure what to do with himself, staring down the empty void of the hospital corridor.

xxxxx